Pulled (23 page)

When we get inside I can see her taking in the beauty of the home, and smile. She places her hand on the worn banister and I swear she’s wondering about past hands gliding along this railing as I always do.

“
Is there an elevator here? I mean, they can’t all make it up these stairs, can they?”

I nod behind me. “Behind the stairwell. But most of the residents who live upstairs won’t use it. Those in wheelchairs and walkers live on the first floor. There are only four women up here, and they’re all tough old broads. They refuse to use the elevator, even if they’re tired.”
Stubborn fools.

“
The nurses have the area on the third floor for offices and stuff. I’ve only been up there once. That’s the only part of this house that does look like a hospital.”

We reach the second floor and my heart speeds up. I am unbelievably anxious for Grams to meet Naya.

“
She’s right over here.”

Upstairs, the four dark wood doors encircling the stairwell greet us. Both Martha's and Helen’s doors are closed, as usual. They are both in their late eighties and spend most of their time behind closed doors. It’s a relief to see Grams' door open, but I wonder grimly, how many more years it will stay open. I hesitate in the hallway.

“
Um, I should probably check to see if she’s okay for company today.”

“
Sure, no problem. I’ll wait here,” Naya says, going toward the window.

“
I’ll just be a minute.” Reluctantly, I release her hand. My hand feels cold after, so I tuck it into my pocket and peek inside. “Grams? You awake?”

“
Etash! You came. I knew you’d come,” her small voice replies. I go in and close the door behind me.

She’s starting to get up from her chair, and I rush over to her side.

“
Sit, Grams, don’t get up.”

“
You bring her to me, yes?” Her eyes are twinkling.

I smile. “Yes, she’s right outside. I just wanted to make sure you were okay for visitors today.”

Grams shakes her head at me. “Etash, how often you think I get to meet a Twin Flame? Okay or no, I will no miss the chance to meet her.” She brushes her fingers along my face. “Bring her to me!”

Naya

As I wait, I glance out the window which overlooks a large, lush back yard filled with flowers and a small vegetable patch. There is a resident outside pruning a rose bush while a younger woman is kneeling down beside her laying fresh mulch.

“
You here to see Naimi?” a voice says from behind me. Startled, I spin around.

“
Oh dear, I didn’t mean to frighten you, hon,” the woman says. “I’m Grace. I live next door to Naimi.” She looks to be in her early eighties, tall and frail looking. Her thin gray hair is styled perfectly, and she's wearing a string of delicate pearls around her neck. “You one of her grandkids?” she asks.

“
Um, no. I’m…a friend of her grandson, Etash.”

She smiles. “A
friend
, huh? That’s not what we called them in my day.” I blush a deep red.

“
We attend the same college,” I say, as if that simple fact would explain our friendship as nothing more than platonic.

“
Well, I’m glad Etash has found a ‘friend.’ I was starting to get worried.”

“
Worried?” I ask.

Her expression changes as though she has been caught telling more than she should. “It’s just … after his
accident
, you know, his scar and all. We all thought he’d be doomed to be alone forever.” I open my mouth to speak, but no words come. Grace moves closer to the window and looks out.

“
Course, Naimi knew different. She knew he’d find you. That’ll teach me for doubting her. She’s always right. She has a gift, that one.”

I look at her, perplexed, but she just continues to stare out the window.

“
Naya,” Etash’s voice calls from behind me. “She’s okay for company. Hello, Grace.” He waves politely to Grace.

“
Morning, Etash. Good to see you,” she coos back, then she turns back to me, gives me a quick wink before she slips down the stairs.

Quickly, I make my way over to Etash, who holds out his hand again for me. “Ready?” he asks.

Nodding slowly, we walk inside.

The room is large and open. Sunlight pours in from two enormous bay windows. There is a small bed covered with an ivory bedspread off to one side and a small sitting area next to a fireplace. His grandmother is seated in a pale green wingback chair and is dressed in a light blue silk dress. She stands as we get closer.

Her small frame surprises me, but there is no mistaking her for Etash’s relation. He has her exact same coloring and the same delicate oval shape of her eyes. She smiles kindly at me and offers me a seat across from her.

“
Naya! It is wonderful to finally meet you!” I bite my lip, strangely embarrassed.

Etash

“
This is
her
, Etash. It
is
her!” Naya looks at me nervously.

She leans in and touches Naya’s knee gently. “I knew
you
would come into his life.” She sits back into her chair, grinning smugly at me.

“
Grams …” I say, rolling my eyes, “don't start in with that, okay?”

A look of shock fills Grams' face. She cocks her head and sits up a little straighter.

“
Do not tell me that you still do not believe, Etash? After all I have told you? After everything that happen to you?” She is getting upset and that is not good for her blood pressure.

