Significance - Chapter Nineteen

"Maggie. Rebecca," her father stated after Beck ran to turn down the music. He was clearly amused and trying to hide it. "I'm glad to see you two hanging out again."

"Hey, Mister T," I said as I went to hug him. They were the sweetest people. And their name was Thompson so I called them Mr. and Mrs. T. He loved it because of the joke. They always let me crash here, especially right after my mom left, and even though Beck was spoiled rotten, they were still really good to her and everyone else. "Long time, no see."

"Yeah." He hugged me tightly and then released me to snag a piece of pizza. "They feed us like birds at those things. So, Maggie, what've you been up to? Haven't seen you around much lately. We thought Rebecca had chased you off for good."

"Yeah," Mrs. T chimed as she too lifted a piece of pizza from the box. "We missed you."

"No, she couldn't chase me off. I haven't been doing much, just working mostly."

"And going out with a totally hot new guy," Beck blurted.

There was no point in trying to stop her. Her parents were as bad as she was.

"Really?" he asked in a fake girly accent. "Do tell."

Mrs. T and I laughed, but Beck did not.

"Daddy, eww." But she was over it quickly and threw her arm over my shoulder. "So, yes. Our little Maggie bagged herself a college boy."

"Really?" His brow furrowed in concern. As cool as they wanted to seem, they were still parents. "Now, Maggie, I'd be careful with this boy. Once guys leave high school, everything changes. I remember college, when I met the wife and I wasn't exactly noble-"

"Honey, no. Not appropriate," Mrs. T insisted.

"I'm careful. Don't worry," I assured them. "He's really nice and has already met my dad."

"And how is your father?" he asked sincerely.

"Much better."

"Ok, good. Well, we'll let you girls get back to it." He went to Beck to kiss her forehead and then they made their way out, but stopped at the door. "Make sure you come back, Maggie. We miss you around here, definitely not loud enough."

I smiled.

"Ok."

"Ok, so." Beck went right back to scheming. "Stay with me tonight. You can wear something of mine."

"Can't, have to work tomorrow."

"You don't go in until later. Stay."

"I can't." I thought hard for an excuse, but Caleb saved me.

Tell her your dad is really strict lately, which isn't a lie. I can also feel your fever, that you don't feel too good. You ok?

Yeah. Just tired. I'll take some Tylenol for the fever. I'm ok.

"Dad's kind of gotten over his funk. He's really been on my case lately."

"Really? Well, that's good, I guess. Ok, well it's ok. I'll see you tomorrow night anyway right?"

"Maybe."

"Come," she commanded.

I stayed for a couple more hours. We watched a 'wanna-be' scary movie in her mini-theater in her basement about a girl who is stalked because she answered a phone call or something. It was strange but Beck was appropriately girly and screamed and gasped at all the right moments. I just wanted to laugh but Beck loved these girly scary-but-not-scary movies. It was no Poltergeist.

After that it started to get dark, so Beck took me home. I told her I was excited about the next night, which was a lie. I was so not excited, but I knew that she would love Caleb once she got to know him and wouldn't think he was just some hot guy trying to steal my virtue and then skip back to college.

I'm home.

I sent him the message as I opened my front door. Dad was just then taking off his boots by the hall closet.

See you soon.

"Hey, Dad. How was work?"

"Good. Great actually. I got promoted."

"What? Awesome! What happened?"

I came to stand by him and tried to ignore the boot odor.

"Well, I saved a load of wood today from being destroyed by the new guy. He was an inch away from messing up the whole load and possibly cutting his arm off and I stopped him, right in front of the boss. So, I got promoted to general overseer because he said I had an eye for these things." I smiled at him as he beamed. I hadn't seen him so happy in a very long time. "So, I'm salary now and even get off an hour early every day."

"Dad. That's so great."

"Thanks, kiddo. Did you eat?"

"Yeah, Beck filled me with cheese pizza. You want me to fix you something?"

"No, I'll make a sandwich. I'm pretty beat so I'm gonna eat and go to bed I think. You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go to bed, too."

"All right." He stood and stretched his back, then yawned. "Well, goodnight."

"Night, Dad."

I went straight to the shower. I didn't bring any clothes with me, thought I'd have enough time to change before Caleb got there. So I wrapped the towel around me and went to my room...and found Caleb sitting on my bed. I felt his instant desire and longing engulf me so I grabbed some clothes, wordlessly from my dresser, and went into the closet to get dressed quickly.

While at Kyle's I'd learned a few things. Like Caleb being so completely in tune with me and feeling everything I felt. He was hurting right along with me with the offense marks removal and I never wanted to cause him pain again. Even if it was the uncomfortable kind from seeing me almost naked and his body responding, making him need me in ways that we weren't ready for yet. Well, I wasn't.

