Chapter 21

 

There was a knock at the door, Thomas got up and answered it. He’d ordered out pizza, which of course was one of his favorite things about living in the city, he could order out almost any kind of food he wanted to be delivered right to the front door. He did this often, not that he couldn’t cook, or that he was lazy, he just liked the fact that he didn’t have to. This of course also prolonged him from having to answer my question.

“Hello, you ordered a deep dish chicken and artichoke heart on white sauce? A young man’s voice with an undistinguishable accent came from outside the door, he was definitely Asian, but without seeing the young man, I wasn’t sure which country or province.

“Yes,” Thomas replied, “How much will that be?” Thomas pulled out his wallet, and handed the young man twenty-five dollars, and told him to keep the change. I just shook my head.

“I think I’ve created a monster” I chided looking at Thomas holding a pizza box at the door. “Is there any food you don’t like to have delivered?” I laughed.

Thomas just stood there for a moment with the most innocent look on his face, “What do you mean?” he asked. “It’s cool to be able to order in, not to have to cook all the time.”

It managed to buy him some more time to avoid the subject that was on my mind, I knew he didn’t want to talk about it. I was worried though, that we needed to discuss what happened, and what the outcome could be. What if something was wrong with me, what if I was unable to produce children, would he still want to invest so much in me? Would he still love me if I couldn’t give him a daughter, or any off-spring for that matter? I felt my heart catch in my throat, I knew how much he wanted to avoid the discussion, but I needed to have it, I needed to know how he truly felt.

I motioned for him to join me on the sofa, he came over and sat down beside me, setting the box on the table in front of us, he opened it, pulling out a slice, he offered it to me. I took the pizza willingly, and decided not to press him to talk about it at the moment. I needed to give him time to come to grips with it as well as needing some time and space myself. I sat there next to Thomas, as we ate dinner. He’d found a movie on the television that was just our cup of tea. We sat there cuddled up, not talking for the rest of the night, just being together, for the moment it was all we both wanted.

I can’t say I let go of the worry, because I didn’t, the scene of my sister running me through with the spear haunted my dreams. I tried to push it all to the back of my mind for now, but I thought maybe I should talk to Nick and see if he knew any good women’s doctors or maybe I should just see Nick. Maybe this was something I should find out on my own before I worried him with it. I let out a small sigh, snuggling closer into Thomas, taking in his warmth, his scent, everything I could about him. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing him. He responded by pulling me closer, kissing me gently on the top of my head, a look of happiness played across his face, I wished that at that moment I could share it with him, but I couldn’t, too much of our future was riding on me, on my being able to his wife, his mate in every sense of the word. What if I couldn’t was the question that kept tugging at the corners of my mind, what then?

I awoke the next morning to the sound of the alarm going off, I had classes, I had to get myself out of bed and around to go, part of me was reluctant to leave Thomas’ side. I wanted to be with him, as much as I could. I stumbled to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee, the smell of freshly brewing coffee wafting through the apartment must have awakened Thomas, he was sitting up in bed, the sheet wrapped around his waist, with a cup in his hand, when I came out of the shower. He looked up at me.

“Good morning Prince Charming.” I said teasingly. This earned me an early morning smile, which set the tone for my entire day. I was happy, happier than I could ever remember being in my life, just being with him. I headed into the kitchen and fixed myself a cup of coffee coming back to join him on the bed.

“I’ve been thinking about something” I turned my attention to him. He looked up at me from the paper he was reading. “I’m thinking about dropping my semester.” I waited to see his response, I didn’t want him to be disappointed, but I couldn’t think of school right now, not with so much going on in my life.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that, it means everything to you” He said, “I know we have a lot going on but we can work it around your classes if you want to stay in school.” I knew we could, I even knew we would if it’s what I wanted, but suddenly school just didn’t seem as important to me as it did even a week ago, things were changing so quickly, it just seemed as though if I didn’t keep up I might get left behind.

“I know you wouldn’t ask,” I stated plainly, “And you didn’t ask, it was just something I was considering.” I shrugged as I took a small drink of my coffee. “I can drop my semester without losing my scholarships and grants, so long as I go back next semester. If at that point I decide I don’t’ want to continue school then I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I will however lose my place on the swim team and have to either forego it for my last year, or re-qualify for it if I decide to go on and get my Master’s.” I looked down at the ring on my left ring finger, then back up at Thomas. “There are more important things in my life right now.” I smiled at him. “Besides, I’ve got a wedding to plan, you wanted to buy a house, and go furniture shopping, you wanted me to take self defense classes, just seems like there’s so much to do and not a lot of time to get it all done. Not to mention having to go back home at some point for at least a visit to determine what my grandmother has up her sleeve.” I let out a chaste sigh, I was tired just thinking about it all, and we hadn’t even started.

