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CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Two weeks later
Monday – 7:30 A.M

“It’s Ok to drop me here,” Nash said. He shifted as if to get out of Aden’s moving SAAB sedan.

“We can go another block, Nash,” Noelle said from the back seat.

“That’s not school property either,” Sandy said. “Plus the windows are dark. Who’s going to know the contraband drop off?”

“I don’t want you to get arrested or something,” Nash said.

Sandy laughed.

“Look, there’s Teddy. That’s his guardian, Andy.” Nash pointed to the bodybuilder and the boy walking on the sidewalk. “Have you met him?”

“I’ve met Captain Ramirez,” Sandy said. “Should we stop here?”

When she pulled to the curb, Nash jumped out of the car. Sandy watched the large man and the boy turn to greet Nash. She smiled at how happy and excited the boys were to see each other. For all the chaos of the last few months, Nash had landed on his feet. His grades were good, he enjoyed school again and he had a nice friend. She was about to pull away when Nash tapped her side window. The window was half down when he threw his arms around her neck.

“Love you Sandy. Thanks for taking me and… being my Mom.”

And he was gone. She watched him run off to be with Teddy. Sniffling back her tears, she and Noelle waved as she drove by.

“We’re both really happy you’re going to be our Mom, Sandy,” Noelle said.

Looking in the rear view mirror, Sandy nodded to the girl.

“That was the best Christmas I’ve ever had,” Noelle said. “Everything was perfect. And mostly that was ‘cuz you were there. Dad’s nice, you know, but he’s just a Dad. He doesn’t think of decorating or pretty packages or stockings or special breakfast or friends or clothes shopping or parties or… He thinks of boy stuff, practical stuff. Not nice stuff.”

Sandy pulled up to the Marlowe School. Noelle came around the car for a hug and a kiss.

“See you tonight, Mom!”

Noelle waved then ran up to the school. Overwhelmed with emotion, Sandy sat for a moment after Noelle entered the Marlowe School. With a sigh, she pulled away from the curb.

She was about a block away when she saw her biological father walking up the sidewalk. She wasn’t sure why he surprised her so much. He lived a couple blocks from the school. The site of him brought shivers down her spine. Her heart raced and her breathing was tight. She turned on the next street to get away from the sight of him.

Pulling over, she dialed the number the child pornography unit gave her. They assured that they were moving on her father soon. Don’t worry Sandy, they said. We have people tailing him. This will be over soon.

Soon.

~~~~~~~~

Monday – 12:05 A.M

“Sir? If you could follow me.”

The nurse led Mike and Valerie into a small comfortably decorated room. There was a love seat, a television with DVDs stacked around a player and a variety of magazines.

“You know what to do?” The nurse asked.

Mike nodded. Valerie plopped down on the love seat.

“Very well. Leave your sample in the slot.” The nurse pointed to box in the wall with a metal door attached to the other side of the wall. “Just click this switch so we know it’s there. We’ll take care of the rest. The doctor will see you when you’re done.”

The nurse closed the door. Mike shifted back and forth then blushed.

“I thought you did this all the time.” Valerie said.

“Yeah, Val, I’m perpetually masturbating in doctor’s offices,” Mike said.

Valerie laughed.

“Can’t stop myself. I have two obsessions – the Captain Crunch and masturbating in doctor’s offices.”

“Ooh, I’m not on your obsession list,” Valerie said.

“Why do you think I masturbate so much?”

“I thought you did this here before,” Valerie said.

“I did,” Mike said. “They had to check motility and health and count and whatever the fuck else.”

“And?” She unzipped his pants.

Mike slapped at her hands.

“I can’t talk to you about jerking off and do it at the same time.”

“Oh, okay.” Valerie leaned back on the love seat.

“As you know, my test results were excellent. I have good fast moving healthy sperm. I told Candy and she was like ‘Oh why don’t you just come over then?’ And…”

“And?”

“I am happy to donate,” Mike said. “I don’t want to be involved.”

“Oh,” Valerie said.

“Kinda grosses me out,” Mike said. “Candy was pissed. Well, you saw how she was at Christmas. Jazmyne came up with this alternative. I give a sample and they will put it in tubes or whatever. Candy and her wife can do what they want to with them.”

“Sounds like you’ve thought this through,” Valerie said. “Why are we here today?”

“You wanted to see the fertility specialist, so I made an appointment for us. You know kill two birds.”

“I took all those blood tests last week,” Valerie said.

“Today is our consultation,” Mike said.

“Oh,” Valerie said. “If we have to do this, will you be grossed out?”

Mike groaned.

“What?”

“If we have to do invitro or whatever, I want to be involved,” Mike said. “It will be my baby.”

“Oh. Good,” Valerie smiled. “Can I help now?”

“I hope so.”

~~~~~~~~

Monday – 12: 36 P.M.

“Hey Jill.” Delphie tried for casual. She didn’t want Jill to know that she’d been pacing in front of the door waiting for her. “How was your first day of school?”

“Exciting!” Jill said. Jill set her books down so she could greet Scooter and Sarah. The dogs wagged and wiggled while she pet them. “I met a couple other people in the interior design program. I have to take a bunch of prerequisites, even though it’s the Art Institute. But they don’t look so hard and Meg’s taking them with me.”

“She’s going for….”

