Seeker: The Seeker Series Book 1

Chapter 4

"Grams! Grams!" As I expected, she was nowhere to be found. I finally tracked her down in her bedroom closet, beige dress and blonde bob wig gone, replaced by a short silk robe and her natural—with a little help from Ms. Clairol—short, spiky blonde hair. "Grams! Really? What was that all about?"

"What was what all about, sweetie?" She bustled by me with her arms full of dresses. "You're gonna need to scootch 'cuz I've gotta get ready for a date."

"Oh, you've got nothing I haven't seen before." I flopped down on her bed, determined to wait her out. "So, you've been going through my stuff, huh?"

"What do you think of this one? I want to look good for Roger." She held up a red spandex sheath and waggled her eyebrows up and down. She had been systematically working her way through all the eligible men at her senior citizen center. She was only 58, but she started going to the center on her 55th birthday, saying she intended to make the most of this new chapter in her life.

I waited, my arms folded and jaw thrust forward.

She cast aside the red dress and picked up a blue floral one for my inspection, but I would not be moved. I glared. She finally threw the dress aside in frustration, sighing. "Oh Ally. I go through your things all the time. Who else is going to save you from yourself? Don't be so fussy." She plopped down on the bed next to me. "He's so cute! Why haven't you told me about him?"

"There's nothing to tell, as you well know. Do I have any secrets from you? Ugh! I feel so violated, Grams."

"Oh, seriously, Ally! I worry for you. And a good thing, too. You would have let that handsome boy slip through your fingers if I hadn't had a lovely tea party set up!" She had the audacity to look hurt.

"Grams! He's just a friend! Actually more of an acquaintance. I don't even know him."

"Well, you should get to know him." More eyebrow waggling from her. "And what is this about you not feeling well? Why don't you tell me about what happened at school? I was putting some of your laundry away when I got a strong feeling that you were upset somehow. Then I felt that you weren't coming home alone." She put her arm around me. I leaned into her, inhaling the faint, yet comforting scent of Chanel No. 5. Under all the craziness, she's still my grandma.

"Oh, Grams. I think I might be going insane! I had a vision in the middle of class today that was so realistic and I almost blacked out! This wasn't like the other things I know. "I'm ashamed to say that I started to cry a little bit.

"Sweetie, tell me everything. This is really important." She hugged me briefly and set me away from her enough to look into my eyes. "I need to hear exactly what happened."

"Well, I was listening to this really snotty girl plagiarize Wikipedia, and I was looking at her red belt around her super-skinny waist..."

"You do have a way with words, dear," she interjected.

"Anyway, as I was saying...I got really hot and heard a buzzing in my ears. All of a sudden I saw, I can't really describe how, but I saw her in her bathroom doing a bunch of pregnancy tests. They all came back positive. It's like I was in the bathroom with her, seeing everything she saw, almost like I was her." I clutched her arm, looking up into her face. "What does it mean? Am I going nuts?"

"Oh, that poor girl! No, sweetie, you're not going crazy. You know the women in our family are a bit, well, different, right?" She brushed my hair back from my face.

"Well, yeah, but you and Mom don't have weird episodes like this! You touch stuff and you know what's going on with the people who own it. And Mom is pretty awesome at finding stuff that's lost, but nothing like this!" The tears were back.

"Shh. Don't cry. No, we haven't been through anything like you described, but we each had to deal with our 'gifts' around the time we turned 17. That's how it happens. It sounds like your gifts may be a bit more extreme than any that have shown up in a while, that's all. We'll figure it out, don't worry."

"That's not all. Jack totally noticed! He said he felt the heat 'emanating' from me—his word, not mine—and he dragged me out of class because he thought I was going to puke! Nice, huh?"

"Hmm," she sounded thoughtful. "It's usually a good idea to keep these gifts in the family, but I sense that he's very trustworthy. He's trying to impress you," she said with an arch look.

"Really? I didn't think he'd ever noticed me. Oh, Grams, I've gotta tell you: I don't really want this kind of gift."

"Ally, you can't choose these things—the gift chooses you. You have to learn to use it to the best of your abilities. You have to be willing to be used." She was rubbing my hands between hers.

"What does it mean, Grams? Why would I get a 'vision' or whatever about some slutty girl who has gotten herself knocked up?"

"Ally, don't be mean. There is sure to be a good reason for this message to come to you. There always is. You have to be ready to listen and act."

"Sorry, but if I have to have visions, why can't they be about something important? It's not going to be any kind of big revelation that Veronica Albluth is pregnant. Sorry to be so blunt, but—"

"Veronica Albluth? Didn't she used to live next door? You were playmates, weren't you?" At my nod she continued, "I don't know why you had that vision, sweetheart, but I have a feeling you're going to find out. You need to be patient and wait for more. I'm going to do some research into our family and see if I can find a record of anyone else having this kind of gift. I have to admit that I've never heard of visions so vivid and clear," she mused.

"Grams! I don't want this! I'm already a freak! I don't need any more attention at school."

"Well, whining won't help any." And she was back. "Now scoot so I can get ready for my date! Your mom has a date too, so I'm afraid you're on your own tonight. Don't wait up." She waggled those dang eyebrows yet again. Gross. I didn't even want to think about it.

"That's okay. Tara's coming over later when she gets done with orchestra practice."

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