by J. E Hanson
“You will nail it, squirt. I have to return for more births. I will see you later, squirt. I love you, Rosalie.”
“Uncle Oberon… thanks for watching over me all these years. I love you too.”
He kisses my cheek, “That’s what uncles are here for, squirt. I’m happy to see that I have my old niece back.”
I hug and kiss him goodbye. I move inside and watch Spike show Ember another dance step. I pick up a bottle of water and watch him. I’m so jealous of Ember right now. I left them, so I can go to bed. Gabe watches her with a goofy expression on his face.
About five minutes later, Ember bursts through the bedroom door, and she turns on the light, “Why not ask him about that move? He’s a really good dancer!”
I mumble a few expletives. She jerks the pillow out from underneath me, to make me get up, and she drags me back to the living room. She keeps boosting my confidence up.
“Spike might be able to help you out, Rosalie. Just ask him, or show him where you’re struggling with!”
All I want to do is go back to bed, but she pulls me back to the middle of the floor.
“Spike, will you please help her out? She’s been trying to nail this move for over a few years now. She’s stuck at this one spot, and I believe that you can help her out,” Ember asks him nicely.
I sigh as he takes off his shades, “For you Ember, I will help you out, but I want to hear Rosalie ask me herself.”
I grumble a few expletives again, and I finally summon up the courage, “Fine... Spike I’m stuck on a move, and will you please be a nice babysitter by helping me out with it?”
He stands up, and he puts his shades down. He takes off his boots, and he asks us to turn our heads. Spike takes off his tight jeans to reveal another pair of charcoal basketball shorts. My robe reveals a maize cotton nightgown.
She giggles, “This is going to be so good!”
She turns my music on, and I perform that one move I’m constantly screwing up.
He raises an eyebrow, “That’s not an easy step to do. How in the hell do you learn about this step?”
“I watch too many video tapes,” I confess my secret.
He grabs my hips, “You need to bring this out a little more, and your feet need to be further apart.” He holds my hips, and he moves with my body to repeat that difficult step. I finally nail it with his help.
She claps and whistles, “You got it now!”
I twist a few more times, and he grins at me. “I would love to see the rest of your routine, Rosalie. Why are you working so hard on this?”
I cover Ember’s mouth with my hand, and I grin at him nervously, “I’m entering a contest, and I’ve been struggling with that one little part. That was the only thing I need help with, and thank you for helping me.”
He grabs me, and then he pulls my body next to his, “What kind of contest are you entering? I might want to enter too.”
I have to lie to him, “I have a huge dance competition from our old school after this trip ends. You might want to see it one day. I would show you, but it’s top secret. The competition is on August the twentieth.”
He raises an eyebrow, “That’s the day after our date. I would love to attend, but I’m also involved with a dance competition of my own. That’s sad that we will be missing each other.”
I feel bad for lying to him. I quickly grab my robe, but he pulls my hips towards him, “Will you at least slow dance with me? That’s my charge for teaching you one of my many hidden moves.”
I smile mischievously, and Ember sits down clapping. Blade turns the music to something slow. I lock up perfectly with him, and he nods with approval. He smiles and he kisses my forehead, “I like this.”
I lean my head on his chest, and he holds me close to him. I feel comfortable with him.
I start to rub his arm with my hand, “I love dancing with my babysitter. I will make sure to recommend you to a more compatible woman, since I’m such a whore. I’m not good enough for you to date either.”
The sting smacks him hard, “Why do you have to say it like that? I thought we were working things out.”
I try to fight them back, but the tears fall down anyway, “I’m sorry, but I’m nothing but a whore to you.”
I cease dancing with him, and I end our night by walking away. The bedroom door slams shut, and I cry myself to sleep.
Ember enters ten minutes later, “Wow! That was definitely not, what I expected to hear and see. He’s trying to be nice Rosalie, and you just snapped! What the fuck happened?”
“I will tell you exactly what happened to me. A prick is what happened to me. I have a contest to win, and a mom who wants her baby home. I don’t have time for the fucking mind games anymore. I’m so fucking done!”
The next day, I take surfing lessons with Ember. I wear a wetsuit and laugh with her, “We are really going places in the sand! Hot dudes are laughing at us. We appear like seals in the sand.”
“Move your arms with the wave, dude!”
I make her laugh even harder, “Watch out for that huge tidal wave, dude! It’s about to laugh and fuck the both of us over!”
Spike, Blade, Snow, Ice, Gadriel, and Gabe have to listen to our childish antics.
“Oh, look! Surfer boy is about to capsize us! Watch out for the fucking shark!”
The instructor has a hard time keeping us quiet, “Ladies, must you be so rude?”
I have it out for all men, “No, that is queen bitch to you! Please continue with your little instruction, and we will listen.”
“Rosalie that was so wrong! You’re about to start! Sir, she really didn’t mean it, and she’s on her monthly!” she scolds me, and I feel two inches tall. He tells us that we’re ready to surf.
