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Not just at Gabe, but everyone in the room. All of them helped me discover something about myself that I never knew. And may never have known if I never came into contact with and befriended Kristie. It’s kind of weird how things just kinda work out sometimes I guess.
“Thank you,” I choke out before moving to wrap my arms around Mama Celene. Then Dima, Kristie, Grammy and finally, Gabriel.
The man who gave me the gift of seeing, hearing and touching Grammy again. And in some ways, giving me Frank back.
“So, ah, is now a good time to talk about that weird dude?” Kristie asks, brows raised.
Gabe pulls me back down onto his knee, and I settle back. Until Kristie’s words finally make their way into my brain. “What man?”
“The creepy guy that follows you, dear.” Grammy replies.
“Who? Percy?”
“That’s a shitty name,” Kristie mutters.
“Is that his name? The little, odd man?” Grammy asks.
“I don’t actually know what his name is. He’s never told me. That’s just the name I’ve given him in my head.” I shrug. “And he’s not that bad.” I defend.
Bren, he’s a total creep.
“Babe, he’s guilty as fuck. I’m not sure of what, I just know he is,” Gabe says.
“Yeah, ah, we’ve seen him.” Kristie cringes.
“Shit, La Strega, you could have led with that,” Gabe growls.
“Yeah I could have but you were here for other reasons. Jeez,” Kristie grouses, before flipping him the bird.
“Dis man, he ain’t got good in him,” Mama warns.
Jeez, all this is a lot to take in. I’m surrounded by a supernatural supercrew or something. And I’m the new kid. I don’t quite know all the rules yet, but I know one thing. These are the people I want by my side when stuff hits the fan.
Gabe runs a hand down his face. “What did you see?”
Kristie and Dima share a look. “He’s been watching Brenna a long time.”
I stiffen slightly, Percy’s words scratching at my memory.
You know.
“He, ah, I think he knew me as a child.”
This is the exact moment in a TV show when the record scratches. Everyone stops their ominous warnings and sibling bickering to stare at me.
“What?”
“I think he knew me, or us, when we were kids. The last time I saw him he said ‘You used to talk to yourself when you were little, too’. I brushed it off, but it gave me the heeby jeebies.”
“Dammit,” Grammy whispers. “I only noticed him watching before I died.”
“You saw him?” I ask Grammy, before filling Kristie, Dima and Mama Celene in to what she said.
“Yes. He started hanging around the cafe and I got a bad feeling. That’s when I went to Kristie for help.”
“You asked Kristie for help?” I stare at my friend, wide eyed.
“Yeah, about six months before Grammy died she came to ask me to keep you safe. She said there was a man, but didn’t know much about him. Hell, we didn’t know anything either until Dima saw him.”
