by Charlie
“Uh-huh. Listen you two, I’ve been around a long time, and I’ve seen some pretty strange things in my life. I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t really care, just so long as you’re safe and happy. Any time you want to explain all of this to me you can, otherwise I’ll just sit at home and wait for an invitation to the wedding.”
Jake cleared his throat. “Ella, there are some things it’s best not to know, but when the proper time comes, I will tell you what I can.”
“That’s all I’m asking for, son. Now you two better go talk to Paula because I’ve got a feeling that you need to corroborate some stories. I’ll be waiting in the car for a ride home.”
*****
They did indeed have to get their stories straight with Paula in case the police questioned her. Finding her busily batting her eyes at one of the policemen, Stephanie managed to get her away and into the house where the three of them could talk in private. After hearing them relate the story that Jake had told the police, Paula frowned.
“I could have sworn that bullet hit you in the chest! And there was blood everywhere… ”
“You were so upset it probably seemed like more.” Stephanie suggested, hopeful her friend would buy the excuse.
“But… That doesn’t even look like the same shirt you had on earlier.” Paula looked puzzled, staring at the small blood stain near the side seam of Jack’s shirt.
“Paula, does it really matter?” Stephanie asked in exasperation. She knew for a fact that Jake had indeed changed shirts somehow. Ella always had spare clothes at the house, so he’d probably found one there and had disposed of the original blood soaked one. And that small ‘blood’ stain looked suspiciously like ketchup…
“Umm… I’ll just wait in the car.” Jake beat a hasty retreat obviously deciding he’d had enough of Paula’s interrogation.
“Paula, you know how I came here and said I thought Jake was the stalker, but he really wasn’t? Well, do you think that you could just forget about that part if the police ask you about it?”
With a nod, Paula agreed to use Stephanie’s version of the events, still upset over her unwitting contribution to the whole fiasco. “I still can’t believe what a rotten, lying bastard Jack turned out to be! He was only nice to me to get to you!” Paula stood with her hands on her hips looking totally affronted for a moment before obviously realizing that she was missing the big picture. “Oh! I’m sorry Steph. Not that what he did to you wasn’t more rotten… ”
Stephanie laughed and hugged her friend. “It’s all right Paula. I know it’s a shock to you that the man wasn’t blown away by your beauty and charm.” Paula had opened her mouth to protest, but Stephanie leaped in with a laughing apology. “I’m sorry. I’m just teasing you. For some reason, I’m almost feeling giddy right now. After effects from what happened, no doubt. Listen, Jake’s in the car and we have some stuff we have to talk about. Do you think you’ll be okay here, by yourself?”
“Me? The romance queen? I only knew the man a few days. We didn’t even sleep together. I’ll eat some ice cream, watch a sappy movie, and be ready to move on tomorrow. You know that one policeman that was here? He’s new in town. His name is Matt, he’s gorgeous, and he’s got the sexiest Irish accent. I offered to show him around, help him get settled… You know.” Paula grinned and winked.
“Are you sure?” Stephanie often wondered if her friend was really as unaffected by her break-ups as she appeared to be. Paula had a big heart, but she hid it under a flippant facade. Their eyes met and Paula sobered for a moment.
“I’ll be fine, really. You go and straighten things out with Jake. He’s a good man and he’s right for you. I know it.” Paula gave her a hug and pushed her friend out the door.
As Stephanie walked towards the car, she wondered if what Paula said was true or not. Was Jake right for her? Yes, he’d helped to save her today, but there was something that he was hiding. It was for Ella and Paula’s sake that she was brushing off his injuries as minor, but she knew differently; she’d been right beside him when he was bleeding on the ground. There was no logical explanation for his recovery… And then there were all those pictures of her at the apartment. He hadn’t just noticed her and decided to make her acquaintance. Jake had been stalking her but why?
She eyed him up as she approached the car. He was helping Ella into the back seat and looked harmless enough but, was he really who he said he was? Could she trust him? That remained to be seen.
Chapter 22
Paula had been sufficiently distracted by the fact that Jack Simms was Jarrod Simpson that she hadn’t asked about why Jake had a file full of pictures of her friend. Jake was sure, however, that Stephanie had not forgotten and he was dreading the upcoming conversation. Everything hinged on his ability to convince Stephanie that his story was true. But, after all that had happened today, he wondered how receptive she would be. Mentally, he crossed his fingers and hoped that his faith in destiny was not misplaced.
After they left Paula’s they’d taken Ella home. Surprisingly, she hadn’t asked awkward questions, instead chatting about how tired she was from all the excitement. Stephanie helped her into the house and got her settled, promising to call the next day. Then she was back in the car, heading across town again to Jake’s. The drive was completed in silence except for Coco’s pathetic wailing. Once inside the apartment, the cat ran off and hid under the armchair, her tail flashing in disapproval of the shabby treatment she’d been receiving.