“Fashion design,” Jill said. “Claire Martins has really encouraged Megan to try it. Meg did some of our alterations at the last commercial shoot. And Claire thinks she’s really good! We’re in most of our classes together this year.”

“I’m excited for you.” Delphie hugged Jill.

“Me too!” Jill said. “Last January, I completely gave up on going to school. Of course, I was going for something practical like accounting. And now, here I am. It’s a dream come true.”

“That’s really great.” Delphie smiled. “What are you up to now?”

“I was going to work on Colin and Julie’s place for a couple hours before I pick up Katy. She and Paddie are playing this afternoon while Julie and I look at colors,” Jill said. “My parents and family are coming over tonight. I thought you and Sam were going to the Avenue Theater tonight.”

“We have tickets,” Delphie said.

“What’s up?” Jill asked.

“Jacob told me that you make his powers stronger,” Delphie said.

“He says that,” Jill said. “I don’t really know anything about it. Katy has more vivid dreams when I’m with her, but I think it’s because she feels safer when I’m around. Like she had that dream about Trevor taking her when she was at Megan’s house. When I was there, she had dreams that she would be all right, but she didn’t believe them because she was so afraid of Trevor. Does that make sense?”

“You’re saying that her dreams were more valid…?”

“More complete. Trevor did try to steal her but she was also all right,” Jill said. “She knew that when I was there. Jacob says that his powers are stronger when I’m around but I only know him when I’m around him. You know?”

“I understand what you’re saying,” Delphie said.

“Why do you ask?” Jill realized for the first time that Delphie seemed anxious and upset.

“I’m in some trouble,” Delphie said. “You know that man…”

“Johansen?” Jill asked.

“Yes,” Delphie said. “He has me in a kind of psychic… bind.”

“Can I help?” Jill asked.

“I don’t know,” Delphie said. “Jake says I need to forgive myself for something that happened a long time ago. But….”

“You mean Delbert?”

“You know about that?” Delphie flushed. Her eyes welled with tears.

Jill hugged Delphie.

“How can I help?” Jill asked again.

Delphie sniffled then stepped back.

“I was hoping maybe if I asked Celia for help, and you were here, we could break through the cloud,” Delphie said.

“What about the guilt?” Jill asked.

“I don’t know if I can get rid of it,” Delphie said. “There’s no way around it. I killed a man.”

“You’re not that powerful, Delphie! If you were, you would have saved Celia or Val’s baby or Jacob last summer. Why didn’t you save them?”

“I only know things! I can’t….”

“Right,” Jill said. “Even Jacob can’t control the world. That’s just silly. You’re not God.”

Stunned, Delphie dropped onto the living room couch. Jill’s words hit her one at a time.

You.

Are.

Not.

God.

As if they were a spell written in smoke, the words rotated around her head. She felt Jill sit down next to her and take her hand. Delphie sighed.

“I’m not a Goddess,” Delphie whispered. “And Levi’s not a God.”

“Of course,” Jill said. “We can only live out what life we’re given. We can’t make life happen.”

“Can’t make life happen… I can’t make life happen.” Delphie laughed with relief. “I’m just me. Just a minor oracle.”

“And a major miracle, at least to me! Are you all right?” Jill whispered.

“I’m really good,” Delphie laughed. “Naomi?”

Delphie called Celia by her spirit name and for the first time in months Celia appeared. Delphie’s eyes filled with joyful tears.

“Can you see her?” Delphie asked.

“See who?” Jill asked.

“You’ve saved me.” Delphie hugged Jill. “Bless you Jillian Roper.”

Jill kissed Delphie’s cheek.

“Will you tell Celia that I miss her?” Jill looked around the room.

“She knows,” Delphie said.

“I’ll leave you to enjoy each other.”

Picking up her books and purse, Jill stood up to leave. She was almost to the door when a warm loving sensation overcame her. Jill smiled and tried to return the loving feelings. Shaking her head at how strange and wonderful her life had become, she made her way to her apartment.

~~~~~~~~

Monday – 12:40 P.M

“We’re confused,” Mike said. “Val’s never had regular periods. Especially since she’s been an actress. She’s too thin for that. And with the movie, she’s lost even more body fat.”

“When was your last period, Val?” The doctor asked.

“Boy, I don’t know,” she said. “Last summer some time. I haven’t been eating really.”

“And recently?”

“Well, I found out I lost the movie, so I ate a bunch. Cheesecake. Ice cream. Brownies. That’s why I’m so pudgy now.”

While Mike rolled his eyes, Valerie slapped her flat belly.

“So you didn’t eat anything then you ate a lot of calories,” the doctor said. “That would do it.”

“Do what?” Valerie asked. “What is going on?”

“Oh,” the doctor chuckled to himself. “I didn’t say it?”

“Say what?” Mike asked.

“You’re pregnant,” the doctor said. “Not very. Probably only a few weeks. But pregnant none the less.”

Mike grabbed the doctor by his white coat.

“What’s the sex?” Mike asked.

“Hey settle down.” The doctor dusted Mike off his white coat. “We won’t know for a few months. You don’t have to know. Lots of couples wait until birth to be surprised.”

“We need to know today,” Mike said. “Val can’t have boys. No boys.”

The doctor shook his head as if he didn’t hear correctly.

“We’ll do an ultrasound today and…” the doctor started.

“It’s a genetic thing. Boys in my family have genetic problems,” Valerie said. “Can you do an amnio today?”

“No, it’s dangerous to the….”

“Please,” Valerie said. “My life depends on it.”

