Eva's Expedition

Chapter 21: Stay With Me

"Logan?" I called as the door slammed behind me.

I looked down the empty sidewalk. Thunder rolled overhead with the promise of rain.

I turned the other way and sagged in relief when I saw Logan sitting on the concrete, his face in his hands.

I hurried over to him and kneeled in front of him, "Logan?"

He took a shuddering breath and looked up at me, his eyes watery, "She shouldn't have known that. I don't believe in that stuff. I never told her my mothers name. She shouldn't have known her name."

"Maybe it really is her gift," I shrugged, laying a hand on his knee in an attempt to comfort him. I didn't expect such a reading from what I thought was BS. I had no idea Logan would react like that.

"I used to blame her," he whispered, staring into my eyes, "When she died. I blamed her for leaving me and dad. For how dad couldn't cope and would forget about me as a teen. When he didn't come to my games or forgot my birthday. When he came home drunk and would hit me. When she died, my world fell apart. I still blame her..."

He grimaced and looked away from me, looking ashamed, "And she was there. She knows I blamed her. She was next to me the whole time..."

"Oh, Logan," I mumbled and pulled him out of his crunched up position.

I sat in his lap and pulled him into a tight hug. Maybe I could squeeze him hard enough to put his world back together.

His arms wrapped around my torso and he clutched onto me, burying his face in my shoulder, "I feel so guilty Eva..."

"Don't. You heard what Madame said. Jenny loves you and wants you to know that. She wants you to let go," I said softly, hoping that Madame Zulu hadn't made that part up.

"I don't know if I can," he whispered.

"You've got to or you'll always feel this way. Letting go doesn't mean you'll forget her."

Logan seemed unable to answer. He just brought his knees up and curled around me, holding onto me like I was the only thing keeping him from floating off into space. I just sat there and made sure to hug him tightly.

"Am I too merciful Eva? With my father?" He asked after a while, leaning back but refusing to let go. People walking down the sidewalk weaved around us, casting questioning looks but we ignored them.

I thought about how Logan had supported his dad. He was a teenager thrust into the real world after a stressful childhood. His father wasn't his responsibility when he had been subjected to years of pain.

I nodded slightly, "Just a little."

Logan nodded, "I think I'm going to send him to rehab and if it doesn't work.."

He shrugged haplessly.

"That's a good plan," I said lightly.

"What's your plan? After this. When you have to go back," he asked.

I pursed my lips, "I..I don't know but I'm not staying in New York. I'm going to leave and I don't want to come back."

He looked at me with those shining green eyes, "Will you take me with you? Can I just stay with you Eva?"

"You'd come with me?" I said in surprise. Our trip was one thing, but to come with me again, that would be a whole other experience. My heart swelled, I wanted him to come.

Logan nodded, smiling weakly, "I haven't ever been as happy as I am with you since mom died. I like how I feel with you. I don't want to go back either."