Since we are soon going to be getting into double digit chapters, this is where everything is done being introduced and everything will start really coming together in the next chapter. Also I have to say this, Keri you rock! So do all the people who lurk, read, and leave fb!
Chapter Nine – Deciding Factors
Bennie and Chris leave once Anna is calmed down and hope that she’ll be okay. Anna sits on her bed and lets her thoughts take over her, thinking about a very serious decision. ‘God, I don’t know what to do. Should I keep the baby or not? I mean, I don’t even know if it has alien origins or not. What if he/she does but doesn’t develop them until she comes of age or automatically has them when he/she is born?’ Isabel takes out her yellow notepad that she keeps track of her dreams on and begins to calculate how far along she is, knowing that her menstrual cycle is extremely irregular due to her alien status. She looks stunned at her results and redoes the math and is shocked to learn it’s still the same.
“This makes no sense at all! How can I be fifteen weeks along…unless, oh my God!” Isabel thinks back to April to a certain night and soon comes out of her trance, “No…it can’t be…” ‘Now I know the baby’s not Jesse’s.’
The next day, Isabel rides the bus to work, not in the mood to walk since having horrible morning sickness when she woke up. As the bus moves, it stops at a traffic light and Isabel looks through the window, seeing a park with little children playing. She watches as they run, jump, laugh, and smile and wonders if she will have a happy child because of the hardships she’s going through as of now.
The bus soon gets moving again and now the children blur past her window as unheeded tears flow silently down her cheeks. In a few minutes, she’s dropped off at the café and heads inside.
Inside the locker room, she ties on her apron tying it a little looser than usual due to the slight pooch in her belly.
“You’re late.” Nina grumbles to her as she walks out of the double doors.
“Fuck off.” Isabel mumbles to herself and gets back to tying her apron. She hears the double doors once again and at first thinks it’s Nina but sees that it’s Bennie. “Oh, I thought you were Nina for a second.”
“Nope, just me. How are you feeling?” He asks her quietly, sitting on the bench by her locker.
“I don’t know. This morning I woke up and my first salutation was to The Porcelain God down the hallway. Boy, did I praise him!” Isabel stresses and plops down next to him.
“That bad?” He asks giving her a look.
“I woke up at 4:30 because I couldn’t sleep and I had an upset stomach, so I got up and next thing I know my head’s in the toilet giving the God jewels from my clone.” She looks down at her belly and places her hand there. “I was there for at least an hour and a half and my stomach is still churning but it’s not as bad as it was this morning.” She takes her hand away and places it in front of her mouth to yawn.
“You should have called in sick or something after that disaster. Plus, you look fatigued and you’re going through a hard place and a rock right now.” Bennie says comfortingly, rubbing her back.
“Yeah I know.” She whispers and looks back up at him with a very serious expression. “Bennie, there’s something that has been on my mind and I know you’re going to be angry with me for even contemplating this but…I don’t know if I want to keep it or not.” Isabel states unsurely.
Bennie drops his arm from her and looks at her confused, “What! No, no, no, no! Please don’t tell me you’re going to have an abortion because if th-
“NO! I would never kill my baby!” She involuntarily covers her abdomen with her hands as if to protect her baby. “I would never even consider the thought of abortion. I was thinking more along the lines of…” she swallows hard, “adoption.”
Bennie looks somewhat relieved but still angry, “Well, at least you aren’t a murderer but are you really considering adoption or just don’t want to take responsibility for your actions or are you afraid?” He sees the expression on her face change and realizes that it’s a combination of all three. “Anna, whether you like it or not, this innocent didn’t ask to be created let alone asked to be brought into this world. Unfortunately, this is the situation.” He places his hands where her hands are [on her belly] and looks her straight in the eye, “Whether you like it or not, you and someone else created this being that’s growing within you, your uterus, your body. This baby is apart of you! And even though I have not known you for that long, let alone have no idea what you are feeling right now since I am male and…” He thinks for a moment, “don’t have the privilege of carrying children inside my body but I can see in your eyes that you are already in…” He scrunches his nose. “Scratch that…have love for this baby since it’s apart of you. This whole thing is going to be hard, I mean, to even think about having this kind of situation terrifies me and I commend you for the strength that you have. The whole reason why I think women are stronger than men is because that they can deal with emotional situations with stride and confidence and can make it on their own! Anna, if you make this decision to put your baby up for adoption…I’m with you but that doesn’t mean that I like the idea. This is a big decision and I want you to think through this, do you really want a stranger raising your child? What if he/she doesn’t get a good home or ends up in Foster Care, do you really want that for it? I don’t trust easily, especially the demented people of this forsaken Earth and you were one of those few that got past my barriers. I just don’t want you to see you make a decision you’ll regret.” He finally finishes and rubs his eyes and apologizes for being so long and boring but he just couldn’t let it go until he vented.
She looks at him crying and he asks her why, “Thank you! You have talked me out of a bad decision.” Knowing full well that she went through the whole adoption process but was lucky to have gotten a good family. “I just don’t know where to begin, how to breathe, let alone cope with this. I mean, how am I supposed to get through school and manage my pregnancy at the same time? I’m almost twenty years old for God’s sake and am pregnant with an illegitimate child and have gotten no real education! Plus, I’m probably going to be a horrible mother.” She finishes, her mascara running.
“Anna, calm down. It’s going to be okay.” Bennie soothes her. “You aren’t going to a horrible mother. It may take some getting used to but everything will be fine. Also, haven’t you ever heard of multi-tasking? You can be pregnant and still got to school, plus work. As long as you chart your time and don’t become too stressed out, all will be well.” He smiles at her and wipes away stray tears from her face.
She hugs him, “Thank you. I don’t know how I ever ended up with a friend like you let alone what I would do without you.” Isabel lets go of the embrace and ends up running for the restroom.
“There she goes.” He states standing and smoothing is apron. He shakes his head when she comes out three minutes later, looking slightly green in the face.
Soon the double doors crash open and Mr. Dumas stomps in. “Davidson! Sanchez! Get your asses out there before I fire the both of ya!”
Bennie scurries out to the counters and Isabel walks grudgingly to begin serving customers.
After working for a while, Isabel gathers up people’s half-eaten food and dirty dishes, almost dropping the bin on her way to the kitchen.
“Careful Anna, don’t need you injuring yourself on the job.” Thomas the dishwasher states, smiling at her.
“Don’t worry, I won’t” Isabel smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and heading back out to the café.
Once she gets back she notices the bell overhead on the door ring and watches Gavin waltz in. He sits down at a stool and waits for someone to serve him.
“Hey Gavin, what can I get ya?” Bennie asks him, wiping a coffee mug with a rag as he comes over to him.
“Um…I’ll have a medium Mocha Coffee, to go please.” Gavin states, organizing his bag in the process with papers in his mouth and pencils and other things in his hands.
“Coming right up! Why are you in such a hurry anyway?” Bennie asks, his back turned to Gavin as he makes his order.
Gavin takes the papers out of his mouth, “I have a class in…” he checks in watch, “in fifteen minutes and have ten minutes to get there.” Gavin states looking over his shoulder to see Anna serving consumers and smiles. “Hey Anna!” he yells to her.
She turns around and gives him one of her award-winning smiles. “Hey.” She states and walks over, leaving her hungry customers to wait.
“So, Anna, I’ve been meaning to ask you, um…about yesterday…”
“Oh! About that, um, I wasn’t in the best mood and I’m sorry if I sounded like a cruel bit-
“Oh, it’s okay!” He interrupts her. “I was uh wondering, yes I’m asking you again,” he responds to the look she was giving him. “I was wondering if you would like to go out on Friday night?” He asks with high hopes. ‘Please say yes!’
Forgetting about her troubles and the baby, “Yes! I would love to!”
‘Yes!’ “I’ll see you Friday night then. Could you meet me here at 7:00 since I have no idea where you live?”
“Oh, sure! Works for me!” She says smiling, not believing truly that she has a date with the gorgeous guy she had a one-night stand with. ‘I can’t believe he doesn’t remember though.’
“Okay, see you then!” He says grabbing his things and his coffee and hurrying out the door to get to his class, already late by a few minutes.
Bennie grins at Anna, seeing a twinkle in her eyes he has never seen before but then bursts her bubble, “What about your clone?” He states pointing to her slightly protruded tummy.
“Damn it Bennie! Just let me dwell in my short-hastened happiness right now.” She reprimands him but laughs in the process.
“Hey waitress, get your ass over here and give me some service!” A disgruntled customer yells to her.
“Hold your horses! It’s not like you need it anyway.” Isabel says mumbling the last line but gets a chuckle out of Bennie because of her sudden mood swing.
Her boss gives her a glare but shakes his head and walks towards his cluttered office.
Bennie gives Anna a ride home that night and drops her off. “Do you work tomorrow or no?” He asks her as she gets out of his car.
“No, I’m not on the schedule for tomorrow and Saturday, and luckily I’m in the morning on Friday. Also, do you work Friday evening because I was wondering if you could help me get ready? I haven’t been on a date in a while and don’t have that great of a selection to choose from.”
“Wait, you haven’t been on a date in a while? That’s hard to believe, unless you meant since you arrived here about six weeks ago.” Bennie says with a sly grin.
Isabel laughs, “No, I mean like…months!” ‘Since I was married…big mistake!’
“Really? Anyway, I gotta go. My sister’s at my mom’s waiting to see me since I haven’t seen her in two years so…”
“Then go! One question though, is your sister older or younger than you?” Isabel asks with curiosity.
“Younger, but not by much, about 13 months to be a little more exact. I’ll hopefully see you some time tomorrow. See ya!” He states driving off down the road.
(That Night)
Isabel sits on her bed, still contemplating what Bennie said earlier and wonders about her decision a littler more. ‘Listen to Bennie Iz, you don’t want to make a huge mistake.’ She reprimands herself. She continues to let her thoughts drift ‘til the point of sleep.
Starting off like her last dream in the café, we see Isabel walking along the beach but instead of being thin, she looks like she’s about eight months pregnant. She lets her toes squish in the sand and smoothes her dress with her hands, letting them rest on her tummy, where she can feel the baby kicking.
She continues to walk and lets her feet soon allow the lightly crashing shore clean them but soon…the shore begins to envelop her from bottom, up, not wanting to let her go. She screams and struggles but mostly worries about her unborn baby. Soon, the water has totally submerged her and she can’t breathe. In the water, she looks at her belly, silently praying someone will save her or at lest her baby, but notices a light blue handprint glowing through her abdomen as she suffocates…
Isabel wakes up in a crying fit, screaming and gasping for breath, “No! Not my baby!” She notices her hands are protectively on her belly and lifts her top only to see what she didn’t expect, a light blue glowing handprint through her skin. ‘Oh my God…’
She throws her legs over the edge of the bed and turns on her lamp, unbuttoning her top and pushing down her shorts a little lower, she heads to the mirror to look more closely at her body. She grazes her fingertips over the teeny, tiny handprint on her lower abdomen and stops when she starts to hear the baby’s fast-paced heartbeat in her ears along with her slower-paced heartbeat. She lets the heartbeats in enthrall her for the next few minutes and soon moves her hand and turns sideways for a better look at herself. The slight pooch in her belly is not too noticeable but in another few weeks she’ll be looking more like she’s pregnant than feeling fat.
“I guess this makes my decision final now…I’m keeping my baby.” She lies back down on her bed, not bothering to re-button her shirt; she lets the tears silently roll down her cheeks. She sits up though to take a piece of paper from her dresser though and we see it’s the letter she recently received from her parents, ‘should I tell them about their unborn grandchild?’
I’m just holding on
To let them know
What’s given to me (given to me)
To hide behind
The mask this time
And try to believe
If I can
Remember
To know this will
Conquer me
If I can
Just walk alone
And try to escape
Into me
(Excerpt from ‘Remember’ by Disturbed)
Eyes of a Stranger (CC,A/I,MATURE) Ch 15A - AN 09/05 [WIP]
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StarGazing101
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Chapter 9
Last edited by StarGazing101 on Tue Nov 11, 2003 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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StarGazing101
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2001 12:03 pm
- Location: In My Own Head
- Contact:
Chapter 10
Well, I'm finally updating after a month of absence from this story! This part is nice and long for your enjoyment. Thank you, Rhonda for putting up that note and for your guys' support! Anyway, without further adieu...
Chapter Ten
Isabel double checks that her apartment is locked before heading out her front door, knowing that she will not be home for another few hours. She plays with her keys in nervousness as she heads to the front gates of the complex, sitting on the curb, awaiting Bennie’s arrival. ‘God, I cannot believe I’m doing this,’ she thinks to herself. ‘I wonder if they’ll even like me? Who knows what Bennie has told them about me! Hopefully, nothing bad.’ She’s broken out of her thoughts when she hears a car horn honking at her.
“Hey Anna!” Bennie greets, pulling up in his dark green Toyota Camry. “How are you this lovely morning,” he smiles at her.
“I’m okay. A lot better than I was yesterday morning, but still a little nauseated. I really wish I could get rid of this.” She closes the door and puts on her seatbelt and they’re off.
Most of the way there they are quiet, but there’s a question nagging the back of Isabel’s mind, “Bennie, will your mother and sister like me?” Isabel blurts out.
“Is that what you’re so worried about,” he asks incredulously. “I have already told them all about you and they already love you and count you as one of their own. Don’t worry so much, besides, it’s not good for the baby.” He turns into an unfamiliar street, well to Anna, and continues down it until he reaches a small white house with brown trimmings.
Isabel gets out of the car and takes a deep breath and looks at her surroundings, feeling somewhat disoriented.
“Come on! We don’t want to keep my mother waiting, believe me…we don’t!” Bennie grabs her hand and they go inside.
Once inside, “¡Mamá, yo estoy en casa!” Bennie yells out for his mother and sister to hear.
Isabel listens intently and sees a short woman come jogging down the starts and another young woman behind her, whom Isabel assumes is Bennie’s sister. The older woman gives Bennie a big hug and smiles at him then looks to her. Isabel looks down then back up, feeling somewhat embarrassed but is soon greeted by a comforting hug from his mother and is then looked up and down by her.
“¡Hijo, tu estás en casa! Esto debe ser Anna. ¡Mi, ella es aún más hermosa que tu dijo que ella es!” Bennie’s mother exclaims to both Anna and her son.
Isabel looks to Bennie for help, having taken French and not Spanish in high school. “What did she say?” She asks him.
“Basically, she said you’re more beautiful than I described you to be.” He laughs at Anna’s blushing cheeks and hugs his sister.
“So, you’re Anna?” She says and hugs her. “It’s so nice to meet you! We have heard so much about you from my brother. By the way, I’m Carmen and this is our mother Beatriz, but you can call her Betty for short.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. Bennie speaks so highly of both of you and I was so scared to come here at first, but I’m glad I did.” She laughs a little, feeling less uncomfortable. She gets a tour of their house and backyard and they are all soon sitting in the living room, drinking tea. ‘This house make look small on the outside, but it sure has a lot of room on the inside.’
“So he does speak highly of us! I didn’t know you cared big bro’!” Carmen jokes with Bennie, pretending to show affection and then rolls her eyes. “Anyway, so, how’s work?” She starts to laugh as she heads into the kitchen to get more drinks.
“Shut up Carmen! It’s fine. Except I think Mr. Dumas has it in for Anna and me. Have you noticed the looks?” He asks pointedly towards Anna.
“Yeah I have, but I think he’ll have it in for me when he finds out about…um…my ‘situation’.” Putting her head down in shame, staring at the ripples in the tea. ‘Why does everything have to be so hard and complicated? With all the alien crap that went on in Roswell and the mistakes I have made and tried to learn from…can’t I ever get a break?’
“Speaking of Mr. Dumas, I need to get to work before I’m late. Anna, hopefully I’ll see you later after your date. You have to tell me everything.” Bennie states, grabbing his coat and hugging Anna.
“I will. Just don’t have too much fun without me,” she smiles.
“Oh…I won’t,” he says with fake enthusiasm and heads out the door. Once gone, Isabel looks at Carmen and Betty.
“So, hon’, we heard about your ‘situation’ per say and wonder how you’re doing with it?” Betty states coming over next to Anna and taking her hand affectionately.
‘She reminds me so much of my own mother, maybe this won’t be so bad after all…’ She sighs, “I’m okay, I guess. I’m still adjusting and believe me it hasn’t been easy. Trying to get used to a new town, new people, and making new friends was pretty hard for me to do since I’m not the most open person in the world. And then this whole thing with the baby now and Gavin wanting to date me…it just makes everything more complicated!” Anna runs her hands through her hair and tries to hold back the tears that are beginning to sting her eyes.
“Chica, go ahead and cry. Don’t be embarrassed because of us, we are here for you and the fact that you are not repulsed by the fact that Bennie is…’you know’ just makes me like you even more!” Carmen goes over to where her mother and Anna are sitting and sits on the floor with her legs crossed and huddled to her chest.
“I can see how you guys and Bennie are related, you’re so compassionate! Could I ask you guys a question?” Isabel states letting the tears flow freely but not exactly sobbing.
“Shoot!”
“You think you can help me find something to wear for my date with Gavin tonight?”
“Oh yeah, definitely!” They both say simultaneously. Isabel laughs at their antics.
“So, what kind of outfit are you looking for or are you planning on going to the mall and getting something to wear? Also, how did you get the oh-so-mysterious Gavin Frost?” Carmen asks with some playfulness.
“Lets just say…our relationship went straight to the advanced level then starting at the beginner’s course.” Her face turns bright red at Carmen’s reaction and continues to talk. “Well, I definitely won’t be going to the mall. I’m like totally broke since I just paid my rent and utilities and my pay check isn’t that great so…I’m looking for something decent and that’s me, but cheap!” Isabel then feels her stomach churning and tries to keep it down, but the next thing she knows she’s running to the bathroom.
“Poor thing…” Betty comments after she hears the bathroom door slam shut.
As they drive down the road, “Where exactly are we going,” Isabel asks.
“You’ll find out in a few minutes, we are almost there. Anyway, so where are you from? Bennie never mentioned it.” Carmen asks wanting to get to know her new friend and curious about her past, feeling that Anna has secrets.
“Oh! Um…I’m from Phoenix! Yeah, Phoenix, Arizona.” She stutters totally not expecting her question. “Why do you ask?” ‘There must be a reason,’ her suspicious mind speculates.
“Oh, just out of my own curiosity because your accent definitely says you are not from the East. Wow! Phoenix. You came over three thousand miles to come here but may I ask why? I’m sorry if I’m sounding nosy. I’m just curious. Plus, the jobs pay more out there and the weather is much nicer, why here?” ‘She seems nervous, why is that? It’s not like I’m interrogating her. I just want to get to know her.’ Carmen thinks, somewhat hurt by Anna’s reactions to her.
“It’s okay. College mostly, but then this whole thing arose and now I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. So I don’t even know if I’m going to college or not now.” She says without restraint this time, relaxing a little more. ‘You should have expected this Iz. I mean…you haven’t told Bennie everything, unfortunately, you left out some of the more important details.’ Isabel reprimands herself.
“We’re here!” Betty says excitedly and to break the tension between her daughter and Anna, not wanting an argument to occur. ‘My daughter really needs to stop being so overbearing on her before she gets herself into trouble.’
After Anna gets out of the car, Beatriz gives her daughter a nasty look and Carmen shrugs her shoulders as if she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Isabel looks up and sees the big blue letters upon the sign, Good Will, and thinks to herself, ‘oh my God! Where have they taken me?’.
“Come on. We are not going to bite Anna and just because it says, Good Will, doesn’t mean a thing! Believe us!” Beatriz squeezes her shoulders comfortingly. ‘Tense,’ she thinks to herself.
As soon as they get inside, the tension soon leaves Isabel and she is in awe of the all the stuff in this store. Especially what she sees on the racks, having seen an old Prada bag on the purse rack as she passed it by. Carmen and Beatriz drag her through most of the store until her feet are sore and then they stop near the back of the store, near the dressing rooms.
‘Since when does a Good Will have dressing rooms,’ she asks herself.
“Okay, if you’re wondering, this may be a Good Will, but it’s the Good Will on the rich side of town if you haven’t noticed. We may have all the awesome shops and stuff, but this is where all the snobs drop off stuff that is out-of-style to them but is gold to us.” Carmen states smiling, pointing to her black Bubblegum brand jacket.
“Plus, most guys do not know fashion, even though there are a few exceptions, and Gavin will not know the difference if you are wearing some expensive shirt from the mall or a hand-me-down from the Salvation Army. They are fashion blind. Why do you think most girlfriends dress their boyfriends?” Betty states looking through the shirt rack with Anna and watches her laugh at her clever comment. ‘At least I got a smile out of her.’
“Oh! Anna, you have to try this on!” Carmen yells from a large bin full of various clothing items.
Isabel looks at the shirt Carmen held up and was amazed at how it looked. A brand new, light blue, bell-sleeve, casmere top that looked like it had never even been worn. She went over and looked at the size and hoped it would fit but noticed on the tag it said stretchable and decided to try it on.
She soon comes out of the dressing room wearing it and admirs herself in the mirror on the door of the stall she was just in. She liked where it fit most everywhere, except one place…her waist line. Her belly only very slightly protruded but she felt like she was twenty pounds heavier than she really was. She frowns at herself in the mirror and shakes her head, holding back the tears that threatened to spill once again. ‘God damn it! Stupid hormones!’
“What’s the matter? Don’t you like it? I mean it looks stunning on you!” Carmen states incredulously at her fragile friend. ‘This girl must be crazy to not think she looks awesome in that shirt.’
“No, I like it and I love the color. It doesn’t clash with anything…it’s just…I look fat and I don’t want to give ANY hints to Gavin about the creature that grows within me. I’m not wearing this.” She was about to go back into the dressing room when Betty grabbed her wrist and brought her back in front of the mirror.
“Hon’, take it from an expert. You do not look fat. The only reason you think that is because you are in pregnancy thinking mode, meaning, you think everything makes you like fat. You’re in the stage where you feel fat, not pregnant. I want you to look at yourself again and pretend that you are not pregnant, that you are looking at yourself for the first time. Plus, the bell sleeves will distract him from looking at your waist anyhow, you have no need to worry.”
She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes then opens them again, now seeing a different version of herself in the mirror. “Okay! That’s better. Wow! This is also quite slimming and it’s only two dollars, damn!”
“That’s the spirit! Come on, we need to find some other items to go along with it!” Carmen says dragging her across the store once again.
Once done shopping, Isabel now has a brand new outfit for her date with Gavin tonight and a new jacket to keep her warm too since, by the news, it’s supposed to be 59° F tonight.
Isabel gets dressed and ready at Bennie’s mother’s house and decides to let them drive her to the café so they can ‘evaluate’ Gavin.
Isabel awaits Gavin at The Kiwi Express, watching Bennie, his mother, and sister talking. ‘God, I hope this date goes okay,’ she thinks to herself. She plays with the acupressure bands Bennie’s mother gave her for her morning sickness, and turned them into bracelets after. She thanked Beatriz, graciously for them and thanked God her morning sickness was under control.
She notices Bennie walking over towards her and smiles, “Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” he states seating himself across from her. “Well, I think Gavin will like what he sees because you look beautiful. Ya nervous?” He asks.
“Thanks for the compliment and yes, I’m extremely nervous.” She states still playing with her bracelets.
“Yeah, I can tell. One, you’re not looking me in the eye, two, you keep playing with your bracelets, and three, you’re shaking to death. You need to calm down. It’s just a date.” Bennie states casually, placing his hand on hers and gives her one of his best smiles.
She laughs, relaxing a bit, and says, “I know, it’s just…what if something goes wrong or I screw up? Or what if I babble like an idiot?” She rambles and notices Bennie beginning to laugh at her. “What’s so funny?”
“The fact that you are nervous about screwing up such a simple date. Just be yourself. If he truly wants to be with you, he’ll love the way you are now, whether you’re a total screw-up or little Miss Perfectionist. Take a deep breath and act normal.” He says standing up out of the booth and hears the bell attached to the door ring. “There he is, right on time too.” He whispers to her. “Get up.”
“Hey.” Gavin says coming over, smiling at Anna and handing her a simple red rose. He watches he smell the rose and sees her blush and smile. “Also might I add to that ‘hey’ that you look absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” She says quietly and smiles at Beatriz and Carmen, seeing Carmen giving her a thumbs up.
“Ready to go?” He asks her, putting his hand out for her.
“Yes, yes I am.” They head out the double doors walking side-by-side and holding hands.
“Don’t they look adorable together?” Bennie says gidily, getting back to work behind the counter and notices his mother shaking her head at him. “What?”
“So, where exactly are we heading to?” Anna asks from the front seat of Gavin’s Jetta, trying to restrain herself from playing with the acupressure bands.
“It’s a surprise.” He states giving her a sly smile.
“That’s not fair! You know I don’t know many of the places in this town, how am I suppose to have fun and try to guess where we’re going?” She exasperates.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t guess what type of place we’re going to, now does it? Besides we’re almost there.”
She sits back in her seat, pouting, but plays at something else, “Is there any way I can slip it out of you?” She states, giving her, her sweetest smile.
“Nope! Not uh! I don’t think so! Your girly ways won’t work on me.” He looks at her incredulously seeing the glistening in her eyes. ‘She has gorgeous eyes,’ he thinks longingly.
“You don’t know that, they could. You know that I can be as manipulative as I want.” She states sexily.
He gulps, “Really? I didn’t know that. Well, you can save it for the next date, because we’re here.”
‘Thank God!’ Isabel thinks to herself. ‘The suspense was killing me! Isabel looks out the window and notices it’s a club type place. ‘Oh God,’ she states…remembering the last time she went to a club.
“You okay,” he asks her. “You look like you’re going to be sick.” He says opening her door and helping her out.
“I’m fine,” she states going into ‘Ice Princess’ mode, “now, where are we?”
‘Fine, be that way.’ “This is a place called, The Rummage Bin. It’s like a club and a coffee house mixed you could say. It’s also a private place which means you have to be pretty well-known in this town or invited.” He says taking her hand in his and begins walking with her to the entrance.
“And might I ask how did you get invited?” She states giving him a playful smile.
“Ouch! Now that hurts,” he says bringing his free hand to his heart jokingly. “No, but anyway, I help the guy who owns this place with his taxes and other math slash business related things. So, you could say I have connections.” He smiles and winks at her.
Anna laughs at his antics and hits him good-humoredly. “So, what’s this place like?”
“It’s a nice place! This guy puts his heart and soul into this club. He also books live music…which is one of the main reasons I brought you here because I figured you wouldn’t mind some dancing and light headbanging while we’re out.” He sees her smile and knows that he made a good choice, than going to the movies. ‘Why pick something so simple and boring when you could wow her the first time than rather have her turn you down for a 2nd date? Stupid people,’ he thinks generally.
They head inside and sit down at a small table in back near the bar where a few people sit, bobbing their heads to the music. They order a little something to eat and chat lightly until the main attraction comes on.
“So, who’s playing tonight?” She asks with curiousity, wondering if she has heard of the band before or not.
“Do you like punk rock?” He asks her, deciding to lead her to the band than just tell her straight out.
“I like some punk rock.”
“Like who?”
“Like, Simple Plan and SR-71, bands like that.” She states.
“Then I think you’ll like this band. Would you care to join me, mademoiselle?” Gavin stands up from the table and puts his hand out for her. He takes her hand in his, “Your hands are freezing,” he exclaims.
“Yeah, I know.” She looks down then back up, somewhat biting her lip.
“Well, come on. Lets see who they have tonight.” He laughs.
“You already know, it doesn’t matter to you!”
The lights soon dim and the lights to the stage come on bright and we hear the sound of a speeding car and a piano. The banner from atop the stage falls with the acronym A.F.I. Soon the drum solo hits and the real music begins to play.
I... I came here by day, but I left here in darkness
And found you, found you on the way
And now, it is silver and silent, it is silver and cold
You, in somber resplendence, I hold
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Gavin and Anna continue to hold hands and the bob their heads and sway back and forth to the blossoming lyrics and pulsing beat.
Light, like the flutter of wings, feel your hollow voice rushing into me
As you're longing to sing
So I... I will paint you in silver, I will wrap you in cold
I will lift up your voice as I sink
Anna lets go of Gavin’s hand because her palm is sweaty and notices him starting him to head bang a little as the chorus comes again. She laughs as his hair just stays standing straight on end because of the massive amount of gel, she could tell, he used.
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one, now
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
She smiles at him and as the slower part of the song comes and he turns to her with a smile and a little bit of sweat on his brow due to the crowd. She wipes it from his forehead and he takes both her hands in his and he begins to sing the next part of the song to her.
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn away
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn
As they seep... into me, oh, my beautiful one, now
She tries to keep her hormones under control so she doesn’t cry at how surprisingly well he could sing. The chorus starts up again and she begins to headbang with him this time. ‘It’s only the first song and I’m already tired out…but at least I’m having a good time. Damn! He looks sexy when he headbangs.’
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me)
Your sins into me... oh
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one, now
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into...
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
After a few more songs and before the next song begins, Anna and Gavin get a drink of water and Anna asks, “If you don’t mind me asking, what does A.F.I. stand for?”
“It stands for, A Fire Inside. How do you like them so far?” Gavin says sitting down for a sec and wiping the sweat off of his forehead as he hears the song, The Lost Souls, come on. After him and Anna small talk and discuss a little about the band he soon hears, The Days of Phoenix, come on. “Oh! We have to get up for this one!” She follows after him into the crowd.
