From a Distant Star by Karen McQuestion Page A

to talk to her and I want her to see him.”
    “What went wrong?” Lucas asked.
    I glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Eric waiting for my answer. I spoke to Lucas.
    “You’re not the same,” I said. “You know that, right? You’re trying, I can tell, but there’s something missing. Something is really wrong.”
    “Give the guy a break,” Eric said. “He’s been cut open, radiated, medicated, gone through chemotherapy, been in a coma, and everything else. He’s doing pretty good, considering. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”
    “No.” I shook my head. “You’re wrong. Even taking all that into consideration, he’s still not the same Lucas.” I knew Lucas. I knew every cell in his body. Every thought in his head, every emotion in his heart. Our souls had once been intertwined, but I wasn’t feeling it anymore. “I’m not imagining things. I’m telling you I know the difference.” I glanced over and saw Lucas’s beautiful, expressionless face looking straight at me. “You’re not the same, are you Lucas?”
    Lucas didn’t answer, just turned his head to look out the window. Eric said, “Well, now you’ve made him feel bad. Stop being so mean, Emma.” He sighed heavily.
    “It’s not just me,” I argued. “Mack sees it too, and you know what they say about how dogs can sense things people can’t.”
    “Yeah,” Eric said, “but Mack also drinks out of the toilet, so I wouldn’t go by that.” We rode in silence for a moment, the only car on the highway. “I can’t believe you went to Mrs. Kokesh.”
    “You think it was a bad idea? Because it’s witchcraft?”
    “No, because I wish I had thought of it myself.”
    Smiling, I pulled into the drive leading up to Mrs. Kokesh’s house. Once the car was parked, I grabbed my canvas bag and the three of us got out and walked up the steps. A white cat lounging on the porch saw us and took off like a shot. Mrs. Kokesh was home, I was sure of it. The main door was open and I could see through the screen door into the hallway. I banged on the door with the side of my fist. “Hello? Anyone home?” I pounded again.
    “Maybe she’s not here,” Eric said.
    “She’s here,” I said.
    A second later, Mrs. Kokesh’s voice came booming from the top of the stairs. “Hold your horses! I can only go so fast.” She shuffled down, taking each step one at a time, as if her feet hurt. Like before, she’d dressed for colder weather, wearing a man’s cardigan over a faded floral-print dress. The flip-flops on her feet were her only concession to summer. “You again, Emma?” she said, swinging open the door. “I shoulda known you’d be back.”
    She gestured for us to come in and we all trooped down the hall. Lucas walked along as if this whole outing was normal, but Eric made a gesture to me like
what’s going on?
which I just ignored. Soon enough, he’d know everything I knew.
    When we reached the kitchen, I took a seat, not even waiting for an invitation. I kept my large bag ready on my lap. The guys stood awkwardly until Mrs. Kokesh threw up her hands and said, “You might as well sit and be comfortable.” Once everyone was gathered around the table, she said, “So, you got a complaint, Emma? Everything not hunky-dory in your world?”
    “There’s a problem,” I said.
    She threw back her head and laughed. “There’s always a problem, honey. The problem is that you people expect too much. I’m seeing Lucas here, and he looks like he’s not dying anymore, so I’d say I held up my end of the bargain. I saw on the news that people are saying it’s a miracle. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
    “It was a miracle and I’m grateful to have Lucas back,” I said. “It’s just—”
    “I’m not giving you your money back,” she said, cackling. Then to Lucas and Eric, she said, “I saw this coming. I warned her and did it for free. Now she’s complaining.”
    “I’m not complaining. I just need your help