When I came out he was still sitting there. I didn't want to make things harder for him, seeing as how everything was so much more intense for him than me, which still didn't seem possible but there it was, right there in my head how conflicted he was and how much he wanted me. How much his body told him to have me.

I sat on the bed next to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. I laced our fingers, letting our touch cure my aches.

"Hey."

"Hey," he answered. "You're getting really good at reading me."

"Well, your mind was wide open."

"Yeah. If you had come over here with that towel on..." I laughed and snuggled closer. "You're still warm, Maggie." He placed a hand on my forehead, then my cheek. "Where's the medicine cabinet?"

"In my bathroom." I yawned. "My dad's room is downstairs so he shouldn't be up here."

He nodded and peeked out the door before disappearing and reappearing a minute later.

"Here, take these." He handed me a couple pills with a glass of water. I took them and lay down on top of the covers. Wow, I hadn't realized how bad I felt until right then. "Need anything else?"

"Just you," I said groggily and beckoned him to me. He lay down beside me to face me and played with my fingers on the pillow. I put my hand on his cheek, letting my fingers smooth over his dimple. "So, there's this thing at the school tomorrow, a party for the graduated seniors. I hadn't planned on going, but Beck begged me, so...but..."

"But?"

"I don't want to go."

"So don't go."

"But I promised."

"So, go," he said grinning.

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course I'm coming with you," he scoffed.

"We don't have to go," I reasoned.

"Yeah, sure we do." His smile was wry as he rubbed his chin. "You, uh, gonna be ok with introducing me to your friends?"

"Hmm." That was debatable. "We'll find out."

"Ashamed of me already?" he joked.

"No, of course not. I just don't want to try to explain...how I just met you a few days ago and can't stop looking at you with googly eyes."

He chuckled softly. "Googly eyes," he echoed and nodded. "Ok. Sure, we can go if you feel better." He cleared his throat. "You working tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Well, the tyrant is going to sit in the back booth, ok?"

"For eight hours?" I asked incredulously.

"It doesn't matter." He sighed and sucked his lip in and out. "You're in my mind right now. Can't you see how it literally hurts me to even think about you in danger? Just letting you go to Beck's was hard but your work is..." He shook his head. "When we went to the Watson compound we found out who the echoling was and what they had planned. Marcus and his uncle plan to kidnap you and take you somewhere locked up where it would take me a very long time to find you. We'd both be in agony in just a day or two. They want to take you from me so neither of us will ascend. You see why I'm freaking? They know where you live. They know where you work. They knew I was going to be with my father that night. It's too risky and I'm sorry if you feel like I'm going overboard but I have to keep you safe. If you feel like you have to give notice before you quit, then that's fine, but I've got to be there with you. I'm sorry."

I sighed, knowing what he was saying was true. Marcus had told me that himself. "I know. Marcus told me once in a dream that's what he wanted to do."

"He did? You didn't tell me that."

"I forgot. It was always so stressful after I woke up. I understand, ok? I'll tell Big John something; that I'm in trouble or something, he won't care about you being there. But what are you gonna do sitting back there all day?"

"I have a couple papers due and a book list to read before school starts. I'll have plenty to do and I've been dreading it because none of it has to do with geometry," he said and smirked.

"Ok, if you're sure. Now I feel bad," I groaned. "I don't want you to sit there bored all day because of me."

"It's ok, really. The only way I'm going to get all this work done anyway is if you're busy. Otherwise, I'll just be distracted," he said gruffly, and leaned forward to kiss my chin.

"Oh, we wouldn't want that," I said with mock sincerity.

"No, definitely not."

I giggled as he kissed me and wrestled me under him. He tickled my sides and kissed under my chin at the same time. It was torture in every good sense. But when I reached my hand under his shirt to tickle his ribs I learned that boys can be more ticklish than girls. He jerked so quickly and laughed trying to squirm away, but I held on and he retaliated with gusto.

I'd forgotten about Dad.

I heard his footsteps up the stairs and thought quickly. Caleb looked at me with worry, his mind racing to whether he should bolt out the window or jump in the closet.

"Beck! Shut up! I can't believe you!" I yelled playfully, pretending to be on the phone.

Miraculously, I heard his footsteps stop and recede. We both sighed and chuckled softly in relief into each other's shoulders. I was glad because my eyelids were fighting with me anyway.

We called a truce and I reached down and pulled the blanket over us from the foot of the bed. He then rolled me over to put my back to him as he wrapped his arms around me. I sighed at the warmth and comfort, I nestled my back and bottom in closer. He pulled my hair behind me and to the side, then he placed a kiss on the back of my neck.

"Sleep. Feel better tomorrow."

"K," I muttered as I did what I was told.

~ ~ ~

"Wake up." Someone shook me. "You've got to get up, baby. You're going to be late."

"What?"

