“I’m not staying here,” Kaitlyn says heatedly. “If Alex is going to meet his father, than I’m coming too.”
“Kaitlyn, you can’t. There are certain family… issues we have to discuss privately with him.”
Alex comes out of his blank expression when he realizes what I’m talking about. “No, it’s okay. I want Kaitlyn to know.” My mouth drops open. Alex wants Kaitlyn to know about his ability? Cole stops his pacing around the room and freezes as he realizes what Alex is about to admit.
He turns to her and grasps both of her hands in his. “I need to show you something but I don’t want you to get scared.” Kaitlyn already looks scared hearing him say that. Alex looks quickly to gage Cole’s expression but he isn’t shocked. Cole already knows, though, Alex doesn’t know that. “I can do something that… no one else can do.” He looks up to the ceiling trying to find answers on how to explain this. He looks back down into her face. “Do you love me?” That’s a callous card I didn’t expect to see him play.
“Of course,” Kaitlyn exclaims. “Just tell me what you can do.”
Alex nods his head, probably thinking it would be best to tell her first then show her. He’ll scare the pants off her if he just did it with no warning. “Okay.” He takes a deep breath. “I can become invisible.” He looks back to see Cole’s face is still composed and then turns to Kaitlyn’s face that has turned skeptical. She looks over at me and gives me a ‘Is he for real?’ look.
I nod my head. “He can Kaitlyn. Don’t be surprised when he does.” I look over to Cole and he gives me a small smile of amusement. We know Kaitlyn is going to freak out. I almost want to make a bet with Cole for fun, but that would be heartless to my best friend.
She looks back at Alex and he lets go of her hands, stands up from the couch and takes a couple of steps back away from her. “Watch,” he says and then disappears.
Kaitlyn looks like she’s choking. Tears start to rain down her face and she gets up and spins around, looking frantically about the room. “Where did he go?” She almost screams.
“I haven’t moved,” Alex says as he materializes. He puts his hands up in surrender like she is holding a gun to him. No one knows what to do as she cries and tries to stop freaking out. I want to hug her to give her comfort but I’m afraid she’ll realize I’m just as much a freak as Alex and push me away. I’m about to say something to comfort her from a distance but Alex beats me to it.
“I’m sorry Kaitlyn,” he says to her. “I’m still me. I promise. I’m sorry.” Alex looks like he’s starting to regret his very irrational decision. Kaitlyn hurls herself at him and Alex flinches before he realizes she’s wrapping her arms around him.
I get up and move to Cole’s side. “Let’s give them some privacy,” I tell him and we start heading towards his bedroom. I can hear Kaitlyn still sobbing and Alex trying to soothe her as Cole shuts his door.
“That was very brave what he just did. I don’t know if it was a good idea to tell her. Or, if it’s a good idea for her to meet your father,” he confides.
“Why?” I walk over to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace and sit.
“You do realize that if they decide to be together, he will have to live watching her grow older and slowly die while he stays eternally young?” Cole walks over to the mantel and plays with a flower sitting in a vase of water.
“I know,” I whisper, heartbroken. “I wish the circumstances were different but…” I shake my head, trying to shake the tears that are forming in my eyes. “How is Alex going to react when he hears what Edmund has to say?” I look at Cole who is watching me with soulful eyes.
He lifts his shoulders. “You can answer that better than I can.”
I sit back in the chair and draw my knees up so I can hide my face. “He’s going to hate me. He’s going to deny it. He’s going to have us all committed,” I tell him angrily.
We both fall silent, trapped in our own thoughts of how the next few hours are going to pan out. What if Edmund doesn’t let Cole and Kaitlyn in? What if Alex storms off and then gets lost somewhere in New York City? I can see him becoming invisible and running away from us. Oh God. Then, what is Kaitlyn going to say to it all? Is it better for her not to know anything? Probably, but she has a right if she wants to stay with Alex. How is Edmund going to act towards Cole? Is he going to be openly hostile now?
