The Prophecy (The Guardians) - By Wendy Owens Page 0,52
beating yourself up.” Uri reiterated.
“What’s going on?” Haim asked approaching the two men.
Uri rolled his eyes before answering, “Oh nothing, just watching Gabe martyr himself.”
“Huh?” Haim asked, confused.
“Rachel’s brother, Haim!” Gabe snapped. “She is completely torn up about him, alright?”
“Huh? Why?” Haim inquired.
“Oh, I don’t know— because she loved him! Damn it! I should have protected him. I don’t know, somehow.”
“How are you supposed to keep track of some college kid while you’re protecting Rachel?” Haim asked.
“Exactly!” Uri exclaimed.
“Wait! What did you say?” Gabe exclaimed.
“Who, me?” Haim asked pointing to himself in disbelief. “About you protecting Rachel?”
“No, before that. You called him a college kid. Why would you call him that?” Gabe pressed.
“Because he is?” Haim answered in the form of a question, unsure if his response was what his friend was looking for.
“How do you know he is? When Uri took Rachel he hadn’t left for college yet. Rachel thought after she went missing, he probably wouldn’t go.” Gabe explained.
“Oh no, he went.” Haim confirmed. “His Aunt insisted. He enrolled at North Carolina; it’s about an hour outside High Point.”
“What?” Uri gasped, realizing the point Gabe was getting at.
“You told me to check up on the kid and his aunt every now and then, so I did. I don’t understand, I did what you told me.” Haim answered Uri defensively.
“That’s right, I did tell you that!” Uri leaped forward and slapped Haim on the shoulder.
“Haim!” Gabe began, “I need you to do me a favor, and this is important. Take someone with you and go get Rachel’s brother. Bring him back here, alright?”
“Really? A human, here?” Haim asked looking to Uri for approval.
Uri simply nodded. Without a word, Haim turned and he was off on his mission.
“Don’t say anything to Rachel until we know for sure. It will be hard losing her aunt, but if we can find her brother, I think it will at least give her something to hold onto.” Gabe confided.
Uri didn’t respond. He just stared at Gabe.
“What?” Gabe exclaimed, feeling Uri’s eyes.
“You really do love her, don’t you?” Uri inquired.
“Of course I do. What kind of question is that? What is with the people in this place?” Gabe added, annoyed.
“You know, I’m happy for you man. I guess I just never imagined you with anyone— well— anyone but Sophie. I don’t know, I always thought when the two of you saw each other again— never mind, it doesn’t matter.”
“You knew!” Gabe snapped.
“Knew what?” Uri inquired.
“You knew Sophie got her memory back and you never came to tell me. How could you do that?” Gabe could not conceal his hurt or his anger.
“What was I supposed to do, Gabe? She told me not to.”
“Did you know she still had feelings for me?”
“Of course, everyone knows that.”
“And you gave me no heads up?” Gabe snarled.
“I mean, really, it’s not exactly been all roses here either. Do you know how many nights I got to hear Miss Sophie bitch in her drunken stupor about how you two were written in the stars and meant to be?”
“Why would you have listened to her when she told you to keep it from me?” Gabe questioned, unafraid to reveal his outrage.
“Please, don’t give me a hard time. Your love life is not a place I want to stick my nose in. Honestly, I was surprised you stayed away. Two people don’t feel the way you guys did about each other and it just disappear. She may have crippled your relationship as much as you, when you left Rampart, but you chose to stay away.”
“What was I supposed to do? It didn’t look like she was going to get her memory back. I thought if I stayed I was standing in the way of you and her.”
“Now I know you can’t possibly believe that! You know there was never anything between Sophie and I.”
“Now I do! All I knew then is she didn’t notice me, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of you.”
“You really don’t love her anymore?” Uri asked softly.
“What?” Gabe was furious Uri could even ask him that question. “You know how I feel about Rachel!”
“I get that. I’m not saying you don’t love Rachel, but can you honestly say you feel nothing for Sophie? You risked your life for her.” Uri argued.
Gabe took a deep breath, trying to calm himself and seriously consider his friend’s words. Uri was right; he obviously felt something for Sophie. He couldn’t deny there were certain feelings that swelled in him when she