I remember when I was told of story of crushed velvet,
candle wax, and dried up flowers
The figure on the bed all dressed up in roses, calling
Beckoning to sleep,
Offering a dream
Words were as mystical as purring animals
The circle of rage
The ghosts on the stage appeared
The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go
Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay
I fell into fantasy
“This is an interesting song!” Anna yells to Gavin and she jumps up and down wth him.
“Yeah it is! I love this song!” He yells back.
Words were as mystical as purring animals
The circle of rage
The ghosts on the stage appeared
The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go
Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday.
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay.
I fell into fantasy
Everybody begins to calm down as the non-headbanging part of the song came and everyone just sort of swayed back and forth to the mysterious lyrics.
The girl on the wall always waited for me,
And she was always smiling
The teenage death boys
The teenage death girls
And everyone was dancing
Nothing could touch us then
No one could change us then
Everyone was dancing
Nothing could hurt us then
No one could see us then
Everyone was dancing
Everyone was dancing
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay
I fell into fantasy
Our dreams seemed not far away
Our dreams seemed not far away
Our dreams seemed not far away
I fell into fantasy
Being the last song of the night the lead singer, Davey spoke, “Wow! There is definitely a lot of energy in this room and we were happy to be here tonight! Thanks for being such a great audience. YOU’RE ALL GREAT!” He yells to them and the band waves to the audience and A.F.I. begins to head backstage to pack up.
“Wow! I haven’t had that much fun in so long!” She exclaims as he walks her to the gates of her complex.
“Yeah, me neither! It was also nice…to have someone else with me to share it with.” He says looking down then up and sees a large smile begin to appear on her face.
She looks down then up, it being a nervous habit, and looks him in the eyes, seeing happiness reflecting in them. Slowly she notices his face begin to lean in near hers and she slowly begins to lean into his. The intense moment feels like it’s going to last forever but soon their lips touch and they have commenced lift off. At first the kiss is just a regular peck but it soon becomes an end-of-the-night lip-lock.
Their tongues massage the other’s in their mouthes and his hands fall on her hips and he brings her closer to him. Her hands come up and hold onto his neck. The scene looks like an old black and white film, two people connecting their heart with the other’s with such intense emotion they don’t realize anything else.
Soon, Gavin slowly parts his lips from hers and takes a long, slow breath and grins widely. He sees the look in her eyes and could tell the kiss was just as momentus as he felt it was. He removes his hand from her hips and kisses her cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow hopefully.” He begins to walk off but stops, “Would you be available some time next week, say next Wednesday?” He asks with anticipation in his voice.
“I don’t know. Depends on my schedule.” She states quickly. “I think I should be heading back now. I’ll see you around.” She states unhappily and quickly walks off.
Gavin stares in amazement at her sudden attitude change and how abruptly she left, “What the hell?”
(Songs ‘Silver and Cold’ and ‘The Days of Phoenix’ by A.F.I.)
[font face=comic sans ms size=1]Translations: 1. Mom, I’m home! 2. Son, you’re home. This must be Anna. My, she’s more beautiful than you said she is![/font]
Hopefully that's right...
Chapter Ten
Isabel double checks that her apartment is locked before heading out her front door, knowing that she will not be home for another few hours. She plays with her keys in nervousness as she heads to the front gates of the complex, sitting on the curb, awaiting Bennie’s arrival. ‘God, I cannot believe I’m doing this,’ she thinks to herself. ‘I wonder if they’ll even like me? Who knows what Bennie has told them about me! Hopefully, nothing bad.’ She’s broken out of her thoughts when she hears a car horn honking at her.
“Hey Anna!” Bennie greets, pulling up in his dark green Toyota Camry. “How are you this lovely morning,” he smiles at her.
“I’m okay. A lot better than I was yesterday morning, but still a little nauseated. I really wish I could get rid of this.” She closes the door and puts on her seatbelt and they’re off.
Most of the way there they are quiet, but there’s a question nagging the back of Isabel’s mind, “Bennie, will your mother and sister like me?” Isabel blurts out.
“Is that what you’re so worried about,” he asks incredulously. “I have already told them all about you and they already love you and count you as one of their own. Don’t worry so much, besides, it’s not good for the baby.” He turns into an unfamiliar street, well to Anna, and continues down it until he reaches a small white house with brown trimmings.
Isabel gets out of the car and takes a deep breath and looks at her surroundings, feeling somewhat disoriented.
“Come on! We don’t want to keep my mother waiting, believe me…we don’t!” Bennie grabs her hand and they go inside.
Once inside, “¡Mamá, yo estoy en casa!” Bennie yells out for his mother and sister to hear.
Isabel listens intently and sees a short woman come jogging down the starts and another young woman behind her, whom Isabel assumes is Bennie’s sister. The older woman gives Bennie a big hug and smiles at him then looks to her. Isabel looks down then back up, feeling somewhat embarrassed but is soon greeted by a comforting hug from his mother and is then looked up and down by her.
“¡Hijo, tu estás en casa! Esto debe ser Anna. ¡Mi, ella es aún más hermosa que tu dijo que ella es!” Bennie’s mother exclaims to both Anna and her son.
Isabel looks to Bennie for help, having taken French and not Spanish in high school. “What did she say?” She asks him.
“Basically, she said you’re more beautiful than I described you to be.” He laughs at Anna’s blushing cheeks and hugs his sister.
“So, you’re Anna?” She says and hugs her. “It’s so nice to meet you! We have heard so much about you from my brother. By the way, I’m Carmen and this is our mother Beatriz, but you can call her Betty for short.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. Bennie speaks so highly of both of you and I was so scared to come here at first, but I’m glad I did.” She laughs a little, feeling less uncomfortable. She gets a tour of their house and backyard and they are all soon sitting in the living room, drinking tea. ‘This house make look small on the outside, but it sure has a lot of room on the inside.’
“So he does speak highly of us! I didn’t know you cared big bro’!” Carmen jokes with Bennie, pretending to show affection and then rolls her eyes. “Anyway, so, how’s work?” She starts to laugh as she heads into the kitchen to get more drinks.
“Shut up Carmen! It’s fine. Except I think Mr. Dumas has it in for Anna and me. Have you noticed the looks?” He asks pointedly towards Anna.
“Yeah I have, but I think he’ll have it in for me when he finds out about…um…my ‘situation’.” Putting her head down in shame, staring at the ripples in the tea. ‘Why does everything have to be so hard and complicated? With all the alien crap that went on in Roswell and the mistakes I have made and tried to learn from…can’t I ever get a break?’
“Speaking of Mr. Dumas, I need to get to work before I’m late. Anna, hopefully I’ll see you later after your date. You have to tell me everything.” Bennie states, grabbing his coat and hugging Anna.
“I will. Just don’t have too much fun without me,” she smiles.
“Oh…I won’t,” he says with fake enthusiasm and heads out the door. Once gone, Isabel looks at Carmen and Betty.
“So, hon’, we heard about your ‘situation’ per say and wonder how you’re doing with it?” Betty states coming over next to Anna and taking her hand affectionately.
‘She reminds me so much of my own mother, maybe this won’t be so bad after all…’ She sighs, “I’m okay, I guess. I’m still adjusting and believe me it hasn’t been easy. Trying to get used to a new town, new people, and making new friends was pretty hard for me to do since I’m not the most open person in the world. And then this whole thing with the baby now and Gavin wanting to date me…it just makes everything more complicated!” Anna runs her hands through her hair and tries to hold back the tears that are beginning to sting her eyes.
“Chica, go ahead and cry. Don’t be embarrassed because of us, we are here for you and the fact that you are not repulsed by the fact that Bennie is…’you know’ just makes me like you even more!” Carmen goes over to where her mother and Anna are sitting and sits on the floor with her legs crossed and huddled to her chest.
“I can see how you guys and Bennie are related, you’re so compassionate! Could I ask you guys a question?” Isabel states letting the tears flow freely but not exactly sobbing.
“Shoot!”
“You think you can help me find something to wear for my date with Gavin tonight?”
“Oh yeah, definitely!” They both say simultaneously. Isabel laughs at their antics.
“So, what kind of outfit are you looking for or are you planning on going to the mall and getting something to wear? Also, how did you get the oh-so-mysterious Gavin Frost?” Carmen asks with some playfulness.
“Lets just say…our relationship went straight to the advanced level then starting at the beginner’s course.” Her face turns bright red at Carmen’s reaction and continues to talk. “Well, I definitely won’t be going to the mall. I’m like totally broke since I just paid my rent and utilities and my pay check isn’t that great so…I’m looking for something decent and that’s me, but cheap!” Isabel then feels her stomach churning and tries to keep it down, but the next thing she knows she’s running to the bathroom.
“Poor thing…” Betty comments after she hears the bathroom door slam shut.
As they drive down the road, “Where exactly are we going,” Isabel asks.
“You’ll find out in a few minutes, we are almost there. Anyway, so where are you from? Bennie never mentioned it.” Carmen asks wanting to get to know her new friend and curious about her past, feeling that Anna has secrets.
“Oh! Um…I’m from Phoenix! Yeah, Phoenix, Arizona.” She stutters totally not expecting her question. “Why do you ask?” ‘There must be a reason,’ her suspicious mind speculates.
“Oh, just out of my own curiosity because your accent definitely says you are not from the East. Wow! Phoenix. You came over three thousand miles to come here but may I ask why? I’m sorry if I’m sounding nosy. I’m just curious. Plus, the jobs pay more out there and the weather is much nicer, why here?” ‘She seems nervous, why is that? It’s not like I’m interrogating her. I just want to get to know her.’ Carmen thinks, somewhat hurt by Anna’s reactions to her.
“It’s okay. College mostly, but then this whole thing arose and now I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. So I don’t even know if I’m going to college or not now.” She says without restraint this time, relaxing a little more. ‘You should have expected this Iz. I mean…you haven’t told Bennie everything, unfortunately, you left out some of the more important details.’ Isabel reprimands herself.
“We’re here!” Betty says excitedly and to break the tension between her daughter and Anna, not wanting an argument to occur. ‘My daughter really needs to stop being so overbearing on her before she gets herself into trouble.’
After Anna gets out of the car, Beatriz gives her daughter a nasty look and Carmen shrugs her shoulders as if she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Isabel looks up and sees the big blue letters upon the sign, Good Will, and thinks to herself, ‘oh my God! Where have they taken me?’.
“Come on. We are not going to bite Anna and just because it says, Good Will, doesn’t mean a thing! Believe us!” Beatriz squeezes her shoulders comfortingly. ‘Tense,’ she thinks to herself.
As soon as they get inside, the tension soon leaves Isabel and she is in awe of the all the stuff in this store. Especially what she sees on the racks, having seen an old Prada bag on the purse rack as she passed it by. Carmen and Beatriz drag her through most of the store until her feet are sore and then they stop near the back of the store, near the dressing rooms.
‘Since when does a Good Will have dressing rooms,’ she asks herself.
“Okay, if you’re wondering, this may be a Good Will, but it’s the Good Will on the rich side of town if you haven’t noticed. We may have all the awesome shops and stuff, but this is where all the snobs drop off stuff that is out-of-style to them but is gold to us.” Carmen states smiling, pointing to her black Bubblegum brand jacket.
“Plus, most guys do not know fashion, even though there are a few exceptions, and Gavin will not know the difference if you are wearing some expensive shirt from the mall or a hand-me-down from the Salvation Army. They are fashion blind. Why do you think most girlfriends dress their boyfriends?” Betty states looking through the shirt rack with Anna and watches her laugh at her clever comment. ‘At least I got a smile out of her.’
“Oh! Anna, you have to try this on!” Carmen yells from a large bin full of various clothing items.
Isabel looks at the shirt Carmen held up and was amazed at how it looked. A brand new, light blue, bell-sleeve, casmere top that looked like it had never even been worn. She went over and looked at the size and hoped it would fit but noticed on the tag it said stretchable and decided to try it on.
She soon comes out of the dressing room wearing it and admirs herself in the mirror on the door of the stall she was just in. She liked where it fit most everywhere, except one place…her waist line. Her belly only very slightly protruded but she felt like she was twenty pounds heavier than she really was. She frowns at herself in the mirror and shakes her head, holding back the tears that threatened to spill once again. ‘God damn it! Stupid hormones!’
“What’s the matter? Don’t you like it? I mean it looks stunning on you!” Carmen states incredulously at her fragile friend. ‘This girl must be crazy to not think she looks awesome in that shirt.’
“No, I like it and I love the color. It doesn’t clash with anything…it’s just…I look fat and I don’t want to give ANY hints to Gavin about the creature that grows within me. I’m not wearing this.” She was about to go back into the dressing room when Betty grabbed her wrist and brought her back in front of the mirror.
“Hon’, take it from an expert. You do not look fat. The only reason you think that is because you are in pregnancy thinking mode, meaning, you think everything makes you like fat. You’re in the stage where you feel fat, not pregnant. I want you to look at yourself again and pretend that you are not pregnant, that you are looking at yourself for the first time. Plus, the bell sleeves will distract him from looking at your waist anyhow, you have no need to worry.”
She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes then opens them again, now seeing a different version of herself in the mirror. “Okay! That’s better. Wow! This is also quite slimming and it’s only two dollars, damn!”
“That’s the spirit! Come on, we need to find some other items to go along with it!” Carmen says dragging her across the store once again.
Once done shopping, Isabel now has a brand new outfit for her date with Gavin tonight and a new jacket to keep her warm too since, by the news, it’s supposed to be 59° F tonight.
Isabel gets dressed and ready at Bennie’s mother’s house and decides to let them drive her to the café so they can ‘evaluate’ Gavin.
Isabel awaits Gavin at The Kiwi Express, watching Bennie, his mother, and sister talking. ‘God, I hope this date goes okay,’ she thinks to herself. She plays with the acupressure bands Bennie’s mother gave her for her morning sickness, and turned them into bracelets after. She thanked Beatriz, graciously for them and thanked God her morning sickness was under control.
She notices Bennie walking over towards her and smiles, “Hey.”
“Hey yourself,” he states seating himself across from her. “Well, I think Gavin will like what he sees because you look beautiful. Ya nervous?” He asks.
“Thanks for the compliment and yes, I’m extremely nervous.” She states still playing with her bracelets.
“Yeah, I can tell. One, you’re not looking me in the eye, two, you keep playing with your bracelets, and three, you’re shaking to death. You need to calm down. It’s just a date.” Bennie states casually, placing his hand on hers and gives her one of his best smiles.
She laughs, relaxing a bit, and says, “I know, it’s just…what if something goes wrong or I screw up? Or what if I babble like an idiot?” She rambles and notices Bennie beginning to laugh at her. “What’s so funny?”
“The fact that you are nervous about screwing up such a simple date. Just be yourself. If he truly wants to be with you, he’ll love the way you are now, whether you’re a total screw-up or little Miss Perfectionist. Take a deep breath and act normal.” He says standing up out of the booth and hears the bell attached to the door ring. “There he is, right on time too.” He whispers to her. “Get up.”
“Hey.” Gavin says coming over, smiling at Anna and handing her a simple red rose. He watches he smell the rose and sees her blush and smile. “Also might I add to that ‘hey’ that you look absolutely gorgeous.”
“Thank you.” She says quietly and smiles at Beatriz and Carmen, seeing Carmen giving her a thumbs up.
“Ready to go?” He asks her, putting his hand out for her.
“Yes, yes I am.” They head out the double doors walking side-by-side and holding hands.
“Don’t they look adorable together?” Bennie says gidily, getting back to work behind the counter and notices his mother shaking her head at him. “What?”
“So, where exactly are we heading to?” Anna asks from the front seat of Gavin’s Jetta, trying to restrain herself from playing with the acupressure bands.
“It’s a surprise.” He states giving her a sly smile.
“That’s not fair! You know I don’t know many of the places in this town, how am I suppose to have fun and try to guess where we’re going?” She exasperates.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t guess what type of place we’re going to, now does it? Besides we’re almost there.”
She sits back in her seat, pouting, but plays at something else, “Is there any way I can slip it out of you?” She states, giving her, her sweetest smile.
“Nope! Not uh! I don’t think so! Your girly ways won’t work on me.” He looks at her incredulously seeing the glistening in her eyes. ‘She has gorgeous eyes,’ he thinks longingly.
“You don’t know that, they could. You know that I can be as manipulative as I want.” She states sexily.
He gulps, “Really? I didn’t know that. Well, you can save it for the next date, because we’re here.”
‘Thank God!’ Isabel thinks to herself. ‘The suspense was killing me! Isabel looks out the window and notices it’s a club type place. ‘Oh God,’ she states…remembering the last time she went to a club.
“You okay,” he asks her. “You look like you’re going to be sick.” He says opening her door and helping her out.
“I’m fine,” she states going into ‘Ice Princess’ mode, “now, where are we?”
‘Fine, be that way.’ “This is a place called, The Rummage Bin. It’s like a club and a coffee house mixed you could say. It’s also a private place which means you have to be pretty well-known in this town or invited.” He says taking her hand in his and begins walking with her to the entrance.
“And might I ask how did you get invited?” She states giving him a playful smile.
“Ouch! Now that hurts,” he says bringing his free hand to his heart jokingly. “No, but anyway, I help the guy who owns this place with his taxes and other math slash business related things. So, you could say I have connections.” He smiles and winks at her.
Anna laughs at his antics and hits him good-humoredly. “So, what’s this place like?”
“It’s a nice place! This guy puts his heart and soul into this club. He also books live music…which is one of the main reasons I brought you here because I figured you wouldn’t mind some dancing and light headbanging while we’re out.” He sees her smile and knows that he made a good choice, than going to the movies. ‘Why pick something so simple and boring when you could wow her the first time than rather have her turn you down for a 2nd date? Stupid people,’ he thinks generally.
They head inside and sit down at a small table in back near the bar where a few people sit, bobbing their heads to the music. They order a little something to eat and chat lightly until the main attraction comes on.
“So, who’s playing tonight?” She asks with curiousity, wondering if she has heard of the band before or not.
“Do you like punk rock?” He asks her, deciding to lead her to the band than just tell her straight out.
“I like some punk rock.”
“Like who?”
“Like, Simple Plan and SR-71, bands like that.” She states.
“Then I think you’ll like this band. Would you care to join me, mademoiselle?” Gavin stands up from the table and puts his hand out for her. He takes her hand in his, “Your hands are freezing,” he exclaims.
“Yeah, I know.” She looks down then back up, somewhat biting her lip.
“Well, come on. Lets see who they have tonight.” He laughs.
“You already know, it doesn’t matter to you!”
The lights soon dim and the lights to the stage come on bright and we hear the sound of a speeding car and a piano. The banner from atop the stage falls with the acronym A.F.I. Soon the drum solo hits and the real music begins to play.
I... I came here by day, but I left here in darkness
And found you, found you on the way
And now, it is silver and silent, it is silver and cold
You, in somber resplendence, I hold
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Gavin and Anna continue to hold hands and the bob their heads and sway back and forth to the blossoming lyrics and pulsing beat.
Light, like the flutter of wings, feel your hollow voice rushing into me
As you're longing to sing
So I... I will paint you in silver, I will wrap you in cold
I will lift up your voice as I sink
Anna lets go of Gavin’s hand because her palm is sweaty and notices him starting him to head bang a little as the chorus comes again. She laughs as his hair just stays standing straight on end because of the massive amount of gel, she could tell, he used.
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one, now
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
She smiles at him and as the slower part of the song comes and he turns to her with a smile and a little bit of sweat on his brow due to the crowd. She wipes it from his forehead and he takes both her hands in his and he begins to sing the next part of the song to her.
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn away
Cold in life's throws, I'll fall asleep for you
Cold in life's throws, I only ask you turn
As they seep... into me, oh, my beautiful one, now
She tries to keep her hormones under control so she doesn’t cry at how surprisingly well he could sing. The chorus starts up again and she begins to headbang with him this time. ‘It’s only the first song and I’m already tired out…but at least I’m having a good time. Damn! He looks sexy when he headbangs.’
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me)
Your sins into me... oh
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one, now
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into...
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
After a few more songs and before the next song begins, Anna and Gavin get a drink of water and Anna asks, “If you don’t mind me asking, what does A.F.I. stand for?”
“It stands for, A Fire Inside. How do you like them so far?” Gavin says sitting down for a sec and wiping the sweat off of his forehead as he hears the song, The Lost Souls, come on. After him and Anna small talk and discuss a little about the band he soon hears, The Days of Phoenix, come on. “Oh! We have to get up for this one!” She follows after him into the crowd.
I remember when I was told of story of crushed velvet,
candle wax, and dried up flowers
The figure on the bed all dressed up in roses, calling
Beckoning to sleep,
Offering a dream
Words were as mystical as purring animals
The circle of rage
The ghosts on the stage appeared
The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go
Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay
I fell into fantasy
“This is an interesting song!” Anna yells to Gavin and she jumps up and down wth him.
“Yeah it is! I love this song!” He yells back.
Words were as mystical as purring animals
The circle of rage
The ghosts on the stage appeared
The time was so tangible, I'll never let it go
Ghost stories handed down, reached secret tunnels below
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday.
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay.
I fell into fantasy
Everybody begins to calm down as the non-headbanging part of the song came and everyone just sort of swayed back and forth to the mysterious lyrics.
The girl on the wall always waited for me,
And she was always smiling
The teenage death boys
The teenage death girls
And everyone was dancing
Nothing could touch us then
No one could change us then
Everyone was dancing
Nothing could hurt us then
No one could see us then
Everyone was dancing
Everyone was dancing
No one could see me
I fell into yesterday
Our dreams seemed not far away
I want to, I want to, I want to stay
I fell into fantasy
Our dreams seemed not far away
Our dreams seemed not far away
Our dreams seemed not far away
I fell into fantasy
Being the last song of the night the lead singer, Davey spoke, “Wow! There is definitely a lot of energy in this room and we were happy to be here tonight! Thanks for being such a great audience. YOU’RE ALL GREAT!” He yells to them and the band waves to the audience and A.F.I. begins to head backstage to pack up.
“Wow! I haven’t had that much fun in so long!” She exclaims as he walks her to the gates of her complex.
“Yeah, me neither! It was also nice…to have someone else with me to share it with.” He says looking down then up and sees a large smile begin to appear on her face.
She looks down then up, it being a nervous habit, and looks him in the eyes, seeing happiness reflecting in them. Slowly she notices his face begin to lean in near hers and she slowly begins to lean into his. The intense moment feels like it’s going to last forever but soon their lips touch and they have commenced lift off. At first the kiss is just a regular peck but it soon becomes an end-of-the-night lip-lock.
Their tongues massage the other’s in their mouthes and his hands fall on her hips and he brings her closer to him. Her hands come up and hold onto his neck. The scene looks like an old black and white film, two people connecting their heart with the other’s with such intense emotion they don’t realize anything else.
Soon, Gavin slowly parts his lips from hers and takes a long, slow breath and grins widely. He sees the look in her eyes and could tell the kiss was just as momentus as he felt it was. He removes his hand from her hips and kisses her cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow hopefully.” He begins to walk off but stops, “Would you be available some time next week, say next Wednesday?” He asks with anticipation in his voice.
“I don’t know. Depends on my schedule.” She states quickly. “I think I should be heading back now. I’ll see you around.” She states unhappily and quickly walks off.
Gavin stares in amazement at her sudden attitude change and how abruptly she left, “What the hell?”
(Songs ‘Silver and Cold’ and ‘The Days of Phoenix’ by A.F.I.)
[font face=comic sans ms size=1]Translations: 1. Mom, I’m home! 2. Son, you’re home. This must be Anna. My, she’s more beautiful than you said she is![/font]
Hopefully that's right...
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StarGazing101
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2001 12:03 pm
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Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
(A Month Later)
Isabel throws clothes into the washer haphazardly, not really in a good mood and not looking forward to working later. She closes the lid and begins to fold her first load that had just gotten finished. It has been a month since her and Gavin’s first, and maybe, last date. But otherwise, she’s been avoiding him since that fateful night. Not just because of the flash she got, but if he saw her now…well, who knows what kind of disaster that would cause.
She sighs in frustration and sits down at a table nearby, mulling and trying to organize her thoughts. ‘God, I don’t want to go to work tonight,’ she complains. ‘I mean, what if he’s there? Luckily, I have not run into him since last month but I have a feeling that’s going to change tonight…’
She winces, a little, in pain from the sharp panging in her lower abdomen and places her hand there. She takes a few deep breaths and slows her breathing, hoping the pain will, maybe, subside.
“What’s wrong, baby? What’re you trying to tell mama?” She whispers to her unborn child, feeling another sharp pain.
As the panging subsides, she smoothes her hands over her, now, 19-week belly, her pregnancy more obvious than before since, now, she has to buy looser fitting clothes and maternity jeans [which she bought at Goodwill]. Since it’s a nice day though, surprisingly, in the mid-seventies, she’s wearing a pair of blue-flowered pajama bottoms and a light yellow spaghetti-strap top.
After another hour, her few loads of laundry are finished and she heads back to her semi-clean apartment. She places the basket on the couch and picks up trash and other miscellaneous items that clutter her small living room. Usually, her apartment is never like this, but lately, she hasn’t really had the strength to do anything.
“What is wrong with me?” she reprimands herself. “Either I’m getting lazy or my boss has been a slave-driver and is working me too much.” ‘Which I wouldn’t doubt,’ she rolls her eyes.
Isabel heads to work, looking fatigued and disheveled, but not really caring. She decides to go through the back so not to run into anybody unexpected, but ends up running into Nina and the new waitress, Kim, instead.
“Oh my God, she’s actually on time for once! Wow, Anna, this is a different concept for you, isn’t it?” Nina states, oozing with sarcasm. She laughs and walks out the double doors, leaving a confused Kim and an angry Anna.
“Okay…I don’t think that I’m going to ask…”
“I recommend it.” Anna states, opening her locker and placing a change of clothes in there for later. “By the way, I’m Anna, as you must have heard from the bitch.” She sticks her hand out and Kim shakes it.
“Yeah…Oh, I’m Kim.” She looks Anna up and down, “So, when’s the baby due?” Kim asks politely noticing Anna’s burgeoning belly.
Anna laughs lightly, “Oh, the baby’s due some time in December, don’t know when exactly, but hopefully around the holidays.” She smiles as she ties her apron behind her back.
“That’s cool. Well, I guess we should get out there and serve customers before Nina chews us out.” Kim heads out the doors followed by a yawning Anna.
As Anna buses tables, she feels another searing pain in her stomach, but ignores it.
“Okay, here’s your Mocha Latté and Cinnamon Sti- ow!” She exclaims loudly, dropping the whole tray and ends up shattering the mug that she was about to give her customer.
“Are you okay, Miss?” The woman she’s serving asks.
Bennie comes running over after hearing the shattering glass, “Anna, everything alright?” He asks concernedly.
“I’m fine,” trying to ignore the throbbing in her abdomen, but the pain is blurring her vision.
“Anna, you’re not alright! Something’s wrong,” he whispers fiercely in her ear. “There could be something wrong with the baby and you’re ignoring it!”
“There’s nothing wrong with my baby!” The tears cloud her vision as the reality of this begins to sink in.
The people in the café begin to stare at the odd situation occurring in their midst and Bennie continues to beg for her understanding, knowing full well she doesn’t want to admit that something’s terribly wrong. Pretty soon, she can’t really hear what’s going on and everything sounds muffled. The lights seem to become brighter, almost as if the contrast of the issue was heightened, then…everything goes black.
Bennie notices Anna’s lack of attention and sees the glazed look in her eyes, “Anna,” he questions. He gets his answer when she passes out. He catches her before she hits the ground and carefully lays her upon it. “Anna!” He freaks out, fanning her and trying to get her to wake up. “Kim!” He yells to the closest person to the phone, “Call an ambulance!”
(Two Hours Later)
She slowly opens her eyes, but shuts them back tight due to the bright light that’s blinding her but reopens again. She looks to one side of her and notices the white walls and small window and then turns the other way to see Bennie by her side.
“Bennie?” She whispers hoarsely but scared. “Where am I?”
He looks up and sees her hazel eyes staring into his green ones and sighs in relief, “Oh, thank God! You’re awake! God, you scared the shit out of us!” He states graciously and stands up to hug her. “Oh, and to answer your question, you’re in a hospital.”
Her eyes widen in horror at the thought that she’s in a hospital and tries to sit up only to be forced back down.
“No, no, and no! You are going to lie down and rest or am I going to have to chain you to this bed?” He gets a laugh out of her, which relaxes him a little more. Since her personally doesn’t like hospitals, but…who does?
“What did you mean by us?” Anna states, catching up with what Bennie said before. As soon as she asks, Carmen and Beatriz walk into the room and notice she’s awake.
“Oh honey! You worried us so much! Don’t you ever let this happen again!” Beatriz gets all riled up and hugs Anna tightly.
“Okay, mom, let her breathe!” Bennie says, his mom breaking her embrace.
That’s when the realization hits Anna, “Is my baby okay? I mean is there something seriously wrong?” She begins to panic.
“No, nothing serious from what I found.” A man in a white coat, about early thirties, comes in. “I’m Dr. Remus by the way.” He says shaking a few hands.
“So, what’s wrong? Is my baby okay?”
The doctor smiles friendly, “He’s fine. You just had a mild case of food poisoning but with stress added to it, it made it a little bit worse. Of course, I can’t really tell if there was any damage done to the fetus until later on in your pregnancy. So…you’re not fully out of the clear but for right now, I don’t want you to worry. Now your stress level…that’s a whole other story, I didn’t like what I saw on your charts. If your stress level was any higher, I’m afraid…you would have miscarried. The one thing I want to see change before you leave here though is that. So, you might want to get comfy because you’re going to be here for a few days.”
