Chapter 9

God I love this book...lol! Every chapter I write makes me fall in love with the characters all over again! I only hope everyone else is enjoying it as much as I am!

Chapter 9

 

            When I was a young pup, my father asked me what I wanted to do with my life. We were living together in the deep caverns of Latibul at the time, submersed fully in the culture and tradition of our kind that had spanned for centuries. So naturally, I was confused at why he would ask me this. I was a male, a Lycan, and a motherless b*****d. There really wasn’t much that I could do, at least to my own limited knowledge. That was how it seemed to me at the time.

            “I want to kill vampires.” I answered him, believing that to be the best answer a good pup could give his father. I sought after that primal need to make him, the only parental presence in my life, proud of me.

            “Is that really what you want to do with your life, Randolf? Or is that what you think I want you to do?” He was always gentle in his conversations with me. Carefully and subtly wise so that I would not feel oppressed or foolish.

            I could not answer him at first. I was confused. No one had ever asked me what I wanted to do before. I had preconditioned myself to obey orders and to believe as all the others of my kind believed.

            “I don’t know,” I answered him with humbled realization. “I didn’t know I would have a choice about what I want to do.”

            “You always have a choice, my son. That is something that no one can ever take from you. Always remember that and do not be afraid of what others may do or say to you because of what you decide.” He was very resolved in that declaration, looking to me as if he hoped for greater things than he had been able to accomplish himself. “Those who condemn you will not have to stand with you when you answer for your deeds before the goddess. You must make your own choice. That is my wish for you, Randolf.”

            “But what if I choose something that Mother doesn’t approve of? What if choose something bad?”

            He smiled at me then, placing a hand upon the top of my head and mussing up my hair, “You must decide in your own heart what is good and what is bad, Randolf. No one can make that choice but you and no one has the right to call what you believe wrong or bad. Never forget this and never surrender what you know to be good and just in your heart. If you betray yourself, then you will have betrayed the only person in the world you can ever truly trust.”

 

~<*>~

 

            There had been no use in trying to conceal what had happened from Kim who all but convulsed with glee the very moment that she learned of it. She demanded a full recounting of every word, every gesture and glance, that had passed between Charly and Randolf in the garden and was only satisfied when it had been described in full. It left Charly exhausted but she was pleased, at least, that Kim seemed rather proud of her.

            “I knew it. The poor man is madly in love with you, Charly. He’s beside himself and he couldn’t stand to be near you and not have you.” Kim pronounced in a scholarly tone, “If it hadn’t been your first kiss he might’ve told you he loved you right then, it sounds like he wanted to. He probably just didn’t want to scare you off by proceeding too fast.”

            “I’ll be sure to express my thanks for that later.” Charly grinned, feeling oddly satisfied despite how the fluttering exhilaration of excitement and nervousness still made her lightheaded now and again. It hardly seemed that it could all be real.

            The town began to buzz as the weekend of the Calloway’s luau approached. Kim and Katia, who had made fast and ecstatic friends at Dervyshire, now joined forces to fill up Charly’s inbox with excited text messages. It made her smile and Charly could not but admit that she was pleased that they were getting along so well and that Katia seemed to approve of her having a relationship with her uncle.

The four of them, it had been firmly decided, should be the only ones to know of this developing relationship until Charly’s parents and the town as a whole had warmed up to Randolf and Katia adequately. Charly was certain that no matter how long they waited, it would still cause a great deal of rumor and scandal when they finally did go public with their intentions. But Randolf insisted that he should make himself known around her household a little better and she didn’t argue with that. Perhaps Sam would gain more clarity on where exactly he stood.

On the Wednesday before the luau, Randolf came to call with Katia in tow and made their first formal visit to the Montgomery household. Mrs. Montgomery was elated to have that dark, charming man back in her home and Katia was well liked by anyone she met. She dazzled Mrs. Montgomery with her sweet compliments, feminine little giggles, and apparent mutual fondness for town gossip.

Sam was less than amused and Mr. Montgomery was stubbornly indifferent to having the newcomers in his house. Both men sat beside each other at the dinner table looking down at their food and attempting to appear as unapproachable as possible. In her father’s case, Charly was sure this was because he didn’t relish the idea of having wealthy new faces in the community. But Sam still had a chip on his shoulder and occasionally shot a heated stare to the head of the table where Randolf was sitting.

