Leticia

by Lindsay Anne Kendal

  I started to feel sleepy and was about to nod off when there was a knock at my door. I sat up straight, my adrenalin instantly started to pump, that was until Jackson stood in front of my living room window and motioned for me to let him in.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked as I opened the door.

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “Come in.”

  I led him into the living room and offered him a drink, but he politely refused.

  “Leticia, you can’t run, none of us should have to hide, I know were not exactly normal but we’re still living, breathing creatures, we have just as much right to live our lives as any normal human being.”

  “I know but it doesn’t happen like that.”

  “What happened to you?” he asked.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got all night.”

  “Jackson, look, I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “I will find out you know.”

  “What’s suddenly changed with you? The other day you didn’t even want to tell me your name, you were rude to me, and now you want to know the ins and outs of a cats ass, it doesn’t work like that you know,” I almost scolded.

  “I’m sorry I was rude, I’m not used to talking to anyone other than my sister and Tristan. I guess my social skills are poor these days.”

  I sat down facing him and studied him for a moment; he seemed uncomfortable, nervous, like he had no confidence in himself. It was a shame really, he was such a good looking guy and you could tell he was a nice person on the inside, why else would he have stuck up for me? Why would he be here now?

  “Where are Nancy and Tristan?” I asked.

  “At home.”

  “Do they know you’re here?”

  “No, if I’d told them they would have wanted to come. You looked rather un-easy with us all around you before, so I thought if I came solo you might relax a little.”

  “Oh.”

  “Would you prefer Nancy to come?” he asked, looking away from me.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do about any of this,” I sighed.

  “You need to stay for starters, and you need to fight. You also need to let us help you.”

  I didn’t respond. I just stared at him for a moment.

  “There are a lot of them you know,” he added. “I saw three of them off before I even got to your driveway.”

  “What!”

  “They were up to something, I don’t know what, but they were definitely scoping the place out.”

  “What do you mean saw them off?”

  “This kinda scares people away.” He said as he stood up, reached around his back and brought forward a gun. “I don’t think they wanted to die tonight.” He placed the gun on the table and turned his attention back to me.

  “Where did you get that?”

  “I’ve had it a while, we all have them, I have three and they’re just the ones in easy reach.”

  “Easy reach?” I asked.

  He rolled the bottom of his jeans up a second to show me one by his ankle, then reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out another.

  “Here,” he said, passing me the one from his pocket. “Keep this with you, I have others at home.”

  “What am I supposed to do with this?”

  “Point, aim, shoot.” He looked at me like I was stupid.

  “I know that, idiot, but why would I want a gun? I don’t want to shoot people.”

  “It’s not just normal people you’d be shooting Leticia. It’s people who want to kill you. That’s different. Just keep it with you, if you can avoid using it then great, but it’s there just in case.”

  “Yeah OK,” I nodded. “Thanks.”

  “It’s fully loaded; just remember to take the safety off.”

  “OK.”

  “OK, I’ll leave you to it. If I’m gone too long they will question me like mad when I get home.”

  “You can tell them where you’ve been. It’s too late for them to come with you now.”

  “Not worth the hassle,” he smirked. “Do me a favor, just call Nancy, let her know you’re OK? She’s desperate to get to know you; it’s been a long time since she’s had a girlfriend. I know she has me and Tristan, but everyone needs a friend too. It might do you good too, you always seem to be on your own, and you might like the company.”

  “It’s safer for people, and me, if I’m alone.”

  “Now you’ve met others similar to you though, think about it. If you call her, don’t tell her you’ve seen me, I’ll tell her tomorrow,” he said rolling his eyes.

  “OK,” I laughed, walking him to the door.

  “See you again.”

  He seemed to scope the place out before walking out of sight. I shut the door and locked it, then grabbed my mobile before sitting back in front of the fire. I’d saved Nancy’s number just in case I mislaid the paper she had given me. Jackson had been nice enough to come and see me and leave me a weapon, the least I could do was phone his sister like he’d asked.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hi Nancy, it’s...”

  “Hey Leticia, oh I’m so glad you’ve called, are you OK?”

  “Yeah, yeah I’m good, I just wanted to say sorry for before.”

  “Don’t worry we understand, oh, have you seen Jackson?”

  “No,” I said after a moment’s hesitation. “Not since I left your house before, why?”

  “He’s a pain in the ass; he’s gone out without saying a word to anyone.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine, he can look after himself.”

  “Yeah I know, too well sometimes,” she sighed.

  “How can you look after yourself too well?”

  “He’s hits first, thinks about it later. Anyway, am I gonna see you again?”

  “I don’t know Nancy, I’m still thinking about moving.”

  “Well that sucks,” she almost snapped.

  I didn’t respond. The last thing I wanted was an argument with her.

  “Can I come by?”

