You can run, but you can't hide . . .
That stupid expression played over and over in my head, like a mantra. Only, I really didn't like the sound of it. It scared the hell out of me, to be exact.
I just kept thinking about the re-occurring dream that I just had. It was the same one from the hospital, but it seemed more intense, more . . . painful.
Not until I get my hands on you and your telekinetic daughter.
I rolled over in my bed. I was getting rather restless lately, because of this dream. I was not sleeping at all, I was becoming extremely cranky and I was really paranoid.
The not sleeping thing could also be because I had to infants in the house that needed a massive amount of attention. I knew Rob couldn't do it on his own while I wallowed in my own sorrows. He said that he'd do it whenever I got up to soothe the screaming baby, but I always said, "Yeah, but you can't breast-feed." He just grunted and went back to bed.
But that's beside the point. The dream that I kept having was getting worse and worse. The pain I felt when his eyes seared into my skin intensifies. I know it's trying to tell me something, but I just can't put my finger on it.
And, not to mention, I haven't really told Rob that I keep having these dreams. I should, but he's got enough on his plate all ready. He was all ready on the verge of losing his job. Luckily his boss was a little more understanding than most.
Rob stirred next to me.
Please don't wake up, I mentally begged. I didn't want him to wake up and ask why I was awake. That's what always happens. If I lie to him, he'll know. And I just really don't want to tell him about my dream.
But, alas, he woke up.
He blinked at me, trying to adjust to the light that was filtering in the room. Then he smiled at me and spoke, "What's wrong?"
I rolled back on my back and glared at the ceiling. "Nothing," I said, attempting to lie, "I just don't feel to well."
He narrowed his eyes at me. "Jess, I can tell you're lying. Or at least telling me half of the truth."
I closed my eyes. "I don't want to worry you." I knew that was the wrong answer to give once it slipped out of my mouth.
"You know I hate when you do this. Just tell me." He pulled me off my back and onto my side to face him.
I looked him in the eyes for a few moments, then shook my head. "I just . . . I keep having this same dream over and over and it's just a little . . . unnerving, I guess."
He didn't say anything for a few minutes, just stared at me, scrutinizing me. I didn't know what he was thinking or what he was going to say, but I do know that he was upset that I hadn't told him sooner.
"What's in the dream?" he asked carefully.
"Um . . . it's the one that I had in the hospital."
His eyes widened. "That one? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Well, that I knew he'd say.
"It's not the whole dream, just the part where his eyes bore into me and he repeats that same line . . ."
"Which line?"
"Not until I get my hands on you and your telekinetic daughter," I repeated.
He didn't respond to that. He seemed like he was deep in thought.
After a few moments, he said, "Maybe we should have Krantz give her a few tests, just to see if she is . . . telekinetic."
Incredulously I asked, "What? Rob, I can't put her through the same thing I went through when I was younger. That wouldn't be right."
"Yeah, well, what's happening to you isn't right either, Jess. I just . . . I think we should check the facts first before we go jumping to conclusions."
I sighed. "Fine. Whatever."
- § -
That afternoon, Rob and I took Kia to Crane to get some tests done. We didn't think it would be a good idea to bring the Anthony and Rose with us - Krantz would probably take that opportunity to jump on them to see if they had any unknown powers too. So, we dropped them off at my parents' house. Well, not dropped. We went over there and I begged my mom to watch them for a few hours. She obliged, just because she adored them.
Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
I love my kids and I don't want them exposed to such things at such a young age. Not that they would remember that or anything when they grow up, but whatever.
So we brought Kia to Crane and had Krantz do the tests on her. Actually, it was some other doctors that were at Crane, but I made sure that we were in there at all times with her. I didn't want them doing anything to her that I wouldn't like.
"So, is she?" I asked as one of the doctors was examining the last test results. Rob was beside me and Kia was spinning around in one of the executive chairs in the room.
She lifted her head from the paper and brought her eyes to meet mine. "Well, it seems that she is, Miss Mastriani. She's not fully telekinetic, though. We are almost positive that she can't see other people's thoughts, but she can move objects with her mind."
I gaped. "Oh God," I said. "I . . . this is probably the weirdest thing that's ever happened to me."
Rob laughed. "You mean besides developing psychic powers?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Shut up." Then I turned back to the doctor. "Thanks, this has been really helpful."
She nodded and paged Krantz. He came in a few moments later, asking all sorts of questions. "What's the status?" he asked.
"Positive, sir," said the doctor and she repeated everything she said to Rob and I.
"Oh, Lord," Krantz muttered. He steered us all out of the room and brought us into his office.
"Jessica, this is phenomenal," he said right when we all got in. He was ecstatic I could tell. But I wasn't. I was scared.
