Elemental: Chapter Twelve, Part 1

Chapter Twelve: Waiting a Lifetime

The final stretch of the trip, we split into minivans and relaxed. At first, the five kids in the back of our van jumped up and down and talked excitedly, thankful for the day of rest. To keep them from distracting Mitchell too much, I gave them ideas of what to talk about and ensured they stayed belted. It wasn’t long before they had all fallen asleep, their usual energy reserve consumed.

The scenery flying past on the small two-lane highway was beautiful, even in late winter while everything was still bare. A light snow blanketed the landscape; I shivered, turning the heat up and focusing a few more vents on myself.

Mitchell smiled as I did this, as if it was some secret society joke I wasn’t in on.

“What?” I asked, wrapping the blanket I had found in the trunk tighter around my shoulders, shifting in my seat to face him.

“Nothing,” he said, the slightly mocking smile still playing across his lips.

I didn’t press him, too exhausted from everything else. Not to mention, I still didn’t know when I should approach Drei. No time ever seemed fitting enough. Part of me was scared there would never be a good time; that Drei was wrong, Valetta was suffering for naught, and I had again ruined everything.

“When should I talk to Drei?” I inquired aloud, half hoping Mitchell would suffer a stroke of genius and give me an answer I could actually use.

Mitchell shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “When do you think you should?” I wanted to hit him for being cruel but knew it wouldn’t do any good. He was doing what Valetta was: hoping I’d be smart enough to figure it out. Too bad school couldn’t teach you useful things like this instead of abstract ideas that would rarely apply to anything.

“I’m not sure.”

“The time is right when you are certain it is.”

Quiet swallowed us and I found there was nothing I wanted to think about. It seemed impossible I was finally out of thoughts after months of nothing but that. Then an old, unanswered question came to mind.

“Did Drei give me the necklace? From two Christmases ago?”

His lips upturned in the familiar, riddling smile I seemed to get from everyone lately. Why couldn’t everyone just be straightforward? It would certainly make things a lot less complicated. But it was almost like they were more willing to put up with my disasters than avoiding them in the first place.

“Do you still possess it?” he questioned skeptically, as though I might have pawned it.

My initial reaction to that was to ask where he expected me to pawn it. “Of course,” I said instead. “It’s safe.”

His voice was soft when he answered, almost as though he was afraid he might be overheard revealing a long kept secret; “Then you always knew the answer.”