by Raven Crow
We all burst out into laughter.
“Well, you are the only two around that treat me like my family wasn’t cursed by the gypsy king so thank you for that.”
And like that there it was the reason that everybody hated her. A curse. A gypsy curse?
“I’m sorry but did you say curse?” I asked and I could feel the shifting expressions on my face as my confusion grew. “Gypsy curses are real?” I scoffed.
“Uh no and yes…depending on who you ask, Jo.” Daphne tried to explain this crazy curse thing to me. “King Blaine Moreau the first, cursed the Smith family after a falling out he had with Pen’s grandfather, William Smith.”
“That’s right, and when a gypsy king curses you and your family for a hundred years even if curses aren’t real no one cares to talk to you either way after that.” Pen answered.
“Damn that is crazy. I am sorry that you have had to suffer as a cause of your grandfather’s actions.”
“It is what it is. Jo you are the one that everyone wanted to know about at that wedding. Everybody wanted to know who had the attention of Giovanni Gardier. That seriously never happens, he has always been single I don’t think that I have ever even seen him with a female other then you.”
“I tried to tell her that but she doesn’t understand how popular he is amongst the gypsy women in town. I mean he’s a future gypsy king, he is sexy as hell, he can play the violin so beautifully that it will make you cry, and he’s never been matched.” Daphne joined in.
“Ok here we go again with the confusing terms, what is a match?” I begged for clarification.
“It’s a term we use instead of arranged marriage. And a meet is the term we gypsies use for a meeting between two separate kingdoms like at the wedding.” Pen clarifies their terms for me and finally everything falls into place in my head. I had been spending time with the future king of the gypsies this whole time. I couldn’t help but fidget a bit in my seat as I grew increasingly uncomfortable.
“Oh look you scared her, Pen. Jo, don’t worry it is a good thing I promise you.”
“I’m sorry if I made you nervous. This world of ours isn’t for everybody but I think that you will thrive in the gypsy kingdom Jo, if you will give it a chance.”
Her words of support were working. They both grinned at me like I was getting ready to run a marathon or something and they were my support team standing there on the sidelines cheering me on to win the race.
Chapter 30
Gio
I could smell her scent on my jacket still. A hint of sweet honey blossom and vanilla filled my nose as I stood just outside the campus building. I had planned to surprise Jo by showing up unannounced to take her somewhere special to me.
My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Sax telling me to meet him tomorrow I knew it without looking. My cell phone vibrated. It was Jo calling; I decided to ignore it since I was only a few feet behind her and two other girls.
“He’s not answering.”
“What? Call again.”
“No—don’t call again.”
“Hello beautiful.” My voice rang out sending three heads of hair spinning around to find me there.
“What—what are you doing here I—I was just calling you.” Her words skipped out from her pretty lips.
Jo had on a light, blue sun dress which was see-through and a pair of tan, platform sandals which made her appear to be taller. She had her beautiful hair all down, just how I liked it. Her face seemed bare like she had naturally perfect skin without makeup. As I neared, her face became flushed.
“Hi there, I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well you did. I’m surprised.” She giggled causing her eyes to brighten and shine.
“Well I have to go I have another class on the other side of the campus so I got to run. Later.” Said a girl that looked familiar to me but I couldn’t remember her name.
“Ok, thanks for having lunch with me it was fun Daphne, see you.” Jo hugged her friend before she walked away.
“Bye Daphne, I’ll text you later.” Pen said.
When I was around Jo the whole world seemed to fall away into a silent, cloudy background allowing her to become my centered focus.
“Are you busy right now? Can I take you somewhere?” I begged. She nodded.
“I am not busy right now. Where do you want to take me?”
“It’s a surprise. I think that you will like it though. Are you ready to go?”
She nodded while taking my arm.
**
I pulled up to my house from the back driveway which had a private entry into my cottage. I took Jo’s hand and led her in. the first surprise I had for her was impossible to hide once she was in my living room.
“Wow, ok it is super dark in here. Why is it so dark, Gio?”
She put her arms out while moving further into the living room unable to see more than a few feet ahead. I grabbed my phone to activate the lighting setting from my smart-home app. I activated the lights turning the disco ball on which started flashing multiple colors through the room making it easier to see. Next came on the spotlight lights from varies places.
“There is that better?”
She laughed and turned to find me right behind her. “Yes—that is much better. What’s all of this? Your living room looks like a dance club, Gio. You did this all for me?” Her voice went higher in pitch.
I couldn’t see her well enough to know if she was blushing. I pulled her by her arms close to me and I could feel that she had goose bumps on her arms.
“Do you like it? Are you cold Jo?”
“Yes—and no I’m not cold why?”
“You have goose bumps.” I winked at her. She shook her head as I wrapped my arms around her waist. “I didn’t get to dance with you the other night so I set this all up so that I could get that dance.”
“All this just so you can dance with me? Gio that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.” She squeezed me tight before loosening her grip to look up at me. “I’m sorry that I made us leave the wedding the first time, I don’t know why I felt so uncomfortable. I mean everybody was staring at us. They treat you like you are royalty and I guess I didn’t feel like I quite belonged there.”
