Chapter 7 A dash to Salem

Tallulah was all packed up and ready to take Meridian up to Aiden's house on their way to the airport. She had already found Meridian's note that she left for her. She looked at her watch and it was already after lunch time, and there was still no word from Meridian. Relic, Talon and Luna all sat quietly and watched the pacing palm reader keep checking her phone and the door. The door opened, and in anticipation, Tallulah was unusually perky to see who it was. Her face gleamed with disappointment as it was just one of Tallulah's regulars.

"I am not doing any readings today. I am headed out of town," Tallulah snapped.

"You really should be thankful that I like you; your customer service skills are that of a wasp." The young girl giggled at the irritable palm reader. "I know you are going. I only stopped by to buy some of your tea, and I am out of Dragon's blood. Do you have any?" the customer asked.

"Oh, yes, I am sorry. I am just worried about Meridian. She has been gone longer than usual, and we need to get on the road. They are back on the shelves with the stones." Tallulah remarked pointing toward the back of the room.

"What?" the young customer questioned.

"The incense. I will be back with some new herbs and books when I get back from Salem. I always get so excited for Salem at Halloween. My friends up there have been after me to come back up for ages. It has been a while, and I thought it would be perfect for Meridian to go." Tallulah's excitement waned as she looked at the clock.

The young customer did not comment too much on Tallulah's concerns. She was busy checking everything out in the store. "I will try to get back to check out what you get. Since I left for college, I haven't had that much time to get away. My boyfriend was coming in from his school. He thinks I have to work this weekend, and he isn't expecting me at all."

Distracted from the girl's words, Tallulah continued to worry for Meridian. The door opened again. Another college girl that hung her head in the door. "Hey, Amy! Come on; we have to get going."

"Well, Amy, it looks like you have to be headed out. I didn't know that you had a boyfriend." Tallulah questioned.

"Oh yes, I do. We broke up for a small while, but we are back together trying to make this long-distance thing work out. I never brought him in because I didn't think he would be that interested in what you have in here, but he is coming around," Amy explained as she fumbled through Tallulah's collection of essential oils.

"Well, do bring him by sometime," Tallulah replied to the bubbly girl.

Amy left with her friend and headed down the street. Talon, Relic and Luna remained in silence as they watched the exchange take place.

"Was that-" Talon questioned himself as much as he was Relic.

"Yep," Relic interrupted with a tight grin and a nod as he looked out of the corner of his eye.

"She is still-" Talon continued to talk, as though it was okay that Relic would be counted on to reciprocate the short witted banter.

"Yep she sure is," Relic finished Talon's sentence.

"Are we-" Talon continued.

"Are you two finished?" Luna stopped the banter with a loud sigh followed by a fairy stomping off as she plowed forward. "You two are getting on my fairy nerves!"

"Yes, we are still going to Salem with Tallulah. Be thankful Amy is still around for the distraction we will need. The way it sounds, that distraction may not last long." Relic stopped talking and looked to Luna. "So, was that your official fairy fit?" Relic laughed and nonchalantly flicked his wrist as though he was imitating a female high school drama queen.

"Well if that distraction doesn't work, how about this one?" There stood Slaten in front of Ridge as he pointed to Kieren.

"Oh, man! Are you a sight for sore eyes!" Relic was excited to see his old friends.

"So, we are going back to Salem, are we?" Ridge jumped right in.

"Looks like we are getting the gang back together." Relic was back to his snarky remarks. In moments the group disappeared to the airport to keep up with Tallulah who had taken off in frustration, leaving Meridian behind.

Meridian returned to Tallulah's to find it empty with just a sign on the door that noted the store would be closed for a week. Meridian looked rough, being as she had been up all night with her lover for the night. She walked back into the only home she knew and could remember and sat in the chair where her psychic friend always sat to do her readings. She sat quietly reading the note that Tallulah had left behind next to her airline ticket. The excitement she felt to go to Salem for Halloween was drifting away with her thoughts of the awful and tragic accident she had witnessed earlier. As she sat and stared at the ticket on the table, she felt more alone than she did the day she found herself lost and trying to find out who she was. After a few minutes of staring at the ticket, she looked outside the window, and just as she did as a guide, she became lost in her own thoughts.

I can't believe what has happened. I finally meet a guy who seemed to like me and made me feel wonderful, and just like that, dead. I can't understand it; my back was only turned for a moment. It's like it was meant to be. Just at the wrong place in the wrong time, and his fate took him. This past month that I have been here has been wonderful. Tallulah's wonderful heart to take me in because it bothered her so to leave me at the shelter. I hated that place; the girls there were mean and spoke of things I don't understand. The men I meet and have this wonderful experience with, never call me again. I never see them come back to the bar. I wonder what is wrong with me?

Meridian's cell phone buzzed again with Tallulah asking her where she was and how she had better answer. She took another look at the note that Tallulah left for her.

Tallulah's simple note read:

I talked with Stephanie, and she said she would give you a ride to the airport. Love Tallulah.

Meridian ran upstairs and gathered her last few things and took a quick and disgusted look in the mirror. In desperate need of a shower from the previous night's escapades, she smelled of cigarettes, whiskey and the beau she met only the night before. As she stared in the mirror and combed her unkempt hair into a bun, Meridian still felt as though she did not recognize herself or what she was becoming. She skipped the shower and traded it for an airport friendly set of attire and the iPod she had received as a gift from Tallulah.

Meridian barely made it through security in time to board her flight as they were calling her name to board. Out of breath and frazzled, she found her seat next to Tallulah who was relieved to see Meridian safe.

"Girl, you have some explaining to do!" Tallulah snapped.

"I know. Look there was an accident. The guy I left the bar with died after he got hit by a car today. We had just left breakfast. It was so strange. I walked over to a coffee shop while he was walking across the street to the car and all I heard was brakes and screams. It was awful. I had to stay around and answer some questions." Meridian was still in shock as she told the story.

"Meridian, I am so sorry. I was worried about you, but I hoped it was something a little simpler than that. That is awful, and I can't imagine being a part of something like that. This boy, you didn't know him, I am guessing? Did anyone notify his parents? Family? This is truly strange." Tallulah did not give Meridian time to answer her quick questions with the underlying notes of frantic in her voice.

Tallulah was sitting her in chair turned toward Meridian with her mouth hung open as she sat for a moment in silence waiting for some logical reaction from Meridian. "Meridian, you have got to be more careful and choosier of your company. I worry about you. Have you ever seen or spoken to the other men that you have been with previously? Do you hear from them again?"

Meridian carefully studied Tallulah's concerned face. Meridian began to recount her thoughts she had while in the bathroom just moments before she left to get to the airport. After a few moments of surmising she said, "I do not know for sure, but I would hope that his family was notified. To answer the rest…No the guys I have been with, I never hear from them again. I just assumed that they didn't like me." Meridian looked down at her lap and fidgeted with her bracelet on her wrist. She kept her head down, hiding her look of shame.

Tallulah relaxed her composure and reminded herself of who Meridian may truly be. "No sense in lecturing you right now. Get some sleep."

Tallulah stopped reading her magazine and watched as Meridian slept. She worried about her and what was to come. She knew that Meridian was definitely the spirit guide that she had picked up on with the rest of the group a few months back. She felt assured that her friends in Salem may hold the key to how she came to be human and what it might mean for her. As she stared out the window, her thoughts also carried her off to sleep for the remainder of the flight.