by Jade White
“Is someone there?” called out a feminine voice.
I froze in place. I didn’t expect to be caught. What should I say?
“We need to go,” I explained as the woman rounded the corner and faced me.
It was Rachel. She had aged but she was still just as beautiful as she was in that blue dress. Right now, she wore jeans and a tank top, along with some jewellery around her neck.
“Shawn?” she said after a moment, recognizing me.
“Yes,” I said.
“It’s you… I…”
CHAPTER SIX
“Rachel”
There he was, in front of me. He was wearing dress shoes, jeans and a well fitted t-shirt. I felt my mouth water as want built up in my body.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. I never expected to see Shawn ever again.
“Mommy?” Michael called out from the other room.
“Yes, Michael?” I asked.
“Who is it?” he shouted.
“No one, darling, just keep playing,” I said.
“He’s my son isn’t he?” Shawn asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Isn’t he? Can I see him?”
After all these years and Shawn wanted to see him? After all those years I searched him out and now he wants to see Michael?! “No. You cannot,” I said, putting my foot down.
Shawn’s shoulders sunk. “That’s alright…”
He looked terrible, as if he’d been up all night. He had eye bags and he seemed to be a little out of breath. I felt a pang of sympathy before I smothered it.
“May I come in?” Shawn asked.
“You’re already inside,” I noted.
“Ah, that’s true,” he said. “Sorry,” he apologized.
I sighed and gestured for him to enter the kitchen. Auntie was out at work and I had the day off today so I was looking after Michael alone. Shawn sat at the kitchen table as I began to prepare some tea for myself.
“Would you like some tea?” I asked.
“Could I have water instead?” Shawn replied.
“Of course,” I said.
I grabbed a glass and filled it with tap water and placed it in front of Shawn. Closer up, he looked even more ragged than before. He was still handsome and his eyes were still that beautiful gold, but something was off about his demeanor, as if something was bothering him.
The kettle clicked, informing me that the water was boiled. I grabbed a mug and put a tea bag in and then poured the water into it. I then put it onto the kitchen table and sat across from Shawn.
“What are you here for?” I asked.
Shawn fidgeted. “To be honest I’m not entirely sure how to explain,” Shawn said.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Um, well I thought you and Michael were in danger after I went to your apartment...” Shawn said.
“My god, you were in my apartment? Why? How!?” I exclaimed.
I was starting to get creeped out. Did he think he could just shove his way into my life like this by breaking into my apartment? I bet he even went through my underwear drawer!
“I told you, it’s a long story,” Shawn began.
“Get out,” I said.
“Pardon?”
“I said GET OUT,” I said tersely.
I got up and grabbed Shawn’s glass of water and splashed it onto his face. “I have no time for creeps like you and Justin,” I said.
“Who is Justin?” Shawn asked but I was already dragging him out the door.
“Stay out!” I said as I closed the back door and locked it.
“Rachel!” Shawn shouted from outside.
“Leave!”
I grabbed a chair and boarded the back door. I then ran to the front door and did the same. This was so stupid, how dare he return to my life like this?! I was fine with how things were before. I didn’t need men being so stupid in my life, first my agent turned out to be a pervert and now this??
A knock at the front door surprised me.
“Rachel?” a feminine voice called out.
“Auntie!” I suddenly realized that I had locked her out as well. I unbarred the door and let her in, locking and boarding it up again as soon as she was inside.
“What’s going on, Rachel?” Auntie asked.
“There’s a weird man trying to get into the house,” I said.
“Should we call the police?” Auntie asked.
“No, no, he’ll go away I’m sure,” I reasoned.
“Are you talking about that nice man in the black t-shirt?” Auntie asked.
“What? You saw him?” I said.
“He said good afternoon to me!” Auntie said, “And he seemed like a nice man to me.”
I crossed my arms being defensive. “You don’t know Shawn,” I said.
“You do?” Auntie asked.
“Not well…” I realized.
“Then don’t judge a book by its cover!” Auntie said, “did you get the heebie-jeebies?”
“The heebie-jeebies?” I asked.
“You know, that horrible shiver down your spine when your gut is trying to tell you not to trust someone,” Auntie explained.
I thought back to when I got that feeling with Justin. “No I didn’t actually,” I said.
“Well then, he must not be that bad,” Auntie said.
“Auntie!” I exclaimed.
“However, I won’t let him in if you don’t want me to,” she said.
“Thank you…” I sighed in relief.
I looked out the front window to see Shawn sitting on the lawn admiring Auntie’s garden. I couldn’t trust him, he only just returned, and just because my gut said it was okay doesn’t mean that it was. I needed something more, something to make me trust him.
“Won’t you let him in? They said it’ll rain tonight…” Auntie said.
“Oh no, he is NOT coming inside,” I said tersely.
“Do you want to talk about it, Rachel?” Auntie asked.
“Hell yes, get some tea ready,” I said.
We both laughed. Auntie went to the kitchen while I went to check on Michael. I entered mine and Michael’s room, finding him on the floor playing with his train again. I kneeled down next to him and watched him for a little while.
