Story 18 - Part 4 - Sixth Sense

It was starting to near nightfall and they were still waiting around in the hut. Lucy continued to keep them company and Jordan’s parents had joined them as well. They spent the afternoon playing card games and Don had given up flirting with Lucy pretty quickly. By the time they had grown bored of the fourth game, Vire was ready to start dismantling any equipment that she could get a hold of.

“Relax,” Jordan whispered into her ear. “Today is our rest day and then tomorrow the trial thing should be over and Carmine promised to show us some pretty cool sights.”

“Hey, um, Lucy?” Don called out as he and Tech looked up from their conversation. “We’ve got a question we were wondering if you could answer.”

“I’ll do my best,” Lucy said with a smile.

“Um, well, can you all do that mind reading thing that Mr. C does?” Don gave his best, innocent smile. “I know it sounds silly, but he always seems to know what a person is trying to say or not say.”

Lucy gave a knowing smile. “It’s not mind reading. It is impossible to know what exactly a person will say until they say it.”

“Then what is it? ESP?”

“Tech,” Vire sighed. “Didn’t we discuss this once before?”

--Come on, Mom,-- Tech signed. --It’d be like stuff in fiction if my uncle has some sort of inherited telepathy. It’s be pretty cool.--

“He’s just good at observing people,” Vire said.

“He’s good at understanding people,” Lucy corrected. “Our tribe has always been that way. When you understand wisdom, you understand everything.”

Vire did not bother trying to translate what that meant, and just amused herself by watching the confused expressions on the teenagers’ faces. She had actually asked Carmine the same question after he married her sister. Carmine had given her the same answer. He had tried to explain it more, but had never been able to. The best he had done was telling her that if you know where a circuit goes you will know which way the electricity runs. Or something to that effect.

“Now, you’ll come and visit us every year,” Mrs. Thompson demanded of her son, interrupting Vire’s thoughts.

“Mom, we’re not leaving for a few more days,” Jordan reassured. “You’ve got that long to harass me about this and I promise you we will visit.”

“You’re not going to hear the end of that the entire time you’re here,” Mr. Thompson told Vire.

“Jordan warned me about it,” Vire laughed.

“Of course,” Mr. Thompson agreed. “It’s what she likes to do. In a few seconds she’ll go and fawn over her new grandson.”

Sure enough, Mrs. Thompson excitedly shuffled over to Tech and Don. Don translated a little, but she was quite insistent on being taught sign language so that she could talk to Tech. Tech signed something and cut it off as he saw his mother’s glare, but they both ended up laughing.

“It’s not a sixth sense,” Vire muttered.

“What was that, Vi?” Jordan asked with a yawn.

“When you understand wisdom, you understand everything.”