Page 89 of Scrooged for the Holidays
She looks inside, her eyes finding her parents before settling on Avery, who’s smiling and laughing. “It’s not as if I’ve been kind to them,” she admits. “Josh was right when he said I don’t like him.”
“And why is that?”
She eyes the happy man who’s kissing the ring on Avery’s left finger. “I didn’t think he was good enough for her.”
I try to keep my eyebrows from lifting in surprise. “Why?”
“Avery is perfect. Beautiful, wealthy, smart, and funny. I think he takes advantage of that, of her. She deserves someone who isn’t like—”
“Like?” I push.
Her silence hangs between us, pressing into my skin like a dark cloud. It isn’t until the sharp bark of a dog in the distance breaks that she speaks. “Like me.”
Ah, now that makes sense.“And having someone in her life like you is bad because…?”
She snorts. “Please, you know why it’s bad.”
“I fail to see what you’re saying. I don’t think you’re bad, Greer.”
She shakes her head. “I just said he takes advantage of her, and you must know that I do, too. I have for years now.”
“That may have been unkind, but you can change it. I still don’t consider you a bad person.”
“You’ve only seen parts of who I am.” She stops to laugh. “I’m not usually like the woman you were with today. If today was even real!”
“Look into my eyes, love.” When she does, I continue. “What happened in Elysian Pines was real, and this is real now. I’ve told you this is real many times, and I’ll continue to tell you again and again until you fully believe it.”
She narrows her gaze, eyes strong on mine. She studies me for several moments, blinking before she reaches out to trail a finger over my stubble. Her touch leaves a path of fire, but I don’t move. I let her figure out whatever she needs to in her mind. When she pulls back, she looks at her fingers, rubbing them together like she still feels the prickle from my cheek.
Greer sighs on an exhale. “I think I need to see a therapist, because honestly, I’m really starting to believe you.”
I take the hand she used to touch my cheek and grip it. “That’s good, love.”
“Remi,” she says after another pause. “Why?”
“What do you mean?”
“If this is all real, then why? And how? I’ve never heard of Nephilim. I’ve never heard of or even seen Elysian Pines on a map until I found myself here. I don’t understand what it all means or why this is all happening to me.”
I tug her closer to me and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I think you do. And if you don’t, you will.” Her mouth opens, but I snap my fingers, and I catch her as she falls into a deep sleep upon our return to her bedroom at the inn.
Malachi is waiting there for us with the bed sheets pulled back. I lay her down on the mattress, and he covers her up, tucking her in. “How did it go?” he asks quietly. “I let you have your privacy.”
I kiss her forehead, using my grace to further her visions of the present that will play in her dreams. All of them are filled with love, joy, and the Christmas spirit. They will help her see that the wealth of life and the beauty of the holiday season have nothing to do with money.
“Thank you,” I say when I stand. “It went well. Greer claims to not understand everything yet, but she’s starting to see.”
I touch his shoulder and show him the vision of how I see Greer’s aura and the ways it’s changed.
He gasps as he places his hand over mine. “More gold and blue.”
“Yes.”
I turn off the lights and the tree, beckoning Kai to follow me. I quietly shut the door and take his hand, walking us back downstairs to Sam’s room. While we walk, I show my time with Greer and our experience together.
He exhales. “She accepted the present better than the past.”
“They usually do,” I say.
