Chapter 20 - She Loves Me
Sunday brunch was becoming the favorite meal of the week. Everyone was pulling out their favorite omelet fillings and chopping, cutting and shredding. Everyone was laughing and enjoying their time together as a family.
Haley knocked on the kitchen door, and Elmer let her in. “Brunch?” Haley asked.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you. On Sunday, we eat later. Grab a cup of coffee or a cappuccino, and I will be ready soon,” Charles told her.
“Cappuccino?” Haley inquired.
“Sure,” Stone told her and walked over to the machine. “Vanilla or mocha?” Stone asked.
“Mocha!” Haley replied gaily.
Stone made Haley a mocha cappuccino and walked it to her.
“When did you learn how to make a cappuccino?” Gracey asked.
“I have been practicing,” Stone grinned smugly.
“Wow, this is good,” Haley proclaimed a bit surprised.
After a few sips, Haley asked if there was any sausage left from the previous night. “Any refrigerator dough or puff pastry?” Haley asked.
“There should be some dough in the walk-in,” Celia told her. “Let’s look.”
Haley found the dough and grabbed some fresh garlic, basil, and mozzarella.
“Are you making what I think you are,” Celia asked. “Focaccia?”
“We just call in breakfast pizza,” Haley replied.
Haley found a spot on the prep table and laid out the dough. She drizzled olive oil over the dough and topped it with garlic and basil leaves, finishing with slices of tomato, mozzarella, and sausage. Haley walked over to the oven and popped it in.
When Haley pulled the pizza out of the oven, the entire room froze and stared. Haley picked up a knife and cut it into squares. She picked up a corner slice and sat down.
“Help yourself!” Haley called out laughingly.
The group rushed to the table nearly fighting each other to get the next piece.
“Vultures,” Haley laughed.
Elmer took the first bite. “Omigod Charles, if you do not propose to this woman right now, I will!”
Charles blushed. Haley gloated.
“Did you know this girl could cook this well, Charles?” Jim asked.
“No, but I know now.” It was Charles’ turn to gloat.
After breakfast and cleanup, Charles and Haley went for a walk. Charles took her hand and walked west. Their relationship was a bit like Gracey and Stone’s. It was intimate without being sexual. They enjoyed each other’s company and often said nothing at all.
“I realized today you are full of surprises. Where did you learn to cook so well?” Charles asked.
“In my mother’s kitchen. She taught me how to cook all of her recipes.”
“I know we have only been seeing each other for a couple of months, but I was wondering what your plans are when you graduate next summer.”
“Well actually, I have doubled up my classes this semester, and I will graduate in December,” Haley told Charles.
“December?” Charles asked stunned.
“I am thinking about teaching. I am looking to get my teaching certificate right after graduation. I will have a major in earth sciences with a double minor in horticulture and green technology.”
“Damn girl. What kind of genius are you?”
Haley chuckled. “I am not a genius, but I have worked with my uncle on and off for years. I like growing my own food, and I have some ideas for growing organically. Green technology is more of a hobby for me, but I would like to expound on it with more practical applications for the average homeowner. But in the meantime, I have to earn a living, so I think I will teach,” Haley explained.
“So you will be back in Lone Hill full time after graduation?” Charles asked.
“Yep.”
“Wow. There is so much I don’t know about you,” Charles confessed.
“How about we share a fact a day about ourselves,” Haley suggested.
“I like it. So mustard or ketchup on your burger?” Charles asked.
“Both, I like mine with all the fixings and extra onions,” Haley told him.
“Same here. See, we already have one thing in common.”
Charles looked at the position of the sun in the sky. “It is nearly time for you to leave again. Let’s head back.”
As they turned back towards the house, Charles stopped. He took Haley’s face into his hands and kissed her tenderly. “Haley Rose, I love you!”
Looking into Charles' eyes, Haley replied, “I love you too, Charles Simmons.”
Charles walked Haley back to her vehicle and kissed her goodbye. “Call me when you get there,” he told her.