~~~~~~~~

Monday – 6:40 P.M.

The Castle

The silence in the dining room was deafening. Sitting between Mike and Jacob, Jill looked from face to face in the room. Easy going, kind, wonderful, loving Steve was a bound up in rage. His pregnant wife, Leslie, kept trying to calm him. Candy and Jazmyne looked like they were ready to bolt at any moment. Mike was so uncomfortable he kept shifting in his chair. Jacob made a few stabs at conversation before he gave up. Even Megan was over focused on her eggplant. Her usually jovial husband Tim was silent.

The elephant in the room?

Mama brought her husband to dinner.

It had to happen some day.

Mama had been in their lives for two months. They spent an amazing Christmas all together. Mama made breakfast for everyone. It was completely perfect in every way. Everyone said they had the best Christmas ever.

And now her husband appeared.

And Steve was furious.

Steve threw his fork onto his plate. His plate shattered with the impact of silver against china. Everyone turned to look at him.

“You killed my father! Stole our mother! Left us orphans to fend for ourselves! And I am supposed to sit down with the psychopath that destroyed my life as if nothing happened.”

“Psychopath?” Anjelika’s husband’s accent was straight out of British colonial Africa. He raised an eyebrow at Steve. “Are you sure?”

“God damn it!” Steve jumped from his chair. With his index finger pointing at the man, he screamed, “We don’t deserve your sarcasm. You have no idea what we’ve been through.”

“And what do you deserve?” the man asked.

“The truth,” Candy’s voice vibrated with emotion. “I want to know what happened to Dad. I’m sorry Mama, but I don’t know this man at all. And Dad…”

Candy sniffed at her tears.

“I cried every night for… for years for Mama and Daddy,” Candy said. “I want to know why… why?”

“He’s did it for money.” Holding his hand out to his wife, Steve said, “A murderer. No more, no less. Come on Leslie. Let’s go.”

“You’re so like your father,” Anjelika’s husband said. “Run away. Go ahead.”

“Now listen,” Mike said. “We’ve had a tough time of it. There’s no reason for you to taunt Steve. Steve, Candy and Jill grew up without parents. Meg and I…”

“Yes, Mikhail, you’re correct,” Anjelika said.

Everyone stopped moving, breathing, when Anjelika spoke.

“I’m so sorry, Angel.” Her husband kissed her cheek. “I lost myself.”

“We must tell them the truth,” Anjelika said. “They are adults. They deserve to know everything.”

Anjelika’s eyes held her husband’s eyes. He gave her a curt nod. For not more than a split second, his eyes shifted to Jill. Jill flushed.

“What? What was that?” Mike jumped to his feet. “Why did you look at Jill? Leave Jill out of this.”

When Jill put her hand on Mike’s forearm, Mike looked down at his sister.

“Please sit down.” Jill said. Leaning around Mike, she said, “Please Steve. Please.”

Steve’s attention jerked to Jill. Seeing her distress, he flushed.

“I’m sorry Jake, I broke your china,” Steve said.

“Actually, it’s my china,” Valerie said. “And that’s all right. Let me get you another plate. Leslie? Tim? Jazmyne? Why don’t we work on dessert while they talk?”

Jacob leaned down to kiss Jill as he got up. He swept the mess of Steve’s dinner onto a tray and carried it into the kitchen.

“Wine?” Jill held up the bottle of wine.

Anjelika’s husband smiled at her. He said something in Russian to her mother. Anjelika chuckled.

“We don’t know what to call you,” Mike said. “And Papa doesn’t really work for us.”

“I’m called Perses,” he said. “Anjelika calls me Pyotr, when she’s angry. Most people call me Peter or Pete. I will answer to any of those names.”

Mike sat down then yanked Steve down into his chair.

“Why did you kill our father?” Mike asked.

“He was dying. I sped the process along,” Perses said. “Some might say it was quite the humanitarian gesture.”

“What?” Candy’s voice echoed over the others.

“Stuff it,” Mike said. “I’ll handle this.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” Steve said. “I say what I want.”

Candy giggled at Steve’s oft stated sentiment. Megan and Mike laughed. Jill joined in when Steve finally laughed. They stopped their tension filled laughter when Mike cleared his throat.

“We don’t understand what you’re saying,” Mike said. “You killed our father.”

“He was not your father, Mikhail,” Perses said. “But, yes, I ended his life.”

“And he was dying?”

“He had an injury to his neck,” Perses said. “Rather than let him bleed to death, I finished him. There would have been no way to save him, even if I’d wanted to.”

“Why wouldn’t you want to save him?” Megan asked.

Mike kicked her under the table. She glared at him.

“He stole my wife, my children. He beat my Anjelika, my children. I am sorry to stay this, Steven. I am. But your father was a cruel, abusive man who did terrible things to people I love.”

Perses and Steve’s eyes held across the table. Steve’s face clouded. He looked away.

“How was he injured?” Mike asked.

“He was injured in the middle of committing an unspeakable act of cruelty.”

