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One Thousand Years to Forever Page 3
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Page 3
Colum looked at the clock. Ten o’clock. “Fine, thank you, Travis.” Seeing the butler stay by the door. “That will be all.”
Travis bowed. “Yes, Sir.” He left quietly.
Colum stood and walked towards the door. He was going to go running and hoped he didn’t scare her half to death.
* * * * * * *
On her run, Katherine came out of Bay View Street and headed back towards Rockport Village. She was just running by the first pasture of the belted Galloways when she saw up in the distance a man jogging. From what she could tell he looked big. Not just tall but like something out of the Viking days. The closer she got she started to realize she had seen this man before. They ran past each other. She smiling slightly and trying in vain to remember and then she stopped. She turned and saw he kept on running. Now she knew...
* * * * * * *
Colum kept running but knew she had stopped. Knew she was standing there at this very moment standing, staring at him, trying to figure out where she had seen him before. He felt her eyes on him like a caress. Then he heard her footsteps behind him.
“Wait up. I know you from somewhere and I think I know where... ” Katherine could see him slowing and then he stopped and turned. Seeing his face closer again she knew she was correct. Here in front of her was the man who had carried her to safety. The same man who her brother William had wanted to invite after the funeral but after her wild display, all of that had been forgotten.
She stared up into eyes that at first glance looked as black as ebony. She just stood there very still, feeling she was in the presence of an animal, a large and very strong animal. Feral would be a better word because as she watched his face, different emotions crossed it. Then the strangest thing happened, his eyes that first appeared black were now a shade of green the likes of which she’d never seen before. But stranger still, they changed yet again and became a warm blue. His nostrils flared as if he was sniffing the air or her...
His hair was the color of the raven that flew behind him and now perched on a branch nearby. That too was strange because it was cocking its head at her as if it was studying her also.
Colum realized she that was becoming intimidated by his size, and also by Travis, who had the habit of following him, in one form or another.
“Travis, beidh s’e sin ar fad... ” He let his thoughts flow in the Irish to Travis.
Travis sat perched on the branch and cocked his head towards Colum.
“Whatever are you thinking in the Irish for when she can’t hear us? I know that will be all. But your father told me to watch over you... ”
Colum smiled but he knew it looked strained. “Yes, we have met before... excuse me for a moment... ” He bent and picked up a rock and threw it with precision of a warrior who was used to hurling spears. It hit to the right of the raven, making it squawk. As it flew away, it squawked some more.
“Ni g’a duit a bheith chomh rude... ” Then off he flew, fading in the distance.
Colum let out a laugh. “Rude?”
He turned back to Katherine and saw her still standing, perfectly still, watching him and Travis with her mouth open.
“You will have to forgive me. Normally, I don’t have animals following me around like Snow White,” he chuckled. He saw that made Katherine smile. How long had it been since he had seen her smile? One hundred, two hundred years?
“Let me introduce myself, my name is Colum O’Heachthanna.”
Katherine listened to the lilt in his voice. She decided she liked it. His voice was deep like thunder rolling off the hills but when he said his last name the thunder was more like music and comforting.
He saw her digesting his name. “You could say the modern version, Ahearn.”
It was Katherine’s turn to laugh. “Somehow it loses something in the modern translation.”
They stood there for a moment on the side of the road with the gathering gloom about them when they felt the first rain drop, each turning their faces to the sky.
Katherine turned her face to her neighbor on the road. “Did you feel that?”
“Yes. Which way is home for you?”
Katherine pointed towards Rockport. “That away.”
“Let’s see if we can out run it.”
They started running, the rain continued to fall until they reached where she needed to turn onto Mechanic Street off of Russell Avenue.
Colum knew where they were going but tried to act convincing enough. “Is this your home? When did you move here?”
Katherine stopped and started to unlock her gate. “Come on in. I will make you a cup of tea or coffee if you like.” Moving through the archway. “I moved here September 11th, just after my Grannie passed away.”
“Oh, Margret O’Brien... That would make sense. My parents will be saddened to know of her passing.”
Katherine looked up at her guest. “You knew my Grannie?”
Colum followed her into the house and straight into the kitchen. He watched her as she lit the stove. “I didn’t know her like my parents did. They knew her forever… it seems.”
He had known Margret for almost as long as he had been alive. She was one of those rare creatures who could get along and crossed boundaries. She had been part of the high court of the Fae. During the Great Famine, she had come along with many of her kind to America. He looked around and saw little bits of her life from the old country. This place had suited her and had been a haven for many a creature who had sought neutral ground in the sometimes not-so-friendly other world.
“This place suits you. You remind me of your Grannie, what little I knew of her.”
Katherine smiled as she got mugs down. “I hope you don’t mind having tea from a mug. I haven’t used her china yet and somehow on a day like today, a mug of tea sounds better.”
Colum pulled a stool out and sat down. Wondering if it would hold him. He wasn’t the smallest of persons, otherworldly or human.
