Dream Walker

Chapter 41 | Sweeter Than Honey

If Callie hadn't already purchased her plane tickets, she would not have put up with the discomfort of flying. In fact, traveling by plane was ridiculous for someone who could jump through portals and, assuming no outside influence, pop out at a destination a few seconds later. Before that trip, however, she hadn't been prepared to explain to her mom why there was no need to track her flight status.

The past few days with her mom had been just what she needed. Corinne had taken the whole week off work, but they hadn't gotten sick of being around each other. They visited museums, toured historic sites, and spent the evenings watching old movies together on the couch. It even snowed once, a sight Callie had missed for years.

On Christmas Day, Corinne made hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls, just like she'd done when Callie was a kid. They exchanged their not-so-secret gifts for each other and a few extras for Georgia. Though neither resident of the apartment had been filled with enough holiday spirit to decorate, they decided it would be appropriate to put on Christmas music while playing games.

The next day was Callie's flight home, and she had decided to travel like a normal person once again, despite telling her mom the whole truth. She figured the journey would give her time to think. An hour into sitting in a cramped seat between a stranger and a tiny window, Callie was fighting the urge to disappear into the bathroom and never return.

She would make a great illusionist—no hidden compartments in the wardrobe needed. The only thing stopping her was the vision in her mind of falling out of the air thousands of miles above her apartment. It seemed unlikely, but without full knowledge of how the veil worked, it was still possible.

Another worrying thought was niggling at the back of her mind, though it had the potential to be completely harmless. She had texted Alex a few times while she was away, mostly when he would send her pictures of Layla. He had agreed to check on the cat while she was gone, and Layla had seemed comforted by his presence. In return, she promised to take him out to dinner.

It had now been two days since she had received any texts from him. She tried calling him before getting on her flight, wanting to confirm they were still going to dinner that night, but the call had rung to voicemail. There were plenty of innocent reasons why Alex would not be responding.

But the harmless possibilities were not the only ones occupying her mind.

If he had to leave for some reason, he could have told her. Layla could probably last two days without him, despite her voracious appetite. Maybe his phone stopped working for whatever reason, and, like most people in the age of cell phones, he didn't know her number by heart.

What if there was still a tear in the veil? What if he had been fighting something that came through and got injured?

Arabella could have been a helpful resource if Alex's absence was Order-related, but Callie didn't have her phone number. Besides, talking to Arabella had always left her confused or irritated.

These worries bounced around Callie's head for the rest of the flight. Her knee had kept bouncing up and down anxiously. The heated glare from her perturbed neighbor—a middle-aged woman who apparently couldn't concentrate on her novel while Callie's leg was moving—did little to reduce the movement. Based on the man with glistening abs dressed like a pirate on its cover, the book must have been helping the woman get her fictional rocks off.

Standing outside the airport with her luggage, debating whether to take an Uber or a portal to get home, she tried calling Alex one more time. No response.

She found a deserted bathroom near baggage claim that seemed safe enough for opening a portal. She stepped out into her bedroom, hoping not to scare the cat with her sudden presence. Instead, Layla was unfazed by her return and more focused on begging for food.