Jessie, on the other hand, walked straight to the bed in her room,and threw herself face down on it. She was emotionally exhausted. And when she was exhausted, that's when she lost control, and when she lost control, that's when the headaches started.
      She rolled over and removed a small black case from inside her jacket. The one that had arrived two weeks after her mother's death, along with the list of instructions from her father. Sleepers. She wished she could use it now, it'd be a relief, but she'd been told to save it. Save it for an emergency or until she got to Mars.
But she didn't want to think about Mars right now either.
      Sighing, she turned her face towards the wall. Blessing, curse, she'd heard it descibed as both.
Mostly curse from her mother when she had been in a particularly bitter mood. That is, until it had manifested in Jessie almost 2 years ago.Then she tried to avoid the subject.
      All Jessie knew was that she hadn't asked for it. But then, neither had any other telepath she'd ever heard of. Not that she knew any. Except her father. Her eyes welled up with tears. She swiped at them with her hand.Well, she'd be seeing him soon enough. That was the plan anyway. If she didn't manage to screw it up.
      The first and last time she'd ever been with her father was four years ago, just after her 16th birthday.
Before that, all she'd ever seen of him were vids. Twice a year, for as far back as she could remember, a data crystal bearing his voice and image would arrive at their small apartment on Proxima 3 from Earth. It was scrambled, but they had the code. Jessie and her mother never knew how he managed it and they knew better than to ask. Following his instructions,they addressed their bi-annual reply to him to a processing plant in Old New Orleans. Jessie used to think that was funny. Her mother didn't. In fact she had usually cried on and off for days after the reply was sent, then she'd go back to her usual sunny self.

      The spring of her sixteenth year she'd been in physics class when her mother called the school. Jessie was needed at home immediately. Family emergency. Jessie had been almost frantic. The only "family" was her mother and herself, and she knew she was fine. She arrived breathless at the apartment and let herself in.
      Her mother was standing in the hallway with 2 suitcases, one of them hers. "What's wrong? Are you alright? Mom?". Celeste Devereux took the books from her daughter's arms, replaced them with a suitcase and said,"Honey, I don't mean to scare you but I don't have time to explain. We're going on a trip. We won't be gone long. I already talked to your school." All the while hustling her down the hall and back outside.
      "Mom, what is it?" Her mother made a motion at her that she'd recognized since age 3 meaning , 'not now'.
      She followed behind her mother and stayed quiet while they went outside and caught an automated cab, her mind whirling. Once inside her mother gave instructions to take them to the outer edges of the colony, somewhere Jessie had never been. That's where the flight terminals were, the import/export offices, warehouses, etc. And hotels ,of course, for temporary visitors.
      She turned a questioniong face towards her mother. For some odd reason she seemed to be avoiding looking at Jessie. She was wringing her hands in her lap, a family trait, and seemed to be trying to gather herself together. "Mom? Please, you're scaring me.What's going on?" Celeste Devereux was thirty-five years old but she looked about 25, with her long cinnamon hair falling over her shoulders and gleaming green "cat's eyes". Jessie had always been proud of her mother's looks and secretly hoped someday she might turn out half as beautiful. She turned to Jessie now and drew herself up in her seat. "Jessie honey, I, that is we..." She stopped and took Jessie's hand in hers and squeezed. Hard. "Sweetheart, we got a message from your father today. About two hours ago." That didn't seem right. It'd only been three months since the last time. "Is he alright, did something happen? He's not sick is he?" She thought of that strong baritone voice of his, the dark chestnut waves of his hair in her favorite vid.
      She must have watched that vid a million times. It was made right before her parents' wedding. She couldn't imagine that man ever being sick or hurt. Her mother's eyes widened. "No, no honey, he's fine. I didn't mean to scare you with all this." She hugged her daughter to her. "It's just that he's, he's....uh," she hesitated for a second trying to get her shaking voice under control. "Honey, he's here." She saw her daughter's uncomprehending look and tried to make her understand. "Jessie, your Dad's here. On Proxima 3. He's waiting for us at the Mirage Hotel." She pulled a kleenex from her satchel and dabbed at her eyes.
      "I don't know how he managed it. We're going straight to the hotel. He said he'd explain everything when we got there."
      Jessie couldn't quite take it all in. But she knew it had to be true. Her mother's face was radiant through the tears. Jessie didn't think she'd ever seen her mother's face look that happy before.She listened to the rain that had started to come down patter against the windows of the taxi, trying to put it all together.
      Celeste stroked Jessie's hair back from her forehead. "You're finally going to see your father. Oh God, it's been so long.......almost seventeen years now." Her mother's eyes filled again. Jessie could tell she was fighting for control. "I know this is alot to spring on you. I darned near had a coronary of my own, Hon, but aren't you happy?" Happy? Jessie wasn't sure that was the word she would choose. Stunned was more like it. She'd imagined this happening more times than she could count. It hadn't gone anything like this. "Yeah, Mom, I'm happy, just a little turned around by all this."

