Nine

Cole

My mom's reaction shocked me and told me she knew something. But it couldn't have been about the lightning because how could she?

"Do you think she knows something?" Bobby asked, still looking at the door like he expected her to come bursting through it again.

"I'm sorry for her reaction when she got here. I heard her from the bathroom," I said, changing the subject.

He shrugged before looking at me. "She doesn't know me. I can't imagine my reaction if I walked into my parents' house and found a stranger on the couch, and they were nowhere to be seen."

"I think you may be right. She had the oddest look on her face when I told her what I'd heard." It wasn't shock, the look on her face was more like recognition. Bobby stood again from where he'd been on the couch and walked toward the door.

"I think I should go, I don't want to cause any trouble," he said as he reached for the doorknob.

"No, I don't want you to go." I rushed over to him and wrapped my arms around his arm. Not to hold him there, but to experience the closeness of him again.

The lightning I felt just under my skin slowly moved toward his arm as the two of us watched. "There is definitely a connection between us," I said without looking away.

"But how can that be, we never knew each other until today."

"Probably the same reason you just happened to be driving on that road the exact same time I got struck by lightning. It can't all be coincidence."

He drew in a deep breath and relaxed against me. I could feel his anxiety diminish and his calm take over. How can this be? His voice in my head surprised me and I pulled back to look at him, but his eyes were not on me, and I knew he hadn't spoken, yet somehow, I had heard him.

The connection I feel to him makes no sense. His inner voice was different than his outer voice. Softer and smoother with an accent that told me just how Irish he really was.

"I feel our connection too, and I don't understand it. But something tells me it's okay," I said and forced myself to ignore the fact I'd heard his thoughts.

"Maybe I shouldn't question it so much, but this is all so strange. I'm going to go, but I'd like to speak again if you don't mind. I'm willing to do what I can to find out more."

"Don't change a thing. We don't know what we're dealing with and it's smart to be cautious. I'm going to call my doctor and see when they can get me in."

"Let me know when your appointment is, I'd like to go if you don't mind."

"I wouldn't mind at all." We exchanged phone numbers and when he moved to the door to leave, the energy in me pulled me closer to him, but I ignored it. He was dragged into this by chance, the same way I was, and both of us would need to decide how deeply we were involved.

Once he was gone, I leaned against the door and blew out a deep breath. "What the fuck just happened?" When I'd left my house this morning, I was filled with the monotonous dread of knowing this day would end like all the others had. But more had happened in the past few hours than had ever happened to me.

"Fuck." I was supposed to work today, Brian, the owner, was on vacation, and he'd put me in charge. Looking down I realized I wasn't dressed for work. Hurrying back to my bedroom I changed into work clothes before searching around for my phone. Remembering I'd had it in the living room, I hurried back out and realized just how lucky I was that I hadn't taken it on my run. I dialed the store before pulling on a shirt and ignored the fact I had so many scratches and abrasions on my face.

"Brian's Sporting Goods," Trina said, and I was never more thankful for giving her a set of keys in case she was there either early or late.

"Trina, this is Cole."

"Oh, hey, Cole, I thought you were working today." Her voice was calm and professional with not even a hint of panic. She was just out of high school but more professional and a harder worker than past employees who were twice as old as her.

"I am. I had a little accident on my run. I'll be right in, give me about ten minutes."

"No worries," she said and after briefly filling me in on a few items we needed to order, I was out the door and on my way to work.

The day was bright and sunny with not a cloud in sight, but there was a chill in the air that had nothing to do with the weather, which was actually very warm. More than half the day was already gone, and I wondered how I'd even made it this far. "I got struck by lightning," I said to myself and tried to wrap my mind around it once again. Anxiety started to bubble up in me, and if I hadn't been so close to work, I would have pulled over. As it was, I pulled into the parking lot and turned my car off just as my phone rang.

"Hello," I said without looking and took a deep breath.

"Where are you?" a voice I already recognized said. Bobby.

"I'm at work. I completely forgot I was supposed to work today, the owner is out of town this week so I can't just leave it." It never crossed my mind that I should question his call, somehow, I just accepted he knew I needed help and called.

"I could feel your anxiety. At first, I thought it was my own, but it was the same feeling I had earlier." His voice was very calm as he explained this very strange sensation to me, and I wondered for what had to be the millionth time how he could deal with this and not be freaking the fuck out and never speaking to me again.

"It all just sort of hit me. I was struck by lightning. I could have died," I admitted. "I know it could happen, but I didn't want to believe it could have happened to me."

"I thought you were dead when I first walked up to you. You were smoking," he whispered, and I knew this was almost as traumatic for him as it was for me.

"Can we meet later?" I hadn't meant to ask, but I missed him, and it had only been a short while since he'd left. I checked the time on my phone and was shocked it hadn't even been an hour. "Sorry, are you home yet?"

"Not yet. I made my delivery and I'm nearly there. And yes, I would like to see you later. What time are you done?"

"Six, I can meet you closer to your town if you'd like."

"Why don't we meet in Woodland, it's about the same distance for us both," he said. After deciding on a location, we said our goodbyes once again, and I hung up. Secure in the knowledge that in a few hours we'd be together again, while still wondering how this complete stranger could have become so important to me in half a day.