My wandering mind freezes when I hear Kaitlyn squeal in excitement. Cole and I look at each other questioningly and then proceed back to the living room. If Kaitlyn is laughing then obviously it’s safe to come out now.
“Lexi!” Kaitlyn’s excitement is infectious as I smile seeing her look so happy. “Alex can make me disappear too!” She grabs his hand and orders him, “Show them.” She breaks out into a huge smile as she closes her eyes and disappears with Alex. We can hear her laughter echo around the room and then a couple seconds later they reappear.
“That’s incredible,” Cole says in shock. I give a curious look because I already told him what Alex can do. “I knew he could do it with you, but you’re… you,” he says by way of explanation. “I think it’s cool that he can take anyone.”
“He already knew?” Alex shouts at me with accusation and betrayal in his face.
I look down in shame. “He’s the one who discovered my gift,” I admit to him like that will clarify everything. Alex just shakes his head.
“You can do something too,” Kaitlyn cries out. She’s over all the shock and now there is just excitement in her eyes. “What can you do?” She looks me over like it’s written somewhere on my jeans and blue sweater.
“Anything I want,” I tell her. Her face drops out of the joyful look and confusion and hurt cover her face. She thinks I’m trying to keep it from her. Cole chuckles at her confused expression. “I’m not being rude, Kaitlyn. I mean it. I can do just about anything, humanly possible.” She still looks confused. “Ask Alex, I can hold my breath longer than anyone, paint, play any musical instrument, walk a tightrope, fight better than any champion, swim longer, run faster, blah blah blah. You get it?” She nods her head but still looks confused. “I know. I’m not as cool as Alex.” I grin at her and she returns the grin.
I look over to Alex and see him still shooting daggers at me. “I’m sorry Alex. Let’s just go see our father. The faster we get this done the better. Because if you think you’re mad at me now… well, this is nothing compared to how much you’ll hate me once you hear us start talking.” Tears start to fall silently down my cheeks and I go to the door, grabbing my black pea coat and wallet along the way. “I’ll meet you in the lobby,” I tell them.
I open the door and walk to the elevator, pushing the button to go down. I want to hide in the elevator for a few minutes before Alex sees me. I want him to stay mad at me until all this is over. I don’t want him to succumb to my tears, like he always does. I deserve his anger. If I had to relive these past few months though, I think I would still do it the same. I would still keep everything from Alex.
I jump into the empty elevator as soon as it’s open and push the button for the lobby. I look in the reflection of the metal doors and wipe my face free of tears. The elevator doors soon open to a busy lobby. I start walking towards an empty chair but before I can get to it I hear Cole call for me from the elevator next to the one I just exited. Alex and Kaitlyn are right behind him.
“So how do we get there?” I ask Cole when they walk up to me. Alex still looks pissed. Kaitlyn looks a little nervous.
“We’ll take the train. His apartment is just a few blocks away,” Cole says. I nod and we follow his lead out the door and to the entrance leading down to the subway station.
When we get on the right subway train, it’s so crowded we have to stand and hold on to the bars. Cole stands next to me and Alex and Kaitlyn are practically on the opposite side of the car from us.
Cole pulls me to him and runs his hands down the back of my hair. “He’s really not that mad at you. He assured Kaitlyn upstairs a
fter you left and she got on his case. He’s just scared and feels betrayed.” I look up into Cole’s face and he kisses my cheek softly.
Looking into my eyes he says, “Men don’t know how to show our emotions when we are hurt or scared. Those emotions all come out as anger.” I smile at him, knowing just how true that is.
“I love you,” I tell him. His eyes soften and he leans down to kiss me sweetly on the lips.
The train pulls to stop at the next station and Cole motions to Alex and Kaitlyn that we need to get off.
“This is it?” Alex comes up from behind us with Kaitlyn tightly pulled into him as his arm is hugging her close. Probably afraid he’ll lose her in this crowd. Cole is grasping my hand tightly too as we fight the traffic leaving the subway. I reach back and grasp Alex’s hand so we don’t lose them.
“Yep,” Cole answers Alex. “Cathedral Parkway.”
