by Hart, Allysa
“Please, don’t look at me like that, dear,” Mary begged. “Don’t make me sorry I shared this with you. I wanted to be fair. I wanted to make sure you were prepared for what was to come. You need to make plans for your future. We need to tie up all of the loose ends so you can be free to live your life the way you deserve to live it.”
I listened carefully, soaking in the sound of her voice and the faint floral smell unique to her. I wanted these memories of my mother. If I only had a short time left with her, then I needed to make the most of the time I was given. I nodded in acceptance. “Okay, Mom.”
Mary’s breath hitched, and she covered her mouth. “Thank you,” she whispered as she fought the emotions warring on her tired face. I sat up and wrapped my arms around her .
“We are going to make the best of the time we have. Let’s do everything you want to do. I have the money! We can travel! See the world. There is no limit.” Excitement filled me. I could use my money I to make my mother’s last days the best of her life, and I wasn’t going to waste any time.
Mary pulled back and braced her hands on either side of my face. “We don’t need money to enjoy our time. I am just so thrilled you are here with me. You and Callum are a blessing.”
“But we can go anywhere, do anything. There has to be something on your bucket list.”
Mary smiled, “Well come to think of it…”
* * *
I looked out the door of the plane, trying not to freak out. I was attached to a strange man and about to jump to my death because of all the things she could have chosen, my mother decided she wanted to experience skydiving. I was deathly afraid of heights, but the devil himself couldn’t keep me from jumping out of that plane.
“On my count, we will fall out of the plane together. Ready?” the man yelled near my ear, barely audible over the loud whir of the plane engine. The voice in my head screamed at me to stay in the plane where I belonged.
Mary, on the other hand, was ready. Every time I glanced in her direction she would grin and give two thumbs up. I should have listened to Callum…
“No! Absolutely not! Neither one of you is jumping out of an airplane while I am around.”
“We already have confirmed reservations. It’s all paid for, and my mother is dead set on going.”
“I said no. End of discussion. It is my mission to serve you and keep you safe. Allowing you to jump from a plane is the opposite of that. No.”
I rolled my eyes at his stubborn protectiveness. Even though I had not liked the idea myself, hearing him protest so vehemently made me more determined to do it. Callum closed the distance between us and fisted the hair at the back of my neck. “I forbid you to jump out of an airplane, do you understand me?” He didn’t give me the chance to respond before he claimed my mouth in a bruising kiss. His hold on my hair sent pinpricks of pain through my body, instantly turning me on. Rising on tiptoe, I wrapped my arms around his neck and returned his passion as best as I could. The whole time I kissed him, I knew. I was going to jump out of a plane and then he was going to spank my butt.
“One! Two! Go!” the instructor yelled before he nudged me forward and I plunged toward the ground at top speed. The air moved so quickly around me my scream caught in my throat. All I could do was pray the parachute would open and this nightmare would be over.
* * *
“Oh my God! Why did I wait all these years to do that?” Mary bounced in excitement. She had been reciting the same phrase over and over again since we had landed on the ground. As soon as I was unhooked from the instructor, I lay on the ground and wept. It had been an exhilarating adventure, but I was thankful to have made it alive. I would never do that again.
“You are in so much trouble, young lady.” Callum’s voice echoed in my head. He knew where we were. He knew I had disobeyed. My butt was toast.
“Thank you so much, Fi! I am so glad you talked me into doing that. I would have never gone through with it otherwise.”
“You’re welcome, Mom.”
“What’s wrong, dear? You have been so quiet. Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m fine.”
“Fiona, I know you better than that already. You can’t lie to me.”
I kept my eyes trained on the road as I drove.
“Is everything okay with you and Callum?” She spoke slowly, as if afraid to ask the question.
I bit my lip. “Yeah, well, kinda. I don’t know. We are probably fine.”
“He didn’t want us to do this today, did he?”
Glancing at my mother out of the corner of my eye, I shook my head. “No. Not at all and… I’m just not sure what I’ll be facing when we get home.”
Mary sighed and rested backward in her seat. “Did he ever tell you about the time I was arrested for skinny dipping in a public pool?”
Hearing stories about the dumb things my mother had done made me feel less like a failure and more… normal. “Nope. I haven’t heard that one.”
“Oh, he was so mad at me. A friend and I had been drinking, and it was hotter than hell outside. It was the middle of the night, and there was no one around, so we snuck into the pool. We weren’t there for even ten minutes before the police showed up. He spanked me good for that stunt. He could care less about anything except that I had put myself in danger. It’s his ‘mission to serve and protect.’” Mary made finger quotes in the air and lowered her voice in a poor impression of Callum’s.
