Waiting for Mercy (Cambions) (17 page)

When I stepped towards him, he didn’t move.  So I lifted on my toes with my bare feet, my shoes were somewhere on the bottom of the pool.  Flynn would be replacing them, so I didn’t care.  I leaned up and kissed him.  He surrendered to me and kissed me back, but this time it was more chaste.  Taking hold of my wrist, he kept me from wrapping myself around him like a wet tee-shirt.  He pulled back still holding my hands and began to kneel at my feet.  A wave of heat followed down the line of my body as he did.  I didn’t know what to expect but when he stood and wrapped the towel around my damp body that hadn’t been what I expected.  The towel now covered my black bra and panties which for a weird reason I was grateful matched. 

I grasped the towel closed and questioned him only with my eyes.  We’d yet to speak, but clearly I’d offered myself to him in a way I hadn’t to any other.  And it appeared he was rejecting me.

Feeling a bit silly, I made my way to turn away from him.  But he stopped me.  He pulled me close cradling my head to his chest. “God, you have to know I want you,” he said.

I pulled back. “Yet, it’s clear you don’t,” I countered, sounding more pissed than I’d wanted.

“I do,” he said. “It’s just-”

“It’s just that you admitted to me today that you’d been with other girls, yet you won’t be with me,” I said.

He took a step towards me and pride had me taking a step back. “Those other girls didn’t mean to me what you do,” he said.

“So what are you a humanitarian, protecting the innocent?” I chided, sounding bitter.

He nodded and simply said, “Something like that.”

I huff out a laugh.  “Funny coming from you, who moments before said I couldn’t damn you.  What if I don’t want to be saved,” I said.

“Time is endless,” he pleaded taking a few more steps towards me.  I looked back making sure I wouldn’t trip when I moved away backwards.

I pursed my lips. “No, it’s not,” I said firmly thinking about how easily life could end from beings just like myself.

“You’re right,” he said. “But you haven’t even agreed to be my girlfriend again.”

It was then I stopped.  I hadn’t but weren’t my actions clear. Luke trapped me in his arms and kissed me again.  Lost was reason when we were together. 

His touch was like a slow burn running deep inside my soul.  His kiss was like honey, thick and sweet.  He pulled back and led me towards a door.  He opened it. “Mercy, go take a shower.  I think I’ll have a cold one myself.  When you’re ready, let me know what you decide,” he said.

And then with what seemed like a great effort, he backed up from me eventually turning away and walking out my door.  I stood there stunned wondering now if I should take a cold shower too.     

diffident
(adj.)
shy, quiet, modest

Bathed in sunlight, I woke.  Luke was there with his arms around me like old times.  Because my mom and Flynn’s dad were out of town, he’d stayed the night.  At some point, he’d come back to my room.  We’d ended up talking and catching up on our lives.  Apparently, he’d still been aware of my every move.  He watched me at softball practice and commented on my swing.  So he’d seen a practice or two.  The one thing I didn’t do was tell him about Paul.  I hadn’t given him an answer either about us being back together.  It felt like we were without me saying the words.  And somewhere deep inside me, I still felt despite his assurances I could somehow be a danger to his soul.

“Morning,” he said pressing a kiss to the side of my head.  I’d missed the feeling of being close to him and didn’t want to move.

“Morning,” I responded and squeezed at his arms around me.

“Get dressed,” he said.

Groaning, I asked, “Why?”

“Because I want to take you to breakfast,” he told me, with the warmth I felt being close to him.

I turned to face him. “I can cook you something,” I said.  Cooking was not a bother for me.  In fact, I really enjoyed it.

“No,” he said, a little too quickly.  I eyed him like he’d kept something from me. He rebounded quickly. “No, I enjoy your cooking immensely, trust me.  But I want you alone and I also don’t want you to cook for everybody,” he said.

“I don’t mind,” I said, giving him a million watt smile.

“Adelina is probably here,” he said, quirking one eye.

Frowning, I answered quickly with a pained smile, “So, where are you taking me?”  There was no way I was cooking for her unless I wanted homicide added to my list of troubles.  He probably knew that too, that’s why he’d said it.

He laughed.  He’d left me so I could get ready.  I met him downstairs while the house was still quiet.  Part of me pondered if the wonder twins had stayed here last night.  If so, where were they sleeping?  I was sure Luke had a clue, but I opted not to ask.  Sometimes, what you don’t know won’t hurt you.

Eventually, we ended up at I-Hop of all places after he offered to take me to a fancy restaurant in Bethesda.  I declined and opted for this.  I wanted to have a relaxed meal not worry whether I was using the right fork or not.  After we were seated at a small booth he said, “Why are you grinning like a kid in a candy store.”

Looking at him with my chin in my palm and my arm resting on the table, I said, “I don’t know.  It’s been ages since I’ve been here.”

He tilted his head, “How long?”

Taking in a deep breath unable to contain how happy I was feeling, I said, “I donno. Maybe since I was a little kid.”

“What was the last thing you remember ordering?” he asked, leaning in closer to me daring me almost.

I licked my lips remembering. “I think it was one of the smiley face pancakes,” I said.

He grinned.  “You should order it,” he said.

I nodded. “I should, shouldn’t I?” I agreed.

