Tearful Reign

by V L Friends

  I moaned my response. I hadn’t done ballroom dancing in years.

  The memory of him trying to get me to practice dancing with him entered my mind and I tried to force away a smug smile.

  “Where did you get that?!” I said, laughing.

  “Never mind. Now, my dear… you owe me!” He held out his hand. As soon as I took it he swung—well, yanked—me into position. We fox-trotted around the room for a bit. I was actually impressed but things did get a little wild as he twirled and dipped me around.

  “You dance like you fight,” I said, holding up my hand in surrender.

  “Well, fine.” He took a bow and grabbed my hand and kissed it like a gentleman. “Thank you, my lady, for the dance.”

  I let out a snort at the lady comment.

  I could imagine him as a dad to me when I was very young, and that he would be just the kind of dad that would be into tea parties and dress up.

  As I settled back down on the sofa, it had not gone unnoticed by either me or Julian that Sebastian remained rather somber throughout this fun.

  “Well, I am off.” Julian went and grabbed a jacket on the coat rack. “I have some business to attend to. Don’t wait up for me.” He leaned over and kissed the top of my head and nodded to Sebastian. He was gone and that left Sebastian and I alone. I suddenly felt very uneasy. He had been looking at me all evening rather intensely and now I could not look at him.

  “Well…” I took a gulp of wine and swallowed hard. “Sebastian, I have been needing to tell you something.” My words trailed off, unsure of myself.

  “I am leaving soon to go back to Brazil,” he interrupted me with a burst.

  “I see. When?” My heart sank at the news. I did not want him to go.

  “Tomorrow afternoon,” he said.

  “Why?” I whispered, trying hard to hold back my emotions.

  “It’s time for me to go home. I have certain obligations there, ” he explained.

  “Are you sure that’s why?” How was I going to be able to tell him how I felt about him? Maybe I was wrong about my feelings. I was so confused.

  There was a long pause.

  “I don’t want you to leave.”

  “Nonsense, you are doing much better, I see, so there is not much more I am needed for. You will be okay now.”

  I was going to have to take the risk.

  “Sebastian, I have not been able to sleep through the night since I left you in Brazil. I grew so used to sleeping with you next to me. You are much more than just a physician to me… or an acquaintance. It scares me how you make me feel. I don’t know what our future could possibly be together, with us so different, but I need you to know this.” Our eyes finally met and my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it. He stood up, eyes still on me, and took a drink of his wine.

  “That’s quite a declaration,” he said and smiled at me warmly.

  “Will you change your mind about going?” I asked.

  “I am afraid not,” he looked away.

  “I see.”

  I could feel the hot tears forming. Oh God, he did not feel for me in this way. Maybe he did once, but he must have come to his senses. After all, I had rejected him. How foolish I felt at this moment. I had poured my heart out. He must be thinking what a foolish little girl I was.

  I made a dash for the stairs. I needed to be alone.

  “Anaya!” he called after me.

  In my room, I tried to convince myself that maybe it would be better if he were not here as a distraction. I had too many complicated relationships. It was better this way. As I opened the window to breathe in the night air I heard a knock at the bedroom door.

  “Anaya, open the door, please, and let’s talk.” It was Sebastian.

  I wiped away a tear and opened the door.

  “It’s okay.” I paused before going on. “Ya know, I really need to get better at being rejected.” I smiled at him, hoping it would assure him of my sincerity.

  He leaned in and touched my cheek.

  “You silly girl… I am not rejecting you in any way. You’re so dramatic.”

  “But you said…” I was defending myself.

  “I still have to go home. There are some matters I must attend to, but that does not mean I don’t feel for you and want to be with you. Last time I asked you to marry me, I scared you away. Talk about feeling rejected.” His gentle smile and soft chuckle made my knees week.

  “I must say your telling me all of that earlier made me exceedingly happy.”

  He pulled out a box and opened it. It was the most magnificent ring I had ever seen.

  “I understand if you are not ready to answer me but I want you to hold on to this until you are ready. I wish you to marry me.”

  I was not expecting this to move so fast. I barely knew him. Sure, I felt something for him but he still made a promise to me to tell me all of his past.

  “There is one thing that you promised me back in Brazil…” I said.

  “I haven’t forgotten. We have time,” he said.

  “I will hold it,” I nodded and took the box with the ring in it.

  He kissed me on the lips and we stood forehead to forehead for a few minutes. “The next time we share a bed, it is my hope we shall be husband and wife. There is something else I must tell you. Today while you and Julian where together, I was in town investigating. There was talk of Caleb. It turns out that the Amish have him staying there. They came here and found him before the place burned. He has been with them.”

