Free Aurator, The by M.A. KROPF Page A

thoroughly and completely overwhelmed at this point. How had we gone from finding out more about me and this dysfunctional life I’m supposedly destined for to Hey let’s kill one of her old schoolmates.
    “Excuse me gentlemen,” I interrupted their mutterings to each other. “You’ll have to excuse me but I think I’ve heard about all I can handle today.” Then turning toward Aaron, I said, “My girls will be out of school soon and I need to get them.”
    Max was the first to speak, “You have children?”
    “Yes.”
    “Boys or girls?” He leaned forward with interest.
    “Three girls.”
    “No boys?”
    I tried not to sound annoyed restating my answer, “No, I’m pretty sure they’re girls.”
    Max chuckled and nodded, “Yes, that makes sense. I admit that we did not focus as much as we could have on your questions today, Megan. This is all so new to us and we’re all learning. Please be patient with us as we try to figure things out. Okay?”
    I sighed and nodded back, “That’s fine. I’m sorry, I know that I may seem a little irritable. I don’t mean to be rude. I have never felt like I fit anywhere, rather out of sorts. Now I’m finding out that I do fit somewhere but to fit in there I have to accept that I’m a freak. Some sort of genetic mutant. It’s a little more than I bargained for.”
    Something I said caused a look of sadness on Max’s face. He rose from his desk and came over to me. Standing in front of me, he took me by both shoulders, urging me to stand. Then looking into my eyes his voice was smooth and I could almost feel his concern, “Megan, I’m sorry for your torment regarding feelings of not fitting in. Your life must have been confusing for you. You do fit. You fit with us. I’m sorry, but in time this will be easier for you, and eventually I believe you’ll feel a sense of ease when your two halves become one.”
    His softness and sincerity caught me off guard and my eyes welled up. “I just want to feel whole. I don’t want to have to wonder anymore where I belong.”
    He placed one hand alongside my cheek. “Then trust us, dear child. We will help you. But you will have to drop these walls you’ve erected to protect yourself and for once… trust completely.”
    I looked into this man’s eyes. They were clear, intense, yet showed nothing in them that gave me reason to doubt. “I will try.”
    Max game me one of his cards. Same as Aaron:
     
    Max
    415-555-3422
     
    We said our good-byes and left. Aaron and I didn’t speak for the longest time on the ride back, and I appreciated the quiet. Then, breaking the silence Aaron spoke, “If there’s anything I can do for you to make this easier, let me know.”
    “Thanks.” That was all I could muster. I was completely spent.
     
    I picked up my girls, thankful again for some normalcy. I listened to the goings-on at school. Who’s playing with whom, who’s mad at whom. How each one of them hated homework. I chuckled.
    We got home and I sat to help each girl complete homework. As I sat at the table my mind toggled back and forth between the earlier conversation and new math. Ugh. I suddenly flashed to my most recent dream and the girl who had come to the emergency room. So much for remembering to ask everything, I thought. I filed the question away and pulled Max’s card from my pocket, placing it next to Aaron’s in my wallet.
    My husband got home. It was Friday night. At our house Friday night was Couch Bed Night. We all dragged our top mattresses into the living room and watched movies until everyone fell asleep. We used to just sleep on the pull-out bed in our couch when we only had our first daughter. But after she learned how much fun it was to jump on the bed it broke. Hence, the mattresses. We just never changed the name. It was a simple tradition but something the family looked forward to all week.
     

10. Urge  
    I was off for the weekend and thankful for the break. We went to the park, did some