Keepers of the Flame. Robin D. Owens

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СКАЧАТЬ the nuggets so little metallic wrappers rustled as the candies tumbled against each other, glittering. “Our favorites.”

      “You got dark chocolate for me.” Elizabeth was touched. “You’re so sweet. So bad, but so sweet.” She glanced at her watch. “We have just enough time to settle you in, cook, dress, and go to the folks.”

      Bri nodded at Elizabeth’s cell thrusting from her purse’s outer pocket. “You should find about three messages from me on that.”

      “Oops.” When she looked at the readout, it was blank. “Forgot to charge it.” Another result of stress. She was tired of hurting because of Cassidy and forced the thought of him away again. Enough wallowing. Get on with life! Straightening her shoulders, she said. “I want you to stay with me.”

      Under lowered brows, Bri watched her, that uncertain look back in her eyes. “For real?”

      “For real. You can have the guest room.” She bit her lips to stop them from trembling, cleared her throat. “It’ll be good to have you living with me, like when we were kids. Especially since I’m on vacation.” She wanted her sister more now than ever since they’d become adults. Bri’s first walkabout had been during freshman summer vacation in college. Elizabeth had never admitted how much she wished Bri hadn’t gone her own way. Perhaps she’d stay now.

      “Okay,” Bri said.

      Elizabeth relaxed, smiled. Everything would be better now that Bri was home.

      A few hours later Bri and Elizabeth left their parents’ home. “Mom and Dad loved our gift of an all-expenses-paid two-week vacation in Hawaii.” Bri was very pleased at how the dinner had gone—except for a tense few minutes when they skirted around Cassidy Jones, who’d usually celebrated with them.

      Her parents had been delighted by Bri’s announcement to settle in Denver and become a nurse.

      She shifted the foam freezer chest full of ham, Mickey potatoes, crudités, baked beans and fruit salad that she carried.

      Elizabeth hauled two sacks of potatoes. Apparently their mother had had the same craving as the twins. “Leaving tomorrow. All this food,” their mother had grumbled, pressing it on her daughters.

      Night had fallen and wispy clouds draped the black sky. Only a few stars could be seen from the city. Bri inhaled deeply. Their parents’ house backed onto Cheesman Park and the scent of thick grass and roses came on a cool breeze. Sweden’s air had still carried the last of spring. For a moment she just stood and let the city sounds and scents and very atmosphere caress her.

      There was no place like home. Finally her itchy feet had stopped tingling, bringing her back to her family.

      “You’re tired, let me drive,” Bri said to her sister.

      “You must be jet-lagged.”

      “I was, but I got my second wind.” As soon as she put her head on a pillow tonight she’d crash for sure, but right now she was in a state of hyperawareness. She unlocked the doors, opened hers and they stowed the chest and potatoes in the back seat, and got in.

      Elizabeth stared at her.

      “What?” Bri asked as she turned the key in the ignition.

      “You really are going to nursing school,” Elizabeth said.

      “That’s right. I finally decided your way was the best.” Bri pulled away from the curb. “I’ve learned a lot, but I’m tired of the traveling. I can use my gift in the established medical community.”

      “I see,” Elizabeth said, but the car was dark and Bri thought that Elizabeth had shut her eyes.

      “You’ll be a dynamite doctor with the benefit of our gifts. It’s too late for me there, I don’t want to take the time to go through med school, but nursing…yeah, I can do that.”

      More, heavier silence.

      “All this time I’ve been sneered at because of my ‘flaky’ ideas and you’ve been the good twin because you followed Mom’s path through medical school and didn’t make waves.”

      “A little resentment there?” Elizabeth asked in a steady voice.

      “Okay. Maybe. But I honestly think you need to admit to yourself that you have a special gift and you chose a career to use it…and you hide that you use it. I don’t mind you hiding it—”

      “Liar.”

      “Okay, some resentment there, too, but I’ve come to accept that you must hide it.”

      “My way is not your way.”

      “Oh, honey, I know that! But I want to hear the words from you. Just once. Come on, it isn’t difficult. Just say, ‘I have a special gift for healing.’”

      “You don’t want much,” Elizabeth muttered. Her voice broke.

      Bri pulled to the side of the road. Tapped her head on the steering wheel. “Stupid, stupid, stupid. I’m sorry, you have too much else to handle, and here I’m demanding more. Twin, you need this vacation.”

      “Tell me about it.” Elizabeth was blowing her nose again. “I’m too damn sensitive to every word. Every glance. And being at Denver Major where Cassidy is….”

      “And now your gift reminds you of him, too. Damn it!” Frustration welled through Bri. Her twin needed her comfort, but Bri, too, needed something from her sister—support, understanding. But here and now wasn’t the time to demand it. She’d been impatient. Releasing her tight grip on the wheel, she opened herself to what she thought of as the healingstream, let the power soothe her, tingle into her hands and warm them. She set her palm on Elizabeth’s shoulder, feeling her sister’s energy field, more, her struggle against anger and depression. Bri sent the warm flow into Elizabeth.

      After a moment, Elizabeth said, “Thank you.”

      “I have a special gift for healing.”

      Elizabeth sighed. “Yes, you do.” She leaned her head back on the seat rest, but said nothing about her own gift and that hurt Bri.

      She rolled her shoulders. She wouldn’t give up, she’d just let the tender subject go—for now. She rubbed her hands to absorb lingering energy, then touched the steering wheel to ground herself. She checked the street and pulled out into light traffic.

      Elizabeth said, “Cassidy is incredible. He’s a better physician than I am.”

      “No!” The word exploded from Bri. “Never. He’s not. He may be more brilliant. He may have gone through the damn programs like a rocket, but he is not a better doctor than you. You’re twice the physician he is. And you know why? Because you have heart.”

      Elizabeth blinked. “I hadn’t thought of that. Heart. Huh.”

      “Huh yourself.”

      Bri drove down streets overhung with leafy branches.

      Elizabeth’s breathing evened. Bri felt her sister’s glance, but said nothing. Elizabeth inhaled, let her breath СКАЧАТЬ