by Lana Melyan
“Nothing.” She shrugged. “Everything’s fine.”
Alec stepped to Amanda’s dresser and looked at the photograph standing on it, Kimberly’s present.
“Friends forever,” he read aloud, then took it and showed it to Amanda. “That’s how you look when everything’s fine.” He put the photograph down.
“You mean wet?”
“I mean happy.” Alec approached her. “Something’s bothering you. What is it?”
“It’s nothing.” Amanda turned away. “I feel better now.”
“Then let’s go out, get some dinner.” He took her by her shoulders and turned her around. “Look at me.”
She gazed into his gray eyes.
“I promise that I won’t ask questions,” he said, grinning.
“Sorry, Alec, I can’t. My dad’s leaving tomorrow, and I want to spend the evening with him.” She had hours until her father’s return and she wished she could go out, but she’d promised Ruben she’d stay home. “But we can still have dinner together,” she said cheerfully. “Let’s go downstairs. I’m sure Melinda has something tasty for us.”
She was glad to have a reason to leave the bedroom. Amanda didn’t want to be alone, and she was glad about Alec’s company, but if they stayed in the bedroom too long, she was afraid he might break his promise and ask a question she didn’t have the answer for.
Alec’s hand slipped from her shoulder.
“Whatever you want,” he said.
Ruben sat across from Kimberly at the table in a small cafe.
“So you like history?”
“I’m not as good as Hanna, but, yes, I like it,” said Kimberly. “I always wanted to be an archaeologist, to solve a mystery of the past. I can imagine how exciting it feels during an excavation to find ancient artifacts that tell you about life five hundred years ago or more.”
“Yes, I know. Even I feel nostalgic every time we dig up treasure,” said Ruben. Looking at Kimberly’s widening eyes, he realized he’d gotten carried away and said something wrong.
“You found treasure?”
Usually when Ruben brought up stories or facts from his past, he fit them into the life of a nineteen-year-old guy. Now he’d made a mistake, and it was too late to bite his tongue. He had to come up with an answer.
“No, not exactly. The thing is that I like archeology, too. I applied for permission to participate in an expedition to Romania. That’s why I missed a year in college,” said Ruben, embarrassed. He was almost five hundred years old; he was an antique himself and could tell her things she wouldn’t be able to find in any book, but he had to come up with stupid stories and act like a regular teenager.
“I’m so jealous,” said Kimberly. “What did you find?”
“A lot of things. I’ll email you pictures.” He changed the subject, “Romania is a very interesting country. I heard a lot of amusing stories about Dracula. Do you believe in the supernatural?”
“I’m skeptical about that. I believe in what I see, and I’ve never seen a vampire.”
“Actually,” started Ruben, who was going to say that she saw three of them yesterday, but luckily, he stopped himself in time. First it seemed odd to him that he almost made the same mistake a second time, but then he caught himself on the thought that he wanted to be honest with her, he wanted her to know who he was. He smiled brightly and said, “Actually you’re right, you have to see first.”
It was late evening. They were sitting in the car in front of Kimberly’s house. Her ginger hair shimmered under the headlights of the passing cars. She looked at the illuminated windows of her house, then again at Ruben.
“They’re back,” she said.
Ruben knew her family being back wasn’t the only reason her voice wilted. She didn’t want him to leave.
“Thank you,” said Kimberly. “I had a very nice day.”
“Me, too. I enjoyed every minute,” said Ruben. He met her tempting glance, which had become so dear to him during these few days. His eyes went to her lips, which smiled at him so tenderly. Would it really be wrong if he. . . ? He leaned into her. No, it didn’t feel wrong. It felt amazing.
When Ruben came home, he found Hanna sitting on the couch with a piece of pizza and a huge glass of coke in her hands. She was watching a movie, but when she saw Ruben, she put her coke down and pressed the pause button.
“How is she?” Hanna asked.
“A little upset, but she’ll be fine.” Ruben sat on the armchair.
“Did you guys go somewhere?” asked Hanna, biting her pizza.
“No, she wanted to go home.”
“Then where the hell have you been? It’s eight o’clock.”
“Kimberly and I had lunch together.”
“All right,” said Hanna and stopped chewing, “Then?”
“Then we had dinner,” Ruben said quickly.
Hanna stared at him.
“I guess not right away?”
He grinned.
Hanna swallowed and put the rest of her pizza back into the open box on the coffee table.
“May I ask what you did between meals?” she said, anger rising in her voice.
“We walked, talked. We had coffee in two different coffee shops. We had a very nice time. When we were sitting in a coffee shop, she asked me how long I’m going to stay here. When I said probably about week, she asked when I’ll visit again. To that,” he raised his index finger, “I answered with a question. I asked her ‘Do you want me to?’ Then she looked at me with a sad smile and said, ‘Yes.’”
“See what you did!” exploded Hanna, “Didn’t we tell you to hold your horses?”
“I did,” said Ruben, defending himself. “I told her it wouldn’t be easy. That I’m Armenian, and I’m going to visit—”
“You did what?” Hanna yelled. “You’re supposed to be our cousin.”