Charles watched Haley all the way down the drive. When Haley turned onto the main road, Charles jumped into the air and screamed. “She loves me!”
There were two weeks left until the September full moon. Abby continued to make the wedding plans; Celia took her herbs, Saturday movie night continued. Each weekend the staff was off duty, and the family would spend the weekends together cooking and enjoying each other’s company.
The full moon would be on a Sunday, and Charles was glad Haley would be returning to Nashville in the afternoon. Therefore, no excuses would need to be made as to why they could not spend the evening together. Charles hated keeping secrets from Haley, but he knew until he knew they would be spending their lives together, this was the only way to protect Haley and the family.
About a week before the full moon, Jim was asleep in his quarters in the basement. He awoke suddenly to the sound of Celia’s voice. Not sure if she was awake, or just talking in her sleep, Jim walked down to Celia's room. He listened at the door but heard nothing. Strange, Jim thought to himself and went back to bed.
The following night, Jim heard Celia’s voice again and went down to investigate. Again there was no sound coming from Celia’s room. The next morning Jim asked Elmer if he had been awakened by Celia’s voice in the middle of the night.
"Senility must be setting in, old man," Elmer replied, joking as if it was Jim's imagination. Jim shrugged it off.
On the night of the full moon, everyone followed their normal routine. After dinner and shots, Abby, Rudy, and Jim would hunt and then Charles and Elmer would hunt. Jim would stand guard over Gracey and Celia, with Celia in the guest room across the hall from Gracey’s suite. Jim understood Celia’s fears now, and he would ensure she felt safe. Jim seemed to be attuned to Celia's feelings, and it was crucial to him she knew he was there for her.
Rudy, Abby, and Jim went to the stable and turned. Elmer and Charles were guarding the grounds. When Stone returned to Gracey’s room after his shots, instead of going to the guest room, Celia snuck out to the stable with her favorite quilt.
Jim ate quickly and left Rudy and Abby in the meadow for some alone time. As he started back to the stable, he could hear Celia crying out for help. But the sobbing was not audible, it was in his mind. Do you hear that? Jim asked Rudy and Abby.
Hear what? Rudy and Abby replied.
Sorry, I am hearing things again, Jim answered and ran quickly back to the stable.
Jim, I need your help, he heard telepathically. Jim reached the stable and found Celia in an empty stall wrapped in her quilt. Celia was crying and in pain. Jim looked at her, and her hair was tan, wolf tan and her eyes were light brown with yellow flecks. Jim turned human quickly and ran back to her wearing only a pair of jeans.
“I tried to do it myself. I took the herbs, but I couldn’t turn,” Celia cried out in pain and in despair.
“Why did you do this?” Jim asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You acted like you did not want me to turn, to be like you,” Celia replied. “Jim, I am in love with you. I was hoping once I turned you would feel the same about me.”
“Stupid woman, don’t you know I love you just the way you are. I would love you whether you were human or wo
lf.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Celia asked.
Jim took Celia into his arms and kissed her passionately.
“I am going to turn back and see if I can coax the change,” Jim told Celia.
The moment Jim turned he can feel the telepathic connection, but Celia was not able to turn. Jim turned back human and carried Celia to the guest room and put her to bed and lay beside her in half wolf form while watching the door to Gracey’s suite. When Abby and Rudy returned to the house, Jim waited for them to retire and then took Celia back to her own room and put her to bed. Jim lay beside her, as a human, atop of the covers. “Good night Celia,” he told her.
“Good night Jim,” Celia replied. Jim did not leave her side all night.
The next morning Celia's physical appearance had returned to that of a normal human. Still, Jim insisted she call Dr. Robertson. “I took the Vertamus. I felt stronger, but I could not turn,” Celia told the doctor.
“The herb helps to activate the gene for those with enough wolf DNA in their bloodline, but it will not work for humans,” Dr. Robertson explained. “And Celia, most humans who do not complete the change can have psychological issues. You will feel the pull of the moon, but your body will not turn, and it can be painful; very painful. You see what it is like for Gracey every month even with painkillers. You could experience the same severity of pain; maybe worse. But for now, how do you feel Celia?”
