Seer: The Blessed Child

Lean on Me

Something troubled Sachi; Kael knew it.

He cast a worried glance at his girlfriend sitting beside him. Her brows knitted, she sat stiffly; her hands folded in her lap. Since returning from outside, she had been unusually quiet.

He and the rest of the mourners heard the squabble she had with Emma earning them both a scolding from his mother. Something else was bothering her.  It coincided with her godfather's abrupt departure.

He made a mental note to ask her once the service was over. 

The mourners stood as the benediction in the non-denominational service was read.

Pallbearers from the drama club somberly carried the mahogany casket out to the waiting hearse. Emma and Emily, helping to carry the extra flowers, followed behind not before the blond stared daggers at Sachi on her way out.

As the crowd dispersed, Kael gently took Sachi aside. "Did you want to go to the repast?" 

"Not really," Sachi mumbled, chewing her bottom lip. An attendant handed him a purple funeral procession flag with a magnetic stand. He stuck it on the roof of his Toyota Camry.

Settling in the driver's seat, he started the engine and turned on the headlights while Sachi fastened her seatbelt. He shifted in his seat. 

"Sachi—" his voice caught in his throat as she met his probing gaze. "There's a Copycat Killer on the loose," she blurted.

He gulped, registering what he'd just heard. "A copycat?" he repeated. 

She nodded. "McCoy needs my help to catch him," she said with no emotion or inflection in her voice.  His eyebrows rose and fell. "Oh my God," he said, slumping back in his seat.

The procession started underway.

Focusing his attention on the road, Kael glimpsed Sachi staring forlorn out the window. He felt knots in his stomach. The more he thought of her having to put her mental and physical health on the line to catch a killer, the more agitated he felt. He wanted to whisk her away and take her to a place where she could set her mind at ease.

"Sachi," he whispered. His soft-spoken voice broke the silence between them. She turned from staring out the window. "Yes," she said. "Let's get away for the weekend." 

Her eyes widened. 

"I want to spend some time together. Just you and me," he continued.

Sucking in a breath at his impulsive announcement, she said, "What brought this about?"

"I think for a day we can forget the world and just enjoy ourselves," he said. "What do you say? We can spend the day in Sandusky and go sightseeing." 

A smile spread across her face. "I'd like that," she said. For a few fleeting moments, the weight on her shoulders that wore her down felt lighter.  

He grinned.  "Okay.  His mind raced with ideas of the things they could do.

After driving for a short distance, they arrived at the cemetery. As they stepped out of the vehicle, Mrs. Adrian waved them over. "Sachi, can I have a word with you?" she said. 

Nodding, Sachi approached the woman timidly expecting another chiding.

Sensing her wariness, the woman reached out to her and pulled her into an embrace. "I'm not mad at you okay?" She said with motherly affection. "I understand the stress that you and your family have undergone. If you ever need to talk, just let me know. I'm here for you."

Those words washed over Sachi like a healing balm as she clung to the woman. 

"I know," she said, choked.

Observing the touching scene between the two most important women in his life, Kael pulled his phone out from his pants pocket and placed a call with purpose. "Hi. Do you have any vacancies? Great. I'd like to make a weekend reservation for two."