  My heart leapt. Why was he there and never coming to let us know he was alive? Why hadn’t the twins mentioned that Caleb was with them?

  “Is he okay?” I asked.

  “I think so. According to my information, he is well but not sure he should let you or Julian know where he is.”

  “I must go to him!” I said.

  Chapter 17 - Prodigal Son Returned

  I could not wait until morning. After Sebastian had retired to his room, I quietly walked to the stables and saddled Chester. The hoof clopping and snorts showed that he was very happy to see me.

  When I arrived at the Amish community it was nearly midnight. Every Friday they had a worship jam session going on until very late. They had been known to dance and play music until very late into the night, so seeing me walk in was not a surprise to anyone, even though I had not been there in months. They often had a large tent with a large crowd of people and today was no exception. As I entered the tent I immediately saw him across the room. My heart leapt as our eyes met. He looked different. What was it that was so different? He was dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans. I’m not sure I have ever seen him in such casual attire but he still looked his usual perfect self on the outside, including his perfect hair, but there was something different about him. I could not control myself. I wasted no time, pushing through the crowd past everyone else, and then I began to run for him. He must have seen the desperation in my face, for he began to run for me as well.

  “Caleb!” I yelled, my voice cracking.

  When I got to him I wasted no time grabbing him into an embrace. I squeezed him so tight.

  “Easy, girl,” he said softly. “It’s okay.”

  I was crying. It had seemed like forever that I had been holding it all in, so terrified that I would never see him again! Now I could let it all out. I could finally breathe.

  “You’re trembling!” He was stroking my hair and then wrapping his arms around me. I missed him so much and I didn’t know how much until then. He was the kindest, gentlest person I knew.

  “You are squeezing me too tight; it is cutting off circulation,” he stated, as he pulled away just enough to look at me. I could see him smiling.” I am a little more fragile than I used to be.”

  I was so overcome with emotion that I took his head in my hands to kiss him several times on the forehead and face. I felt such joy. “I am never letting you go!” I replied as I looked him directly in the eyes.

  He was laughing. “Okay! Ok
ay!”

  “I have never seen you like this. You are so… affectionate.” He was back to teasing me about my discomfort with affection.

  “It’s your fault! I thought you were dead. How could you? You must have known that I needed to know what happened to you. Why did you stay away?” I now gave him a little punch in the arm.

  “I am sorry! Ouch!” Caleb rubbed at his arm. “I have a lot to tell you. Let’s go somewhere we can talk,” he said, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the tent.

  As we sat on a log in the woods, Caleb told me of how someone who was very close to the Amish people had come to the mansion and pulled him out of the fire and brought him to the Amish community. The people there had prayed for him and he was healed but he had lost his memory for a few weeks. One of the walkers who said he knew him had told him that his humanness was restored and he was no longer a walker.

  “I didn’t know it was possible to become human again but it is. He told me that if I wanted to I could live out the rest of my life here and know a love like I had never known, and then when I die I could eternally be with God in heaven. That’s when I made a life-changing decision and that is when I gave my life to Christ.”

  “So that is what you meant when you said you are more fragile than you used to be,” I said, touching his hand. “So, this must be so different for you now. How long have you been this way?”

  “About a month. I was not sure how to tell you. I was afraid of just showing up at the mansion because… well… if for some reason Julian was angry and tried to fight with me… it wouldn’t take much and I would be dead. It was too dangerous. That’s why you were invited to dinner tomorrow, so I could tell you.”

  We sat on the ground and leaned back on the log, both looking at the stars.

  “I am so happy for you, Caleb. You are truly now where you belong.” I laid my head on his shoulder.

  “Thanks.”

  “So, what have you been up to? You look different,” he said.

  For the next hour or so I filled him in on all of the happenings of my life for the last few months. He was quiet for the most part, aside from a few questions here and there, and he looked a little sad.

  Finally, he said, grinning, “Wow, your life really was hell without me!”

  “Um… well here is some more positive news. Sebastian has asked me to marry him.” I was not sure how he would take that. “I am thinking of saying yes.” I couldn’t look at him.

  I could hear him take a deep breath in and knew he was preparing to talk but instead he let it out with a hiss.

  He stood up and began pacing. “Okay, let me get this straight. Julian’s friend, Sebastian Crane, the eccentric millionaire, walker, and doctor, has asked you to marry him… and you want to say yes?

  “Uh huh.”

  “Sweet girl… I have to say… That is crazy,” he said finally, shaking his head.

  “Well, don’t hold back your opinion,” I said sarcastically.

  “Oh, I won’t.” He was laughing now. “I can’t wait to see what happens when Shane hears about this. Have you told Julian about this?”

