Javier rearranged himself on Kat's couch and tried to focus on the course reading. But his mind kept returning to the cryptic message they'd gotten from Lukas.
Have you heard of a group called the Chosen? Possibly recruiting those with Changes?
What did it mean that he was asking them? Surely he'd know more than they did about—well, just about everything. Did he worry they were already working with whoever these people were? Surely he wouldn't have been so direct if he suspected that.
Javier shook his head and tried to find his place again, but he was too distracted. Kat clattering away at the keyboard in her underwear wasn't helping. Nor was the person at the other end of the couch.
It seemed that Grace and Kat were back together for real, after that trial period or whatever it was at the end of the summer. Javier was delighted for them, of course, but the little looks the two of them kept sharing—he sighed. He could retrieve his car and head back to Esther's house, but she wouldn't be there until after dinner tonight, and he found it depressing to spend time alone in the big empty house. Meanwhile, Kat's apartment was right near campus, and they were good company, even if he felt more awkward than ever around Grace.
Kat pushed back her chair. "Fuck, I have to pick up that reading on reserve." She shook her head and stood up, slinging her bag on her shoulder.
"Going out like that, then?" Grace asked mildly, and Kat laughed.
"You're right. I'm overdressed." Kat reached to undo her bra clasp, and Javier hurriedly looked down at his textbook.
"Kidding. Sorry, Javier, you're such a good sport." She disappeared into the bedroom and emerged shortly, properly dressed. "I'll be right back. Don't go too crazy."
Left alone with Grace, Javier felt ten times as awkward. He kept trying to reassure himself she wasn't Selena, and she couldn't know the kinds of thoughts that went through his head.
"She's like that because she trusts you," said Grace.
Javier didn't know what to say to that. Finally he looked up to meet her eyes. Always so kind and concerned.
"She told me what happened between you two. It's fine, Javier. You don't need to tiptoe around me."
Javier swallowed. That wasn't precisely the problem, though he supposed it was a piece of it. "Thanks, Grace. You sure it's not weird to have me around? I'm surprised you can just brush that aside."
Grace smiled slightly, shaking her head. "I didn't say I could just brush it aside. But that's my problem, not yours. You're the one who got us back together, after all. I like you, and even if I didn't, Kat does, and that's enough."
Javier flushed. There was something about her earnestness, so different from Kat's demeanor. It reminded him of Esther, of course. He didn't want to think about that, so he nodded and put on what he hoped was a relieved smile. Grace beamed, and he quickly looked back to his text.
A while later there was a knock on the door.
"Forgot your keys again?" Grace called, getting up to unlock it.
But it was Esther at the door. Javier blinked in surprise, but then he jumped up to give her a kiss.
"We thought you were Kat," Grace said.
"Oh, she'll be along in another few minutes," Esther said.
Grace laughed. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of that."
Esther sat down with Javier while Grace got an afternoon pot of coffee going. Javier scooted closer and put his arms around her, kissing her more eagerly than he'd really intended to. As though it made up for fantasizing about Grace all afternoon.
But Esther returned his kisses happily enough. "I know you wanted more time together," she whispered. "I wish I was better at balancing things."
Javier wished that, too. Esther had given up on math classes, as she learned faster on her own or from Raj and his colleague, Anatoly Kuznetsov. She was still taking advanced physics classes, but she'd decided to be a history major, and history wasn't particularly trivial for her. She was acing her classes as always, but being able to read fast and memorize only got her so far. Esther seemed even busier than last year. That was who she was, though. He smiled, and he hoped it was a convincing smile.
The door opened and Kat returned. "Whoa, keep it PG-rated, guys. I mean, at least until we catch up."
Esther looked embarrassed, as she usually did when Kat teased them. Grace rejoined them, looking skeptical when Kat motioned her to sit on her lap. But she gave in, as she usually did to Kat. And she leaned back and sighed when Kat rubbed her gently on the stomach, stopping just short of her breasts each time. Javier could feel himself getting an erection, so he cleared his throat.
"What do you all think about Lukas's mysterious group?"
Kat frowned. "The Chosen. Sounds like a bunch of religious nutjobs. Just what we need, right?"
"Do you think we should just tell him we don't know?" Esther said.
Everyone looked at Javier. He sighed. "Probably. The thing that makes me nervous is Lukas implying he doesn't know about this group. How could they be running below his radar?"
No one answered that right away. But eventually Esther spoke up.
"I wonder if they have something to do with Marianne and the other dreaming people. There was something almost spiritual to the feel of their gathering in the canyon. And I've been starting to suspect there are more people in dreams like that group."
"What?" Javier blurted.
Esther looked embarrassed. "I haven't been looking for them. It's just a vague feeling I get sometimes when I'm in otherspace, as though there are already some connections among other people with Changes. I haven't investigated closely because I still don't understand the way the dreaming and visions worked for the group we know about."