I burst out in laughter. “He has said that to me a few times.”
“Oh dear, he said it to me every day. I was so reckless. It’s hard to believe I survived young adulthood and, yet, now a sickness is going to cause my death. It’s hard to wrap my mind around.”
I reached across the center console and squeezed her hand. “It sucks, I agree, but can we please not go there? Not today”
Nodding, Mary relaxed again.
“Wh-what did he do to you?” My curiosity got the best of me.
“It was the worst spanking he ever gave me.” Her words did not match the wistful look in her eyes.
“Mom, did you ever… I don’t know how to ask this. Did you ever like it when he spanked you?”
“Heavens no! It hurt terribly, and I hated disappointing him. Callum was like the daddy I never had.”
I blushed, “Oh, okay.”
“Listen, sweetheart, you and Callum have something special. I see it. He is head over heels in love with you.”
“That doesn’t mean anything if the universe doesn’t agree.”
Mary looked at me, confused.
“You know, the whole third wish thing? If he and I are destined to be together then, after my last wish, he will be free, but, if not, he will disappear from their lives.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about, dear.”
Stopping at a red light, I turned to face her. “He never told you about all that?”
“No, he didn’t tell me much about himself, really. He focused on me and trying to help me get better, but no one could get through to me at that age. I was dumb and so selfish.”
The light turned green, and I had to continue driving. It gave me a moment to think through what I had learned. Why would Callum be so different with me than he had been with my mother?
“Did you know he has served our family for six generations?”
“No.”
“Isn’t that weird? Why would he tell me, but not you?”
“You are the one, and he knows it.” Mary’s entire demeanor brightened.
“He’s said that, and I want to believe it so bad, but I’m scared. What if he is wrong? What if I make my last wish and he disappears? I can’t deal with losing you and him both. I won’t survive it.”
“You need to trust him. He is a wise man, and he will never lead you to believe something untrue. He would rather die than hurt you.”
She was right, but the risk was too great. I wasn’t ready. Not yet. Not ever, if I had any say in the matter. As we
pulled up to the shop, trepidation filled my stomach. I could see Callum watching through the window. His purple eyes glowed. I would pay dearly for my choice.
A lump formed in my throat as we got out of the car and went inside. Hands on his hips, he stood silently glaring at us.
“She did it for me, Callum. Go easy on her, will you?” Mary made her request as direct as possible, while keeping an air of respect.
“Mary, would you excuse us, please?” He snapped his fingers, transferring him and me directly to his chambers.
“Callum, I—”
“You directly disobeyed me.”
“But—”
“You put yourself in danger.”
“I’m fine! They are professionals.”
“Did I or did I not forbid you to jump from a plane?”
“You did, but—”
“There is no but.”
“I had to support my mother. Don’t you understand that?”
“You could have supported her any other way! You did not need to jump out of an airplane!” he voice roared.
I had never seen him so upset before and, frankly, I was scared. Backing away a few steps, I gave myself a little bit of space to breathe.
“Don’t look at me like that. I am not going to harm you. I would never even discipline you while in this state of mind.” He sighed.
I trusted him. He had never hurt me before except to mete out well-deserved discipline, but he remained intimidating as hell.
“I brought us here because I needed to see where your head was at. You are not even slightly remorseful for your defiance. Does what I say mean nothing?”
“What? How can you even stand there and ask me that. You know how much I love you.” I was so stunned he would even think to ask something like that, my anger bubbled just below the surface.
“Your actions do not match your words. You do know what happens if something happens to you don’t you?”
“Yes! But nothing happened. You are being ridiculous.”
“I see.” He stood silently for a moment. “I think you need to spend some time thinking about your actions. Whether you agree with my decision or not is irrelevant at this point. You chose to do what I told you not to do, and that is what I want you to focus on. You are grounded. You may not leave the shop for any reason without my explicit permission.” He raised his hands and snapped his fingers again, not allowing me to argue. I found myself in my room conveniently facing a corner.
“Ugh!” I stomped my feet and screamed. “You are such an egotistical asshole! Really? You’re just going to banish me to my room like a naughty five-year-old? Well, screw you then!” I kicked the wall a few times before falling into my bed and screaming into my pillow.
“Fi? Dear? Are you okay?” Mary walked into the room.
“He grounded me! Can you believe that? I am a grown ass woman! He has no right!”
Mary sat on the bed and placed a calming hand on my knee. “Take a breath. You’re not going to like what I have to say, but he’s right.”
“What? How? How can you even think that?”