“That doesn’t really answer the question,” Mike said. “What…?”

“I shot him,” Jill said.

Denver Cereal continues next week….

~~~~~~~~

Denver Cereal is a serial fiction set in Denver, Colorado.
You can get your daily dose of Denver Cereal at DenverCereal.com
Chapters are posted on Saturdays on this blog.
Download your free copy of Denver Cereal, the beginning.
Like printed books? Go here or Amazon for a print copy of the Denver Cereal.
Claudia Hall Christian is a novelist.

Previous Chapters

CHAPTER TEN

Ten days later
August 18 – 5:30 P.M.
Denver, Colorado

“You look nice,” John said coming up the stairs. Alex was adjusting her fake blonde hair in front of the full length mirror. She wore only a lace thong. “Is this what you’re wearing tonight?”

Alex laughed. He ran his hand across her belly while his fingers played with the large round diamond she wore in her belly button. He kissed her neck before tugging her toward him. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and they watched themselves in the mirror.

“Have I mentioned that I love you recently?” He asked.

“I’m not sure,” she said catching his eyes in the mirror.

“Oh love.” He dropped his mouth to her neck again. “When are we due at dinner?”

“In a half hour,” she said.

“Hmm,” he said.

She smiled at him.

“What would you say to a….”

“Hey!” Max called from downstairs.

John spun Alex around and kissed her with such intense passion that she was out of breath and melting to his touch.

“Later,” he said.

John moved into the bathroom to take a shower.

Alex was almost dressed when Max came into the bedroom. Screaming that she was wearing old lady clothing, he dug into her closet and handed her a tiny red strapless metallic stretch nylon dress hiding in the back. They argued back and forth until Max convinced her to try it on.

“Where did that come from?” John came into the bedroom with a towel around his waist.

“Max bought this dress online. He’s become very interested in slutting Alyssa’s dress code.”

John raised his eyebrows to Max.

“Thanks man,” he said as he walked into his closet to change.

Alex watched herself in the mirror. The dress was just long enough to cover the scarring on her left leg and hip. The skintight red metallic fabric covered from the top edge of her breasts to just below her hips. Turning sideways, she made a face and tugged the fabric down. Max handed her a pair of four inch red patent leather stiletto pumps. She slipped them on then watched herself in the mirror again. When she looked up, John was staring at her, the blue of his eyes virtually consumed by his black pupils. Max looked over at John then laughed.

“It’s unanimous,” Max said.

“Can you help me with this?” Alex asked.

She gave Max a tube of concealer. Together, the twins covered the fairy tattoo.

“No Fey today?” John asked coming out of the bedroom dressed all in black.

Alex shrugged. “I went with Erin today to get her black ‘F’ tattoo and saw this concealer. Alyssa shouldn’t be so tattooed.”

“Weapon?” John asked.

“Yes, that too,” Alex said.

She went into the bedroom. When she came out, the men shook their heads.

“Where is it?” Max asked.

“What?”

“Your gun?” John asked.

“Ah, some things are better left to the imagination,” she said.

Laughing, she went down the stairs. They walked a few blocks to a trendy restaurant where they met Erin and Matthew, Colin and Julie, and Samantha. The siblings laughed through dinner then took a cab to a nightclub on South Broadway. Despite the long line, they were waved into a dance club by a bouncer Matthew knew. They danced until they were thirsty and drank until they were dancing again. As the night wore on, Colin and Julie made an early exit. Samantha slipped into a reserved section with a handsome professional football player. With a wink to Alex, Max disappeared with a beauty.

When Matthew and Erin went to the rooftop to dance under the stars, John took Alex’s hand and led her off the dance floor. Pressing her into a dark corner, he kissed her lips. His hands ran over the tight dress and her responsive flesh. Alex burned with rising desire. She held him in a tight embrace as his lips worked down her neck and shoulders. He let out a breath.

“Let’s go home,” she said into his ear.

“Just one more.” He took her lips with his lips.

“Ah Johnny,” a voice said over the music.

John stiffened at the voice.

“I didn’t expect you to be an exhibitionist,” the man’s voice continued in some form of Gaelic.

John pushed Alex from him. Two slight men grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Not so fast.”

John’s eyes filled with desperation. Shaking his head, he continued to push Alex toward the corner.

“She’s not a part of this,” John replied in the same language.

“Oh yes, she is,” a bright red haired man said speaking the same Gaelic.

“Let’s go for a little drive?” The dark haired man said to John.

The red haired man grabbed Alex by the arm and pressed a handgun into her ribs. She was about to take the weapon away from the man when she caught John’s eyes. He shook his head ‘No’. His eyes pleaded with her to go along. Alex looked down at the ground. She would bide her time in this made-for-television kidnapping.

At gun point, the men escorted them through the club. They were near the door when Matthew came flying down the stairs. Without looking at him directly, Alex raised her left hand and he stopped in his tracks. She moved her hand horizontally and he nodded. They walked past him and out the door into the deserted alley behind the club. The men tied Alex and John’s hands behind their back then shoved them into the back of an SUV.

“I realize we are in the middle of a made-for-TV movie,” Alex said in English. “But I’d like to know what’s going on.”