  “When?”

  “Now.”

  “Erm...”

  “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

  “No, look, can we do this another time?”

  “No, see you soon.” I didn’t get to respond, she hung up. I tried to call her back but she kept rejecting my calls.

  I’d just finished washing my pots when the doorbell rang and I heard Nancy shouting that it was only her. I opened the back door and shouted for her to come around.

  “Hey,” she said as she walked in, closing and locking the door behind her.

  “Hi.”

  “We need to talk, I know we haven’t known each other long but you can trust me, and I hope I can trust you.”

  I nodded and led her into the living room, I offered her a drink, but she already had a can of Pepsi in her hand. She took her coat off and sat on the sofa, folding it neatly and placing it beside her.

  “Look,” she started. “I need a friend, a girlie friend, someone like me... different. I can’t be friendly with normal human beings, I don’t age for starters and that raises questions. If I get close to them I have to leave them in the end and that hurts, I’m on my own again then. And, to be honest, I think you need a friend, so here I am.” She seemed genuinely upset about having nobody with her; you could tell how much she did want a friend. “I know I have Jackson, and Tristan, but it’s not the same as having a girlfriend. It gets lonely; do you know what I mean?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “Yeah I do.”

  “So please Leticia, will you be my friend?”

  “Yes,” I felt so sorry for her, and she was right, I did need a friend too. Her whole body seemed to relax more when I said yes, and she got a massive smile on her face.

  “Does that mean you’re gonna stay then?” she asked.

  “Yes, you’re right, you all are, why should I have to leave again?”

  “Exa
ctly.”

  “OK, well, I suppose I better tell you a few things.”

  “Start by telling me why you spent so much time alone, and where you spent it.”

  “That’s a long story; I won’t get through all of it tonight.”

  “We have all the time in the world,” she smiled, getting more comfortable.

  Chapter 6

  January 12th 2001

  “Leticia, sweetheart, this last twelve months have been the best of my life,” Luke said to me. “I never thought I would find a woman who would make me so happy. I love you.”

  “Luke you’re a softie, but I like it,” I smiled, just before kissing him.

  “Shall we go in?”

  “Yes.”

  He held my hand and led me into the restaurant. He opened the door for me and bowed slightly as I entered.

  “What a gentleman,” I laughed.

  “Always.”

  The waiter led us to our table and presented us with the menus. We ordered the best wine on the list and the some of the most expensive meals they had available.

  “It’s so nice to be able to do this,” he said between sips of his wine.

  “I told you it was a good idea, I told you if you only believed in yourself you could open this company, you could manage it well and make something of yourself. And guess what, I was right, as always,” I giggled.

  “I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner. I have a fast growing client list, some great cases, money flowing in, staff who actually like me and look up to me. Oh, and let’s not forget the most beautiful woman to ever walk the earth on my arm.”

  “Very smooth Luke, very smooth.”

  “It’s not smooth at all it’s the truth.”

  “Yeah OK, if you say so,” I smiled.

  “I do.”

  The waiter brought the first of our three courses over and set them in front of us. I stared at Luke for a moment. He was baby faced, with big grey eyes and short dark blonde hair, such a cutie. We had been together a year today, and he had brought me out to celebrate in style, sparing no expense since his new solicitors firm had really taken off. I sat there smiling to myself. He was lovely, a real gentleman, so kind and caring, I cared for him deeply and I knew he loved me, I just hoped that when I came to tell him what I really was, he would still love me.

  “So, when are you going to move in with me and stop living in that stupid hotel room,” he asked.

  “It’s not like I plan on staying there, but I’m still waiting for the money to come through from the insurance; believe it or not, paying for a week there works out cheaper than if I started renting somewhere around here.”

  “Who said anything about renting, I said when are you moving in with me? What is it Leticia, I’ve asked you so many times to stay with me, to move in, what’s stopping you really? What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Luke,” I sighed. “There are things you don’t know about me…”

  “So you keep saying, but until you tell me…”

  “I will, I will, it’s just hard.”

  “Nothing you could say would change how I feel about you, nothing at all. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you what you mean to me.”

  “Come back to the hotel with me later, I’ll tell you.”

  “Finally,” he smiled.

  We had our meal and didn’t bring the matter up again. He told me how business was blooming and the plans he had to boost it even further. It was nice to see him so enthusiastic about it; he had so much passion in his voice. His father had died a few years back, and since then he seemed to lose confidence in himself. He started looking after his disabled mother, he became her caregiver and provided for her in every way he could until her death eighteen months ago. It was through his mother that we met. I had a beauty salon around the corner from her house and he used to bring her in every week to have her hair washed and styled, and for a manicure. She seemed to take to me right away and wouldn’t ever let anyone else touch her. Even the girls who had worked there a long time were pushed away from her.