The doctor leaves them to let the news sink in. Anna cries at the revelation of knowing her baby almost died. Bennie and his family comfort her by saying that she was lucky and that God meant for her to have this baby.
Bennie decides to lighten the conversation but knows it won’t help. “Anna, what are you going to tell Gavin?”
She wipes away her tears and looks at him funny, “What do you mean?”
“Well, right after you fainted and before the ambulance arrived, Gavin walked in.”
“What! Oh God, what am I suppose to tell him now?” She begins to panic once again.
“How about the truth,” Gavin states from behind Bennie, a sullen look on his face.
“Gavin…” Anna states in shock.
“I think we’ll leave you two alone.” Carmen says, dragging Bennie and her their mother out of the room.
Before she’s about to start, Gavin puts his hand up and begins to speak, “Let me just say, I’m glad you’re okay and that everything went well, but that still doesn’t mean I forgive you for avoiding me this past month. Anna, do you know how it feels to be blown off? I mean to have someone you really like and care about just not wanting you around? Well, that’s how I felt.” He stops for a moment.
Anna opens her mouth to speak but is quieted again.
“Let me finish.” He takes a deep breath, “You blew me off. I tried calling you and you wouldn’t answer. I sat in your section at the café; you would get someone else to serve me. I even went by your apartment when I knew you were home and you wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence. I mean, what made you act like that? Do you not want to be with me because if so, you could have had the decency to tell me to my face rather than have me humiliate myself in public when I tried getting your attention?”
“It hurts Anna, but…I’m giving you the chance to give me an explanation of your actions before I just go out that door and never look back.” He says, angry tears striding down his face.
Anna looks back up and clenches the pillow she’s been using to disguise her stomach. “Thank you for giving me a chance to explain my actions, but please, bare with me that it may not make much sense to you. “
She takes a deep breath and begins, “Gavin, that night after our date, when we kissed…I was overwhelmed with emotion. Like, I could feel everything you felt for me and it scared me. I haven’t felt that in a long time…and I thought I would never experience it again, but I guess…I was wrong.”
“I didn’t know what to think, my mind was so clouded, so…I did the only thing I could. I feigned a mood swing and walked off, but when I got inside, I cried because I realized I had made a mistake.” She stops and looks up at him to see he’s still with her.
“There’s something else…isn’t there?” He asks.
“Gavin, come closer to me.” She states and takes his hand into hers. “This may be a bit, disturbing for you, but this is the other reason I avoided you.” She takes away the pillow and pulls down the covers so that her body isn’t covered. She takes his hand and places it upon her abdomen, where he soon feels faint kicks from the baby.
He moves his hand away in shock but slowly, in fascination, places it back where her hand now lies. “You’re having a baby.” He says more in a statement than a question.
“Yeah,” she states quietly not looking him in the eye.
“You know, you could’ve told me, I would’ve understood.” He looks hurt.
“I guess I was scared of what your reaction would be. Like, you would think of me as tainted or something or other.” She lowers her head in shame.
He looks at her like she’s crazy, “No! I would never think of you as tainted. The only thing I would think,” he takes her hand in his and squeezes it, “is how unfortunate it is that I’m not the father.” He states sweetly.
He sees the tears glistening in her eyes and realizes he said the right thing, but there’s still one question on his mind. “Um, Anna, if you don’t mind me asking—
“Who is the father?” She finishes for him, knowing that the question would eventually come up. “Well, I’m sorry, but that’s confidential. Plus, I already know I’m alone in this anyway—
“No, you’re not!” He becomes defensive. “You have Bennie, his family, Chris, me…”
“I don’t want you to feel obligated to help me take care of my son!” She reprimands him.
“No, I don’t feel obligated to father your child but I do want to help you through this even if I’m still a little angry at you about the whole avoidance thing.”
“No, Gavin! Please, listen to reason here!” Her tears flow down her cheeks, “Think about this. Eventually, you’re going to get attached and then you’re going to throw your future away to help a stranger with a baby that isn’t even yours! Please, rethink your decision.” She pleads with him but sound a little indignant.
He takes to offence what she just said, “So, what? We’re back to this, where you don’t want me around? Even though I offered to help you! Well…fine!” He states leaving the bag he brought with him in the chair and slams the door behind him on the way out.
“Gavin!” Anna screams to him, but to no avail, he’s gone.
Isabel notices the bag in the chair and takes it from its spot and looks into it. She sees a note and reads it aloud:
Hey Anna,
I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately and I’m somewhat angry at the fact that your avoiding me but my curiosity outweighs my anger at the moment. Like, as to why you’re avoiding me?
Anyway, when I went to the café this afternoon and noticed that everyone was gathered around something, I wondered, ‘what is so fascinating that no one is paying attention to what they’re doing’, but then I noticed Bennie was the first one there and I began to panic. I crouched over some hunched backs and that’s when I saw you. You looked extremely pale and you were sweating, almost as if someone had drenched you in water.
I got scared. All the anger I had stored for the past few weeks all went away and all I could think about was that I hope you would be okay and that nothing was seriously wrong. Hoping that I could talk to you one more time and see your beautiful smile.
I couldn’t really see what was going on and I kept asking what happened and the only thing people would say was that you had passed out and that you were having pain in your abdomen. When the ambulance got there, I asked a few paramedics what was wrong and they wouldn’t answer. I couldn’t even see you because of all the commotion.
Bennie called me on my cell about an hour after you arrived at the hospital and said that you were still in the Emergency. After, I was praying that you would be okay.
At the time, though, I was at the bookstore and I thought about what you said in the car on the way home after our date and how you said you loved Astronomy and the stars so I decided to get you something. There are a few other things too that I thought you might like.
Hope you get well and are back up on your feet again soon, but make sure you take it easy. I don’t want another scare like that when I walk into The Kiwi Express.
Gavin
She looks into the bag and takes out a book titled, Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe. Also, in the bag, is a, what looks like, a plush toy cat that is very soft. At the bottom, she notices two other thin, square-like things and her first thought is ‘CDs’. She looks at the cover of each and smiles, remembering how she mentioned that she liked Classical Music too and sees that he got her two CDs, the first one being, The Best of John Williams and the second being, The Classics with such composers as Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart.
Beatriz and her children come in to see an upset Anna hugging a stuffed cat as she cries.
“I guess things didn’t go so well between her and Gavin.” He whispers to Carmen and she nods in agreement.
Can you forgive me again?
I don't know what I said
But I didn't mean to hurt you
I heard the words come out
I felt that I would die
It hurt so much to hurt you
(Excerpt from ‘Forgive Me’ by Evanescence)
Feedback is greatly appreciated and I hope that whomever celebrates Thanksgiving had a good one!
(A Month Later)
Isabel throws clothes into the washer haphazardly, not really in a good mood and not looking forward to working later. She closes the lid and begins to fold her first load that had just gotten finished. It has been a month since her and Gavin’s first, and maybe, last date. But otherwise, she’s been avoiding him since that fateful night. Not just because of the flash she got, but if he saw her now…well, who knows what kind of disaster that would cause.
She sighs in frustration and sits down at a table nearby, mulling and trying to organize her thoughts. ‘God, I don’t want to go to work tonight,’ she complains. ‘I mean, what if he’s there? Luckily, I have not run into him since last month but I have a feeling that’s going to change tonight…’
She winces, a little, in pain from the sharp panging in her lower abdomen and places her hand there. She takes a few deep breaths and slows her breathing, hoping the pain will, maybe, subside.
“What’s wrong, baby? What’re you trying to tell mama?” She whispers to her unborn child, feeling another sharp pain.
As the panging subsides, she smoothes her hands over her, now, 19-week belly, her pregnancy more obvious than before since, now, she has to buy looser fitting clothes and maternity jeans [which she bought at Goodwill]. Since it’s a nice day though, surprisingly, in the mid-seventies, she’s wearing a pair of blue-flowered pajama bottoms and a light yellow spaghetti-strap top.
After another hour, her few loads of laundry are finished and she heads back to her semi-clean apartment. She places the basket on the couch and picks up trash and other miscellaneous items that clutter her small living room. Usually, her apartment is never like this, but lately, she hasn’t really had the strength to do anything.
“What is wrong with me?” she reprimands herself. “Either I’m getting lazy or my boss has been a slave-driver and is working me too much.” ‘Which I wouldn’t doubt,’ she rolls her eyes.
Isabel heads to work, looking fatigued and disheveled, but not really caring. She decides to go through the back so not to run into anybody unexpected, but ends up running into Nina and the new waitress, Kim, instead.
“Oh my God, she’s actually on time for once! Wow, Anna, this is a different concept for you, isn’t it?” Nina states, oozing with sarcasm. She laughs and walks out the double doors, leaving a confused Kim and an angry Anna.
“Okay…I don’t think that I’m going to ask…”
“I recommend it.” Anna states, opening her locker and placing a change of clothes in there for later. “By the way, I’m Anna, as you must have heard from the bitch.” She sticks her hand out and Kim shakes it.
“Yeah…Oh, I’m Kim.” She looks Anna up and down, “So, when’s the baby due?” Kim asks politely noticing Anna’s burgeoning belly.
Anna laughs lightly, “Oh, the baby’s due some time in December, don’t know when exactly, but hopefully around the holidays.” She smiles as she ties her apron behind her back.
“That’s cool. Well, I guess we should get out there and serve customers before Nina chews us out.” Kim heads out the doors followed by a yawning Anna.
As Anna buses tables, she feels another searing pain in her stomach, but ignores it.
“Okay, here’s your Mocha Latté and Cinnamon Sti- ow!” She exclaims loudly, dropping the whole tray and ends up shattering the mug that she was about to give her customer.
“Are you okay, Miss?” The woman she’s serving asks.
Bennie comes running over after hearing the shattering glass, “Anna, everything alright?” He asks concernedly.
“I’m fine,” trying to ignore the throbbing in her abdomen, but the pain is blurring her vision.
“Anna, you’re not alright! Something’s wrong,” he whispers fiercely in her ear. “There could be something wrong with the baby and you’re ignoring it!”
“There’s nothing wrong with my baby!” The tears cloud her vision as the reality of this begins to sink in.
The people in the café begin to stare at the odd situation occurring in their midst and Bennie continues to beg for her understanding, knowing full well she doesn’t want to admit that something’s terribly wrong. Pretty soon, she can’t really hear what’s going on and everything sounds muffled. The lights seem to become brighter, almost as if the contrast of the issue was heightened, then…everything goes black.
Bennie notices Anna’s lack of attention and sees the glazed look in her eyes, “Anna,” he questions. He gets his answer when she passes out. He catches her before she hits the ground and carefully lays her upon it. “Anna!” He freaks out, fanning her and trying to get her to wake up. “Kim!” He yells to the closest person to the phone, “Call an ambulance!”
(Two Hours Later)
She slowly opens her eyes, but shuts them back tight due to the bright light that’s blinding her but reopens again. She looks to one side of her and notices the white walls and small window and then turns the other way to see Bennie by her side.
“Bennie?” She whispers hoarsely but scared. “Where am I?”
He looks up and sees her hazel eyes staring into his green ones and sighs in relief, “Oh, thank God! You’re awake! God, you scared the shit out of us!” He states graciously and stands up to hug her. “Oh, and to answer your question, you’re in a hospital.”
Her eyes widen in horror at the thought that she’s in a hospital and tries to sit up only to be forced back down.
“No, no, and no! You are going to lie down and rest or am I going to have to chain you to this bed?” He gets a laugh out of her, which relaxes him a little more. Since her personally doesn’t like hospitals, but…who does?
“What did you mean by us?” Anna states, catching up with what Bennie said before. As soon as she asks, Carmen and Beatriz walk into the room and notice she’s awake.
“Oh honey! You worried us so much! Don’t you ever let this happen again!” Beatriz gets all riled up and hugs Anna tightly.
“Okay, mom, let her breathe!” Bennie says, his mom breaking her embrace.
That’s when the realization hits Anna, “Is my baby okay? I mean is there something seriously wrong?” She begins to panic.
“No, nothing serious from what I found.” A man in a white coat, about early thirties, comes in. “I’m Dr. Remus by the way.” He says shaking a few hands.
“So, what’s wrong? Is my baby okay?”
The doctor smiles friendly, “He’s fine. You just had a mild case of food poisoning but with stress added to it, it made it a little bit worse. Of course, I can’t really tell if there was any damage done to the fetus until later on in your pregnancy. So…you’re not fully out of the clear but for right now, I don’t want you to worry. Now your stress level…that’s a whole other story, I didn’t like what I saw on your charts. If your stress level was any higher, I’m afraid…you would have miscarried. The one thing I want to see change before you leave here though is that. So, you might want to get comfy because you’re going to be here for a few days.”
The doctor leaves them to let the news sink in. Anna cries at the revelation of knowing her baby almost died. Bennie and his family comfort her by saying that she was lucky and that God meant for her to have this baby.
Bennie decides to lighten the conversation but knows it won’t help. “Anna, what are you going to tell Gavin?”
She wipes away her tears and looks at him funny, “What do you mean?”
“Well, right after you fainted and before the ambulance arrived, Gavin walked in.”
“What! Oh God, what am I suppose to tell him now?” She begins to panic once again.
“How about the truth,” Gavin states from behind Bennie, a sullen look on his face.
“Gavin…” Anna states in shock.
“I think we’ll leave you two alone.” Carmen says, dragging Bennie and her their mother out of the room.
Before she’s about to start, Gavin puts his hand up and begins to speak, “Let me just say, I’m glad you’re okay and that everything went well, but that still doesn’t mean I forgive you for avoiding me this past month. Anna, do you know how it feels to be blown off? I mean to have someone you really like and care about just not wanting you around? Well, that’s how I felt.” He stops for a moment.
Anna opens her mouth to speak but is quieted again.
“Let me finish.” He takes a deep breath, “You blew me off. I tried calling you and you wouldn’t answer. I sat in your section at the café; you would get someone else to serve me. I even went by your apartment when I knew you were home and you wouldn’t even acknowledge my presence. I mean, what made you act like that? Do you not want to be with me because if so, you could have had the decency to tell me to my face rather than have me humiliate myself in public when I tried getting your attention?”
“It hurts Anna, but…I’m giving you the chance to give me an explanation of your actions before I just go out that door and never look back.” He says, angry tears striding down his face.
Anna looks back up and clenches the pillow she’s been using to disguise her stomach. “Thank you for giving me a chance to explain my actions, but please, bare with me that it may not make much sense to you. “
She takes a deep breath and begins, “Gavin, that night after our date, when we kissed…I was overwhelmed with emotion. Like, I could feel everything you felt for me and it scared me. I haven’t felt that in a long time…and I thought I would never experience it again, but I guess…I was wrong.”
“I didn’t know what to think, my mind was so clouded, so…I did the only thing I could. I feigned a mood swing and walked off, but when I got inside, I cried because I realized I had made a mistake.” She stops and looks up at him to see he’s still with her.
“There’s something else…isn’t there?” He asks.
“Gavin, come closer to me.” She states and takes his hand into hers. “This may be a bit, disturbing for you, but this is the other reason I avoided you.” She takes away the pillow and pulls down the covers so that her body isn’t covered. She takes his hand and places it upon her abdomen, where he soon feels faint kicks from the baby.
He moves his hand away in shock but slowly, in fascination, places it back where her hand now lies. “You’re having a baby.” He says more in a statement than a question.
“Yeah,” she states quietly not looking him in the eye.
“You know, you could’ve told me, I would’ve understood.” He looks hurt.
“I guess I was scared of what your reaction would be. Like, you would think of me as tainted or something or other.” She lowers her head in shame.
He looks at her like she’s crazy, “No! I would never think of you as tainted. The only thing I would think,” he takes her hand in his and squeezes it, “is how unfortunate it is that I’m not the father.” He states sweetly.
He sees the tears glistening in her eyes and realizes he said the right thing, but there’s still one question on his mind. “Um, Anna, if you don’t mind me asking—
“Who is the father?” She finishes for him, knowing that the question would eventually come up. “Well, I’m sorry, but that’s confidential. Plus, I already know I’m alone in this anyway—
“No, you’re not!” He becomes defensive. “You have Bennie, his family, Chris, me…”
“I don’t want you to feel obligated to help me take care of my son!” She reprimands him.
“No, I don’t feel obligated to father your child but I do want to help you through this even if I’m still a little angry at you about the whole avoidance thing.”
“No, Gavin! Please, listen to reason here!” Her tears flow down her cheeks, “Think about this. Eventually, you’re going to get attached and then you’re going to throw your future away to help a stranger with a baby that isn’t even yours! Please, rethink your decision.” She pleads with him but sound a little indignant.
He takes to offence what she just said, “So, what? We’re back to this, where you don’t want me around? Even though I offered to help you! Well…fine!” He states leaving the bag he brought with him in the chair and slams the door behind him on the way out.
“Gavin!” Anna screams to him, but to no avail, he’s gone.
Isabel notices the bag in the chair and takes it from its spot and looks into it. She sees a note and reads it aloud:
Hey Anna,
I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately and I’m somewhat angry at the fact that your avoiding me but my curiosity outweighs my anger at the moment. Like, as to why you’re avoiding me?
Anyway, when I went to the café this afternoon and noticed that everyone was gathered around something, I wondered, ‘what is so fascinating that no one is paying attention to what they’re doing’, but then I noticed Bennie was the first one there and I began to panic. I crouched over some hunched backs and that’s when I saw you. You looked extremely pale and you were sweating, almost as if someone had drenched you in water.
I got scared. All the anger I had stored for the past few weeks all went away and all I could think about was that I hope you would be okay and that nothing was seriously wrong. Hoping that I could talk to you one more time and see your beautiful smile.
I couldn’t really see what was going on and I kept asking what happened and the only thing people would say was that you had passed out and that you were having pain in your abdomen. When the ambulance got there, I asked a few paramedics what was wrong and they wouldn’t answer. I couldn’t even see you because of all the commotion.
Bennie called me on my cell about an hour after you arrived at the hospital and said that you were still in the Emergency. After, I was praying that you would be okay.
At the time, though, I was at the bookstore and I thought about what you said in the car on the way home after our date and how you said you loved Astronomy and the stars so I decided to get you something. There are a few other things too that I thought you might like.
Hope you get well and are back up on your feet again soon, but make sure you take it easy. I don’t want another scare like that when I walk into The Kiwi Express.
Gavin
She looks into the bag and takes out a book titled, Nightwatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe. Also, in the bag, is a, what looks like, a plush toy cat that is very soft. At the bottom, she notices two other thin, square-like things and her first thought is ‘CDs’. She looks at the cover of each and smiles, remembering how she mentioned that she liked Classical Music too and sees that he got her two CDs, the first one being, The Best of John Williams and the second being, The Classics with such composers as Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, and Mozart.
Beatriz and her children come in to see an upset Anna hugging a stuffed cat as she cries.
“I guess things didn’t go so well between her and Gavin.” He whispers to Carmen and she nods in agreement.
Can you forgive me again?
I don't know what I said
But I didn't mean to hurt you
I heard the words come out
I felt that I would die
It hurt so much to hurt you
(Excerpt from ‘Forgive Me’ by Evanescence)
Feedback is greatly appreciated and I hope that whomever celebrates Thanksgiving had a good one!
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StarGazing101
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Ch.12A
Author's Note: First off, thanks for the feedback, both lengthy and short! Also, I have been having computer problems so this is why I cut this chapter in two. I'm hoping to have the second part up later this week and ch.13 on X-Mas.
Also, the blood sample and flash, you will be finding that out in the 2nd part of this chapter, when I put it up! Anyway, feedback's greatly appreciated! Without further adieu...
Chapter Twelve A – Letting Go
Isabel folds her newly clean clothes after being home from the hospital for a few days, feeling refreshed and less stressed than she did before. She sighs and sits on her bed, she may feel better but she’s still weak…and the thought of him brings tears to her eyes. ‘Why do I keep doing this to myself? He’s gone and there’s nothing I can do about it.’ She plays with her fingernails and looks over her shoulder to only notice that her nightstand is a nightmare. Out of habit, she heads over and begins to organize the tiny dresser. Again and again she places items in and out of drawers, right and left of the lamp, and off and on the stand. Her hands are soon trembling because she’s so flustered and she can’t hold back the tears threatening to flow freely anymore.
“I really need to get a hold of myself! These tears are not going to help me one bit, it’s not like he’s seeing you cry as of this moment.” She reminds herself as she calms down, not needing a nervous breakdown or stress crisis.
She takes a deep breath, feeling her baby boy getting comfy inside her, and a smile begins to spread across her face. She drifts over towards her mirror and smoothes her left hand over the noticeable curve in her body.
“You seem happy today,” she speaks, her head down and hair flowing along her sides. “You may not have been my dream come true,” she pauses, “but you are the only light guiding my path.”
A teeny hand appears on her abdomen, glowing through in light blue luminescence and her slender fingers graze along the outline and it glows brighter, almost as if bonding with his mother.
“Have faith in me little one because I’m surely going to need it tonight.” She smiles more broadly, surprised at how well her baby responds to her words and touch.
Later in the evening, after having herself a short nap and a little something to eat, Isabel journeys out her front door ― destination ― Gavin’s.
She cuddles her jacket closely to her body as she walks briskly to his apartment, the weather being colder during the night and there are only a few stray rays of light left as the sun goes down over the horizon. ‘I probably should have taken the bus,’ the realization comes to mind but she rather walk, her legs feeling useless since all she’s been doing is eating and lying in bed. ‘Well, walking is good exercise for the baby too, so maybe I wasn’t wrong in walking to his place,’ she concludes. ‘I wonder how he’ll react when he answers his door to find me on his doorstep? Hopefully, he doesn’t slam the door in my face for the way I treated him the last time,’ remembering how much of a bitch she was when he visited her in the hospital.
Tonight though, she is going to need the strength of both Earth and Antar because…it has never proven easy, to let the person, who you may think you love…go.
After a rapid walk through the park and sidewalks occupied by people going to and from work and home, she’s across the street from Gavin’s complex, Cabin Lofts IV. She takes a shallow breath, lets go of her fears, and begins her expedition, knowing that no matter how this turns out, she will be crying in the end.
Gavin sits in his bedroom on his laptop typing up an essay for his JavaScript class at ACC, finding it quite boring and pointless to have to do a seven-page essay on something so simple, well, in his mind at least. He continues to type aimlessly and stops for a moment to check it over and decides to stop there for today and finish it in the morning since his next class isn’t for another day. Saving it and closing the window, he turns away from his computer, stands up out of his chair and stretches letting out a low groan, having sat there for about two hours. He walks towards his very messy dresser, drawers’ half hanging out and clothes strewn on the floor, he pulls out a white wife-beater and puts it on. He looks at himself in the mirror and thinks to himself, ‘I look like a bum,’ his brown hair all ruffled and his face looking scruff since he hasn’t shaved in about four days. Deciding to forget about it, he heads to his kitchen to go heat a TV dinner until he hears the doorbell.
Isabel awaits his arrival hoping he’ll answer soon because it’s cold outside and also because she wants to get this over with as soon as possible. She begins to play out different situations that could or will happen when and while she pours her heart out to him, but these are just assumptions that her mind is coming up with, maybe none of her nightmarish fears will happen.
Before she knows what’s happening, “Anna?” She hears a certain male voice speak.
Her and Gavin are face-to-face and she was now at a loss for words and her whole mind has just gone blank, but tries her best not to stumble out her words. “Hey Gavin. Um, can I come in,” she recovers making a gesture that obviously shows that she’s cold and would rather talk to him inside that have to stay outside. ‘What has he done with himself?’
“Oh, how stupid of me! Of course you can come in!” He moves out of the entrance and next to the door for her to come in and notices she’s nervous about something. Deciding not to ask, he closes the door behind him and goes to where she stands. ‘You know, I’m not the type of guy to care about what a girl thinks of how I looks…but…she just had to pick today when I haven’t showered nor shaved yet.’
“Sorry about my apartment. I have just been so busy with end of summer finals and work, I just sorta…let the place go.” He apologizes and begins picking up stray clothes, books and papers lying on the floor and coffee table, feeling his cheeks flush a little, embarrassed by the mess. “Wait, how did you know that I lived here?” He stands up from where he was crouching and gives her a perplexed look.
Anna looks bewildered but makes a quick comeback, “Oh, I asked Bennie,” she stumbles through. Now he’s not the only one embarrassed.
“Oh, I should’ve known,” he says rolling his eyes and a smile appears on his face. “Well, sit down, make yourself at home. Oh and be careful of Toby and Mozart.” He drops the clothes next to him as he sits down on a small, somewhat beat-up couch.
“Oh, okay.” She sits down on the chair next to the couch not really feeling comfortable, with Gavin being so happy and the fact that she may just make him cry tonight is already making her feeling guilty. “Who are Toby and Mozart,” she asks, realizing the tail end of his statement.
“Sorry, um, they’re my cats.” He laughs as the confused look leaves her gorgeous face. ‘She is so beautiful, but what is making her feel so awkward,’ he wonders. “Here they come right now.”
Anna turns to see two kittens fighting on the carpet, one has the other in a headlock and the one under him is trying to claw him. The one that was on the bottom and is orange and butterscotch colored breaks free and runs down the hallway while the gray and black one chases after it. They look no older than three-months.
“Oh, they are adorable! Which one’s which?” She asks, forgetting for just a second why she’s there at his apartment in the first place.
“The orange tabby is Toby and the gray tinier one is Mozart. One of the people I work with got them for me, said that living in an apartment alone is no fun.” He shrugs his shoulders and smiles when he notices the kittens come back and stare at Anna, “I must admit though, it was pretty lonely around here when they weren’t around and it’s fun to watch them fight with each other, all in good nature of course.”
Anna begins to pet Toby’s head and roughhouses with him a little until she hears Gavin clear his throat and can tell he wants to ask her something. He watches as she picks up the kitten and places it in her lap, “So, how have you and…the baby been? I mean you look a lot better than you did a week ago.” He stumbles through his sentence not really wanting to bring up the subject of what happen between them but just wants to know if she and her unborn son are okay.
She places the kitten next to her and answers timidly, “I’m― we’re fine, definitely been a lot better than usual but I still am a little shaky, I’m getting by though. Actually, part of the reason I’m here, uh, pertains to what happened that day.”
She looks down and restrains herself from looking him in the eye, not really wanting to see his face when it crumbles. “Before I begin, I must ask you not to interrupt me or I am never going to get through this and I’m sorry…that…I’m not staring you in the face but what I’m have to say…may not want to be what you want to hear.” She quickly glances at him and sees him nod slowly, awaiting what she has to say.
“I admit, I apologize for acting like such a bitch that day but…I had just found out I almost lost my son and I was very upset.” She stops for a moment and can feel the intensity in the room rise, “But I still stick by what I said and I’m sorry, but I can’t really explain my reasons to you as of yet. I feel really badly for doing this to you but, I can’t be with you anymore because I’m afraid of you getting hurt because of me and―”
Gavin looks at her oddly and can’t help the anger that is beginning to boil inside him, “I’m sorry to interrupt but you came here to tell me that you still stand by that bullshit you fed to me at the hospital that day? No! No, no, no! Damn it, Anna! I’m sorry but I’m not going to let you do this. I’m sorry about you almost losing your son but what else do you want from me?” He yells angrily, sick of being second best in her eyes and knows that he shouldn’t be yelling at her in her fragile state but he can’t control himself.
She finally looks up at him and can feel the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks, “You’re not letting me finish! You don’t understand and I know it will be hard for you to but I can’t be around you! I don’t want you in danger because of the fact that you know me and I don’t want you getting hurt!” Her tears are flowing down like waterfalls and it’s taking all of her strength to not break down right there.
“Why would me knowing you hurt me? You’re right, I don’t understand why you are acting like this. Does this have to do with the baby or is something terribly wrong that you’re not telling me? Please, I’ll understand if you explain to me why you are being so irrational!” He pleads with her, beginning to cry, feeling confused and frustrated.
“It has nothing to do with the baby or you but me! I can’t tell you exactly but I-I-I’m s-s-sorry!” Her bottom lip trembles and her whole resolve breaks and she runs out his front door and down the stairs into the night.
“ANNA!” Gavin screams after her. ‘Do I go after her or do I…’ “God, damn it!”
Also, the blood sample and flash, you will be finding that out in the 2nd part of this chapter, when I put it up! Anyway, feedback's greatly appreciated! Without further adieu...
Chapter Twelve A – Letting Go
Isabel folds her newly clean clothes after being home from the hospital for a few days, feeling refreshed and less stressed than she did before. She sighs and sits on her bed, she may feel better but she’s still weak…and the thought of him brings tears to her eyes. ‘Why do I keep doing this to myself? He’s gone and there’s nothing I can do about it.’ She plays with her fingernails and looks over her shoulder to only notice that her nightstand is a nightmare. Out of habit, she heads over and begins to organize the tiny dresser. Again and again she places items in and out of drawers, right and left of the lamp, and off and on the stand. Her hands are soon trembling because she’s so flustered and she can’t hold back the tears threatening to flow freely anymore.
“I really need to get a hold of myself! These tears are not going to help me one bit, it’s not like he’s seeing you cry as of this moment.” She reminds herself as she calms down, not needing a nervous breakdown or stress crisis.
