Waiting for Mercy (Cambions)

by Dermott, Shannon

  Looking at him with my chin in my palm and my arm resting on the table, I said, “I don’t know. It’s been ages since I’ve been here.”

  He tilted his head, “How long?”

  Taking in a deep breath unable to contain how happy I was feeling, I said, “I donno. Maybe since I was a little kid.”

  “What was the last thing you remember ordering?” he asked, leaning in closer to me daring me almost.

  I licked my lips remembering. “I think it was one of the smiley face pancakes,” I said.

  He grinned. “You should order it,” he said.

  I nodded. “I should, shouldn’t I?” I agreed.

  Our waitress walked up. “Are you ready to order,” the woman asked. She looked to be in her early twenties and she faced to talk to Luke, but I didn’t let it phase me. Being around the elite boys, I just got used to the gaga look girls would give them, especially Flynn.

  He nodded in my direction. “Are you?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said. I wasn’t going to let the scorn the woman’s face held rain on my good mood. Things were looking up in my life. “I’ll have the smiley face pancake,” I said wistfully.

  The waitress frowned. “That’s from the kids menu,” she said.

  Luke interjected before I could respond, “Yes, my sister here is twelve,” he said, smiling brightly at the woman and gave her a wink. Her frown changed and her expression softened. She didn’t say anything for a moment and I wondered if she was trying to figure him out.

  “And what will you have?” she asked him, a little warily like she was certain we were being cheap and the tip wouldn’t be good. Because I may look young, but twelve I thought not, at least I hoped not.

  Straight faced he said, “A Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity with apples.” His expression was light and his eyes fixed on hers. Unable to contain it, I giggled like a school girl.

  Not missing a beat she said, “Drinks?”

  “Orange juice,” I said, trying to reign in the laughter from hearing Luke place that order.

  She only turned to frown at me again. I think she thought I was laughing at her.

  “Excuse my sister,” Luke said giving me a condemning look. “She’s at that age,” he chided.

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my throat then. He remained smiling without laughing.

  The waitress nodded and her stringy brown hair moved for the first time. “And you?” she asked him.

  “The same,” he said and she finally left us. I gently kicked him under the table. He succumbed to chuckling.

  It just kept coming. “Your sister,” I said between giggles.

  He rested his hands on top of mine in the small two-seater booth we were in. “You don’t want to be my sister?” he mused, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

  I lifted my legs onto the seat and leaned over the table and gave him a kiss no sister could. Pulling back and settling myself back in my seat, I saw the disapproving faces of a family of four next to us. Oops, I bit my lip. I was embarrassed by my behavior in front of an audience, but there was nothing to do about it now. I looked back at Luke and said, “I don’t think you want me as your diffident little sister.”

  He was still recovering and I felt a bit of pride. “No and you aren’t acting shy,” he stuttered a bit. “But you may not get your smiley face pancakes now,” he teased.

  Ultimately, I did and we ate while we played tick tack toe on the kids menu the waitress brought me. I used the green crayon and Luke the red. It had been so long for the two of us to be together this way. I enjoyed the light banter we had. I was almost sad when it was time to leave.

  He paid and left a hefty tip for the woman and he also paid the check for the family next to us to make up for our behavior. He was so terribly thoughtful that way. I was certain that the children of the family were maybe two and four years of age and weren’t going to be scarred for life by my kiss to Luke. It wasn’t like I’d given him a lap dance. But I had leaned over the table, so it maybe was a bit extreme. I kept my thoughts to myself letting it go.

  Then Luke started to drive us home or so I thought. When he went south on interstate 270, I had to ask, “Where are we going?”

  He glanced over at me. “I’d planned this for Valentine’s night, but you left so abruptly. However, I was able to change it around for today,” he said.

  “What?” I asked curiously.

  “You’ll see,” he said.

  So I sat back and enjoyed the tunes and the ride. When nearly an hour later he parallel parked on Pennsylvania Avenue, I was more puzzled but he refused to give me any more details. He paid at the meter booth and put the receipt in his window. Taking my hand, he led me down the streets of Washington, DC. The weather was gently warm for late winter. I still wore a jacket, but it wasn’t zipped up. The mystery deepened when he made me stand alone while he went over to what appeared to be a ticket window and spoke to someone. A few moments later, he waved me over. A rattling of keys and we were ushered through a gate. The place was surrounded by trees, so I had no idea when we walked in, what he had in store.

  Upon entering, there my gaze was met with a large empty ice skating rink. Extra emphasis on empty. I had a suspicion that it wouldn’t normally be so.

  The guy asked us our shoe sizes and walked away once we’d given it to him. The man wasn’t very tall or light on his feet. He clumped away in his all green uniform and reminding me of a troll for some reason.

  “Happy Belated Valentine’s Day,” Luke said. Valentine’s Day seemed like light years past at this very moment. I was speechless. Doe eyed, I just looked at him dumbstruck. The guy came back and handed two pairs of skates to Luke before I could speak.

