Ryder's Angel

Chapter Thirteen: Full Effect: Danny

Chapter Thirteen: Full Effect: Danny

At first, Kendall sat frozen, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish. I could almost see his mind processing. But as Ang and I waited, he slowly started to grin. It was a different grin, like, Wow, this is really happening. I couldn’t blame him.

“Wow, guys.” He was breathless. He paused, while we watched anxiously, but he just said, “Tell me the whole story.”

Angeline took a deep breath, and started right off to the point. “I thought you were dead.” Kendall’s smile faded fast. “And I – I thought – I thought it would ease the pain. Danny tried to stop me, but –”

“So…so I’m the cause of this? All of it?” He pieced that together faster than we had hoped, even faster than we expected. I felt Angeline flinch. Kendall’s face was stunned and sad, but not angry. “You; the trip here? It was my fault, because you thought I was dead?”

“No, no,” she pleaded. “It wasn’t your fault! That mutant –”

“He got me with that shadow-knife because I tried to protect all of you! So it was my fault.” I held Angeline tight, not letting her move, letting Kendall think for a minute. When he looked up at us, his face was thoughtful. “I’m not sure what to say.”

“Kendall, I don’t blame any of this on you. It was my fault for thinking stupidly, for thinking it could solve anything.” Angeline’s voice was quiet and peacemaking. “Please, forgive me.”

But Kendall gave a small smile. “I can’t ever be angry with you, Sis.”

I let them hug, and they kept hugging even when someone knocked on the door. I opened it, and as soon as I did, someone was clinging to my leg. “Danny!” a very familiar, very happy voice shouted.

My heart leaped, and all that just happened was swept away by joy. I scooped her up in my arms and squeezed her to me. “Kayla!”

Kayla giggled and wrapped her skinny arms around my neck tightly.

“How’re you, kiddo?” Kayla leaned back and flashed a toothy grin as in answer. “Ah, I see you got perfect teeth now.” She showed me her usually chipped and dirty nails, now painted pink with jewels, and wagged her fingers. “Very nice, very pink.”

Kayla giggled again. “I missed you, Danny.”

I gave her another squeeze. “Me, too, kiddo.”

I set her down and she immediately ran to Angeline. While they talked, I focused on the sudden slap of feet on wood. Jess, Jason, and all the others swarmed in. There was laughing, talking, hugging, and all that happy stuff of reunions. We were one big, happy, misfit family.

Finally, Angeline laughed, “How did you guys know we were here?”

“One of my new friends told me,” Kayla replied proudly. She was such a little socialite. “She can see the future.”

“That’s great, Kayla,” I praised. I looked around at everyone else. “Did any of you make any friends?”

Most of them replied in eagerness. “I found another girl who’s a healer,” Jess told me. “The cooks invited me to help serve dinner,” said Zo. “I’m teaching a class,” Penelope called out. “And there’s a boy teaching me to control more than one person,” Lila chirped.

I could only smile wider than I ever had before. They were all separate individuals, doing their own thing and fitting in with others of their own kind, their own ages. This was a first for all of us, and I was overjoyed to hear all that they were telling me.