She takes a deep breath, feeling her baby boy getting comfy inside her, and a smile begins to spread across her face. She drifts over towards her mirror and smoothes her left hand over the noticeable curve in her body.
“You seem happy today,” she speaks, her head down and hair flowing along her sides. “You may not have been my dream come true,” she pauses, “but you are the only light guiding my path.”
A teeny hand appears on her abdomen, glowing through in light blue luminescence and her slender fingers graze along the outline and it glows brighter, almost as if bonding with his mother.
“Have faith in me little one because I’m surely going to need it tonight.” She smiles more broadly, surprised at how well her baby responds to her words and touch.
Later in the evening, after having herself a short nap and a little something to eat, Isabel journeys out her front door ― destination ― Gavin’s.
She cuddles her jacket closely to her body as she walks briskly to his apartment, the weather being colder during the night and there are only a few stray rays of light left as the sun goes down over the horizon. ‘I probably should have taken the bus,’ the realization comes to mind but she rather walk, her legs feeling useless since all she’s been doing is eating and lying in bed. ‘Well, walking is good exercise for the baby too, so maybe I wasn’t wrong in walking to his place,’ she concludes. ‘I wonder how he’ll react when he answers his door to find me on his doorstep? Hopefully, he doesn’t slam the door in my face for the way I treated him the last time,’ remembering how much of a bitch she was when he visited her in the hospital.
Tonight though, she is going to need the strength of both Earth and Antar because…it has never proven easy, to let the person, who you may think you love…go.
After a rapid walk through the park and sidewalks occupied by people going to and from work and home, she’s across the street from Gavin’s complex, Cabin Lofts IV. She takes a shallow breath, lets go of her fears, and begins her expedition, knowing that no matter how this turns out, she will be crying in the end.
Gavin sits in his bedroom on his laptop typing up an essay for his JavaScript class at ACC, finding it quite boring and pointless to have to do a seven-page essay on something so simple, well, in his mind at least. He continues to type aimlessly and stops for a moment to check it over and decides to stop there for today and finish it in the morning since his next class isn’t for another day. Saving it and closing the window, he turns away from his computer, stands up out of his chair and stretches letting out a low groan, having sat there for about two hours. He walks towards his very messy dresser, drawers’ half hanging out and clothes strewn on the floor, he pulls out a white wife-beater and puts it on. He looks at himself in the mirror and thinks to himself, ‘I look like a bum,’ his brown hair all ruffled and his face looking scruff since he hasn’t shaved in about four days. Deciding to forget about it, he heads to his kitchen to go heat a TV dinner until he hears the doorbell.
Isabel awaits his arrival hoping he’ll answer soon because it’s cold outside and also because she wants to get this over with as soon as possible. She begins to play out different situations that could or will happen when and while she pours her heart out to him, but these are just assumptions that her mind is coming up with, maybe none of her nightmarish fears will happen.
Before she knows what’s happening, “Anna?” She hears a certain male voice speak.
Her and Gavin are face-to-face and she was now at a loss for words and her whole mind has just gone blank, but tries her best not to stumble out her words. “Hey Gavin. Um, can I come in,” she recovers making a gesture that obviously shows that she’s cold and would rather talk to him inside that have to stay outside. ‘What has he done with himself?’
“Oh, how stupid of me! Of course you can come in!” He moves out of the entrance and next to the door for her to come in and notices she’s nervous about something. Deciding not to ask, he closes the door behind him and goes to where she stands. ‘You know, I’m not the type of guy to care about what a girl thinks of how I looks…but…she just had to pick today when I haven’t showered nor shaved yet.’
“Sorry about my apartment. I have just been so busy with end of summer finals and work, I just sorta…let the place go.” He apologizes and begins picking up stray clothes, books and papers lying on the floor and coffee table, feeling his cheeks flush a little, embarrassed by the mess. “Wait, how did you know that I lived here?” He stands up from where he was crouching and gives her a perplexed look.
Anna looks bewildered but makes a quick comeback, “Oh, I asked Bennie,” she stumbles through. Now he’s not the only one embarrassed.
“Oh, I should’ve known,” he says rolling his eyes and a smile appears on his face. “Well, sit down, make yourself at home. Oh and be careful of Toby and Mozart.” He drops the clothes next to him as he sits down on a small, somewhat beat-up couch.
“Oh, okay.” She sits down on the chair next to the couch not really feeling comfortable, with Gavin being so happy and the fact that she may just make him cry tonight is already making her feeling guilty. “Who are Toby and Mozart,” she asks, realizing the tail end of his statement.
“Sorry, um, they’re my cats.” He laughs as the confused look leaves her gorgeous face. ‘She is so beautiful, but what is making her feel so awkward,’ he wonders. “Here they come right now.”
Anna turns to see two kittens fighting on the carpet, one has the other in a headlock and the one under him is trying to claw him. The one that was on the bottom and is orange and butterscotch colored breaks free and runs down the hallway while the gray and black one chases after it. They look no older than three-months.
“Oh, they are adorable! Which one’s which?” She asks, forgetting for just a second why she’s there at his apartment in the first place.
“The orange tabby is Toby and the gray tinier one is Mozart. One of the people I work with got them for me, said that living in an apartment alone is no fun.” He shrugs his shoulders and smiles when he notices the kittens come back and stare at Anna, “I must admit though, it was pretty lonely around here when they weren’t around and it’s fun to watch them fight with each other, all in good nature of course.”
Anna begins to pet Toby’s head and roughhouses with him a little until she hears Gavin clear his throat and can tell he wants to ask her something. He watches as she picks up the kitten and places it in her lap, “So, how have you and…the baby been? I mean you look a lot better than you did a week ago.” He stumbles through his sentence not really wanting to bring up the subject of what happen between them but just wants to know if she and her unborn son are okay.
She places the kitten next to her and answers timidly, “I’m― we’re fine, definitely been a lot better than usual but I still am a little shaky, I’m getting by though. Actually, part of the reason I’m here, uh, pertains to what happened that day.”
She looks down and restrains herself from looking him in the eye, not really wanting to see his face when it crumbles. “Before I begin, I must ask you not to interrupt me or I am never going to get through this and I’m sorry…that…I’m not staring you in the face but what I’m have to say…may not want to be what you want to hear.” She quickly glances at him and sees him nod slowly, awaiting what she has to say.
“I admit, I apologize for acting like such a bitch that day but…I had just found out I almost lost my son and I was very upset.” She stops for a moment and can feel the intensity in the room rise, “But I still stick by what I said and I’m sorry, but I can’t really explain my reasons to you as of yet. I feel really badly for doing this to you but, I can’t be with you anymore because I’m afraid of you getting hurt because of me and―”
Gavin looks at her oddly and can’t help the anger that is beginning to boil inside him, “I’m sorry to interrupt but you came here to tell me that you still stand by that bullshit you fed to me at the hospital that day? No! No, no, no! Damn it, Anna! I’m sorry but I’m not going to let you do this. I’m sorry about you almost losing your son but what else do you want from me?” He yells angrily, sick of being second best in her eyes and knows that he shouldn’t be yelling at her in her fragile state but he can’t control himself.
She finally looks up at him and can feel the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks, “You’re not letting me finish! You don’t understand and I know it will be hard for you to but I can’t be around you! I don’t want you in danger because of the fact that you know me and I don’t want you getting hurt!” Her tears are flowing down like waterfalls and it’s taking all of her strength to not break down right there.
“Why would me knowing you hurt me? You’re right, I don’t understand why you are acting like this. Does this have to do with the baby or is something terribly wrong that you’re not telling me? Please, I’ll understand if you explain to me why you are being so irrational!” He pleads with her, beginning to cry, feeling confused and frustrated.
“It has nothing to do with the baby or you but me! I can’t tell you exactly but I-I-I’m s-s-sorry!” Her bottom lip trembles and her whole resolve breaks and she runs out his front door and down the stairs into the night.
“ANNA!” Gavin screams after her. ‘Do I go after her or do I…’ “God, damn it!”
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StarGazing101
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Ch.12B
Here's Ch.12B and I hope you like, but I think you will! Anyway, to answer your question Trude, it was Alex in the beginning she was talking about.
Chapter Twelve B – Thoughts and Consequences
Isabel continues to run away from Gavin’s place, the coldness eating through her jacket and her sobs wracking her body. She stops by a big tree in Jensen Park to catch her breath and holds on to the tree for balance, but is soon acquainted with a hand upon her shoulder. She jumps in shock and turns to see who’s there, only to see into the blue-gray speckled eyes of Gavin.
“You’re a fast runner, you know that?” He states trying to catch his breath from chasing after her and notices the fearful look in her hazel eyes, knowing that if he doesn’t stop her, she’s going to run again. But he gently grabs her upper arm to keep from doing so.
“Please, just let me go!” She pleads with him, squirming in his grasp. “Forget about me like you did before!” She continues to struggle, only hurting herself in the process.
He lets go of her arm, feeling as if someone had just punched him in the stomach, “Wait, what do you mean by ‘like I did before’?” He desperately attempts to ask but soon realizes she’s gone.
Once home, Isabel flops down on the couch, catching her breath and thinks about just everything that has happened. ‘Why did I have to have that stupid flash?’ The frustrating thought makes her want to burn her Antarian side with kerosene, it being the reason why she had to let Gavin go. ‘I mean, is it still going to happen since I cut him off though? I hope he’ll be okay, but not just physically…emotionally too.’ She remembers her flash, seeing him lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines with cuts and bruises on his handsome face.
She wipes away stray tears and lets out a depressed sigh, “Now he must think I’m some crazy woman, with the way I have been acting toward these past weeks.”
Deciding not to mull on it any longer, she settles her thoughts and heads to the bathroom to take a nice, long, hot bath.
Gavin arrives back at his apartment, frustrated and angry, not really knowing which he feels more but knows that something’s not right. ‘There has got to be a reason why she’s doing this,’ he contemplates, sitting down on the couch and dejectedly running his long fingers through his now wind blown hair. As he looks back up, he notices Toby and Mozart staring at him from the other couch where they lay and can tell that they’re picking up on his feelings. Their eyes wide and sorrowful, almost as if they can feel it themselves and then Mozart jumps down and begins to go in and out of his master’s ankles, trying to comfort him.
He gently pushes the little kitten away, not really feeling like he needs to be comforted but he just comes right back and Gavin decides to leave him.
“Why would she do this to me? I thought she cared about me?” He says aloud to clear his thoughts and muddled mind, not knowing what they hell to do in a situation like this. “Also, what the hell did she mean by ‘like I did before’? I have never forgotten her or at least, I don’t think I have. She’s on my damn mind almost 24/7 and now she’s acting so irrational towards me that she’s not making a single word of sense when she’s around me!” He yells defeated by his own mixed-up feelings.
“Unless…Oh damn!” He quickly stands up, takes out his cell phone and dials.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans walk in their front door after having a decent lunch at Señor Chao’s and talking about recent events and the parent meeting that is taking place at their house tonight.
Diane sorts through the mail and smiles happily when she notices a letter from her daughter and goes to sit next to her husband on the couch and reads it aloud to him:
August 21st, 2002
Dear Mom and Dad,
How have you been? Everything has been quite crazy around here lately and I feel like I’m going insane. I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long and if I worried you, but I’m fine…well, now. I’m also sorry to inform you but I just actually got out of the hospital.
Diane gasps and Phillip looks wide-eyed at the letter but eggs his wife to continue.
I really didn’t want to tell you this way since it seems so impersonal but I don’t want to put either of us in danger by calling or anything other than this kind of communication, since many people obviously don’t write letters anymore. Anyway, what I have to tell you is…. God, this is so hard…. Dad, please don’t overreact but…. I’m pregnant.
Phillip almost spits out his Diet Pepsi when Diane read the words ‘I’m pregnant’ off of the piece of paper and can’t believe it. ‘Neither can Diane by the looks of it,’ he thinks and decides to react more…vividly, once their done getting through her letter. Eagerly wanting to know what else Isabel has to say.
Like I said, I’m really sorry you had to find out this way…and that I didn’t tell you sooner. As of now, I’m about five months along and so far it has been one hell of a ride! But also, don’t just conclude that Jesse is automatically the father…because he isn’t. I know, you’re probably very curious as to who else it could be…but I really don’t want to give that away as of yet. Please don’t disown me either.
I know you are also probably wondering about the blood sample at the hospital too…
‘Bingo!’ Phillip thinks to himself, having wondered that him self when it was first mentioned on the piece of paper his wife holds in her trembling hands.
But, well, I don’t know exactly myself what he meant. When I realized I was in the hospital, which was about two hours after I arrived (I passed out at work), I had just thought about the blood sample that night and almost began to freak out. When the doctor came in to check up on me and ask if I was feeling okay, I asked him if he saw anything weird with my blood and he said no. I kept asking but he just said that he thinks some of the medication they gave me had gone to my head and said that my blood type was AB positive.
I don’t understand how he concluded that but he wasn’t looking at me oddly or anything and I’m not in a White Room, so, there must be something else that I don’t know about. Since I just got out of the hospital earlier today though, I’ve been contemplating about it and thought, I know this is crazy, but maybe since I’m pregnant, my body developed some kind of defense mechanism where my blood looks human when it knows that there’s someone seeing it that shouldn’t be… I’m not sure. But that’s the only thing I could come up with.
Diane lets out a sigh of relief but Phillip still looks skeptical but decides to contemplate more on it later, after the meeting with Valenti, The Parkers, and Ms. DeLuca. He watches as Diane turns to the next page of the letter and continues to read, noticing the next page is directly addressed to her.
Okay, I have a few more things to get off my chest, but first off, this is for mom, unless you would like to hear about it too dad, go ahead and read with her.
Mom, question: What do you do when there’s this guy that is more than a friend to you and you have gone out on a date with him and such but don’t know for sure what you feel for him?
I know long, but I’m really confused. I also know that it’s early to already be dating someone after Jesse, but you know, he was just a rebound. Not to sound careless but you both know that is what he was and I know you will agree but anyhow, this guy’s name is Gavin. He’s really sweet, has a wonderful personality and sense of humor and treats me very well. Obviously, those are the reasons I truly care about him but I just don’t know if I love him, like I do but I’m afraid to let him in. I have to some extent but not fully of course!
Oh! I forgot to mention when he and I had our first kiss, I had a flash. It wasn’t a pleasant one either. Remember how I explained to you when there’s a heighten in emotion, we would get these and that it was either anytime in the future, past, or present? Well, I think I saw the future and what was going to happen. I saw him in a hospital bed, battered and in a coma, I think it has to do with me being you-know-what. I don’t know what to do, so, I think I’m going to let him go and let him find someone that’s not so dangerous. I’m going to do it either way but I want your opinion, mom.
I think I also forgot to mention how long and why exactly I was in the hospital, food poisoning and too high of a stress level. The baby couldn’t handle it but we’re fine now. I’m feeling a lot better but still weak. I was in that damn place for a week.
Well, I think I’ve written enough and I really need to finish cleaning my apartment. I love you both and wish me luck on my pregnancy; I’m going to need it! Also, I’m starting school in another week or two, pregnant or not, luckily I found a way to transfer whatever credits I had in Roswell to here without revealing my true identity. Looking forward to hearing from you and hope everything in Roswell is going okay.
Love, Your Daughter,
“Anna”
P.S. I also think you should know, it’s a boy!
Diane finishes the letter, tears gathered in her blue eyes and turns to Phillip to see his slightly tear-filled eyes too.
Phillip looks at her and says the first thing that comes to mind, “We’re going to be grandparents!” They hug each other and jump up and down, celebrating their daughter’s pregnancy. She may be a little young but they know that she is more than capable of being able to get through this pregnancy and its hardships without too much trouble.
Diane then says, “Whether she likes it or not, we are going to find her and be there for our grandson’s birth! I am not just letting her get away with this without our involvement!”
After a relaxing bath and some thinking, Isabel feels refreshed and is now sitting on the couch, reading the book that Gavin had got her while she was in the hospital. As she reads, she is soon interrupted by a knocking at the door, “Coming!” She stands up from the couch and heads to the door.
“Hey.” Bennie says as Anna opens the door and he, Chris, and Kim step in. “You don’t mind if Kim came along with us, do you?”
“Oh no! I don’t mind at all.” She doesn’t mind Kim and finds her very nice and all but is lying some when she says this.
“Hi.” Kim says quietly as she stands but Anna gestures for her to sit.
“How have you been, Anna? Haven’t seen ya in a while? Oh, Bennie told me all about what happened and I’m glad you’re okay.” Chris says happily hugging her.
“I’ve had better days but I’m doing a lot better. How was your trip to New York by the way? I’ve never been to New York but I’ve always wanted to see it.”
“It was okay. Nice to see my family and all but my sister and her two children just drive me up a wall every time I’m around.” Chris clenches his fists but holds them down. He watches as Anna smiles at him and keeps his temper. Not thinking his bitch of a sister and her little hellions.
“That’s good and hopefully she didn’t drive you through the wall,” Anna laughs at him and he gives her a look but smiles back at her. “So, what brings you guys here?” She asks, readjusting herself, sitting with her legs under her.
“Well, um, I…” Bennie stutters but can’t seem to finish.
“Bennie’s been promoted to Manager at the café.” Kim finishes for him, since he’s speechless.
“Wait! You mean, the boss, Mr. Dumb-ass actually promoted you? That’s unbelievable! After the incident with me though, he probably put me as dishwasher or something.”
Kim, Bennie, and Chris give each other looks, which goes unnoticed by Anna. “What aren’t you guys telling me?”
“Unfortunately, my first duty had to do with you and I refused to do it so I quit!” Bennie stands up and looks away, knowing that Anna will want to know.
“Wait! What? You quit, but why? What did he want you to do?” Anna looks at Bennie in shock and desperately wants to know what the boss wanted Bennie to do.
Bennie looks up and says, “Anna, he wanted me to fire you but I refused to but he’s going to anyway because he doesn’t want to risk his fucking insurance policy because of you!” He angrily yells the last part and Chris comes over and rubs his shoulders. “Sorry, I’m just so angry.”
“He’s firing me?” She says not really to anyone in particular.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Kim says coming over to her and tries to comfort her as best she can. Not knowing how well, she’ll respond to her.
‘Could this day get any worse?’ Anna’s thoughts take over her once again.
Somewhere near an empty warehouse, two men stand against a wall in the shade of the building without the light hitting on them, one smoking a cigarette and the other looking at his watch every other second.
“Where are they?” The man with the watch states irritably, obviously waiting for something important. “They were supposed to be here thirteen minutes ago!” His anger rises with every passing second.
Finally, two other men come through the lights of the warehouse, one struggling as the other holds him.
“Finally! What took you so fucking long?” The man drops his cigarette and stamps it out and grabs the other man that’s holding the struggling doctor and puts his against the wall.
“This guy here,” he states in a deep voice, looking angrily at the doctor, “decided not to come quietly boss.”
“Well next time, make him come quietly or I’ll have your head for it!” He yells and turns to the battling man whose face looks ashen and dark, like he hasn’t slept. “So, Dr. Remus, do you have what I need?”
“I won’t give it to you! She’s just a poor girl trying to get through a troubled pregnancy!” He screams in defense, biting the man’s hand that’s holding him but is pulled back by the collar of his robe and gags some.
“We’ll make you give us her blood or else doc, one of your colleagues will be identifying you in the morgue. Now, will you give it to us or will we have to use some other force to get it from you?” He asks taking out his gun and pointing to his chest.
The doctor looks down, breathing heavily, his heart in his ears and the adrenaline rushing through him like a dragster, “I won’t! She’s not whom you want! She’s just a human girl that is of nothing to you. She has normal blood, AB positive to be exact. She’s not who you’re looking for!” He spits in the gunman’s face.
The gunman looks at him angrily and is about to pull the trigger when the other man that kept looking at his watch pushes him back. “No need for it Joe or otherwise we ain’t gonna get what we need. Her blood is whats he’s got and that’s whats we gonna get. Now listen here Mac, you either give us this hybrid’s blood or we’ll ruin your life. We’ll say that you give prescriptions to dealers, make you homeless out on the street, or maybe, might just kill that pretty little wife of yours. Is that what you want, Mac?” He points his index into that man’s chest painfully and gives him a manic smile that runs chills up Dr. Remus’ spine.
Making a decision, “I won’t. It wouldn’t matter. Go ahead, ruin me all you want but I won’t give it to you. If you must know, my wife left me last night. There’s nothing you can do for you to make me give it to you. Try all you want, I won’t.”
“I admire your courage, Mac, but you must now suffer the consequences. Joe, give the man his prize.” He walks off into the darkness as the gun shot echoes into midnight air.
Chapter Twelve B – Thoughts and Consequences
Isabel continues to run away from Gavin’s place, the coldness eating through her jacket and her sobs wracking her body. She stops by a big tree in Jensen Park to catch her breath and holds on to the tree for balance, but is soon acquainted with a hand upon her shoulder. She jumps in shock and turns to see who’s there, only to see into the blue-gray speckled eyes of Gavin.
“You’re a fast runner, you know that?” He states trying to catch his breath from chasing after her and notices the fearful look in her hazel eyes, knowing that if he doesn’t stop her, she’s going to run again. But he gently grabs her upper arm to keep from doing so.
“Please, just let me go!” She pleads with him, squirming in his grasp. “Forget about me like you did before!” She continues to struggle, only hurting herself in the process.
He lets go of her arm, feeling as if someone had just punched him in the stomach, “Wait, what do you mean by ‘like I did before’?” He desperately attempts to ask but soon realizes she’s gone.
Once home, Isabel flops down on the couch, catching her breath and thinks about just everything that has happened. ‘Why did I have to have that stupid flash?’ The frustrating thought makes her want to burn her Antarian side with kerosene, it being the reason why she had to let Gavin go. ‘I mean, is it still going to happen since I cut him off though? I hope he’ll be okay, but not just physically…emotionally too.’ She remembers her flash, seeing him lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines with cuts and bruises on his handsome face.
She wipes away stray tears and lets out a depressed sigh, “Now he must think I’m some crazy woman, with the way I have been acting toward these past weeks.”
Deciding not to mull on it any longer, she settles her thoughts and heads to the bathroom to take a nice, long, hot bath.
Gavin arrives back at his apartment, frustrated and angry, not really knowing which he feels more but knows that something’s not right. ‘There has got to be a reason why she’s doing this,’ he contemplates, sitting down on the couch and dejectedly running his long fingers through his now wind blown hair. As he looks back up, he notices Toby and Mozart staring at him from the other couch where they lay and can tell that they’re picking up on his feelings. Their eyes wide and sorrowful, almost as if they can feel it themselves and then Mozart jumps down and begins to go in and out of his master’s ankles, trying to comfort him.
He gently pushes the little kitten away, not really feeling like he needs to be comforted but he just comes right back and Gavin decides to leave him.
“Why would she do this to me? I thought she cared about me?” He says aloud to clear his thoughts and muddled mind, not knowing what they hell to do in a situation like this. “Also, what the hell did she mean by ‘like I did before’? I have never forgotten her or at least, I don’t think I have. She’s on my damn mind almost 24/7 and now she’s acting so irrational towards me that she’s not making a single word of sense when she’s around me!” He yells defeated by his own mixed-up feelings.
“Unless…Oh damn!” He quickly stands up, takes out his cell phone and dials.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans walk in their front door after having a decent lunch at Señor Chao’s and talking about recent events and the parent meeting that is taking place at their house tonight.
Diane sorts through the mail and smiles happily when she notices a letter from her daughter and goes to sit next to her husband on the couch and reads it aloud to him:
August 21st, 2002
Dear Mom and Dad,
How have you been? Everything has been quite crazy around here lately and I feel like I’m going insane. I’m sorry I haven’t written for so long and if I worried you, but I’m fine…well, now. I’m also sorry to inform you but I just actually got out of the hospital.
Diane gasps and Phillip looks wide-eyed at the letter but eggs his wife to continue.
I really didn’t want to tell you this way since it seems so impersonal but I don’t want to put either of us in danger by calling or anything other than this kind of communication, since many people obviously don’t write letters anymore. Anyway, what I have to tell you is…. God, this is so hard…. Dad, please don’t overreact but…. I’m pregnant.
Phillip almost spits out his Diet Pepsi when Diane read the words ‘I’m pregnant’ off of the piece of paper and can’t believe it. ‘Neither can Diane by the looks of it,’ he thinks and decides to react more…vividly, once their done getting through her letter. Eagerly wanting to know what else Isabel has to say.
Like I said, I’m really sorry you had to find out this way…and that I didn’t tell you sooner. As of now, I’m about five months along and so far it has been one hell of a ride! But also, don’t just conclude that Jesse is automatically the father…because he isn’t. I know, you’re probably very curious as to who else it could be…but I really don’t want to give that away as of yet. Please don’t disown me either.
I know you are also probably wondering about the blood sample at the hospital too…
‘Bingo!’ Phillip thinks to himself, having wondered that him self when it was first mentioned on the piece of paper his wife holds in her trembling hands.
But, well, I don’t know exactly myself what he meant. When I realized I was in the hospital, which was about two hours after I arrived (I passed out at work), I had just thought about the blood sample that night and almost began to freak out. When the doctor came in to check up on me and ask if I was feeling okay, I asked him if he saw anything weird with my blood and he said no. I kept asking but he just said that he thinks some of the medication they gave me had gone to my head and said that my blood type was AB positive.
I don’t understand how he concluded that but he wasn’t looking at me oddly or anything and I’m not in a White Room, so, there must be something else that I don’t know about. Since I just got out of the hospital earlier today though, I’ve been contemplating about it and thought, I know this is crazy, but maybe since I’m pregnant, my body developed some kind of defense mechanism where my blood looks human when it knows that there’s someone seeing it that shouldn’t be… I’m not sure. But that’s the only thing I could come up with.
Diane lets out a sigh of relief but Phillip still looks skeptical but decides to contemplate more on it later, after the meeting with Valenti, The Parkers, and Ms. DeLuca. He watches as Diane turns to the next page of the letter and continues to read, noticing the next page is directly addressed to her.
Okay, I have a few more things to get off my chest, but first off, this is for mom, unless you would like to hear about it too dad, go ahead and read with her.
Mom, question: What do you do when there’s this guy that is more than a friend to you and you have gone out on a date with him and such but don’t know for sure what you feel for him?
I know long, but I’m really confused. I also know that it’s early to already be dating someone after Jesse, but you know, he was just a rebound. Not to sound careless but you both know that is what he was and I know you will agree but anyhow, this guy’s name is Gavin. He’s really sweet, has a wonderful personality and sense of humor and treats me very well. Obviously, those are the reasons I truly care about him but I just don’t know if I love him, like I do but I’m afraid to let him in. I have to some extent but not fully of course!
Oh! I forgot to mention when he and I had our first kiss, I had a flash. It wasn’t a pleasant one either. Remember how I explained to you when there’s a heighten in emotion, we would get these and that it was either anytime in the future, past, or present? Well, I think I saw the future and what was going to happen. I saw him in a hospital bed, battered and in a coma, I think it has to do with me being you-know-what. I don’t know what to do, so, I think I’m going to let him go and let him find someone that’s not so dangerous. I’m going to do it either way but I want your opinion, mom.
I think I also forgot to mention how long and why exactly I was in the hospital, food poisoning and too high of a stress level. The baby couldn’t handle it but we’re fine now. I’m feeling a lot better but still weak. I was in that damn place for a week.
Well, I think I’ve written enough and I really need to finish cleaning my apartment. I love you both and wish me luck on my pregnancy; I’m going to need it! Also, I’m starting school in another week or two, pregnant or not, luckily I found a way to transfer whatever credits I had in Roswell to here without revealing my true identity. Looking forward to hearing from you and hope everything in Roswell is going okay.
Love, Your Daughter,
“Anna”
P.S. I also think you should know, it’s a boy!
Diane finishes the letter, tears gathered in her blue eyes and turns to Phillip to see his slightly tear-filled eyes too.
Phillip looks at her and says the first thing that comes to mind, “We’re going to be grandparents!” They hug each other and jump up and down, celebrating their daughter’s pregnancy. She may be a little young but they know that she is more than capable of being able to get through this pregnancy and its hardships without too much trouble.
Diane then says, “Whether she likes it or not, we are going to find her and be there for our grandson’s birth! I am not just letting her get away with this without our involvement!”
After a relaxing bath and some thinking, Isabel feels refreshed and is now sitting on the couch, reading the book that Gavin had got her while she was in the hospital. As she reads, she is soon interrupted by a knocking at the door, “Coming!” She stands up from the couch and heads to the door.
“Hey.” Bennie says as Anna opens the door and he, Chris, and Kim step in. “You don’t mind if Kim came along with us, do you?”
“Oh no! I don’t mind at all.” She doesn’t mind Kim and finds her very nice and all but is lying some when she says this.
“Hi.” Kim says quietly as she stands but Anna gestures for her to sit.
“How have you been, Anna? Haven’t seen ya in a while? Oh, Bennie told me all about what happened and I’m glad you’re okay.” Chris says happily hugging her.
“I’ve had better days but I’m doing a lot better. How was your trip to New York by the way? I’ve never been to New York but I’ve always wanted to see it.”
“It was okay. Nice to see my family and all but my sister and her two children just drive me up a wall every time I’m around.” Chris clenches his fists but holds them down. He watches as Anna smiles at him and keeps his temper. Not thinking his bitch of a sister and her little hellions.
“That’s good and hopefully she didn’t drive you through the wall,” Anna laughs at him and he gives her a look but smiles back at her. “So, what brings you guys here?” She asks, readjusting herself, sitting with her legs under her.