  “Thank you, but,” I said nearly speechless.

  “Your expression is thanks enough,” he said taking my hand in his. We sat on a bench and began to change our shoes.

  “When did you do this? How did you know?” I asked trailing off. How did he know he would get me to change my mind today?

  “Hope and a little prayer,” he said. “I called and left a message confirming after I left you to shower last night.”

  No one had ever done anything like this for me. Although he was only my second boyfriend ever, I felt so special that tears pricked in the corner of my eyes. Quickly, I blinked them back so they wouldn’t fall.

  “You said you knew how to skate,” he said, recanting one of our many endless overnight conversations before we broke up.

  “Yes,” I replied. It had been some time but I hoped it was like riding a bike something ultimately you couldn’t forget.

  Both of us, not totally sure of ourselves held each other as we made our way to the perfect sheet of ice that glistened in the winter sun. Until our feet scraped against its surface, the ice had been a clean slate of untouched frozen water that waited for only us. For me, this was a gift and experience I was sure I’d treasure forever.

  We were a bit clumsy at first. “Thought you could skate Bishop,” I teased him calling him by his last name.

  “Why Miss Moore, are you prepared to offer a bet as to who will go down first,” he said, winking at me.

  “I think I’d be ready to make that bet,” I said placing my index finger of my free hand to my lips. My other hand still clasped in his. “What will you wager?” I asked.

  He eyed me thoughtfully, “What is it you would like?” he countered.

  I titillated, “Oh, Mr. Bishop, there are many things I want. What about you?”

  He eyed me thoroughly. “Miss Moore, I think you know exactly what I want,” he said.

  But before we could settle on a wager, we went down together. We hadn’t been paying attention to what we were doing and we both ended up flat on our backs. We laughed and laughed. It didn’t matter how long we lay there, because we weren’t bothering anyone else. He ended up kissing me on the ice and our heat kept me warm from the freezing ice at my back.

  Too soon we were skating again finding a rhythm from past times on
the ice. I remembered how to skate backwards at some point and was proud not to have fallen after that one and only time. Being with him here alone was amazing. I noticed that the Evergreen trees that lined the rink were strung with lights. I imagined that if he’d brought me here at night like he planned, the place would have been enchanting. But that thought didn’t take away from what we had at this moment. There was no place I would have rather been than here with him and no one else.

  When we finally left after our allotted time, there was a line outside of patrons waiting for the rink to open to the public. I felt absolutely extraordinary in having that time private with him. Still, he wasn’t done. We walked, instead of to his car to the mall which is the area around all the national museums downtown. I’m not sure why it’s called the mall because there are no shops. But that however was the name. We walked from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial. Because it was still winter the place wasn’t packed. There weren’t many visitors. We sat on the steps in front of the massive statue of Lincoln.

  “You know,” he said, looking into my eyes. “Lincoln was right.”

  Moving, I tucked my coat around me because the air was growing chillier. I hadn’t paid much attention to the weather channel but I thought it was suppose to get warmer as the day progressed. But I was certain when I spoke and mist escaped my mouth, it was getting colder. “What?” I asked.

  “We’re all free,” he said, pointing back at Lincoln’s statue. “I know that isn’t what he said and maybe I should quote Martin Luther King, but we’re all free to make our own choices no matter what we are born into.”

  His words had me thinking. I sat looking out in the wave pool in front of us. There were struggles people made all over the world for freedom, even now, some still weren’t. I’d felt like a slave to my succubus demon. I’d spent too long not living except in fear of it. I’d let Luke leave me because I was sure I’d damn him. But ultimately that had to be his choice. Was he referring to what I was and that I was free not to be evil like the demon that resided in me?

  “You’re shivering,” he said leaning over and cuddling me. “We should go.” We walked back to the car with a picturesque scene unfolding while light snow floating down, melting once in contact with the ground.

  It was only early afternoon when we arrived back at the house. He only walked me to my door. “You’re not coming in?” I asked not ready for him to go.

  “I have a few things I need to do,” he said, looking like he didn’t want to leave me either.

  Sadly, I said, “I had an amazing time.” I had a need to let him know just how special this day had been for me. Feeling for the chain around my neck, his eyes followed.

  “Will you always wear it?” he asked, referring to the necklace he’d given me for my birthday that had an inscription on the back that read ‘My heart belongs to you’.

  I nodded. “I’ve never taken it off,” I said honestly.

  He bent down and kissed me fiercely. I had to lean on the door to recover when he backed off. “I’ll see you later,” he said.

  Nodding again, I felt strangely like a bobble head. But I think that was more to the fact he’d kissed me senseless and I was lightheaded from it.

