Chapter 33

Never Plan a Psychic Wedding

I put together a list of people that I wanted to come to my wedding. One fifth of them were psychics. Now, it's bad enough when you have two psychics in a family who can communicate without talking. Imagine being at a table where everyone is sharing a psychic joke and you're not a psychic; they're all laughing and you're not. The event becomes a balancing act. Psychics are just like everyone, there are some that are really cool about their gift and respect your privacy and there are those that flaunt it and want you to know that they are superior. They relish reading your mind just when you have the most private of thoughts. My friends ran the gamut.

I started getting phone calls, instead of the caller saying, "Hi, how are you?" They'd say, "I saw that you were getting married", "I had a vision that you were getting married." "So, am I invited to your wedding?"

Most of my psychic friends had gone through the psychic program at the FBI or CIA or through a University. We kept in touch, which was easy to do, if you get my drift. One of my close friends that went through the FBI Intuitive program and then quit, called me.

"So, you're going to make me wear light blue?"

"Susie! Oh, how long have you known?" I asked.

"I had a dream about you getting married six months ago. I didn't want to spoil it for you. I know you have trouble seeing your own future."

I hated to ask the question that I really wanted to ask, afraid of the answer. "Well, anything you can tell me about—"

"Oh, Auri, you're so transparent. I don't see a divorce, although I do see a few times when you think about it. But, it looks like this is the one you stick with. Has anyone told you the news?"

"What news?"

"Let it be a surprise. So, you're raising Teag's kid?"

"Furey…Gregory Scott Furey. He's adorable."

"Yeah, well that kid is a powerhouse. He's sending vibes all over…once he learns his craft he's going to be scary. You have your hands full."

"You mean you see him in trouble?"

"No more than the average teen. But, I mean this child will be an incredibly gifted adult. The CIA is going to want him."

She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. "Yeah, I figured. Can you tell if they get him?"

I heard her sigh, "The dream didn't get into that."

I was incredibly good at remote viewing, reading objects, telepathy, sometimes I was clairvoyant but it wasn't my strong suit. Suzie, on the other hand, was barely adequate at telepathy, but Suzie was very accurate when it came to seeing the future. The problem was that she only had sporadic control over it. The dreams just came. Sometimes she could direct what she would dream about, but not that often. She hadn't been much use to the FBI, but she made a good living being a clairvoyant.

"I guess I don't have to ask if you can make it and if you'll be my bridesmaid?" I asked.

"No, but it's still nice to have you ask. So, who is this guy?"

I smiled at the thought of her meeting him, "He's a doctor and he's a pain in the ass."

She chuckled, "So I gathered from my dream. He was married to Teags?"

"Yes. They were married a couple of months before she died. Very sad."

Suzie sighed again, "I always liked Teags, but she was so damn sensitive. She never learned how to deal with everyone's pain, did she? Her son seems to do alright. Is that the Dad's genes?"

"Yeah, his dad is pretty much the alpha male in the room. He's an acquired taste."

She started to laugh, "You know, the way you talk about him, you don't sound that fond of him."

I didn't sound very positive about my own fiancé, but I couldn't lie! "I love Greg more than I thought I could love a man. But, I can't defend his behavior, it's atrocious. He's obnoxious, opinionated, blunt and arrogant. God, he sounds awful doesn't he?"

"In my dream he was good looking…for his age. How old is he?"

"He's turning 57."

There was a pause, "He's 57?"

"Don't sound so surprised. He can still get it up, without Viagra."

Suzie started howling, "Well, that's a resounding feather in his cap. Wedding date. My dream said September 15th?"

I was surprised. I had been planning for something in October. "You've got it wrong, we're looking to October."

Suzie paused, "Well, I'm buying my ticket for September 15th. All shall be revealed very soon. You need to talk to your future step-son."

"Furey? Is he going somewhere or something happen to him that I need to know about?"

"Auri, I've got to run. I'll call you soon."

I had been out of the hospital just five days and sleeping most of the time. Jim and Jennifer had taken Furey to stay with them while I recuperated. I was rather excited because he was coming home today and I had baked him a German Chocolate Cake.

I heard the motorcycle pull up which meant that Greg was home. Jim was going to bring Furey home after his soccer practice. I jumped up and ran to the door like a puppy excited that the master had arrived. The door open and he gave me a look as if there was something odd about my puppy-like behavior.

"Hi! You're home!" I realized quickly that my voice was several octaves higher than normal, I was that excited.

