Until the Tide Returns

I could feel the water flowing around me. More than just in the physical sense. The water was a part of me. I could sense every movement it made, every rock it flowed over, every leaf it carried. It lived and breathed just as I did. The water and I were one. I had been standing in the creek for the past hour or so with my eyes closed concentrating solely on that. Landon was sitting along the edge of the creek silently working on his homework.

I heard and felt the splash as Landon tossed in a pinecone. “Can you tell me without opening your eyes what I threw in?” The moment it had entered the water I could feel how the water formed around it sending a negative of the object to my brain which I then recognized.

“Pinecone.” It slowly floated past me. Pine needles silently hit the water as a breeze skated across the top, “Did you put the pine needles in?”

“No, but you knowing they entered is a good thing. You’re making progress.” I could hear the slight smile in his face. “Are you ready to go in?”

“I’m not going to practice diverting water or whatever?” I had expected to be working on the only other thing he had me practice and that had been a week ago.

“We don’t have much time before your grandparents come over.” I had completely forgotten about that. They wanted to meet Gram, and Gram had wanted to meet them so she invited them over for dinner tonight. I had spent the entire day nervously worried about inviting my one and only friend here to a free practically last minute concert. Her eyes bugged when I asked her and told her the ticket was free exclaiming that tickets had gone on sale only this morning. She agreed to go of course.

I made my way out of the creek careful not to slip and slid my wet feet into my flip flops. I waited as Landon stuffed his books into his backpack. “What will I be practicing tomorrow?” I was anxious to practice diverting the water again.

“We’ll start with something small and take it from there.”

“Like what?” Landon chuckled lightly grabbing my hand.

“How about I make a list for you and you pick what you want to learn?” He was going to give me an actual list of what I would be able to do. This made me insanely giddy and slightly concerned as to why I hadn’t thought of asking for this before. In fact, I hadn’t questioned what I could do. Or why he was teaching me when we had Gram who had once had the powers I had. Wouldn’t she be better suited to teach me? “What’s wrong?”

“I was just wondering why Gram wasn’t teaching me. Not that I’m complaining or anything.”

“They way you control the water is different for every Keeper, their protectors are born instinctively knowing how their Keeper will control it, how to teach them.”

“How so?”

“Have you noticed how Gram is very tactile? She always keeps her hands busy, always has something in them?” I had. When she cooks, which is nearly every night, she insists on doing everything herself. I figured it was because she didn’t like help. I nodded. “When she was training, and while she was the keeper, she used her hands, whether it be placing her hand in the water or just making motions with them. For you, it’s different. You use your mind.”

“And you were born knowing this?”

“It makes sense if you think about it.” How? “You’re incredibly smart Beckett, it would only be reasonable you use your mind to control the water.”

“That doesn’t explain how you knew how I would learn.” He smiled at me as we walked up to the back door.

“I just do. Like how I know Gram will kill us if you walk through the house with your dirty feet.” I glanced down at my feet which were covered in dirt and leaves just before Landon bent down and quickly threw me over his shoulder.



Granny was chewing watching me carefully as if trying to figure out something while Gramps, Gram, and Landon chatted away about football, something I never found the appeal of much to Billy’s aggravation. Finally, after swallowing and taking a long drink of her wine Granny spoke. “Has your father called you?”

“We speak every night before I go to bed.” Did she think he would suddenly leave me alone completely? Our conversations were growing shorter but we still spoke.

“Well then have you decided?” Gramps had fallen silent and turned his attention to us. Landon and Gram followed suit.

“Decided what?” I looked from my grandfather to my paternal grandmother.

“Who you’ll be staying with.” I looked to Gram who looked just as confused as I was. Clearly whatever they had been talking about my father had not been discussed with her.

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have no intention on going anywhere at all.” Gramps sighed and rested his arm on the back of his wife’s chair.

“Maybe we should discuss this later.” He said gently. “I told him she wouldn’t like it.”

“Like what?” My brow raised at my grandfather. “Whatever it is he has decided to decide again for me please tell me.”

“Your father wants you to stay with either us or Tyler on the weekends. Now you-”

“What?”

