Destinata (Valguard) by Nicole Daffurn Page A

she couldn’t explain, not yet anyway and even if she wanted she would have no idea where to start. Ford would just have to accept the fact that he would have to wait for now.
    “You’re seriously freaking me out here Char. What’s going on? First you’re all mission impossible and then when the moment comes, you completely freak out?... And what the hell is going on with your eyes?”
    “Huh? What’s wrong with my eyes?”
    “They’re kind of… glowing.”
    “What?! You’re out of your mind Ford. I was crying, eyes tend to glisten some when people cry, they don’t glow.”
    Ford didn’t re ply he just stared into her eyes, like he was trying to see something that just wasn’t there. Or something he didn’t want to admit was there.
    “Let’s just go ok. I need to speak to… someone.”
    “Yea ok, I know when I’m not wanted Char, you don’t have to skirt around the issue.”
    “It’s not that at all Ford. Look. Yea, there are some things that I can’t explain right now but it’s not because you aren’t wanted! It’s just complicated.”
    “Right, because in twelve months your life just got so complicated that those close to you don’t even get a look in?”
    “No actually in the last three days my life got so complicated that no one else can help !”
    “Well maybe if you told someone what was going on they could. Maybe just maybe…”
    “No Ford! I can’t. End of story. Look I’m sorry, I really am happy to see you. I’ve missed you but can we just forget this morning happened?”
    “Yea sure Char, just pretend nothing happened.”
    Sarcasm was dripping from his tone but she knew he would drop it now. He would do anything she asked him to, he always had and he always would.
    They made their way home, this time forgetting the umbrella, they were soaked to the bone already and erecting the metal and plastic shelter wasn’t going to help that now. They walked in silence both hoping the other would cave, both knowing they were as stubborn as each o ther and neither would give in. When they reached the metal gate Charlie stopped, the pain of leaving Ford to deal with his sisters ranting on his own evident on her face.
    “You’re not coming?”
    “No, I need to speak to Zane.”
    “The neighbor? You’ll speak to him but you won’t speak to me? You’ve know him what five minutes! You’ve known me your whole life Char.”
    “I know, it’s just…”
    “Complicated. Yea I get it. See ya later Charlie.”
    “Bye.”
    Ending rather meekly and hoping that he wouldn’t say anything to Eloise, Charlie veered off to the left making for Zane’s front door.
    When all the banging and yelling in the world didn’t get Zane’s attention in the big house, she decided that he wasn’t home and her hopes in finding out what was going on with her eye s before her housemates saw her was a lost cause.
    Shit! I can’t go home like this.
    She wished she had thought to get Zane’s number from him so she could at least text to find out where he was. It was too late for regrets now though, she would just have to try and sneak inside her house and hope that her housemates were too preoccupied with Ford’s sudden appearance to notice anything out of the usual. Reaching her front gate, she suddenly had a better idea. She could go see Kara, she would know what was going on and even better, now that Charlie had had the thought, Kara would know that she was on her way and make sure she was home for her granddaughter.
    God, Kara, if you can see this, hear this, whatever. Please, please be home.
     
    Running through the forest was easy this time, it was almost as if she could sense where the tree roots jutted out and the stones were partially hidden. Completely able to avoid almost all the obstacles in her way with ease she made it to Kara’s in r ecord time. The door stood ajar, swaying in the breeze and as Charlie inched forward she could here faint voices in the distance.
    “Jaramm won’t harm her. He