“What are you crazy girl, you definitely belong there you are the goddaughter to the most powerful gypsy king in all of North America, Josephine Butler.” I used her full name to make a point.
I didn’t understand how she couldn’t know just how beautiful she was. How was it that she hadn’t already been pampered and spoiled by loads of other men by now? Had she been hidden away from the world until now or something? She had no idea that being close to her had my heart rate go so fast, that my body probably thought I was trying to keep up with a race car. Most of the women that I had known where very aware of their beauty and the power that it seemed to have over men but not Jo she seemed clueless to this.
“Thank you for giving me a chance to dance with you in private. Ha-ha.” She giggled. I took the opportunity to turn the music on and the playlist that I had setup started to play. “I love this song.” She gasped as a popular romantic song played.
We danced in each other’s arms for a moment before I spun her around making her laugh. We danced through the entire song.
I grabbed her, lifting her up, kissing her before the last beat of the song could finish. Her soft lips were pure heaven to the touch. I felt her nipples harden against my chest. I set her back down; I didn’t want to let things escalate too fast.
I pulled my lips from hers. “I have another surprise for you Jo.” Her eyes widened. “Come on it is in here.” I led her into my kitchen where I had homemade dinner waiting for the both of us cooling in the oven.
“Wow… don’t tell me that your house just cooked us dinner while you were gone?” She asked. I coughed and I nodded my head. “That’s so sick!”
Chapter 31
Pen
I started to feel stupid for agreeing to meet Sax at the
campus. I had just left Daphne, and Jo in the other building and I had been waiting in front of the dance studios for about five minutes already. I didn’t know what to expect at this point so I stood there trying not to look nervous. The hallway was completely empty it appeared that this must have been a free period.
I had arrived ten minutes early so I’d be there before Sax. I looked up and then down the hallway for him but I caught no sign of him.
“Excuse me,” a woman with a foreign accent approached me, “are you Madam Penelope Smith?”
My eyes shot wide open. “Yes—I am Madam Penelope Smith.” I stepped backward.
She smiled with one raised brow. “You are early—I like that. I am Madam Angelica Francesca and I am your new instructor.” She moved to the side with her arm extended. “Please come in and let us begin with the class.”
“There must be some kind of mistake I’m not a student here, Madame Francesca.” I shook my head.
She looked at my dance clothing then back at me. “You are Penelope—no?”
“Yes—I’m Penelope but—there” my words paused by her interruption.
“Then this is you. Come—we start now!” She walked into the classroom I felt compelled to follow her.
There were two other girls inside of the classroom in front of the mirrors warming up. They had on matching black leotards, white tights and nude-colored dance shoes. They looked so much alike they could have been mistaken for twins. Both with dark, brown hair and brown eyes, plus they were the same height and body type.
“Meet Ericka and Monica my assistent.” I smiled at them as I joined them in front of the mirror. I was all too formal with the dance class routine so I knew to warm along with Ericka and Monica. “Ericka, show Penelope the first twenty-four counts once she’s fully warmed up.”
“Yes Madam Francesca.” Ericka jumped into first position, we did the same.
Within seconds my blood was pumping. I was dancing again. Somehow I had managed to get lucky enough to earn a lesson from the famous Madam Angelica Francesca. Had Saxon arranged this lesson for me?
The hour flew by it seemed.
I shook Ericka’s and Monica’s hands before leaving. As soon as the class ended Madam Francesca had closed herself off inside of the office in the corner before I could say anything.
“That was amazing! I loved watching you dance.” Sax had been waiting just outside the classroom apparently watching me dance.
“Were you watching me? Please say no, I was terrible. I’m completely out of practice right now. I’m slow. My stamina was like that of a ninety year old woman’s.” I started heading out of the building with him alongside me.
“Yes I was watching you most of the hour. I got here right at one o’clock like I told you I would. You were already dancing when I arrived. You were amazing and if you are out of practice I couldn’t tell.” He did something that he’d never done before; he patted me on my back with a smile beaming off of his face like he was so proud of me. I could feel how much he cared about me in that moment.
“Did you do this for me Sax; did you arrange that private dance lesson with Madam Angelica Francesca?” I asked. He nodded.
I couldn’t help but release my gratitude for I was overwhelmed by what he had done for me. I hugged him while holding back my tears. I had never felt more ashamed of my actions then in that moment. Life was cruel; my happiest moment twisted with my worst deed which tainted my joy.
“Are you hungry Pen? Let’s go out and grab some food?”
“I’d love that.” I gleamed. My cell phone shook inside of the bag. I grabbed it out and answered. “Hello.”
“Hello may I speak to Miss Smith?”
“Speaking.”
“Yes—this is Memorial Grove Hospital we have your grandmother, Mrs. Catherine Smith here. She was brought in earlier this morning.”
My heart skipped. “What? You have my grandmother at the Memorial Grove Hospital? I’m on my way right now.” I disconnected before putting my phone back into my bag.
