The Gate

27. The Forbidden Garden

I felt slightly nauseous when I came to, and my hand settled on a tree trunk. But this wasn't the redwood. It was my tree. I looked around me. I was in same spot where I died.

"What?" I asked out loud, even though nothing could hear me. I inspected my body, but everything seemed perfectly normal. Even my purse and glasses had come along for the ride.

I placed my palm back on my tree, this time with intention. I could feel my heartbeat echo within the roots and branches of the Earth as I flew through everything. I was deposited harshly onto the ground, this time in a different place. Smiling at my newfound ability, I got up and dusted the pine straw and dirt from my black dress.

"Lena?" I was in my backyard. It felt like it had been years since I had seen my Mom, and by her voice, she felt the same way. Mom sprinted towards me and wrapped me in a protective hug, her scarf blanketing my face. She seemed too caught up in her relief to question how I had gotten there, and I was thankful for that.

"We thought it had gotten you." said Mom. "You father is two seconds away from calling the Agency to storm the town. You need to get inside."

"Didn't Finn tell you I was with the Reynolds?" I asked.

"He did, but you were supposed to meet us after the service. You never showed." said Mom, practically dragging me inside.

"I'm sorry." I defended weakly.

"Brandon! I found her!" Mom yelled when we walked into the house.

"It won't happen again." I promised Mom.

"I know." said Mom. "I trust you, but you can be rebellious sometimes, you know that?"

"That might be from dad's side of the family." I grumbled offhandedly.

"It's not." said Mom decisively. "It just kinda came from you. It's like that spark your dad likes to talk about. What you have, it's really special, and it didn't come from anyone else. Not me, and not your father. I get that he's blind, and I get that you're frustrated, but someday he'll figure it out."

Mom wrapped me in a hug again, and I tried not to react. Just a few months ago, I would have cried with joy at her words, but now they felt like a blow to the stomach.

"Thanks, Mom." I whispered. "I'm sorry I've been blocked off lately."

"It's been hard. For you especially. I'm sorry about your grandmother and I'm sorry about Rowan and Mrs. Delaney and fighting with your father and... I'm sorry about everything. Take your time to find yourself again." said Mom. "I miss you though." She tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled. I could see her eyes starting to glass over, like she was going to cry.

"I'm going to make sure Dad doesn't blow this mission." I said, my voice unexpectedly raspy.

Dad was pacing in the kitchen, frustration and stress evident on his face. He was on the phone, and it was starting to get heated. I didn't let myself enter the kitchen, and tried to listen to the conversation.

"I've done everything you told me to, and I haven't told the Agency about any of this. If you don't hold up your end of this deal, I'll leave." said Dad. As he paused, I strained to hear who he was talking to.

"You say you know what you're doing, but I'm starting to doubt it. I guess this is what I get for aligning with a freak." When he said the last word, I physically flinched.  I felt like it was directed straight at me.

"Then accelerate it!" Dad demanded, continuing to angrily berate whoever he was calling. This was what I had been avoiding these past few days. This was why I was wasting my time frolicking in some garden with a stranger. It had everything to do with home, and nothing to do with the stranger. Nothing at all.