Darlings

by Ashley Swisher

  “Oh, well that’s good. We’ll all get to get out of the house tonight.” She could feel his eyes attempting to avoid her legs. She crossed them again and he swallowed hard.

  “So, have you heard from Pete?” Gwen asked in attempt to make conversation.

  His face dropped. “Yah I have. He heard about…earlier. He’s not happy to say the least. He wants to talk when we get home.”

  “Oh…well I am sure he’ll get over it…right? I can imagine he’s not too happy with me either.” Gwen got up to look out the window, her back to Andrew. Practicing her flirting skills, she swung her hips as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

  “It was my responsibility, not yours.” He ran his large hand across his forehead in frustration.

  Gwen turned. “No. Pete told me not to practice without him and I chose not to listen. I had just as much to do with it as you did.” Gwen leaned against the windowsill. “I never thanked you, by the way.”

  “Thanked me? Pretty sure that’s the last thing you should do,” he said his elbows resting on his knees.

  “No. Tina told me you did that thing again. You took my pain when we had the brain aneurism.”

  He stared into her eyes long and hard. “You don’t need to thank me Gwen… I’ll never let you experience any pain that I can experience for you, it’s what I’m…meant to do.”

  Gwen felt her stomach turn circles. For the first time Gwen saw Andrew as more than the large awkward guy who was forced to protect her. She imagined him as just a regular boy shed met at school and was surprised by her feelings. Shaking it off, she laughed, “Well, good luck with that. I’m pretty accident prone.” Andrew smiled in response. “So where are we going anyway?” Gwen asked.

  “I’m instructed not to tell you,” he answered with a punch of sarcasm. Leaning back in his chair he looked at his watch. “Well we’re going to be late if he’s not here soon.” At that Gwen heard the front door close. Andrew nodded to the kitchen. “That’s your cue. Better head out to meet him. I’ll go find Tok.” Andrew walked out the back door, clearly avoiding witnessing Pete’s reaction to Gwen’s dress. She walked out into the kitchen and met Pete. He was wearing trendy jeans and a black sports jacket. His hair was his typical messy perfect. Gwen ran her hands down her dress, presenting it with a smile.

  Pete grinned adoringly back. “You look stunning.”

  “Well so do you,” she said.

  “Ready?” he asked extending his arm.

  “Just about.” She held up her shoes and held onto his arm while strapping them on. “I’ll follow you,” she said. The pair walked outside, where an old muscle car was parked in the driveway.

  “This is my baby. After all the time I’ve spent here…all the cars I’ve driven, this is my favorite. Pure American muscle. She’s a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500. Midnight black.” Gwen had no idea what he was talking about, but the car sure was beautiful. She saw Andrew and Tok parked in the black Escalade already running, waiting to follow them to the restaurant. He opened the door for her and she awkwardly slid into the cars leather seat. To her surprise it smelled new despite its year. A pair of dice hung from the review mirror. Gwen couldn’t help but to giggle when she saw them.

  “Hey, they were left over from the fifties. The fifties were some good years,” Pete teased.

  “I bet they were,” Gwen said. She wondered what he was like in the fifties. Greased hair, t-shirts with pockets, cigarettes.

  “So, I thought we’d go to Amelio’s. What do you think?” Pete asked. While pulling out of the driveway, Gwen peered at him through the corner of her eye. His square jaw gave way to that pointed boyish chin completed with a slight dimple. He wasn’t perfectly clean shaven, but wasn’t really in need of a shave either. Somewhere in between, she figured. He had the most delicate lips for a man of his stature. His dark thick eyebrows sat perfectly above his intense sparkling emerald eyes. He drove with one hand on the vintage steering wheel and the other sat on the shifter. Amelio’s sounded perfect. After all, it was her favorite upscale restaurant and club.

  “Sounds great.” The familiar restaurant reminded her of her brothers. “What are the boys up to tonight?” she asked.

  “They were going to camp outside tonight,” Pete added.

  “Oh,” Gwen stated looking out her window. Pete could see the worry on her face.

  “They’ll be fine. I’m sure Tina will have one of her firefly shows. Mike will love it. She has the bugs line up and put on shows sometimes.”