“-don’t have to just pick one, you can choose where you go each weekend.” Granny completely ignored the confusion and anger rolling off of me. “We feel that you may need to be around more familiar family members while you are living here.”

“I am living with family!” I protested looking over to Gram and Landon for help. Landon, I could see, was trying to come up with something to say, while Gram sat with her mouth open.

“We are not denying that your grandmother is your family Beckett, we just feel that it would do you some good to be around other family on your days off from school.” Granny’s eyes slid to Landon briefly and I knew in an instant what this was.

“You just don’t want me around Landon.” Gramps slid his chair back and stood up quickly.

“I had no part in this sweetie, I told them you were fine and to let it be.” He turned to Gram and smiled apologetically. “I’m going to step outside for a cigarette if you don’t mind.”

“That is only a small part of it.” Granny said reaching across the table for my hand. I pulled it back and slid it under the table. “You’re 17 Beckett, you barely know the boy and you’ve just moved across the country. It isn’t appropriate for you to be living with him. It would do you some good to take a break from each other ever now and then.”

“You make it sound like were shacking up together! We have separate bedrooms. Gram doesn’t allow us in any room with the doors closed for crying out loud! Do I really need to reiterate the fact that my mother is psychic and knows that this is going to work out? Because I will if it will get you and everybody else around here to back off. Gram seems to be ok with it, and even if she’s not she puts up with it, hell she even defends-”

“I will not be spo-”

“I apologize for the use of the word hell, but I will not apologize for anything else. I am so sick of having to defend my relationship with everyone. I am not going anywhere on weekends, unless it is to hang out with a friend, or to go to some ridiculous concert that my uncle is doing, or some other family function, all of which only last for a few hours. I have actual things I need to be doing ok? I’m sorry if you don’t think what I have to do is important. But it is. And Landon is the only one who can teach me how to do these things. So you and Dad are just going to have to deal with it. I’m staying here.”

“Beckett, I understand you feel strongly for the boy but that is only to be expected because you’ve never had a boyfriend before or even a crush on one. You aren’t ready for these things. Going to a concert? Is that even safe for you? This is exactly why you should be staying with us and not with people who barely know you.” I was fuming now.

“Can you help me with what I’m going through? No. You can’t. How can you say going to a concert isn’t safe for me? My uncle is so paranoid that someone will bump into me and that my mother is going to kill him that he’s having us sit on the stage. And Landon isn’t just some crush or fling or whatever you think it is. I love him!”

“Beckett.” Landon said softly. “You need to calm down.”

“Please,” Granny turned to Gram who had been eerily (eerily, because she never had not voiced her opinion asked for or not in the past two weeks) quiet this entire time, “talk some sense into her.”

“There is nothing that I see wrong with her argument.” Gram said as Landon quietly pleaded with me to calm down. Something caught the corner of my eye. The water in Landons glass was boiling. I too in a few breaths to calm myself but the boiling did not subside. “And that” Gram pointed to the glass of water, Granny let out a sharp gasp, “is exactly why they need to stay together.”

“Just concentrate on the sound of my voice.” Landon said quietly into my ear while grabbing my hand beneath the table. He began stroking the back of my hand with his thumb. “You are staying right here with me, no one is taking you anywhere, and in a few seconds you and I are going to very calmly get up and go into your room and lie down, talk about nothing, and forget this entire conversation ever happened.”

“This discussion is not over!” Granny cried out causing Gramps to step back inside.

“I am afraid I am going to have to ask the two of you to leave before Beckett blows up a pipe or something.” Gram said calmly. “She has yet to learn to fully control her powers and could do some serious damage if you do not stop pissing her off. Landon, take Beckett into your room and shut the door. Her room is too close to the shower.”

“Linda,” Gramps said quietly as Landon slowly pulled the two of us to our feet, “I think it is time for us to go. Christina, I am sorry this evening has turned unpleasant. I will call Jason and remind him that Beckett is just fine where she is at.” Gramps gently pushed Granny to the front door asking me to call him later once everything was fine. The water was still bubbling, though not as violently. Landon led me down the hall to his room shutting the door behind him as Gram instructed.

I walked over to the bed and laid on my side watching as Landon made his way to the bed. Once he had laid beside me he pulled me close to him rubbing my back. “Have you finished all of your homework?” He asked quietly.