He looked around as if I must be talking to someone else, "Ah, yeah. I'm home and you're still in the same pajamas that you were wearing two days ago. Have you thought about taking a shower and cleaning up?"

"I'm depressed."

He shook his head as if he hadn't heard correctly. "You're depressed? You've finally brow beatened me into marrying you and you're depressed?"

"Hello? AIDS? HIV? Ring a bell? The AZT and 3TC makes me sick. I'm puking and crapping every five minutes and I have no energy. Plus, this house is too quiet, I miss you guys." I had been on PEP, Post-exposure prophylaxis, taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs) since they discovered that Jared had HIV.

He threw his head back, "Ohhhhh…that. Well, here's an engagement present." He held up a piece of paper just out of my reach, making me jump for it over and over until I gave him a martial arts blow and his arm came down to guard his ribs. I ripped it out of his hands and looked.

"Oh my God! Is it true? Wait…which test do we believe?"

"It was simple. Jared having HIV didn't make sense, not with using condoms and the fact that he didn't do drugs. He looked way too healthy to be so sick. I was even more suspicious when I went down to the morgue and examined his body. He showed absolutely no sign of HIV or AIDS. That, in itself didn't mean anything, because he could have contracted it recently or have it under control, but when I looked at the guy on the next slab, he showed signs of Karposi Sarcoma and a rash, plus he was emaciated. They had been brought down to the morgue within minutes of each other. I had them retest the blood and I sent a vial to an outside lab. Both tests came back negative."

I jumped vertically at least four feet into Greg's arms, throwing him back, the bottle of beer almost knocked out his hand. I gave him a huge smack on his mouth, a second huge smack and then hugged him. "I love you Gregory Scott House."

"Auri! I'm not a punching bag."

"Oh honey, I am so going to make it up to you. This must be what Suzie had meant. She asked if I had heard the news! She said, let it be a surprise. What a wonderful surprise! I'm healthy?"

He chuckled, "I never said you were healthy. The mental problems do blacken the slate."

"Oh, God…that's such good news. I feel, I feel like I can kiss both of you and not worry!"

"You can't get HIV through kissing."

"I know, it's just that I'd be constantly worried of doing something that might transmit it. It must be a terrible burden to have HIV."

Greg looked at his watch, "You have forty-five minutes."

"I do?"

"To do your duty."

"What duty?"

"Woman! In forty-five minutes Furey will be bouncing through that door…no, make that forty-four minutes. You need to lay back and think of England. It's been too long since you did your duty."

I started laughing. He had a maniacal look.

"You want it down here?"

"Yeah, and traumatize my already traumatized son? He comes home early and sees his Dad plugging his future step-mother."

"Step-mother. Oh, that kind of sounds horrible."

"Get used to it Cruella."

"She wasn't a step-mother, she was just evil."

"Whatever. Forty-three minutes."

I laughed, "Okay, get your butt up the stairs."

We started to walk up the stairs when we heard a sound behind us, the front door unlatched and in flew Furey, throwing his bag down and running up the steps to get to me. He flung his long arms around me and squeezed.

"Auri!"

We all started down the steps again, Greg giving me a snarl and giving his son looks behind his back as if he was going to choke the kid for coming home early.

Furey turned and looked at his Dad, "Sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to come home early and ruin your fun; my therapist had to cancel, so Uncle Jimmy brought me home early."

Greg looked at me.

"Honey, you're broadcasting your disappointment, no one has to read your mind."

"Disappointment?"

Furey snickered, "Dad, when I walked in you were thinking about Auri, naked and …"

Greg held up his hand, "Whoa, that's your step-mother to be."

I spoke up, "Furey, we're going to have to tune out your Dad when he's having a private moment. Those private moments are when he's thinking of me naked, okay?" I turned to Greg, "And you need to make sure you haul in your thoughts when you see your son around. I'm a little tired of the fact that a ten year old knows what I look like nude."

He rolled his eyes, threw his hands up in the air and screamed, "Aghghhg! You guys are killing me! I can't even think about my fiancé in the nude now."

Furey started to laugh, "Fiance! My Dad is 57 and has a fiancé!" Furey saw the cake, "Oh yeah, sweet! German Chocolate. Thanks, Auri!"

He put his arms around me again and, in a flash, jumped back.

"Furey? What's wrong?"

He looked dazed, odd. I could see Greg start to take an interest. His eyes narrowed and his face grew somber.