  I stared after the boy that stole my heart for the second time. Although I had a connection to Paul and I couldn’t deny it, Luke was the one. I also felt a connection to Flynn and Sebastian and I should hate myself for it. The long and short of it was, my connection to Luke was electric and not anything like what I felt for the others. It was also true that I loved Luke. Our love was still new and could change. It could grow or it could die and that was reality. Only time would tell, but in my heart, he felt like he could be my forever.

  Chapter Twelve

  obsequious (adj.) excessively compliant or submissive

  My head was in a whirlwind while Maggie and Amber moved about my room. Clothes, hair products, and makeup covered every available space. The clutter was more disturbing than it should be. Maybe it was my nerves. The party had started and we had yet to make an appearance. Paul, Flynn and Sebastian were all downstairs. Even though Flynn knew, this would come as a shock to Paul and maybe Sebastian that Luke and I were back together.

  “Why do you look sad? It’s time to celebrate,” Amber said to me with a radiant smile. I hid any reaction I might have had and plastered a fake smile to my face. I understood her happiness. I was no longer a threat to a relationship between her and Paul.

  Continuing my fake smile, I said, “I’m just tired.” But truthfully, I was feeling grouchy and maybe a bit too obsequious. With Amber around I found myself again in a skirt. I missed my skinny jeans. Maggie wore a printed chiffon tiered skirt with banded lace waist paired with a pale blue tank. Amber wore a white tiered mini skirt black skinny belt and yellow tank. They’d brought me a rose color rosette bubble mini skirt I wore with a black tank top. I felt like a walking rose bush.

  Twirling in the mirror, Amber appraised the summer outfit she was wearing. It wasn’t yet spring, but here we were in thin strap tanks and skirts with flip flops on our feet. Maggie spiral curled my hair and I said nothing. I knew when I was beat. “You know, I always knew you two would get back together,” Amber continued while surveying her perfection in the mirror.

  Amber, gifted and skilled in all things makeup, had done my face. She had a way about making it look like you wore nothing. It was natural looking. That’s why I had given into her skilled hands. I felt bad I had nothing to contribute. My skills are culinary. I would have to make them a meal sometime soon.

  Maggie walked out of the bathroom with her fiery red hair tamed by the flat iron to a silky smooth style she rarely wore, but when she did all heads would turn. She saw my face and years of friendship had her understanding my mood with no words said. “Amber you look amazing,” Maggie said deflecting the conversation.

  “Do you think he’ll notice?” Amber said.

  Maggie gave me a look that said I needed to fix this. I wasn’t sure what I could do to sway Paul’s mind. I had already tried to push him into her arms before. Now he’d confessed he never loved her. What more could I do. Maybe tell her the truth and bring her heartache. I don’t think so. “How could he not?” Maggie said to her.

  They were huddled together in front of the dresser mirror admiring themselves. The boys would definitely notice them when they entered a room. I silently envied their beauty. I wondered how a girl as beautiful as Amber could be hung up on one boy, when she could have her pick of them.

  Suddenly I found my voice. “Amber,” I said. They both turned to me. Maggie’s smile dipped a bit in worry at what I was going to say. She had nothing to worry about. I would not be revealing any secrets. My pause had Amber’s grin fading too. I cleared my throat determined to say what needed to be said. “If Paul doesn’t realize just how wonderful you are, he’s a fool.”

  Her face showed the force smile. I pushed on. “You could have your pick of guys. Paul has been a dear friend, but you deserve better.” She looked away and I wondered if the shine in her eyes would produce tears. I hadn’t wanted to make her cry. I just wanted her to realize her value.

  Maggie, super-uber comforter, hugged Amber with the one arm that had been around her back and gripped her shoulder. “She’s right Am,” Maggie said. Whatever else Maggie said was lost on me for a second. The ugly truth of jealousy flared at Maggie’s use of an endearment for her new BFF. Somehow, I thought I was losing my best friend.

  “Eme,” Maggie said.

  I looked up and saw that she’d been speaking to me. “Huh,” I muttered.

  “Are you ready?” she asked. Amber’s face had perked back up. Maggie had a way with words and now I wished I hadn’t blanked. What had she said to turn my pep talk from Amber’s near tears to near glee in such a short time?

  Dolled up and not ready to go, I smiled up at them. “You guys go ahead. I’ll be down in a minute.” Forcing my smile a little higher, they nodded.

  Walking across
the room to the door, Maggie looked back. “Don’t be long, Eme,” she said.

  I nodded and they were gone. I only had one regret. I wasn’t able to get Maggie alone without it looking like I was excluding Amber. So I didn’t know if anything had happened between Maggie and Brent. However, I assumed that the news would have been too big for Maggie not to have told me. My assumption had to be that the deed hadn’t been done.

  Glumly, I looked at the destruction of my room. Needing a plan on how to handle tonight, I began to sort through the clothes that had been left. Creating piles of Amber’s and Maggie’s, I folded clothes taking my time. Yes, I was avoiding the party. In no time, I was nearly done. The mess had only looked worse than it really was.