to Milo to ask him to let me up, but he just nods down to my half-full plate of food. “He’s just cleaning up one table Laura, this is probably your first break?” I nod my head confirming his assumption. “Just eat while we finish up so we can get out of here.” I open my mouth to argue, but Milo surprises me. He slowly trails his finger from my cupid’s bow and down over both of my lips, effectively halting my refusal. “Before you argue, it’s for selfish reasons. Everyone is waiting at home.”
Suddenly, Milo’s out of the seat and taking up where Ollie left off, taking the dishes into the back. I eat as much as I’m comfortable with, grabbing a small takeaway box without meeting Maggie’s eyes. She’s been in the back for the most part, but there’s no way she didn’t know the guys were helping me get ready to end my shift.
Maggie kicks us out about twenty minutes earlier than usual, with three of us closing up everything was done quicker than I’m used to. She gives each of the boys a short hug, and then makes her way over to me. Wrapping her arms around me she whispers in my ear, “I knew you were coming.” I stiffen in her arms wondering what she means. She holds on as I try to pull back. “Your journey hasn’t been an easy one. I wish I could tell you all of that will change now, but I won’t lie to you.” Finally, she pulls back, still holding my shoulders. “They’ll come for your power.” Maggie’s eyes cloud over in white as her head lulls back on her neck.
“Maggie?” My panicked tone has Milo rushing over to his grandma. Her grip on my arms tightens and she flinches.
“Gran?” Milo calls sternly as her head lifts and she looks over in his direction, eyes still milky white. “Be ready son, all of you need to be ready.” Maggie wilts into Milo’s arms, finally releasing me. I cross my arms, rubbing the places her hands were. Ollie comes up behind me, pulling me into his chest.
Maggie opens her eyes to reveal the soft blue I’m used to. Her face scrunches. “Oh damn, that was a bad one.” She looks from me, to Ollie, then to Milo who is still next to her.
“Do you remember anything Gran?” Milo grabs her hand, staring between her eyes.
Maggie pinches her lips and bring a hand up to pat her hair. “Milo, you know how it works. I don’t remember anything. What did I say?”
Milo turns to me, I slump my shoulders under his scrutiny. Ollie’s arms wrap over the top of my chest in a protective manor. “It’s okay Laura, Maggie is like us. She’s like a precog, or an oracle. What did she say to you?”
I glace at Maggie freaked out that I’ve found myself in the middle of some alternate reality. “Laura,” Milo urges.
“She…” My brain isn’t coming up with what she said.
“Laura?” Milo barks. I jump, his urgency not helping calm me enough to make me remember.
I try again “She said… she knew I was coming, or something like that.” I look at Maggie, hoping it will jump-start my thoughts and my teeth start to chatter together. The memory of her eyes going white instills a fear in me that the darkness in Ares’s eyes didn’t.
“Did she say anything else?” Ollie prods from over my shoulder.
I clear my throat. “Something about power, they were coming for the power. Then her eyes went white and I yelled.”
Milo spins back to face off with his grandmother. “Do you have any idea what you could have meant?”
Maggie’s face tightens. “Milo, I’m giving you some leeway cause you’re my grandson, but don’t you dare look at me like that boy. You think if I knew anything I wouldn’t tell you?” She turns away from him, crossing her arms. Milo looks down and places his hand on Maggie’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry Gran, I didn’t mean…”
“Yeah, well you better start meaning what you say and owning your actions.” Her eyebrows rise in challenge as she gives him a perfected side eye. “Now take Laura home, and if you damn fools don’t get your shit together to help her through this process, I’m going to make all of you pick a switch.” With that Maggie turns on her heels and storms to the kitchen door, letting it slap closed behind her.