He had my lips and nose… but the eyes, the eyes were Shawn’s. I didn’t even know his last name and now he shows up saying that we’re in danger? I couldn’t trust that, I wasn’t about to go along with him on the slight chance that what he was saying was true. After all, how could I be in danger? Perhaps it had to do with what happened with Justin and Michael. I still hadn’t told anyone since I didn’t think anyone could believe it.
“Mommy?” Michael said.
“Yes, baby?” I answered.
“Who was that man that was here?” he asked.
“No one, darling, it was no one,” I said with a smile.
“You were yelling, I was scared again,” Michael said with a frown.
“It wasn’t the bad man from before,” I reassured my son.
Michael went back to playing with his toys.
“Michael? What happened that day?” I asked out of curiosity.
“Which day, Mommy?” Michael replied.
“The day the bad man came, what did you do?” I questioned.
Michael looked up at the ceiling and then down at the ground.
“I protected Mommy,” Michael said as he looked up at me seriously.
“Yes, but how?” I said.
“I felt hot, and my skin felt hot, and I felt... angry,” Michael tried to explain.
“You felt hot?” I repeated.
“Yes, I felt hot,” Michael said, “and the bad man’s skin turned red.”
I hummed. It was weird to admit but somehow Michael had burned Justin? That must’ve been why he shook Michael off and ran away instead of retaliating. How was it possible? I thought of Shawn, maybe he would know, but I didn’t want to rely on him. He was, however, my only source at the moment. Aunti
e wouldn’t know and anyone else I asked might look at me like I was crazy, but Shawn, Shawn was already crazy so what did it matter if he thought less of me.
First though, I would talk with Auntie for advice. I returned to the kitchen and sat down with Auntie. She had brewed both of us a mug of our favorite herbal tea. Two spoons of sugar for hers and none for mine
“So?” Auntie began.
“So…” I started, “he’s the father.”
“That man outside?” Auntie said.
“Yes,” I admitted, “we met five years ago at a party.”
“Did you ever date him?” Auntie asked.
“No, it was a one-time thing,” I said.
“Rachel…” Auntie said in disappointment.
“I was on the pill at the time and he seemed trustworthy. Have you seen his face? It’s so handsome it makes me want to strangle something,” I joked.
“I get the idea!” Auntie laughed.
“I looked for him after I realized I was pregnant, but I couldn’t find out who he was. He wasn’t even on the list of guests for the party,” I explained.
“So now he appears out of nowhere?” Auntie said.
“Yes,” I replied.
“How rude,” she remarked.
“I agree!” I said.
We both laughed. I took a sip of my tea.
“You still have feelings for him,” Auntie stated.
“Is it that easy to tell?” I asked.
“Well otherwise you would’ve let me call the cops,” Auntie said.
“You know me so well Auntie…”
“So should we let him in?”
“Still a no,” I said.
She sighed. “As you wish, darling,” Auntie said.
We spent the evening playing with Michael and talking about other things than what was currently going on. Soon, it was time to head to bed and I was making myself comfortable just as I heard the first few drops of rain hit the window. I made my way to the living room and pushed the curtain aside a little. There he was, sitting underneath the rain, still looking at the flowers. I sighed and unbarred the front door.
“Come inside,” I said quietly while I gestured him in.
Shawn got up from his place on the grass and walked up to the door. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“No, but it’s getting suspicious,” I said.
“Point taken,” Shawn said as he walked inside. He took off his shoes and then looked at me. “Thank you, Rachel,” he said.
“Don’t thank me just yet,” I said, “what are you doing here, and where were you the past five years?”
“It’s a long story, can we sit down?” Shawn asked.
I sighed. “Let me get you a change of clothes first, you’re wet,” I said. I went up and grabbed some of Auntie’s husband’s old clothes. “Hopefully they’ll fit you,” I said as I handed over a pair of pants, a shirt, underwear, and socks.
“Whose are these?” Shawn asked.
“My uncle’s, but he passed away a long time ago,” I explained.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Shawn said.
“The bathroom is over there,” I gestured towards an open door.
“Thanks,” Shawn said as he went to change.
I sighed and went to the kitchen, turning on the lights. The storm was getting worse outside; the rain pelted the windows in hard drops. I boiled some water for tea and put some tap water into a glass for Shawn. I sat in my pajamas on a chair and placed my hands around the warm mug. I reveled in the heat that the hot tea gave me.
The sound of the rain filled the room, along with the sounds of Michael and Auntie snoring in their respective rooms. It was so quiet and tranquil, so perfect, but now Shawn was here and he was about to shake up my world like he did last time, I was sure. I enjoyed the moment until I heard footsteps coming into the kitchen. It was Shawn.
He silently took the chair across from me once again and looked at me. “Thanks for hearing me out,” he said.
“I haven’t just yet,” I replied.
“Still… thank you.”
We sat in silence as I looked at my tea. I looked up at Shawn to see him staring at me. I opened my mouth, about to say something but the words died in my throat.
“I missed you,” he said.
“Liar,” I said.
“I dreamed about you,” he admitted.
“Don’t lie,” I reprimanded.
