Pure Blood

  Chapter 19

  “So…can we learn other skills besides the ones that we were…uh…given?” Crix was packing up his work as Rip and Rebekah stood in his classroom. They had been practicing their Oceain skills with Crix. Crix agreed to help them develop their skills after school each day. Crix shook his head.

  “You can try, but it could be dangerous. I can’t teach you, though. You’ll have to get Holidee for that.”

  “Yeah. If she’s not too busy with Zeke.” Crix laughed.

  “But they do seem happy together.”

  “Yeah. They’re cute.” Rebekah finally spoke up.

  “Do you know what’s been up with Tom lately?” Crix looked at her.

  “Has he been acting weird?”

  “You haven’t noticed? He’s been all jittery and he has dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.”

  “Hm.”

  “Nah.” Rip just waved away his sister’s worries. “He’s just probably not getting a good night’s sleep. That’ll make anyone jittery.”

  “Yeah. Maybe.”

  “Well, I had fun chatting, but I should really get home, before Mer starts wondering where I am.”

  “Okay.” Rip hopped off of the desk. “We’ll see you after the break, Mr. Jublemaker!” He and Rebekah headed for the door.

  “It’s Crix, for the last time!” He laughed as he watched them leave. “Dang kids.” He smiled as he finished packing up his things. Then he walked out of his classroom, not to return for two weeks. Christmas break. Everyone loved Christmas break. And for the first time in almost sixteen years, he would get to spend Christmas Day with the people he loved. Crix smiled again as he got in his car and drove home. When he arrived at the house, he saw Holidee sitting on the front porch, waiting for him. He got out of the car and waved.

  “Hey!” She hopped off of the porch and hugged him. “So’re we going to stay at the beach house during break?”

  “I don’t see why not. We’ll have to ask Mer, though, but I think she’ll like the idea of staying in a bigger house by the ocean.” Holidee smiled, but it slowly faded. Crix looked at her. “What?”

  “Will this be your first Christmas with Mer, excluding the one I saw and all others before that?”

  “And with you. Yeah. It will. So I have a feeling it’s gonna be great Christmas.” Holidee smiled. Her and Crix walked inside and waited for Mer to get home.

  “Hey, Crix?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Zeke did ask me if I could have a Christmas Eve dinner with him and his dad.”

  “Really? Wow. You guys are getting serious. Having holiday dinners with family. Hmm…” Holidee laughed.

  “Can I?”

  “Sure. Just be back that night so Santa will come.” They laughed.

  “Don’t worry. I will. Hey. You know what?”

  “What?”

  “You were there on my first Christmas and you’ll be here for my first Christmas as an Oceain.” Crix smiled.

  “Yep. I will.”

  Holidee, Crix, and Mer packed up the Christmas decorations and went to stay at Holidee’s house during the break. They decorated the house and put up lights. They put up every possible decoration. Holly, tinsel, beads, mistletoe, and figurines. Then they got a tree and decorated it. Once they were all done, they sat down and rested on the back porch, watching the ocean. The break lasted for two weeks. Then one day, when Crix and Mer were sitting on the porch, watching the ocean, and Holidee was inside, someone knocked on the front door. Holidee opened the door and saw a boy with black hair and a bandanna wrapped around his head standing at the door with dark circles under his eyes. He looked up wearily and smiled weakly.

  “Hey. Wanna talk?” Holidee couldn’t believe he was standing at her door. She knew he wasn’t staying with Zeke and Zeke’s mom down the beach…or was he? And if he was, where was Zeke? Holidee just nodded and opened the screen door for him. He walked inside and looked around. He smiled a genuine smile. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” Holidee smiled.

  “We’re in a very festive mood.”

  “I can see that.” He looked around again. “Where’re Crix and your godmother?”

  “On the porch. Why don’t we go walk on the beach?” Tom nodded and they headed for the back door. Crix and Mer looked at them, and Crix then saw what Rebekah was talking about. Tom looked tired, but his eyes were alert. “We’re gonna go walk on the beach.” Crix nodded. Tom and Holidee walked to the beach and walked the shoreline. “So what’d ya wanna talk about?”

  “Your parents.” Holidee tensed up a little. She knew what he meant. “And how they died.” He took a breath. “I know it’s a touchy subject. I don’t like it either, but I need to talk to someone.”

  “Why not Zeke?”

  “Cuz he’s not an Oceain.” Holidee wondered what this had to do with her parents’ death. “I know it won’t change anything, but I’m sorry my…James killed your parents.”

  “I never said he-” Tom held up a hand and they stopped walking.

  “I know he did. And so do you. February 14. Valentine’s Day. That day haunts you just like it haunts me.” Holidee narrowed her eyes.

  “Why does it haunt you?”

  “Because I was in that car wreck.” Tom held up his hand again as Holidee tried to protest. “He found my mom and I before we got out of Ohio.” Tom looked out over the ocean. “He never liked me. He always wanted me dead. And that was his chance. He threw me in his truck. He was drunk, of course. The thing was, he cut out all of the safety belts. So when he hit the other…your parents, I was thrown from the car. I was beat up pretty bad. I wish James would’ve died instantly, but he didn’t. I saw your mom and dad. I didn’t know who they were, but I saw their eyes. That’s why when I first met you, I kept staring at your eyes. I knew you had to be related to them, and then I found out Crix wasn’t your dad and you live with your godmother. That’s when it donned on me. You were the daughter. But I knew we didn’t meet and become friends for no reason. Fate brought us together. I don’t know why, but I was meant to meet you. And the fact that you’re an Oceain…well that may be a part of it also. You see, my uncle, who gave me this knife, was an Oceain. He taught me everything that he knew before he died. I couldn’t do any of the things he could, of course, but it was always neat to watch. He was like a father to me.” Holidee had been quiet the whole time. She just listened to Tom, with nothing really on her mind. She wasn’t mad. She wasn’t sad. She wasn’t even a little bit sorry. She just listened. “That’s all I really wanted to tell you. That I think we were meant to find each other. And I’m sorry again about your parents. I really am.”

