“Yes…I think I am. No…no, I’m sure that I am. I just wanted to make sure I understand the important issues.”
“Don’t worry, Gabrielle, I’ll be right there, and will not let anything happen to either one of you.”
Gabrielle sank back down into the armchair, and leaning back in the comfort of the leather she stared at Eva for a long moment. It was hard to pretend that this trip was not making her world spin, but she had to confess that Eva’s enthusiasm was contagious. She finally took a deep breath and said, “I’m not worried, I’m just a little nervous.” She pressed her lips together. “I trust you completely, and this whole thing is pretty exciting.”
Chapter 13
THEY TALKED MORE about Eva’s gift to Arielle, and a bit about Loren and Paul. They decided to leave lunch for another day. Gabrielle left Eva’s house after they agreed to get together with Arielle and discuss the details of the pretend contest. Eva would then manifest the costumes and have them try them on. She would give Arielle the actual gift the day before her birthday because they didn't want to interfere with Sebastian's plans. Gabby was so excited about the whole thing she could hardly wait another week. Eva made her promise to keep it a secret, and that included not telling Troy. Gabrielle never broke a promise to her best friend, and she wasn’t going to start now, even though Gabrielle and Troy were very open with each other.
Arielle picked up her phone and pressed the number four on her speed dial. Paul picked up on the first ring.
“Hello, beautiful!”
“Hey, Paul! Were you expecting my call?” Arielle asked with an amused tone. She heard him laugh.
“Yes, if you must know. I was sitting here wishing for one of my favorite girls to call, and what do you know? My wish came true.”
“I miss spending time with you, Paul, and listening to your stories,” Arielle said, expressing how she genuinely felt.
“I miss our talks as well,” he replied. Arielle was touched by his words. She loved Paul like a brother.
“How is it going with Loren?”
“Oh, Arielle, I’ve found the girl of my dreams. She’s everything I ever wanted in a girl and much more.” He sighed loudly. “But don’t be jealous, I still love you,” he added hurriedly. Soft laughter followed.
“I’m not jealous, shattered would be a better word,” Arielle joked, and then burst out into a joyful laugh. Paul’s warm laughter spilled out of her speaker. Before she had a chance to invite him over, he surprised her, saying, “I’m so glad that you called. I’ve been thinking about you. I need to talk with you,” he said, his voice tense.
“It sounds serious, is it?”
“I don’t want you to read too much into this, but something happened yesterday. I’m a bit confused, and I need to talk to my best friend, you. You're the only one I trust,” he said gently. Arielle felt a jolt as she was sure he was talking about Loren’s speed, but she didn’t say anything.
“Is it your parents?” she asked, pretending that she didn't suspect anything.
“No,” he replied, “even though their marriage is still an absolute joke, if you know what I mean…” His voice trailed. “I don’t even understand why they still live under the same roof. They don’t love each other,” he said in an agonizing voice. “But, that’s another problem altogether. Trust me, Arielle, I’ve learned to tolerate the situation, though it still hurts.”
“I understand,” she said gently. “But, Paul, it’s their life, they’ll find their way. You have your life to worry about.” She was acutely aware of his pain through her gift of empathy and she was sad to know that her friend was hurting.
“I agree, but it’s hard to dismiss your parents from your life’s equation.”
“That’s absolutely true. So, can you come over today?”
“What time?” he quickly asked.
“How about two this afternoon? I’ve got something I’d like to talk with you about as well.” Arielle’s voice was a little unsteady.
“Something wrong?” he asked, sensing the tone in her voice.
She took a couple of deep breaths. “No, not at all, I just want to spend some time with you,” she said nonchalantly.
“Where is Sebastian?”
“He is playing golf. He won't be back until later this afternoon.”
“What are you doing now? I could come over now.”
“I’m getting ready to go over to visit my parents. I promised to have lunch with them, but I’ll be back before two. It’ll be absolutely great to see you.”
“Then two it is,” he replied.
She exhaled deeply with relief as she set the phone down. She tensed up again when she considered how she was going to approach the subject of Loren's immortality. She decided that she needed to make another call. She called Gabrielle.
“Hi, Arielle, what’s up?” Gabby’s voice was cheerful.
“Gabby, I need to talk to you and Eva about Paul coming over this afternoon. I just finished talking to him, and I realized that I really need your and Eva’s support. I should have asked earlier when you called, but I thought I could handle it myself.”
“Are you going to tell him about Loren?”
“Yes,” she said nervously.
“Let me get Eva on the phone and we can do a three-way call,” Gabby suggested. Eva was on the phone almost immediately.
“What’s going on?” she asked in a sleepy voice.
“Were you sleeping?” Arielle asked, surprised. “Eva, it’s noon,” she said laughing.
“Well, Ian went to play golf, and there isn’t much going on. I was watching a film on the telly and I dosed off.” She said something incomprehensible followed by a soft yawn. Arielle thought back to their younger days. Eva loved to sleep long hours, and always had a hard time getting going no matter the circumstances.
“What’s up?” Eva asked again in that amazing velvety voice.