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “For?”

  “Making me feel better, and being so good to the boys. I don’t even think Mike is missing home.”

  “Of course.” He shifted. “It has to be hard on them.”

  “Do you think my parents are ok?” she asked ringing her hands together.

  “Yah they’re fine. Your dad thinks you guys went to stay with your aunt Patty,” he said looking in his review mirror.

  “What if they go to Amelio’s tonight?” Gwen fretted aloud. She didn’t want to see her mother. She wasn’t sure whether she would hug her and cry, or scream at her for keeping so many secrets.

  “They’re not, your dad’s…busy.”

  Gwen knew what Pete wasn’t saying. As many times as she knew her father was unfaithful to her mother, it never got any easier to swallow.

  “So I guess we should talk about today huh…” Gwen confessed. “Ash said you already know…” Gwen clicked her fingernails together, anxiously awaiting his response.

  “I do…” he said calmly.

  “Yah…I’m sorry. I know you told me not to…”

  “I know it’s tempting to use your ability here. Trust me, I’ve been in enough sticky situations myself…It’s just different when it’s… you. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.” Pete peered intensely ahead. “After all, I’ve kept you safe for this long, what a waste of effort if you kicked the bucket now,” he smiled, not taking his eyes off the road.

  Gwen breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t mad at her. She tried to change the subject quickly. “What was life like in the forties?” she asked mostly to avoid any awkward silence, but it was one of her favorite eras to study.

  Pete sighed. “The forties were fun. Times were tough for a lot of people. I enlisted that year for the first time.”

  “You were in the military?” She was surprised Pete would risk his life for people in this world when it wasn’t even his home.

  “Special Forces. I couldn’t ignore what was going on under Hitler’s regime.”

  Gwen turned to face him in her seat. “You were actually there? I mean, there liberating the Jews?” Gwen was fascinated by stories from concentration camps during World War II. The sheer hell those people endured. Sickening what mankind was capable of.

  “Yes. I was there…” Pete trailed off, clenching his jaw.

  Sensing his discomfort, Gwen changed the subject. “I bet you were pretty smooth in the fifties, did you dance?”

  Pete laughed. “Yah I tore it up every once in a while. Some great times in the fifties.”

  “Teach me how to jive someday?” Gwen moved her hands in a sad attempt at a hand jive.

  Chuckling, Pete said, “Sure, if you promise never to do that again.”

  She giggled. “Deal…so does this thing have a radio?” Turning knobs on the dash she managed to find the power button. A beautiful slow big band era song filled their ears.

  “What is this?” she asked.

  “You can change it if you want. I personally am fond of music from the forties. Could never get into the new stuff.”

  Gwen listened for a second as the man sang in a low, silky voice, Do you think I’ll remember how you looked when you smile? Only forever, that’s puttin” it mild. She smiled, “I love this. What is it?

  “Bing Crosby. Only forever…” he made eye contact with her and she blushed.

  They drove in silence for a while listening. She attempted to st
eal glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye. He caught her and chuckled. They arrived at Amelio’s, but drove past.

  “You missed it,” she said turning around.

  “I said we were eating at Amelio's, and that’s what we’re going to do,” he answered mischievously.

  “Where are we going?” she begged.

  “Oh, hold on we’re almost there.”

  They drove onto a country road and came to a long lane that led to an old bed and breakfast. The house was huge and red with a white wraparound porch and matching deck. It looked like a Victorian dollhouse with its scalloped peaks and decorative windows. An elderly couple was sitting on their porch in wicker rocking chairs. The woman put down her embroidery when she saw the car approaching. Her white hair was brushed back into a perfect bun, and she wore a blue floral apron. Deep lines covered her aged face and her blue eyes sparkled with delight. She nudged her sleeping husband whose hat was pulled down over his eyes. He awoke with a fright. Noticing the car, he smiled and they headed down the stairs.

  Pete parked the car in the grass in front of the house. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Where are we?” she began, but before she could finish her question Pete was already out of the car and walking around to her side. He opened the door and took her hand. “Thanks,” she said confused.