Jake and Stephanie stood facing each other, an awkward silence growing between them as neither was sure where to begin. Finally Stephanie sighed and dropped down into the couch, leaning her head wearily against the cushions. She closed her eyes and rubbed her hands over her face. Jake wondered what she was thinking, but felt it best to let her begin. Finally, she opened her eyes, looked at him, and began.
“So you’re telling me that you have this supernatural power to heal yourself and other people?”
“Sort of. I can heal cuts, burns, broken bones… things like that, but not diseases or stop the aging process. That’s part of a person’s genetics and I have no control over that.” He stood before her, his hands in his pockets, feeling for all the world like a little boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Have you always been able to do this?”
“Yes.”
“And why is it a secret? If you have this wonderful gift, you should be sharing it with everyone, like a doctor.”
“I wish I could. Believe me, I help when I can but society isn’t really ready for people like me. I’d probably be locked up in some lab; poked and prodded and brought out to perform for special visitors. That’s not how I want to spend my existence.”
“I guess I can understand that but how—? “
He sighed, running his hands through his hair. ”Steph, it’s difficult to explain unless you know the whole story,”
“So tell me the whole story. I’m listening.”
“I will, but you have to promise to keep an open mind and hear me out. Okay?”
“I promise—cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Don’t say that. It’s not funny!” He looked at her sharply distressed at the very idea of her dying.
“Don’t say what? Hope to die? It’s just an expression.”
“Yes, but it strikes a bit too close to home for me. I’ve just found you. I can’t lose you yet.”
“You’re not going to lose me unless you can’t explain this healing thing and why you have a file full of pictures of me.”
He paced the room, running his hands through his hair, and then sat on the coffee table facing her. Taking her hands in his, he began. “You’ve heard stories of the ancient peoples and how they worshiped the gods? Beings that could do extraordinary things, who lived in the heavens and visited earth?”
She nodded. “You mean like Greek mythology? Zeus and Hercules?”
“Something like that. Well, what if I told you that those go
ds weren’t just stories? That they did exist, but they weren’t really gods, just a different race of beings. What if they were people who could travel the universe and that, after stumbling upon Earth, they decided to hang out here for awhile? Do you think that could have been possible?”
“Well… Maybe. I’m not totally into the idea of aliens or supernatural beings, but I try to keep an open mind.”
“Okay. That’s a start. Now consider that fact that some of these beings might have… er… interacted with the humans and had children who were half human but half ‘god’ as well. These hybrid offspring would have been special. Most would probably have been more like their human parent, but there would have been a few who took after the ‘gods’ in their abilities and life span.” He paused and looked at her, gauging her reaction before continuing. “Stephanie, it’s not just a story. It’s true. It did happen and I was one of the second group of children.”
Stephanie burst out laughing “What? Jake, I think you’re a pretty great guy, but a ‘god?’ Quit joking around.”
“Shh. You said you’d listen and I’m not joking. I and others like me grew up on earth and became attached to the people and the way of life, while our parents eventually tired and moved on. Some of the children left as well, but not all. Some were incapable of changing into the form needed to leave, not having received the right genetic blend. Others, such as myself, could have left but chose not to. It wasn’t a popular decision. The elders still keep trying to entice us away from here, but most of us have resisted. We’ve each found our own special ‘incentive’ that makes remaining more appealing and, as a result, have existed here for centuries, trying to blend in and live ‘normal’ lives.”
“So you’re telling me that you’re a gazillion years old?”
“Well, I’m not sure what a gazillion is, but by your standards yes, I’m old.”
“You’re pretty well preserved for an old guy.”
“Changing my appearance is just a quirky thing that I can do. It’s sort of a survival skill or a way to camouflage myself so I blend in with those around me. I can make myself look older or younger. I try to ‘age’ like those around me. Once I become ‘old’ I usually move before people become suspicious of my longevity. Then I start over in a new location and make a new life for myself. I never go back to childhood since I’d have to find people to pose as parents. Twenty five is usually a good age to start a new life.”
“So how old are you now, in this life?”
“My driver’s licence says I’m thirty.”
Stephanie pulled her hands away stood up and walking over to the balcony doors. She had her hands shoved in her back pockets. After a moment she turned, shaking her head in disbelief. “This is ridiculous. I can’t believe I’m even asking you questions. The healer bit I can handle. Some people do have unusual abilities, but trying to believe that you’re a ‘god’ who can live forever—“
“Not forever, Steph. I’m not immortal. One day my life force will run out and I’ll die just like all living creatures do.”
“I thought you’d died today… ” Steph’s voice trailed off as she relived the horror of the moment.