“Well, um, I…” Bennie stutters but can’t seem to finish.
“Bennie’s been promoted to Manager at the café.” Kim finishes for him, since he’s speechless.
“Wait! You mean, the boss, Mr. Dumb-ass actually promoted you? That’s unbelievable! After the incident with me though, he probably put me as dishwasher or something.”
Kim, Bennie, and Chris give each other looks, which goes unnoticed by Anna. “What aren’t you guys telling me?”
“Unfortunately, my first duty had to do with you and I refused to do it so I quit!” Bennie stands up and looks away, knowing that Anna will want to know.
“Wait! What? You quit, but why? What did he want you to do?” Anna looks at Bennie in shock and desperately wants to know what the boss wanted Bennie to do.
Bennie looks up and says, “Anna, he wanted me to fire you but I refused to but he’s going to anyway because he doesn’t want to risk his fucking insurance policy because of you!” He angrily yells the last part and Chris comes over and rubs his shoulders. “Sorry, I’m just so angry.”
“He’s firing me?” She says not really to anyone in particular.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Kim says coming over to her and tries to comfort her as best she can. Not knowing how well, she’ll respond to her.
‘Could this day get any worse?’ Anna’s thoughts take over her once again.
Somewhere near an empty warehouse, two men stand against a wall in the shade of the building without the light hitting on them, one smoking a cigarette and the other looking at his watch every other second.
“Where are they?” The man with the watch states irritably, obviously waiting for something important. “They were supposed to be here thirteen minutes ago!” His anger rises with every passing second.
Finally, two other men come through the lights of the warehouse, one struggling as the other holds him.
“Finally! What took you so fucking long?” The man drops his cigarette and stamps it out and grabs the other man that’s holding the struggling doctor and puts his against the wall.
“This guy here,” he states in a deep voice, looking angrily at the doctor, “decided not to come quietly boss.”
“Well next time, make him come quietly or I’ll have your head for it!” He yells and turns to the battling man whose face looks ashen and dark, like he hasn’t slept. “So, Dr. Remus, do you have what I need?”
“I won’t give it to you! She’s just a poor girl trying to get through a troubled pregnancy!” He screams in defense, biting the man’s hand that’s holding him but is pulled back by the collar of his robe and gags some.
“We’ll make you give us her blood or else doc, one of your colleagues will be identifying you in the morgue. Now, will you give it to us or will we have to use some other force to get it from you?” He asks taking out his gun and pointing to his chest.
The doctor looks down, breathing heavily, his heart in his ears and the adrenaline rushing through him like a dragster, “I won’t! She’s not whom you want! She’s just a human girl that is of nothing to you. She has normal blood, AB positive to be exact. She’s not who you’re looking for!” He spits in the gunman’s face.
The gunman looks at him angrily and is about to pull the trigger when the other man that kept looking at his watch pushes him back. “No need for it Joe or otherwise we ain’t gonna get what we need. Her blood is whats he’s got and that’s whats we gonna get. Now listen here Mac, you either give us this hybrid’s blood or we’ll ruin your life. We’ll say that you give prescriptions to dealers, make you homeless out on the street, or maybe, might just kill that pretty little wife of yours. Is that what you want, Mac?” He points his index into that man’s chest painfully and gives him a manic smile that runs chills up Dr. Remus’ spine.
Making a decision, “I won’t. It wouldn’t matter. Go ahead, ruin me all you want but I won’t give it to you. If you must know, my wife left me last night. There’s nothing you can do for you to make me give it to you. Try all you want, I won’t.”
“I admire your courage, Mac, but you must now suffer the consequences. Joe, give the man his prize.” He walks off into the darkness as the gun shot echoes into midnight air.
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StarGazing101
- Addicted Roswellian
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2001 12:03 pm
- Location: In My Own Head
- Contact:
Teaser and AN
Unfortunately, I don't have a new part for you guys today since I'm having a hard time with the beginning but that doesn't mean I won't give you guys something anyway! 
Ch.13 Teaser
Gavin paces in front of Bennie, frustrated and confused about this whole thing and stops.
“Okay, let me get this straight, Anna and I first met at The Black Iguana?”
“Yes.” Bennie states nervously, looking at his boyfriend for support.
“We both got drunk, right?” He says trying to take in all of this new information.
“Yes, and the rest is history.” Chris pats Bennie on the shoulder and stands up next to Gavin, “we really don’t want to go into detail about what happened next.”
He sits Gavin down and looks at his partner, Bennie smiles, grabs the remote to the TV and turns it on.
“You know what, Gabe? While you mull over what you just learned from us, how about we watch some TV?” Bennie says wanting to decrease the tension in the room.
“Okay, that’s a good idea.” Gavin sighs shakily.
As Bennie goes through the basic cable stations, he passes something of interest to Chris.
“Wait! Go back!” He says, moving closer to the set.
Bennie looks at him oddly but turns it back to channel four.
On the screen, we see yellow crime tape surrounding an old building, a warehouse type place, and the white outline of a body.
The female news anchor begins, “Earlier tonight, by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent street, a man, no older than the age of 34, was found dead. Three gunshot wounds to the chest…”
As she continues, a picture appears on the screen of a man with light brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and a doctor’s coat—
“Oh my God! That’s the same doctor that took care of Anna!” Bennie exclaims in shock.
Happy Holidays!
~Kay
Ch.13 Teaser
Gavin paces in front of Bennie, frustrated and confused about this whole thing and stops.
“Okay, let me get this straight, Anna and I first met at The Black Iguana?”
“Yes.” Bennie states nervously, looking at his boyfriend for support.
“We both got drunk, right?” He says trying to take in all of this new information.
“Yes, and the rest is history.” Chris pats Bennie on the shoulder and stands up next to Gavin, “we really don’t want to go into detail about what happened next.”
He sits Gavin down and looks at his partner, Bennie smiles, grabs the remote to the TV and turns it on.
“You know what, Gabe? While you mull over what you just learned from us, how about we watch some TV?” Bennie says wanting to decrease the tension in the room.
“Okay, that’s a good idea.” Gavin sighs shakily.
As Bennie goes through the basic cable stations, he passes something of interest to Chris.
“Wait! Go back!” He says, moving closer to the set.
Bennie looks at him oddly but turns it back to channel four.
On the screen, we see yellow crime tape surrounding an old building, a warehouse type place, and the white outline of a body.
The female news anchor begins, “Earlier tonight, by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent street, a man, no older than the age of 34, was found dead. Three gunshot wounds to the chest…”
As she continues, a picture appears on the screen of a man with light brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and a doctor’s coat—
“Oh my God! That’s the same doctor that took care of Anna!” Bennie exclaims in shock.
Happy Holidays!
~Kay
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StarGazing101
- Addicted Roswellian
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- Contact:
Chapter 13A
This is only half of the chapter and I would have had the whole if teachers were not so evil in planning their homework assignments at the same damn time. Anyway, sorry it took so long to update, been busy. Well, I hope you enjoy and without further adieu... (Also, sorry if there are any formatting problems)
Chapter Thirteen A
Anna rubs her temples, trying to soothe the burgeoning headache beginning to plague her, but unfortunately for her, it doesn’t seem to be helping much at all. ‘First, I make the rash decision to leave Gavin and for some odd reason Newton’s third law decides to kick in and now here I am jobless. How do these things happen so fast and stupidly, at the same time? Well, with whatever luck I have left, I truly hope this day cannot get any worse…’ She says farewell to her thoughts and decides to get back into the conversation.
“So, Bennie, what are we going to do about jobs now?” She places her head in her hands, spreading her fingers across her face and looks up intently.
“Well, I can easily get a job with my mother or sister since most of my family works in law and I have been raised with it all my life or I can get Gavin to hook me up at Best Buy since I’m not too bad with electronics and such. Consequently though, I don’t know how easily you will be able to find a new job. I know how desperately you need the money too.” He says, looking pointedly at the bulge in her mid area, knowing full well how judgmental this town can be when it wants to be.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about as of now. I mean, who would hire a five-month pregnant nineteen-year old with little work experience?” Anna questions, moving some loose strands of auburn hair from her pretty face. “Damn,” she curses. “This sucks.”
She sighs dismally and stands up from where her and Kim have been sitting, feeling tired and not really in the mood to have company at this moment.
“Hey, you can always head over to the mall and look for a job there. There’s bound to be one since students are heading back to school and won’t be working their full-time summer work schedules anymore.” Kim suggests from behind Anna, hoping she’ll consider the idea.
“That’s not a bad idea!” Chris exclaims from where he stands behind the couch. “The stores there are alwayshiring and you can get tons of discounts wherever you work. I should know; I work in Hot Topic.
Anna thinks about it for a moment, “You know, I think I might just take you two up on that offer and begin looking tomorrow.”
She goes over to Chris and hugs him and bends over the couch to hug Kim when she hears a cell phone from the other side of the room. “Bennie, is that your phone?”
“Uh yeah, excuse me for a moment.” He flips it open and answers, “hello,” not really expecting a call right now.
“Hey Bennie, it’s Gabe. Where were you earlier? You didn’t pick up.”
“Oh sorry, I was busy running errands for my mother. What do you need, buddy?” He asks.
“Yeah, uh, could you and Chris come over here ASAP? I really need to ask you guys about something…important.”
“Oh, okay. Give us about 10 minutes and we’ll be there. Bye.” Bennie hangs up, grabs his coat from beside him and stands up. “Chris, we gotta go.”
“Where are we going?” Chris asks, a look of confusion crossing his handsome features.
“It seems ‘The Playa’, wants a word with us about something importan’. He sounded as if his life depended on it.”
“Oh okay. Well Anna, we’ll hopefully see ya around tomorrow. Best of luck to ya on finding a new job…with a decent boss!” They both laugh at the last part and he and Bennie leave.
“I wonder what that was about? And who’s ‘The Playa’?” Kim asks standing up and putting her coat on.
“I don’t know but I do know who ‘The Playa’ is and I’m hoping that whatever he has to say to them has nothing to do with me.” A stern look crosses Anna’s features as she wonders what Gavin wanted.
“Well, I would love to talk more, but Bennie is my ride home so I better run after them.” Kim says heading out the door.
“Bye!” Anna yells after her and goes to lock the door. She stands against it for a moment and decides for once, she is not going to dwell on what just happened and go back to reading her book. ‘I do not need stress threatening me nor my child’s life once again.’
In Roswell, Diane and Phillip pick up their house and make sure Isabel’s letter is in a secure place so that none of the other parents find it during their meeting tonight.
Diane backs up to the mantle piece and scans the room, making sure nothing is out of place and that the living room is spotless (we now know where Isabel gets it from). Phillip watches in amusement and just shakes his head as he sits down in one of the squashy armchairs in the room, relaxing his back into it, knowing that he’s not getting up for a while.
“Well, the place looks clean to me and I’m set. Now, we just wait.” He grabs the newspaper from the table and shuffles through the sports section.
Diane sits down, looking like she’s in deep thought and takes a breath, “Phillip, do you think Isabel is really alright? I know I shouldn’t be having these feelings but I just thought about her being in the hospital and her unexpected pregnancy and…I’m worried about her and our grandson.” She bites her lip and looks back at Phillip with anticipation.
He puts the paper down in his lap and smiles, “Honey, it’s natural that you feel this way as do I, but we both know that Isabel is a big girl now and can handle many things on her own. I mean, look what her and Max have gone through these past three years, her pregnancy will be nothing compared to that. Besides, that’s not what I’m worried about; I’m worried about the blood sample that was done at the hospital when she mentioned it. I’m still skeptical about the whole thing.” Phillip gazes at his wife firmly and goes back to reading last night’s football highlights.
Diane sighs in frustration, “I know she can handle herself but that doesn’t mean I’m still going to let this go. I just have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is going to go wrong, I just know it!” She holds back her tears and decides that now is not the time to neither cry nor argue about their daughter, especially since she just heard a car pull up in their driveway.
“Hon’, how about we finish this conversation later?” Phillip asks from behind the paper.
“Yeah, I guess we’ll have to,” feeling somewhat angry that they couldn’t finish this now.
“Hello, anyone here?” Jeff Parker peeks through the front door and notices Diane and Phillip in the living room and ushers his wife in with him. “Hey.”
“Hello, Jeff.” Phillip says, still behind the paper.
“Phillip! Put the paper down, you can finish it later.” Diane gives him a look as he looks from the top of it. He folds it and sets it back down on the coffee table.
‘Women, always trying to get between a man and the sports section,’ Phillip thinks to himself but knows that he’ll have time later to finish it.
Gavin paces in front of Bennie, frustrated and confused about this whole thing and stops, “Okay, let me get this straight, Anna and I first met at The Black Iguana?”
“Yes.” Bennie states nervously, looking from Gavin to his boyfriend, seeing that they both have the same look.
“We both got drunk, right?” He says trying to take in all of this new information, not only speaking with his mouth but talking with his hands also. His hands flailing around making him look more frazzled and frustrated.
“Yes, and the rest is history.” Chris pats Bennie on the shoulder and stands up next to Gavin, “we really don’t want to go into detail about what happened next.”
He sits Gavin down and looks at his partner, Bennie smiles, grabs the remote to the TV and turns it on, “You know what, Gabe? While you mull over what you just learned from us, how about we watch some TV?” Bennie says wanting to decrease the tension in the room.
“Okay, that’s a good idea.” Gavin sighs shakily, not fully taking in all he just learned, looking disoriented but complies either way.
As Bennie goes through the basic cable stations, he passes something of interest to Chris.
“Wait! Go back!” He says, moving closer to the set with an intrigued look crossing his face.
Bennie looks at him oddly but turns it back to channel four. On the screen, we see yellow crime tape surrounding an old building, a big warehouse type place, and the white outline of a body.
The female news anchor begins, “This news just in! Tonight, by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent Street, a man, no older than the age of 34, was found dead. Three gunshot wounds to the chest…”
As she continues, a picture appears on the screen of a man with light brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and a doctor’s coat—
“Oh my God! That’s the same doctor that took care of Anna in the hospital!” Bennie exclaims in shock, thinking that his eyes and ears are deceiving him.
The next morning, Isabel wakes up after having a refreshing night of dreamless sleep, which is unusual and wonders if it’s a good or a bad thing but otherwise, this is the best she’s felt in a long time…even after having such a crappy week and a half. Once getting dressed and putting her shoes on, she jogs out to the kitchen, grabs her purse and heads out the door, but not before looking to see if she has enough money for the day, since she’s job hunting today and probably will get something to eat or other. Deciding that she needs to get herself revved up for a long morning and afternoon, she heads towards the tea place down on Hudson Street.
Once at Chi’s House of Tea, she pulls open the mahogany door and strolls over to the counter and orders a cup of India Mocha Chai. After getting her tea, she seats herself at one of the tables next to the window and stares out not really thinking about anything of importance except that her thoughts keep being interrupted by unpleasant subjects.
‘It’s so nice outside today, why couldn’t it be like this yesterday?’ She shakes her head, feeling a smile creep on her face even though she doesn’t want it to. ‘Everything has been so…weird lately, nothing seems to be going my way and I have no idea why I’m smiling? Maybe it’s the warmth and taste of the tea.’ She stirs the small spoon in the beautiful blue and white teacup and now doesn’t know what to think. She doesn’t want to dwell on a certain someone but she doesn’t want to think about the baby either because he brings up bad memories. A horrible thing to say, but she just wants to have a normal day and would rather reside in a mindless state than end up crying over distasteful things.
As she sips her tea, she hears a word that just breaks through her coma-like being—murder. Turning towards the person who said it, she notices an older couple in about their mid-late sixties talking about the front page of today’s newspaper.
We all live
We all die
That does not begin to justify…
‘No. It’s nothing. Murder happens in every single place in the world; there’s no reason to get worked up over nothing Iz,’ she condescends but cannot help but feel like something is terribly wrong in the back of her conscious.
“Honey, are you okay?” The older woman with the graying blonde hair asks from beside Isabel, startling her in the process. “Oh, I didn’t mean to startle ya hon’,” she apologizes in a sweet voice that makes Isabel think of one of those movies with the sweet old grandmothers that give their grandkids candy and such, a slight accent in her voice.
“Oh, I’m fine just got a little too caught up in my thoughts,” she answers her and sweeps her head to the side to face the woman and throw her hair out of her face.
“That’s okay. I don’t blame ya with all that’s been going on since that murder last night.” She says it as if nothing happened and sways her hand to emphasize her statement. Her husband beside her nods his head in agreement and smiles kindly at her.
Her curiosity getting the best of her, “What murder,” she asks.
“Oh, you didn’t hear! A doctor was murdered by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent Street last night, three gunshot wounds to the chest. He was only thirty-four years old.” She begins to get nostalgic and shakes her head tragically, “What a young age to die at and a doctor too…must have been a good man to be a doctor.”
It’s only in my mind
Not real life
No, I must be dreaming
Isabel wonders for a second and thinks back to when she was in the hospital:
“No, nothing serious from what I found.” A man in a white coat, about early thirties, comes in. “I’m Dr. Remus by the way.” He says shaking a few hands.
“So, what’s wrong? Is my baby okay?”
The doctor smiles friendly, “He’s fine. You…
She gasps and the older couple looks at her funny, “Are you okay?” The old man asks.
“What was this doctor’s name,” she asks urgently not wanting to reveal what her mind may have already concluded.
“It says here his name was…um…hold on a sec…let me see…um…aha! Nathaniel Remus.”
Right after the blonde-haired woman gets out his last name, the bell connected to the door in the shop rings and the young girl she was talking to is gone.
After running out of the shop Isabel bought a .25¢ newspaper and notices a photograph on the front of it with a slaughterhouse, crime scene tape, and the white outline of a body.
<center>Doctor Found ‘Slaughtered’ on Crescent
By Ted Petersen
Augusta Times
AUGUSTA — Last night at around 10 p.m., a young man was jogging by the deteriorated slaughterhouse on the moonlit Crescent Street. As he stopped for a breather and turned the corner of the place, Josh Greenberg gasped at the ghastly site he saw. Around that corner, a man in his mid-thirties was found dead with a few broken bones, a black eye, and three gunshot wounds to the chest. The coroner said he had been dead for a few hours by the looks of his sallow skin and his eyes were rolled in the back of his head.
The man was later identified as Nathaniel Remus, an Obstetrician/Gynecologist at Augusta Memorial Hospital and was thirty-four years old as of his death. Here is also what else we found out from his older brother Trenton Remus:
“Well, my brother and I were pretty good and got along fine most of the time. He didn’t drink and was not a heavy smoker and he loved his work. I don’t know who would even think about killing my younger brother, I mean, he was a saint. He stayed pretty much to himself but was pretty broken up when he had come to me the night before telling me his wife, Cherie, had left him for some guy that they had met during their vacation to Hawaii last summer. I also know that he would never kill himself over something so trivial and that he would eventually get over it. I just can’t believe someone would just kill him. I don’t ever remember my brother ever having any enemies, not even in high school.”
The police are investigating this case more thoroughly and hope to catch his killer before they strike again and murder another innocent townsperson.
Continued on page A5</center>
By the time she’s finished, she’s trembling so badly she can barely hold the piece of newspaper in her hands and is on the verge of tears, thinking awful thoughts about her doctor’s murderer and that maybe…she was the cause of it.
And I froze inside myself and turned away
I must be dreaming
Gavin strolls through Jensen Park, attempting to put his feelings into some kind of semblance of order so that he can think straight for once about Anna. He has endeavored many times to take his mind off of the statuesque goddess, but to no avail, he is both blessed and cursed to forever live with her essence on his skin. He wishes though that she would just explain to him, sensibly why can’t she just be with him? Also, why didn’t she tell him that they had slept together or had even met each other before?
Are you aware of what you make me feel, baby?
Right now I feel invisible to you
Like I’m not real
“Well, obviously, that would be sort of an uncomfortable situation to be in,” he mutters irritably. “I still wish though that she would have at least explained to me why she can’t be with me though. I mean, am I just not her type, a bad kisser maybe? Well, I don’t know about that one, but otherwise…” He continues to talk beneath his breath and walk with his head down and hands in his pockets until he crashes into someone, knocking everything out their hands.
I just don’t understand why you won’t talk to me
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I should have paid more attention to where I was going,” he stutters and looks up, now staring into the sullen face of Anna. “Oh, hey Anna,” he states, bending down to help her pick up what was in her arms.
“Gavin,” she says with conviction, trying not to show her vulnerability.
He looks at some of things he’s helping her pick up and notices today’s newspaper and the book he gave her while she was in the hospital, “I see you’re reading the book I gave you.” No feeling in his voice whatsoever and keeps a straight face. ‘This is really awkward…’
“Yeah.” She takes the book from him and notices him staring at the front page and she grabs the newspaper from him, about to walk off but is stopped when his hand moves to her shoulder.
Why do you always do this to me?
Why couldn’t you just see it through me?
How come you act like this, like you just don’t care at all?
“Don’t go. Just because we’re brok— on hiatus doesn’t mean we still can’t be friends does it?” He’s happy when he notices a small smirk on her face and a slight pink tinge in her cheeks and smiles back at her.
Tell me; are you and me still together?
“I guess not. I have time to kill anyway. How about we sit on that bench over there?” She points to the brown wooden seat near the children’s playground a few feet ahead.
It’s not suppose to feel this way
I need you (I need you)
More and more each day
At first there’s a pregnable pause between the two acquaintances but Gavin speaks to break the silence. “Well, how have you been? I mean, a lot has happened since we saw each other last night.” He pauses for a moment, “How about that murder, eh? Poor man.” He stares up at her expectantly and notices that she looks unresponsive.
(I can feel) I can feel you near me
Even though you’re far away
I can feel, I can feel you baby
Why…
He takes his hand and pushes her hair behind her shoulder and notices the way her eyelids slowly close and re-open, almost as if the moment was in slow motion, and she sighs. A heavy, sorrowful…painful sigh, from deep within her chest and with no words, she takes her hand and places on top of his, which is on her shoulder.
Gavin flinches, her hand is like ice and he leans forward to gaze into her twinkling eyes but only to notice her eyes are dull and full of sadness, there are silent tears running down her thin face.
It’s not suppose to hurt this way
“What’s the matter Anna? Why are you crying?” His heart breaks for her and can feel his own face becoming hot and wanting to cry but holds it back. He’s a guy. He cannot cry in public.
Try to look at me and really see my heart
“Anna,” he asks one more time, becoming really scared at her coma-like state.
Anna realizes she’s scaring him but can’t help the feelings coursing through her for him and without warning to Gavin, she puts her hands on either side of his face and places her lips on his and kisses him.
‘What the hell,’ he thinks to himself at the first sign of her thin luscious lips upon his own lips and the next thing he knows, their tongues are down each other’s throats.
Breaking the fervent kiss, Anna stands up, grabs her things and runs away in the same direction she was heading before Gavin interrupted her walk. Even though she hears him calling after her and running behind her, she pushes herself to run faster and notices the bus that she was going to take before her and Gavin had that awkward silence and finally makes it to the stop. The driver stops for her and she tells for him to go and takes a seat towards the back where she sobs silently into her hands.
Gavin runs after the bus for a while, screaming her name, but stops and curses aloud not caring that he’s crying in public because he has a good reason to.
Let’s play a different game than what we’re playing
Anna pulls the wire along side the top of the bus, signaling to be dropped off here along with a few other people. Once off the stuffy bus she gazes at the building in front of her reading the sign overhead, Caprice Square Shopping Center, and pulls open one of the expensive-looking glass doors plated in bronze and feels the draft as she proceeds inside.
The first thing she notices is the food court and decides to stop there to check her make-up and such. Looking into her compact’s mirror, she sees the remains of mascara from her sobbing on the bus and the dark crevices under her eyes that it made.
“Damn it,” she curses and looks through her purse for her some tissues to wipe away the streaks on her cheeks and her mascara and eyeliner. “You know, with all the crying I do, maybe I should consider switching to clear mascara instead of always ruining the black,” she mutters angrily, sighing loudly.
“Really, will you then?” She’s startled when she hears a British voice behind her and turns around to see Chris smiling at her.
“Oh my God! You scared me! Don’t do that!” She hits him as he sits across from her and begins to blush as he laughs at her.
“I’m sorry that I startled you, but I just could not pass up the chance of scaring my fave gal pal.” He smiles at her and wonders exactly why she was crying and determines to find out but decides to be subtle. “So, what did ya think of my wonderful British accent?”
“I must say, it was very convincing, where’d you learn how to do an accent that well?” She questions, but knows he’s avoiding the question he’s dying to ask her.
“Just picked it up, I guess. I’ve been doing theatre since I was little and I love it. Always have and always will.” He sighs dismally, “one of the few things Bennie and I don’t have in common, but lets not go there. So, what’s bothering you? Don’t think I didn’t notice you muttering to yourself.” His pearly whites gleaming as he gives her a curious look.
“Fine, you got me, of course, I was crying as I have been doing for the past two months! Here’s what happened…” She explains what happened at the park between her and Gavin earlier, “It’s like I couldn’t control myself, like my hormones were calling to him and I just had to kiss him. It felt so good to have my lips on his and the next thing I know I’m running away from him.” She’s on the verge of tears again but doesn’t think she can handle another public disaster twice in one day.
“What I don’t understand is why you keep running from him? Are you scared of commitment or are you just not ready for a relationship because you want to get through this pregnancy first, is that it, “ Chris asks trying to understand the thoughts behind her actions. ‘At this rate, if she keeps this up, Gavin is going to get fed up and not run after her again.’
“I do have reasons but right now, I’m sorry, I can’t share them with you as of yet but being pregnant has nothing to do with it. Commitment is a very small factor compared to the piece of information you do not know of but I do have a good reason. It’s just…” She stops mid-sentence to gather her thoughts but is having trouble when she feels the movements within her abdomen, feeling a little bit uncomfortable at the slight pain but it’s not the same as before.
“Are you okay?” He stares at her oddly with one ‘brow raised, watching her take some deep breaths and squirming in her chair.
“It’s not me,” she breathes, “it’s the baby.” She notices the alarmed look on his face, “Oh no! Don’t worry, nothing bad but it seems like he,” she grunts and gasps at the feeling of abrupt kicking, “wants…something.”
Chris watches in both amusement and fright, not knowing whether to laugh at her movements of getting situated or to be scared that something’s wrong with her son. He decides that laughing would not be the best idea and better anticipate for what she has to say than make a fool of himself or make Anna cry, which he knows, does not take much with her hormones all out of whack.
“You know what, maybe we should walk for a while then maybe he’ll calm down a little because I know I’m not hungry which means that he cannot be hungry,” she states aggravated. ‘I guess I didn’t realize how different my pregnancy is from a human’s, the fact that the baby’s hand glows through my stomach and likes to get involved in my conversations with extremely bad timing is a huge pain in my ass. If this is how it is in barely my fifth month in, I really am not looking forward to giving birth.’ She shudders at the thought and notices Chris give her a perplexed look but prefers to ignore it.
“So, have you thought of any names yet?” Chris asks as they walk through the gigantic mall, people really starting to gather within its enormous space.
She smiles, “No, not really. I have one in particular I’m very fond of but there’s one problem…” She walks with her head down for a while, holding Chris’s hand as they walk, feeling secure that she has such a good friend.
“What’s the name and what’s the problem with it?”
“Well, you and Bennie both know that there’s this guy that I use to go with a long time ago, and that he died.” Chris nods. “And you have also heard my theory about him, right?” Not knowing for sure if Bennie had told Chris or not and notices the confusion behind those blue eyes of his. She decides to explain in short, “Basically, in short,” she starts, “I think that Alex never died.”
“How did you come up with that conclusion if you don’t mind me asking,” He asks, one eyebrow raised in the air. ‘This must be the thing Bennie wanted to tell me a month ago but couldn’t because it wasn’t his secret to tell.’
Gavin continues to walk aimlessly down the street, not caring who he bumps into and feels as if someone trampled upon his heart in a pair of football cleats. ‘God, I hate when she does this to me! Doesn’t she know the effect she has on me?’ he keeps walking, reprimanding Anna in his mind. Frustrated enough with his self, he decides to call his best girl friend, Ansleigh, for advice. ‘Little Miss Psychic herself…’ He flips open his cell and dials.
(Excerpts from ‘I Must Be Dreaming’ by Evanescence, ‘Losing Grip’ and ‘Why?’ by Avril Lavigne)
Chapter Thirteen A
Anna rubs her temples, trying to soothe the burgeoning headache beginning to plague her, but unfortunately for her, it doesn’t seem to be helping much at all. ‘First, I make the rash decision to leave Gavin and for some odd reason Newton’s third law decides to kick in and now here I am jobless. How do these things happen so fast and stupidly, at the same time? Well, with whatever luck I have left, I truly hope this day cannot get any worse…’ She says farewell to her thoughts and decides to get back into the conversation.
“So, Bennie, what are we going to do about jobs now?” She places her head in her hands, spreading her fingers across her face and looks up intently.
“Well, I can easily get a job with my mother or sister since most of my family works in law and I have been raised with it all my life or I can get Gavin to hook me up at Best Buy since I’m not too bad with electronics and such. Consequently though, I don’t know how easily you will be able to find a new job. I know how desperately you need the money too.” He says, looking pointedly at the bulge in her mid area, knowing full well how judgmental this town can be when it wants to be.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about as of now. I mean, who would hire a five-month pregnant nineteen-year old with little work experience?” Anna questions, moving some loose strands of auburn hair from her pretty face. “Damn,” she curses. “This sucks.”