"Gumby, what's going on?"

Furey continued to look at me, his eyes glazed. "I …I…Auri, can't you feel that?"

Now I was frightened, worried that someone else had been trying to hijack his mind again, "Furey, you're frightening me. What are you feeling?"

His eyes flew open and he shook his head, "Oh, no, no! It's not bad. At least, I don't think it's bad…well, I…Dad, can I talk to you? Don't listen, Auri, okay?"

"Okay, I won't read anyone. You go and talk to your Dad."

They left the room and went out to the living room. I piddled around in the kitchen until there was a loud cry from the front room.

"Auri! Auri!" Furey screamed.

I went running, only to find Greg sitting on the couch staring down at his knees. He was as white as a ghost and I could feel that he was lightheaded. "Greg?" I stooped down to look into his eyes, "Honey?" I looked over at Furey, "What happened?"

Greg shook his head and leaned back.

Furey was on the verge of tears, "I just asked him if it was okay to tell you that the baby was really, really psychic. I mean, really psychic."

"What baby, honey? Uncle Jimmy's?"

Furey cocked his head to the side, "Auri, I'm talking about your baby. Can't you feel him?"

I felt my knees start to buckle, so I lowered myself to the floor, kneeling next to the coffee table.

Furey looked back and forth at Greg and me. My mouth was wide opened, I was trying to ask him a question, but I was so blown away. I finally looked at Greg, "The meds I've been on, the AZT…would it…?"

Greg shook his head, "They're safe to take if you're pregnant."

I turned to Furey, "Honey, I can't feel the baby because it—"

"He." Furey insisted.

I swallowed hard; I hadn't expected a boy for some reason. Hell, I hadn't expected any kid, "He is part of me right now. Is he healthy? Can you tell?"

Furey shrugged his shoulders, "I think so. He's not talking, but I'm getting impressions. I don't know how to describe them; just that they aren't thoughts, they're impressions."

I looked at Greg and it didn't take a brain surgeon to see he was devastated, "Furey, honey, could you let me talk to your Dad alone? Why don't you go in and get yourself some cake."

"Auri, you're happy aren't you? Dad?"

"Oh, honey, yes of course. I'm happy."

"Dad?"

"Furey, honey, your Dad needs some time to absorb what you've told us." I got up and took Furey by the shoulders and turned him towards the kitchen. "Everything will work out okay. Now you go get yourself some cake."

Furey kept looking over his shoulder at Greg, who was staring up at the ceiling. He finally made his way into the kitchen. I walked over and sat down next to him on the couch. I opened the gate and was immediately hit with his feeling of despair, of being trapped. I was heartbroken.

I tried not to show my pain, but my voice was strained, "It's early still. It would have happened a few weeks ago. I'm not far enough along for us to even think about it. I'll probably lose the baby like I did the last one."

Greg snorted, "No, with my luck, this one will stick."

I drew in a sharp breath at his obvious disappointment.

He sat up quickly, "Oh, don't get your panties in a wringer. I'm just in shock. I shouldn't have said anything."

I stood up, "It's okay, if I make it past the first trimester then you can start to worry. But for now, let's just not dwell on it." I thought I sounded nonchalant, like Scarlett, I'll think about it tomorrow.

He seemed to be okay for awhile, but just quiet. I wanted to cheat, read his mind, but I kept thinking that I couldn't preach privacy issues to Furey if I was willing to breach them at the drop of a hat.

Furey went upstairs to play computer games while Greg and I cleared the table and stacked the dishwasher. I didn't want to talk, afraid I'd burst out crying. I finally mustered the courage to say something, "I guess we should postpone the wedding until after the first trimester."

He put a plate in the dishwasher, "Why?"

"If the baby makes it, I don't think we should get married."

His forehead furred and his eyes narrowed, "What? What idiotic brain cell sparked that thought?"

"Greg, I can tell you don't want a baby. I'm not marrying someone who doesn't really want to be a father." I turned back around so that I didn't have to look at him, "Don't worry, I'm not holding it against you."

Greg snickered, "Well, I don't see why you would; you didn't use birth control. Obviously, this is what you wanted."

I blew a gasket, "What? I'm not the one that got so worked up you went in commando style!"

"Oh, so it's my responsibility to use birth control?"

I stopped and stared at him, "I'm using the diaphragm, but you didn't give me time, you…"

"Did you say anything? No!" His hands were on his hip and he was leaning forward gritting his teeth.

