The Empath

Zach was peeling off his cap and gown when Jenny tapped him on the shoulder. “Stop by the shop before you go home, OK?” He was surprised to be looking into the honey-colored eyes he loved and feared.

He shook out his unruly black hair. “Uh…OK. Did I forget to do something?”

Jennie scoffed. “As if I would make you come to work on your graduation day.” His anxiety shuddered through her. “Nothing to be anxious about. I have a present for you, but it was too big to carry.”

Zach gave her a sheepish smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Her eyes were locked on his. Does this woman ever blink?

“OK. I won’t be far behind you.”

***

An hour later, Zach tripped the buzzer on the front door of Mystique. The spacious shop Jennie inherited from her aunt smelled like books, incense, and coffee.

“Welcome to Mystique. I’ll be right with you.”

Zach chuckled. “It’s just me, boss.”

Jennie stood up from behind a display case. “Meet me in the nest,” she called, referring to the conference room where they took breaks and had meetings, and where Jennie did psychic readings. Today it was set up for coffee and pastries. A “Happy Graduation” balloon floated from the tiny blue box in the center of the table.

Zach stopped outside the doorway to take in the room and to settle the waves of energy radiating through his body. Jennie nudged him aside and walked past him. “Grab a coffee. I got the cannoli you like.” When he didn’t move, she asked, “Are you stuck?”

Zack looked down at himself. “Looks like it.” He stepped in. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Sit down. I’ll get the coffee. That little box is for you. Go ahead and open it.”

“I thought you said it was too big to carry.”

She put the coffee in front of him. “Well, what comes with it is too big.”

The balloon floated to the ceiling as he opened the box. It held a brass key. He closed his hand around it and felt her sadness. For him? He looked at Jennie. “You know.”

Jennie nodded. “I know it’s getting stronger, too.”

Zach teared up. “Did you always…” His voice hitched and he lowered his head. Do not lose your shit.

Jennie put her hand on his shoulder. “Take a few breaths, then I have a story for you. You get to write the ending. What do you think?”

Zach drew a long breath and exhaled slowly. He looked up and gave Jennie a nod. “Sorry about that. I’m good…What ‘s the story?”

Jennie was talking fast. “OK. It has three chapters. Chapter One. Since you were 15, you have worked every shift you could get. No sports, no clubs, no dates. In college you scheduled classes around work, studied during breaks. You stayed at Mellie’s when you aged out in exchange for more work. I don’t want to see a great human being become a human doing.” She took a breath. So, the key is to the apartment upstairs. My aunt was an empath, too, so it’s practically soundproof. Your rent is covered until you get your MBA.”

Zach stared at her. “I don’t even know what to say.” I’m so in love with you.

“Then don’t talk.” Jennie cut the cannoli. “Chapter 2 is a proposition for you. Do you want to see the apartment first?

Zach took a bite of cannoli. “What’s the proposition?”

“I would like you to manage Mystique. I need fresh ideas, an internet presence, and a business manager. You will schedule work around your classes. If we need more coverage, we’ll hire someone. You’ll get twice your current hourly based on 40 hours – salaried, so it doesn’t matter whether you get the work done in thirty hours or fifty. The weekly gross is on the back of the box.” She sat on the chair next to him.

Zach turned the box over and looked at the number. “Jenn, why would you do this for me?” He tapped the box. “This changes my life. I can get ahead and stop being a charity case – as long as I’m not your charity case.”

“Is that what you think?” Jennie shook him by his shoulder. “Because I think I’m recruiting a bright, attractive, hardworking man. It’s for both of us, Zach. We work well together, you know the business, it feels right.”

He shrugged. “Except for me being an emotional chameleon.” Did she say attractive?

“An empath,” she corrected. “That’s Chapter 3. How much do you know about your empathic gift?”

He huffed out a breath. “Gift? It’s a curse.”

She put her hand on his forearm. “Listen, I can help with that. I’m empathic, too. My aunt taught me to shield myself, so I could be clearer as a psychic.” Jenny backed away. “Just give it some thought.”