“
You know, Grams, maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” I say, taking Naya's hand and pulling her up from her chair. But Grams ignores me and looks at Naya.

“
You two are
destined
for each other.” She pulls Naya back down into the seat. I start to intervene, but Naya waves a hand at me signaling that she's okay.

“
Your paths are forever connected,” Grams says with an authoritative nod. “It should have happened years ago, of course, but your flame was not strong enough yet. It is strong now. I feel it.” My hand tightens on Naya's.

“
What do you mean before?” Naya starts to ask.

“
Grams,” I begin, but b
efore I can get a word out, Grams' hands clasps Naya’s. She turns her palm up and bends her head down to inspect it.

“
Grams, stop.”

“
Um, what is she doing?” Naya asks me, trying unsuccessfully, to yank her hand away.

I sigh, embarrassed. “She's trying to read your palm. Grams, come on, don’t make me call a nurse,” I warn.

But she doesn't let go of Naya. She is deep in concentration, no longer able to hear me or my idle threats. All at once her face goes pale and fills with fear.

“
Stay away from the ice man,” she says urgently, shaking Naya.

Naya looks at me, not sure what to do.

“
Okay, Grams, let her go now.” I move behind Grams to pull her away from Naya, but she’s fighting hard against me. She’s stronger than she looks.

“
The ice man will smother both your flames!” Grams is frantic now.

“
Grams?” I give her a shake, but she stays frozen. “Nurse!”

I manage to get her back into her chair and grab the emergency cord. Two nurses come running in through the door a moment later and take over for me. Right away they tell me her blood pressure is through the roof.

“
I’m so sorry about that. This was clearly not a good idea,” I tell Naya after we’ve been on the road for awhile. She hasn’t spoken a word since we’ve left and her silence is killing me.

Naya

I know I probably should be thinking about his grandmother and her 'vision', but I'm not. Although her intense stare did frighten me a bit, Etash warned me that she was delusional and I’m old enough not to believe in people being able to read palms.

All I can think about right now is last night. About how I was kissing him, and more importantly, how
he
put an end to it. That's twice now he's pushed me away when I kissed him.
Twice.
And then it hits me, like a swift kick to the gut.
He doesn't feel the same way.
But it's not like he can just kick me out. He's too much of a gentleman to send me back to Seth, so he's forced to keep me around. Forced to put up with my unwanted advances.

It's painfully obvious now. I feel like such a fool.

Etash

Just when I'm about to go crazy from her silence, she finally speaks.

“
I’ll leave as soon as we get back,” Naya says. Her bottom lip quivers a touch.
That's it! This ends now.

Like an ass, I slam on the brakes and pull over to the side of the road, ignoring the blaring horns passing me by. When the car stops, I rip off my seat belt and storm over to her side, yanking her door open as well.

“
Get out!” I order. She does so, slowly, and I slam the door behind her. “Look at me!” I yell over the sound of cars flying past us.

When she does, her eyes are sad and determined. I'm not going to lose her because of what Grams said. I just won't. I have to make her understand.

I trace my fingers along her face and she gasps, but doesn’t pull away. Taking her chin in my hand as tenderly as I can muster, I have only one thought:
you’re
mine
. It’s such a dark and primitive thought, that I am disgusted with myself for thinking it, but I can’t help myself. My entire body is claiming her as my own.

“
Why?
Why do you want to leave? It's because of what Grams said, right?” I meet her eyes, searching.

“
No, it's not her, okay? Look, I can't talk about this
here!
Can we please just go back?” She looks timidly over her shoulder to the highway.

Etash! You idiot!
Of course she’s freaking out. You’ve got her standing out on a busy highway, just like the one where her parents were killed.

She slinks away from me and sinks back into the car. I feel like a complete jackass.

I don’t dare say another word the entire ride back and it's maddening. I have no idea what she is thinking. She’s rigid and determined.

When we finally pull into the driveway, she jumps out of the car and races up the stairs. She's running away from me.

She tries to step inside, but her attempt is thwarted when she finds the door locked. As I approach her, she pushes herself as far away from me as my tiny entrance allows. My arm brushes against hers and she shudders.

I walk in ahead of her. A moment later she comes in and starts to immediately pack up her things. My stomach turns.
I'm going to lose her.

Chapter 15

Naya

When I go to leave, he tries to stop me by shutting the door. I clench my teeth and square my shoulders.
You have to be strong, Naya.

“
Please move out of the way. I’d like to leave now.”

“
I don’t understand,” he asks. “What did I do?”

“
Etash, this is embarrassing enough without having to spell it out for you.” I move my book bag up my shoulder, not able to even look at him. A second later, the bag has been ripped off my shoulders.