  “It was actually Julian and Sebastian’s idea for me to marry the ex-walker king in order to assure my safety. No one knows that I am actually considering it though, but you… so not a word about this to anyone.”

  He settled back down next to me. “I won’t say a word...” Caleb gave me a sheepish grin. “Because it is never going to happen.” He crossed his arms over his chest to add to his stubborn disapproval. “You know I can’t allow that to happen.”

  “Look, I know I barely know him but he seems like he has a good heart and Julian seems to agree that it will bring me safety.” I sighed, then added, “Not to mention he is incredibly handsome.” I grinned.

  Caleb gave me a pointed look. “Not going to happen.”

  I was laughing at him. “We’ll see.”

  He shook his head with a laugh and sat back down. I couldn’t help but notice how different Caleb seemed. He was so much more relaxed now and easygoing. I wondered how Julian would accept the new Caleb.

  With my head back on his shoulder, we settled in for the rest of the night together. I was just so happy to have him back that I could not waste a moment arguing.

  I was quietly trying to make my way into the house the next morning. Maybe Julian wouldn’t even notice I had been gone. As I was riding home that morning, I was remembering his words to not go anywhere alone and I decided against telling him where I had been. So I was tiptoeing up the stairs when I heard someone in the parlor clearing their throat. I turned to see Julian gazing at me from his easy chair in the darkness.

  “How nice of you to grace us with your presence.” He was angry. “I have a question for you… Did the words “do not go anywhere alone” carry any meaning to you at all?”

  He was up and walking slowly my direction. Crap! He was drunk.

  “I have a very good reason for leaving last night. Give me a chance to explain,” I said.

  I could now feel his breath on my face, as he was only a few inches from my nose and backing me up against the wall.

  Oh, how his demeanor changed so drastically when he was drunk and angry.

  “Well, I can’t wait to hear it, my little princess,” he said rather sarcastically.

  He took a gulp from the whisky bottle he had in his hand. I couldn’t help but notice the sword he was playing with in his other hand.

  He kept getting closer even though I kept pulling back from him until I was against the wall. He had me pinned now and his forearm, the one with the sword, pushed up against my collarbone with slight pressure, giving me the message that he was in control here.

  “Hey, by the way, I have been meaning to ask you a question.” He was touching my neck with his finger but I kept pushing it away. He always ignored personal space boundaries when he was drinking. “Where did you get that scar on your neck? This one.” He pointed to the scar on my neck that Leland inflicted.

  I didn’t want to look at him but he grabbed my face and forced me to look at him.

  “Look at me,” he growled. “Did someone drink from you?” He was so angry that he was gritting his teeth as he said it.

  “Julian, leave me alone. You’re angry and have been drinking. I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.” I hated how weak and wimpy my words came out just then. I pushed him away but he quickly grabbed me harder.

  “Who was it?” His mouth was right next to my ear as he leaned in and growled.

  Hot tears stung my eyes as I choked out. “L-Leland.” My words were barely a whisper.

  I could feel his muscle in his forearm tense but he was quiet. He backed away, releasing me, but I could not move as his gaze studied me with a blank expression.

  “Why?” he bellowed.

  “I tried to make a run for it and he caught me. I reacted and stabbed him. He thought it was something that had been done to me before, as I lived with walkers and therefore it would be no big deal to require me to give him blood to heal his wound,” I told Julian.

  I knew this would enrage Julian. Julian had gone to great lengths and sacrifice, himself to assure that I not be used in this way, so I knew hearing that someone had drank from me to heal themselves was going to stab at him. I admit, I did have reasons for wanting to hurt Julian right now, so I spared him nothing.

  I could not meet his eyes as I told him, but when I glanced up I noticed he was frozen in place, his eyes now closed. Then he began to shake with rage and scream so loudly the walls shook. Without warning he took the sword in his hand and swung it violently across the room. It smashed through the window.

  A scream sounded from me as I buried my hands, plugging my ears.

  Recalling the last time I saw him get this violent, I sank down the wall, shaking with fear. I could not control it. Tears flowed down my cheeks. At that moment I would have given anything to have the super power to disappear.

  Others must have heard the commotion because I co
uld hear footsteps coming into the room. Rosa’s voice was frantic as she said many words in Spanish and then she was embracing me, rocking me in her arms.

  “Ah, it’s okay, Senorita. Shh, shh, it’s okay. Come now, let’s get you upstairs.”

  She helped me up and to the stairs and that is when I glanced over at Julian, who was now sitting on the floor as if he had collapsed there. He was staring off vacantly.

  “Who have you been sneaking out to see?” His voice was calm now and I almost didn’t hear it. “Where have you been? Who were you with?” Julian said again, his gaze searching to meet mine.