* * *
Nate was good at his job. A crowd of at least two hundred reporters and interested spectators had gathered in front of Phoenix Mercy hospital. A small stage and podium had been erected near the lobby doors. Meredith was wearing a conservative suit, and her red hair was twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck. Nate had instructed her to look as normal and trustworthy as possible, so she went with the classics. Dr. Wells stood next to her, wearing a pale green dress underneath her white lab coat. They both certainly looked the parts that they would play.
The last week had gone by in a blur of scans, blood tests, and various prodding. It had all been relatively painless, however, and the worst thing Meredith had suffered was boredom. Outside of the medical testing, she had spent several hours each day with Eleanor, working on learning to control her magic.
After their experience with Dr. Wells, Nate and Meredith agreed that they needed to go bigger--much bigger--with today’s exhibition. There had to be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the feat was anything other than magic. No tricks, no gimmicks, no room for argument. Meredith’s new influx of power was definitely helping their cause; because of it, she would be able to manage a much more impressive display.
“Are you ready?” Nate asked in a low voice. He, too, had dressed up for the occasion. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a red tie, which complemented his honey colored eyes perfectly. He was the perfect picture of the handsome, confident news reporter.
Meredith looked up at the sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight, and she enjoyed the warmth of the morning sun on her face. “As ready as I’m ever going to be,” she said breathily. Her stomach was aflutter with nerves.
“You’ll do great.” Nate gave her arm a reassuring squeeze and moved on to talk to Dr. Wells.
Nate and Dr. Wells were both probably making their careers this morning, while Meredith was still moving along without a plan. She had been so focused and driven for as long as she could remember; it actually felt good to have the freedom to do whatever she liked. She was honest with herself, however; though she wasn’t making a career, her life would be irrevocably changed after this morning.
After another few moments, Nate approached the podium and addressed the crowd. The murmurs quieted down as Nate spoke. Meredith knew what he was going to say; she’d watched him rehearse it half a dozen times. He would talk about the strange weather events that coincided with a rash of unusual medical cases, leading to the possibility that the two might be related. He would briefly tell the story of a vast repository of energy that had ruptured, leading to the recent happenings. Then he would explain that the energy would change our understanding of the world forever. He would never once use the word magic.
Meredith tuned him out as he talked, rehearsing what she would do in her mind. As much talking as Nate and Dr. Wells would do, in the end it would all come down to her. After Nate concluded, he introduced Dr. Wells, a world renowned endocrinologist in her own right who had had the chance to study a patient with one of the strange new growths.
When Dr. Wells started to talk, Meredith paid attention. The doctor hadn’t bothered to share any of her findings with Meredith, so she was learning almost as much as everyone else.
“The first thing we want to share is that the patient is in good health, and it is not medically indicated to remove the growth. In fact, we have studied it carefully and come to the conclusion that it is a vital, necessary organ. Though much more study is necessary, I have determined that this organ secretes a hormone that has previously gone undiscovered. This hormone affects the way that the patient perceives and interacts with external stimuli. In a few moments, we will introduce you to Patient Zero, who has agreed to come forward and demonstrate her condition. We have named this condition the Wells Phenomenon--” Meredith rolled her eyes, “--or more colloquially, the organ can be referred to as The Second Heart, due to its pulsating presentation, similar to that of a beating heart.”
Dr. Wells fielded a few questions, clarifying again that the condition was not life threatening. When asked about symptoms, Dr. Wells replied, “I think that question is a perfect segue into introducing our patient, who can share her symptoms with you firsthand.”
Meredith took her cue and stepped to the podium. Even in October, the sun beat hot overhead, burning her scalp along the part in her hair. Two hundred sets of eyes stared up at her expectantly, and for a moment she froze. Meredith closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. Feeling steadier, she opened her eyes and found Amelia, Rob, and Vi standing in the crowd. She focused on their faces and began to speak.
Meredith described the pain as her new organ grew, but quickly explained that the pain was only temporary. She continued, “As I started to feel better, I noticed that I was able to sense things in a different way. I also found that I had some new abilities that were unexplainable.” She chuckled. “Actually, they’re still unexplainable. So I think I’m just going to have to show you.”
There was dead silence as the crowd waited for her to continue.
On a whim, Meredith asked, “Can anyone tell me what the weather forecast is for today?”
About fifty smart phones were whipped out, and the quickest of the bunch called, “Sunny, high of eighty-five. Zero percent chance of rain.”
Meredith smiled. Perfect. “Thank you,” she said. After a brief pause, she leaned her head back and raised her arms in the air. She threw her other sense outward, seeking out every last drop of moisture that could be found in the atmosphere. She gathered it all together overhead, and soon large fluffy clouds formed, blotting out the sun. As the clouds filled with moisture, they grew darker and darker, until finally, a light rain began to fall.
Meredith opened her eyes and looked at the crowd. About half were staring up at the sky while the other half gaped at her with their mouths open. She smiled wryly and said casually, “So, I can do that now.”
Pandemonium.
# # #
Note from K. K. Eaton
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading my first novel, The Second Heart. As a new author, I rely on satisfied readers to help spread the word about my work. If you enjoyed this book, please consider telling a friend and leaving a review at your favorite ebook retailer. Also, please add me on Facebook to stay informed about other forthcoming books--Meredith, Vi, Nate, and Eleanor's story is far from over!
All the best,
K. K Eaton
About K. K. Eaton
K. K. Eaton lives in Phoenix, AZ and works as a professor of marketing at Arizona State University. When she isn't teaching or writing books, she is usually chasing her two toddlers, trying out new recipes, or camping.
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