“Okay, then, what kind of a boy could you smell yourself holding hands with?” Ronan was curious to hear her answer, but make no mistake, he was going to make sure this heretofore unknown boy knew to stay away from his daughter until she was over the age of thirty. No, make that thirty-five.
“If he smelled like roses or cinnamon, I guess, but I have more important things to worry about than holding hands with a boy.” Everly rolled her eyes, as if to emphasize her point.
Everly’s answer was music to Ronan’s ears. “I’m relieved to hear it. Important things like what?”
“Things like Dad’s dream.” All the earlier happiness drained from Everly’s face. She looked older than her six years and more tired than a child should ever be. “Part of the reason I stayed up last night was in case Dad needed me.”
Ronan was at a loss for words. On the one hand, he loved that Everly wanted to do everything she could to keep Ten safe. On the other hand, that wasn’t a job for a six-year-old. There were so many times his daughter had used her gift over the last year to help solve cases and to make sure her family was protected. It killed Ronan to ask her to put those skills to the test again. “Did you see anything new last night?”
Everly shook her head. “Almost, sort of?”
Barking out a quick laugh, Ronan couldn’t help but think that his daughter sounded like a typical first grader, but the subject was nothing that would ever come up in the classroom. “Can you tell me what you mean?”
“It’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s like when I want to reach something in the cabinet and I’m on tiptoes and just brush a finger against a cup before my feet hurt and I have stand flat again. Does that make sense?”
“It sure does,” Ronan agreed. “But in your example, you know you’re reaching for a cup. Did you know what was just out of reach? Could you see a little hint of it?”
“No, it was pitch black, like the time the lights went out in that snowstorm.”
“Could you hear or smell anything?” When Ronan interviewed witnesses to a crime, he’d always ask questions about the five senses. Most people put all their stock in what they saw, but he knew that what people felt, heard, smelled, or tasted were equally as valuable.
“Not really,” Everly said sounding worried.
Ronan studied his daughter. Everly looked tired and worn out and knew it wasn’t just from not getting a lot of sleep the night before. “What else is bothering you?”
Everly shook her head. “There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about without Dad being here.”
“Okay, shoot.” Ronan’s stomach dipped and pitched, as if he was going down a rollercoaster drop. It wasn’t like Everly to be so serious or to want to talk to him without Tennyson.
“I’m worried about my gift.”
Ronan blew out the breath he’d been holding. Relief washed through him. He was afraid Everly was going reveal something about Ten, something he didn’t already know about. Everly’s gift being a little wonky wasn’t a matter of life and death. “Why? What’s going on with it?”
“It’s hard to explain, but it feels less strong than before. My friend, Seth, at school, has asthma and the doctor said he would probably outgrow it. What if I’m outgrowing my gift?” Fear and worry warred in her eyes, breaking Ronan’s heart.
Ten would have been much better equipped to speak to Everly about her psychic abilities, which worried Ronan to his core. Why was she speaking to him and not Tennyson. “Has anything like this ever happened to you before?” Ronan figured if there were other times this happened, he could help his daughter find what was triggering it now.
“No, usually my gift stays the same or gets stronger, but it’s never gotten weaker before. I’m scared that I’ll lose it all together. If that happens, I won’t be able to help my family and can’t reunite spirits with their loved ones or help cross over lost souls.” Everly sniffled.
Ronan stood and wrapped his arms around his daughter, who’d started to cry. He had no idea how to help Everly and unfortunately, had more questions than answers. “Why don’t you want Dad to know what’s going on with your gift?”
“I’m afraid he won’t love me anymore if I don’t have my abilities.” Everly wept, sounding helpless.
Pulling Everly’s face from his chest, Ronan wiped his daughter’s seemingly endless tears. “I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay?” When his daughter nodded with a sniffle, Ronan continued. “There isnothingthat could make either one of us love you one bit less. I promise you that. Your gift is only a small part of you.”
A sniffle from the kitchen door caught Ronan’s attention. Tennyson was standing there, swiping at the tears rolling down his cheeks. “Oh, honey.”
Everly hopped off the counter and ran to Tennyson who swept her up in his arms. Father and daughter hugged and cried together.
Ronan felt useless. There was almost nothing he could do to soothe his little girl’s worries and fears. There was less he could do for Ten, who looked more tired now, than he had last night. Wrapping his arms around his husband and daughter, he held on for dear life.
“Daddy’s right,” Ten said. “Absolutely nothing could make me love you less. Why don’t we sit at the table and talk about what’s been happening? I’ll take notes, while Daddy starts the bacon.”
“What if I lose it forever?” Everly asked, looking scared.
“If the worst happens, then we’ll deal with it together, but there are a lot of steps to take between now and then, okay?”
“Okay.” Everly wiped her damp eyes and offered Ten a smile.