The wind died down a little and the storm calmed. Rain still fell but it was much calmer and collected. It was the opposite of me. I felt something burn up in my chest, it was something like rage and sadness and betrayal, but I didn’t let it control me. I swallowed those feelings and let it burn within my gut. I let it simmer with all the other disappointments in my life.
“Have you noticed anything weird about Michael?” Shawn asked.
“Weird?” I replied.
“Has he had any crazy fevers, or perhaps burned someone by accident… did a storm ever appear when he was angry?” Shawn questioned.
“What?” I said, surprised. I looked down at my tea. Shawn knew something that I didn’t. He knew something about Michael that I didn’t.
“You have, haven’t you?” said Shawn.
“What’s going on with Michael?” I found my voice.
Shawn looked at me sympathetically. “This might be hard to believe,” he said, “but Michael is a shifter.”
I looked at Shawn in disbelief. “A shifter?” I repeated, “Like in the books?”
“Sort of,” Shawn answered, “he’s still young, so he can’t control his powers, but he’ll turn out very strong so he needs to be around someone who can help him control it.”
“And that person is you?” I guessed.
“Yes,” Shawn answered.
“I’m not giving my son to you,” I said harshly.
“You must! Or else something bad may happen!” Shawn pleaded.
“Like what? Getting pregnant and the father running away?” I said while my hand grasped at my tea mug with a hard grip.
“I’m sorry,” Shawn said, “but I didn’t know.”
“I tried to find you,” I whispered, “but you were nowhere.”
“I was in America, of course you wouldn’t find me,” Shawn said.
I had nothing to say. I looked up at the clock and then back down at my tea.
“Rachel…” Shawn whispered, “Please, I don’t want anything to happen to either of you two.”
“You can’t take Michael without me,” I stated proudly, “if he needs to go with you, then I am coming too.”
“What? Rachel, no! You can’t! It’ll be too dangerous,” Shawn said.
“So you think it’ll be too dangerous for me but not for my four year old child?! You insult me, you insult my child, you insult my very way of life! You think I didn’t work hard every day while modeling? You think I didn’t go to the gym, eat healthy, and watch my figure? You think I didn’t raise Michael by myself and did a hell of a good fucking job?” I spat.
“I don’t mean to insult you but-“ Shawn began.
“You did insult me. How dare you insinuate that I can’t take care of my own son, how dare you even suggest that,” I said.
“I-I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it that way,” Shawn apologized.
“How did you mean it then?” I questioned as I crossed my arms.
“I only meant that it might be more dangerous for you to be with us than not,” Shawn explained.
“No matter, Michael isn’t going with you anywhere without me,” I said, “and even if this whole shifter thing is true, Michael wouldn’t want to go without me.”
“Then you will come with us?” Shawn asked.
“Why should I? What if we aren’t actually in danger and you’re lying?” I retorted.
“Trust me,” Shawn pleaded.
“Why should I? You have given me no reason to,” I said.
“I have never lied to you,” Shawn said.
“You said we would nev
er see each other again,” I replied.
“At the time I believed that to be true. I didn’t think you’d get pregnant with my child,” Shawn said, “I wasn’t lying.”
“…I believe you,” I replied, “but I still don’t trust you.”
“You don’t need to trust me,” Shawn said.
“Are you a shifter then?” I asked.
“Yes,” Shawn replied.
“Prove it to me,” I said.
“Pardon?”
“Shift. Right now,” I demanded.
“Uhh…. I can’t,” Shawn said.
“What? Then you must be lying-“
“Wait! Wait, I can partially shift right now just not fully… because… I might break the house,” Shawn explained.
I looked at him in disbelief and motioned for him to continue. He sighed and held out his hand. He breathed in deep and I began to see his hand morph and change into something else. Scales began to appear over his skin, shining a brazen red, then his nails thickened and elongated into claws.
I was breathless for a moment as I watched. Then I held out my hands to Shawn, and he put his clawed hands in them. I touched the scales in wonder; they felt cool to the touch. I rolled up the sleeve of Shawn’s shirt and looked at where the scales turned back to skin. It wasn’t so much a simple line but just less and less scales as I went up his forearm. The skin there felt hot to the touch, as if it might burn me.
“My temperature gets heightened to the point where I can burn other people, but I’ve learned to control it over time which is why it only feels just hot to you,” Shawn explained.
“Is that what Michael did?” I asked.
“What exactly happened with Michael?” Shawn questioned as he shifted his hand back.
I sighed and looked towards the kitchen exit where Michael and my bedroom was. “I think he burned a man after he got scared and angry,” I explained.
“Who was the man?” Shawn asked.
“It was my agent. We had gotten into an argument since he was running a side business selling out models to photographers and other men… He wanted to sell me too but I refused, I didn’t need the money that badly so I ran home.”
Shawn listened intently and silently as I spoke.
“He followed me home and we had the argument. Michael refused to go to his room when he saw me and the man arguing. Then when Justin, my agent, grabbed me Michael tackled his leg, which made him squeal. Justin tried to grab at Michael but he quickly took his hand away as if touching him burned his skin.”