She wasn’t sure what form of Gaelic they were speaking. It was similar to Irish Gaelic which she spoke fluently. She wasn’t about to let them know that she spoke any form of Gaelic.

“Listen, maybe you should be more choosey about the married men you pick up in clubs.”

“He’s…”

John fell into her. He murmured in English, “Whatever they say, remember that you are now and have always been my only love.”

Alex turned to him as if she was stung.

“What you didn’t know he was married?” The dark haired man asked in accented English. Irish?

“Fuck you,” John said.

“Ah, yes, fuck me. Johnny, your family’s missed you all these years.”

Alex closed her eyes for a moment. She felt a spinning sensation in her head. She bit the inside of her mouth to stay present. Tasting her own blood in her mouth, she pushed her emotions away. When she opened her eyes, she felt nothing. She would deal with John later. She saw the glimmer of Jesse in the car. At least she wasn’t alone.

They drove in silence until the SUV slowed at a warehouse. The men dragged John and Alex from the SUV. When they stopped to open the door, John attempted to protect Alex with his body. The men laughed. They pushed John through the door and into the empty warehouse.

Alex followed John into the warehouse without a word. She was relaxed and calm. Just waiting for action. After all, it was only two small men. Irish? Maybe Scottish. She shrugged. Either way they weren’t much.

After tying them to chairs, the men went to the edge of the open space to make phone calls and Alex began to undo her ropes. Working with the spike of her stiletto heel, she loosened the knot. Her ropes fell to the ground. Standing barefoot on the concrete floor, she jumped rotating her hands from behind her back to in front of her. With her hands in front of her, she untied John’s ropes then he untied her hands. When the men returned, John and Alex were standing near the chairs.

“I’m a Homeland Security agent,” Alex said.

“And I’m Father Christmas,” the dark haired man said holding the handgun on Alex. “I don’t know how you did that but…”

“I won’t kill you if you let us go” Alex had to work to keep the amusement from her voice.

“Why would I let you go?” the dark haired man continued. “I’ve wanted to talk to your boyfriend for over twenty years.”

“All right,” Alex said. “We talk then we walk.”

“Who the fuck are you? I have a gun!”

Shifting to the left, Alex kicked the gun from the man’s hands. The gun skittered into a far corner of the warehouse.

“Now you don’t.”

“Will you shoot them?” The dark haired man said to the red haired man.

“I don’t know, Cian. This isn’t going very well,” the red haired man replied.

“Holy fuck. Cian?” John asked.

“Johnny. It’s a big Kelly family reunion. Now shut the fuck up,” Cian said.

“You’re John Kelly,” Alex said with more breath than sound.

John’s head wrenched toward her. His face flushed with emotion while his mouth moved. Without saying a word, he dropped his head.

“That makes you Cian Kelly,” Alex said in clear Irish Gaelic. “You’re Irish Republican Volunteers.”

“Now we have to kill her,” the red haired man said. His arms dropping to his side. “Fuck Cian, we didn’t even know if they needed killing. I told you we should have left her at the club.”

“Who’s in charge?” Alex asked.

“I am,” Cian said.

Alex reviewed the man’s curly dark hair and blue eyes, not quite John’s cobalt, but deep blue anyway. He was smaller and older than John. She shook her head.

“No you’re not,” Alex said. She sat down in the chair she had been tied to. “Call whoever is in charge and tell them this: ‘I captured the blue fairy’.”

“I’m not going to…”

“You better do it,” she said. “I’ll wait here.”

She made a movement with her hand.

“Go on.”

Cian Kelly gave Alex an aggravated look then turned his back on them. Walking away, he dialed his cell phone.

“Sit down,” Alex said to John.

“Alex… I…”

Her heart flashed with emotion. She shook her head and pushed the emotion away.

“You may as well get comfortable,” she said then yawned.

Cian Kelly was yelling into the telephone. Storming back to the chairs, John moved to cover Alex with his body, but Cian punched the phone in her direction.

“He wants to talk to you,” Cian said. “Where’s your fucking tattoo?”

“Have a tissue?” She asked reaching for the phone.

The red haired man ran to the bathroom and returned with toilet paper. She wiped off the concealer from her fairy tattoo.

“Oh fuck Cian, do you know who that is?” The red haired man wheeled back from Alex as if he was hit.

She waved at the red head then began speaking into the telephone.

“Dia duit,” she said.

“You are with John Kelly,” the voice said in Irish Gaelic.

“I just found that out,” Alex said continuing in Gaelic. “How are you?”

“I’m well. I have three more grandchildren since you were here last,” the elderly man’s voice said. “How is your health, dear? I hear your walking… kicking guns from people.”

“I’m much better than when we spoke last. Did you hear the Fey is back?”

“I did hear that but I prefer to see it with my own eyes.”

“Why are you here?” Alex asked.

“As you know, John Kelly is a curiosity of mine. I received this photo of him with a group of people and, things being what they are, I thought I’d send a few boys to talk to him.”

“His wife? Where is she?”

“Yes, his wife. Why are you with John Kelly? The boys said you were pretty hot at it.”

“He’s my husband,” Alex said.

The man laughed. “John Kelly is your John? The John that taught you Gaelic? Wait… Oh my God, this is a picture of you. Christ, you’re wearing mouse ears.”

“That’s what you do at Disneyland,” she said. “Where did you get the photo?”

“I came in our direction. I’m not sure.”

“But you’ll find out.”

“Yes, lass. We have a few questions,” he said.

