I sat there for a moment without responding, still somewhat stunned by what I’d heard. Losing Indigo – the grandmother I was still getting to know – would be bad enough. But Gramps?
Along with my mother, my grandfather had raised me. Trained me. Taught me how to use my powers. I had a tough time imagining him suddenly gone.
And if it was hard for me, it had to be incredibly difficult for Mom. She’d have to say goodbye not only to her father – the only parent she’d ever known until a few weeks ago – but also the mother who had just come back into her life.
Overwhelmed with sympathy for my mother, I reached out to her empathically and detected an unusual potpourri of emotions: doleful sentiment mingled with bittersweet reflection and somber resignation, all encased in a shroud of wistful yearning so powerful that it was almost palpable.
The thought of not having her parents around was clearly distressing to my mother, and I wished that I could do something to ease her pain. I just found it hard to believe that my grandparents would simply take off like that – just when we were finally a family.
And just like that, understanding dawned on me. I knew exactly how I could help my mother.
<Go with them,> I stated flatly.
My mother’s eyebrows went up in surprise. <What?>
<You should go with them,> I repeated.
Telepathically, she shook her head. <No. I couldn’t.>
<Sure you could,> I insisted. <And it’s not like it would be forever, right?>
<No, but we’re probably talking a long time, regardless. A year, possibly – maybe even two. I can’t just walk away from everything for that long just to tag along with my parents like a bratty kid.>
<Look, I’ve had you and Gramps my entire life, and I’ve bonded with Indigo a lot better and faster than I would have thought possible. But the three of you… You never had a real chance to be together, to become a family unit the way you would have under normal circumstances. You deserve to have that, even if the opportunity for it is coming a couple of decades late.>
My mother seemed to contemplate this for a moment, but then gave another sad shake of her head mentally. <But what about you? I can’t just leave you behind. What kind of mother would I be if–>
<Mom, I’ll be fine,> I said, cutting her off. <Have some faith in the job that you and Gramps did as far as raising me. I can take care of myself, and if I do need help there’s plenty of people I can call on: Mouse…Braintrust…> I gulped and then added, <Alpha Prime.>
She didn’t respond immediately; instead, she just stared at me for a few seconds, mentally wrestling with a decision as she pondered what I’d said. Then she gave me a bright smile and a telepathic hug.
<You know, you’ve got to be the best son on the entire planet,> she declared, beaming.
<Of course,> I replied, grinning. <The best son for the best mom.>
Chapter 17
For the remainder of the ride, Mom and I joined in the conversation with Gramps, Indigo, and Myshtal. Before I knew it, we had reached my father’s subdivision, passing through a gated and guarded entrance into an exclusive neighborhood of million-dollar homes and sprawling estates.
From that point, it should only have taken us about fifteen minutes to reach my father’s mansion. Unfortunately, we were still in view of the neighborhood entrance when our limo slowed to a halt behind a long line of equally ostentatious vehicles.
“Apparently we should have come early,” Indigo commented, prompting a grunt of annoyance from my grandfather. “Hopefully the line will move quickly.”
My grandmother’s hopes in that regard were soon dashed, as ten minutes later we had moved forward only a few hundred feet.
“This is ridiculous,” Gramps finally barked. “What’s the hold-up?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know. There’s supposed to be a valet service, but I’m guessing they’re overwhelmed.”
“Half these vehicles are chauffeur-driven stretch limos,” my grandfather shot back. “They don’t need a valet.”
“So,” Mom mused, “you’ve got a bunch of oversized vehicles dropping people off and then trying to maneuver around in spaces that were probably designed for much smaller cars.”
Gramps seemed to ruminate on that for a moment, then let out a sigh of resignation, saying, “Okay, maybe I’m just being impatient, but it seems like we could have walked there by now. Or…”
He trailed off as he turned towards me, a suggestive glint in his eye.
Knowing what was being implied, I merely nodded. “Yeah, I could teleport us, but I wouldn’t in our current position.”
“Why not?” asked Myshtal.
“Because you’re all sitting,” I replied. “If I took us there now, you’d all flop down on your butts when we appeared, like some synchronized clown routine. Of course, I could hold everyone in their current posture telekinetically, but you might find it awkward.”
“Well, there’s a simple solution to that,” Indigo said, reaching for the door handle. A moment later, we were all standing outside the limo.
“Everyone ready?” I asked.
“Wait just a minute,” Gramps said, reaching for his wallet as he began walking towards our driver’s window. I then noticed him give the man a tip and then mutter something – probably letting the chauffeur know that we’d call him when we were ready to go.
After getting a curt nod in response from the driver, my grandfather turned and walked back to us, saying, “Okay, let’s go.”
Taking that as my cue, I teleported the five of us.
*****
We popped up in a French formal garden – a broad concourse consisting of exotic flowers and carefully manicured shrubs. In addition, there were fabulous water terraces interspersed throughout the area, and it was all arranged in an eye-catching symmetrical design.
I sensed a deep wonder welling up in Myshtal as she looked around, and I couldn’t blame her. Frankly speaking, the garden was spectacular and worthy of a spread in some national home-and-garden magazine, as the architect had clearly outdone himself.
As to Mom and my
