Read Online At First Touch by Mattie Dunman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mattie Dunman
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liking for him. As it was, I just noticed his weak chin, beady eyes, and over-confident swagger and felt relieved to be done with him for the day.
I dug in my bag for my keys and unlocked the back door, breathing a sigh of relief as I entered the cool darkness of our new home. It was furnished minimally and blandly. Since we never invited anyone home and moved frequently, there was no point in exerting ourselves as far as decorating went.
“Koko,” I called, and was instantly greeted by my six-year old Blue-Point Siamese, purring and twisting around my ankles. I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter and picked the cat up, snuggling him close to my face and reveling in the velvety feel of his fur. With an ear-splitting yowl he told me that he wanted down and it was high time I fed him. I released him and he sprang agilely to the floor and then rubbed his back against the cabinet where his food was kept. I laughed and obliged, filling his silver bowls with food and water. While he happily set to his dinner, I headed to my room, which resembled a monk’s cell with its plain walls and lack of decoration. My clothes were still in their suitcases, and the only things I had unpacked were my books and my laptop. I flung myself on the unmade bed and closed my eyes, truly alone for the first time in my rather eventful day.
I was startled awake by the sound of the door slamming and my father’s voice calling me. I sat up and looked at the bedside alarm clock. It was after five; I had slept for over an hour. Stretching and yawning, I stood up and headed out to the kitchen, gearing myself up for the long and complicated story I would have to share with my father.
“Hey baby, how was your first…” Dad’s cheerful greeting trailed off as he got a look at me. I cursed inwardly for not thinking to put some cover up on my injured face; based on its tenderness, I imagined my eye was a gorgeous shade of purple by now. “What the heck happened to you?” he asked, his voice high and tight.
Sighing, I plopped down in one of the chairs at the small table where we ate our meals. “It’s a long story. You’d better sit down.” Without comment, he removed his tool belt and sat down across from me, his lined face serious and worried. I told him the whole story, holding back nothing. One of our agreements was to never hide anything from each other. When you only have one other person you can count on, there’s no sense in lying to them.
He listened without interrupting until I was finished and then got up, grabbed a clean glass from the cabinet and filled it with tap water. He took a long drink and then turned back to me. I waited quietly, knowing he was processing everything I had just told him and was thinking on the best course of action.
After a few more moments of silent brooding, he nodded and put down the glass. “Well, sweetie, it sounds like you did really well.” My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I had been expecting him to tell me what a disaster I had gotten us involved in, and yet there he was giving me an admiring smile. “You thought quick on your feet, and I’m proud of you.”
“But Dad, I messed with someone’s mind! I gave him false memories! I don’t even know what else I might have changed…I could have really screwed the guy up!” My voice was incredulous; I had been waiting for him to berate me on my selfishness, to tell me what I had done was inexcusable. Instead he just stood there shaking his head and smiling at me reassuringly.
“Liz, you did the best you could in an impossible situation. I know you would never use your abilities inappropriately, and from what you tell me of this Fitz, he deserves whatever he gets.” I shook my head, still unbelieving, and he came forward and took my gloved hand in his, forcing me to look him in the eye.
“What do you think that man would have done? He would have taken you away from me and given you to the Coalition, and we both know what they want from you.
I dug in my bag for my keys and unlocked the back door, breathing a sigh of relief as I entered the cool darkness of our new home. It was furnished minimally and blandly. Since we never invited anyone home and moved frequently, there was no point in exerting ourselves as far as decorating went.
“Koko,” I called, and was instantly greeted by my six-year old Blue-Point Siamese, purring and twisting around my ankles. I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter and picked the cat up, snuggling him close to my face and reveling in the velvety feel of his fur. With an ear-splitting yowl he told me that he wanted down and it was high time I fed him. I released him and he sprang agilely to the floor and then rubbed his back against the cabinet where his food was kept. I laughed and obliged, filling his silver bowls with food and water. While he happily set to his dinner, I headed to my room, which resembled a monk’s cell with its plain walls and lack of decoration. My clothes were still in their suitcases, and the only things I had unpacked were my books and my laptop. I flung myself on the unmade bed and closed my eyes, truly alone for the first time in my rather eventful day.
I was startled awake by the sound of the door slamming and my father’s voice calling me. I sat up and looked at the bedside alarm clock. It was after five; I had slept for over an hour. Stretching and yawning, I stood up and headed out to the kitchen, gearing myself up for the long and complicated story I would have to share with my father.
“Hey baby, how was your first…” Dad’s cheerful greeting trailed off as he got a look at me. I cursed inwardly for not thinking to put some cover up on my injured face; based on its tenderness, I imagined my eye was a gorgeous shade of purple by now. “What the heck happened to you?” he asked, his voice high and tight.
Sighing, I plopped down in one of the chairs at the small table where we ate our meals. “It’s a long story. You’d better sit down.” Without comment, he removed his tool belt and sat down across from me, his lined face serious and worried. I told him the whole story, holding back nothing. One of our agreements was to never hide anything from each other. When you only have one other person you can count on, there’s no sense in lying to them.
He listened without interrupting until I was finished and then got up, grabbed a clean glass from the cabinet and filled it with tap water. He took a long drink and then turned back to me. I waited quietly, knowing he was processing everything I had just told him and was thinking on the best course of action.
After a few more moments of silent brooding, he nodded and put down the glass. “Well, sweetie, it sounds like you did really well.” My eyebrows shot up in surprise. I had been expecting him to tell me what a disaster I had gotten us involved in, and yet there he was giving me an admiring smile. “You thought quick on your feet, and I’m proud of you.”
“But Dad, I messed with someone’s mind! I gave him false memories! I don’t even know what else I might have changed…I could have really screwed the guy up!” My voice was incredulous; I had been waiting for him to berate me on my selfishness, to tell me what I had done was inexcusable. Instead he just stood there shaking his head and smiling at me reassuringly.
“Liz, you did the best you could in an impossible situation. I know you would never use your abilities inappropriately, and from what you tell me of this Fitz, he deserves whatever he gets.” I shook my head, still unbelieving, and he came forward and took my gloved hand in his, forcing me to look him in the eye.
“What do you think that man would have done? He would have taken you away from me and given you to the Coalition, and we both know what they want from you.
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