Raquel's Abel

by Leigh Barbour

  I heard a knock at the door. It must be Maria Elena.

  “Come in,” I said.

  The door cracked and I saw Abel’s blond head, then one of his dark eyes. “May I have the pleasure of a beautiful lady’s company?”

  My heart fluttered as I rose and walked to the door. I’d put on another one of my new outfits, hoping he’d make an appearance. “Do come in.”

  He wore a white shirt with a thin collar buttoned to the top and a pair of black pants that fit snugly. My heart beat too quickly and I hoped I wasn’t blushing. He walked with his hands clasped in the back, perusing the room, admiring my posters. I had one for each of the subjects of my biographies. I especially loved the photo of Captain Sir Richard Burton taken supposedly at the time he was translating the Arabian Nights. He looked like quite the character with a dark bushy mustache, a tall cap, and silky robes.

  Abel perused each one, but lingered at the photograph of Isadora Duncan taken in Athens, on tiptoes, her head slung back, and her arms outstretched.

  “Apropos that they took the picture in front of one of the Athenian temples, since they say she danced like a goddess,” I said.

  “I thought of you as akin to a goddess when I used to watch you working in here.”

  I didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted he used to spy on me.

  “I couldn’t talk to you, only worship you from a distance.” His fair skin was creamy and his eyes the cool color of a forest floor.

  “I don’t understand. If you could see me, then why couldn’t I see you?”

  He stopped walking.

  I looked around my office at all the papers covering every bit of furniture except for the place I left hollowed out so I could pound away on my laptop.

  “Let me clear you a place.” I lifted a stack of papers off of an old chair, ignoring the dust that rained down to the floor. “Have a seat.”

  He sat down across from me. “Tell me, did you believe in ghosts or spirits or anything like that before you met me?”

  “Of course not, there are no…” I almost said a really stupid thing.

  “You see? You didn’t believe until your grandmother put the idea in your head, and then you opened your mind for just an instant and you could see.”

  “Then why can’t Maria Elena see you?”

  He brought his leg up and crossed it over the other. “I am not an expert on ghostly affairs, but I do believe that her soul is tortured.”

  “Tortured? Maria Elena?” I never imagined her to be tortured. Although losing a child must have been terrible.

  “Some people have an aura about them. I’ve been able to see them since I died.”

  “And? Maria Elena has an aura?”

  “Well, everyone has an aura, but Maria Elena’s is sort of well, incomplete. Much like your sister’s.”

  “Regina,” I repeated. “It’s so unfair,” I said without thinking.

  “Yes, it was unfair.” He fiddled with his shoe’s ornate leather flap that covered his shoelaces. “Your father blamed her for the change in your mother.”

  “Change in my mother?”

  “Even in the hospital, it was obvious that your mother wasn’t the same after the birth of your sister.”

  “I never really saw much of my mother after Regina came along.” I hadn’t thought she’d changed, just was dedicated to the new baby.

  “Neither did anyone. She locked herself in her room, refusing even to tend to the infant.”

  My mother must have been suffering from post partum depression and my father blamed poor little Regina. Understanding this made me feel like I’d found a piece to a puzzle, although it did little good in helping my sister.

  “Poor Regina,” I said.

  “She must find her own way in life, Raquel. You can only be supportive.”

  He was certainly right. I’d found that out from dealing with my sister. She had to find her own path.

  He let his foot slide down on the floor. “I enjoy my time with you so much.” He reached over and touched my hand.

  “I just want you to stay with me and not disappear like that.”

  His cheeks pinkened. “I feel myself getting stronger every time I’m with you.”

  “Stronger?”

  “More complete, more human, I have even felt hunger when in your presence.” His hand rubbed the back of my hand. He turned it over and lifted my palm to his lips. “You are succulent like a ripe peach.” He buried his nose in my hand.

  I leaned over and slid my hands around his neck. “I want to be with you much more often.” I really meant that I wanted him here all the time.