Thomas laughed, “Slow down, we’ll get it all done.” he said. “It’s not like it all has to happen today or even tomorrow.” He was smiling from ear to ear. “It’s been less than a week, we’ve got plenty of time.” He said, leaning over to kiss me gently on the lips. “I love you, I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” I smiled at him.

“I know you’re not going anywhere, but there are so many thing that I need to learn, that I can’t learn sitting in a classroom.” I shrugged. “Or swimming in a pool trying to get ready for swim meets, not that I don’t love my swimming I do, and I will miss it, but I think I’ll get more than my share of it in the near future.” I giggled softly.

Turning slightly I placed my cup on the bookcase headboard of the bed and scooted across to meet him in the middle, I laid my head against his chest, I could hear the stead rhythm of his heartbeat , it was as though the longer I sat there so very close to him the more our life forces synchronized, beating in time together. He rested his chin on the top of my head, then moved his face slightly to one side to place a kiss in my hair, breathing deeply, taking in the scent of my freshly washed hair. “You smell good,” Thomas said into my hair as he breathed in the scent. I let out a small laugh, turning my face upwards where our lips met in a passionate kiss. I wanted to stay like this, for the rest of the day, just he and I, but I knew I had to either get to class or head to the registrar’s office and drop my classes for the semester, I couldn’t afford to miss class again. I might not carry the best average, but I didn’t want to fail any of my classes. I slowly pulled free of Thomas’ caress, moving to the edge of the bed, where I sat not really wanting to put my feet on the floor. I didn’t want to leave this sanctuary we had right now, the feeling that nothing in the world could get to us.

Reluctantly I slid out of bed, placing my feet on the carpet and bending down to search through the dresser beneath for clothing. I got dressed, and went to my small desk where I started gathering all of my books, I might as well stop by the campus book store and sell them all back before the deadline if I was dropping my classes for the semester. It was just one less thing to worry about later. Thomas watched as I gathered up the last of my books, the look on his face was one of sorrow. He felt as though he’d taken something from me, though the truth of the matter was I’d given it up freely. The Goddess had told me what needed to happen, but it wasn’t until this moment that I understood what The Divine Mother had meant.

I smiled at Thomas, “Don’t.” He looked at me in surprise.

“Don’t what?” He asked.

“Don’t feel like you made me give this up, you didn’t.” I dropped my backpack and walked over to the bed where he was laying on his stomach, head propped in his elbows watching me. “You didn’t make me do anything, I’m doing this because it’s what needs to be done. It’s what the Divine Mother has shown me needs to be done.” This earned me a puzzled look from him. I bent and kissed him on the top of his head.

“What do you mean it’s what the Divine Mother has shown you?” he responded thoroughly perplexed.

“She came to me in a dream, after the Spelldream with Emerald, She asked me if I was ready to learn,” I sat down on the edge of the bed, off handedly playing with Thomas’ long tresses. “I told her that I felt I was, and She said then it was time.” I shrugged, letting go of his hair, he rolled over on his back so he could look up at me. “So, I guess then it’s time, time for me to move on and start a new part of my life.” Thomas raised his upper body, leaning on his elbow he pulled me down closer to him, and kissed me deeply, our mouths drinking of each other as though we were trying to quench a thirst, that nothing could quench. I pulled away slowly, still holding him, letting him hold me. “I just needed time to figure out what She meant by the dream, that’s why I hadn’t mentioned it.” I got up off the bed, finished packing my backpack with my books and set it on the sofa.

I sat down on the sofa and pulled on my boots that I’d gotten out earlier, and picked up my cell phone off the coffee table. “Are you going to be here when I get back in a couple hours?” I asked looking at Thomas who’d rolled back over and was watching me again.

He nodded, “Yes, I’ll stay here until you get back.” he said. I gathered up my backpack, slung it over my shoulder with one strap, walked over and kissed Thomas softly, then headed out the door. It was time for one part of my life to end, or at least be put on hold for a while. I didn’t know if I would be going back to school or not at this point, but I knew for now I didn’t have the time to waste sitting in class when I needed to be learning how to be a Mer Princess. I took the elevator to the lobby, and grabbed a cab from there.

“Good Morning” Josh greeted me as I approached the door.

“Good Morning Josh, how are you today?” I asked. He smiled at me, his smile was always warm, like a the sun breaking through the clouds on a sunny day.

“I’m doing well, and you Miss Wynn?” He said as he opened the door for me.