She sighs dismally and stands up from where her and Kim have been sitting, feeling tired and not really in the mood to have company at this moment.
“Hey, you can always head over to the mall and look for a job there. There’s bound to be one since students are heading back to school and won’t be working their full-time summer work schedules anymore.” Kim suggests from behind Anna, hoping she’ll consider the idea.
“That’s not a bad idea!” Chris exclaims from where he stands behind the couch. “The stores there are alwayshiring and you can get tons of discounts wherever you work. I should know; I work in Hot Topic.
Anna thinks about it for a moment, “You know, I think I might just take you two up on that offer and begin looking tomorrow.”
She goes over to Chris and hugs him and bends over the couch to hug Kim when she hears a cell phone from the other side of the room. “Bennie, is that your phone?”
“Uh yeah, excuse me for a moment.” He flips it open and answers, “hello,” not really expecting a call right now.
“Hey Bennie, it’s Gabe. Where were you earlier? You didn’t pick up.”
“Oh sorry, I was busy running errands for my mother. What do you need, buddy?” He asks.
“Yeah, uh, could you and Chris come over here ASAP? I really need to ask you guys about something…important.”
“Oh, okay. Give us about 10 minutes and we’ll be there. Bye.” Bennie hangs up, grabs his coat from beside him and stands up. “Chris, we gotta go.”
“Where are we going?” Chris asks, a look of confusion crossing his handsome features.
“It seems ‘The Playa’, wants a word with us about something importan’. He sounded as if his life depended on it.”
“Oh okay. Well Anna, we’ll hopefully see ya around tomorrow. Best of luck to ya on finding a new job…with a decent boss!” They both laugh at the last part and he and Bennie leave.
“I wonder what that was about? And who’s ‘The Playa’?” Kim asks standing up and putting her coat on.
“I don’t know but I do know who ‘The Playa’ is and I’m hoping that whatever he has to say to them has nothing to do with me.” A stern look crosses Anna’s features as she wonders what Gavin wanted.
“Well, I would love to talk more, but Bennie is my ride home so I better run after them.” Kim says heading out the door.
“Bye!” Anna yells after her and goes to lock the door. She stands against it for a moment and decides for once, she is not going to dwell on what just happened and go back to reading her book. ‘I do not need stress threatening me nor my child’s life once again.’
In Roswell, Diane and Phillip pick up their house and make sure Isabel’s letter is in a secure place so that none of the other parents find it during their meeting tonight.
Diane backs up to the mantle piece and scans the room, making sure nothing is out of place and that the living room is spotless (we now know where Isabel gets it from). Phillip watches in amusement and just shakes his head as he sits down in one of the squashy armchairs in the room, relaxing his back into it, knowing that he’s not getting up for a while.
“Well, the place looks clean to me and I’m set. Now, we just wait.” He grabs the newspaper from the table and shuffles through the sports section.
Diane sits down, looking like she’s in deep thought and takes a breath, “Phillip, do you think Isabel is really alright? I know I shouldn’t be having these feelings but I just thought about her being in the hospital and her unexpected pregnancy and…I’m worried about her and our grandson.” She bites her lip and looks back at Phillip with anticipation.
He puts the paper down in his lap and smiles, “Honey, it’s natural that you feel this way as do I, but we both know that Isabel is a big girl now and can handle many things on her own. I mean, look what her and Max have gone through these past three years, her pregnancy will be nothing compared to that. Besides, that’s not what I’m worried about; I’m worried about the blood sample that was done at the hospital when she mentioned it. I’m still skeptical about the whole thing.” Phillip gazes at his wife firmly and goes back to reading last night’s football highlights.
Diane sighs in frustration, “I know she can handle herself but that doesn’t mean I’m still going to let this go. I just have this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is going to go wrong, I just know it!” She holds back her tears and decides that now is not the time to neither cry nor argue about their daughter, especially since she just heard a car pull up in their driveway.
“Hon’, how about we finish this conversation later?” Phillip asks from behind the paper.
“Yeah, I guess we’ll have to,” feeling somewhat angry that they couldn’t finish this now.
“Hello, anyone here?” Jeff Parker peeks through the front door and notices Diane and Phillip in the living room and ushers his wife in with him. “Hey.”
“Hello, Jeff.” Phillip says, still behind the paper.
“Phillip! Put the paper down, you can finish it later.” Diane gives him a look as he looks from the top of it. He folds it and sets it back down on the coffee table.
‘Women, always trying to get between a man and the sports section,’ Phillip thinks to himself but knows that he’ll have time later to finish it.
Gavin paces in front of Bennie, frustrated and confused about this whole thing and stops, “Okay, let me get this straight, Anna and I first met at The Black Iguana?”
“Yes.” Bennie states nervously, looking from Gavin to his boyfriend, seeing that they both have the same look.
“We both got drunk, right?” He says trying to take in all of this new information, not only speaking with his mouth but talking with his hands also. His hands flailing around making him look more frazzled and frustrated.
“Yes, and the rest is history.” Chris pats Bennie on the shoulder and stands up next to Gavin, “we really don’t want to go into detail about what happened next.”
He sits Gavin down and looks at his partner, Bennie smiles, grabs the remote to the TV and turns it on, “You know what, Gabe? While you mull over what you just learned from us, how about we watch some TV?” Bennie says wanting to decrease the tension in the room.
“Okay, that’s a good idea.” Gavin sighs shakily, not fully taking in all he just learned, looking disoriented but complies either way.
As Bennie goes through the basic cable stations, he passes something of interest to Chris.
“Wait! Go back!” He says, moving closer to the set with an intrigued look crossing his face.
Bennie looks at him oddly but turns it back to channel four. On the screen, we see yellow crime tape surrounding an old building, a big warehouse type place, and the white outline of a body.
The female news anchor begins, “This news just in! Tonight, by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent Street, a man, no older than the age of 34, was found dead. Three gunshot wounds to the chest…”
As she continues, a picture appears on the screen of a man with light brown hair, hazel-green eyes, and a doctor’s coat—
“Oh my God! That’s the same doctor that took care of Anna in the hospital!” Bennie exclaims in shock, thinking that his eyes and ears are deceiving him.
The next morning, Isabel wakes up after having a refreshing night of dreamless sleep, which is unusual and wonders if it’s a good or a bad thing but otherwise, this is the best she’s felt in a long time…even after having such a crappy week and a half. Once getting dressed and putting her shoes on, she jogs out to the kitchen, grabs her purse and heads out the door, but not before looking to see if she has enough money for the day, since she’s job hunting today and probably will get something to eat or other. Deciding that she needs to get herself revved up for a long morning and afternoon, she heads towards the tea place down on Hudson Street.
Once at Chi’s House of Tea, she pulls open the mahogany door and strolls over to the counter and orders a cup of India Mocha Chai. After getting her tea, she seats herself at one of the tables next to the window and stares out not really thinking about anything of importance except that her thoughts keep being interrupted by unpleasant subjects.
‘It’s so nice outside today, why couldn’t it be like this yesterday?’ She shakes her head, feeling a smile creep on her face even though she doesn’t want it to. ‘Everything has been so…weird lately, nothing seems to be going my way and I have no idea why I’m smiling? Maybe it’s the warmth and taste of the tea.’ She stirs the small spoon in the beautiful blue and white teacup and now doesn’t know what to think. She doesn’t want to dwell on a certain someone but she doesn’t want to think about the baby either because he brings up bad memories. A horrible thing to say, but she just wants to have a normal day and would rather reside in a mindless state than end up crying over distasteful things.
As she sips her tea, she hears a word that just breaks through her coma-like being—murder. Turning towards the person who said it, she notices an older couple in about their mid-late sixties talking about the front page of today’s newspaper.
We all live
We all die
That does not begin to justify…
‘No. It’s nothing. Murder happens in every single place in the world; there’s no reason to get worked up over nothing Iz,’ she condescends but cannot help but feel like something is terribly wrong in the back of her conscious.
“Honey, are you okay?” The older woman with the graying blonde hair asks from beside Isabel, startling her in the process. “Oh, I didn’t mean to startle ya hon’,” she apologizes in a sweet voice that makes Isabel think of one of those movies with the sweet old grandmothers that give their grandkids candy and such, a slight accent in her voice.
“Oh, I’m fine just got a little too caught up in my thoughts,” she answers her and sweeps her head to the side to face the woman and throw her hair out of her face.
“That’s okay. I don’t blame ya with all that’s been going on since that murder last night.” She says it as if nothing happened and sways her hand to emphasize her statement. Her husband beside her nods his head in agreement and smiles kindly at her.
Her curiosity getting the best of her, “What murder,” she asks.
“Oh, you didn’t hear! A doctor was murdered by the old slaughterhouse on Crescent Street last night, three gunshot wounds to the chest. He was only thirty-four years old.” She begins to get nostalgic and shakes her head tragically, “What a young age to die at and a doctor too…must have been a good man to be a doctor.”
It’s only in my mind
Not real life
No, I must be dreaming
Isabel wonders for a second and thinks back to when she was in the hospital:
“No, nothing serious from what I found.” A man in a white coat, about early thirties, comes in. “I’m Dr. Remus by the way.” He says shaking a few hands.
“So, what’s wrong? Is my baby okay?”
The doctor smiles friendly, “He’s fine. You…
She gasps and the older couple looks at her funny, “Are you okay?” The old man asks.
“What was this doctor’s name,” she asks urgently not wanting to reveal what her mind may have already concluded.
“It says here his name was…um…hold on a sec…let me see…um…aha! Nathaniel Remus.”
Right after the blonde-haired woman gets out his last name, the bell connected to the door in the shop rings and the young girl she was talking to is gone.
After running out of the shop Isabel bought a .25¢ newspaper and notices a photograph on the front of it with a slaughterhouse, crime scene tape, and the white outline of a body.
<center>Doctor Found ‘Slaughtered’ on Crescent
By Ted Petersen
Augusta Times
AUGUSTA — Last night at around 10 p.m., a young man was jogging by the deteriorated slaughterhouse on the moonlit Crescent Street. As he stopped for a breather and turned the corner of the place, Josh Greenberg gasped at the ghastly site he saw. Around that corner, a man in his mid-thirties was found dead with a few broken bones, a black eye, and three gunshot wounds to the chest. The coroner said he had been dead for a few hours by the looks of his sallow skin and his eyes were rolled in the back of his head.
The man was later identified as Nathaniel Remus, an Obstetrician/Gynecologist at Augusta Memorial Hospital and was thirty-four years old as of his death. Here is also what else we found out from his older brother Trenton Remus:
“Well, my brother and I were pretty good and got along fine most of the time. He didn’t drink and was not a heavy smoker and he loved his work. I don’t know who would even think about killing my younger brother, I mean, he was a saint. He stayed pretty much to himself but was pretty broken up when he had come to me the night before telling me his wife, Cherie, had left him for some guy that they had met during their vacation to Hawaii last summer. I also know that he would never kill himself over something so trivial and that he would eventually get over it. I just can’t believe someone would just kill him. I don’t ever remember my brother ever having any enemies, not even in high school.”
The police are investigating this case more thoroughly and hope to catch his killer before they strike again and murder another innocent townsperson.
Continued on page A5</center>
By the time she’s finished, she’s trembling so badly she can barely hold the piece of newspaper in her hands and is on the verge of tears, thinking awful thoughts about her doctor’s murderer and that maybe…she was the cause of it.
And I froze inside myself and turned away
I must be dreaming
Gavin strolls through Jensen Park, attempting to put his feelings into some kind of semblance of order so that he can think straight for once about Anna. He has endeavored many times to take his mind off of the statuesque goddess, but to no avail, he is both blessed and cursed to forever live with her essence on his skin. He wishes though that she would just explain to him, sensibly why can’t she just be with him? Also, why didn’t she tell him that they had slept together or had even met each other before?
Are you aware of what you make me feel, baby?
Right now I feel invisible to you
Like I’m not real
“Well, obviously, that would be sort of an uncomfortable situation to be in,” he mutters irritably. “I still wish though that she would have at least explained to me why she can’t be with me though. I mean, am I just not her type, a bad kisser maybe? Well, I don’t know about that one, but otherwise…” He continues to talk beneath his breath and walk with his head down and hands in his pockets until he crashes into someone, knocking everything out their hands.
I just don’t understand why you won’t talk to me
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I should have paid more attention to where I was going,” he stutters and looks up, now staring into the sullen face of Anna. “Oh, hey Anna,” he states, bending down to help her pick up what was in her arms.
“Gavin,” she says with conviction, trying not to show her vulnerability.
He looks at some of things he’s helping her pick up and notices today’s newspaper and the book he gave her while she was in the hospital, “I see you’re reading the book I gave you.” No feeling in his voice whatsoever and keeps a straight face. ‘This is really awkward…’
“Yeah.” She takes the book from him and notices him staring at the front page and she grabs the newspaper from him, about to walk off but is stopped when his hand moves to her shoulder.
Why do you always do this to me?
Why couldn’t you just see it through me?
How come you act like this, like you just don’t care at all?
“Don’t go. Just because we’re brok— on hiatus doesn’t mean we still can’t be friends does it?” He’s happy when he notices a small smirk on her face and a slight pink tinge in her cheeks and smiles back at her.
Tell me; are you and me still together?
“I guess not. I have time to kill anyway. How about we sit on that bench over there?” She points to the brown wooden seat near the children’s playground a few feet ahead.
It’s not suppose to feel this way
I need you (I need you)
More and more each day
At first there’s a pregnable pause between the two acquaintances but Gavin speaks to break the silence. “Well, how have you been? I mean, a lot has happened since we saw each other last night.” He pauses for a moment, “How about that murder, eh? Poor man.” He stares up at her expectantly and notices that she looks unresponsive.
(I can feel) I can feel you near me
Even though you’re far away
I can feel, I can feel you baby
Why…
He takes his hand and pushes her hair behind her shoulder and notices the way her eyelids slowly close and re-open, almost as if the moment was in slow motion, and she sighs. A heavy, sorrowful…painful sigh, from deep within her chest and with no words, she takes her hand and places on top of his, which is on her shoulder.
Gavin flinches, her hand is like ice and he leans forward to gaze into her twinkling eyes but only to notice her eyes are dull and full of sadness, there are silent tears running down her thin face.
It’s not suppose to hurt this way
“What’s the matter Anna? Why are you crying?” His heart breaks for her and can feel his own face becoming hot and wanting to cry but holds it back. He’s a guy. He cannot cry in public.
Try to look at me and really see my heart
“Anna,” he asks one more time, becoming really scared at her coma-like state.
Anna realizes she’s scaring him but can’t help the feelings coursing through her for him and without warning to Gavin, she puts her hands on either side of his face and places her lips on his and kisses him.
‘What the hell,’ he thinks to himself at the first sign of her thin luscious lips upon his own lips and the next thing he knows, their tongues are down each other’s throats.
Breaking the fervent kiss, Anna stands up, grabs her things and runs away in the same direction she was heading before Gavin interrupted her walk. Even though she hears him calling after her and running behind her, she pushes herself to run faster and notices the bus that she was going to take before her and Gavin had that awkward silence and finally makes it to the stop. The driver stops for her and she tells for him to go and takes a seat towards the back where she sobs silently into her hands.
Gavin runs after the bus for a while, screaming her name, but stops and curses aloud not caring that he’s crying in public because he has a good reason to.
Let’s play a different game than what we’re playing
Anna pulls the wire along side the top of the bus, signaling to be dropped off here along with a few other people. Once off the stuffy bus she gazes at the building in front of her reading the sign overhead, Caprice Square Shopping Center, and pulls open one of the expensive-looking glass doors plated in bronze and feels the draft as she proceeds inside.
The first thing she notices is the food court and decides to stop there to check her make-up and such. Looking into her compact’s mirror, she sees the remains of mascara from her sobbing on the bus and the dark crevices under her eyes that it made.
“Damn it,” she curses and looks through her purse for her some tissues to wipe away the streaks on her cheeks and her mascara and eyeliner. “You know, with all the crying I do, maybe I should consider switching to clear mascara instead of always ruining the black,” she mutters angrily, sighing loudly.
“Really, will you then?” She’s startled when she hears a British voice behind her and turns around to see Chris smiling at her.
“Oh my God! You scared me! Don’t do that!” She hits him as he sits across from her and begins to blush as he laughs at her.
“I’m sorry that I startled you, but I just could not pass up the chance of scaring my fave gal pal.” He smiles at her and wonders exactly why she was crying and determines to find out but decides to be subtle. “So, what did ya think of my wonderful British accent?”
“I must say, it was very convincing, where’d you learn how to do an accent that well?” She questions, but knows he’s avoiding the question he’s dying to ask her.
“Just picked it up, I guess. I’ve been doing theatre since I was little and I love it. Always have and always will.” He sighs dismally, “one of the few things Bennie and I don’t have in common, but lets not go there. So, what’s bothering you? Don’t think I didn’t notice you muttering to yourself.” His pearly whites gleaming as he gives her a curious look.
“Fine, you got me, of course, I was crying as I have been doing for the past two months! Here’s what happened…” She explains what happened at the park between her and Gavin earlier, “It’s like I couldn’t control myself, like my hormones were calling to him and I just had to kiss him. It felt so good to have my lips on his and the next thing I know I’m running away from him.” She’s on the verge of tears again but doesn’t think she can handle another public disaster twice in one day.
“What I don’t understand is why you keep running from him? Are you scared of commitment or are you just not ready for a relationship because you want to get through this pregnancy first, is that it, “ Chris asks trying to understand the thoughts behind her actions. ‘At this rate, if she keeps this up, Gavin is going to get fed up and not run after her again.’
“I do have reasons but right now, I’m sorry, I can’t share them with you as of yet but being pregnant has nothing to do with it. Commitment is a very small factor compared to the piece of information you do not know of but I do have a good reason. It’s just…” She stops mid-sentence to gather her thoughts but is having trouble when she feels the movements within her abdomen, feeling a little bit uncomfortable at the slight pain but it’s not the same as before.
“Are you okay?” He stares at her oddly with one ‘brow raised, watching her take some deep breaths and squirming in her chair.
“It’s not me,” she breathes, “it’s the baby.” She notices the alarmed look on his face, “Oh no! Don’t worry, nothing bad but it seems like he,” she grunts and gasps at the feeling of abrupt kicking, “wants…something.”
Chris watches in both amusement and fright, not knowing whether to laugh at her movements of getting situated or to be scared that something’s wrong with her son. He decides that laughing would not be the best idea and better anticipate for what she has to say than make a fool of himself or make Anna cry, which he knows, does not take much with her hormones all out of whack.
“You know what, maybe we should walk for a while then maybe he’ll calm down a little because I know I’m not hungry which means that he cannot be hungry,” she states aggravated. ‘I guess I didn’t realize how different my pregnancy is from a human’s, the fact that the baby’s hand glows through my stomach and likes to get involved in my conversations with extremely bad timing is a huge pain in my ass. If this is how it is in barely my fifth month in, I really am not looking forward to giving birth.’ She shudders at the thought and notices Chris give her a perplexed look but prefers to ignore it.
“So, have you thought of any names yet?” Chris asks as they walk through the gigantic mall, people really starting to gather within its enormous space.
She smiles, “No, not really. I have one in particular I’m very fond of but there’s one problem…” She walks with her head down for a while, holding Chris’s hand as they walk, feeling secure that she has such a good friend.
“What’s the name and what’s the problem with it?”
“Well, you and Bennie both know that there’s this guy that I use to go with a long time ago, and that he died.” Chris nods. “And you have also heard my theory about him, right?” Not knowing for sure if Bennie had told Chris or not and notices the confusion behind those blue eyes of his. She decides to explain in short, “Basically, in short,” she starts, “I think that Alex never died.”
“How did you come up with that conclusion if you don’t mind me asking,” He asks, one eyebrow raised in the air. ‘This must be the thing Bennie wanted to tell me a month ago but couldn’t because it wasn’t his secret to tell.’
Gavin continues to walk aimlessly down the street, not caring who he bumps into and feels as if someone trampled upon his heart in a pair of football cleats. ‘God, I hate when she does this to me! Doesn’t she know the effect she has on me?’ he keeps walking, reprimanding Anna in his mind. Frustrated enough with his self, he decides to call his best girl friend, Ansleigh, for advice. ‘Little Miss Psychic herself…’ He flips open his cell and dials.
(Excerpts from ‘I Must Be Dreaming’ by Evanescence, ‘Losing Grip’ and ‘Why?’ by Avril Lavigne)
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StarGazing101
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Ch.13B Part 1
Author's Note: Unfortunately, this part is not a whole chapter and I'm sorry. The past month and a half has been really hectic and this past week has been CRAZY! Since next week is Spring Break for me though, I will definitely have the rest of this up. 
Also, wish me luck tomorrow on my Calculus Test, it makes or breaks my grade. If I do well, I could end up with a B, if I do bad, I may just keep the D I have. Even though it makes no sense that I have such a low grade in this class while I have straight A's in my others. 
Anyway, I'd also like to thank all of you who voted and nominated me in the Fanfic Awards.
Runner-Up - Best Lead Portrayal of Isabel
THANK YOU!
Anyway, on to the next part...which is not full, but it's better than nothing, right? Also, it may not seem like any of the teaser is in this, but it was changed since I have wrote and re-wrote this beginning for the past....5 weeks? Anyway, on with the show!
Chapter Thirteen B, Part One – Heart Face Down
Chris’ temples throb and his mind reels after Anna’s hasty explanation of her late-boyfriend’s “liveliness theory”, not fully able to comprehend the extent of her conjecture. ‘When I get to mine and Bennie’s apartment, I should ask him if he felt as if his brain was going to combust at the enigma that is Anna.’ How her mind came up with this hypothesis is beyond him but at least she had specifics to back it up. ‘Well, I can see now why she would have such a hard time naming her son after this Alex guy, yeesh! I mean, after a rationalization like that and all that she’s gone through, I’d have trouble saying the name of someone I had lost every single day too.’ He looks up at her sullen face, knowing that it must have been hard for her to re-account and reminisce on that sad fact alone and decides he’ll converse with her later on that assumption of hers.
“Anna,” he places his arm around her shoulders and gives them a compassionate squeeze. “Don’t worry about the name of the baby yet. You have plenty of time to decide whether you’re going to name him after Alex or whatnot. Besides, whether Alex is alive or not, would he really want you going through the heart-wrenching pain of calling your child by his (Alex’s) name every single day? I don’t think so. It’s your decision though, but just think about that.” He glides the pad of his thumb across her left cheek, wiping away a stray tear that escaped. She nods and can feel the lump in her throat threatening her to cry but she holds back, letting the ice princess component of her mind tell her to not show vulnerability in a public domicile.
Plastering a look of discontent on her face, she closes her eyes and shakes her head, giving Chris an obvious signal to get off the subject and switch it before her resolve breaks.
He notices the expression crossing her face and thinks that it’s about time that they take off from this subject and get on another one. Thinking for a moment, he stands in front of her and takes her hands into his and smiles. “Okay, since I can see you don’t want to talk about this anymore and since I know you have gone completely off route of what you are actually here for, how about I buy lunch and we get started on getting you some applications to some department stores around here? Would that make you feel better?” She can’t help but to giggle at his sudden enthusiasm to help her look for a new job and nods her approval at his idea.
“Then it’s settled. Onward we go to look for the most glamorous job there is for you in the most lavish shopping center in the city!” His eyes light up at his statement and for the next few hours he will drag her up and down every elevator and escalator in the mall for as long as he can without tiring her out…too much.
Gavin sits Indian-style on a vanilla-colored carpet, staring at the eucalyptus painted walls and the leaf sponge prints on them, shaking his head at the reason why he’s here. The room in itself reminds him of the transition between summer and fall. How the leaves change color from green to shades of red, orange, and brown, how they become stiff and when you step on one it crunches, and how much fun children have playing in big ol’ piles of them.
He cranes his neck from side-to-side stretching his very tense muscles and rolls his shoulders back-and-forth trying to relax himself. ‘I cannot believe that I am actually going through with this. I don’t even believe in this bullshit! No offense to Ansleigh, of course, but it’s ridiculous. You cannot know the complexities of someone’s life and their personality just by looking at some stupid cards.’ Inhaling deep, he can smell Ansleigh’s country apple body spray tickling his nose and he grimaces. Like most men, he doesn’t, in particular, like the smell of most body sprays and perfumes that women wear.
A young woman comes in the doorway, carrying a Pepsi and a bottle of water, looking like she has just taken a shower. Her strawberry-blonde hair wet and sweeping pendulum-like midway down her back. She sits across from Gavin and hands him the Pepsi while setting down the few things she was holding in the crook of her arm, staying quiet but not letting her eyes stray away from his face. Gazing at him critically for a few more moments, somewhat surprised at how peculiarly irate he looks today; she grabs the cards sitting on the couch behind her and begins to shuffle them.
“Okay. Well, before we begin our little session of finding out why exactly this Anna chick drives you crazy, first, I want you to describe her to me and sum her up in one word.” Ansleigh states indifferently, placing the deck next to her and taking a swig of water from her water bottle.
Gavin contemplates for a moment on Annabelle, attempting to word her as perfectly in his head as he can. Looking up at Ansleigh, he begins. “Her hair…is like that of a flowing auburn creek…and when the sunlight hits it just right, you can see every golden highlight of rose-colored strands within the collection of shining brown locks swaying below the furrow of her back. Her eyes are like pools of deep emerald…with…droplets of amber shimmering in the water, seemingly making every emotion portrayed in them magnified by a thousand.”
He stares blankly into the wall, lost in blissful thoughts of Anna and continues, “Her body…is like that of an artist’s work, every curve perfectly sculpted and placed right where it should be. The artist’s mistake though…was making her skin so soft…it’s as if I was touching satin laced with porcelain…so addicting, I never wanted to let her go.”
Ansleigh can feel the moisture collecting in her eyes and attempts to deny them escape from where they are. Not wanting to show Gavin how truly moving his words were about a woman he‘s barely known for two months. It somewhat upsets her that he thinks so highly of Anna, not that she’s jealous or anything. Since her and Gavin are nothing more than friends, but the fact he’s so wrapped around her pinky finger…it sort of discourages her opinions of Anna. She knows it’s a nasty judgment and that she shouldn’t think so narrowly, but she can’t help it.
“There is no way that I can sum Anna up in one word, but to say the least I can add her up to be this…a faceted opaque beauty,” Gavin finishes, not realizing that Ansleigh’s on the verge of tears, but he still doesn’t lift his head from his staring contest with the carpet.
Ansleigh ponders the three terms he used to describe her and wonders, “I can see why you used beauty, but why opaque and faceted?”
“You know, how about I explain that later and we get on with why I am here?” Gavin slowly becomes irritated by her questions, after just spilling his heart and soul about how he truly thinks of Anna…well, in physical aspects anyway. He just doesn’t want to go through the details of why he used those three specific words because he may just end up losing all emotional control.
She stares up at him, taken aback by his tone and decides not to pry into the personal reasons as to why he’s so angered today, but she’s assuming it has something to do with Anna. Picking up the deck next to her and shuffling them a little more, “Okay. Well, think of a question you want to ask the cards and tap the top of the deck,” she states stacking the cards in the middle of them.
Considering his question for quite some time, he sighs sorrowful and deeply and asks, “Should I give up on Anna ever opening up to me and move on or should I stick around just a little while longer?” He taps the cards.
Ansleigh nods her head, affirming his question and flips three cards over and reads the headings, each one representing his past, present, and future.
“Okay, each card represents an increment during your lifetime or more recently that has happened. The card on my left represents your past and clearly says that you have had trouble remembering slash coping with past events during your life.” She points at the card for better indication, “because the card is upside down, it tells me you need to work on this specific area and by the words ‘Higher Consciousness’, it’s basically telling you, you need to listen to love rather than fear. If you want me to put it into easier terms, don’t over think recent situations, there’s always an easier explanation as to why certain things happen.” She notices his look of ambiguity, which soon turns into a look of understanding, realizing that he just assessed that card with his situation.
He puts his hand in the air and opens his mouth, but closes it and stares again at the light blue card with the odd picture, “So, you’re saying…I need to resolve my past before I can “assess”,” he makes quotes with his fingers, “my present situation with Anna or in other words, let her come to me?” He questions unsurely.
“Yes and no.” She takes a sip of water, “I’m not finished. That is partly what I am saying, but think of this card in terms of Anna and you will get your full answer. Since I don’t know this Anna girl, I cannot fully evaluate the ‘past’ situations between you two since your question is two-sided.” She stares up into his cerulean blue eyes and heads into the clarification of the next oracle.
“Now, this next card is definitely an obvious one, ‘Positive Expectations’, and I believe you could levy this card for yourself, but I’ll state my input anyway. This card clearly acknowledges your present circumstances and because it’s upside down, it needs you to work on it. So, the main answer to your question is, hold on a little longer and wait for her to come to you with why she’s being so adamant about not letting you in.” She observes his demeanor once again and can see he’s still a little skeptical about her answer, but she ignores it. The next card though, definitely tells her there’s something he hasn’t told her about Annabelle and now she’s more curious than ever to meet her.
“Before I can even interpret this next oracle, is there something you’d like to tell me about this chick you seem to be so infatuated with,” an incredulous look crossing her face and her lips curving into an inquisitive smile.
Having not really paid attention to when Ansleigh had lain out the cards, he stares at the card on his left and his mouth drops. ‘Parenting and Children’, he gulps and his mind flashes back to the day he found out that Anna was pregnant.
“There’s something else…isn’t there?” He asks.