How fitting.
Chapter 20
We come up to an old, decrepit looking church building. This neighborhood doesn’t look safe, even in the day time. I pull out the address in my pocket and check it to the address in front of us. I don’t question that Cole is wrong. I’m just confused. Why would Edmund choose such an ugly building when I know he has money enough to afford a swanky apartment in the heart of Manhattan?
“What do we call him?” Alex asks. He looks nervous. It’s weird. I’m used to Edmund. I’ve known he was our father for awhile. So seeing Alex so scared is killing me inside.
“Edmund,” I tell him. “I just call him Edmund.”
Cole rings the door bell and there is an annoying ‘eeehhh’ noise emitting from it. We only wait a minute before Edmund answers the door. The shock of seeing him is surreal. I mean, I knew that he was here and I knew we were coming to meet him but it actually happening is weird.
Edmund scans all four of us before his eyes rest on Alex. Alex looks composed as he stares into the face that is undeniably his fathers. A much younger looking father.
Edmund smiles at him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Alexander.” He holds his hand out to Alex. Alex hesitates and then finally grasps his hand in a shake. He turns to Kaitlyn and greets her by name. “It’s nice to finally meet you too.” Kaitlyn grasps his offered hand and gives him a shy smile. He then turns to Cole and just nods his head to him. Then he turns to me and smiles before stepping towards me and giving me a little hug before kissing my cheek. “Alexis, I’m always happy to see you. Even when you’re mad at me,” he teases.
“Are you going to let us in or did you want to talk out here?” I look around at the porch. He doesn’t say anything but steps back and holds the door open while we all file in.
“I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see all four of you here,” Edmund tells us as he leads us through an elaborate room that obviously used to be a chapel.
“Well, we figured this affects all of us. Cole already knows and Alex didn’t want to keep anything from his girlfriend,” I explain as I look around at the splendor of the massive room. Edmund had apparently kept the original stained-glass windows. But the pews have been taken out, leaving the room almost entirely empty except for a few chairs strategically placed in front of magnificently large paintings.
The altar platform is still in place but instead of a crucifixion there is a large portrait of the goddess Selene. She is wearing a crown that resembles a crescent moon and her gown is almost transparent in blues and soft silver lines.
Edmund leads us out of his personal gallery and into a much smaller and comfortable room. He evidently has the same taste as Cole because his furniture is just as elegant. Though, unlike Cole, Edmund is partial to shimmering blues, yellows and soft wood. It’s almost feminine in its delicate details. There is a lot of light in the room that opens everything up. He has more paintings on the walls in here, but these are not his. They are Rembrandt’s, Da Vinci’s, Picasso’s, and so many other artists that he has known.
Cole and I sit on a small settee and Alex leads an awestruck Kaitlyn to the couch while Edmund sits in one of the tall backed armchairs facing all of us. We sit there silently for a few minutes staring at Edmund while he stares at all of us.
When he starts to laugh it makes me jump because it is so unexpected. “I’ve wanted this for so long but I don’t even know where to start,” he says mostly to himself, looking down at his entwined hands. He looks up at me after a second and asks, “How much do you really know?”
I look over to Alex who gives me his confused and hurt look. I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea. I should have told Alex. I thought I was protecting him or at least holding off till I knew everything, get all the facts, like he would do. “I’m sorry Alex. I wanted to tell you but I was missing a piece. I just found the last piece out today or at least I think I did.” Tears start to blur my vision as he looks away from me. He can’t even look at me. I feel so guilty.
I wipe my tears with the back of my hand before I look back at Edmund. “Well, I figured most of it out for myself. I just want you to know that Cole did not offer me any information, he only verified what I already knew. So, you can continue to trust him.” I want to make sure Cole is forgiven before I continue. Edmund nods at me. “I know Cole told you that he thought I overhead the conversation with Ollie and him. But I already figured a lot out before that incident.