“You wanted me to tell her that I’m Norwegian? Sorry, honey, but do I look like one?” Ruben chuckled. “Hanna, relax, it’s not like she said she loves me.” The corners of his mouth moved downward in a grimace.
“You think this is funny? Ruben, this is not a game.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Ruben’s face became serious.
“Do you? All those years you’ve been meeting girls, spending time with them, then disappearing. You’re used to it.”
“And you think it’s easy for me?” shouted Ruben. He stood up, “You think that I never fell in love, that I don’t know how it feels when somebody breaks your heart? Then think again, my dear cousin.”
“You do?” All Hanna’s frustration was gone. “And you never told me?”
“I’m sick and tired of it. What do you think happens to my heart when I watch the people I care about grow old and die? I also want to have someone who will love me and be with me forever.”
“If you loved somebody, why didn’t you bring her to Samson? When was this?”
“Why? Love is not enough. I had to tell her who I am, didn’t I?”
“Ruben, I’m so sorry.”
“Craig failed with Beth, but he found his Eleanor and she happened to be the one. His one and only,” said Ruben, lowering his voice. “I like Kimberly, and I don’t want to hurt her. The Book will be open soon, and if she tells me she loves me, I’ll tell her the truth. Then we’ll see whose heart is broken.”
“Nobody’s,” said Hanna quietly. “Just make sure you want this. I know Kimberly, she’s not amorous. I think she’s falling in love. If she knows you really love her back—she’d do anything for you.”
Ruben sat on the couch next to her.
“I know that you’ll kill me for this, but,” he looked at Hanna sideways, “I kissed her. I couldn’t resist.”
“Oh, shut up.” Hanna sighed heavily. “You make me miss Ned even more.” She got closer to him and dropped her head on his chest.
Ruben stroked her hair.
17
YEAR 1852
Hanna lay on the warm sand of the beach, not far fro
m the castle.
“It’s been two years,” she said.
“Don’t worry, my love,” said Edmond. “I’ll wait as long as it takes. It only means that they care about you.”
“I’ll try to talk to them again.”
“Don’t be sad,” he said, kissing her.
Hanna knocked on Eleanor’s bedroom door.
“Come in. You’re back,” said Eleanor as she saw Hanna in the doorway.
She sat with a book in her hands on the large bed, resting against its tall, walnut headboard.
“Yes,” said Hanna.
She pushed aside the edge of Eleanor’s dress and sat on the bed.
“That was quick. Where did you two go this time?”
“Nowhere. He didn’t have much time. He needed to go back to feed the horses. So we just spent all the time we had on the beach.”
“You seem disappointed. You didn’t have a good time?” asked Eleanor with a note of surprise in her voice.
“Of course I had a good time. I had a perfect time. But it was too short.”
“Oh, I am sorry,” said Eleanor, putting aside her book.
“We want to be together forever. Like you and Craig, like Samson and Gabriella. It’s been two years, and Samson still keeps us waiting.”
“Hanna, you know how much Samson loves you. He wants to make sure that Edmond is good enough for you.”
“You’ve all met him, and you know he’s good and brave and that we love each other. Gabriella likes him so much. She said she’s so happy I found my love. His parents died, and he inherited everything when he was sixteen—a nice house, money. He could live happily in Louisiana—”
“Hanna.” Eleanor smiled. “We all know the story.”
“He left everything behind and moved here so he could be close to me. He even took that stupid job to show Samson he’s not a slacker.”
“You know what?” said Eleanor, “I think you should talk to Samson again. He and Gabriella went to plant lilac shrubs near the bridge.”
“You’re right; maybe if I push hard enough he’ll do it.” Feeling stimulated, Hanna stood up.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Eleanor asked, standing up, too.
“No. But keep an eye on your bracelet. I’ll call you if I need support.”
Hanna looked at the freshly-planted shrubs and then crossed the wooden bridge, heading to Gabriella’s garden. As she neared the small open place, she saw Samson lying on the bench with his head on Gabriella’s knees. She stopped for a moment to watch them. She was amazed by the way they looked at each other, that after all those years their relationships hadn’t become habit or simply attachment. They were still deeply in love, the same as they were more than a hundred and fifty years ago when Hanna saw them together for first time.
“Which one is it?” asked Samson, sitting up.
“It’s Hanna,” said Gabriella, smiling.
Hanna walked up to them and stopped behind the bench.
“You planted lilac,” she said.
“Yes. What is it, my dear? You look sad,” said Gabriella. She looked up at Hanna and put her hand above her eyes to block the bright glare of the setting sun.
“I’m not sad. I feel sentimental and jealous.” She bent down to Samson, put her arms around his neck, and pressed her cheek against his. “It’s been two years. Why won’t you turn him?”
Samson beamed.
“So that’s what this is about. And I, like a fool, of course, thought that you missed me that much.”
Gabriella laughed.
“This is not funny,” said Hanna sulkily. “Don’t you want me to be happy, too?”
Samson took her hand, led her around the bench, and pulled her down on it between him and Gabriella.
“That’s exactly what I want. That’s why I needed to know more about him, so that I wouldn’t have to stop his , , ,” Samson beamed again. “You know.”
“You’re evil.” Hanna frowned.