Katherine stole a glance at the man who sat at her counter, the very man who had saved her.
Colum chuckled. “What are you thinking?”
Katherine bent her head like she was busy getting out spoons. “Busted, I know... I was-was just thinking and wondering what made you save me?”
Colum took his mug with his tea that was offered. “Let’s just say there was a higher power at work there that day and I guess you could say I was destined to save you... though you didn’t want saving at that moment.”
Katherine remembered that morning all too well and how she had kicked and screamed and called him every name in the book. Her face turned crimson.
“Don’t worry, I’ve been called worse names than that on the battlefield,” he laughed a deep laugh, smiling at her.
Katherine looked up into those amazing eyes that had settled down to a deep blue, ultramarine she guessed right about now.
It was her turn to laugh. “Wow, that feels rusty... ”
Colum watched her as she sat. “I can imagine. How have you been feeling?”
Katherine fiddled with her spoon. “Strange you should ask. I have been feeling very tired as of late. I push myself to get out there and run because for a while I feel wonderful but then I feel like I have lead on my shoulders and I can’t move. All I want to do is sleep.”
Colum had been picking up signals and her scent smelled burned. She was lacking iron, almost like her body was being robbed of her stores. He took a deep breath to create a mental picture for later and analyze it when he was alone.
“I’m sorry to bore you. Let me ask you again, since you never answered me on that day. Why did you save me and don’t tell me about higher powers... ”
Colum looked at her and those green eyes that, even as tired as they were, showed flashes of fire.
Colum took a chance and reached for her hand. “I am not being flippant when I say there were higher powers at work.”
Katherine shrugged but let her hand stay in his for a moment longer before pulling away. “Fair enoug
h. I guess I am glad you did. It would have been very hard for my children to lose both of us in one day, that way. It’s been a very long, hard road. I think they are healing and being up here in Maine helps.”
Colum patted her hand. “So you write?”
Katherine studied him. “How do you know?”
“Saw the post it notes on the fridge... call editor today, check on cover... that tells me you write. What kind of books?”
Katherine got up. “Hold on, I will show you.”
She went into the dinning room and when she returned she had a book in her hand. She handed it over.
Colum held her book, a child’s picture book about the life of a fairy. Looking up at her he saw tears.
“It’s beautiful. Who did the illustrations?”
“I did the sketches and a friend of mine did the water colors, though I’ve been giving painting a try so maybe with my next book I can do everything and then it will be all mine. I found it so healing, writing that story. It was inside of me somehow. I used to have dreams of fairies and Granny told the most wonderful stories.”
Colum put the book down. “The Irish are born story tellers. I am sure you have a great collection of them and memories of your Grannie.”
He took the last sip of his tea and saw it had stopped raining. “The sky actually looks as if it will clear. I should be going. Thank you so much for the tea.”
Katherine stood. “It was my pleasure. Are you sure you wouldn’t want me to give you a ride home?”
Colum smiled. “Only if you will go out to dinner with me on Friday night.”
Katherine looked at the man who had saved her life... “I don’t even know him... ”
“Yes.”
“Then Friday at seven... ”
Katherine could have sworn his eyes turned a violet color as he smiled.
* * * * * * **
Katherine woke up to the alarm going off at 5 am. She shut it off and lay on her back. Her arm hit a body. It was her Sally. Sally had woken sometime during the night and had come in and crawled into bed with her. It was less and less often, but her daughter still had nightmares and she felt better if she slept with her mama.
Sitting up, she saw Sally was sleeping on her stomach, no covers. The house was chilly first thing in the morning and since there was no heat upstairs she had lots of quilts from her Grannie and down comforters. She pulled a couple over onto her sleeping daughter and got up.
Moving through the sleeping house she walked to the stairs and down. Coming to the bottom of the stairs she could see the moon reflecting on the harbor below. It must have risen late in the night. “Good, maybe it will be a nice day for a change. I could use some sunshine.”
As she was making her tea she thought about the day and night that lay ahead. Tonight she was going to dinner with Colum... her rescuer. “God, why did I say yes?” She thought about the mere act of going to dinner and a date. “Maybe I can fake being sick... God, I sound worse than the kids. Suck it up and go out this one time, and then you don’t have to again.”
She made her mug of tea, then went and sat down on the couch that faced the water. Boats bobbed gently on the water below. There was that one red lobster boat that was always anchored right below her house.
She sat and thought about how her life had shifted to utterly simplistic. No more fighting traffic in the morning to go to her office space that she had rented so she could avoid working at home. She had found that early on in her writing career, writing at home just didn’t work. Her mom had watched the younger ones before that day happened. Then, she would get up and get to her office and put in a solid morning of writing. Now she worked at home. It was a perfect fit. Now...
Back then, when she lived in the city, she would go to work for the morning, just to get some solid work done. Then she would come home for the afternoon to be there for the family. It had all worked. Now, she had an office next to the living room, though really after the kids went to school her whole house was an office. She could sit anywhere in the house with her laptop and write. That was the perk of freelancing. She wrote her children’s books on the side.