“Yep. Have you?” I knew he already had and was only trying to distract me.

“I was thinking on Saturday, you, Bernie, and I could go to dinner somewhere before the concert.” The concert was going to benefit a local charity of my choice. After some research on Sunday I had found an amazing after school program for kids with special needs. I needed to call Perry and let him know. “Have you told Bernie about your uncle or where our seats would be yet?”

“I was going to just surprise her with it. I don’t believe she would tell anybody but I don’t want to spend the rest of the week with people pretending to be my friend so they can get a free ticket and meet the band.”

“Good idea.” Landon kissed the top of my head. “Is it ok if I invite Relik?” Relik was guy in a few of Landon’s classes who Landon seemed to be getting along with pretty well. He was in my gym class and offered to partner up with me in volleyball today seeing as I didn’t know anyone and Marissa and her friends made it a point to act like I didn’t exist. He even ate lunch with us today. He seemed nice and Bernie seemed to get along with him. Relik wasn’t his real name, just a moniker he had picked up at some point, I didn’t ask how or what his real name was. Relik suited him.

“Of course. I’m sure Perry is under the impression we have made more friends here than we actually have. Should we ask Bernie to make sure she’s ok with it? I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.” Landon reached into my back pocket and pulled out my phone. I quickly selected Bernie from my contacts and dialed her setting it on speaker. I did not like being on the phone with someone in a room without them being able to hear it.

“Hi, could you hold on for like two seconds? My dog just shit in my neighbors yard.” This was followed by the rustling of a bag and a small bark. “Ok. All is good. You may proceed.”

“Um…?”

“Oh, sorry I was talking to my dog. So what’s up? This is the first time you’ve called me.” It was? I know we had texted a few times when she needed help with her homework.

“I was just wondering if you would be ok if Relik went with us to the concert?” I don’t know why I felt so nervous asking her. It was like I was back in Arizona asking my fathers permission to go to barbeque at Loraine’s house. That seemed so long ago when in reality it was only four weeks ago. So much had changed since that night on the porch.

“Totally.” She let out a slight giggle.

“Ok, and Landon thought that maybe the four of us could go to dinner together before the concert?” I also didn’t tell her we needed to get to the concert early. She would undoubtedly ask why.

“Yeah, there’s actually a great little Italian place not too far from where the concert is being held. It’s right by this art gallery I check out a lot. The owner is this awesome kick-ass lady who doesn’t mind talking to me for hours on end about what’s in her store even though she knows I can’t afford anything. Maybe we could stop in there and say hi? You’d love her.”

“What’s the name of the gallery?” Landon asked suddenly.

“Oh, uh hi Landon, didn’t realize I was on speaker. It’s called Drops, like how every piece of art is just a single drop of creativity yet so different, but to many people they all look the same.”

“Um yeah, we’ll think about it. But Gram is calling us in for dinner so is it ok if we talk to you about this later?” Landon said.

“Yeah, no problem. Bye guys.” The call ended and Landon set my phone on his night stand.

“We can’t go there.” Landon said gently.

“Why? It sounds pretty cool, I’d like to check it out.” Landon sighed and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

“That’s your moms gallery Beckett. Going there would end up killing you.” Oh. That’s not good. “We’ll come up with an excuse for Bernie later, but for now let’s just focus on something else. I don’t want you worrying or upset.” He began stroking my back lightly putting me at ease.

“How do you do that?” I asked. Landon stopped and asked what I was talking about. “Every time you touch me it calms me down.”

“I didn’t know that happened. What exactly happens?” I now felt embarrassed and shook my head nuzzling it into the crook of his neck. He gently pushed me away so I had to look at him. “No more dodging.”

“Um well, for one your always really warm and it’s kind of like you transfer the warmth to me or something, and whenever you touch me I calm down.”

“Interesting.” He murmured, “So this,” Landon gently brushed my cheek with a finger, “calms you?”

“Not exactly.” That did something else to me.

“What about this?” He kissed me slowly yet very passionately his hand slipping beneath my shirt and up my back. My mind flooded with flashes of images and I pulled away gasping. "What? What's wrong?"

“I just saw our daughter.”