  His eyes flashed copper and he gave me a small peck on the lips. “I believe that with your love, I will be whole one day. I feel it.”

  I pressed my lips against his. He pulled me tighter and I melded into him. I squeezed, then my arms collapsed. He was gone. “This can’t keep happening!”

  Owen was on his way to pick me up, and I had put on that red dress I’d modeled for Maria and Grandmother. I could actually feel that it was a little looser than it had been. The feeling of having power over my size made me feel invincible. I’d never been able to control my hunger nor my size. Dieting caused me to eat more when I’d reached the point I couldn’t take the hunger any longer. Maybe my new feelings about myself would be reflected in my dancing and in my writing.

  Owen’s truck came rattling down the driveway. He stopped when he got near the fountain that used to actually have water spilling from the top and down the sides. I’d had to turn it off because it cost me too much in electricity and water.

  I walked out in my new dress making sure to strut just for Owen. I’d probably be more lithe on the dance floor since my straps no longer cut into my feet. Even they were thinner.

  “You, my dear, are absolutely ravishing.” He got out of his truck and held his arms out. He took my hands in his and swung me around. “Those other contestants will just give up when they see you.”

  We were on our way to a competition that would determine whether we’d make it to the next level. I knew we’d make it. Not because I was so good, but because anyone could dance well with Owen leading. He was good enough to make it to the top of ballroom dance, but he was the kind of guy that got comfortable in situations and stayed there. He worked in a restaurant, but he could easily have his own and be very successful. Unfortunately, he lacked the willingness to stick his neck out. With dancing, he trusted me and felt good around me, and for that he kept me as his dance partner when all I did was hold him back.

  I looked over at him as he drove down Broad Street to the competition. Sometimes I didn’t know what I’d do without Owen. He was always there for me, and his open and accepting ways were always nice to be around. I, however, didn’t have the time to make it to the top of ballroom dancing. One day he’d need to move on and I’d have to nudge him so he’d make that change.

  A few hours later, our names were called and we were in front of the judges. I was doing the Tango for the first time in front of an audience. I followed Owen’s firm lead and I did the tight twists to the best of my ability. At the end, I could see from the expression on the judge’s faces that we’d be selected.

  Owen assumed that as I lost weight we’d be practicing every night. Unfortunately, that wasn’t what I wanted.

  Just as I expected, we were one of the couples selected to go onto the next competition. I was excited, not for myself, but for Owen. He tittered all the way home. I didn’t want to say anything, but if we continued with these competitions, then we’d reach the point where I’d have to back out and I’d be leaving him right at the moment he’d need a dedicated partner the most. How would I break this to him?

  A few days later, Regina showed up. Her dark eyebrows were cupped around her eyes. Baggy shorts hung from her hips and a frayed halter-top was tied haphazardly around her neck. Barry must still be MIA. “He still hasn’t called,” she announced as she walked into the living room. When she got to th
e couch, she sat, then turned her legs up and put her feet down, shoes and all, on the fabric. “He’s with that insufferable ex-wife of his. She’s why those kids are such brats.”

  “What are their names?”

  “Mandy and Brandy,” she said sarcastically. “Can you imagine? May-undeee ‘n Bray-undeee. Sounds like a stupid song or something.”

  Maria Elena walked in. “Hello, Señora Regina. You seeing how much weight losing Señorita Raquel?”

  Regina looked over at me as if she hadn’t even seen me when she walked in. “Yes, you’re looking better.” She took a deep breath as if saying something nice had really taken it out of her.

  Then she looked at Maria Elena. “How is my grandmother?”

  “She is fine. I sit with her and she talk a lot about her childhood.”

  I didn’t know if Grandmother were telling Maria Elena about her childhood here or the fictitious one in Russia.

  Regina pulled her feet off the couch and stared at Maria Elena. “What is that?”

  “What?” Maria Elena looked down. “This?” She pointed to a pendant.