Our waitress walked up. “Are you ready to order,” the woman asked.  She looked to be in her early twenties and she faced to talk to Luke, but I didn’t let it phase me.  Being around the elite boys, I just got used to the gaga look girls would give them, especially Flynn.

He nodded in my direction. “Are you?” he asked.

“Sure,” I said.  I wasn’t going to let the scorn the woman’s face held rain on my good mood.  Things were looking up in my life.   “I’ll have the smiley face pancake,” I said wistfully.

The waitress frowned.  “That’s from the kids menu,” she said.

Luke interjected before I could respond, “Yes, my sister here is twelve,” he said, smiling brightly at the woman and gave her a wink.  Her frown changed and her expression softened.  She didn’t say anything for a moment and I wondered if she was trying to figure him out.

“And what will you have?” she asked him, a little warily like she was certain we were being cheap and the tip wouldn’t be good.  Because I may look young, but twelve I thought not, at least I hoped not.

Straight faced he said, “A Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity with apples.” His expression was light and his eyes fixed on hers.  Unable to contain it, I giggled like a school girl.

Not missing a beat she said, “Drinks?”

“Orange juice,” I said, trying to reign in the laughter from hearing Luke place that order.

She only turned to frown at me again.  I think she thought I was laughing at her.

“Excuse my sister,” Luke said giving me a condemning look. “She’s at that age,” he chided.

I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my throat then.  He remained smiling without laughing. 

The waitress nodded and her stringy brown hair moved for the first time. “And you?” she asked him.

“The same,” he said and she finally left us.  I gently kicked him under the table.  He succumbed to chuckling.

It just kept coming.  “Your sister,” I said between giggles.

He rested his hands on top of mine in the small two-seater booth we were in.  “You don’t want to be my sister?” he mused, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I lifted my legs onto the seat and leaned over the table and gave him a kiss no sister could.  Pulling back and settling myself back in my seat, I saw the disapproving faces of a family of four next to us.  Oops, I bit my lip. I was embarrassed by my behavior in front of an audience, but there was nothing to do about it now.  I looked back at Luke and said, “I don’t think you want me as your diffident little sister.”

He was still recovering and I felt a bit of pride. “No and you aren’t acting shy,” he stuttered a bit.  “But you may not get your smiley face pancakes now,” he teased.

Ultimately, I did and we ate while we played tick tack toe on the kids menu the waitress brought me.  I used the green crayon and Luke the red.  It had been so long for the two of us to be together this way.  I enjoyed the light banter we had.  I was almost sad when it was time to leave.

He paid and left a hefty tip for the woman and he also paid the check for the family next to us to make up for our behavior.  He was so terribly thoughtful that way.  I was certain that the children of the family were maybe two and four years of age and weren’t going to be scarred for life by my kiss to Luke.  It wasn’t like I’d given him a lap dance.  But I had leaned over the table, so it maybe was a bit extreme.  I kept my thoughts to myself letting it go. 

Then Luke started to drive us home or so I thought.  When he went south on interstate 270, I had to ask, “Where are we going?”

He glanced over at me.  “I’d planned this for Valentine’s night, but you left so abruptly.  However, I was able to change it around for today,” he said.

“What?” I asked curiously.

“You’ll see,” he said.

So I sat back and enjoyed the tunes and the ride.  When nearly an hour later he parallel parked on Pennsylvania Avenue, I was more puzzled but he refused to give me any more details.  He paid at the meter booth and put the receipt in his window.  Taking my hand, he led me down the streets of Washington, DC.  The weather was gently warm for late winter.  I still wore a jacket, but it wasn’t zipped up.  The mystery deepened when he made me stand alone while he went over to what appeared to be a ticket window and spoke to someone.  A few moments later, he waved me over.  A rattling of keys and we were ushered through a gate.  The place was surrounded by trees, so I had no idea when we walked in, what he had in store.

Upon entering, there my gaze was met with a large empty ice skating rink.  Extra emphasis on empty.  I had a suspicion that it wouldn’t normally be so.

The guy asked us our shoe sizes and walked away once we’d given it to him.  The man wasn’t very tall or light on his feet.  He clumped away in his all green uniform and reminding me of a troll for some reason.

“Happy Belated Valentine’s Day,” Luke said.  Valentine’s Day seemed like light years past at this very moment.  I was speechless.  Doe eyed, I just looked at him dumbstruck.  The guy came back and handed two pairs of skates to Luke before I could speak.

“Thank you, but,” I said nearly speechless.

“Your expression is thanks enough,” he said taking my hand in his.  We sat on a bench and began to change our shoes. 

“When did you do this?  How did you know?” I asked trailing off.  How did he know he would get me to change my mind today?

“Hope and a little prayer,” he said. “I called and left a message confirming after I left you to shower last night.”

No one had ever done anything like this for me.  Although he was only my second boyfriend ever, I felt so special that tears pricked in the corner of my eyes.  Quickly, I blinked them back so they wouldn’t fall.

“You said you knew how to skate,” he said, recanting one of our many endless overnight conversations before we broke up.

“Yes,” I replied.  It had been some time but I hoped it was like riding a bike something ultimately you couldn’t forget. 

Both of us, not totally sure of ourselves held each other as we made our way to the perfect sheet of ice that glistened in the winter sun.  Until our feet scraped against its surface, the ice had been a clean slate of untouched frozen water that waited for only us.  For me, this was a gift and experience I was sure I’d treasure forever.