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“He’ll be back tonight,” insisted Nick. “He has to look after the animals in the barn there.”
“Is it tonight yet?” asked Amanda, looking at Nick archly. Nick ignored her, keeping the binoculars fixed on the house.
Bert smirked at the little display. “You two act like high school kids.”
“Who are you calling a kid?” asked Amanda.
“Car coming,” announced Nick, forestalling Amanda’s attempt to relieve her boredom by picking a fight with Bert. They watched from a quarter mile down the road as the SUV drove into the vet’s driveway, parking next to the barn. A tall dark man got out and went into the barn. Half an hour later, he left the barn and walked slowly to the house. Lights went on in several rooms before Bert started the van and drove towards the house.
“You’re going to stay in the van, right?” repeated Bert.
“Oh, please Bert, don’t make me stay in here another minute!” pleaded Amanda.
“That was the deal,” insisted Bert, but as he pulled into the driveway, both immortals raised their heads. “What?” asked Bert.
“We have to go with you,” said Nick.
“No, no, no,” repeated Bert.
“He’s immortal,” explained Amanda.
“How do you know? Do you guys have radar too?” Bert was incredulous.
Nic snapped his fingers. “Now that makes sense. Remember Grace said that I had enough drugs in my system to kill a mortal. This guy knew it wouldn’t kill me permanently. Bert, why don’t you stay in the van?”
“No way,” said Bert.
The kitchen door opened before they got out of the van. Ted Reynolds stood there, back lit by the soft glow of the kitchen. “You? I thought you were in jail.”
“You thought wrong,” snarled Nick.
Reynolds recovered. “Just as well. It saves me waiting here for several years for you to get out. Better get this over with. Send your friends away and let’s finish this.”
“Oh, I accept your challenge.” Nick lost no time. Striding up to the man, he put his face close to his. “Why did you kill Lucy?” he demanded.
“Me?” Reynolds did not back down. “Me? Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” retorted Nick. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“Ah, but you don’t remember do you? You cannot be sure. And you never will.” He smiled smugly at the enraged Nick.
“Is that what this is about? Revenge?” Amanda stepped into the light, putting her hand on Nick’s arm.
“He was so bloody sure of himself. Sat there on the witness stand, spouting facts and figures of the evidence he found the night Laura died.”
“Are you saying you didn’t kill your wife?” asked Amanda.
“I don’t remember!” shouted Reynolds. Shuddering, he hunched his shoulders remembering that night.
*****
1995
Ted and Laura ran up the stairs of the five-storey apartment building they lived in. At the landing, he stopped and pulled her into his arms. “I do love you,” he breathed, before kissing her deeply. “I can’t believe it’s already been five years.” He tangled his fingers into her fine blonde hair.
Laura melted into his arms. Finally breaking the kiss, she panted, “Come on, it’s only two more floors. We’ll embarrass someone if we stay here.”
“So what?” asked Ted, pulling her closer. “Let them all get jealous. Especially old man Brady who is always peeking out his door at us. They’re all jealous since you’re so beautiful.”
Laughing, Laura smacked his arm. “Oh you. I found more wrinkles around my eyes this morning as well as a grey hair. I was thirty at my last birthday. How do you stay looking the same as the day I met you seven years ago? And Mr. Brady is a nice man. Worries too much because he’s lonely, that’s all.” Pulling away she ran up the stairs, with Ted right behind her.
They stumbled onto their floor, still laughing. Mr. Brady opened his door and looked out, chewing on his fingernails. “Oh, it’s just you. I thought something was wrong.” His face red, he closed the door, but stayed there, his ear pressed against the wood.
“Let’s give him something to think about,” Ted whispered in Laura’s ear, beginning to tickle her as she tried to open their door. Giggling, she dropped the keys and they playfully fought for them, causing Brady to open his door again.
Finally they collapsed into their apartment. With Ted’s tie in her hand, Laura pulled him towards the bedroom. Ted pulled back, reluctantly. “Wait, Laura, there’s something I want to tell you.” He had steeled himself and promised himself that he would do so this very day. To prolong this would not be fair.