“There were too many coincidences, too much irony going on between you and Cole. The painting at your gallery opening that looked like me, the painting of the wings being torn and then molded, the necklace Cole gave to me,” I unconsciously reach up and touch it. “The meaning of your names, you looking just like Alex and Cole’s controlling ability.”
Kaitlyn gasps and I look at her to see her staring at Cole with the same awe she had after her shock of seeing Alex’s gift. I look over to Alex and he has his eye brows scrunched together, looking at the ground, trying to figure out the pieces and how they could all be connected.
I turn back to Edmund who is patiently waiting and continue. “I waited for Cole after hearing what Ollie said to him. I left him a note with a list of all the things that added everything together. He admitted to it because he knows I’m not stupid and knew I would forgive him for lying to me.” I turn to Cole and look deep into his eyes. He looks back at me with a small smile and squeezes my hand for assurance. I don’t look away from him as I tell Edmund, “Today at the museum, I saw another of your paintings that reminded me of the one I saw at your opening. I knew at once it had to be our mother.”
Alex’s head snaps up at me and he has a look of wonder and longing. After all the time I spent looking for our real parents Alex had been encouraging me to drop it. But now I know from the look on his face that he wanted to know just as much as I. He longed for his real mother.
Edmund clears his throat and stands up. He turns his back on us and walks out into another room. We all sit back in silence and wait for him to reappear. I turned to watch him retreat and now I’m looking back at Cole with an expression that asks, ‘Where did he go?’
“I think he needed a breather,” he tells me softly.
“Why didn’t you tell me anything?” Alex finally speaks up. He is speaking quietly too but his voice is full of betrayal.
“I told you. I didn’t know everything until today. I still don’t know everything. And I don’t think you are going to believe it all when you find out the truth,” I tell him.
“Why wouldn’t I believe it?” He snaps his question at me.
“Because if you were able to deny your own ability for so long, then you’ll never accept what is disclosed to you today. There is a reason why we all have abilities. A reason we love music and I art. A reason why we have high intelligence. And there are other things happening to us that you will find out soon enough.”
“What?” Alex shouts at me.
I lose my patience as his shouting makes my blood boil. “We’re not human, Alex! There, it’s out there now for you to deny!”
“Alexis, you hav
e your mother’s temper. You better learn to control it. Sit down,” Edmund orders, coming back into the room with a tray of drinks and glasses. I hadn’t even noticed I stood up while yelling at Alex. Cole gets up and tries to take the tray from Edmund but Edmund ignores him and sets it down on the table in between all of us. “I didn’t know what you guys wanted to drink but I thought it would be nice to bring things that will settle the nerves,” Edmund explains the plethora of alcohol. There is a pitcher of water too.
He pours himself a glass of something that appears to be brandy into a small glass before settling himself back into his seat. Cole pours me a glass of wine before asking Kaitlyn what she wants, she chooses wine too and then Cole gets himself a glass. Alex goes right for the same dark liquor that Edmund is drinking, which makes me feel really bad because Alex never drinks.
“I’m sorry, Alex,” I tell him again as I watch him down a shot of the alcohol before pouring another glass. He ignores me and Kaitlyn tries to intercede by elbowing him in his side. He ignores her too as he stares into his glass.
“Well,” Edmund says thoughtfully. “I guess you do know about everything. Now it’s time to fill Alexander in.” He takes a sip of his drink and leans forward to address Alex who is now waiting expectantly for him. “I am your father, and…,” he pauses like it’s difficult to get the next part out. “I am an angel, a fallen.” I watch as both Alex and Kaitlyn’s eyes grow large. Alex tries to keep his composure but Kaitlyn’s mouth has dropped open. “Many, many years ago I discovered a secret that God had kept from us. He wasn’t just the God but a god among other gods. Our God loved humans more than the king god did. He wasn’t happy with the environment of the afterlife so he tricked the other gods into a spell that has had them sleeping for the last five thousand years. He created a new afterlife, the Heaven that you know of today. He became Judge and Jury to the souls, damning the sinners into the old afterlife and welcoming the good into his.”
Lunangelique (The Lunangelique Series) Page 19