      "Mom?" she asked
      Her mother turned to her. "What sweetie?"
      Jessie took a breath,"How long is he staying?"
      Celeste Devereux instantly knew what her daughter was getting at.
      "What?
      Jessie narrowed her eyes."You heard me, how long is he staying?"
      Celeste knew her daughter wasn't dumb so she decided to play it straight.
      "He's leaving tomorrow night," she said quietly.
      Jessie finally felt the force of her emotions cresting. Now it was her turn to cry.
      "I knew it! I knew it," she sobbed.
      "Oh Jessie, don't cry!" Celeste reached for her daughter. Jessie pushed her arms away and retreated into the corner of the cab. A minute went by before she spoke. "When were you planning on telling me," she sniffled, "before or after he was gone?"
      Celeste looked at her helplessly,"Honey, do you honestly think I don't want things to be different? That your Father wasn't a Psi-Cop, and in a forced marriage to another telepath? That I don't wish he was a norm and could be a regular husband and father and we'd all stay together? Jessie, this has been difficult for all of us. Things shouldn't be like this but they are. You probably don't want to hear this now, Lord knows I don't, but we should be thankful for what we've got. You've got a mother who couldn't begin to live without you and a father who doesn't have a night or day go by that he doesn't think of you."
      Jessie wasn't having any of that.
      "I've got a father who I'll see, for, what?For the first time in my life? Twenty four hours in sixteen years?
      And then what?"
      Celeste looked at her sternly,"Jessie."
      "No mother, you listen to me! Why doesn't he just leave the Corp?"
      Her mother said four words. Four words she knew by heart.
      "Nobody leaves the Corp."
      She threw up her hands, "Then why......."
      "Jessie, just stop it. I know you're upset but this isn't helping. You know why I had to come out to this Godforsaken colony and why he can't ever let them know that I was pregnant when I left Earth."
      Celeste locked eyes with her.
      "You both think I might be one of them. A telepath."
      "We don't know Jessie. But if we were on Earth and they knew that he had a daughter, they'd be watching you like a hawk. And if you ever.....", her mother faltered. "If you ever manifested telepathic abilities they'd take you. Just like they took Edward. And we'd probably never see each other again. Like Edward. And I won't let that happen do you hear me? Neither will your father. We made this decision a long time ago, before you were born, before he was taken from me. I won't lose you too. Not ever."
      They rode in silence for a good ten minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Jessie spoke.
      "But Mom, what if I don't ever become telepathic?"
      Celeste sighed,"Then we'll get down on our knees and thank the good Lord for sparing you."
      "I'm sixteen already. Nothing's happened." said Jessie.
      "Your father was 20 when he found out."
      Jessie considered that, "So what will we do if it ever does happen?"
      "We'll worry about that if and when it does. No use getting frantic about that now."
      "You don't call hiding out on Proxima 3 for sixteen years getting frantic?"
      "Don't talk to me like that honey. I've tried to do what was best."
      Jessie felt remorseful. "I'm sorry Mom. I didn't mean to act like that. I just...."
      "Yes you did, and it's alright. You've got a right to be angry. We all do. In a perfect world, none of this would ever have happened. Unfortunately, we don't live there. God knows I wish we did." She sighed, and smiled tiredly at her daughter. She laced their fingers together. "I love you honey."
      "I love you too, Mom"
      Her mother seemed to catch her breath for just a moment, then relax."There's something else I think I should tell you,dear."
      Jessie looked alarmed."What?"
      Celeste pointed out the window and across the street as the cab pulled to a stop.
      "There's your father."

       
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