"Phenomenal? Phenomenal! It is most certainly NOT phenomenal, Krantz! This makes my dream all the more true and I - I have a horrible feeling about this. I really do."
- § -
After we left Crane, we went to pick Anthony and Rose up from my mom's place. We got there just in time, too, because my mom looked like she was about to pass out from exhaustion. She was frazzled as hell too.
"Mom?" I asked, coming into the living room.
She shook her head and looked at me, blinking. "Thank God," she muttered under her breath. "Oh, sweetie," she said, "I'm so glad your back.."
I felt a pang of guilt. So this is how Rob must feel, I thought. I mean, he was the one that has been really taking care of them lately and I felt bad. I'm surprised it hadn't shown a lot more.
"Were they that bad?"
She smiled uneasily. "Well, lets just say that I don't remember being nearly as exhausted with you as I was with them."
I laughed. "Sorry. I didn't realize they were that bad. I mean, 'cause I was a little angel and all."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't get all hot-headed. You were no angel as a baby."
I shook my head. "Well, anyway, thanks, Mom. It really means a lot to me." I went over and grabbed the little carriers that they were in. My mom grabbed the duffel bag of diapers and crap and carried it to the car.
Rob was in the car, trying to get Kia situated. Now that she knew what she could do, she was moving things with her mind left and right. It was kind of annoying actually. I mean, there's learning and there's abusing. She was on her way to abusing.
Rob saw my mom and I and went in the back to set the seats up for the babies. I opened the side door of the van and handed Anthony to him first and he strapped the carrier in the seat and then did the same to Rose.
"You sure you'll be fine, sweetie?" my mom asked concernedly.
I smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Besides, I have Rob to help me. To tell you the truth, he's been more accommodating than I have."
She laughed. "Okay. I'll see you soon then."
I nodded again. "Of course." Then I got in the car and Rob hopped back in the driver's seat after making sure the twins and Kia were secure. Then he pulled out of the driveway and drove to our house.
- § -
"Rob, not now."
He continued kissing my neck. Sure, it felt good, but I was trying to concentrate, and him doing that definitely wasn't helping me.
He kissed a little higher and hit my weak spot. "Rob," I gasped. I could feel his smile against my skin.
Hmph.
"Rob, please," I begged.
Oh, God, I was turned on. I really wanted to do it right then with him, but there was something nagging my brain. I couldn't figure out what it was, but it was definitely there. And Rob doing that was not making it any easier to figure out what it was.
"Jess, come on." He wrapped his arms around my waist - which had finally returned to its original size; however, I did attain some stretch marks, which I'm not too happy about. He nuzzled his head in the crook of my neck. "Baby, while the kids are sleeping."
I tried to ignore the sensations he was making me feel by just nuzzling my neck and touching my waist. "Rob, can you just stop thinking with your dick for just one minute?"
He seemed taken aback by that. He removed his hands and took his head away from my neck to look at me. "What? Jess, what's bothering you?"
Well, at least it got him off me so I could think straight. "What's bothering me? Well, let's see. The fact that all you can think about is sex, when I could be killed at any minute."
He sighed. "Jess, not that again . . . . Look, honey, there's not some psychopathic ghost after you, okay? Everything will be fine. You're going to be okay."
I smirked. "Is that you or your penis talking?"
He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious!"
"So am I."
He looked at me for a moment, not quite sure if that was really me talking. "You know what?" he said. "Fine." He got up off the bed and grabbed a blanket and pillow. "I'll go sleep on the couch."
What?
No, I didn't mean it like that! Come back!
Well, that's what I wanted to say to him, but I didn't. I was just mad, I guess, and paranoid. But it was all for good reason too.
But I shouldn't have taken it out on him. He was only trying to help and I was just pushing him away. Albeit, he was horny, but still. I mean, it's not like we've been screwing that frequently anyway. The last time we had sex was about a week ago. And before that was a few months ago.
So, you know, I can't really blame him. He's needy . . . and I'm just not supplying, I guess.
But I was just mad that he wouldn't believe me. That he wouldn't believe that he was back - in ghost form - and wanted to kill me. I mean, it really wouldn't have bothered me all that much if it was from someone else, but from Rob? His opinion was what mattered the most to me and for him not to believe me . . . well, it hurt. A lot.
I sighed and rolled over in my - our - bed.
Great, once again, I'm not going to be getting any sleep. Joy, I thought.
But the thing is, I fell right asleep. It was way of the weird, but it was all good and well for me. As long as I wasn't losing any sleep. I knew, however, that I would feel horrible in the morning, since Rob would avoid me during breakfast and then he'd go to work early.
Before I went to sleep, though, I remembered that something was nagging me. But I was too far gone to actually comprehend it.
- § -
I woke up to no one next to me. Then I remembered what had gone down last night. This was going to be a fun morning.