Spike stops me dead in my tracks, “I want to make it clear to you that I’ve never called you a whore—or a slut. I thought we were over this. I’m trying to understand you, but you make it so difficult. I have to make it clear to you that you’re the marrying type. I have no idea how you are around kids, because I’ve never seen it. I’m sorry if I said anything—or upset you in any way. It was never my intention to hurt you. I know you heard harsh things about yourself from Jesse. I’m telling you that I heard every word he said, and today his jaw remains shut. Just because you don’t think I hear things, doesn’t mean I won’t take care of business. I care for you deeply, and I’m supposed to be watching you. I failed at making sure you’re safe. I want to be your friend, but I’m not the man you want me to be. I have issues of my own that I need to work on. I enjoyed dancing with you. I haven’t danced like that with any woman in a very long time. I want you to know that you will always have a friend.”
I sarcastically clap at his speech, “Thanks for clearing that up with me. I really enjoy the way you led me on. I’m so thankful that I’m not the woman you have in mind! Thanks for saying that! But, I’m a lot smarter than what you think. I graduated both schools with good grades, so thanks for insulting me once again. I don’t need any more friends. I need someone, who wants to be my husband. I want someone who will love me for me. I’m not asking you to change me. I’m asking you to be something other than a friend. Thanks for the dance, but I’m tired of watching my friends marry. I’m tired of not being good enough, or I’m a baby, kid, or anything other than a woman. I’m ripe in both places, and I’m not a fucking child anymore! I have needs and wants just like you. I don’t want to be alone. I, of all people, know what a rough life is like. So, please spare me all this bullshit about not being good enough for me. Please spare the ‘I am too young for you’ bullshit also! Either you’re interested in me—or you’re not.”
I left him standing there holding the bag. I’m tired of all these mind games. I return with a surfboard, and follow Ember. We make it deep in the ocean together. She keeps falling off her board, but I stand up on the first wave. I just pegged surfing down. Snow and Ice point at me. They whistle and cheer me on. I command the wave, and I actually have my arms in the right pos
ition. I found out today that I have a new talent. I can actually surf and dance. I have the perfect hips for surfing. I apologized to the poor surf instructor, and I informed him about my boyfriend marrying someone else. The man hands me a free surfboard, since I paid attention to him.
I even skydive, snorkel, parasail, and roller-skate for the first time. I roller-skate with only my teal top and shorts on. Ember keeps up with me, once she has it down.
~~~***~~~
The men chose to play golf with us. I place another bet against Spike, “If you win, you can ask me for anything, and I will do it—but within reason. If I win, you have to show me your entire dance routine that you’re entering the contest for.”
We shook hands on our bet.
He tries to distract me a few times, but I beat him by a hole in one. He frowns and I smile letting him in on a little secret.
“The others taught me how to play golf. I’m sure that I can ask anything from you, but I will let you off the hook until later. Consider it off the table for now.”
He really wants to see my dance routine. I glance over to see that it’s now June. I have only two months to add, or subtract moves from my routine.
~~~***~~~
We left Orlando after visiting a few more parks. Universal Studios is a blast too. Ember, Gadriel, Gabe, Snow, Ice, and I disappear together. Ember and Gabe still hold hands together. I watch him kiss her cheek a few times. Gadriel appears sad as he watches his brother run away with Ember.
We walk along the beach until I found a tattoo parlor. I laugh and they try to talk me out of it.
Ember gasps, “You will be in so much trouble!”
I took out a picture of the one person, who I want to see my tattoo. I hand the picture to the tattoo artist, and he studies it, “You want me to do what exactly?”
I’m in a fairy tattoo parlor. Ember has to use the bathroom, and as soon as she disappears, I carefully describe my tattoo to the artist.
He laughs at my request, “Are you sure that you want me to stick him on your back as a tramp stamp?”
“I want him to see it, when I kick his ass later.”
I didn’t cry from the pain. Our babysitters shake their heads with disbelief. The artist tattoos me in less than a couple of hours. I use a concealer spell over it to hide it from my uncle, and my other babysitters. Snow and Ice escorts us back to the RV.
“Joseph is going down!” Ember adds to my thoughts.
We giggle as Spike enters the room groggy. I make him a cup of coffee, and he stares at me strangely. He glances over at Ember, and back to me, “What did you do, Rosalie?”
I have a guilty expression on my face, but I pull off a perfect smile, “I didn’t do anything, and you worry too much.”
Chapter 10
We left Florida, and we drove through Missouri. We make sure to visit the St. Louis Arch. On the following day, we travel through Arkansas and enjoy the ribs. The trip seems to move faster, once we move to Louisiana. I have a blast in New Orleans.
I accidentally walk in on Ember making out with Gabe in the spare bedroom. His hands are gripping her ass, and so I left them to their make out session, by politely closing the door. I change in the bathroom into a canary sundress. I strut past him, and I can feel his eyes on the back of my head. With a quick turn, he focuses his attention to something else.
“Are you ready to see more of New Orleans?” he finally summons up the courage.
I bit my bottom lip, and shake my head yes.
