Part 16 (1/2)
”Two things we have in common. Being conscientious and reliable. I'm both.” She smiled. ”We're going to be like two peas in a pod.”
Maybe an alien pod.
”I can't believe I was so worried,” she went on. ”Jack and I both were, but I think everything went really well. I mean, except for your brother getting hit and kicked. But otherwise, I think it was probably typical of your usual family get-together.”
Okay. I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, but I felt it my responsibility to clue this girl in on what she was up against. I mean, I would want to know if the love of my life's mother completely and totally hated my guts.
”Mandy.”
”To think I actually bit off an entire manicure worrying over this meeting.”
”Mandy.”
”And I ate an entire box of Oreo cookies.”
”Code blue!”
She snapped to attention. Her gaze collided with mine. ”What? What is it?” Worry flashed in her eyes and my chest hitched.
”What's wrong?”
”I... That's a really cool shade of lipstick.” I know, I know. I shouldn't be perpetuating the lie. But she would find out the truth soon enough, particularly when my parents showed up for tea tomorrow. If they showed up. In the meantime, what was wrong with a little hope? ”So what is it? Sephora's Natural Wonder? MAC's Earth Works?”
”Mandy's Natural Lip Color.”
Oh.
She smiled. ”I don't wear much makeup. I don't usually have time for it.” She glanced at her watch. ”I took tomorrow off for the tea. It's my first day off in four years. Jack suggested I just take a half day, but I want us to have plenty of time to celebrate once the parents meet and we tell them that we're getting married.”
”WHAT?”.
Her face lit up. ”I wasn't supposed to spill the news, but I'm so excited I just can't help myself. I have to tell someone.” Her gaze collided with mine and I saw Jack poised on one knee, an engagement ring the size of a third world country in his right hand.
”Engaged? No way!” She nodded and I couldn't help my own smile even though I knew this was the worst possible thing that could happen as far as my mother was concerned.
Then again.My smile widened.
”This is the best thing that's ever happened to me,” she rushed on, as she rummaged in her purse and pulled out the Third World country. She slid the ring onto her finger and held up her hand. ”You won't tell him I told you, will you? We agreed to tell our parents first. Together.” She clasped her hand to her chest and gave me a pleading look.
”My lips are sealed.”
Not to mention that Jack and I haven't had an actual conversation since... I don't think we'd ever had an actual conversation.
Name-calling, yes. But nothing that qualified as an actual exchange of relevant information.
”I can't wait for tomorrow.” She fanned her fingers and the ring glittered in the darkness. ”It's going to be the most thrilling day of my life. I mean, other than the day I got engaged. And the day Jack rolled into the morgue. And last Thursday when he and I rented this suite at the Waldorf. We took a champagne bath together and rolled around on a bed full of rose petals and read poetry to each other.”
”That's, um, sweet.” In a gross way. The guy was my brother.
”My parents are going to be ecstatic,” she rushed on. ”And I'm sure your parents will be thrilled, too. Who wouldn't want their five-hundred-and-thirty-five-year-old son to finally settle down?”
When I started to open my mouth, she held up a hand. ”I know I'm not a born vampire and I'm not exactly French, but I'm a nice girl. I'm from a good family. An old family. We've been around forever, so it's kind of like we're immortal. We've played crucial roles in several key events in history and have even been mentioned in several history books.”
”You don't say?”
She nodded. ”My great, great, great, great grandfather came over on the Mayflower and my great, great, great, great uncle Radcliffe rode with Paul Revere, and my great, great, great aunt Millicent was burned at the stake during the Salem witch trials and-”
”Whoa, back it up. What did you just say?”
”My family can be traced all the way back to the Mayflower.” She radiated pride.
”Not that part. The other part.”
”Uncle Radcliffe?”
”Fast forward.”
”Aunt Millicent?”
”Bingo.”
”I was saving that surprise for tomorrow.” Her smile widened and a sick feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. ”It turns out I'm not so human after all. They say my aunt Millicent was one of the most powerful witches of her time and since I'm her direct descendant, that means I have Other DNA flowing through my veins. Not that I know how to cast a spell or anything like that.
The closest I've ever come is watching reruns of Charmed. But still, it's something, right?” She beamed. ”I can't wait to tell your folks. They're going to flip!”
”They're going to flip, all right.” I had the sudden vision of my mother, fangs bared, going for Mandy's silken white throat, and panic rushed through me.Not your business, a voice whispered.
The same voice that said better you than me when it came to my mother's wrath.
Still. We're talking fangs, and just because of a little DNA glitch.
”You know, Mandy, you might want to keep that little piece of information to yourself. You're a terrific girl. Smart. Attractive.”
”Really attractive,” the cabbie added from the front seat. He flashed a smile in the mirror. ”Sorry, it's just that you're really pretty.
And so are you.” His gaze s.h.i.+fted to me.
”Uh, thanks.” Not. ”Anyhow, where was I? Oh, yeah. Attractive. And outgoing. And fun loving.”
”And an award winner,” she added. ”I've been Neighbor of the Month for six months in a row. I'm never home and so it's impossible for me to disturb anyone.”
”A multiple award winner,” I added. ”And smart.”
”You already said that.”
”Did I?” I shook my head. ”My point is, you've got it going on. You know it. Everyone knows it. So what's the use of bragging?”