  “Yes. As if you didn’t know what I was referring to,” Regina quipped.

  I stood up and walked over to Maria Elena. “It’s lovely.” It was a locket in a very dark-colored gold and it had red and blue painting on it.

  “Where did you ever get something like that?” Regina demanded then jumped to her feet.

  “Your grandmother gave to me. It a gift.” She clutched the locket tightly.

  Regina put her hands on her hips. “That isn’t the kind of thing my grandmother would just give to you.”

  “Maria Elena,” I said. “Let me see it.”

  She loosened her hold on the locket.

  I peered more closely at it. The gold wasn’t the typical fourteen-karat of today. The writing on it was tiny, but it was definitely Cyrillic. “Grandmother gave this to you?” I asked.

  “Si, she giving it.” Maria Elena covered it up with her hand again.

  I was certain that Maria Elena wouldn’t steal.

  “Maria Elena, you stole that from my grandmother.” Regina turned to me. “You should fire her this instant and if it’s true that Grandmother is giving things like that away, then she really does belong in a home.”

  “I’m sure Maria Elena didn’t steal it. If Grandmother had it, she probably did give it to her.” I was more concerned as to how Grandmother would get a piece of jewelry like that. It certainly wasn’t any of the pieces I’d seen before.

  Regina stepped toward Maria Elena holding her index finger like a sword. “You need to pack your things and be out of here.”

  “Regina,” I said reaching out for her hand she was wagging in Maria Elena’s face.

  Maria Elena’s face had darkened and her eyes were squinting. That must have been her way to fight back tears.

  “Don’t you see?” Regina jerked her hand back. Her black eyes were blazing. The pathetic thing was that her anger was really for Barry and not for me or Maria Elena. “Grandmother needs to be in a home.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Abel approaching, then he was gone. I looked around for him.

  “What are you looking at, Raquel?” My sister turned around then looked back at me.

  “Nothing,” I looked back at her.

  “The ghost,” Maria Elena whispered.

  “You crazy thing,” Regina said to Maria Elena. She turned her wrath back at me. “You see, Raquel, that woman needs to be out of here and away from Grandmother.”

  Abel was walking toward Regina with a big bowl of salad.

  “The salad moving…” Maria Elena pointed to Abel.

  Suddenly, the big bowl was on Regina’s head. Lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers streamed down my sister’s face and chest. Big chunks of the salad clung to her shoulders.

  She slung the big plastic bowl to the floor making it bounce. “What have you done?” Regina first pointed her finger at Maria Elena, then at me.

  Abel stood in the corner, his arms crossed with a satisfied grin on his face.

  “No me, Señora, I no do that.” Maria Elena’s eyes resembled big black olives and she shook as if stifling back a laugh.

  “Well, one of you did it,” Regina accused.

  I stared at the salad dressing dripping down my sister’s face and staining her halter-top. “You know I didn’t do it. You were looking right at me when it happened.”

  “That ghost.” Maria Elena shook her head.

  “Ghost.” Regina’s voice sounded like cold steel. “Trying to blame it on a ghost, why not a leprechaun or a fairy?”

  Abel rolled his eyes at the ceiling and gave me a straight-lipped smile.

  I glared at him.

  Regina wiped the salad off her hair, then tried to grab her purse with her greasy fingers, but it kept slipping out of her hand. Finally she cupped it then headed for the door.

  I chased her out into the foyer. “Regina, at least clean yourself up before going.”

  “I don’t want to spend another minute in this house.”

  “Don’t be mad.”

  “Don’t be mad?” She outstretched her arms. “Look at me.”

  The salad dressing had left oily splotches all over her halter-top and tiny pieces of lettuce seemed glued to her arms.

  “I’m calling nursing homes today. I’m finding a place for her. Barry’s a lawyer. I’ll make you put her in a home.” She tried to grip the doorknob, but her hands couldn’t turn it.

