Caleb 85 - A little help.
I woke at my usual time the next morning. We'd stayed overnight at the hotel a few miles from Sarah's parent's home after my 'intervention' with her mother Carrie.
I went out for a run, joined by Sarah and Melanie. They were both doing well with their fitness and we easily ran eight miles before returning to the hotel for a shower and breakfast, which we all ate together in the restaurant.
"How did it go?" asked Cheryl, who I'd not seen after I'd been to see Carrie the previous night.
"I think it went okay," I said. "Her aura when I arrived looked really sick but, by the time I left, it at least looked healthy. I don't doubt the attraction will still be there but hopefully it will no longer be an obsession."
"You're going to see them this morning?" asked Dean.
"I said we'd get there around ten," I said. "That will give them time together. I think Carrie will need to work off some frustration from the illusion. I'm fairly certain she won't remember anything about it, other than feeling a little 'wound up.'"
"It's a shame Arnie couldn't be here," Mary said. "It would be better for him to go with you as well."
"He did offer to fly up," said Sarah,"but he has a lesson this morning and his dad wouldn't have been happy with him cancelling it."
When it was time to leave, Sarah and I got into the taxi that we'd booked to take us to her parent's place. We arrived almost exactly at ten.
Sarah was nervous as we walked up the drive to the house and rang the bell.
After a few moments Brian opened the door. He looked from me to his daughter, then stepped aside, mutely inviting us in.
"Carrie is in the living room," he said indicating for us to go through. I followed Sarah into the room. I heard Brian close the door and follow behind.
Carrie was sitting on one of the chairs opposite the sofa. She didn't get up as we entered, she just looked at her daughter. I looked carefully at her aura as she turned her attention to me.
I did see some arousal, but it was mostly embarrassment, shame, and regret. Inwardly I heaved a relieved sigh.
"
It worked,"
I sent to Sarah. I felt her relax a little, although she there was still a lot of tension in her.
We both sat on the sofa. Brian took the other chair.
"Edgar is with the sitter," said Brian. "We thought it best if we met without him being here."
Carrie had dropped her gaze and was staring mutely into her lap.
"Mom?" Sarah said tentatively. Reflexively Carrie looked at her daughter.
"Mom," Sarah said again. "I'm fine, I'm safe, and I'm happy. Can't you be happy for me?"
I saw a tear roll down Carrie's cheek.
"I just..." she began then stopped. "I thought..." she tried again.
"I know what you thought," said Sarah, "but that's not what is happening. You know that things are different for people with power. Caleb told you this right at the start, and I'm sure that he's not the only one.
"I'm surrounded by people who love me and who I love. I'm engaged to an amazing man who understands and accepts me for who I am. It's not like I'm going off to get married right away. We both have plenty of things to do before that happens, and we've already agreed to a long engagement."
"But what if..."
"What if?" asked Sarah.
She waited for Carrie to finish her thought. But there was nothing forthcoming. I don't think even Carrie could figure out what it was that she was scared of.
"Martha told you," said Brian gently, "that Sarah allowed her to read her mind. She saw that there was no Compulsion, and that Sarah was exactly where she wanted to be. She loves Arnie, and she loves Caleb and the girls. What's more, they all love her. She knows her business and she's met hundreds of teens who are either compelled or under some kind of 'cult' influence. She told you Sarah was healthy and happy.
"I know it's not the way that we were raised, but Sarah isn't like us. She has power and we have to realize that her needs are going to be different than ours. This is a lesson we need to learn if we're going to help Edgar when it's time for him to realize his power."
Carrie nodded.
"I thought that he..." she looked at me, "that you... I'm sorry. Things just happened so quickly and Sarah seemed to be moving away from us. You were taking my little girl from me and I was scared that I was going to lose her forever. I could feel..."
"You're not losing me," Sarah said, her voice breaking a little. "If anything, you've gained a whole new family. We are only an hour away by car, and only seconds by phone. But you have to let me live my life, Mom.
"You and Dad gave me the best start you could. I worried that I'd let you down when I got my grades. Now that I know I was being held back by the amulet, I don't feel so bad. You should see the grades I'm earning now. I know I'm going to graduate with a great degree and I have a real future.
"I also have a great fiancΓ© and family around me. But that doesn't mean I don't need you and Dad anymore. I'll always love you, and want you, and need you in my life. Both of you."
She looked at Brian when she said that last.
"And we'll always be here for you," he replied. "Won't we Carrie?"
At this Sarah stood up, and moved to stand closer to her mom.
"Mom?" she said holding her arms out. "Please?"
At this Carrie finally broke and a sob wrenched itself from her as she threw herself out of her chair and into her daughter's arms.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," wept Carrie holding her daughter like her life depended on it.
Sarah looked to Brian and held her hand out to him too. He stood and joined the hug, holding his wife and daughter to him, as the two women wept.
When they finally broke apart, Carrie looked at me.
"Caleb," she said. "I'm sorry. I just saw... I thought..."
"It's okay," I said. "A year ago, I'd probably have been right beside you. This new life has been such a shock to me, and I'm living it. I know how it must look from the outside, especially when things happen so fast.
"I promise you that none of us is going to let anything happen to Sarah. We all love her and will protect her with every fibre of our being."
"We kind of saw that," said Brian, a little ruefully.
"
Would you mind if I stayed here?