  “Tom, what happened, happened. It’s not your fault. It’s your father’s.” Tom winced. “It’s okay. I know you weren’t the cause of the crash.” She paused. “Did you happen to see my mom and dad after the crash or during it?”

  “Yeah…Holidee, they-”

  “No. I don’t want to know. I’d rather remember them whole and alive then mangled and dead. Thanks, Tom. For being honest and caring.” Holidee hugged him. “And you know you can always come to me or Crix for help. We’ll be there for ya. Don’t ever be afraid to ask.” She let go of him. “And Zeke’s worried sick about you. Nightmares, huh? Well, maybe you need to forget about your dad and be a kid. I mean,” she grabbed his hands, “you are too old for your age. You need to have fun and not worry. Be a kid. You’re still sixteen and young.” She brushed his hands with hers. She touched the scars that were all over them. The scars disappeared. “Zeke’s not the only one who cares about you, y’know. Try and forget about your past. This is your present. The past is gone and done. Look toward the future. You have so much to look forward to.” She let go of his hands, and Tom looked at them, scarless. He looked up at her.

  “Like what?” Holidee smiled.

  “Like friends. Your future job. Family.”

  “Future job?”

  “Yeah. I was kinda hoping you and Zeke would
teach at this school I’m planning to build for Oceains. You two could teach subjects like math or history or something.” Tom smiled.

  “Really? You mean that?”

  “Yeah. Think about it.” They started walking back to the house.

  “You know, my uncle was right.”

  “About what?”

  “You can always find a friend in troubled times.” He smiled at her. “You are so much stronger than he ever was.”

  “Now I understand why you love the ocean so much.” Tom nodded.

  “Yeah. It was the only thing that gave me comfort. He talked about you, you know. He said that there would be only one Oceain left, and that she would give life to our race once again.”

  “Our?”

  “You know what I mean.” Holidee smiled.

  “Yeah.” They walked back to the house and Tom said good-bye before he left. Then Holidee joined Crix and Mer on the porch.

  “What was that about?” Holidee shrugged. Crix looked at her and she smirked. Mer looked at them.

  “Is this one of those Oceain things?” They smiled.

  “Probably.”

  “I swear. You Oceains are always…” She got up and walked into the house. Holidee laughed.

  “She’s used to it, isn’t she? Being best friends with Oceains all her life?”

  “Yeah.” Crix smiled. “So what was that really about?” Holidee sat down in Mer’s chair.

  “My mom and dad.” Crix stopped rocking in his chair and looked at her.

  “What would Tom-”

  “He’s had a tough childhood. Dad’s a drunk and beat him and stuff. Well to make a long story short, Tom’s dad was the cause of my parents’ death. He was the drunk driver.” Crix went back to looking at the ocean.

  “Oh.”

  “That was my reaction at first. Then Tom kept apologizing and I felt bad for him. He’s been having nightmares about his dad and stuff and…well, he hasn’t been too good.”

  “I could tell.”

  “Crix?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Can I ask you something? About the Christmas when my dad asked you to be my Guardian?” Crix paused.

  “Sure.”

  “What was running through you mind after he asked you? I mean…” Crix was quiet for a few minutes.

  “A bunch of chopped up thoughts and memories. I knew I had to accept even if I didn’t want to…I was the only one. I thought about never being able to be with Mer like I was then. Not marrying her. Not having kids of my own. I thought about not being able to be in my best friend’s life like I used to. It was okay when you were little, but then as you got older, I barely got to see anyone. I didn’t get to hug my brother or laugh with him like I used to. I thought about you. I thought about how I could never be in your life. Only watch you grow from a distance. Never be able to hold you again. I thought about how the only way I’d get to hold you again, was if you were in trouble and I’d have to sacrifice my own life to save yours. A lot of things ran through my mind at that moment. None of them were positive. But my best friend asked me, and I couldn’t turn him down. Not after all he and his family had done for me. I would’ve given my life to Gregoric in a second, and I did. I gave him my freedom. He knew what he was asking of me, and I knew that he didn’t want to ask me. Heck, I even think he wanted me to refuse, but he knew I wouldn’t. Friends to the end, through thick or thin.” Crix shrugged. “That’s how it is.” Holidee didn’t say anything. She didn’t know what to say. She and Crix just stared out into the ocean as the rocked on the porch. Her mind was boggled at how calm Crix was. He gave up his life without thinking twice. Images of him holding her on his chest as a baby kept popping into her head. Those images would never leave her. Never. She kept seeing Crix say good-bye to everyone he loved, including her. She saw him walk out of the house and out of the memory. He had a tough life. She didn’t know much about his parents, but if he got beat up all the time as a kid, then they obviously weren’t around very much. He lost his best friend after high school, and then when they got back together, he only had a few years with him. Then he had to leave not only him, but his family, and the woman that he loved. He had a tough life, but he never complained. It never bothered him. He never was mad or sad about it. Holidee looked at Crix in bewilderment. He was amazing.