“I need you guys,” Arielle said When she knew that she had their full attention, she continued. “I find myself doing this over and over again. I’d love to have your support while I give Paul the shock of his life.” She laughed nervously.
“I’ll be happy to come over,” Gabrielle said.
“What about you, Eva?”
“I’ll do the same, but I think you should ask Loren if she wants all of us there. Give us a call back after you talk with her.”
“I’ll call Loren right now. I just feel like a broken record, repeating the same things over and over again.” Arielle laughed, and she heard both her friends laugh too. As soon as their conversation ended, she called Loren.
“Hello,” her musical voice echoed in Arielle’s ear.
“Hey, Loren it’s Arielle.”
“Hi, is there something wrong?”
“No, not at all,” she replied. “The reason I called is that I would like to ask Gabrielle and Eva to come this afternoon. The three of us are very close to Paul. He’s like our brother, and I know he considers us family.” Arielle took a deep breath and continued. “I’m sure it’ll be a lot easier if he knew the complete truth about all of us, and that includes Eva. I know he’ll be shocked, just like Gabrielle and I were, but finding out the truth about Troy and Sebastian made our relationship stronger. I believe the same will happen with you and Paul. What do you say?” Arielle took another deep breath and hoped that Loren would say yes.
“I don’t mind,” Loren said. “I know that you’re all very close. And you’re the closest thing to a sister I have ever had. Whatever you decide is good with me.” Arielle heard the sincerity in Loren's voice and smiled, thinking that the feeling was mutual.
“All right then, come on over around three,” Arielle said, and ended the call. She then called Eva and Gabrielle back, and asked them to be there around two thirty. Arielle wanted a little time to talk with Paul alone before everyone showed up for Loren’s disclosure. How ironic, she thought to herself, that she had become the center of confessions for everyone, and the link between their issues. She
certainly had never imagined something this when while growing up. On the other hand, she never thought she would fall in love with an immortal.
Arielle considered how Paul might take the news. She was sure that it would be difficult for him to accept as it had been for her. He was going to have the same conflicting feelings that Arielle, Eva, and Gabrielle had. She wished she knew how Paul was going to react, but at least it would bring a sense of relief for Loren. Sebastian had told Arielle that hiding his true identity because of his fear of rejection was the hardest thing he ever had to do. Arielle suspected that Loren felt the same way. Fear and confusion would be the main feelings that would hit Paul first. He would have to acknowledge the fact that he fell in love with someone who belonged to a completely different world.
Arielle was still feeling anxious about the upcoming meeting with Paul as she drove to her parents' house. She tried to think of ways to make the disclosure a little easier. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she felt extremely nervous about revealing Loren’s identity. She was troubled at the thought of telling Paul that the girl he was madly in love with was going to live forever. She shook her head and absentmindedly touched the amulet on her necklace.
Arielle arrived at her parents' house as promised. She parked in the garage, and walked through the kitchen door, surprised to see an empty room.
“Mum! Daddy!” she called out.
“Up here, honey, in the bedroom,” her mother answered. Arielle scaled the staircase two steps at a time, and when she reached their bedroom, she found herself in the middle of barely contained chaos. There were open drawers everywhere, clothes spread across the bed, and open luggage on the floor – some suitcases empty and some half full. Her mother was standing in the middle of the mess, resting one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead, looking completely lost. Arielle glanced around the room, her face a mixture of shock and amusement.
“What’s going on?” Arielle asked. Her mum walked over and embraced her tightly.
“I’m so glad to see you, dear.”
“Mum, what are you doing?” Arielle asked, suppressing a laugh.
“I’m trying to pack for our trip to Spain,” she replied as if Arielle had asked an absurd question. Arielle fought not to roll her eyes.
“Where is Daddy?”
“Most likely in the study reading. You know I don’t want him getting involved when I pack.”
“Are you sure that today is a good day to have lunch together?”
“Of course, I already prepared your favorite sandwiches,” her mother said with a warm smile. “Your dad and I would love to spend a little time with you alone.”
“Can I help?”
“Yes, you can go find your dad and get him to the table. I’ll be right down.” Arielle choked back laughter as she walked out. Part of her was relieved that she didn't have to help with the arduous task of packing made more difficult by her mother's bizarre style, but another part felt guilty leaving her mother to clean up such a mess. Her mum could get carried away when she prepared for a tip. That was why her dad always left the particulars to his wife, wisely choosing to stay out of the way. Arielle decided to join her father in hiding out from Hurricane Mum. She walked back downstairs and into the study. Her father was sitting in his favorite chair reading a book.
“Hi, Daddy,” she said, and leaned down to hug him warmly. She planted a kiss on his forehead and experienced a mix of pride and joy that she always felt looking at her dad, her hero. She loved him so much.
“Hi, pumpkin,” he replied. “I’m so happy to see you. How have you been? How is Sebastian?”
“We’re doing fine, Daddy. Sebastian is playing golf today, and I’m here to spend a little time with you.” She hugged him again. “I see that mum is at it again. Are you hiding?” Her eyes held a glint of humor
“What makes you think that I’m hiding from your mother?” Arielle heard the chuckle in her father’s voice. “You know your mother. I just do my best to stay out of her way.”
