Hagen touches his chest. "I am sixty-two years old," he says easily. My eyes widen to twice their normal size I’m sure.
"That's impossible. You barely look like you could be forty," I say in disbelief.
Camilla places a hand on my shoulder. "It's true. Hagan has been alive for sixty-two years but when he turned eighteen and started to develop his abilities, his aging began to slow as well."
I just watch her, unsure of what to say next. She continues. "I have been alive for forty-six years but I'm sure you probably thought I was no older than thirty, which is normal in this family, and all Seer families."
I shake my head, surprised by this new information. "That is insane," I say. I look over at Gavin who is finally looking my way. He looks sorry that he never told me about how I will age.
"How old are you, then?" I ask him.
He shrugs. "Alexa and I are twenty, like I told you. Our slowing of age hasn't made much of a difference yet, but it will continue and eventually it will be noticeable."
I nod my head, trying to process it all.
Kassy lets out a loud breath. "Wow, you guys just become more interesting every day."
She says, actually sounding entertained. “If that’s the case, how long do you guys normally live, then?"
Jack speaks this time in his loud voice. "A Seer can live to be over two hundred years old, though it’s rare. It pretty much just depends on how well you take care of yourself, although we heal better than humans too, so we don't get sick very often."
I gasp at his words. "Are you freaking kidding me?! I'm going to live to be two hundred years old!" I say louder than I intended. I look over at Kassy, realizing that I am going to way surpass her lifespan. How am I going to live with her loss some day?
44
Jack waves away my worry with a hand. "Don't worry, El. Disasters happen all the time.
You could live two more years or two hundred more. Just try not to think about it too much."
I sink into an open seat at the dining table. "Thanks, Jack. I feel so much better," I say sarcastically, having a bit of a childish fit now.
He laughs on the way back to his seat by his beautiful wife. Kassy sits by me and pats my shoulder. "Don't worry so much about all of this, El. It is what it is, and you have a chance to actually make a difference in the world. It's what you are meant to do."
I nod at her. "Thanks, Kass.”
"Pretty El!" I hear a small voice call behind me.
I turn in my seat and see Ethan running up to me. He jumps onto my lap and gives me a sweet hug. I hug him back and poke his belly, making him giggle. "Hey, Ethan. I missed you.
You can just call me El, you know."
He smiles at me, showing two deep dimples just like Gavin's. "But you are pretty, so I say it. My mommy always tells me to not lie." He notices Kassy beside me and whispers loudly to me with a small hand covering his secret. “Your friend is pretty too!”
Kassy giggles at the adorable boy. “Holy moly. I think I’m in love.”
"Well, your mom is very smart. It's good to be truthful, so I guess I should tell you that you are very handsome." I say, making him smile wider.
He kisses me on the cheek and runs to his laughing mother. Sophia smiles warmly at me, making me glad that they don't all have a problem with me, like Hagan. I glance back over at him and he is still frowning like an old grumpy man. I guess he is over sixty, so it makes some sense. I just wish he'd smile at least once, so I can be sure he isn't evil.
Gavin passes up the empty seat next me and picks one on the opposite side of the table.
My heart splinters at his choice, a piece of it disappearing within me. If I don't get over him and quit enduring this heartache, there won't be a heart left inside of me soon.
Gram joins us from the kitchen and brings the most amazing pork chops and buttery corn on the cob. I could eat her food every day and live a very happy, and apparently long, life. I wonder how old she is. I’m too scared to ask the question out loud.
I try to avoid Gavin for the rest of the meal, focusing on the delicious food in front of me and the silly family chatter filling the room. They have so many inside jokes from always being around each other that I keep losing track of the conversation, but it’s nevertheless entertaining.
45
As I tear into my second sweet roll, all of the guys leave the table to go check out some of Jack’s new building plans he has in his car. His architecture firm landed a big project, and it has gotten them all excited.
"Girls, why don't we all go to the living room and enjoy some time without those noisy boys." Sophia says, looking at Kassy and I. "I'd really like to get to know you both if y’all don't mind."
I smile, glad that she is distracting me from thinking about Gavin. "That would be great."
I stand and wave Ethan over. "I guess one boy is allowed, though. Come on, little man."
Ethan grins from ear to ear and runs over to my side as we head to the front room. We all find a comfortable place to sit and Camilla puts some soft 1950’s music on with an old record player. Ethan snuggles close to me on the couch we share with