Randolf was social, calm, and completely appropriate as always. He tried to engage Mr. Montgomery on a few accounts about the heritage of the land and their family lineage, and Charly could not but blush with silent mortification at her father’s curt replies. Randolf hardly seemed phased by them, though, and offered a small amount of insight into his own family’s claims to Dervyshire and how he’d come to own it in the first place. Perhaps he was used to having to fabricate a conversation with himself at dinners like this.

Charly listened, observing the interactions and keeping her own tongue reserved. But her eyes looked endearingly to Randolf now matter how she tried to check herself and she felt sure that Sam had noticed this because his face soured and he looked nearly ill by the time dinner was over.

“I suppose I should come to the purpose of our visit now, Mrs. Montgomery.” Randolf addressed her since he could get no response from Mr. Montgomery who was studying his turnip greens as if the meaning of life might be hidden somewhere within them.

“Oh yes!” Katia verified, clapping her hands together excitedly, her little porcelain cheeks rosy and cheery. She bounced in her seat next to Charly, reaching to seize her arm and look up at her ardently, “You must accept, Charly, you mustn’t refuse us!”

Charly was vexed and raised a bewildered expression to Randolf who was sitting casually with his elbows resting on the tabletop. His smile was secretive and wry, seeming to enjoy the moment of impending surprise.

“I was going to ask if we might borrow Miss Charlotte tomorrow for the day. I’ve been promising that I would take Katia to Canon City with me for a day to go shopping for her new school clothes, but you can imagine how and errand like that would be of little interest to me. If Miss Charlotte would oblige me by acting as Katia’s chaperone, then I could see after some business at the hospital while they satisfy themselves with shopping.” Randolf spoke with a tone as rich and smooth as bitter chocolate, flavored handsomely with his German accent. The words melted on her mother’s ears in a way she couldn’t have refused and Charly felt a small twinge of jealousy that she couldn’t influence her mother that easily.

            “We’ll be very safe, Mrs. Montgomery! We will stay together the whole time and Uncle Randy will give us enough money to have lunch and dinner. We will take care of everything!” Katia added her own sugary sweetness to the mix and Charly sat meekly in her chair, feeling the brunt force of Sam’s venomous glare from across the supper table. He didn’t approve.

            “That sounds like fun!” Mrs. Montgomery sang in approval, “I almost wish I could go! But you kids go on and have a good time. I’m sure Dr. Randolf will take good care of my Charly.”

            The irony of those words made Charly’s lips twist a little into a small smirk and she lowered her head a little, to hide that expression from the rest of the table.

            “It could be late when we get back,” Randolf interjected then, “I apologize if that is unacceptable but I thought they might like to go for dinner and maybe a movie. As long as we have a day out in the city, they might as well get their fill of it.”

            Mrs. Montgomery didn’t lose any spirit and beamed at him, batting her lashes as she elbowed her husband to force him to engage. “Oh take as long as you want! It’s not everyday we have such wonderful new friends who are willing to force Charly out of the house. We’re happy to let you have her for as long as you want.”

            After being forced to take notice to the conversation, Mr. Montgomery’s only response was a grunt, a nod, and a mumble. “Yeah. Happy.”

            Charly returned Katia’s smiles as the little girl giggled excitedly and shook her arm. “We’ll have so much fun! But be ready early because we’re coming to get you at 6 AM sharp! I want to be there when all the stores open!”

            Such an early hour felt cruel but Charly nodded and cast a curious glance to Randolf who looked rather pensive and distant where he sat. She could not but wonder if they were really going to shopping or not. Having known Randolf and Katia no longer than she had, there really was no way to tell. But if it really were a shopping trip, as they said, wouldn’t they have invited Kim as well? For fear of divulging some secret to the errand, she didn’t ask straightaway.

            Randolf and Katia bade their farewells, climbing back into the sleek silver car that Katia had announced would be hers as soon as she got her driver’s license. Randolf hadn’t looked as sure about that but didn’t object or embarrass her about it. The silver car slipped into the darkness, leaving Charly and her mother standing on the porch to watch the tail lights fade away down the road.

Loneliness gripped her so suddenly that Charly nearly choked out loud, standing beside her mother on the front porch steps and trying not to appear too distressed by it.

“Such a nice pair.” Her mother sighed, resting a pointed hand on her daughter’s back. “I wonder whatever happened to that poor little girl’s mother. Such a shame... a sweet little girl like that should have a mother’s love.”

“Randolf loves her.” Charly spoke with certainty, “He takes good care of her. I doubt there’s anyone else who would have taken such good care of her in her parents’ stead.”

