Disclaimer: The characters belong to Meg Cabot, I only own the storyline.
CHAPTER FOUR
"I know, go back to sleep Suze. You need it. I'll be back soon with the stuff."
I would respond but at the mention of sleep my eyes had already begin to shut and the blackness came across my mind. The last thing I feel being Paul's lips lightly touching me forehead.
"Sleep well Suze."
SUZE'S POV
I woke up again to find a girl sitting at the end of my bed, looking at my face with a small grimace. I know I've thought it before, but thank god I don't have a mirror or reflective surface in the room.
As my eyes focused I begin to look over the girl. She has short brown hair with tanned skin and was without the make-up which usually coats a lot of girl's and women's faces. Her clothes are fairly simple, reflecting more of what I would wear instead of what someone like, say, Debbie would wear. I can also see the biker jacket placed by her side on the bed, obviously being too hot to wear in this heat.
"Hey. Nice to see you awake."
I look back at her face, which is surprisingly blank now.
"Nice to be awake – " I break of, startled as a ghost pops up behind her. He doesn't look dangerous, but I really hope Jesse or Paul will arrive to get rid of him. I seriously can't be bothered. I'm in hospital, unable to move for Christ's sake! Why do I need any more problems, let alone that which are not mine?
She looks a little puzzled but then ignores it. "Do you need anything? Want me to call the nurse?"
"No, no. It's fine. If you could tell me who the heck you are and why you are here that would be more than enough." And who the ghost guy is behind you too, thanks.
"My name is Cassandra – " the expression on the ghost, who clearly now knows the girl, says it is not, " – and I'm here to check up on you."
"Well, Cassandra," I say sarcastically, "somehow I doubt that's why you're here. And do you mind telling me your real name?"
Again she looks surprised. "Why do you think that's not my name?"
"I have my sources." Namely the guy whose standing right behind you. Crap! He caught my eye and he looks stunned. This is not good. Though he doesn't look to bad for a ghost – just a little sad. Looking at him more closely, not caring about how crazy I was looking to 'Cassandra', I saw that he was of African-American decent and was quite athletic...or at least he was when he was alive.
"Ok...So, I guess I still suck at both lying and subtlety then. My name is actually Jessica Mastriani but my codename is Cassandra. I'm what the press dubbed 'Lightning Girl.' I can find missing people in my sleep. Dr Krantz sent me to deal with your...stubbornness. "
Ok...suure. But...I guess if I could see ghosts and briefly thought that vampires could exist (at least enough to stab a guy with a pencil) then it could be possible...wait!? My stubbornness? Gee, thanks. I guess I made it clear to the Doctor though that I wasn't gonna tell him anything.
"So, you find people in your sleep?"
"Yes."
"Huh. Ok."
"You don't doubt me?"
"Well...how bout we make a deal," (so sue me, I'm curious,) "I'll answer your questions if you find someone for me, as proof of what you're saying, and keep what I say a secret from my family."
If she could really do as she says, then it would be nice to be able to talk to another girl about my gift. And they can't make me join their Scooby gang. Ugh...it has to be due to all the pain meds, usually I would have kicked her ass for even asking about my 'gift' and sent her out the door. I tried to think more about it, but happily found I didn't care as long I had morphine in my veins.
"Fine!" She said in exasperation, but also a little bit of understanding. "Who do you want found? I'll need a picture."
I thought about it...I could have her find Miss Fiske. I'd always been curious about what happened to her but apparently there was 'nothing left' of her after Marcus was – Marcus Beaumont! I could ask her to find him. I wondered what the ghosts had been doing with him...however, I could also ask her to find Jesse and give her the painting of him done when her was alive...the first time. That would also prove my gift to her at the same time...or I could use the dead guy trailing her.
"What if I gave you two and you choose?" I asked, unable to make up my mind.
She looks at me suspiciously but nods.
"There's a man J – Hector De Silva who went missing around 1850's. They dug up a body presumed to be his a while ago, but some doubt that this presumption is correct. I would like you to find his body to confirm this theory or debunk it so we can find out who it really is if it is not Hector." And if there is still a body still in the grave at all.
"And the other?"
"A man named Marcus Beaumont. He went missing in a fire a little while ago but his body was never found. He had left behind his passport...and his gun, but I have an...inkling that he is alive."
"You have pictures of them? I'll see if I can do both."
"A photo of J – Hector can be found on the Museum website and just typing in Marcus's name shall get heaps of articles on him – he was a very well known man, taking over Beaumont industries when his brother...became unwell."