“Gavin, come closer to me.” She states and takes his hand into hers. “This may be a bit, disturbing for you, but this is the other reason I avoided you.” She takes away the pillow and pulls down the covers so that her body isn’t covered. She takes his hand and places it upon her abdomen, where he soon feels faint kicks from the baby.
He moves his hand away in shock but slowly, in fascination, places it back where her hand now lies. “You’re having a baby.”
Ansleigh notices the way he’s withdrawing and can’t help but to feel lost, since Gavin looks like he’s lost in a distant memory or other. “So, are you going to answer my question or am I going to have to pry for this answer,” she asks impatiently.
Gavin shakes himself from the memory and realizes that he’s totally ignoring his friend and decides that she needs to know, but is somewhat afraid of what ‘Leigh’s reaction will be. “Well…I guess I should have mentioned this in the beginning, but…um…well—
“Spit it out already,” she exasperates, sick of his stalling.
“Anna’s pregnant! There! Happy now? I said it!” He crosses his arms over his chest like a pouting child and then runs his left hand, frustrated, through his unkempt hair, desperately wishing for a way out of this situation.
Also, wish me luck tomorrow on my Calculus Test, it makes or breaks my grade. If I do well, I could end up with a B, if I do bad, I may just keep the D I have. Even though it makes no sense that I have such a low grade in this class while I have straight A's in my others. Anyway, I'd also like to thank all of you who voted and nominated me in the Fanfic Awards.
Runner-Up - Best Lead Portrayal of Isabel
THANK YOU!
Anyway, on to the next part...which is not full, but it's better than nothing, right? Also, it may not seem like any of the teaser is in this, but it was changed since I have wrote and re-wrote this beginning for the past....5 weeks? Anyway, on with the show!
Chapter Thirteen B, Part One – Heart Face Down
Chris’ temples throb and his mind reels after Anna’s hasty explanation of her late-boyfriend’s “liveliness theory”, not fully able to comprehend the extent of her conjecture. ‘When I get to mine and Bennie’s apartment, I should ask him if he felt as if his brain was going to combust at the enigma that is Anna.’ How her mind came up with this hypothesis is beyond him but at least she had specifics to back it up. ‘Well, I can see now why she would have such a hard time naming her son after this Alex guy, yeesh! I mean, after a rationalization like that and all that she’s gone through, I’d have trouble saying the name of someone I had lost every single day too.’ He looks up at her sullen face, knowing that it must have been hard for her to re-account and reminisce on that sad fact alone and decides he’ll converse with her later on that assumption of hers.
“Anna,” he places his arm around her shoulders and gives them a compassionate squeeze. “Don’t worry about the name of the baby yet. You have plenty of time to decide whether you’re going to name him after Alex or whatnot. Besides, whether Alex is alive or not, would he really want you going through the heart-wrenching pain of calling your child by his (Alex’s) name every single day? I don’t think so. It’s your decision though, but just think about that.” He glides the pad of his thumb across her left cheek, wiping away a stray tear that escaped. She nods and can feel the lump in her throat threatening her to cry but she holds back, letting the ice princess component of her mind tell her to not show vulnerability in a public domicile.
Plastering a look of discontent on her face, she closes her eyes and shakes her head, giving Chris an obvious signal to get off the subject and switch it before her resolve breaks.
He notices the expression crossing her face and thinks that it’s about time that they take off from this subject and get on another one. Thinking for a moment, he stands in front of her and takes her hands into his and smiles. “Okay, since I can see you don’t want to talk about this anymore and since I know you have gone completely off route of what you are actually here for, how about I buy lunch and we get started on getting you some applications to some department stores around here? Would that make you feel better?” She can’t help but to giggle at his sudden enthusiasm to help her look for a new job and nods her approval at his idea.
“Then it’s settled. Onward we go to look for the most glamorous job there is for you in the most lavish shopping center in the city!” His eyes light up at his statement and for the next few hours he will drag her up and down every elevator and escalator in the mall for as long as he can without tiring her out…too much.
Gavin sits Indian-style on a vanilla-colored carpet, staring at the eucalyptus painted walls and the leaf sponge prints on them, shaking his head at the reason why he’s here. The room in itself reminds him of the transition between summer and fall. How the leaves change color from green to shades of red, orange, and brown, how they become stiff and when you step on one it crunches, and how much fun children have playing in big ol’ piles of them.
He cranes his neck from side-to-side stretching his very tense muscles and rolls his shoulders back-and-forth trying to relax himself. ‘I cannot believe that I am actually going through with this. I don’t even believe in this bullshit! No offense to Ansleigh, of course, but it’s ridiculous. You cannot know the complexities of someone’s life and their personality just by looking at some stupid cards.’ Inhaling deep, he can smell Ansleigh’s country apple body spray tickling his nose and he grimaces. Like most men, he doesn’t, in particular, like the smell of most body sprays and perfumes that women wear.
A young woman comes in the doorway, carrying a Pepsi and a bottle of water, looking like she has just taken a shower. Her strawberry-blonde hair wet and sweeping pendulum-like midway down her back. She sits across from Gavin and hands him the Pepsi while setting down the few things she was holding in the crook of her arm, staying quiet but not letting her eyes stray away from his face. Gazing at him critically for a few more moments, somewhat surprised at how peculiarly irate he looks today; she grabs the cards sitting on the couch behind her and begins to shuffle them.
“Okay. Well, before we begin our little session of finding out why exactly this Anna chick drives you crazy, first, I want you to describe her to me and sum her up in one word.” Ansleigh states indifferently, placing the deck next to her and taking a swig of water from her water bottle.
Gavin contemplates for a moment on Annabelle, attempting to word her as perfectly in his head as he can. Looking up at Ansleigh, he begins. “Her hair…is like that of a flowing auburn creek…and when the sunlight hits it just right, you can see every golden highlight of rose-colored strands within the collection of shining brown locks swaying below the furrow of her back. Her eyes are like pools of deep emerald…with…droplets of amber shimmering in the water, seemingly making every emotion portrayed in them magnified by a thousand.”
He stares blankly into the wall, lost in blissful thoughts of Anna and continues, “Her body…is like that of an artist’s work, every curve perfectly sculpted and placed right where it should be. The artist’s mistake though…was making her skin so soft…it’s as if I was touching satin laced with porcelain…so addicting, I never wanted to let her go.”
Ansleigh can feel the moisture collecting in her eyes and attempts to deny them escape from where they are. Not wanting to show Gavin how truly moving his words were about a woman he‘s barely known for two months. It somewhat upsets her that he thinks so highly of Anna, not that she’s jealous or anything. Since her and Gavin are nothing more than friends, but the fact he’s so wrapped around her pinky finger…it sort of discourages her opinions of Anna. She knows it’s a nasty judgment and that she shouldn’t think so narrowly, but she can’t help it.
“There is no way that I can sum Anna up in one word, but to say the least I can add her up to be this…a faceted opaque beauty,” Gavin finishes, not realizing that Ansleigh’s on the verge of tears, but he still doesn’t lift his head from his staring contest with the carpet.
Ansleigh ponders the three terms he used to describe her and wonders, “I can see why you used beauty, but why opaque and faceted?”
“You know, how about I explain that later and we get on with why I am here?” Gavin slowly becomes irritated by her questions, after just spilling his heart and soul about how he truly thinks of Anna…well, in physical aspects anyway. He just doesn’t want to go through the details of why he used those three specific words because he may just end up losing all emotional control.
She stares up at him, taken aback by his tone and decides not to pry into the personal reasons as to why he’s so angered today, but she’s assuming it has something to do with Anna. Picking up the deck next to her and shuffling them a little more, “Okay. Well, think of a question you want to ask the cards and tap the top of the deck,” she states stacking the cards in the middle of them.
Considering his question for quite some time, he sighs sorrowful and deeply and asks, “Should I give up on Anna ever opening up to me and move on or should I stick around just a little while longer?” He taps the cards.
Ansleigh nods her head, affirming his question and flips three cards over and reads the headings, each one representing his past, present, and future.
“Okay, each card represents an increment during your lifetime or more recently that has happened. The card on my left represents your past and clearly says that you have had trouble remembering slash coping with past events during your life.” She points at the card for better indication, “because the card is upside down, it tells me you need to work on this specific area and by the words ‘Higher Consciousness’, it’s basically telling you, you need to listen to love rather than fear. If you want me to put it into easier terms, don’t over think recent situations, there’s always an easier explanation as to why certain things happen.” She notices his look of ambiguity, which soon turns into a look of understanding, realizing that he just assessed that card with his situation.
He puts his hand in the air and opens his mouth, but closes it and stares again at the light blue card with the odd picture, “So, you’re saying…I need to resolve my past before I can “assess”,” he makes quotes with his fingers, “my present situation with Anna or in other words, let her come to me?” He questions unsurely.
“Yes and no.” She takes a sip of water, “I’m not finished. That is partly what I am saying, but think of this card in terms of Anna and you will get your full answer. Since I don’t know this Anna girl, I cannot fully evaluate the ‘past’ situations between you two since your question is two-sided.” She stares up into his cerulean blue eyes and heads into the clarification of the next oracle.
“Now, this next card is definitely an obvious one, ‘Positive Expectations’, and I believe you could levy this card for yourself, but I’ll state my input anyway. This card clearly acknowledges your present circumstances and because it’s upside down, it needs you to work on it. So, the main answer to your question is, hold on a little longer and wait for her to come to you with why she’s being so adamant about not letting you in.” She observes his demeanor once again and can see he’s still a little skeptical about her answer, but she ignores it. The next card though, definitely tells her there’s something he hasn’t told her about Annabelle and now she’s more curious than ever to meet her.
“Before I can even interpret this next oracle, is there something you’d like to tell me about this chick you seem to be so infatuated with,” an incredulous look crossing her face and her lips curving into an inquisitive smile.
Having not really paid attention to when Ansleigh had lain out the cards, he stares at the card on his left and his mouth drops. ‘Parenting and Children’, he gulps and his mind flashes back to the day he found out that Anna was pregnant.
“There’s something else…isn’t there?” He asks.
“Gavin, come closer to me.” She states and takes his hand into hers. “This may be a bit, disturbing for you, but this is the other reason I avoided you.” She takes away the pillow and pulls down the covers so that her body isn’t covered. She takes his hand and places it upon her abdomen, where he soon feels faint kicks from the baby.
He moves his hand away in shock but slowly, in fascination, places it back where her hand now lies. “You’re having a baby.”
Ansleigh notices the way he’s withdrawing and can’t help but to feel lost, since Gavin looks like he’s lost in a distant memory or other. “So, are you going to answer my question or am I going to have to pry for this answer,” she asks impatiently.
Gavin shakes himself from the memory and realizes that he’s totally ignoring his friend and decides that she needs to know, but is somewhat afraid of what ‘Leigh’s reaction will be. “Well…I guess I should have mentioned this in the beginning, but…um…well—
“Spit it out already,” she exasperates, sick of his stalling.
“Anna’s pregnant! There! Happy now? I said it!” He crosses his arms over his chest like a pouting child and then runs his left hand, frustrated, through his unkempt hair, desperately wishing for a way out of this situation.
Last edited by StarGazing101 on Sat Jun 12, 2004 5:41 am, edited 2 times in total.
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StarGazing101
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Chapter 13B, Part Two Teaser
Haven't been around in a while and just thought I'd drop this off.
<center>Teaser</center>
Diane sits at Phillip’s desk in the den and takes out a legal pad and pen. Phillip sitting on the small couch next to her as she begins to write, making sure the questions he wants to ask are put in the letter she’s writing to their daughter. Both distressed about some of the information in her last letter and from discussing Phillip’s skepticism on her new “situations.”
August 25, 2002
Dear Anna,
Hello, honey! How are you and the baby? Hopefully everything’s okay. I admit, your father and I were both in shock (your father almost had a coronary) when you wrote to us that you were pregnant, but we are both very excited that we’re going to be grandparents and are behind you all the way. Also, shame on you for thinking we’d disown you! It’s no matter. We don’t care who the father is (even though we’d like to know, but it is your choice to tell us) as long as you’re okay! We love you very much and would never even think of doing that to you, especially since you’re in such a fragile state right now!
As we said we are both ecstatic, but we’re very worried about you. You about gave us a heart attack when you said you had just gotten out of the hospital. I hope that you’ve been resting and not on your feet too much since because we don’t want any more scares. Oh, and before I forget, about the blood sample. Your father is still skeptical and he was wondering if you would give us some more details about that in your next letter? Also, he wanted me to also ask you has anything unusual happened? Your father and I both have a bad feeling and just need confirmation from you that everything’s all right.
Anyway, about your question, well, your father read it but wants no part in answering since it has to do with you and a person of the male species. So, my answer, do what your heart tells you and don’t rush into things because otherwise, you get the worst of both sides. In addition, I was reading your description of him and I’m a little puzzled. Are you dating him because you feel you need security, you actually want to, or because he reminds you of Alex? I couldn’t help but to notice the similarities between him and Alex and it worries me that you may still need to properly mourn Alex before you rush into anything like you did with Jesse.
Another thing, just to get this off your shoulders, don’t worry about the Jesse-rebound-thing. From what your father has told me, he already has a new girlfriend where he resides in Boston. You made a mistake and learned from it (you better have, not to criticize you or anything, but I do not want to go through another thing like you and Jesse). Oh, also, how old is Gavin? Please say he’s in your age range. (Your father wants to know)
To add to my answer, love is something that cannot be rushed and is something, you should know, that can leave a permanent scar on the heart. Just promise me that you will think through this and not rush. Even though you said you were going to let him go either way, he may not want to. THINK IT THROUGH. Okay, I’m done lecturing you on your love life and you can take my advice or leave it as long as you vow that you won’t be planning on giving your father and me a stroke any time soon.
The vision or flash? Is that what you call it? I can’t really think of how to respond to this since this is the first time since you and Max told us your secret that you’ve trusted us with this kind of information. Ask yourself this, are you sure it’s going to take place in the future? It could have easily happened in the past. Look to see if you notice any scars on his face or otherwise and ask him. Just because you are a hybrid does not mean every person is going to be in danger due to your status, besides, sometimes the danger makes the relationship more interesting. You have to be willing to take risks. You can’t hide your status and not expect situations to arise from it.
Anyway, I think it’s about time I finished this up. Write back as soon as you can and give us an estimated date as to when our grandson’s due because we really want to be there for his birth. No matter what’s going on! I hope that everything begins to clear up and that you and Gavin can start with a clean slate. Also, make the best of your time at your new college and don’t work yourself too hard. You’re a smart girl and I know that you will do well. We love you and if you are in need of advice or just need a little extra cash, just drop us a line!
Love,
Mom and Dad
P.S. Have you thought of any names for the little one yet?
Diane passes the letter to her husband to look over and he nods his approval and they put it into the blank envelope that Isabel first put her letter to them in the beginning.
Phillip looks at the envelope quizzically, “I still don’t understand how she rigged this thing to self-address itself once it’s in the mailbox.” Diane shrugs as Phillip flips the envelope over a few times before handing it back to Diane.
“I don’t know, but as long as our letter gets to her, I don’t care.” They head out of the den and are about to leave to put the letter in the nearest mailbox when they open the door to find the ex-Sheriff at their door.
“Hello Jim. What brings you by?” Phillip asks, placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Well, I just thought I’d stop by since I was in the neighborhood, but I guess you two are about to go out from the looks of it. Sorry to bother you. I’ll just come by later.” He begins to walk back down the driveway but turns around with a curious look on his face, “Oh, by the way, who’re sending the letter to?”
I hope to have a new part up in another week, so be looking for it!
<center>Teaser</center>
Diane sits at Phillip’s desk in the den and takes out a legal pad and pen. Phillip sitting on the small couch next to her as she begins to write, making sure the questions he wants to ask are put in the letter she’s writing to their daughter. Both distressed about some of the information in her last letter and from discussing Phillip’s skepticism on her new “situations.”
August 25, 2002
Dear Anna,
Hello, honey! How are you and the baby? Hopefully everything’s okay. I admit, your father and I were both in shock (your father almost had a coronary) when you wrote to us that you were pregnant, but we are both very excited that we’re going to be grandparents and are behind you all the way. Also, shame on you for thinking we’d disown you! It’s no matter. We don’t care who the father is (even though we’d like to know, but it is your choice to tell us) as long as you’re okay! We love you very much and would never even think of doing that to you, especially since you’re in such a fragile state right now!
As we said we are both ecstatic, but we’re very worried about you. You about gave us a heart attack when you said you had just gotten out of the hospital. I hope that you’ve been resting and not on your feet too much since because we don’t want any more scares. Oh, and before I forget, about the blood sample. Your father is still skeptical and he was wondering if you would give us some more details about that in your next letter? Also, he wanted me to also ask you has anything unusual happened? Your father and I both have a bad feeling and just need confirmation from you that everything’s all right.
Anyway, about your question, well, your father read it but wants no part in answering since it has to do with you and a person of the male species. So, my answer, do what your heart tells you and don’t rush into things because otherwise, you get the worst of both sides. In addition, I was reading your description of him and I’m a little puzzled. Are you dating him because you feel you need security, you actually want to, or because he reminds you of Alex? I couldn’t help but to notice the similarities between him and Alex and it worries me that you may still need to properly mourn Alex before you rush into anything like you did with Jesse.
Another thing, just to get this off your shoulders, don’t worry about the Jesse-rebound-thing. From what your father has told me, he already has a new girlfriend where he resides in Boston. You made a mistake and learned from it (you better have, not to criticize you or anything, but I do not want to go through another thing like you and Jesse). Oh, also, how old is Gavin? Please say he’s in your age range. (Your father wants to know)
To add to my answer, love is something that cannot be rushed and is something, you should know, that can leave a permanent scar on the heart. Just promise me that you will think through this and not rush. Even though you said you were going to let him go either way, he may not want to. THINK IT THROUGH. Okay, I’m done lecturing you on your love life and you can take my advice or leave it as long as you vow that you won’t be planning on giving your father and me a stroke any time soon.
The vision or flash? Is that what you call it? I can’t really think of how to respond to this since this is the first time since you and Max told us your secret that you’ve trusted us with this kind of information. Ask yourself this, are you sure it’s going to take place in the future? It could have easily happened in the past. Look to see if you notice any scars on his face or otherwise and ask him. Just because you are a hybrid does not mean every person is going to be in danger due to your status, besides, sometimes the danger makes the relationship more interesting. You have to be willing to take risks. You can’t hide your status and not expect situations to arise from it.
Anyway, I think it’s about time I finished this up. Write back as soon as you can and give us an estimated date as to when our grandson’s due because we really want to be there for his birth. No matter what’s going on! I hope that everything begins to clear up and that you and Gavin can start with a clean slate. Also, make the best of your time at your new college and don’t work yourself too hard. You’re a smart girl and I know that you will do well. We love you and if you are in need of advice or just need a little extra cash, just drop us a line!
Love,
Mom and Dad
P.S. Have you thought of any names for the little one yet?
Diane passes the letter to her husband to look over and he nods his approval and they put it into the blank envelope that Isabel first put her letter to them in the beginning.
Phillip looks at the envelope quizzically, “I still don’t understand how she rigged this thing to self-address itself once it’s in the mailbox.” Diane shrugs as Phillip flips the envelope over a few times before handing it back to Diane.
“I don’t know, but as long as our letter gets to her, I don’t care.” They head out of the den and are about to leave to put the letter in the nearest mailbox when they open the door to find the ex-Sheriff at their door.
“Hello Jim. What brings you by?” Phillip asks, placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Well, I just thought I’d stop by since I was in the neighborhood, but I guess you two are about to go out from the looks of it. Sorry to bother you. I’ll just come by later.” He begins to walk back down the driveway but turns around with a curious look on his face, “Oh, by the way, who’re sending the letter to?”
I hope to have a new part up in another week, so be looking for it!
Code: Select all
Last edited by StarGazing101 on Tue Jun 01, 2004 6:46 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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StarGazing101
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Ch.13b, Part Two. . . Finally!
Well, it's finally here! Took me long enough! Anyway, hope you enjoy it even though I think it's written horribly, but I've learned not to listen to my own advice. Also, I finally made a decent banner for this story so if you want to go check it out, it's in the first post. I would also like to thank all of you who nominated me in the fanfic awards. It's greatly appreciated and you have all waited very patiently for this part! So, without further adieu. . .
Presenting. . .
<center>Chapter Thirteen B, Part Two - Two Sides to Every Story</center>
Gavin massages his cranium and moves his hand to his lap and drums his fingers on his thigh. The other hand still on his head, he glides his hand slowly down his face and rests it across his mouth and chin, contemplating what to do next. Ansleigh watches him, her mouth agape from the revelation lain before her. She closes her mouth and is absolutely speechless, not knowing if he’ll blow up again at her if she utters the slightest noise.
Making a decision, she’s chosen to take the risk, “Let me get this straight. This Anna chick you’re after is pregnant?”
He comes out of his reverie and frustrated, he answers, “Correct.” He notices her disparaged look and wonders what exactly Ansleigh thoughts are on this situation, but he doesn’t know for sure if he would really like to know that.
Ansleigh smiles at him and lets out a laugh, “No offense, but since when does Gavin Frost go after girls with baggage?” Offhandedly, she grabs her water bottle and takes a swig, but sees the look on Gavin’s face and wonders if she said something wrong. “What?”
Gavin grips his thigh, his fingers turning white from the anger coursing through him, but tries his best to control his urge to yell. Instead, through gritted teeth, he says, “How dare you call Anna a ‘girl with baggage!’ I didn’t know she was pregnant at the time when I began dating her, but it didn’t change the way I felt about her. She’s had a hard time adjusting and has already gone through some tough situations, but just because she’s pregnant does not mean that she’s some whore who sleeps around!” He stands up and is about to leave when Ansleigh yells after him.
“Just to give you a clue, one date with a girl is not considered ‘dating.’ Secondly, I didn’t mean it that way. I meant she has skeletons in her closet that are obviously keeping her from opening up to you and I think her main reason has to do with that baby she’s carrying.”
She pauses and walks over to him, placing a hand on his turned back. “You may think I am being a judgmental bitch and I’ll admit, from what I have heard about Anna, I’m not really liking her so far, but it’s scaring me the way she’s affecting you.” He turns around and glares at her coldly, looking about ready to kill. “I’m not saying she has some kind of voodoo doll of you and has placed pins and needles to the places where you think and love but I’m warning you against her. Girls like her have good reasons not to open up and I don’t want to see you get your heart broken because of her indecisiveness.”
Ansleigh heads back to the Autumn Room where her things are, but says one final thing, “If you don’t want to take my advice fine, that’s okay with me, but I would like you to, at least, think about what I said.”
Isabel walks into her home, totally exhausted after Chris dragged her through the full course of the mall. She falls onto the couch and takes off her sneakers and rolls her ankles. She heaves a sigh and stands up once again, stretching her arms high into the air.
She heads toward her bedroom and lies down on her bed, deciding that a short nap would do her good before dinner.
Isabel finds herself in a cemetery with open graves, like the dream she had weeks before. Cautiously, she walks around the masses of rectangular openings and looks down into them to see nothing but collecting dirt clods. She looks up, staring blankly ahead and soon feels a shiver run down her spine as a bony hand creeps onto her shoulder. She screams and jumps at the site of him and he places his index to her lips to shush her.
“Well, my dear, I see we meet again.” He walks around her, analyzing every inch of her. Reaching to touch her again, she slaps his hand away. “My, my, my . . . touchy tonight, aren’t we? I see there has been a significant change in your life,” he states pointing to her midriff.
Her hands move directly to the bulge in her abdomen, looking menacingly at him. “What do you want from me? And why have you brought me here and why don’t you look as you did before?” She asks in one breath, fear eating at her nerves.
“Inquisitively beautiful,” he says offhandedly. “I can look however I want. I’m a concept of both conscious and subconscious proportions. I am the representation of death and change. I’m an archetype of the mind. I can be of the form of male, female, a skeletal being, or even a puddle of water waiting for someone to slip on me.”
He paces in front of her, but instead of being deep in thought, he’s staring at her knowingly, which is making her more fearful than she was before. “I did bring you here and I do have a reason behind of the madness of the scenery, but I cannot give you that information as of yet.” He notices her brows furrowing and the nervous habit she has of biting her lip and he lets out a small laugh, “I do not want anything from you my dear,” he answers as if reading her mind.
“Then how come last time you tried to slice my stomach open?” She yells angrily forgetting her fear of him.
He smirks, “I was just getting your blood pumping, my morbid way of having fun.”
Isabel stares at him, disgusted by what he just said and shuffles her feet nervously in the soft dirt.
“So why am I here? Tell me.” She musters up the courage to speak once again.
He lifts his hand into the air and waves it in an odd fashion and just as randomly as he did it, the scenery changes into a refined, furnished room. Isabel is pushed back into a chair and he sits down in the cushy armchair across from her. He watches her for a moment and keeps quiet but doesn’t take his eyes off her. She shifts uncomfortably under his gaze and he smiles.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“A little.” She admits. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He stands up and kneels before her, “Do you wonder why I brought you here?” He states cryptically and places the tips of his fingers on her abdomen, circling her belly button. “This is why you’re here.”
She stares at his fingers, “What does this have to do with my baby,” her voice quivers.
“Everything,” he whispers, eyes looking darker by the minute.
Her heart begins to pound in her chest and it feels as if an ice cube has just slipped into her stomach. She scoots as far back into the chair as she can, the chair creaking at the pressure.
“Wha-what does my baby have to do with this whole thing? Why!” She exasperates.
He sits back down and she imagines, or not, that she sees remorse in his cold eyes.
He sighs, “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that child,” he points to her abdomen, “is a prophecy that was foretold many centuries ago, way before things became complicated on your rich and plentiful planet--- ”
“---you mean before I betrayed my brother and the entire planet.” She holds back the tears wanting to spring to her eyes.
He gives her a curious look and thinks for a moment and shakes his head. “You know, it’s not my place to tell you this and if I do it will be consequence of sorts. I am not meant to tell you about this until you are more informed on what really happened in your past. I am sorry.” He begins to help her out of the chair.
“But I want to know! Why can’t you tell me?”
“I have already told you why I cannot. It is not my place and if you knew too soon it will make things more complicated for you now than they will be later. I am sorry, but you must go.”
“NO, please!” She pleads with him, but is thrown out of the dream.
Isabel wakes up gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her ears and the baby’s light blue handprint faintly glowing through the fabric of her clothing. ‘So, there is more to this than there seems, but . . . why am I the one who needed to be impregnated?’
She brings her legs over the side of the bed and stands up unsteadily, having to grab the bed again when she almost falls. Getting up, slowly this time, she walks down the hallway still contemplating the little bit of information she just learned and comes to a conclusion. “He must have known.”
Gavin sits next to the water in the park, skipping rocks and watching ducks wade in the water. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head from what Ansleigh said earlier, but her words just keep repeating. At first, he thought she may have been jealous of the attention he was giving Anna compared to the time he’s spent with her since they used to be very good friends, but it couldn’t have been that. He knew that they wouldn’t be as close when he had decided to begin taking summer classes and she had known they wouldn’t be spending as much time together, hanging out and such. It still bothered him though how bothered she was with Anna, even though she’s never met her. ‘She was right about one thing though, Anna does have skeletons in the closet and unless she opens up, I don’t think my heart will be able to take it.’
“Actually, she was right about a couple of things.” He talks to no one in particular. “Damn you Mason for making me think like this.”
He continues to skip rocks, counting how many times they skip across the clear, cold water. ‘Hopefully my mind will be clear by Tuesday or else I’m going to do horribly on my first final. Well, I won’t do horribly, but I won’t get the score I’m anticipating.’
Getting sick of skipping rocks, he stands up and begins to walk around Jensen Park, looking to see children playing on the monkey bars and seesawing and an old man reading a newspaper on the bench where Anna kissed him earlier. The lingering memory provokes him to touch his lips and steer his thoughts to Anna now. As Ansleigh put it so bluntly, one date doesn’t count as dating, which is true, but since it was so kindly put in front of him, it makes him think. How does one date and knowing a young woman for less than three months make him feel this way? It just doesn’t make sense to him, but then it dawned on him as to why Anna hasn’t opened up.
“It’s too soon!” He hits himself in the forehead. “I’m an idiot! I’m expecting too much, probably because every other girl I’ve had have told their whole life story in one turn, but Anna’s not like other girls.” He notes that the old man on the bench is staring at him as well as a few people walking by. “Sorry.” He apologizes and journeys out of the park back to his apartment. Talking a bit more quietly to himself, “Anna’s the replica of the line ‘there are two sides and an end to every story’ but what I want to know is . . . which side will end first?”
After Chris dropped Anna off at her apartment, thinking of the revelations she relayed on him earlier he decided to ask Bennie about it. Once inside, Chris sees Bennie on the couch, looking deep in thought not knowing for sure if he wants to disturb him. Deciding, he places his coat on the hook behind the door and gently lowers himself next to his boyfriend. Bennie turns to face his partner, an odd expression of curiosity crossing his features. Chris matches his look.
“What’s on your mind,” he asks.
Bennie turns his whole body and hesitates for a sec, “Chris, have you ever wondered about Anna’s past? I mean, why she’ll only tell us so much and then suddenly stop?” His brow furrows.
“I’ve wondered that myself until today.” He shakes his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. “Like since you were one of the first people she met, she always confided in you. I’ll admit, in the beginning, I was a little jealous at how much time you spent with her, but now that she has found me to be one of her confidants, I can see why you were always needed before I met her.” He stops. A bewildered look apparent on his face and Bennie raises an eyebrow.