I mimicked him, leaning forward too, "Yeah, well this conversation confirms why I won't marry you if I'm pregnant. No, wait, this conversation confirms why I won't marry you period!"

I started through the kitchen door and he put up his cane to stop me. I flashed a thought to him, Put that down or it's going to be so far up your ass you're going to be able to pull it out through your throat.

His head pulled back in shock, "Auri. This isn't what you think it is. Please…sit down."

I stood, arms crossed against my chest and glared at him.

He pulled out a chair, "Please, damn it?"

I went over and plopped my butt down like an angry child.

He sat down and rubbed his forehead, "It's what Furey said. I'm 57 years old. When this baby is ten, I'll be 67 years old. When he's twenty, I'll be 77 years old. With my Vicodin abuse, I've probably cut my life span down considerably. Whether I'll be there for this child is a real question and it's a big reminder of how old I am."

He was telling me the truth. He wasn't really upset about the baby; he was worried about raising him, whether he could be a father to him, whether he'd be alive to be a father. I went cold, realizing I might lose Greg in twenty years or less if he was right about the Vicodin abuse. I jumped up and grabbed hold of him, sitting on his lap, hugging his neck. He pulled me onto his good leg.

"I'm sorry, Greg, I didn't stop to think. I just know that I'll be here, for the baby and for Furey. I can't imagine our lives without you, but I know you're scared. You're right, it won't be easy chasing a child around at your age, but I'll do that for you. I promise, between Furey and me, our baby will be fine, whether you're here or not." I was as blunt as possible, because Greg would have hated me giving him phony reassurances that he would be around forever. He hated logical fallacies.

He offered me a sad, understanding smile and nodded, "I'd be okay with this if I was ten years younger. Hell, I was okay with it. I'll be okay once the baby's here, but for now, just know that it's not the baby that has me upset, it's the limited time I might have with you, Furey, and the baby."

I hugged him and sent him waves and waves of love. To my surprise, he sent them back as best as he could, making me happy and warm all over. In that moment, I think we both felt my past with men, his past with Teagan, slip away and we moved forward with just us. With that hug, we became a family.

Greg let out a sigh of surrender, "Okay, what have you decided about this wedding?"

"Well, first, we're not going to have a formal wedding, just a magistrate marry us at a place where we can have the reception after the service. More like a party that just happens to have a wedding to kick it off. Okay?"

"I like that."

"Now, I have 57 people I have to invite and 41 that are iffy. It would be nice to invite them, but it depends on our budget and how many guests you want at the wedding."

"I don't care about the budget as long as you stay under the price of a Ferrari. I made a list of people I want invited. Here it is." He handed me a yellow sheet of tablet paper with names listed down.

Wilson (best man) & wife

Cuddy (Spinster)

Mom

Aunt Sarah and her new husband, Joe

Lilly

"That's your list?"

"Well we don't have to invite Joe, I don't particularly like him."

"What about your team?"

He shrugged, "I'm not sure I want them seeing how happy I am."

"Your old teams?"

Once again he shrugged, "I'm not sure they would come."

"Who's Lilly?"

"My cousin on my Dad's side."

"I'll take care of it. Well, it looks like we can keep it under 100. I thought we'd hold it at Lambertvile Station, is that okay?" I looked down into his eyes, but he had obviously tuned out.

He looked like a robot with that far away look, "Okay, fine."

"They charge $95 a head but it includes an open bar, the appetizers, food and the cake."

"Fine. I'll give you the money whenever you need it."

"Greg? Did you even hear me?"

He gave a forced smile, "Yeah, money, you need money for the reception."

"Well, that wasn't what I was asking, but I'll take the money."

"When are we getting married?" He sounded like an empty slate, just ready for me to draw on.

"I was thinking September 15th. Okay?"

"Fine, fine. You just let me know when and where and I'll be there."

I grabbed his nose and shook his face, "Doesn't work that way. You have to help with a few things."

His shoulders collapsed, "Ugh, just what I need, picking out china patterns."

"Don't worry, I have china already."

"Which reminds me, what are we going to do with your house?"

"I could rent it out, but we probably need to bring over my things."

Staring down into my eyes, he sighed, "I'm emotionally worn out right now. Can we eat?"

I nodded, "I have a taco casserole in the oven. It should be done."

Dear Readers:

Hope you're still enjoying this story. I wrote this some time ago. When I read it, I realize how much I miss Furey. I like his relationship with his Dad. Take care! Gorby