Free The Guardian (The Gifted Book 1) by C. L. McCourt Page B

professors. She'd had the option to go to school where they were tenured professors, but had decided against it. She didn't need her professors expecting great things from her just because her parents did great things.
    The house rumbled and lightning flashed ; outside a winter thunderstorm roared. Rhea stared out the window, knowing she wouldn't be seeing her friend in the shadows tonight. It was a long trek for Grennal to see Rhea in school. She hadn't visited in December, and Rhea had hoped they would have at least one night to catch up, now that she was home, but it didn't look like that was going to be the case. With the storm blowing outside, and given the moon was getting smaller, it didn't look like they would see each other in the shadows until January.
    Christine noticed the faraway look in Rhea's eyes as she glanced between her dinner and the window. "Rhea? You look distracted. What's up?"
    "Huh? What? Nothing. I'm just tired." And she was. Actually , sleep deprived was more like it. The nap earlier hadn't helped. It had actually worn her out more.
    Brian poured another glass of wine for himself. "Do you have plans for the break?"
    Rhea shook her head as she poked at her food. "No, nothing definite. I thought I'd get some rest, maybe catch up on some light reading and see some friends."
    Christine sipped her wine. "What about getting a head start on your class reading? Have you bought any of the books yet?"
    Rhea wasn't surprised by Christine's suggestion. She'd actually expected it and had come home prepared. "I have a couple with me. Maybe I'll get started early." What she really wanted to say was that she, unlike them, didn't find reading books on her topics of study to be something she wanted to do in her spare time.
    Rhea was a political science major. Why? Because she needed to study something, and aspects of poli-sci had caught her attention. She found herself inexplicably drawn to studies of the Age of Enlightenment and discussions regarding divine rights of kings and monarchies. Yet she wanted more than her studies. It was like they were holding her back from what mattered. But she didn't know how to figure out what that was.
    Brian stood and picked up some of the dishes. "Christine cooked, I clean." He bent down and kissed his wife's cheek.
    Christine cast her googly eyes at Brian. "Thanks, Brian."
    Rhea wasn't in the mood to watch her parents swoon over one another. It was great that they loved each other, but sometimes a kid didn't want to see the mushy stuff—even if she wasn't a kid anymore.
    "I'm going upstairs to read," Rhea said. She picked up as many dishes as she could carry and placed them on the counter before heading for the stairs.
    The photo of the baby in the basket caught her attention again as she rounded the banister to take the stairs. The baby looked like her , or at least like the other baby pictures she'd seen. But why hadn't she seen this one before?
    Christine whispered over Rhea's shoulder as she looked at the photo. "You were such a cute baby."
    Rhea glanced over her shoulder. "Why was I in a basket?"
    "Oh. Um. I thought we told you."
    Rhea turned to look at Christine. "Told me what?"
    Christine tried to act casual in an effort to make light of the story they'd never told her. "Brian, Rhea's asking about the basket."
    Brian stepped into the hall, wiping his hands on a towel. "I thought you’d already told her."
    "Nooo. I wouldn't tell her without you."
    Brian stepped into the hall. "Go ahead."
    Christine put on her best happy face. Rhea had seen this face before. She used it when she was about to say something Rhea wouldn't like. "Um. You see. You were left on the porch in that basket."
    Rhea plopped down on a step and looked back and forth between the photo and her mom. "Are saying I was abandoned on the porch in a basket? Seriously?"
    They both nodded.
    "Why didn't you say anything when you told me I was adopted?"
    Christine sat on the step next to Rhea. "If you remember, you