  Maria Elena ran into the foyer with a rag in her hand. “I opening,” she said and opened it for Regina.

  Regina stepped through and slammed it as hard as she could.

  “She getting a lawyer?” Maria Elena asked.

  “Don’t worry. As soon as she finds a new boyfriend or gets back on good terms with Barry, she’ll forget all about this.” I looked at the locket Maria Elena had on.

  “Si, Señorita, she giving it to me.”

  I nodded. “You better clean the salad up. It might stain the carpet.”

  “Si, Señora.” She scurried into the living room.

  Then I remembered Abel. “Where are you?” I called out.

  He materialized in front of me. “At your service.” He bowed. He had my father’s jacket on again which right now made me even madder.

  “You really shouldn’t have treated my sister like that.” I tried to keep from giggling at the memory of salad being piled on top of her head.

  “She was calling Maria Elena a common thief and was threatening to send your grandmother to an asylum.”

  “Not an asylum. A home. A nursing home. A nice place where she just might be more comfortable.”

  “Reminds me of the terms my uncle used when he deposited me in that orphanage.”

  “Can’t you see this is different?” When Abel didn’t like something, he tried to manipulate things so he’d get his way. Just like when he tried to keep me from getting the surgery.

  “How is it different? A person belongs with their family and not in some institution.”

  “Maybe your heart is in the right place, but Regina and I are her granddaughters and we will make the decision.”

  “How can I stand by and allow her to send that sweet little old lady away?” His eyes were calm and his voice sarcastic.

  “She thinks she’s Anastasia Romanov.” He needed to accept what Regina and I were up against.

  “And do you know that she’s not?” His eyebrows lifted and he smiled.

  He was making fun of me. “I know she’s not. She isn’t Russian. She was born right here in Richmond, Virginia.”

  “That’s what you assume.”

  “Wait.” I held my hand in a halting gesture. “Let me get this straight. You think my grandmother is Princess Anastasia?”

  “I have learned that many things are possible in this world.”

  I felt my pulse quicken. “Have you ever heard her speak a word of Russian?” My voice was really loud now and I imagined Maria Elena
quaking in the next room.

  “I have never heard her speak Russian, but I’ve never heard her speak Spanish or Italian either,” he said in a mocking tone.

  He was so stubborn. “You’re just being obstinate. My Grandmother is as American as apple pie and she’s never set foot in Russia.”

  He tilted his head and grinned at me. “You don’t honestly think that you know all of the secrets of the universe.”

  “My grandmother suffers from some sort of dementia, and you’re acting like it’s a mystery.”

  “Have you ever given any thought to the possibility that your grandmother could be Anastasia Romanov?”

  I felt so angry I could cry. It felt like he was making fun of my grandmother’s delusions.

  He joined his hands together in front of him. “Perhaps your grandmother is talking about things you couldn’t possibly understand.”

  I felt my entire body quake with anger.

  He continued with a satisfied expression on his face. “You can’t actually think your grandmother would be better off in one of those places with no family, no friends, just left to rot like an animal that’s met its demise in the wild.”

  “If Regina and I decide to put her in a home, it’s none of your affair.”

  He took a deep breath and his eyes widened. “I will not hear of it.” He clicked his heels together. “That lovely woman won’t be expelled from this house.”

  “Wait a minute. It’s my house and she’s my grandmother.” I pressed my lips together. My skin was probably bright red.

  “You, my lady, are in quite a foul mood.” He was so handsome and that’s what was driving me crazy.

  My teeth clenched. “If I’m in a foul mood it’s because of you.”

  He lowered his shoulders and smirked at me.

  He seemed to enjoy making me angry. “Abel Rollins, I want you out of my house. All you do is meddle and...and...and tease me.”

  “I have never teased you…” His eyes narrowed and I saw him dissipate.

  “Good, and don’t come back!” I hollered, hoping he heard every word.

  Chapter Nine