“Fine. Then we go home.”

“I don’t care where the questions get answered.”

“Great,” she said. “He wants to talk to you.”

Alex passed the phone to Cian. She stepped into her shoes then stood.

“Come on John,” she said. She held her hand out to him. “Let’s go home.”

“Wait a minute,” the red haired man said. “We need to talk.”

“You’ll be much more comfortable at our house,” Alex said. “I can call a cab or…”

“I’ll drive,” Cian said stomping over to them. “You know it’s not very fair to cover that tattoo. How the fuck are we supposed to know who you are?”

“Right, I could just be some other girl you are holding at gun point,” Alex said.

“Shut up,” Cian said. “Get in back.”

They drove in silence. John reached and entwined his fingers with Alex’s fingers. When she turned to look at him, he saw that she had placed herself somewhere far away from him. He kissed her hand. Closing his eyes, he prayed to a God that he was certain had abandoned him years ago. He prayed that Alex, the only thing that mattered to him in this whole world, would possibly understand. When the car stopped at their house, Alex got out.

Turning back into the SUV, she said, “There are some people here to see you.”

The car was surrounded by Homeland Security agents. Raz jumped from the porch of the house and swept Alex into a hug. John stood behind Alex, not sure if he should touch her or not.

“We got the call from Matthew and tracked you with the GPS locater in your hip. We thought it was Eleazar.”

“I’m sorry to have worried you,” Alex said. “We got picked up by the PIRA.”

Raz made a face.

“Yeah. I’m sorry. I need to go to bed. Can you hold these guys? Just hold them. They didn’t do anything.”

“Got it,” Raz said.

Alex walked up the porch to where Ben stood smoking a cigarette. She searched the face of her mentor and saw what she expected.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it doesn’t matter,” he said.

She gave a curt nod and moved to follow John into the house. Ben touched her arm.

“Remember. He’s a psychological terrorist.”

Hearing his words, Alex’s eyes shifted to look at Ben but her mind was already slipping down the familiar path of depression. She followed John into the house. Moving like a person in a trance, Alex walked up the stairs. Each step brought her further into the depressive fog that blanketed her for the last two years. Rather than walking into their bedroom, she turned into the guest bedroom and closed the door. John stood on the landing staring at the door.

“You have to talk to me,” John said to the door.

Standing on the other side of the door, Alex turned the lock of the door. She didn’t have to talk to him tonight. Pulling off the tight red dress, she threw it on the ground and kicked the pumps under the night table. She went to the closet and put on a battered marathon gimme shirt. Sitting on the side of the bed, she heard John sit down in the hall.

“I know you are just sitting there, Alex,” he said. “Will you hear me out?”

“Why?” she asked. “You’ve had twelve years to be honest, to tell me that you were already married. Ah fuck.”

She pressed her hand against the pain and anger that lived in her heart. Rolling onto her side, her heart away from John, she pulled the covers over her head. Unbidden, her mind began to walk the trail toward death. Now that John wasn’t her husband, she could just go and be with her team.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and fell into a dream.

She was walking down a familiar white tunnel. As she walked, round fluorescent ceiling lights flickered on. She had the sensation that she was walking out of the light and into the dark over and over again. She heard laughter. Mike, their operations officer, was teasing Jax, their medic, about placing third in the hundred and thirty five mile Badwater Ultramarathon. Alex smiled. If she hurried, she would spend the night playing in Paris. She began to jog, running mostly in the dark now, as the lights flickering on behind her.

But the faster she ran the farther away they seemed.

Jesse was laughing with Dwight, the other weapons officer, about something the engineer Paul was doing. She beamed with expectation and turned into the room. Sliding on a pool of blood, her vision filled with the horror of her beloved friends’ bodies in pieces, bleeding onto the floor.

Screaming, she collapsed to the floor.

F

The Fey is the first in a thriller series written by Claudia Hall Christian.
The novel has been serialized for your enjoyment at AlextheFey.com
Entire chapters are be published at On-a-limb.com and
StoriesbyClaudia.com every Friday.

CHAPTER TWO
At the Seawell Ballroom

Letting out a breath, Jill waited for security to notice her. When the man turned, she smiled. It was her brother Steve’s best friend David.

“God damn, you look good,” David said. “You should see the prunes inside.”

She smiled then looked at the crowded room. She had never been in a room where she knew no one. As she watched, her sister’s best friend floated by with a tray of hors d’ oeuvres. Well, almost no one.

“Go find Candy,” David said. “She’s waiting for you behind the main bar.”

Crossing the room, Jill felt every eye ball evaluate her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw men stare while women shifted away. She smiled. I sure brought them to attention. A hand brushed her arm and another friend walked by with a tray of hors d’ oeuvres.

Catching a glimpse of Candy, Jill stepped to the bar. With the bar pressed against her ribs, she recited in her head her purpose for tonight:

“Show him what he’s missing; Just show him what he’s missing; That’s all, just show him what he’s missing”.

Jill was seconds into her mantra trance when she felt the warmth of a man standing next to her. His eyes focused on her face.

