What I had seen obviously wasn't the seer's future. No one could see her future.

"Because I don't have a future."

She swallowed the food in small, careful bites. I had the snaking suspicion that she didn't need pork or anything else for sustenance. At my thought, she raised her wine glass and nodded.

You're right, I don't. Yet, I enjoy it.

"My existence is outside of a linear mode of time, and so, even someone like you, Imogen, would be unable to find me, in the future or otherwise."

"Then what did she see?" Jose asked, and I marveled at his brazen self.

Not for the first time, I wondered at their connection. She was a powerful seer, outside of goddamn time, and he was... I didn't even know. Their relationship had to be romantic, what with her shining raven locks, caramel skin, and curvy limbs.

The seer chewed thoughtfully. "Tell me, what did you see, Imogen?"

I struggled to harness the experience into words. "I...I saw..." Deep inside, I reached for the images. They'd already hidden themselves from me, but suddenly, they flashed in my mind.

Jose and mom laughing together, sharing a meal. Their faces held no traces of fatigue or worry. I'd never seen my mom like that.

"I think you'll love Florida," he promised her, sipping his soda with the same arrogance he had now.

"I don't know, Puerto Rico is my home," my mom said, pushing her rice around on the plate.

He dipped his head, raising a charming smile. "But people saw, and they know. I can't stay here."

Like water running through my fingers, the images faded, and I found my voice. "I saw the past."

"Dios mio," Jose murmured.

"What are all your powers?" I inquired abruptly. "And were you reckless with them in your youth?"

Jose barked out a laugh. "I'm reckless with them now."

Not taking the joke, I waited.

He laid his fork down and wiped his mouth with the incredibly soft linen napkin.

"You show yours first."

I took a guess in stating, "You know them all anyway."

"I do."

My sigh seemed to echo in the cavernous kitchen. "Then why not share yours?"

He stared, for all the world appearing amused and alternately pissed off. "Might as well ask me the names of my old girlfriends."

I tsked. "Meaning, you have many?"

"No, meaning, it's personal," he said, stuffing greens into his mouth.

Before I could piss him off some more, the seer cut off my enjoyment.

"What else did you see?"

My mouth opened to respond, but then I glanced at my grumpy-ass father.

Holding a knife over me, signature smile in place.

"Nothing," I said.

Which was safer than letting Jose know I saw my future, and a dicey one at that.

~*~