Arielle snorted. She smiled. Even with the chaos, there was a certain familiarity and warmth about the house when both her parents were there. Sometimes, Arielle missed living in the safe cocoon her parents had created for her growing up. She resolved to enjoy spending this quality time with her parents as much as possible before they left.
The lunch was delicious, and they had a great time chatting about the upcoming trip to Spain. When lunch was over, Arielle and her father took a long walk in the garden. They took the narrow path covered with decorative step stones to the bench by the lily pond. The path was bordered on either side by beds of roses and freesia. A broad canopy of beautiful trees covered the path. Arielle smiled, filled with pleasure and contentment. They walked slowly, giving Arielle a chance to notice several new bird feeders nestled between the flowers and the trees.
“Dad, when did you get all these?” she asked, pointing at the bird feeders. “I don’t think you had them the last time I was here.” Her father followed her gaze and chuckled blissfully.
“You know your mother,” he said. “She thought it would be a great idea if we could watch the birds. They are quite beautiful, you know? Listening to their chirping is enjoyable, but watching their daily antics is a spectacular show. You mother and I spend quite a lot of time out here…” his voice trailed. He paused for a long moment. “I do miss our walks, pumpkin,” he said. His voice quivered and Arielle’s insides clenched. Her gaze roamed his face, and reaching out, she placed her hand in his. He clasped it gently.
“I love you, Daddy, and I miss our walks too,” she whispered, blinking back tears. He pressed her hand lovingly.
It was a little after noon and the sun was moving across the sky, casting bright rays of light on the pond, creating a mixture of colors on the water. Her father swallowed back a lump that formed in his throat. The realization that his little girl was twenty-one years old and a capable adult was heart wrenching. “You grew up awfully fast, pumpkin,” he said, releasing a frustrated sigh. “I knew this day would come, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.” They reached the bench and sat down facing the lily pond. Silence grew between them.
“The roses are stunning, Daddy,” she said to break the silence.
“Yes, they are.”
“Did I tell you that Sebastian and I filled our backyard with freesia?”
“No, you didn’t, but I’m not surprised,” he chuckled. “Freesia appreciation in this family goes way back,” he snorted. Arielle chortled blissfully.
“I guess you’re right,” she replied. “I remember seeing and smelling freesia in our house ever since I was a little girl.”
He nodded and gave her soft smile. “Have you discussed your wedding plans with Sebastian yet?”
“No, Daddy. Eva, Gabby, and I, want to surprise the guys.”
“So, when do you plan to do that?”
“Later on this year.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“Well, the weddings will not take place until next year, so we still have time to finalize all the little details before we present a complete plan to the guys.”
“Sebastian thinks that you have changed your mind,” her father said blankly.
Arielle was startled with her father’s statement. “What?” The question echoed throughout her shocked brain. “Daddy, did Sebastian talk to you about this?”
“Yes, and why are you surprised? The man loves you, Arielle, he’s anxious to get married, and he can’t understand why you are waiting. And truly neither do I.”
“Daddy, I have told Sebastian that I want to graduate first.”
“I just don’t understand this generation of yours. In the old days your mother and I handled all the details of each phase of our wedding together. Don’t you think that Sebastian would like to be part of those details you are speaking about?”
She settled her hands on her lap and stared at the water.
“Yes, I’m sure he does. But, Daddy, if it was up to
Sebastian we would elope. He wants to get married now, today, so I have to hold him back. He also wants to pay for everything and I will not allow that. I need to concentrate on my schoolwork right now, and I’ll surprise him right after commencement,” Arielle said. “What did he say to you, exactly?”
“He has asked your mother and I, several times, if you have talked to us about the wedding. I really like Sebastian, and I feel sorry for the old boy. And most of all, I don’t like lying to him, Arielle.”
Arielle’s eyes searched her father's as she said, “I know, Daddy, and I am sorry, but I’m thankful you’re keeping my secret. I know that he’s relentless.” She laughed nervously thinking about Sebastian and his insistence on finding out the date of the wedding.
“It's strange,” her father mumbled.
“How so?” Arielle asked.
“Well, it’s usually the girl that pushes for a wedding date, not the guy.”
“Yes, I know, but like I said before if Sebastian had his way we would have been already married.”
“I am sure you are doing the right thing, I just feel sorry for him,” her father replied. Arielle looked at her watch and it was already 1:30.
“Daddy, I have to go, Paul is coming over. He needs my help with something. He’s going to be at the house at two. We’ll talk about this another time.”
He nodded softly. They rose to their feet and took the path back to the house where her mother was waiting.
“I’ll call you soon,” she told her parents. “Sebastian would like to have dinner with you before you leave for Spain.”
“Oh, how about tomorrow night?”
“I’m sure it will be all right, but let me ask and I’ll call you.”
“All right,” her mother said, and gave her a huge hug and a kiss. Her father held her longer, trying to suppress his emotions. Arielle felt every one of those emotions anyway through her gift. Remorse along with confusion flooded through her.
Arielle Immortal Journey (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 5) Page 12