  “Oh, Petren, Petren, Petren!” the woman said in an accent foreign to Gwen. Maybe Italian? She grabbed Pete and hugged him tightly. “You told us your Gwen was beautiful but look at her, Alfie. Oh my, my, my!” She ran her hand over Gwen’s styled hair and took her by the shoulders examining her face, a little close for Gwen’s comfort. “You are just striking my dear!”

  “Thank you.” Gwen smiled.

  “Maria, let the girl breathe,” The man warned grinning from behind her. He took his wife by the shoulder and pulled her close to him. His grey mustache twitched as he talked.

  Pete presented Gwen formally, “Mr. and Mrs. Amelio, meet Gwendylon. Gwendylon Mr. and Mrs. Amelio.”

  “Nice you meet you both,” Gwen added.

  “Oh you too sweetheart.” Mrs. Amelio warmly responded.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Amelio were the restaurant’s original founders, now their grandson runs it.” Pete said.

  Gwen thought that explained a lot. “Well, I love your restaurant. It is by far my favorite,” she complemented.

  “Thank you dear. We poured our hearts into the place. It’s different now with the club and bar attached than we envisioned but I guess that’s what attracts the young people these days,” Mr. Amelio explained.

  “Well let’s not keep these two here talking with us old people. The…uh….dinner table is ready for you Petren.” Mrs. Amelio winked.

  “Thank you Maria. Well join me this way Gwen?” Pete extended his arm and Gwen took it. They walked down the dirt path that disappeared into the trees.

  Mrs. Amelio folded her hands and held them close to her chest eyes welling up with tears.

  “Come on Maria. Let the two be.” Mr. Amelio laughed as the teary eyed woman reluctantly followed her husband inside.

  “They seem so sweet,” Gwen said looking up at Pete.

  “They are. They’ve been good to me. I met Maria’s grandmother years ago in Italy, though they of course have no idea. Sweet girl. We were friends for some time and kept in touch through letters.”

  Gwen wondered if this was a friend or girlfriend. She knew it didn’t matter, she wasn’t even born, but she was curious. “What happened to her?”

  She got married and they started a vineyard. Had five little dark haired children. I visited for a while, but of course that couldn’t keep going on. She was realizing I looked the same as the day we met. We wrote for nearly sixty years. One day her letters stopped coming and I heard she had passed away.” Pete slid his hands into his pockets, looking down as he spoke.

  “That’s so sad,” Gwen said.

  “It’s life.”

  They came to a bridge that crossed over a small creek. Gwen stopped. A two story Victorian gazebo sat perfectly on the other side of the bridge. It was cream on the bottom with wrap around stairs that led to the yellow top half. White Christmas lights were strung daintily around it and a white table, decorated with candles and blush roses, sat perfectly in the middle of the bottom layer.

  “Is this for us?” Gwen could have kicked herself. Of course it was for them.

  “Yes, if it’s ok?” Pete asked.

  “It’s more than ok. This is probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It’s so…perfect!” she said excitedly.

  “Well let’s go, after you,” he said as they crossed the white wooden bridge into the gazebo. He pulled out the ornate white chair for her and she sat as he took his place across from her. Sliding the flower arrangement aside he said, “I hope it’s okay, but I ordered for you.”

  Gwen giggled. “What did you get?”

  “The chicken saltimbocca?”

  “Perfect.” She should have known he’d order her favorite.

  Soon Mrs. Amelio arrived carrying two glasses and a pitcher of ice water. “Well you two like the set up?” she asked joyously. “I had Alfie string lights. Thought it added a romantic touch.”

  “They’re wonderful Mrs. Amelio,” Gwen said politely admiring Alfie’s work once more.

  “Oh call me Maria, bella,” she said. “Oh ok, Maria bella.” Gwen said.

  Maria and Pete laughed but Gwen was confused. “What?” she asked.

  “Bella is beautiful in Italian dear. My fault,” Maria confessed through her thick accent.

  Gwen could feel her cheeks turn pink. “Oh. Just Maria then,” she corrected. Now even more nervous, Gwen smoothed her dress on her lap and shivered as Maria filled their water glasses. It was a gorgeous night for October but still chilly none the less.