He snaps a pair of dress slacks with a canary dress shirt on. Underneath his canary dress shirt, he wears a charcoal tank. I stare at him strangely. He walks over to the door of the RV, and he opens it for me. I walk through the door, and I can feel him staring at me. He puts a smile on my face. I place a pair of shades over my eyes. To gain all of his attention, I purposely twist my hips in front of him. We chose to stroll together through the romantic scenery. He escorts me through downtown New Orleans, and we notice a peculiar window shop.
“Do you want to have our palms read?”
“Do you believe that they can really read our palms?”
“I haven’t had mine read in over a hundred years, and I think it’s about time.”
We walk inside the peculiar shop and a dark woman enters from the back, smiling at us.
Spike takes out his wallet, “We would love for you to read our palms, if that’s okay with you.”
He hands the woman a hundred dollar bill, and she takes it as a tip from the both of us. The woman escorts us to the back room, and I’m shaking nervously as she spits on my hand.
The woman stares at me, and she speaks in a thick accent, “You’re to marry a man of money. You will have exactly five girls and two boys, but your husband loves competition. The money is in overabundance, but he’s a good man. You search for answers about your parents, but your parents were brutally murdered. Nevertheless, one of your own, who is close to you, contributed to their demise. Your mom and dad love you very much, and they watch over you all the time. They worry about your reckless behavior. You need to remain with the man they fully trust. Death will happen to you, if stray from the man. If you stay, you will become pregnant with your firstborn at the end of this journey you’re on now. Do you have any more questions for me?”
I glance over at Spike, “Will I win the competition at the end of this trip?”
The woman never winks, or even bats an eye, “You will become victorious, and you will win everything, but you must remain safe at all times. Never stray from the man.”
She takes his hand, and she spits on it. The woman grins oddly, “You have a lot of dark secrets to tell, and you keep your secrets hidden well. You keep this guise up, and you will never have your wife—or children. She will love you for you, and accept your sex appeal. You know who you are, but you fail to see what you have sitting right in front of you. You need to grab your dream, before she disappears for good.”
Ember joins us along with the others, and she holds out her palm. The woman frowns, “You have endless turmoil in your future. Your family has secrets from your past, and they refuse to aid you in discovery at this time. You will lose people along your journey. Someone returns to your life to guide you along your journey. Do you have any questions for me?”
She seems upset, “Will I ever marry, and have children?”
The woman frowns, and she shakes her head, “That depends on which path you decide to take. Another male will be entering your existence soon. He is a bull who will never give up. You have issues with your mother that will reveal itself later. You will marry the right one, if you choose the right path. You will give each brother a son. Sadly, you will lose both men. However, the bull waits. You will also give him a son. The one who gives you her, will be the man who remains in your existence. You must not believe in everything you think people say about you. You need to believe in yourself. Things will make more sense to you at the end of your journey.”
Ember snatches her hand away, and she stands from the table.
Blade has his palm read too, “You need to find a job, and stop sponging off your brother and parents. As soon as you do, you will find yourself a woman, and have two kids.”
Blade peers over in our direction, “You see! Everyone will be married!”
Snow and Ice are both equally disappointed, “You two will not marry the one who you believe you should marry. However, it’s through her that you will find your future wives. You both will not marry for a long time either. The girls need to be born first. Good luck to you two.”
Ember is crying outside, and I hug her, “This is only for entertainment purposes. I don’t buy into anything that woman says. Don’t take it to heart, Ember. I’m still as single as you are, and there’s no man to impregnate me either,” I whisper.
Since they ultimately know some details of their existences, the two angels refuse to participate in palm readings. Gabriel leans over Ember with concern.
Ember laughs, after I joke with he
r about Spike's confusing reading, and Blade's funnier reading. We all eat together at a Louisiana restaurant, and we taste crawfish and shrimp gumbo. The food is spicy—but good.
A couple of little girls are trying to dance. Out of habit, I walk over to show the two little girls a few dance moves, and I make the girls giggle.
Their mom smiles sweetly at me, “You’re going to make a terrific mom one of these days. You took the time to show my girls a couple of moves, and that’s awesome.”
Spike notices me interacting with the girls and their mom. He waits until they leave to wrap an arm around me, “Can we take a walk alone?”
I allow my babysitter to escort me outside the restaurant. He pulls me to the docks, and we stare at the water together. He appears nervous, “That was some kind of reading,” he pulls me close to him.
“I think she was way out there. I’m supposed to marry a wealthy man, and have his baby by the end of my vacation. I think she’s off her rocker. I would have to meet him now in order for that to happen. I think I’m okay with the way I am now.”
He leans down, and he softly kisses my lips again. This kiss is smooth and passionate. The sparks fly between us, but I’m the one who pulls away this time, “You said that you wanted to keep our relationship professional. I’m doing what you want, Spike. Please don’t ever kiss me like that again.”
He holds me there, “I think these past two weeks have changed me, and I admit that I’m wrong.”
I want to dive inside his crystal eyes, “I don’t know what to do right now. You make me dizzy, and you confuse me with what you want. Either you want me—or you don’t. I wish you would make up your mind.”
There is a moment of silence between us, “You’re right, and I’m sorry. I think it’s the magic from this city doing something to us. I apologize for being out of line Rosalie.”
~~~***~~~