Zach rubbed his arm where Jennie had touched him. “I have to let that sink in.” He chuckled. “I need a minute to adjust to being emotionally outted.”

“Empathically outed," she corrected, then she stood up. Grab your key. Let’s check out the apartment.”

When Zach stood up, he surprised Jennie by pulling her into a quick, tight hug. “I won’t let you down, Jenn.” She feels so good. Zach let Jennie go so she wouldn’t feel him getting hard.

***

Jennie curled up on Zach’s sofa. “I’m glad you called me.” Zach sank into the opposite corner.

Zach sighed. “I’m running out of places to hide, Jenn. I ran out of accounting class today because the angst coming from the professor was tearing my guts out. Your clients who come for readings are wrought with pain and confusion. I can hardly work when they’re here. I don’t know how you can stand it.”

“I had a good guide. I can help, Zach. I want to, but I need to know more about what you’ve experienced. You haven’t shared much about yourself. Will you be able to tell me more about yourself?"

"I'll give it my best." Zach picked a thread on his jeans. “It’s embarrassing. My parents are addicts. Dad is in prison. Mom’s probably dead or in the streets. When you took over Mystique, I’d already been in foster care for ten years. I didn’t talk until I was in first grade. I was just kind of shut down.”

“Did you always pick up other people’s feelings?”

He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "I think so. I don’t remember much. He hung his head. "It was chaos. Sirens, laughter, fighting, screaming, hiding, holding my breath until it all went black.”

Jenn uncurled her legs. “Some empaths are sixth sensers. They sense emotions, and read them, and it creates a feeling in them. You are the other kind of empath. More like a tuning fork. You don’t have to perceive and create feelings. Your own feelings rise and resonate.”

Zach was quiet for several minutes. “It’s getting harder to keep a game face when I’m in public. I could do so much more if I felt safe in my skin." He looked up at her. "Can you make it stop?”

Jennie’s throat was clogged with tears. She resisted the urge to go to him. “I can teach you to manage it. I can help you work through the trauma. It’s a process, but I’m willing to give it all I’ve got. What about you?”

" I have to try." He raked his hand through his hair.

Jennie quietly asked him. “What are you other gifts, Zach?”

He looked away. “They aren’t gifts to me, Jennie. Sometimes I touch metal, and it plays its history in my head. When I picked up the key to the apartment, I could see you wrapping it, and I knew you knew about me.”

Tears escaped, but he continued. “Sometimes I black out and see things before they happen. It scares me. What if I black out in traffic? What if see something bad about to happen and I can’t stop it?” He wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

“I stay to myself to avoid people and work myself stupid so I don’t feel the loneliness.” A sob escaped his control.

Jennie moved closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder. “This is the worst of it. I promise it gets better from here.”

“How?”

“I’ll teach you what I know. You’ll practice. Oh, and I’ll break out my secret gift - I mean that literally. No one knows. - I’m also a healer.”

***

It was raining sideways when Zach walked into the stock room. Jennie had already started inventory.

Jennie laughed. “How’d you get soaked? You live upstairs.”

He held up a bag. “I ran down to the bakery to grab some cannoli.”

“I just pulled the promotional tees down I’ll grab one for you.” She found his size and turned to hand it to him. He was shirtless. . She caught herself staring at him. When she looked up, he was staring back.

“I’m sorry, Zach. You’re gorgeous. I couldn’t look away.”

Zach pulled the shirt she handed him over his head. “Welcome to my world. I’ve been looking at you that way since I was 15.”

Jennie took a breath. “So, if I kiss you, will you report me for sexual harassment?”

In reply, he took her into his arms and kissed her, gently at first, then passionately. The store buzzer sounded. Breathlessly, Jenn asked, “To be continued?” She felt his smile against her cheek.

“I sure hope so.” He turned to her before he went into the showroom. “Don’t go anywhere. I need to tell you one more thing I’ve been hiding for too long.”

Jennie smiled at him. “Chapter 4?”

Zach wagged his eyebrows at her. “You said I could write the end of the story.”