  “Want to see something fancy?” the old woman asked as she walked behind Gwen and bent down to turn a switch. “I had Alfie install this last year. We old people get cold out here.” Gwen turned and noticed a little electric fireplace glowing behind her, adding a beautiful ambience as well as much needed heat. “Seems odd to heat the outside, but I love sitting beside it out here. Now what to drink my dears?” she asked. “Have a fresh batch of apple cider? I know it’s not fancy but-”

  “That sounds perfect,” Gwen stated.

  Pete grinned. “Apple cider it is, Maria.” She winked and headed toward the house.

  “Where are Andrew and Tok?” Gwen wondered aloud.

  “They went to Amelio’s. Didn’t think we needed an audience tonight.” Gwen pictured Andrew and Tok sitting at the bar. Amelio’s was always packed with young single women and men. She wondered if they’d be social or sit back and observe in protective mode.

  “Will we be okay without them? I mean isn’t it possible the-” she lowered her voice, “They…will attack?”

  He leaned in close and whispered sarcastically, “We’re taking a risk.”

  Gwen sighed and rolled her eyes. “Seriously. I’ve seen you in action enough to know you’re not just going to let us be put in danger.”

  He looked offended, though Gwen knew he wasn’t. “Alright. I had Tina enchant the gazebo.”

  Gwen was puzzled. “But the Amelio’s can see us?”

  “Tina covertly got them to breath in some dust,” he answered taking a drink of his water. Gwen liked the way he closed his eyes as he drank.

  Soon, Mrs. Amelio returned with the beverages and was followed by Alfie carrying their dinner. “Alright my children, dinner is served.” He sat two covered plates in front of them. “Enjoy,” he said taking a bow, and the pair walked off hand in hand.

  Gwen lifted the silver cover off her plate and steam rose into the air. “Looks delicious,” she said. She hadn’t realized just how hungry she was. Pete did the same, and Gwen saw he too had ordered the same dish. The two ate and made small talk until they couldn’t eat anymore.

  “I am stuffed.” Pete said, holding his rock hard abs.

&
nbsp; “Me too,” Gwen said sitting back into her chair.

  Suddenly, more big band music began to play. Gwen smiled. “Where’s that coming from?” She looked around and saw a small speaker at the top of the gazebo.

  Pete stood up offering her his hand. “Dance with me?” he asked.

  “Love to,” she said smiling. “First let me do one thing.” She slipped her heels off underneath the table. “There, that’s better.” Pete slid one hand around to her lower back and took her hand in the other. It was nothing like she’d danced at school dances before. He swayed slowly back and forth, guiding her by her hip. Her heart raced as he pulled her in closer. She could smell his cologne, sweet yet musty. He stared adoringly into her eyes, never looking away.

  “You’re pretty good at this,” Gwen noticed.

  Pete half smiled. “I’ve had some practice.” She figured he was right. “Hold on,” he said as he raised his arm and twirled her under, bringer her closer to his chest than even before. To her surprise, Gwen spun without falter. “I’d say you’re not too bad yourself, miss darling.”

  She returned his grin. “Is there dancing in Everland?” she wondered aloud.

  “There is. Much like medieval dancing.” He talked to her, but seemed much more content looking into her eyes than making conversation. It made her feel uneasy. She wasn’t used to someone so intense. He had an unusually large smile now.

  “What are you smiling at?” Gwen finally asked.

  “You.”

  She laughed. “Well I know, but why?”

  “You’re just strange.”

  “I’m strange?” she said, thin eyebrow cocked.

  “Yes.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. He thought she was strange?

  “Strangely beautiful… strangely funny… strangely…perfect...” Holding her gaze he finally looked away. “And now I am sure you think I am strangely-”

  “Wonderful,” she whispered.

  He stopped swaying and gently took her face in his hands. He stroked her cheek as he whispered back, bringing his lips closer to hers. “Wonderful?” he asked. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”

  She brought her hand up and measured roughly an inch between in thumb and forefinger. “Just a little wonderful,” she whispered even softer as he brought her lips to his.