I went downstairs to find that no one was there. I saw a note on the refrigerator and went to read it.
Jess,
I left for work early, as you may have noticed. I'll be back around 3 pm. We need to talk when I get home.
—Rob
Damn right we needed to talk.
I sighed and went back upstairs to check on the kids. I went into the twins' room - who were now almost three weeks old - and checked on them. They were still sleeping peacefully. I guess Rob must have gotten up in the middle of the night to check on them and satisfy them.
I went into Kia's room and checked on her. She was sleeping soundly without a peep. I went in and opened her window to let some of the cool morning air in. She looked like she was a little warm - the comforter was kicked to the end of the bed.
I left a kiss on her cheek and went back into the twins' room to bring them downstairs with me. It would be easier to watch them from the living room.
When I got downstairs, I positioned laid a blanket down on the living room floor and laid the both back-down on the blanket.
Our livingroom you could see perfectly from the kitchen, so all I had to do was just glance in the next room and I could keep an eye on them. All was well.
I went back in the kitchen and started to make some pancakes for Kia and me. I made the batter and poured it on the griddle after I made sure it was heated up. Then I went back in the refrigerator and grabbed some milk and orange juice and set it on the table, coupled with two glasses.
Kia came down a few minutes later and saw that I was making pancakes. Naturally, she got excited.
And, well, she tried using her newfound abilities to help me.
"Mommy, look what I can do!" she exclaimed tried moving a plate with her mind. Needless to say it floated in the air for a good second. But since her powers weren't developed yet, the plate dropped and shattered on the floor.
I sighed. "Kia, honey. You can't do that around here. I'm only going to allow you to do it in the play room and with stuffed animals, that's all. I don't want any more shattered plates, sweetheart."
She looked sad and guilty. "Sorry, Mommy. I was just trying to help."
I smiled and went over to hug her. "I know, honey. But you can help me by actually picking up the plates with your hands and putting them on the table." I glanced back down at the shattered plate. "Wait there a minute while I clean this up."
I cleaned it up and threw it in the trash and then finished up the pancakes. I put it on some plates that Kia got using her hands.
We ate and I glanced back in the other room every few minutes to see if Rose and Anthony were okay.
After breakfast, I put everything away and cleaned it all up. I told Kia to go watch TV and watch out for the infants.
I sat down with her and watched TV as we both held one of the babies.
She looked at me really curiously one moment and asked, "Mommy, where do babies come from?"
Okay, I wasn't expecting that. I spurted. "Uh - honey, maybe when you're older I'll tell you."
"But, Mommy, I want to know!"
I sighed. "Honey, it's not something a six-year old should know, okay? I'll tell you when you're . . . 13, okay?"
She knew how to count, so hopefully she would drop it.
Hopefully wasn't good enough.
"Is it when you and Daddy are always in your room together? Do you make them then?"
Okay, this was getting really weird. How could I get out of this?
I choked on my saliva. "Kia," I said, after I regained my composure, "sweetie, it's complicated. I promised I'll tell you when you're older."
She stopped, because she knew I wouldn't tell her. Not willingly at least.
- § -
I was up in our room doing some work for - wow, you guessed it - work. That's when Rob came home. Very late, too.
I didn't hear him get in first. That was probably because I had the stereo on in the room. But, hey, I had the kids in there so I would be able to watch them. I was being a good mommy, okay? And the stereo wasn't too loud that it would disturb them.
But I was really shocked to see Rob walk in the room, looking totally distressed and really tired.
"What happened to you?" I asked, shocked.
He blinked at me and went into the bathroom. I followed him. "Rob? What's wrong?"
He sat on the toilet seat and looked at me. His eyes told me that he was really upset.
Oh, he was still upset about last night, I bet. I didn't mean it like that though. I really didn't. I was just . . . not thinking, I guess.
"Rob, look, I'm sorry about last night. I was just . . . frustrated." I walked closer to him and kneeled down in front of him. "Rob, you're acting really weird. What's the matter?"
He shifted on the seat. "Are you cheating on me?" he asked all of a sudden.
I widened my eyes. "What?"
Where the hell did he get that from?
Wait...
That's why he was looking like that!
Greeeeeeeeaaaaaat.
"Are you cheating on me?" he repeated, slower this time.
"No!" I practically yelled. "Why would you think I was cheating on you, Rob? I love you!"
He snorted. "Didn't look like that last night," he accused.
I sighed. "Rob! I said I was sorry about last night. I was really distressed and frustrated. I didn't mean to hurt you or make you mad..."
"Well, you did."
I sighed. "Why do you think that I cheated on you?"
He looked away.
Suddenly anger boiled inside of me. Mr. Goodhart never accomplished the controlling of my anger.