“Can’t it wait?” Laura’s eyes dimmed a little.
“Come on, it won’t take long,” promised Ted, taking her hand and leading her to the living room. After seating her on the couch, he ducked into the kitchen where a bottle of champagne waited in the fridge. He brought it and two glasses to the living room and sat beside her.
“Tell me then,” insisted Laura, accepting a glass of bubbly from his hand.
“Not so fast.” Ted smiled at her haste. He crossed arms with her, looking into her eyes as they sipped the champagne. “To the most beautiful woman in the world, now and forever. Laura, you are my life and my world. Do you believe that?” His dark eyes sought for the answer in her blue ones.
Laura reached with her free hand to smooth his black, slightly curly hair from his forehead. “I do believe that. I love you too and you’re the most handsome man in the world. Are you okay, Ted? You’re worrying me. You’re not going to tell me that you’re sick and going to die, are you?”
“I’m fine, in fact more than fine. That’s what I want to tell you. I want you to listen and believe me, okay?” He gently took the glass from her hands and took a deep breath. “I should have told you this before we got married, but I was selfish. I was worried you’d say no if you knew.”
“Knew what? Ted, you’re making no sense. Are you going to tell me you’re an axe-murderer? No wait; you’re part of the mafia.” She nodded, but her voice took on a slightly crazed tone. “Yeah, that’s it and your godfather wants to call in a promise.”
“It’s true I’m Italian, but it’s not that. Laura, I was born in Milan, Italy in 1807. I never knew my parents and the people who took me in were peasants, who looked on me as a male to help in the fields since all their other children were daughters. My name back then was Eduardo Rinaldi. When I was twenty-five, newly married, a bull chased me across a field and gored me. I died in the field but revived some time later.”
“Cute story, Ted. Why don’t you write it down and tell our child one day. Now come to bed and let’s conceive that child.” Laura started to stand up.
Ted pulled her back down. “It’s true Laura; I’m immortal. And there won’t be any children. My kind cannot have them.”
“Come on Ted, you’re scaring me. Your kind? Why are you telling me this fairy tale? Don’t we have better things to do on our anniversary?”
Ted sighed. “I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.” He went back to the kitchen and came back with a large knife. Holding his hand over the glass-topped coffee table, he drew the knife across his palm.
Horrified, Laura watched the blood drip on the table. She put her hands to her mouth as the skin joined together leaving not so much as a scar. “It’s a trick,” she insisted. “It’s a trick knife, or you didn’t really cut yourself.” She took the blade from him and nicked her own finger. Staring at the blood, she examined the knife again. With her finger in her mouth, she examined Ted’s hand.
“You’re making this very difficult, Laura. Think of it. I’ll be young forever. Would you like me to stab myself in the heart?”
“And bleed all over the rug? Don’t be any stupider than you already are.” She grabbed up the knife and held it behind her back. “What good is you’re staying young, if I grow old? You won’t want me when I get all saggy.” Laura’s breathing was coming in ragged gasps. “Why are you doing this Ted? If you don’t love me anymore, then tell me the truth; don’t make up some stupid story to make me think you’re nuts. If you think I’m looking old, just say so. Is it a younger woman?” Her voice rose in anger.
“I do love you; that’s why it’s important that you know this about me,” begged Ted. “I haven’t liked keeping this from you and I want you to know everything about me. I’ll never leave you, Laura. I’ve had other wives over the years, but I’ve never told them, never loved them as much as I love you. You’re my everything, Laura.”
“Oh, then why not make me immortal too, so I can be young forever with you. I wish you had told me this five years ago, before I started getting old.” Laura’s eyes grew cold.
“Laura, please,” Ted tried again. “If I could make you immortal I would. Please don’t let this change what and who we are.”
“No, Ted, you’re a nutcase. You are not the man I married. I want you out now. You’re a freak!” Laura backed away fearfully. Ted took a step towards her. She screamed and attacked him.
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