“She has issues!” Bennie laughs aloud at this remark. “I’m not trying to sound mean , but she told me today about her Alex theory and--- ”
“---she finally told you about that!” Bennie interjects. “Oh, thank God! I thought she’d never relent that to you! I’m sorry I never told you but you know, I don’t like blabbing other people’s business.”
Chris laughs, “Yeah, I know.” He and Bennie continue to laugh for a while and Chris says, “I’m assuming she has now discovered us to be a package deal.” They both continue to howl with laughter for a bit longer and are trying to catch their breath by the end.
“You know, that really wasn’t that funny.” Bennie states out of nowhere.
“I know, but we haven’t laughed in a while. It felt good.” They are both staring at each other longingly. Chris stands up and helps Bennie off the couch. “Well, since I have to get up early for work tomorrow, how about we go see an early movie, eat dinner, then come back for some fun.” A mischievous look in his green eyes.
Bennie catches on and grins, “I could go for that. Lets go!” They both grab their coats and walk out the door holding hands.
After writing the new information she learned and some drawing in her yellow notepad, her stomach growls and notes that it’s seven ‘o’ clock. Getting up, she goes into the kitchen to whip something to eat.
As she fills a small copper pot with water and presses high on the electric stove, she shivers as a cold draft passes through her, making her drop the pot and water splashing all over the floor.
“Damn it!” She curses, but ends up slipping on the wet linoleum, hitting her head on the counter and everything fades to black . . .
Isabel awakes to find herself in what looks like an empty warehouse, but the aroma lingering smells of dead cattle and feces, making her feel sick. She staggers toward a boarded up window, desperately trying to find a way to get some fresh air since the entrance is padlocked. She begins to pull away the nasty rusted board, the loose nails piercing through her delicate skin.
After some pulling and tugging, the wood gives way and breaks off. The cracks in the window are like blood vessels of air, but not fulfilling her oxygen needs. She pushes at the broken panels of the fogged window, mini shards of glass embedding into her hands mounds.
Gasping for breath and holding back the tears from the searing pain in her hands, it doesn’t stop her from noticing the conversation going on outside. She watches from the cracks, pressing her hands against her skirt, putting pressure on her wounds, but being careful not to be seen.
“Where are they? They were supposed to be here thirteen minutes ago!”
Finally, two other men come through the lights of the warehouse, one struggling as the other holds him.
‘No, it can’t be!’
“Finally! What took you so fucking long?” The man drops his cigarette and stamps it out and grabs the other man that’s holding the struggling doctor and puts his against the wall.
“This guy here,” he states in a deep voice, looking angrily at the doctor, “decided not to come quietly boss.”
“Well next time, make him come quietly or I’ll have your head for it!” He yells and turns to the battling man whose face looks ashen and dark, like he hasn’t slept. “So, Dr. Remus, do you have what I need?”
‘Oh, God, it is! This is the slaughterhouse on crescent! This is where he was murdered. Oh, I can’t be here. I can’t watch!’
“I won’t give it to you! She’s just a poor girl trying to get through a troubled pregnancy!” He screams in defense, biting the man’s hand that’s holding him but is pulled back by the collar of his robe and gags some.
“We’ll make you give us her blood or else doc. One of your colleagues will be identifying you in the morgue. Now, will you give it to us or will we have to use some other force to get it from you?” He asks taking out his gun and pointing to his chest.
She gasps from where she hides, ‘it was because of me he died, but why do they want my blood? They don’t look like FBI agents, but what if they are? How did they know where I was? No, this can’t be happening!’ She holds back her sobs as best she can, but is not doing a very good job.
The doctor looks down, breathing heavily, his heart in his ears and the adrenaline rushing through him like a dragster, “I won’t! She’s not whom you want! She’s just a human girl that is of nothing to you. She has normal blood, AB positive to be exact. She’s not who you’re looking for!” He spits in the gunman’s face.
The gunman looks at him angrily and is about to pull the trigger when the other man that kept looking at his watch pushes him back. “No need for it Joe or otherwise we ain’t gonna get what we need. Her blood is whats he’s got and that’s whats we gonna get. Now listen here Mac, you either give us this hybrid’s blood or we’ll ruin your life. We’ll say that you give prescriptions to dealers, make you homeless out on the street, or maybe, might just kill that pretty little wife of yours. Is that what you want, Mac?” He points his index into that man’s chest painfully and gives him a manic smile that runs chills up Dr. Remus’ spine.
Making a decision, “I won’t. It wouldn’t matter. Go ahead, ruin me all you want but I won’t give it to you. If you must know, my wife left me last night. There’s nothing you can do for you to make me give it to you. Try all you want. I won’t.”
“I admire your courage, Mac, but you must now suffer the consequences. Joe, give the man his prize.” He walks off into the darkness as the gun shot echoes into midnight air.
Isabel watches as the man kills her doctor and the blood sprays onto the windows and she backs away, sobbing and hiccuping, having just witnessed the good man’s murder. The overwhelming guilt, the blood, and the aroma of the slaughterhouse begin to mix, making her dizzy and her stomach churn. She drops to her knees and begins to vomit.
Isabel wakes up and finds herself in the same position her unconscious state ended with and vomit on her kitchen floor. Her hands are bleeding and her whole backside is wet from the water she slipped on. She leans against the cupboards of the counter, catching her breath, hiccuping, and sobbing hysterically. She uses her powers to clean up the throw-up and the water, but continues to put pressure on her hands to stop them from bleeding.
A million questions race through her mind, but two in particular won’t stop repeating, ‘If Dr. Remus knew I was different, how come he didn’t turn me in? What did he know?’
Please help ‘cause I’m breaking down
This picture’s frozen and I can’t get out
Please help ‘cause I’m breaking down
This picture’s frozen and I can’t get out (of here)
And every time I think I’ve finally made it
I learn I’m father away than I have ever been before
Diane sits at Phillip’s desk in the den and takes out a legal pad and pen. Phillip sitting on the small couch next to her as she begins to write, making sure the questions he wants to ask are put in the letter she’s writing to their daughter. Both distressed about some of the information in her last letter and from discussing Phillip’s skepticism on her new “situations.”
August 25, 2002
Dear Anna,
Hello, honey! How are you and the baby? Hopefully everything’s okay. I admit, your father and I were both in shock (your father almost had a coronary) when you wrote to us that you were pregnant, but we are both very excited that we’re going to be grandparents and are behind you all the way. Also, shame on you for thinking we’d disown you! It’s no matter. We don’t care who the father is (even though we’d like to know, but it is your choice to tell us) as long as you’re okay! We love you very much and would never even think of doing that to you, especially since you’re in such a fragile state right now!
As we said we are both ecstatic, but we’re very worried about you. You about gave us a heart attack when you said you had just gotten out of the hospital. I hope that you’ve been resting and not on your feet too much since because we don’t want any more scares. Oh, and before I forget, about the blood sample. Your father is still skeptical and he was wondering if you would give us some more details about that in your next letter? Also, he wanted me to also ask you has anything unusual happened? Your father and I both have a bad feeling and just need confirmation from you that everything’s all right.
Anyway, about your question, well, your father read it but wants no part in answering since it has to do with you and a person of the male species. So, my answer, do what your heart tells you and don’t rush into things because otherwise, you get the worst of both sides. In addition, I was reading your description of him and I’m a little puzzled. Are you dating him because you feel you need security, you actually want to, or because he reminds you of Alex? I couldn’t help but to notice the similarities between him and Alex and it worries me that you may still need to properly mourn Alex before you rush into anything like you did with Jesse. Another thing, just to get this off your shoulders, don’t worry about the Jesse-rebound-thing. From what your father has told me, he already has a new girlfriend where he resides in Boston. You made a mistake and learned from it (you better have, not to criticize you or anything, but I do not want to go through another thing like you and Jesse). Oh, also, how old is Gavin? Please say he’s in your age range. (Your father wants to know)
To add to my answer, love is something that cannot be rushed and is something, you should know, that can leave a permanent scar on the heart. Just promise me that you will think through this and not rush. Even though you said you were going to let him go either way, he may not want to. THINK IT THROUGH. Okay, I’m done lecturing you on your love life and you can take my advice or leave it as long as you vow that you won’t be planning on giving your father and me a stroke any time soon.
The vision or flash? Is that what you call it? I can’t really think of how to respond to this since this is the first time since you and Max told us your secret that you’ve trusted us with this kind of information. Ask yourself this, are you sure it’s going to take place in the future? It could have easily happened in the past. Look to see if you notice any scars on his face or otherwise and ask him. Just because you are a hybrid does not mean every person is going to be in danger due to your status, besides, sometimes the danger makes the relationship more interesting. You have to be willing to take risks. You can’t hide your status and not expect situations to arise from it.
Anyway, I think it’s about time I finished this up. Write back as soon as you can and give us an estimated date as to when our grandson’s due because we really want to be there for his birth. No matter what’s going on! I hope that everything begins to clear up and that you and Gavin can start with a clean slate. Also, make the best of your time at your new college and don’t work yourself too hard. You’re a smart girl and I know that you will do well. We love you and if you are in need of advice or just need a little extra cash, just drop us a line!
Love,
Mom and Dad
P.S. Have you thought of any names for the little one yet?
Diane passes the letter to her husband to look over and he nods his approval and they put it into the blank envelope that Isabel first put her letter to them in the beginning.
Phillip looks at the envelope quizzically, “I still don’t understand how she rigged this thing to self-address itself once it’s in the mailbox.” Diane shrugs as Phillip flips the envelope over a few times before handing it back to Diane.
“I don’t know, but as long as our letter gets to her, I don’t care.” They head out of the den and are about to leave to put the letter in the nearest mailbox when they open the door to find the ex-Sheriff at their door.
“Hello Jim. What brings you by?” Phillip asks, placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Well, I just thought I’d stop by since I was in the neighborhood, but I guess you two are about to go out from the looks of it. Sorry to bother you. I’ll just come by later.” He begins to walk back down the driveway but turns around with a curious look on his face, “Oh, by the way, who’re sending the letter to?”
(Excerpt from 'Still Frame' by Trapt)
There was quite a bit of formatting for this chapter and I'm sorry if some of it is not formatted correctly. Feedback is greatly appreciated!
Presenting. . .
<center>Chapter Thirteen B, Part Two - Two Sides to Every Story</center>
Gavin massages his cranium and moves his hand to his lap and drums his fingers on his thigh. The other hand still on his head, he glides his hand slowly down his face and rests it across his mouth and chin, contemplating what to do next. Ansleigh watches him, her mouth agape from the revelation lain before her. She closes her mouth and is absolutely speechless, not knowing if he’ll blow up again at her if she utters the slightest noise.
Making a decision, she’s chosen to take the risk, “Let me get this straight. This Anna chick you’re after is pregnant?”
He comes out of his reverie and frustrated, he answers, “Correct.” He notices her disparaged look and wonders what exactly Ansleigh thoughts are on this situation, but he doesn’t know for sure if he would really like to know that.
Ansleigh smiles at him and lets out a laugh, “No offense, but since when does Gavin Frost go after girls with baggage?” Offhandedly, she grabs her water bottle and takes a swig, but sees the look on Gavin’s face and wonders if she said something wrong. “What?”
Gavin grips his thigh, his fingers turning white from the anger coursing through him, but tries his best to control his urge to yell. Instead, through gritted teeth, he says, “How dare you call Anna a ‘girl with baggage!’ I didn’t know she was pregnant at the time when I began dating her, but it didn’t change the way I felt about her. She’s had a hard time adjusting and has already gone through some tough situations, but just because she’s pregnant does not mean that she’s some whore who sleeps around!” He stands up and is about to leave when Ansleigh yells after him.
“Just to give you a clue, one date with a girl is not considered ‘dating.’ Secondly, I didn’t mean it that way. I meant she has skeletons in her closet that are obviously keeping her from opening up to you and I think her main reason has to do with that baby she’s carrying.”
She pauses and walks over to him, placing a hand on his turned back. “You may think I am being a judgmental bitch and I’ll admit, from what I have heard about Anna, I’m not really liking her so far, but it’s scaring me the way she’s affecting you.” He turns around and glares at her coldly, looking about ready to kill. “I’m not saying she has some kind of voodoo doll of you and has placed pins and needles to the places where you think and love but I’m warning you against her. Girls like her have good reasons not to open up and I don’t want to see you get your heart broken because of her indecisiveness.”
Ansleigh heads back to the Autumn Room where her things are, but says one final thing, “If you don’t want to take my advice fine, that’s okay with me, but I would like you to, at least, think about what I said.”
Isabel walks into her home, totally exhausted after Chris dragged her through the full course of the mall. She falls onto the couch and takes off her sneakers and rolls her ankles. She heaves a sigh and stands up once again, stretching her arms high into the air.
She heads toward her bedroom and lies down on her bed, deciding that a short nap would do her good before dinner.
Isabel finds herself in a cemetery with open graves, like the dream she had weeks before. Cautiously, she walks around the masses of rectangular openings and looks down into them to see nothing but collecting dirt clods. She looks up, staring blankly ahead and soon feels a shiver run down her spine as a bony hand creeps onto her shoulder. She screams and jumps at the site of him and he places his index to her lips to shush her.
“Well, my dear, I see we meet again.” He walks around her, analyzing every inch of her. Reaching to touch her again, she slaps his hand away. “My, my, my . . . touchy tonight, aren’t we? I see there has been a significant change in your life,” he states pointing to her midriff.
Her hands move directly to the bulge in her abdomen, looking menacingly at him. “What do you want from me? And why have you brought me here and why don’t you look as you did before?” She asks in one breath, fear eating at her nerves.
“Inquisitively beautiful,” he says offhandedly. “I can look however I want. I’m a concept of both conscious and subconscious proportions. I am the representation of death and change. I’m an archetype of the mind. I can be of the form of male, female, a skeletal being, or even a puddle of water waiting for someone to slip on me.”
He paces in front of her, but instead of being deep in thought, he’s staring at her knowingly, which is making her more fearful than she was before. “I did bring you here and I do have a reason behind of the madness of the scenery, but I cannot give you that information as of yet.” He notices her brows furrowing and the nervous habit she has of biting her lip and he lets out a small laugh, “I do not want anything from you my dear,” he answers as if reading her mind.
“Then how come last time you tried to slice my stomach open?” She yells angrily forgetting her fear of him.
He smirks, “I was just getting your blood pumping, my morbid way of having fun.”
Isabel stares at him, disgusted by what he just said and shuffles her feet nervously in the soft dirt.
“So why am I here? Tell me.” She musters up the courage to speak once again.
He lifts his hand into the air and waves it in an odd fashion and just as randomly as he did it, the scenery changes into a refined, furnished room. Isabel is pushed back into a chair and he sits down in the cushy armchair across from her. He watches her for a moment and keeps quiet but doesn’t take his eyes off her. She shifts uncomfortably under his gaze and he smiles.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“A little.” She admits. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He stands up and kneels before her, “Do you wonder why I brought you here?” He states cryptically and places the tips of his fingers on her abdomen, circling her belly button. “This is why you’re here.”
She stares at his fingers, “What does this have to do with my baby,” her voice quivers.
“Everything,” he whispers, eyes looking darker by the minute.
Her heart begins to pound in her chest and it feels as if an ice cube has just slipped into her stomach. She scoots as far back into the chair as she can, the chair creaking at the pressure.
“Wha-what does my baby have to do with this whole thing? Why!” She exasperates.
He sits back down and she imagines, or not, that she sees remorse in his cold eyes.
He sighs, “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that child,” he points to her abdomen, “is a prophecy that was foretold many centuries ago, way before things became complicated on your rich and plentiful planet--- ”
“---you mean before I betrayed my brother and the entire planet.” She holds back the tears wanting to spring to her eyes.
He gives her a curious look and thinks for a moment and shakes his head. “You know, it’s not my place to tell you this and if I do it will be consequence of sorts. I am not meant to tell you about this until you are more informed on what really happened in your past. I am sorry.” He begins to help her out of the chair.
“But I want to know! Why can’t you tell me?”
“I have already told you why I cannot. It is not my place and if you knew too soon it will make things more complicated for you now than they will be later. I am sorry, but you must go.”
“NO, please!” She pleads with him, but is thrown out of the dream.
Isabel wakes up gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her ears and the baby’s light blue handprint faintly glowing through the fabric of her clothing. ‘So, there is more to this than there seems, but . . . why am I the one who needed to be impregnated?’
She brings her legs over the side of the bed and stands up unsteadily, having to grab the bed again when she almost falls. Getting up, slowly this time, she walks down the hallway still contemplating the little bit of information she just learned and comes to a conclusion. “He must have known.”
Gavin sits next to the water in the park, skipping rocks and watching ducks wade in the water. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head from what Ansleigh said earlier, but her words just keep repeating. At first, he thought she may have been jealous of the attention he was giving Anna compared to the time he’s spent with her since they used to be very good friends, but it couldn’t have been that. He knew that they wouldn’t be as close when he had decided to begin taking summer classes and she had known they wouldn’t be spending as much time together, hanging out and such. It still bothered him though how bothered she was with Anna, even though she’s never met her. ‘She was right about one thing though, Anna does have skeletons in the closet and unless she opens up, I don’t think my heart will be able to take it.’
“Actually, she was right about a couple of things.” He talks to no one in particular. “Damn you Mason for making me think like this.”
He continues to skip rocks, counting how many times they skip across the clear, cold water. ‘Hopefully my mind will be clear by Tuesday or else I’m going to do horribly on my first final. Well, I won’t do horribly, but I won’t get the score I’m anticipating.’
Getting sick of skipping rocks, he stands up and begins to walk around Jensen Park, looking to see children playing on the monkey bars and seesawing and an old man reading a newspaper on the bench where Anna kissed him earlier. The lingering memory provokes him to touch his lips and steer his thoughts to Anna now. As Ansleigh put it so bluntly, one date doesn’t count as dating, which is true, but since it was so kindly put in front of him, it makes him think. How does one date and knowing a young woman for less than three months make him feel this way? It just doesn’t make sense to him, but then it dawned on him as to why Anna hasn’t opened up.
“It’s too soon!” He hits himself in the forehead. “I’m an idiot! I’m expecting too much, probably because every other girl I’ve had have told their whole life story in one turn, but Anna’s not like other girls.” He notes that the old man on the bench is staring at him as well as a few people walking by. “Sorry.” He apologizes and journeys out of the park back to his apartment. Talking a bit more quietly to himself, “Anna’s the replica of the line ‘there are two sides and an end to every story’ but what I want to know is . . . which side will end first?”
After Chris dropped Anna off at her apartment, thinking of the revelations she relayed on him earlier he decided to ask Bennie about it. Once inside, Chris sees Bennie on the couch, looking deep in thought not knowing for sure if he wants to disturb him. Deciding, he places his coat on the hook behind the door and gently lowers himself next to his boyfriend. Bennie turns to face his partner, an odd expression of curiosity crossing his features. Chris matches his look.
“What’s on your mind,” he asks.
Bennie turns his whole body and hesitates for a sec, “Chris, have you ever wondered about Anna’s past? I mean, why she’ll only tell us so much and then suddenly stop?” His brow furrows.
“I’ve wondered that myself until today.” He shakes his head, a chuckle escaping his lips. “Like since you were one of the first people she met, she always confided in you. I’ll admit, in the beginning, I was a little jealous at how much time you spent with her, but now that she has found me to be one of her confidants, I can see why you were always needed before I met her.” He stops. A bewildered look apparent on his face and Bennie raises an eyebrow.
“She has issues!” Bennie laughs aloud at this remark. “I’m not trying to sound mean , but she told me today about her Alex theory and--- ”
“---she finally told you about that!” Bennie interjects. “Oh, thank God! I thought she’d never relent that to you! I’m sorry I never told you but you know, I don’t like blabbing other people’s business.”
Chris laughs, “Yeah, I know.” He and Bennie continue to laugh for a while and Chris says, “I’m assuming she has now discovered us to be a package deal.” They both continue to howl with laughter for a bit longer and are trying to catch their breath by the end.
“You know, that really wasn’t that funny.” Bennie states out of nowhere.
“I know, but we haven’t laughed in a while. It felt good.” They are both staring at each other longingly. Chris stands up and helps Bennie off the couch. “Well, since I have to get up early for work tomorrow, how about we go see an early movie, eat dinner, then come back for some fun.” A mischievous look in his green eyes.
Bennie catches on and grins, “I could go for that. Lets go!” They both grab their coats and walk out the door holding hands.
After writing the new information she learned and some drawing in her yellow notepad, her stomach growls and notes that it’s seven ‘o’ clock. Getting up, she goes into the kitchen to whip something to eat.
As she fills a small copper pot with water and presses high on the electric stove, she shivers as a cold draft passes through her, making her drop the pot and water splashing all over the floor.
“Damn it!” She curses, but ends up slipping on the wet linoleum, hitting her head on the counter and everything fades to black . . .
Isabel awakes to find herself in what looks like an empty warehouse, but the aroma lingering smells of dead cattle and feces, making her feel sick. She staggers toward a boarded up window, desperately trying to find a way to get some fresh air since the entrance is padlocked. She begins to pull away the nasty rusted board, the loose nails piercing through her delicate skin.
After some pulling and tugging, the wood gives way and breaks off. The cracks in the window are like blood vessels of air, but not fulfilling her oxygen needs. She pushes at the broken panels of the fogged window, mini shards of glass embedding into her hands mounds.
Gasping for breath and holding back the tears from the searing pain in her hands, it doesn’t stop her from noticing the conversation going on outside. She watches from the cracks, pressing her hands against her skirt, putting pressure on her wounds, but being careful not to be seen.
“Where are they? They were supposed to be here thirteen minutes ago!”
Finally, two other men come through the lights of the warehouse, one struggling as the other holds him.
‘No, it can’t be!’
“Finally! What took you so fucking long?” The man drops his cigarette and stamps it out and grabs the other man that’s holding the struggling doctor and puts his against the wall.
“This guy here,” he states in a deep voice, looking angrily at the doctor, “decided not to come quietly boss.”
“Well next time, make him come quietly or I’ll have your head for it!” He yells and turns to the battling man whose face looks ashen and dark, like he hasn’t slept. “So, Dr. Remus, do you have what I need?”
‘Oh, God, it is! This is the slaughterhouse on crescent! This is where he was murdered. Oh, I can’t be here. I can’t watch!’
“I won’t give it to you! She’s just a poor girl trying to get through a troubled pregnancy!” He screams in defense, biting the man’s hand that’s holding him but is pulled back by the collar of his robe and gags some.
“We’ll make you give us her blood or else doc. One of your colleagues will be identifying you in the morgue. Now, will you give it to us or will we have to use some other force to get it from you?” He asks taking out his gun and pointing to his chest.
She gasps from where she hides, ‘it was because of me he died, but why do they want my blood? They don’t look like FBI agents, but what if they are? How did they know where I was? No, this can’t be happening!’ She holds back her sobs as best she can, but is not doing a very good job.
The doctor looks down, breathing heavily, his heart in his ears and the adrenaline rushing through him like a dragster, “I won’t! She’s not whom you want! She’s just a human girl that is of nothing to you. She has normal blood, AB positive to be exact. She’s not who you’re looking for!” He spits in the gunman’s face.
The gunman looks at him angrily and is about to pull the trigger when the other man that kept looking at his watch pushes him back. “No need for it Joe or otherwise we ain’t gonna get what we need. Her blood is whats he’s got and that’s whats we gonna get. Now listen here Mac, you either give us this hybrid’s blood or we’ll ruin your life. We’ll say that you give prescriptions to dealers, make you homeless out on the street, or maybe, might just kill that pretty little wife of yours. Is that what you want, Mac?” He points his index into that man’s chest painfully and gives him a manic smile that runs chills up Dr. Remus’ spine.
Making a decision, “I won’t. It wouldn’t matter. Go ahead, ruin me all you want but I won’t give it to you. If you must know, my wife left me last night. There’s nothing you can do for you to make me give it to you. Try all you want. I won’t.”
“I admire your courage, Mac, but you must now suffer the consequences. Joe, give the man his prize.” He walks off into the darkness as the gun shot echoes into midnight air.
Isabel watches as the man kills her doctor and the blood sprays onto the windows and she backs away, sobbing and hiccuping, having just witnessed the good man’s murder. The overwhelming guilt, the blood, and the aroma of the slaughterhouse begin to mix, making her dizzy and her stomach churn. She drops to her knees and begins to vomit.
Isabel wakes up and finds herself in the same position her unconscious state ended with and vomit on her kitchen floor. Her hands are bleeding and her whole backside is wet from the water she slipped on. She leans against the cupboards of the counter, catching her breath, hiccuping, and sobbing hysterically. She uses her powers to clean up the throw-up and the water, but continues to put pressure on her hands to stop them from bleeding.
A million questions race through her mind, but two in particular won’t stop repeating, ‘If Dr. Remus knew I was different, how come he didn’t turn me in? What did he know?’
Please help ‘cause I’m breaking down
This picture’s frozen and I can’t get out
Please help ‘cause I’m breaking down
This picture’s frozen and I can’t get out (of here)
And every time I think I’ve finally made it
I learn I’m father away than I have ever been before
Diane sits at Phillip’s desk in the den and takes out a legal pad and pen. Phillip sitting on the small couch next to her as she begins to write, making sure the questions he wants to ask are put in the letter she’s writing to their daughter. Both distressed about some of the information in her last letter and from discussing Phillip’s skepticism on her new “situations.”
August 25, 2002
Dear Anna,
Hello, honey! How are you and the baby? Hopefully everything’s okay. I admit, your father and I were both in shock (your father almost had a coronary) when you wrote to us that you were pregnant, but we are both very excited that we’re going to be grandparents and are behind you all the way. Also, shame on you for thinking we’d disown you! It’s no matter. We don’t care who the father is (even though we’d like to know, but it is your choice to tell us) as long as you’re okay! We love you very much and would never even think of doing that to you, especially since you’re in such a fragile state right now!
As we said we are both ecstatic, but we’re very worried about you. You about gave us a heart attack when you said you had just gotten out of the hospital. I hope that you’ve been resting and not on your feet too much since because we don’t want any more scares. Oh, and before I forget, about the blood sample. Your father is still skeptical and he was wondering if you would give us some more details about that in your next letter? Also, he wanted me to also ask you has anything unusual happened? Your father and I both have a bad feeling and just need confirmation from you that everything’s all right.
Anyway, about your question, well, your father read it but wants no part in answering since it has to do with you and a person of the male species. So, my answer, do what your heart tells you and don’t rush into things because otherwise, you get the worst of both sides. In addition, I was reading your description of him and I’m a little puzzled. Are you dating him because you feel you need security, you actually want to, or because he reminds you of Alex? I couldn’t help but to notice the similarities between him and Alex and it worries me that you may still need to properly mourn Alex before you rush into anything like you did with Jesse. Another thing, just to get this off your shoulders, don’t worry about the Jesse-rebound-thing. From what your father has told me, he already has a new girlfriend where he resides in Boston. You made a mistake and learned from it (you better have, not to criticize you or anything, but I do not want to go through another thing like you and Jesse). Oh, also, how old is Gavin? Please say he’s in your age range. (Your father wants to know)
To add to my answer, love is something that cannot be rushed and is something, you should know, that can leave a permanent scar on the heart. Just promise me that you will think through this and not rush. Even though you said you were going to let him go either way, he may not want to. THINK IT THROUGH. Okay, I’m done lecturing you on your love life and you can take my advice or leave it as long as you vow that you won’t be planning on giving your father and me a stroke any time soon.
The vision or flash? Is that what you call it? I can’t really think of how to respond to this since this is the first time since you and Max told us your secret that you’ve trusted us with this kind of information. Ask yourself this, are you sure it’s going to take place in the future? It could have easily happened in the past. Look to see if you notice any scars on his face or otherwise and ask him. Just because you are a hybrid does not mean every person is going to be in danger due to your status, besides, sometimes the danger makes the relationship more interesting. You have to be willing to take risks. You can’t hide your status and not expect situations to arise from it.
Anyway, I think it’s about time I finished this up. Write back as soon as you can and give us an estimated date as to when our grandson’s due because we really want to be there for his birth. No matter what’s going on! I hope that everything begins to clear up and that you and Gavin can start with a clean slate. Also, make the best of your time at your new college and don’t work yourself too hard. You’re a smart girl and I know that you will do well. We love you and if you are in need of advice or just need a little extra cash, just drop us a line!
Love,
Mom and Dad
P.S. Have you thought of any names for the little one yet?
Diane passes the letter to her husband to look over and he nods his approval and they put it into the blank envelope that Isabel first put her letter to them in the beginning.
Phillip looks at the envelope quizzically, “I still don’t understand how she rigged this thing to self-address itself once it’s in the mailbox.” Diane shrugs as Phillip flips the envelope over a few times before handing it back to Diane.
“I don’t know, but as long as our letter gets to her, I don’t care.” They head out of the den and are about to leave to put the letter in the nearest mailbox when they open the door to find the ex-Sheriff at their door.
“Hello Jim. What brings you by?” Phillip asks, placing a hand on his wife’s shoulder.
“Well, I just thought I’d stop by since I was in the neighborhood, but I guess you two are about to go out from the looks of it. Sorry to bother you. I’ll just come by later.” He begins to walk back down the driveway but turns around with a curious look on his face, “Oh, by the way, who’re sending the letter to?”
(Excerpt from 'Still Frame' by Trapt)
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