  I would talk to Luke while she was under the hair-dryer, and in time we became friends. We would go out for a drink after I’d finished work a couple of nights a week, and sometimes I would go around to his house for coffee and to chat with his mom. After she passed away we spent more and more time together, he told me about his dreams and I helped him as best I could to achieve them. One night he took me out for a bite to eat, and when he walked me home afterwards we ended up kissing. We’d been together ever since.

  We left the restaurant at around 9:30p.m. and went straight to my hotel room. He poured us both a rather large glass of red wine while I put some music on, then we both cuddled up on the sofa.

  “So come on then,” he said as he stroked the side of my face. “Tell me this big bad secret of yours that’s going to apparently stop my loving you.”

  “Do I have to; we’re having such a lovely night.”

  “You said you would, please darling, stop being so worried. I know you, I want you and I love you.”

  “I don’t know how to tell you, I’ve never told anyone before, not a normal person anyway.”

  “I’m far from normal Leticia, moody, deep, anx...”

  “That’s not what I mean by normal. I mean normal compared to me.”

  “You are normal, you’re...”

  “Luke stop,” I said standing. “Just listen, this is so far from easy and straight forward it’s unbelievable.”

  “OK,” he sat forward, a slight look of worry appearing on his face.

  “What I’m about to tell you is seriously between us, you cannot tell anyone else... ever!”

  “I won’t.”

  “I mean it Luke.”

  “I said I won’t.”

  “I’m not...I’m not your normal everyday person and I’m not twenty-four years old either.”

  “What!” he choked. “If you tell me you’re sixteen I swear!”

  “Actually I’m seventy-three.”

  “Yeah very funny, nice try. Now tell me the truth,” he smirked.

  “That is the truth.”

  “Hmm...”

  “I was born in Cornwall, in 1928, in May I will be seventy-three.”

  “Leticia look...”

  “And I’m a werewolf,” I blurted out.

  He burst out laughing which actually really annoyed me.

  “I should buy you wine more often,” he told me, still laughing.

  “Luke I’m serious.”

  “Come and sit down.”

  “Fine, if you don’t believe me...”

  “Prove it,” he giggled. “This should be fun.”

  “Be careful what you ask for Luke.”

  “No really, do it, go on.”

  “Luke...”

  “Come on, give me a good giggle.”

  “Fine,” as I spoke I felt my fingernails grow. “As you wish,” a moment later my eyes changed. That seemed to get his attention, he looked at his wine for a moment before putting it on the table. “It’s not the wine Luke,” I said as my teeth became jagged. “This is what I am.”

  “.... what... that....”

  “Luke...”

  “How... what the...”

  “Look,” I said, returning to normal and walking over to him.

  He jumped up off the sofa and nearly fell over the coffee table. “Stay away!” he shouted.

  “Luke...” I choked.

  “You freak! Things like you shouldn’t exist!”

  “How can you say that, you said...?”

  “I don’t care what I said; I thought you were going to say you’d killed someone’s cat or that you were in an institution at the worst!”

  “I’m still me.”

  “You are not, you’re not even human.”

  I started towards him again, tears running down my cheeks, but he backed away from me quickly.

  “You stay the hell away
from me, god I feel disgusting, I touched you.... I kissed you... oh my god, what...”

  He didn’t finish his sentence; he grabbed his coat and ran out of the door shouting all sorts of nasty things at me. When the door closed behind him, my legs buckled and I fell to the floor in tears.

  Chapter 7

  “Are you OK?” Nancy asked me.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “I’m so sorry for what happened.”

  “That’s only the first part.”

  “Then carry on.”

  “I can’t, not now.” I sighed.

  “I understand. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be listening.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Look, do you mind if I tell Jackson and Tristan?” she asked. “I know they really want to know what’s happened to you, and they would never tell anyone.”

  “Yeah it’s OK; it’ll save me going through it all again.”

  “So you went into isolation because of that?”

  “What! No, course not. It’s what happened over the days that followed that made me leave, but I’m not going into that tonight.”

  “OK,” she nodded. “Do you want to come by again tomorrow night, or during the day, either way is fine by me”

  “Yeah, I’m work...”

  I was interrupted by the house phone ringing. I excused myself and answered it.

  “Oh you’re going to talk now are you?” His voice sounded different.

  “What do you want?” I asked.

  “To talk, why else would I call?”

  “I don’t know, maybe to wind me up, try and scare me...”

  “Me, ha, I wouldn’t do that,” he mocked.

  Nancy walked in and put her head next to mine so she could hear the caller’s voice.

  “I’m busy, so get on with it,” I snapped.

  “Leticia I’m saddened by your tone...”

  “HA!”

  “I am. It saddens me to know how mad you are these days. You used to be so relaxed.”

  “Piss off.”

  “Who’s the girl stood next to you?”