Mrs. Montgomery agreed absolutely and gave her daughter’s shoulder a little tug towards the front door. “He seems to be a very level headed man, but he’s so young. It’s almost a shame that a man that young should already be a parent. But he’s noble to do it so happily and so credibly. I wonder if there’s a woman in Westcliffe who might catch his eye. She would be a fortunate woman, to be sure.”

Charly felt her heart pound with sudden painful anxiety. She paled at the idea that her mother should have noticed any subtle glances passed between them. If she were to find out about them, the entire town would know by morning.

“Your friend Kimberly James is a well-thought-of young woman. Pretty too. I wonder if he’s met her yet...they might make a handsome couple.” Her mother continued, holding the door open as Charly followed her back inside.

Despite a sensation of eased relief that her mother didn’t suspect them, Charly couldn’t deny a small twinge of jealous frustration that her mother completely dismissed her own daughter as a good contender for Randolf’s affections. Was she so unfortunate looking? Was she so uninteresting? Did she not have a good standing amongst the townsfolk? Of course, Kim would never think of pursuing the man that Charly cared for and she knew this to be a fact, but she felt herself sulk a little in spite.

In her mother’s eyes, Charly was already paired up with the perfect suitor for her. A suitor that would keep her here, bound inescapably to the land that had been her family’s for generations. Suggesting otherwise would thwart her scheme that she should choose to care for someone other than Samuel Elrod.

Charly couldn’t force herself to say another word about it as she cleaned up the kitchen, listening to her mother sing the praises of the new owners of Dervyshire Park to Mr. Montgomery who still refused to me amused by it. She worked as quickly and efficiently as she knew how, eager to retreat to her room before anyone spoke to her again.

Sam hovered in the kitchen doorway, ready to intercept her and watching her with scrutinizing blue eyes. He didn’t say a word but she was at no loss as to what he was thinking or what he wanted to say. He stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe and observing her as a hawk might a mouse, a look of disgusted disapproval on his face. His expression broke as she turned upon him suddenly, prepared to duel him for her passage up to her bedroom, and cast him a ferocious scowl of warning that he should check himself before he said a word.

“You used to like me.” He spoke, his tone not at all what she had expected. He sounded and appeared nearly hurt by her anger and looked away down at the floor in between them. “We used to be friends, you know. You used to like being around me. You used to be excited when I came here and you got mad when I had to leave.”

Charly pressed her lips together firmly, feeling a small swell of reluctant remorse. “We were children, Sam. That was a long time ago for both of us.”

“You’re right.” He conceded, looking up to her once more with anguished desperation in his round blue eyes. “You changed and I don’t even remember when you started hating me. I don’t remember if it was something I did that set you off. Maybe it was. But I hate this. I hate knowing that you can’t stand me and that you’d rather have some stranger you barely know than someone you know loves you and has loved you for a long time. It...It isn’t fair. The way you look at him...you should be looking at me that way.”

His words struck her and she felt a pang of pain as the walls she’d build between herself and him splintered and cracked. He was right, to some extent. He had never done anything to her to deserve such treatment and she had no right to behave so uncivilly to someone who had been a good friend of hers in the past. It wasn’t his fault; at least, it hadn’t been initially.

“I couldn’t make you happy, Sam. Deep down, I think you know that but you refuse to admit it to yourself. I miss the way things were and I won’t lie to you about that. But I will not give you any reason to believe that I feel the same way. I won’t lead you on in blind hope like that.” She hung her head and swallowed, gathering herself a moment before she could continue. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

He was quiet then, watching her as she stood in numb silence in front of him. “Yeah. Sorry doesn’t really cut it in this case, Charly.” He said at last and turned away, retreating into the den to climb the stairs up to the guest room.

Charly waited until she heard the bedroom door shut to breathe again and let out a trembling, exhausted sigh. She felt she could hardly stand and leaned upon the door frame with one hand long enough to steady herself before she retired to her bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind her.

6 AM was early but she felt it couldn’t come soon enough and she lay awake, listening to the house fall silent and the wind howl outside her bedroom window. In her loneliness, she was weak against the emotional barrages of Sam and subtle dismissal of her mother. All at once she felt that keeping this relationship a secret might have been a mistake after all. But in spite of the pleasant image of supposed security the idea of exposure presented, Charly knew that no good would come of it. Randolf had been in Westcliffe only a short time and such a scandal would make him seem like some sort of a social predator, preying upon the naïve country girl who’d never felt the lips of a man upon hers before. Their time would come soon enough and she merely had to remain patient and confident that Randolf wouldn’t change his mind about her.

 

Author's Note

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