Mirror Mirror

Chapter 21

Sarah and Jarrod were dining in a cozy little Italian restaurant a couple miles away from the mall.  The place was fairly new, just off the coast.  The setting was quiet and romantic and the views were stunning- Jarrod had picked her up on time.  This time without the nerves and butterflies.  He was a little too eager to see her though, but he could not be prepared enough for the breath-taking beauty that stood before him.  She wore a long, slinky black evening dress, with matching heels.  Her earrings were pear-shaped, encrusted in white diamonds.  She had a matching bracelet on her right hand and her long elegant neck remained bare.  In her left hand she clutched a small silver purse.  Seeing Jarrod, who was dressed in formal black pants, shiny black shoes and grey shirt that directly matched his eyes, she was tempted to touch her hair, just to make sure she looked fine.  She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry when he smiled confidently at her.  Jarrod had never looked so devastatingly male as he did just then.

Her glossy red hair was swept in an up style, pinned in a criss-cross pattern along her head, leaving loose tendrils to escape at will, curling around her neck and chin and playing havoc with his emotions.

He had rented a car especially for tonight, and had vowed to woo her in every way possible.  The sleek black Porsche gleamed in the tinted night sky, welcoming her passengers.  The car was perfect, so was the lady on his arm-nothing would stop this night from getting only better.

They were seated at a table for two, in a quiet corner with a large window.  The menu looked great, and even though the prices were outrages, he knew that she was worth every penny.  They ordered enough for an army.  Lobsters, calamari, shrimp, salads, fries, rice-the works.  From starters to mains.  They had no place left for dessert by the time they were done slowly picking their way through the food, but neither of them cared.  The conversation never stopped.  When the one grew silent, the other started up with a new rush of words.  They learned more about each other with each passing minute.  They were so deep in conversation that they didn’t realize how the time flew by, nor did they notice the fine mist that suddenly clouded the mirror on the wall nearby.

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Lacey closed her fingers around the talisman in her hand.  It was growing hotter.  She looked from her hand to Stephen, then back at her hand again.  “I feel it too.  Maybe we should check up on them, see if they’re alright.” 

He nodded, and they headed for the car.  ‘Where would they be?’  He wondered as they drove back.  Lacey was quiet, thinking about what Esmerelda and Emily had said-Time was short and they had much to do.  If everything was going according to the way they said, Katherine’s power would return soon. 

She glanced furtively at Stephen, who seemed to be lost in the very same dilemma.  All three stones were getting heavier.  Whatever was going to happen, the talisman was already prepared for it.  But were they?

They stopped by at The Wreck, hoping the two of them were there but they were not.  Stephen raced back to the car where Lacey was waiting for him. 

“Maybe they’ve gone to see a movie or something.”  She suggested when he jumped in.  She could see he was worried.  He drove around to Sarah’s place-all the lights were out, except for the one on the porch.  He got out of the car and looked up.  Lacey came out to join him. 

“Come on, where are you?”  He whispered out loud, and then he had an idea.  He faced her bedroom window, closed his eyes and willed Emily to talk to him. 

“Please tell me what’s going on.  Please, Emily.” 

Lacey looked up too.  What happened next caught them both by surprise.  One moment they were on the road, the next, they were standing inside Sarah’s bedroom, right in front of the mirror.