“What is it, your grandmother?” His brows rose and the sides of his mouth tightened. “Come on, I’ll drive!”
**
I felt like a child entering that hospital room. The lights on the machines were scary and loud. I almost couldn’t breathe the closer I got to her bedside. Sax stayed behind me allowing the door to swing closed behind us.
She was unconscious in a hospital bed. That had been the weakest I’d ever seen my grandmother look. There were tubes all over her going in and out of varies machines and bags of liquid medications. I reached down taking her soft, winkled hand into my while sitting alongside her.
“Ms. Smith?” The doctor entered the room.
“Yes I’m her granddaughter Penelope Smith. What happened to her?”
“I’m afraid that your grandmother had a stroke after falling off of a chair. The paramedics said that they found her on the ground next to a chair in the kitchen. It appeared that she had been trying to change the light bulb in the kitchen before losing her balance before falling.” He paused a moment before looking down at the tablet in his hand. “She’s scheduled for some more tests in the morning but as of right now the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours are very critical to her recovery. Keep positive your grandmother is in the best place for her right now. I’ll be around all night if you should have some more questions for me; by the way my name is Dr. Berg.” He shook my hand and I nodded.
“Alright, thank you—thank you.” I didn’t play any attention to the words I used.
Chapter 32
Sax
It was heartbreaking seeing Pen in such pain over her grandmother. I had to figure out a way to help her. The private dance classes were a nice touch but those weren’t going to save her grandmother. I needed money and a lot of it to really do some good for Pen.
An elderly couple caught my attention in the hallway outside of Pen’s grandmother’s hospital room. I let myself imagine that the couple was an older version of me and Pen, the thought made me smile. I had been sent out of the room when they switched the nurses at shift change. No guests allowed only family. Pen told me that I could leave but I wanted to stay with her.
I made my way over into the stairwell. I had Phillip Ryan meeting me so he could give me a front for an order of porcelain dolls that I had promised him a while back, the shipment was still caught up with customs but he knew I was good for it. With the loan from Phillip I’d be able to take care of Pen’s grandmother’s hospital bill and still be able to help her with the property taxes for her families’ house.
I spotted the top of Phillips head; he had arrived right on time as usual.
When I came out of the stairwell I caught a glimpse of what looked like Pen heading out of the ICU so I followed. I stayed close enough behind to not lose her but far enough back that she wouldn’t spot me. I don’t know why I didn’t just call out to her. I just had such a strange feeling about the way she looked as she left the room. I must have looked like a CIA agent following a suspect by the way I was ducking behind walls and dropping down behind desk as she’d look randomly behind her. Her constant looks back made it obvious that she didn’t want to be followed, but why? Where was she going? Who was she meeting? I had to know.
We had traveled from the ICU on the fourth floor to the far west end over by the maternity unit that’s when I saw a man that looked familiar leaned up against the wall. Pen walked passed him before she handed him something while she continued to pass him. What was this some kind of drop? What was she doing?
I darted back over to the ICU hallway and quickly put money into the vending machine to play it off. Out popped a soda pop which I started to drink.
Where had I seen that guy before? Shit I know I had seen him somewhere but where exactly? It was driving me mad to not be able to place that man’s face. How would Pen know a man like that he was much older than her? I think that if she were interested in someone I’d know.
“Hey can I have a drink
of that, I’m so thirsty?” Pen grabbed the soda can from my hand. “I went looking for you. I guess I must have missed you, huh?” She lied to me. I showed no reaction while I let the lie stay unquestioned.
“You must have missed me when I was in the restroom a minute ago.” I nodded at her and she smiled. “I can go grab some real food for us you must be hungry too, Pen?”
“I am starved actually but I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“It is no problem we need to eat. Plus you are not asking me I’m offering.”
“What is going to be open this late at night?”
“Don’t you worry about that, just go back inside and sit with your grandmother, Pen.” I tried to get her to go relax but her face looked like she was going to fight me on it.
The doctor approached Pen with a half-smile which seemed like a good thing, good news I hoped. Pen looked like she wasn’t ready for anything the doctor might have to say. I grabbed a hold of her hand.
“Miss Smith I have some urgent news regarding your grandmother.”
“Alright, what is it?” Pen’s face spread wide.
“The lab work came back and it looks like your grandmother’s stroke didn’t cause any permanent damage to her brain so she should make a full recovery.” The doctor nodded and grinned. “This is the best case scenario. Also, the paperwork for the rehab center was completed and her accounts have been fully compensated. The hospital will transport your grandmother first thing in the morning.”
“What—what wait a minute what do you mean her accounts have been fully compensated? Someone paid the hospital bills?”
“Yes it appears that someone did in fact pay the bill in full. I’m sorry but I have to sign off on some more paperwork before it gets too late. If you have any other questions please let me know. Take care.” The doctor skirted away leaving Pen with an open mouth grin.
I had half expected the doctor to tell Pen that it was me that had paid the bill but the woman on the phone told me that no one would know who paid the bill so it was unlikely the doctor had a clue.