roller coaster
Right now I'm hoping that everything evens out for me over the next few days, at least as much as they can. But right now hope is all I can do.
So for everybody who is tired of hearing me whine... Here is chapter 59.
59
Anguish turned to anger.
Maureen turned to Julius. “We’re gonna get this bastard.”
“Kyra?”
She stood up and headed for the swords. “Come on, let’s make sure that he doesn’t have a chance.”
Julius admired her resolve, but put his hand on her arm to hold her back.
“Let’s clean up this mess first.”
Maureen was astounded. “What do you mean? That bastard has my child. Karen is counting on me. The mess can wait. Right now I need to make sure that I am ready for this fight.”
“And in doing so you will play right into Jack’s trap.”
Maureen stopped, making sure that she was hearing right. “Say again.”
“Jack wants you to be emotional. He wants you to use up your energy today so that he has the upper hand tomorrow.”
“But… but Karen.”
“She is either alive, or already dead. If she’s alive Jack will keep her that way.
Kyra, Jack wants you to waste your energy either looking for your daughter or practicing for tomorrow. Do not give him the pleasure, do not allow yourself to be handicapped in this way.
So let’s clean up this mess, and instead of practicing lets decide how you should approach this fight.”
Maureen smiled. Julius was right.
***
They spent most of the day recovering the bases. Julius wanted to make sure that Maureen was strong enough to handle the fight without tiring her out.
They heard tires crunch in the driveway at about eight that evening.
Maureen opened the door for her husband.
Scott walked into the house, looking haggard and weary.
Maureen escorted him to the couch, then called Julius in from the other room.
She introduced them.
Scott barely registered the vampire’s presence.
Maureen sat on the couch and faced her husband. She took his hands in her own.
“Scott, we need to talk.”
Scott turned and faced her. The agony of loss clouded his normally bright eyes.
She turned to Julius, pleading with her eyes.
The vampire stood up and crossed the room. He laid a hand on Scott’s shoulder.
Scott turned and looked.
Julius felt for the man, understood his loss. He conveyed that understanding though his touch.
A moment of understanding passed between them.
“I know why this happened, so does your wife,” Julius said. “Now you need to know.”
Scott nodded.
***
Scott listened intently to what Julius had to say.
Every now and then he would look to Maureen to confirmation, she would nod and Julius would go on.
As the night wore on Julius could see the toll that the day had taken on both of them.
He looked at Maureen. “Kyra, you should go to bed. It is important that you have all of your strength for tomorrow.”
She nodded. “And Scott?”
Julius looked at him, then returned to facing her. “It is up to him. I can continue to tell him what you have heard, or he can go to bed as well.”
She turned to her husband. “Scott? What do you want to do?”
He thought for many minutes on his answer. “I want… I need to know. I need to know why. If what he says is true I may lose you tomorrow, I need to know why.”
“Ok. Come to bed when you’re ready.”
She headed out of the room.
“Maureen?” Scott called after her.
She poked her head back into the room. “Yes, Scott?”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did I have to come home to learn of all of this?
“Would you have believed any of this over the phone?”
Scott thought about it. “No. I hardly believe it now. I wouldn’t believe it now, except you showed me the truth of it.”
“That’s why.”
She left the room.
***
Julius and Scott stayed up for a couple more hours, talking.
By the time they went to bed Scott understood, not everything, but enough.
For the first time in his stay there Julius retired to the guest bedroom.
Scott entered the bedroom where his wife was sleeping. He took her in his arms; intent on holding her all through what could be their last night together.
posted by Phoenixwaller | 9:02 AM
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