Demon
Chapter 47

Natalie

I made sure when everybody sat down that I was sitting right next to my grandfather. Angel and I want to be close to him, so we can watch everything. And so I can try to touch him.

I think this is going to be like one of Timothy’s experiments. Back when we figured out that it helped Jonathan for me to touch him, Timothy kept track of everything. He’s not here now, but Angel and me will try to remember everything, and write it down later.

I think I might be able to help. Angel told me that Grandfather’s problems seem to be more emotional and mental than physical. I’m pretty sure that I can’t do anything about physical problems. I couldn’t help fix Gabe’s ankle when he broke it, but I could help him not be so bothered by the pain. And I know that Jonathan kept getting better every time I touched him.

Timothy wanted to keep going with the experiment, to see what else might happen if I touch people, but there hasn’t been anybody else who really seemed to need it. Until now. Angel has described my grandfather’s mind as being troubled, and told me that he seems very sad and lonely.

So this is a new chance to see if touching someone really can help with that kind of thing.

Of course, it isn’t only an experiment. It’s my grandfather, somebody in my family. Someone to love. I want to help him. I want him to feel better.

As soon as I sit down next to Grandfather, I reach out, and just touch his hand a tiny bit, to see if it is okay with him. I don’t want to be grabbing him if he doesn’t like it. I feel his hand shaking. He is listening to my parents talk about the wedding yesterday, but when he feels my finger on the back of my hand, he looks down at me with a surprised expression.

“Is it okay?” I think to Angel.

“Yes, darling, he seems to accept your touch. I believe you may proceed.”

So I smile at him, reaching over just a little bit more, so that I can actually hold his hand. I can tell he is surprised, but he doesn’t try to take his hand away. After a second I feel him relax, and clasp my hand in his.

I see Gabe look over at us. He meets my eyes and raises his eyebrows. He can tell what I’m up to. I nod at him.

Grandfather’s skin feels old, different from other people. Like, sort of papery and dry. I look up at his face while he listens to my Dad talking. His face is lined. His hair is white. His chin is covered with wispy whiskers. He seems very old. I wonder if he is a lot older than my other grandparents.

“He is only two years older than your mother’s father. He is 67 years old.”

That sounds very old to me, but I know people can live to be even older than that. And my other Grandpa doesn’t seem this old at all.

“This is not terribly old. Many people who are 67 years old are still vigorous and healthy. Your grandfather’s condition has deteriorated, leaving him weaker and more frail than he should be.”

I realize that my parents are telling Grandfather the whole story about how they forgot me at the church when they left for lunch. Oh boy. I’m literally never going to hear the end of that, am I? Gabe is sitting on my other side, and he pokes me and grins. Nope, never. I roll my eyes at him.

But then I hear my grandfather chuckling, enjoying the story. My hand is still in his, with my fingers poking out the side. He pats them with his other hand. “Well, little miss, it sounds like you gave your parents quite a scare, didn’t you?” He smiles down at me.

“Yes, but I didn’t mean to,” I tell him, watching his face carefully to try to see how he is feeling. “I just was so busy talking I didn’t know it was time to go.”

At the same time that I am saying this, I ask Angel whether my touch is helping him at all. I feel like it is. He seems livelier than he did when we first got here. His hand has stopped shaking so much. He has been smiling and talking, more than it seemed likely when we arrived. It’s like a statue is coming to life.

“Yes, darling, you are correct. He is feeling better. I believe that this is partially because he is pleased to have a visit from his family, which has made him feel more energetic. But I also detect something similar to what occurred when you touched Jonathan. His soul seems to benefit from your touch, as well as his mind, and his emotional state. It truly seems to be helping.”

Ron

Wow, this visit is so much nicer than I expected. After I saw Dad the other day, I was worried that there was some kind of crisis brewing here. But seeing him today, holding hands with Natalie, chatting and laughing with us about the brouhaha yesterday, I’m thinking that maybe I overreacted. It isn’t nearly as bad as I had thought.

What a relief.

Brenda

Well, the house is a disaster, that’s true, but I think that Ron’s description of his father’s health was too pessimistic. Theo seems older, yes, but I think he’s okay. He’s talking to us, interacting with the kids, happy to have us here. It’s not as bad as I was expecting.

Maybe we could make some kind of arrangements for a gardener and a housekeeper to come by regularly to keep things in better order. Maybe get a handyman out here too, to do some repairs. It’s not that surprising that he is replaceing it harder to keep up as he gets older. I’ll talk to Ron about this later.

In the meantime I’m really enjoying the visit. I always did like Theo, and it’s awfully nice to see him again.

After we’ve lingered for over an hour, I think we should get going. Theo seems glad to see us, but I think he’s getting tired. I’m sure he’s not used to this much activity.

“Well,” I say, trying to move things along. “It has been so nice to see you again. Thanks for having us.” I stand up, to cue everyone else to do the same.

Gabe and Ron get up, but Natalie stays seated next to her grandfather. It’s so adorable the way that she has just been cuddled up to him, holding his hand this whole time.

She looks up at him, and he returns her gaze with a soft smile. He seems reluctant to let her go.

“We’ll see you again soon, Grandfather,” she tells him, slowly releasing his hand. She looks over at Ron. “Right, Dad? We can come back again tomorrow, right?”

He’s surprised. I know he wasn’t planning to visit his dad this often during our vacation. “Well, I’m not sure what we had planned for tomorrow,” he hesitates.

“Please?” she asks in a wheedling voice, very uncharacteristically.

Ron looks over at me, the question in his eyes.

“Of course,” I say, unable to deny such a loving request from Natalie. “We’ll come by again tomorrow morning, all right, Theo?”

His smile grows, and there is a glow in his eyes. Blue eyes, the same shade as Ron’s, although they look very tired. But refreshed, like our visit has done him a lot of good.

Theodore’s

The intervention of the Seer appears nearly miraculous to me. My beloved’s mind has not been this clear in many a year. It is as though he has been trying to see in the dark for all this time, and suddenly the lights have turned on for him. His thoughts have a clarity and precision that he has not experienced in a very long time.

And his soul, which had dimmed greatly in the years since the death of his wife, fracturing and withering due to the consuming sorrow that filled his days, burns with a power brighter under the girl’s touch than I have been able to generate through any effort. She brings with her a joy, and a love, which reach him to his core.

I am as affected as he is. I have shared his grief and solitude for so long. We both feel rejuvenated by this wondrous being who sits on the couch with my beloved, keeping her hand firmly within his, focusing her abilities on his well-being.

Miraculous, indeed.