I narrowed my eyes. "You have no proof about this and you're accusing me of cheating? Rob, you asked me to marry you and I said yes. I have given birth to THREE of your children. Not to mention, I haven't been out of the house in a while anyway - aside from yesterday and you were with me the entire time. You can even ask the guards outside the house."
He gave me a guilty look. "Please," he said, "I just need to be alone for a little while."
I threw my hands up in the air, frustrated. "Whatever. I have to finish up some work."
He nodded and I went back into the bedroom. I shut the door behind me, figuring that would be best for him.
God, WHY did we have to fight now?
Why the hell did he think I was cheating on him, too?
Ugh. Why can't things around here just be normal?
Why am I asking so many questions?
I flopped down on the bed and glared at the ceiling. Everything was just so screwed up lately.
Maybe this was Rob's way of saying to me that he didn't want me because he thought I was crazy. I hope that's not true though. It would break me to the point where I didn't want to live anymore if he did that to me.
But...I still can't fathom why he thinks I was cheating on him.
Ten minutes later I was still glaring at the ceiling. Rob came out of the bathroom and didn't even bother to look at me.
"I'm gonna go out," he said and walked towards the bedroom door.
I needed to talk to him. I couldn't let him just leave like that, without any meaningful words to me.
I hopped off the bed and grabbed his arm. "What the fuck is your problem?" I asked angrily.
Needless to say, he looked taken aback, but I honestly didn't care.
He shrugged my arm off and attempted to get out the door again, but I grabbed his arm, again. "Just talk to me!" I screamed. "What did I do wrong?"
He just looked at me, studying me. Then he sighed. "It's not you," he said softly, after a few moments silence.
I softened a little. Just hearing the tone of care in his voice made my anger start to wither away. "Then what is it?"
He looked down, as I grabbed him and dragged him back in the room, shutting the door softly behind us. "Somebody just said something to me at work and it bothered me is all."
"What did they say?" I asked, knowing full and well that that was only a minor thing that was bothering him. I wasn't going to push it though.
He looked away from me again. "It doesn't matter, because I love you. I should've known that you'd never do that to me."
I suddenly smiled, plopping myself back on the bed. "Oh?"
He followed suit, only he came over me on the bed. "Uh huh."
"I'm sorry," I said all of a sudden. "About last night, I mean. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."
He shook his head. I saw the soft waves that were his hair flutter. "No, Jess, I'm sorry. I should have respected that you were upset. I shouldn't have accused you of something I know you would never do." He looked in my eyes. "And I should have believed you last night."
Tears pricked the back of my eyes. "You believe me?" I asked, my voice crackling.
He smiled. "Yes. Yes, I do."
"Then," I whispered, "that's all that matters." And I pulled his head down to mine, his lips crashing on my own.
I didn't care at all at that point whether he weighed a lot more than me or not. I just wanted him as close to me as possible.
I pulled his body down to mine. I let out an, "oof," at first, but quickly assured him that it was okay. I needed him that close to me.
"Jess, what—"
"Shh," I said, and silenced him with another kiss.
As I caressed his lips with my own, I felt him relax and give in. After all, it was what he wanted.
He broke away from me to catch his breath. Then he smiled at me and started suckling on my neck. A strange gurgling noise was extracted from my throat. Rob chuckled against my neck.
While he was doing that, I removed my shorts and underwear. By the time I got to his belt buckle, he was beginning to take my shirt off. I let him.
Soon enough, our clothes were scattered all over our bedroom floor.
Note to self: Pick clothes up as soon as I wake up tomorrow morning, so Kia doesn't get even more curious than she already is.
Rob was already (ahem) happy. The, uh, bulge down there was enough evidence for me.
I briefly wondered if we had locked the door. Then I remembered that Kia was sleeping and we told her to knock anyway. But...she did forget a lot. Hopefully then wouldn't be another one of those times. Hopefully.
I groaned as Rob lowered his mouth to one of my breasts and suckled on the nipple. It felt so unbelievably good, just like when his hand snuck down between my legs and dipped inside of me. I swear, I didn't even notice until he was, well, there.
And, let's just say that my voice was very hoarse the next day. Hopefully we didn't wake the kids up.
He caressed my breasts, making them not so dormant, if you know what I mean. Then he brought his lips down to my own and kissed me, right before driving into me, rocking us both back and forth.
Finally, he collapsed next to me, exhausted.
I cuddled next to him, conforming my body to his. I pulled the sheets around us and snuggled closer to him, my eyes drifting closed.
Rob's muscular arm came around me, bringing me even closer to him. He kissed my forehead which was laying on his chest.
"That was amazing," he said.
I was on the verge of sleep, so this is what I think I said: "Make-up sex always is."
I remember him laughing and then I fell asleep, completely happy.
Too bad that feeling wouldn't be around for too long.