“Hi,” he said.

Jill looked over at him then back to the bar. She had practiced this for weeks. Sophisticated women are unfriendly. Don’t smile. Don’t be nice. Don’t be your effervescent self.

“I thought I knew everyone on the guest list,” he said. “But I do not remember an invitation to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

Jill couldn’t help herself. She started laughing.

Wrinkling her nose, she asked, “Is that a pick up line?”

“Pretty pathetic, eh? I’m Jacob,” he said.

“Jill.” She held her hand out and he shook it.

“Jill as in baby mommy Jill?” Jacob asked.

“I’m not sure what you’re asking,” Jill said.

“My sister is marrying this guy, Trevor? He has a baby with a woman named Jill. Some one night stand thing. He says she’s a total bitch…..”

Candy flew across the back of the bar to Jill. “Sir, can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll have whatever she’s drinking,” Jacob said pointing to Jill.

“She’s not drinking. Bitch whores tend not to drink at social functions.” Candy’s voice was saccharin sweet but her smile shot daggers.

“I didn’t say that I said it,” Jacob said.

“I heard what you said…”

“Candy!” Jill said through her teeth. “I’m sorry. I’m the baby of the family and my sister is very protective of me.”

“What are you drinking?” Candy asked.

“Uh, whiskey neat. Just whatever you have,” Jacob said.

Jill turned away from Jacob and stared at the back of the bar. She felt her face flush with heat. Trevor, who begged her to have a baby, now told people that Katy was a one night stand. An accident. And she was the bitch? Oh I just don’t belong.

“Listen.” Jacob touched her arm. “I meant what I said.”

“About me being a total bitch? Or the one night stand thing?” Jill imitated Candy’s sweet tone. She hadn’t thought Trevor could hurt her more. Between the stiletto heels and the sick feeling in her stomach, Jill had to clutch the bar to remain standing.

“That you are absolutely the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my entire life,” Jacob said.

Jill’s head jerked to look at him. “What?”

“Here’s your drink. Now buzz off.” Candy slapped the whiskey down in front of Jacob.

“Listen…” Jacob started but Candy raised her hand in the air. Within moments, a friend wedged between Jill and Jacob. Candy put her hand on Jill’s arm to lead Jill toward the end of the bar. Jill glanced back to see Jacob stuck in place by a tray of hors d’ oeuvres and a hostile server.

“You look great,” Candy whispered. “The boots are genius.”

“Meg’s idea.” Jill passed the rose to Candy. “I don’t belong here, sis. I should go home. Did you hear what he said about Katy?”

“Jill, that man begged you for a child. You guys argued about it for a year. He’s just….” Candy said. She squinted her brown eyes then released them wide. “I knew the moment you entered.”

“How?”

“Every male eye turned to watch you walk across the room,” Candy said. “This outfit is sheer brilliance.”

“The invitation said, ‘black tie’.” Jill beamed at her sister.

“Watch out, here comes the bride.” Candy raised her arm again.

“I’m sorry,” the tiny blonde rich girl said. Her straight gleaming white teeth matched her perfectly sculpted nose and eyebrows. Her blue eyes, enhanced with blue contacts, shot daggers of hate. “This is a private party.”

“I… I was invited,” Jill said. “I….”

“I don’t remember you on the guest list. And I should know. This is MY engagement party.”

Just then a server bumped into the bride-to-be, spilling a full tray of red wine down the rich girl’s ivory silk dress.

“I’m so sorry,” Megan’s husband Tim said. “I didn’t see you there. Oh my God….”

Jill watched Tim scamper to get a towel. To keep from laughing, Jill coughed into her hand. The rich girl screamed at Tim then at Candy. When her father came over, she screamed at him only to collapse sobbing into her mother’s arms. Her mother led the tiny woman away to change.

“This is the most fun I’ve had at a family gathering in at least a decade,” Jacob said.

“I assume that was a friend of yours.”

“Brother-in-law,” Jill said.

“She had it coming,” Jacob said. “She knows exactly who you are.”

Jill shrugged. When she turned to look at the party, she saw a variety of male eyes looking in her direction.

“Would you like to dance?” Jacob asked. He nodded toward the dance floor where couples danced a perfect waltz.

“I don’t know how,” she replied.

“Just follow me,” Jacob said. He set his glass down on the bar. “I’m this close to you. I’m not going to let you go.”

He put his hand on her arm and was confronted with another server holding a tray of drinks.

“It’s all right, Christy,” Jill said. “He just wants to dance.”

Christy scowled at Jacob then looked him up and down. “Be nice.”

“Yes ma’am,” Jacob laughed.

Holding her hand, he led her to the dance floor. He situated her hands then whispered instructions into her ear. After a few missteps, she fell into the simple rhythm of the dance and the closeness of this man. For the first time in a long time, she felt, well not exactly happy, but a tiny bit of delight.

“You are a wonderful dancer,” Jacob said.

“Not really,” Jill replied. “I just know how to follow what you’re doing.”

Jacob laughed. “That’s most of the work.”

“It’s not hard to follow,” Jill said.

“Do you dance?” Jacob asked.

“I like to dance… oh you mean for a living? You think I’m a stripper?!?”

Jacob laughed.

“Why is that funny?” Jill asked. Dropping her arms, she stopped moving. “I’d like to sit down now.”

“Please don’t. I laughed because I suck at this small talk crap, particularly with a beautiful woman. I rehearse what I’m going to say, you know, in my head? But it sounds awful when it comes out.”

