Lightbringer | Kai Parker Fanfic

Eight

McKinley, Virginia – November 2012

We shake hands and wish each other a good day before I leave the room, my prescription in hand. I've been here before, I know there is a drugstore downstairs. I get in the short line and when my turn comes, I smile at the pharmacist and hand her the square sheet of paper. She glances at it, deciphering the gynecologist's handwriting without a squint.

"I'll be right back."

"Yep."

I patiently look around, hoping there won't be too much traffic on my way back to my dorm, when I see her. I don't twitch but my inner me does. I keep my gaze on her as she walks around, touring a group of medicine students over the floor and telling them God-knows-what. Her Light is bleak, not in the same way Bonnie's used to be, but I know she doesn't have access to her magic, although that is not why I am so dumbfounded. I would recognize a Gemini Light anywhere and this witch definitely is one of them.

The pharmacist breaks my staring marathon by handing me a paper bag with my pill. I mutter a thanks without looking at her and discreetly follow the witch. She is barely taller than me, with long black hair and bright blue eyes that seem to be a Gemini signature. She must be about forty years old and I suddenly think she could be Luke and Olivia's mother. I mean, she would have had them quite young but it's still possible, right?

My heartbeat quickens as a more pressing question comes to my mind: why didn't he tell me about her? I mean, the twins don't talk about their family, that's a given, and I get that Liv wouldn't mention another witch from her coven being around, but Lucas? We talk every single day, and often more than once; he sure as hell never mentioned another Gemini being in Virginia. Has he be keeping her a secret? Or did he purposefully leave her out of it because she doesn't have magic? Like she doesn't fall in my jurisdiction or something.

I swallow, trying to push the feeling away; the daunting, overwhelming feeling of betrayal. I only come back to my senses when I realize I've been staring at her, and she's staring right back. Shit. How long has this been going on? I lower my eyes and make for the stairs but she frowns and literally marches on me.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" she asks in this voice that is both incredibly soft and firm.

"Uh– no, I– I'm looking for Doctor Leroy's office?"

"Doctor Leroy is gynecology," she says, glancing at my white paper bag, and I use that second to read the name on her blouse: Josette Laughlin, M.D, "Her service is on third floor, this is second."

"Right," I say, acting lost, "That's why everything was looking kind of the same but not really."

I give an embarrassed giggle and she smiles indulgently at me. "Thanks for the help, doctor..."

"Laughlin," she says, tilting her head, "Doctor Jo Laughlin. And you are?"

"Andy," I say, shaking the hand she offers me and I can feel she is still tense, "I'm sorry I was staring at you earlier. I... somehow caught the sound of your voice and I couldn't let go. You must be one hell of a teacher."

"Depends," she answer with a slight smile, "What was I talking about?"

"I... honestly have no idea. I'm more of a literature person, to be honest; I'm afraid anything related to science or medicine just goes through my mind and out."

"Hm," she says, pondering, "Good thing I was only telling them about the general geography of the floor. Words like bathroom, pharmacy, waiting room"

She gives me this fake smile, like a mother knowing damn well what her kid is trying to hide from her, only a bit colder. Was she the one who trained Lucas to be this attentive?