Gifted Connections 2

“I found Cade, and he wanted to meet Blake,” Alex explained patiently. “She brought Jaxson somehow,” he shrugged.

“Have you done that before?” Troy asked.

“No,” Alex said.

“These things you do,” Will said affectionately rubbing a hand through Alex’s curls, “They’re beyond me. I feel we should be preparing you more, but I don’t know how.”

“Cade told us that we needed to prepare Micah to travel longer distances. We probably should be setting up classes for the children every day,” Jace frowned. “It’s not like they are getting them in school.”

“I can do that,” Troy volunteered. “I’m not really needed in the hospital as much any longer. I can set up a schedule to work with Micah.”

“Do we know any precogs that may be able to help Ella?” Jaxson asked. “Who can help Alex?”

“I can work with Alex. I was with Horatio when he worked on his,” Will explained. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I might be able to find someone for Ella.” Will frowned. “I haven’t talked to Megan in years, and I’m not sure she will want to talk to me, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“Does Aunt Megan,” Jaxson cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Even talk to mom anymore?”

My head snapped up as I looked at Jaxson and Jace. They never talked about their mother. I always assumed she was dead. I thought they just didn’t want to talk about her.

I could see the tightening in Jace’s jaw. Clearly, he didn’t like talking about his mother or anyone that may be associated to her. “That’s not necessary,” he said his eyes ice cold. I felt a chill run down my spine. “I’m sure one of the communities have someone that can help her.”

Jaxson was staring down at his feet. “It wouldn’t hurt to try.”

Will ran an agitated hand over his face. “She is the only high level precog I know. I must swallow my pride. For Ella’s sake.”

“She left us before that woman left us. I don’t want her anywhere near Ella,” Jace crossed his arms across his chest.

“She can help us,” Jaxson squared up across his brother. “Aunt Megan loved us, and she left long before mom did. She never liked the institute. She knew it was harming us.”

Jace shook his head. “I understand you still miss that woman, but her sister isn’t a replacement.”

“That’s a low blow Jace,” Jaxson said balling up his fist by his side.

“That’s enough,” Troy stood in between them as he gave a pointed look at Alex. Alex looked frightened as he gripped Will’s arm. “Jace, go for a run, think about this with a level head. Jaxson, can you get Alex in the shower, before breakfast? He skipped his bath last night.”

I had never seen any of the guys fight with each other. They joked with each other. They teased each other. They argued, but they never came close to a physical altercation. It was kind of scary seeing them this livid. Jace was the first one to turn and leave. Jaxson took a deep breath before he turned to Alex.

“Come on, buddy,” he bade. “Let’s get in the shower so our breakfast doesn’t get cold.”

Alex pouted. “Do I have to? I can take one tonight.”

“Tonight’s trick or treating and we’re getting our pumpkins to carve after breakfast,” Will said gently.

Alex jumped off the barstool with a whoop—the argument, in his eyes, forgotten—and ran up the stairs.

When they left, I looked at Will and Troy. Troy broke eye contact with me and turned to get some coffee. Will looked immensely troubled. “Without going into much detail, because I feel the boys need to tell you…First, their aunt left them because of the institute, and it hurt them. Then their mother left us when we decided to leave the institute. That devastated them. Jaxson was a Mama’s boy, so he still misses her. Jace was older. He saw and heard more things. He had a better understanding of the situation. He handled them leaving differently. But Megan was a good woman. I wouldn’t reach out to her if I felt she would harm Ella.”

I felt like another bombshell was dropped. It only further showed me how much more I needed to get to know my guys.

After breakfast, Will took Micah, Patrick, Alex, Ella, Chip, and Nadia to the pumpkin patch a few miles down the road. He declined any of us going with him, so I helped Drake clean up the kitchen before I went to find Remy. I hadn’t seen him since last night, and it wasn’t like him to skip our Saturday morning run.

After looking in his room, I decided to head to the basement. Drake was out in the pool doing his morning laps. I knew Troy, Jaxson, Noah, and Jace had gone down to the basement to work out.

“Has anyone seen Remy?” I asked as I came down to the bottom step. “He’s not answering my text.”

I could tell that Jaxson and Jace was still at odds with each other. They were squared off once more. Troy and Noah had their arms crossed over their chest, in between them. All the conversation abruptly stopped.

No, it’s not obvious that I’m the topic of conversation, I inwardly snorted to myself.