SYNCHRONICITY (Dream Walker) 🖋

Home Sweet Home - 2

About halfway through the trip east, Sebastian informed Alison that they would be arriving in the middle of the night if they continued the pace they were going.

"So? I know the area like the back of my hand and I can walk to any location of my property...blindfolded."

James breathed in slowly, watching his father's fingers drum on the steering wheel and he stuck his head between them. "Yes well, we don't. You said you have gophers..."

She held up her hands In surrender. "Okay, Okay. I get it, but I just want to get there you know?"

"I do," Sebastian said. "But I also want us—all of us to remain safe. Us includes your animals and your sister."

"That's fair. I certainly don't want anyone hurt."

Sebastian nodded. "And that's why I already have operatives stationed there. Your neighbor was spot on. She is completely unaware that anything is amiss."

Alison's eyes grew wide.

"So you understand what this means, yes?"

"That someone is hiding there with her or she's deserving of an academy award, or she's under someone's shitty spell..."

James chuckled and Sebastian smiled as he nodded. "More likely, the latter."

"And the fence...did they tell you anything about the fence?"

"It's not live."

She nodded slowly. "So Charlie's death was an accident...a horrible, horrible accident..."

He nodded again. "Yes...I'm sorry Love."

She nodded. "Well, at least she wasn't negligent on purpose, because that's just not like her. Not at all...she's going to feel like less than zero when she realizes what's happened."

"Okay that's good. I'll get a councilor on standby to talk with her. You too."

"I don't need to talk to anyone."

James sat back and huffed.

Alison turned around. "What?"

"Did you know that I still deal with abandonment issues," he asked.

She shook her head.

"Dad's been great, but he's no maternal figure. The closest thing I have to a mother is two people...My Grandmum and Judy."

"I'm sorry...I didn't know about you."

"I know that," he said gently. "It's alright...wasn't your fault. You weren't negligent on purpose."

"James..." his father warned quietly.

"Did you feel like less than zero when you realized what had happened...what they did?"

"James Christopher..."

"What...I think she should talk to somebody." He looked toward Alison with concern all over his face. "It can only help," he said quietly. "I'm sorry if I was an arse about it. I just...I don't want you to feel any guilt when you look at me. I've a great life! And now that you're in it too, it'll be even better!" He smiled genuinely. "Dad's been amazing! He didn't have to take me. But he did, out of duty, I reckon? But, whatever, it doesn't matter. He's been my very best friend ever since I can remember...work kept him away a lot though but he made up for it...the point is, now that I know he is my father, it hasn't changed the way I feel about him. And now that you're here too, I just wanted you to know that I'm proud to be your son. And I want you in my life..and I'm not angry at you for not being there...and I don't want you to feel guilty about it. It wasn't your fault. Grandmum Debbie told me that taking me away from you plagued her every day and when she saw me with Dad, she knew immediately who I was. Said that Papa George showed her lots of photos and said she didn't know what Grandmum Bev had done before that. So I reckon they had a chat as well."

"I'm sure they did," Alison replied bitterly.

"Another reason I'm telling you this is because I don't want you to go after your sister. If she's under a spell too, then she has no idea...I can't imagine that she'd hurt any living soul...not if she's your sister..."

"Well, I guess I have some soul-searching to do. Because I'm angry as hell with her."

"Well of course you are! But it's just...well? You don't strike me as the hypocritical type is all."

Alison's head snapped back and she gazed toward her son from the corner of her eyes. "I try not to be," she said finally turning face-forward.

"You know, Grandmum Bev said she always thought I had Dad's eyes. But I don't. I have yours."

Alison smiled and nodded. "Yes you do."

"And I have your hands and your love of cats!"

Alison laughed aloud finally.

Sebastian breathed out hard, inflating his cheeks.

"We are nearing Pittsburgh. What's say we stop someplace decent for a meal and find a place to bunk for the night, then get an early start in the morning!"

"Fine," Alison replied stiffly as she looked out the window.

With in a half hour, they were pulling up to a hotel. James and Alison secured the motorcycle on the trailer and disconnected it from the Jeep. They carried the rest of the gear that Sebastian wasn't able to carry inside. He met them in the lobby with a key for James and one for Alison and himself. They dropped off their gear in their rooms and met in the lobby to find some little diner to have dinner.