Today she had nothing pressing to do but figure out what she was going to wear on this dinner date.
* * * * * * *
Katherine walked into her closet as she listened to her mother and sister-in-law talking on the other end. “Thank goodness for Blue Tooth... ”
“Yeah, I know this is a date... that’s what I am afraid of.”
She could hear her mother talking but muffled.
“Mom, I’m still here, talk to me, what are you whispering to Issy... God, you two are relentless... ”
She listened to them giving her pointers. “Listen, I’m only doing this as a favor, nothing more. I don’t think he has anything in mind past taking me out this one time. Besides, I am not wearing something to give him any reasons to think otherwise... ”
She looked at her clothes. She really had a nice wardrobe but nothing really for dating. She hadn’t even given dating a thought and really didn’t think of this as a date either, but here were her mother and Issy, blowing it out of proportion and making it more of a big deal than it was.
Katherine about had a stroke when she heard the next bit from the two of them.
“Isobella, I’m not wearing something low cut... ” “Did she even have anything that was low cut?” She looked. She found that white poet’s shirt that she’d always loved. Cleavage was midway. She found a nice pair of jeans and held them together. “I think I found something... if not, my turtleneck will do.”
She had to laugh when she said that. Her mother was having a fit.
“Mom, I don’t want to attract him. We ran together, had tea, that’s it... yes, I know he’s handsome. Yes, I know it’s been nine years... maybe it will be another nine years before I go out again. Just because he asked me doesn’t mean he likes me, or me him. He’s nice, a gentleman, that’s it and I don’t even know anything about him...
“Mom, you did what? How in the world did you find out that?” She listened some more. “Uncle Pat did what? Oh my God, Mom, that’s a bit much... even for you.” She listened some more. “I know. I know you are just looking out for me. I know he could be a weirdo who just happened to save me.”
She listened some more and was shocked by what she next heard. “He’s what? He’s from one of the richest families in Europe and has been richer than the Queen of England... A very old family, very quiet, but movers and shakers in everything... ”
She was trying to digest all of this. “How the hell am I going to go out to dinner with him? I haven’t got anything to wear and it’s already late in the afternoon... ” She threw down what she had picked out and sat on her bed. “No, I can’t... I am going to call him and tell him I have pneumonia or something... ”
She stood at the sound of the doorbell ringing. “Hold on you two, someone is at the door. Hang on a minute while I go see who it is.”
She ran down stairs and looked out the window next to the door. A white van with flowers painted on it, with Hoboken Gardens written on the side, was parked in her driveway. She opened the door.
“Yes?”
A woman had a long white box in her arm. “Katherine MacNamara?”
Katherine just stood there. She could hear her mom saying, “Answer her.” But Katherine could only stand there, staring at the white box, knowing it must contain flowers.
All of a sudden both her Mom and sister-in-law screamed, “Yes!” in her ear making her jump which made her say, “Yes.”
The woman smiled and handed her the box. Katherine said, “Thank you.” The woman turned and left, leaving Katherine standing for a moment longer while she listened to what sounded like magpies in her ear. “God, I am so going to hang up on you two... ”
She walked back into the house and brought the box to the dinning room table. “Yes, just wait.” She opened up the box and moved the tissue paper back and was met by a profusion of color. Crimson rose
s, a dozen of them, sat in the milky, white paper. “Oh my God... ” She lifted one and smelled it and drank in the faint rose scent. “Yes, they are flowers and if you must know... roses... yes, it has a card... ” She opened the card.
I wanted to send you something and to thank you again for going to dinner with me tonight. Dress casual, no worries. We will have a nice, relaxing evening.
Colum.
She repeated what was on the card to her mother and Issy. “Yes, I guess he took care of that... I will keep you posted... Love you too.”
She just stood there and stared at the roses. Picking one up, she had a vision of a hot house that grew these beauties but it didn’t look modern and then when she looked further into the vision she saw him a far off and a warm smile on his face as he walked towards her. It was Colum, but he was dressed like a man would have two hundred years ago. His hand reached for hers, she extending hers towards him and for the briefest of seconds she felt his touch...
* * * * * * *
John looked his mom over and smiled. “You look great, Mom.”
Katherine studied her son and knew he was holding something back. “OK, what is it?”
“You just look tired, Mom. Are you feeling OK?”
Katherine brushed back the hair that always fell over his face. “Yes, I am tired and just burning the candle at both ends.”
John gave his Mom a hug. “Well, just promise me you will relax tonight and enjoy yourself.”
Katherine pulled away from John and studied him. “You really are so wise for your age. It’s you who should be going out and having fun.”
He blushed. “I do, basketball season is coming up and then I won’t be home at all.”
Katherine could hear the other two come flying down the stairs. “Mom, have you left yet?”
Katherine had to laugh as Pat and Sally came skidding to a stop. “No, you know I wouldn’t leave without kissing you goodnight. Besides, I will be home early, a couple of hours max…”