“By earthly standards I did, but I was just severely weakened. If it hadn’t been for you, I might actually have just let myself drift away. The others—my family I guess you’d call them—wanted me to leave this life, but when I thought of you, I knew couldn’t. I managed to draw on some of the energy that forms this universe and pull myself back. It was difficult, but not impossible. My energy levels will need some time to stabilize which is why I was so upset when you left the van. If you’d been hurt, I probably wouldn’t have been able to help you.”
She rubbed her hands over her face and then looked at him. “Okay. I’m glad you’re all right, really I am, and I don’t claim to understand how you do it, but… All this other stuff? I don’t know. Why don’t we just leave this hokey ancient god story behind for a bit and get down to why you have a thick file on me?”
“It’s all intertwined. Come and sit down. I’m trying to explain. It’s just… complicated.”
Stephanie gazed at him for a long moment, then sighed and came back to the sofa. “Okay. Lay it on me.”
“Remember I said that there were two groups of children. Ones that were more like the gods—“
“And ones that were more human. I remember.”
“Well, the more human group did receive some of their parents’ special qualities. They were usually more sensitive to the emotions and feelings of those around them, more intuitive—some might call it ESP or telepathy. Also, they didn’t just live and die, ceasing to exist on this plain as normal humans would do. Instead, they’re life force is attached to this solar system and even though they live and die, their spirit—for lack of a better word—remains and returns to the planet. Yours is one of those spirits Steph. You’ve lived many lives. Of course you don’t fully remember, but I do. Each time your spirit cycles back to life, I feel its return. We’ve been partners, soul mates, lovers—whatever you want to call it—for centuries. “
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”
“But why is that so hard to believe? Think about it. How many times have you had a déjà vu feeling? Thought you’ve seen or heard or done something before, even when you know you haven’t—at least not in this life. Aren’t you overly sensitive to the feelings or moods of those around you? Didn’t you say you could ‘feel’ someone watching you?” He leaned forward, trying to put as much sincerity into his voice as possible, willing her to believe him. “And didn’t you feel a connection to me when we met? Didn’t you hear me talking to you while you were in the van? Haven’t you wondered why, given your past experience, you so quickly came to trust me, to want to be with me? It’s because our spirits know each other. They reach out to each other. Steph, we’ve known each other for thousands of years. “
“Jake I’m trying really hard to keep an open mind here, but this is pretty weird. I admit I did think I heard you—maybe even felt you—in the van, but that could have just been wishful thinking.” She looked around the room as if hoping for inspiration on ways to challenge what he was telling her. “Okay, so explain to me, if you know my spirit has ‘cycled back,’ then, to coin a phrase, where have you been all my life?”
“Searching for you. I know you’re back, but I never know where. I have to look for you, and as the world becomes more populated, it keeps getting harder.”
“What? No crystal ball?”
“Don’t be sarcastic; I’m doing my best here.” He felt his jaw tighten in frustration and willed himself to relax. This was difficult for her to take in—it challenged all she’d ever believed. Briefly he longed for the days when the human mind was simpler and women more subservient. There’d been fewer difficult questions to answer back then. A mere century ago, Steph had just meekly accepted whatever he told her. Oh she fussed a bit—she’d always been spirited—but once he ended the conversation it had been over and done with. Being lord and master of the household had been so much easier than dealing with an independent, freethinking woman but he’d adjust, just as he always did. It was important to keep up with the times. Sighing, he returned to answering her questions.
“No, I don’t have those abilities since I’m only a hybrid. I just know you’re here. It’s a bit like that children’s game where you get warmer or colder as you search for something. I sense when I’m closer to you or going farther away. Sometimes, in some of your lives, I’ve missed you completely. You’ve died young due to a plague or natural disaster, or there’s been an accident or a war. If I’m with you, I can heal you, but if we’re apart… ” He shook his head sadly. “During the second world war, I missed you completely. It was so difficult to travel anywhere. I knew I was getting close. You were somewhere in Europe, but I didn’t find you in time. One day you were there and then suddenly I knew you were gone. Your village was probably bombed. “He sighed heavily and looked away, remembering the pain an
d despair he’d experienced.
She reached out and touched his hand. “That must have been very hard for you.”
He turned his hand over and held hers. “Yeah, it was. That’s why I was so excited to find you this time. We’ve been apart for over sixty years.”
“Sixty? It seems like my ‘spirit’ is a little slow.”
“I have no control over the forces that allow your spirit to come back. I just wait and live my life and hope. It’s hard… Lonely. That’s when I hear the voices in the night sky—my people calling to me, telling me to leave this planet and join them, but I know it would be an empty existence without you.”
“Why don’t you look for someone else, rather than waiting for me?”
“Because I only want you.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly. She responded, but after a moment pulled away.
“So the pictures, the personal information you were gathering on me… ?”