“Strong, really strong,” Celia answered. “Dr. Robertson, if I was bitten what would happen?”
“If you are bitten, you will change on the next full moon as expected. And you will probably find it easy to change. Your body will be ready. But be careful until then. The Vertamus has made you strong, as strong as a full-blooded wolf and maybe more.”
“Please, Dr. Robertson, please do not tell Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph,” Celia begged.
Jim ended the call and turned to Celia. “I could not stand to see you in pain like Gracey. I love you too much,” Jim confessed and took Celia’s arm into his hands. “Will you be my mate, Celia Maple?”
Celia nodded with a tear in her eye. “I will do this a gently as I can,” Jim told Celia and bit her on the arm just breaking the skin. Jim licked the punctures several times to ensure his saliva had mixed with Celia's blood. “Our secret for now, okay?” Jim said. Celia nodded in agreement.
The next day Celia asked, “Jim do you still have your apartment in town?”
“Darn, I forgot about the apartment. Guess I had thought once Gracey was safe I would be moving back. It is paid up through the end of the year,” Jim replied. “With everything that has happened, I guess I need to move out and bring my things here. I rented it furnished, so it's just a few personal items.”
“I was thinking. You, I, and Elmer are like our own little family. Maybe we can talk to Rudy about letting us set up the basement for our own place. Make it a bit cozier. I am thinking about selling the boarding house. We can bring a few more things from the boarding house and spruce up the place. I have a feeling I will be living here for a long time.”
“Me too, Celia.” And Jim kissed her.
“Jim, none of that for now,” Celia said as she swatted Jim away. “We need to keep it a secret until after the wedding and until the full moon.”
“How about in private?” Jim asked with a glint of hope in his eyes.
“You mean sleeping together?”
“Just to keep you safe, of course. I will stay on top of the covers. Just like Stone and Gracey. I will behave. I promise."
Celia smiled and agreed.
The first Monday in October, a week after the September full moon, Gracey and Stone decided they would start taking the antidotes for the shots they had been taking for ten or more years. They wanted to be ready to turn on the next full moon as well as be able to have a family.
Gracey requested salads for lunch for both her and Stone and then went to the garden. She cut a fresh bouquet of flowers for her room and two lavender roses.
As the family gathered for lunch, Gracey arrived last, carrying the two roses. She walked to Stone and presented him a rose along with a kiss. They placed the roses on the table and waited for Rudy and Abby to start eating first. Then they picked up their roses, tore the petals off the stems and placed the petals onto their salads.
Rudy and Abby looked up. “What the…” Rudy called out.
Abby jumped up in celebration. “They’re going to turn!” Abby was so happy she was crying as she hugged them both.
“Why? What made you change your mind?” Rudy asked curiously.
“We want what you have. We want forever as long as we can,” Stone replied.
“And…” Gracey started, looking at Stone. “We want children.”
“Children…grandchildren,” Abby exclaimed as the tears started again.
“But you could have children without turning,” Rudy said.
“Actually…no,” Stone began and told his parents about how the drug which prevented the turn also worked as birth control on both males and females.
“No wonder I didn’t have any more children,” Abby cried remorsefully. “I am so sorry Rudy. It was my fault.”
“No, my sweet, don’t you cry. We have a beautiful son and a beautiful daughter-in-law. Our life is good,” Rudy told Abby.
Meanwhile, Celia was downstairs having another cup of tea. She looked into the mirror and noticed her hair had returned to its natural color, a light brown. And she noticed her clothes were getting baggy. She closed the door to her room and stripped. Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed her muscle tone and slimming waist line. And she looked younger, really younger. Is this from the Vertamus? Celia wondered.
Celia looked at the dress which had been delivered for her to wear to Gracey and Stone’s wedding. While it was expensive and attractive, it was matronly. She would need to do some alterations on it if she was going to look good, really good for the wedding. And she needed to ensure Jim took notice. And no more baggy clothes, Celia decided. I need a new wardrobe to go with this new body.