I opened up my eyes to see Caleb looking concerned. "It's after 10:00. You better get up. Or maybe you should stay home. Do you feel better?" He touched my forehead.

"After 10:00? Jeez, I thought I set my alarm," I groaned.

"You did. I've been trying to get you up for fifteen minutes. Are you feeling ok?"

"Yeah, I am." And I did. Sleeping with him was the best medicine. "Did you sleep well?"

"I always sleep best with you," he said sweetly, pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head.

"You're right, I've got to get up." I pulled from his grasp and was rewarded with a groan from him that made me turn to hide my smile. "I can't believe your parents condone you sneaking into some girls' window."

"You're not some girl," he corrected.

"I know," I smiled, "it's just strange."

"Well, my mom doesn't condone it at all. She's conflicted about the whole thing. She understands why we have to do it, but doesn't like it. She thinks it's all very scandalous."

I laughed and sat beside him on the bed. "Well, she's kind of right."

"You don't like me sneaking into your window all romantic like?" he asked and leaned close, his nose almost touching mine.

"I do like it, but it would be better if we didn't have to sneak, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." He leaned back a little and pushed my hair behind my ear. "But it's necessary. You're not upset about it, are you? I would never do something like this if it wasn't about your safety. I'm not one of those guys."

"I know that and I know it's only temporary. We'll figure it all out soon."

He nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Caleb. I'm not upset, I promise." I leaned the few inches between us and rubbed his nose with mine. "It's very sweet, the things you do for me."

"Yeah, because sleeping with you is torture," he said sarcastically and kissed the end of my nose. "Ok. Well, I'm going to get out of here and then come pick you up at the door. I'll tell your dad I'm driving you to work today."

"Ok."

He got up and I saw he was in his clothes from yesterday still. He must have seen me looking at him because he looked down at himself, too.

"Oh, yeah. Let me run to my uncle's and I'll be back to take you to work." He picked up his book bag, slinging it over his shoulder and turned to look at me. "Don't leave until I get here, ok? I'll be right back."

"Ok. I'll wait. Hurry."

"Ok." He kissed me on the cheek and then looked at me imploringly.

I laughed. "I love it when it's you." I giggled at his expression. "Go to your uncle's and do what you need to do. Hurry back and I'll be waiting for you."

"Thank you, baby," he murmured sweetly.

He kissed my lips quickly before opening and sliding out the window.

I turned and got dressed as fast as I could. Running to the bathroom and fixing my hair and slicking on a little makeup, I thought about what to tell my boss when I gave him my notice today. They'd been so good to me and I hated having to leave them, but if I was going to college, it would happen soon anyway.

It took me about twenty minutes to get ready and I only had fifteen minutes left until I was late for work. I was about to run downstairs when I heard Dad yelling for me.

"Maggie! Caleb is here."

"Coming!"

I checked my hair once more in the mirror and then ran downstairs. I hadn't thought about Caleb not seeing me in my uniform. It was just a uniform after all, but by the way he was looking at me when I came down, he apparently thought differently.

Holy hell.

I gasped inwardly at his thoughts and looked down at my outfit. It was a little short, as I said, but I had footless tights on underneath. It was white, as were the tights and it buttoned all the way up with a little open collar and a little belt around the waist and a black half apron. I looked back at him curiously and quirked a brow.

You apparently don't see what I see. You work in that thing and you don't get asked out every five minutes? That's a bold faced lie!

I giggled out loud and Dad looked at me.

"Something...funny?" he asked all cocked browed.

"Nothing. Um, Caleb and I are going to the farewell party at the school tonight so I won't be here for dinner, ok?"

"Ok. You know the rules, before midnight."

"Yes, Dad, I know." I hugged him and he seemed surprised by it, leaning back to look at me with a half smile.

"Um," he cleared his throat, "ok, well have fun. And be careful. Caleb, you remember what I said about that bike?"

"Yes, sir; helmet, speed limit, careful. Promise."

"All right. See ya later."

"Bye, Dad." I grabbed Caleb's hand to pull him with me. "Good luck on your first day with your promotion."

"Thanks, Mags," Dad said softly and I looked over my shoulder to see him looking sad and conflicted.

I turned to Caleb and even though I knew I was going to be late, I had to see what put that look on my dad's face. But before I could ask Caleb he answered me.

"Go ahead. I'll wait at the bike."

"Thank you."

I walked slowly over to Dad as he sat on the bottom step of the stairs. I always loved these stairs when I was a kid. The carpet was plush and soft, almost baby blue in color, which is my favorite. I used to slide down on my belly all the way down from top to bottom until my stomach was red and sore but I just kept doing it.

I sat on the step beside him and sighed as I lay my head on his shoulder.

"What's up, Dad?"

"Nothing."

"Liar," I chimed sweetly and he laughed.

He sighed heavily, loaded with something he didn't want to talk about.

"I got a call from your mom."