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Oh, she does not like that and the look she gives David’s father clearly says ‘butt out.’
Aurelio rises. “Time to hunt, we’ll be back by sunrise, son.”
Once their presence is no longer felt, I can breathe again.
“I’m so sorry, Jess. I swear, they’ve never done this before,” David apologizes.
“Promise me you’ll never, ever leave me alone with her,” I plead. “I know she’s your mother, but she’s fucking scary.”
“You have no idea just how scary she can be but I promise, you’ll not be left alone with her.” He presses his lips to mine. His lips normally calm me though right now, I am anything but.
The dogs stop dead in their tracks in front of the guest room when we walk past it, hackles raised as they growl their dislikes toward our house guests. We pass David in the kitchen on our way outside. “They didn’t react well as we passed the room your parents are staying in,” I told him. This further reiterates the need to keep them in our room while they are here.
David agrees. “Their reaction to my parents was the one I expected to receive the first time you brought them over.”
“What did your mother mean when she asked about your plans after college?” I ask once we are outside.
“Remember, Jess, I’m next in line which means I’ll have to return to Bulgaria at some point. But this is nothing for us to worry about now.” He presses his lips to my furrowed brows.
“And when she asked about the choices you’ll have to make?” Her questions worried me that David will leave me behind.
This is harder for him to answer. “There are many choices for us to make if we decide to stay together; well, if you decide to stay with me. You already know I’m in it until the end.”
Like a tidal wave, our previous conversation comes flooding back. He would have to turn me after my twenty-first birthday, and we won’t be able to have children. The family legacy would end.
Is that a burden I want to bear? To be the cause of a centuries-old hierarchy ending?
“David, are you sure you want to be with me? I mean, it’s not like you’re giving up family holidays. You’d be giving up an entire legacy. There’s no way in hell your mother will let that happen.” My heart pounds an angry beat. I can’t get Lourdes’ angry eyes out of my skull.
“I’ll live until the world ends. What matters most is that we ride it out together. I cannot make the choice for you nor will I try, but you would be giving up far more than me. You’d lose your humanity.”
Not something you hear in every day conversation and putting it into blunt perspective as he just did is a hard dose of reality. Sure, the choice is mine and mine alone and not one I’m anywhere near prepared to make now.
“Come,” he wraps his arms around my waist. “It’s almost sunrise, Amor. Time for bed.”
Lying in his arms is the only place I want to be right now.
A little game of cat and mouse would be a nice end to such a stressful day so being the bad kitty that I am, I tease, “Shower with me?”
“Race you upstairs,” echoes back as he is up the stairs and in our room before I even reach the foyer. By the time I get up there he is already in the shower. Washed, dried, and yawning, I thought for sure I’d fall right to sleep. That isn’t an option as a pair of familiar evil eyes haunt me.
The next afternoon, I wake before David. Leaving our room and running into his parents keeps me in bed longer. We never heard them come back last night, so the dogs are calm for the time being even though I’m not.
“Good morning, Jess,” David rolls over. “What are you doing?”
“Lying here thinking of ways to avoid your parents. Will you go downstairs and get the dogs’ leashes so we can take them out?” Even to my own ears I sound like a wuss but it isn’t like I’m avoiding a snake, this is a supernatural human being I have to avoid. Huge difference.
He puts on a pair of lounge pants and runs downstairs, returning seconds later. “My parents aren’t up yet, but I’d still feel better with the dogs leashed just in case.”
With the four-legged duo secured, we speed past their room then down and outside. Fear of his mother tearing my dogs apart conjures a horrific image. That woman radiates evil and she would have no qualms destroying my beloved pets.
It’s Christmas Eve, and I’ve resigned myself to the fact that it isn’t going to be the intimate celebration I’d hoped for. Initially it was only the two of us, so we didn’t bother putting up a tree or decorations. Having uninvited, ill-tempered guests takes the merriment from the holiday, which is a bummer. I was looking forward to our first Christmas together.
By the time we dress and go back downstairs, his parents are up. His mother’s arctic gaze is on me before we round the corner. In order to avoid conflict I divert my gaze and greet Aurelio first. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Aurelio smiles.
However, the ice queen gives me a negative once over and utters, “Morning.”