“Oh. I do that sometimes if I’m nervous. Are you nervous?”

“Yes, I’m nervous.”

“Why?”

“Well, if I blow this, someone might just kill me,” Jacob laughed.

They danced in silence for a while. Listening to the music, Jill enjoyed the liquid pleasure of movement in the arms of this man. She’d only been this close to Trevor. She sighed a little as her body warmed in response to him. God, he even smells good.

“Is your wife here?” Jill asked.

“I don’t have a wife,” Jacob said.

“How come?” Jill asked.

“It’s a shocking. I know. I am smooth with the ladies,” Jacob laughed.

She pulled back to see if he was serious. He winked at her and she returned to looking over his shoulder.

“Actually, I fell in love with a woman then found out she was married.”

“Oh, did that stop you?”

“Yes, it stopped me,” he said.

“Why? I thought that’s how you people did things.”

“You people?”

“Rich people,” Jill replied.

Jacob laughed. He’s funny too. Jill sighed, melting a little closer to his warmth, his strength. She nodded at the guitar player in the band when he winked at her.

“Is she here?” Jill asked.

“Who?”

“The girl you feel in love with.”

“Yes, she’s here,” Jacob said.

“Where?”

Jacob pulled back a bit to look at Jill. His eye’s puzzled for a moment. Seeing her sincerity, he made a vague movement in the direction of a crowded corner of the room.

Jill waited until they were in full view of that side of the room then gave him a soft, lingering kiss.

Pulling back, she whispered, “So she knows what she’s missing.”

Jacob blinked, his eyebrows moving as if he was trying to work it out, then he laughed.

“What would it take for you to kiss me again?”

“You mean kiss you for real?” Jill’s voice held her surprise. “You don’t even know me.”

“Actually,” Jacob said. “You wait tables at Pete’s. I play midnight hockey and our team goes to Pete’s after the game. I’ve been there every Sunday morning… gosh, for years.”

Jill wasn’t sure how to respond. She had no memory of this man. Sunday mornings were always crazy. The bars close at two and Pete’s Kitchen filled to the brim with drunken happy people. She slung coffee, pancakes and eggs until four in the morning every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. She made great money and right now money took precedence over everything, especially handsome men.

Looking over his shoulder, she saw Trevor’s dark eyes, so like Katy’s, follow them on the floor. As she watched, the tiny blonde rich girl, dressed in another ivory silk gown, took his elbow and guided him toward a group of elderly couples.

“I work in an office during the week. Secretary. But Pete’s is an oasis for me,” she said finally. “I’ve worked there as long as I’ve worked. I’ve got friends there. That probably doesn’t mean much to you since they’re low class friends.”

“Friends in low places?” Jacob asked.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a country song.”

“I don’t listen to country,” she replied.

As they twirled around the room, Jill watched the people. That woman is wearing shoes that cost more than a month of Katy’s day care. She nodded slightly. Trevor was right to choose this life over scraping by every month.

“May I cut in?” Trevor said to Jacob. Jill bristled at the sound of his voice.

“It’s up to the lady.” Jacob pulled back from Jill. His eyes searched Jill’s terrified face. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

Jacob took Jill’s hand and walked her off the dance floor. Picking up two glasses of champagne from another server, he led her to an empty table. He helped her into her seat then sat down beside her. She took a sip of champagne.

“Will you kiss me again?” Jacob asked

Jill blushed.

“I thought you’d be so overwhelmed with gratitude that you couldn’t help but kiss me again,” he laughed then took a sip of champagne.

“Why are you uncomfortable around women?” Jill asked.

“I’m not around them much,” Jacob said. “My sister lives in California and our mother died when I was in high school. I work in construction so I’m around men all day long.”

“You mean you own a construction company?”

“I’m a carpenter by trade, like my father was,” Jacob said. “But yes, I help my father manage his construction company.”

“What about these sisters?” Jill gestured to the group of beautiful girls sitting with the rich girl’s mother.

Jacob shrugged. “A couple of them were a package deal with my father’s new wife. The others are barely out of diapers. We’re not close. I assume that’s your brother.” He nodded toward the security guard that was making his way toward the table.

“Steve,” Jill said.

“How would you like to get out of here?” Jacob asked. “I don’t mean to be forward but you seem uncomfortable and I am uncomfortable. I’d like to get to know you better.”

“Um…”

“You have something planned?” Jacob asked.

She nodded.

“I don’t want to miss that.”

~~~~~~~~

Denver Cereal is a Serial Fiction based in Denver, Colorado.

A new chapter is published every week.

Monday through Saturday, a piece of the serial is posted at Denver Cereal.

The entire chapter is posted on Saturdays at On A Limb with Claudia and Stories by Claudia.

claudia hall christian is a novelist who lives in Denver, Colorado.

This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Bored. No, completely bored. Crystal took a step forward pushing her package with her feet.

The man ahead of her stormed out of the Post Office. Through the windows, Crystal watched him stalk to his car. Looking down, she picked up his forgotten package.

Running after him, Crystal yelled, “Sir, your package”.

The bomb exploded.

~~~~~~~~

This piece is a part of the 55 word Flash Fiction collection.

claudia hall christian is a novelist. She lives in Denver.

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.