Part 13 (1/2)
”Yeah, I remember you said that. So, if she didn't imprint, and didn't get married what happened? If you don't mind my asking is Maria adopted?”
”No, she's not adopted.” He turned to look at me and smiled sadly. ”That sweet little girl is the product of a crazy end of the summer party and the date rape drug.”
I gasped and covered my mouth with a hand.
”It's ok,” he a.s.sured me.
”Caleb. Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry for her.”
”Don't be,” he scooted closer and placed his hand on my elbow to draw off some of the anxiety that had my heart racing. ”She was angry. Extremely angry for a while. She was a different person, dropped out of school, which was understandable. You see, there is usually more than one of us from the family at Tennessee together, we watch out for each other. It just worked out that her first year she was alone. Remember I told you there is still a lot of family that you haven't met. Well, we've never had any problems, except that one year. That one time. This is why we stay together. This is why they want us to go to school and work together and live near each other. Because things happen and it's just easier if we're all there to help each other or prevent stuff from even happening. I know it happens to humans too, but we have so much to hide. And things like that could expose everyone.”
”Yeah. So, she had the baby anyway.”
He scoffed and chuckled.
”Of course she did. The police told her they couldn't find out who did it and she should just have an abortion and even set her up an appointment at the clinic before telling her. Well, you don't tell Jen what to do. She dropped out of school, came home and sulked and was a zombie for nine months. Then Maria was born and that was all it took, one look. Maria was born with a full head of dark curly hair.” He smiled remembering and I picked up bits and pieces from his mind but mostly just listened. ”She was herself again after that. She said as morbid and twisted as it seemed, she was happy, because she wouldn't have imprinted and never gotten a chance to have a baby otherwise. That she considered it a gift and wasn't angry anymore.”
”Wow.”
I couldn't imagine that. But Maria is pretty adorable. And I'm sure his close knit family made a huge fuss over her and cared really well for them both. It made me smile.
”Yep. So, don't feel sorry for her. She doesn't regret it. In fact she went back to school two years later and finished her two year degree and then started work at the firm with everyone else. She loves it.”
”Your parents didn't try to make her have an abortion?”
”No. They wouldn't but I think they thought what she did. That she'd never get the chance for a baby otherwise and if that's what she wanted, they'd support her for it.”
”Wow.”
”That's like your favorite word, huh?” he teased and chuckled.
”Oh yeah.” I bet I sound so young and stupid. ”I just can't believe that she-”
”I was just joking.” He put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me to him. ”It's cute. I like it, a lot actually.”
”Cute?” I said playfully incredulous.
”Yep. Cute.”
”I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not,” I said and leaned away in mock distress.
He grinned and followed me as I inched away laughing, he inched closer.
”Oh, it's a compliment.” I came to the edge of the seat and stopped. But he didn't. He smooshed right up next to me and smiled deviously down at me. ”Where you gonna go now, cutie?”
”Um. Away.”
I bolted from him and took off down the boardwalk.
I heard him chuckle and then footsteps pounding behind me on the wood planks. The moon was bright and there was plenty of light to see him. He chased me and was fast but so was I. I was on the track team for crying out loud.
”Hey! Jeez, you're fast.”
”I'm sorry you can't keep up,” I yelled as I ran backwards. ”I figured a big bad swimmer could handle a little jog.”
”Ooooh.” He feigned anger. ”You are so gonna get it now!”
”You have to catch me first, slow poke!”
”Ok! Ok. I give!” he called out and bent down to rest his hands on his knees.
I came back to him slowly and stood next to him.
”Hmm. I'm not sure I can be seen with you anymore. I'm thoroughly disappoint- Ah!” He grabbed me around my stomach from behind and lifted me, swinging me around. ”You tricked me!”
He pressed his face to my ear.
”And you totally fell for it, too.”
This savored strongly of the vision I had had of us when we imprinted. His breath on my ear, so close to my neck... I felt goose b.u.mps glide down my skin rapidly and instantly blushed because I knew he could feel them too.
”Yeah, I guess I did,” I said but it was all wrong and breathless.
He set my feet to the ground but didn't let me go, his hands moved to my upper arms. We stood looking out at the lake for a minute. I could feel every breath he took behind me. I pressed into his mind, focusing on him, to see what he was thinking. He was wondering the same about me. I could feel his pulse in my veins and it was faster than normal. I took some comfort that he was just as affected by my presence as I was by his.
”I think I'm more affected if you ask me,” he said suddenly.
”You are getting really good at that,” I said dryly.
He laughed softly.
”You get better at it the more time we spend together. You'll only block me when you're trying to. Soon, you'll be able to pick up exact thoughts too, not just my feelings.”
”Are you nervous about your ascension? Getting your abilities?”
”Nah. I've waited for this all my life. Are you nervous?”
”Terrified,” I breathed truthfully.
He turned me in his arms to look at my face, his arms held me firmly to him.
”Don't be. It's not that painful.”
”Not that painful?”
”Yeah. And the chills, fever and convulsions only last a couple days.”
”What?” I said and even though he was touching me, I felt a spike of terror.
”Yeah, but don't worry. The little green spots that appear all over are mostly under your clothes.”