"Very well...I'll see what I can do. I'll drop by soon."
She got up carefully, soothed out her clothes and went to pick up her jacket when she looked at me again. "I wouldn't usually do this, but you hairs a mess and I heard you have a boyfriend...I know I'd hate it for Rob to see my hair like that. And with riding a bike, I get more of my share of hat-hair." She pauses. "Do you want me to brush it for you, I'd offer to braid it but I didn't exactly have any sisters to practice on and with short hair I never felt the need or had the opportunity to learn." She blanks out then, as if remembering something, before shaking her head and smiling nervously at me.
I almost tear up, stupid meds. I was so nice of this girl, almost a complete stranger, to do such a thing. She might just be trying to get in my good books, but something told me she was trying to be nice.
I smiled weakly at her. "Thanks, that would be great. There's a brush in the bag on the chair over there."
She grabbed it then came and sat closer to my head, pushing the button to cause the head of the bed to rise so I'd be in a sitting position. I groaned as I raised, the movement stretching my bruised muscles and my poor bones.
She winced along with me.
"I've had my own count of injuries, but ouch! Nothing at all like yours, though." She smiled fondly. "I got most of mine from beating up the dimwits who picked on my brother."
"Haha! You think they'd get the message the first time, right?" I ask smiling softly as she took the first half of my hair closest to the side she was sitting on and started untangling it.
"So I take it you do your own share of beating up the idiots who think it's funny to bully others?"
"Yeah, like you it's mostly to protect my brother, well step-brother, David. He's a bit of a nerd, but his really a nice boy. It's mostly his older brother Brad, who does most the tormenting though."
"Really?" She also looked amused. "I usually like to give em' a black eye or two for their troubles."
My smile grew. I was really starting to like this girl. "I tend to pinch the hairs at the back of the neck, he built up the muscles in his abdomen so it no longer hurts too much when I sucker-punch him. He hasn't realised all it would take to stop me would be to shave his head."
She laughed as she crossed to the other side of the bed and begun on the other half of my hair. She then opened her mouth to say something when she was interrupted as Jesse and another tall man enter the room. It was hard to find people who came close to Jesse's good looks, but boy, did this guy come close. He stood tall and proud with ripples of muscles coming out of his tight gray shirt, with curly dark brown hair and gray eyes, a shade or two different to Paul's.
"Rob!" the girl – Jessica, I reminded myself – exclaimed before turning back to the last bit of my hair. "What took you so long?"
I looked towards Jesse for an explanation and he gave me his 'be quite, I'll tell you later' look before I remembered Jessica having talked about a boy called Rob. He must be her boyfriend..well, fiancé looking at the ring on her left hand. Though, isn't she a little young to be engaged?
"Mastriani," he replied, obviously calling her by her last name. Huh, he's a lot like Paul, not only in looks. "I was looking for the room when I met Jesse here and we got talking. Jesse, this is my fiancé Jess, Mastriani this is Suze's partner Jesse."
I liked the use of 'partner' instead of 'girlfriend.' It made our relationship seem more serious.
"That's nice," Jessica replies, ignoring the introduction except for a slight nod of her head to Jesse, before turning back to me. "Ok, all done. I'll do what we agreed and I'll talk to you soon. It was nice meeting the both of you, but me and Rob have gotta go. Bye!"
With that she got off the bed, grabbed her jacket, threaded her arm through Rob's and took of towards the exit.
"Huh, that was weird," I mumbled to Jesse as he came over to sit on my bed like Jessica did.
"Yeah," he said, before grazing my cheek with the back of his hand. God, I loved it when he did that. "From what Rob told me Jessica is a lot like you and it looked like you got on. Maybe it's time to open up to more than just me, Paul and Father Dominic about you gift. You need another woman in your life."
"I'm doing fine! I can handle it."
He leans forward smiling softly to wrap his arms around me gently. "Sure you can El Novio."
"I told you not to call me stuff in Spanish" I mumble as I lean forward into the hug, not truly upset.
He begins to rock me back and forth and presses something to my side – wait! Is that a medication pump! Damn, cowboy! I don't get to be angry for long as the blackness once again clouds my mind and I fall asleep to Jesse softly singing.
Oh! Susannah, Oh don't you cry for me,
For I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.
I had a dream the other night, when everything was still;
I thought I saw Susannah dear, a coming down the hill...
Translation:
el novio – sweetheart