“Stop teasing her,” said Gabriella, taking Hanna’s hand.
“My little Hanna,” said Samson softly, “you know how much I love you. You know I’d do anything for you. You needed enough time to check your feelings. I waited four years before I turned Gabriella because I wanted her to be sure she was ready to take such a serious step. And I also wanted Edmond to grow a bit older.”
Hanna noticed that Samson was speaking in the past tense—needed, wanted. It gave her some hope, calmed her down.
“He is older. He’s twenty now,” she said in low voice. “I’m afraid. What if something happens to him?”
“Nothing will happen to him, my dear,” said Gabriella.
“The boys just got home,” said Samson, looking toward the castle.
“I think we should go back,” said Gabriella.
“Everyone,” said Samson into the nowhere, “gather in the big living room.”
When Samson, Gabriella and Hanna returned to the castle, everybody, except Fray, who hadn’t shown up for two months now, was waiting for them. Eleanor was curled up next to Craig on the brown and golden striped sofa, and Ruben and Riley sat on the tall chairs next to the big fireplace. Gabriella and Hanna stepped forward and sat on another sofa, across from Eleanor and Craig.
“Good,” said Samson, looking at them. “We’re all here because we have one very important decision to make.” He glanced at Hanna. “Hanna wants me to turn Edmond. We’ve known him for two years, and all this time we’ve been watching him, learning about his past.”
“What?” Hanna stared at him.
“Yes,” beamed Ruben. “And I have good news for you. He didn’t kill his parents, they died from natural causes.”
Everybody laughed. Hanna scowled.
“And now, when we know almost everything about him,” continued Samson, “I think it’s time. If anyone disagrees . . .”
But Hanna was already hanging on his neck and kissing his cheeks.
“...Then you should say it now,” finished Samson when she let go of him.
Delighted, Hanna hugged Gabriella, thanked her brothers, then turned to Eleanor.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
“Yes. But I wasn’t allowed to tell,” said Eleanor apologetically. “We decided two days ago, but we’ve been waiting for Riley to come back.”
“Can I bring him now?” Hanna asked Samson.
“You can tell him. But give him a couple of days to say goodbye to his mortal life.”
“It’s all right, he can say goodbye here,” said Hanna, and in a split second she was gone.
A few days later Samson Mountney’s family had one more member.
TODAY
Hanna, who was still sitting with her head on Ruben’s shoulder, looked at her ringing phone. She picked it up.
“Amanda.”
“I need to talk to you,” said Amanda.
“Is everything all right?” Hanna asked, straightening up.
“Everything’s fine.”
“You want me to come over?”
“No. I want to talk to all three of you.”
Hanna looked at Ruben, who stared back at her.
“Okay. Ruben will pick you up.”
She hung up.
“What is it?” asked Ruben, gazing at the stupefied Hanna.
“She wants to talk. You said she was upset.” She spoke in slow motion, her hand with the phone in it still hanging in the air. “How upset was she?”
“Not very. She wanted to know what’s going on.”
“What did you say?” Hanna asked, putting her phone down.
“I said she has to wait. Why? Is she angry or something?” asked Ruben.
“Her voice was calm, but very demanding. I don’t think she wants to wait.”
“We need Craig. Call him,” said Ruben, heading to the front door.
Craig walked into the living room.
“She’s not here yet?”
“No,” said Hanna.
“What do you think she wants to talk ab
out?” Craig asked.
“I think she’s coming to get answers,” said Hanna, “I know, it’s my fault. It’s because of what happened yesterday.”
“Yes, it brings up a lot of questions,” said Craig, “But it’s not just that. She can feel things she can’t explain, and it bothers her. We can’t tell her the truth. She won’t believe a word, and it’ll only scare her more. But we can’t keep her in the dark, either. We have to tell her something, or we’ll lose her trust.”
The front door opened. Amanda walked into the living room, followed by Ruben.
“Hi,” she said, throwing a quick glance at Craig.
“Hi,” said Craig. The coldness in her voice alarmed him. “Hanna said you wanted to talk.”
“Let’s sit down,” said Hanna.
She and Amanda sat on the couch, and Craig and Ruben in the armchairs across from them.
“I have some questions,” started Amanda. “You said that I have to wait.” She looked at Ruben. “Sorry, I can’t. I need some answers right now.” She turned to Craig. “Those guys who are after me—I’ve never seen them in my life, but you knew that they’d come, and you know what they want. So, I was trying to find a connection between you, them, and me, and I got nothing. That’s why I came to you. It seems you’re the one who can give me answers. I want you to tell me how you knew they’d come and how you know what they want.”
Hanna and Ruben looked at Craig, but he didn’t look back. He was staring at the floor and tapping the side of the armchair with his fingertips. Then he suddenly leaned forward.
“We know what they want because we want the same thing,” he said calmly.
“What?” Amanda’s eyes widened.
“Craig.” Ruben cleared his throat.
“She has the right to know,” said Craig in the same tone.
Amanda was stunned by such an unexpected answer. She needed time to digest that information, and they waited patiently.
“You said I can trust you.” She turned to Ruben.
“And I’m saying it again. We’re on your side.”