“Doing pretty good actually Josh, I can’t remember when I was happier.” I smiled, “I’ve got to get going Josh, have a lot to do today.” I went through the door, and hailed a cab.

“The Administration building please” I said to the driver. He flipped on the meter and we were off.

We pulled up to the administration building, I got out of the cab giving the driver his fare. It was a short squat building, modern in design, but then in New York anything under three stories was considered short. It’s black glass exterior walls hid the windows, it looked dark and imposing, I entered the building, and walked over to the receptionist. “Hello?” I said, she was on the phone and motioned for me to wait a moment, I stood there reading the various clippings and certificates on the wall. I was starting to grow impatient when she finally hung up the phone.

“Hello, sorry about that. May I help you?” she said, her voice was pleasant, and her smile friendly.

“Yes, I need to find the registrar’s office please?”

She stood up so that she could point to the elevators, “Down to the elevators, then up one floor, when you get off the elevator take a sharp left, then another right and follow the hallway to the end, you’ll be in the waiting room of the registrar’s office.” She said sitting back down slowly. “Is there anything else?”

I shook my head, “No, thank you for the directions” I smiled at her, then turned and walked down the corridor towards the elevators.

I took a number and found a seat in the waiting room, there were a lot of students, some coming some going, I opened the front pocket of my backpack and took out my schedule, looking it over. It was the twenty-ninth of September that meant it was the last week I could drop classes and receive a full refund on them. If I could get a full refund then I wouldn’t have to re-apply for all of them next semester, because I wouldn’t owe the school any money.

“Thirty Five” called a matronly woman from the far side of the room, I looked down at the tab of paper in my hand, it read thirty-nine, only four more to go I thought to myself as I sat there. I thought about my vision of the Divine Mother in my dream, her long flowing curls, her young beautiful face, the softness of her voice, the commanding presence she had over me, and what she had said. She had told me that if I was willing then it was time for me to learn, which was another of those nagging questions in the back of my mind, learn what, what was I to learn?

“Thirty Six” called a young man, no one got up, “Thirty Seven” he called, still no movement. He looked around the room, then at last called “Thirty Eight”, a young African American woman stood up, she almost had to have been a freshman, her English was broken, as she answered him, I couldn’t make out the accent, I had never heard it before. I went back to waiting for my turn to talk to a counselor. Soon a stout, averaged height, middle-aged gentleman came out, talked to the receptionist, and then stood up and called out my number, I walked up to the desk where he stood, he shook my hand and ushered me to a cubical in the area behind the desk. The whole room was the roughly the size of a football field, it was open save for the artificial walls created by the cubicles. He offered me the chair across from him, as he sat down behind the desk, and clicked the mouse on his computer.

“How may I assist you today?” he asked. I was looking around the room, there were pictures of his family on the walls of his cubical, his dog, it looked like a small collie, and his name plate that sat in the middle of his desk, it said Mr. Wilks.

“I’d like to drop my entire semester, I’m on swim team as well so I will have to drop my NCAA status too.” I stated.

“Is there a reason you’d like to drop your classes being a qualified NCAA athlete as well as this being your senior year?” He asked me, trying to keep a professional look on his face, but truly concerned, though I’m sure not for me.

I nodded, “Yes, I’ve had some family business come up that I have to take care of, and I will have to go back home to do so.” I said trying not to lead him into more details than I wanted to give out.

“Will you be rejoining us next semester Miss Wynn?” Mr. Wilks asked politely.

“That’s my intentions at this point.” I replied. He went to work tapping on his keyboard, then printed out a duplicate schedule with everything on it marked as dropped, and a voucher for the cashier’s office.

“If you’ll take this down to the first floor, and take a right out of the elevator, that’s the cashier’s office and they can cut you a check for the entire amount of your scholarships and grants this semester. If you’ll then bring that check back up here to us, and sign it, we can cash out your account for this term and you won’t owe any money to the university.” he informed me. I nodded and picked the papers up off the front of his desk. “You can leave the check with the receptionist, she will give you a receipt for it.

“Thank you Mr. Wilks.” I smiled and left the office, it was official, I was no longer a student at NYU. I walked slowly to the elevator, I was both happy and sad about the fact I was taking time off from school, I really didn’t know anything else. My life was changing so very fast it almost made my head swim. I finished up my business at the administration building, leaving the check as instructed with the receptionist, and left not looking back, my next stop was the book store. I sold back my books, and took a cab to the sports center. It was time for the last thing I needed to do before going back to the apartment. I had to talk to Keith, he needed to know from me that I’d dropped my classes.