“Because he loves you, and he has your best interests in mind. It’s not about the plane anymore. It’s about you choosing to trust and obey him. It’s about putting everyone else to the side and putting him first. Even yourself. He would do anything for you. Would you do the same?”
“Of course, I would!”
“Then, show him.”
I covered my eyes with my arm and took a few breaths to calm my growing frustration. “How?”
“How do you think? What would make him the happiest?”
I did know the answer, but it was a hard pill to swallow. The first time he had forbidden me from doing something I had my mind stuck on doing, I had completely disregarded him and his feelings. He was so strong and so solid, it was sometimes difficult to think I could hurt him. “I guess I’m grounded,” I whined.
Mary nodded and stood. “Good, there’s work to be done, anyway. Change into some work clothes and meet me downstairs.”
I chuckled at Mary’s retreating back. A few days after my twenty-third birthday, millions of dollars sitting in my bank account, and I chose to stay in this tiny apartment, grounded for not being obedient to my genie boyfriend. What a crazy thing life is.
My knees ached as I continued to sand the wooden floor beneath me. The machine we had rented did not reach into all the nooks and crannies of the store, so the only option was to do it by hand.
Mary came out from the back room, drying her hands. “I’m going to take a break and get dinner in the oven. Great work, dear. Almost done?”
I wiped the sweat from my brow. It was so god-forsakenly hot, but we made progress. “With this spot. Then I need to do behind the counter.”
Nodding, Mary headed up to the apartment. “Remember your restriction,” she teased in a singsong voice.
I rolled my eyes and went back to the job at hand. I had been pissed about his edict but came to terms with the fact he was making a point and I needed to prove my love and trust. “Actions speak louder than words,” I chanted to myself.
“Indeed they do.” His deep voice came from behind me.
Dropping my chin to my chest, I took a deep breath. If he was here, it meant he had calmed down, and I was going to have to face my comeuppance.
I sat back on my haunches and turned to face him. The smirk on his face lightened my mood immensely. His disappointment weighed heavy on me, and to see him smile offered relief.
“I hear you have thought about what I said, then?”
“Yes, Sir.” I got to my feet and adopted the most contrite pose I could. “I am so sorry for my behavior. I’m sorry for jeopardizing myself, which, in turn, put you in a crappy situation.” I looked into his eyes, hoping he would recognize sincerity. “More importantly, I’m sorry for disrespecting your wishes and acting like it was no big deal.”
Callum grasped the back of my neck and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you, little sprite,” he spoke into the hair on the top of my head. His warm breath sent tingles down my spine.
A loud crash came from upstairs, startling us both. I instinctively turned to run in the direction of the sound, but Callum transferred us both and, instantly, I stood in front of one of my worst nightmares. Mary lay unmoving on the floor of the kitchen amidst some broken glass. Running to her side, I screamed at Callum to call 9-1-1.
“Mom! Mom!” I screamed as I nudged her prone body. The glass around her disappeared, and I scooted up to Mary’s face. Placing my hand on her cheek, I shook gently. “Mom! Wake up. The ambulance is coming. Please wake up!” Tears streamed down my cheeks as I pleaded with my mother to open her eyes.
* * *
The paramedics showed up, and I backed against the wall to get out of their way. Callum had disappeared from sight, but I could feel his presence. I watched the medics work. They wrapped her neck in a brace and strapped her onto a backboard as they checked her vitals and spoke in terms I did not understand. My hand was engulfed by an invisible force I knew had to be Callum. I wished he could be with me physically, but being seen by others was frowned upon in his world.
“Ma’am, we are taking your mother to Riverside Medical. Do you have anyone you can call?”
I shook my head. “I’m all alone.” Saying it aloud was almost too much and my hand was squeezed to the point of pain. No not alone, Callum is here, I reminded myself. “I need to stay with her,” I pleaded with the paramedic.
He gave a slight nod and indicated for me to follow them.
They carried Mary down the stairs and placed her onto a waiting stretcher then rolled her out to the waiting ambulance. I climbed into the rig next to the driver, buckled in, and folded my hands in my lap. Bowing my head, I closed my eyes and, for the first time in my life, I prayed. “Please let her be okay. Please. I need more time. Just a little more time.”
Everything happened so fast that I didn’t have time to process on the way to the nearby hospital. It was smal
l but seemed to be well staffed and everyone was helpful and encouraging. I was numb, unable to form thoughts or sentences or even hear some of the things said. All I could think about was my mom. She had to be okay. Unable to answer most of the questions thrown at me, I was shoved off to the side as an orderly moved my mother through a pair heavy double doors, leaving me alone in the hall.
“Ma’am. If you will come with me, we can get some paperwork done, and I can show you to the waiting room,” a kind nurse spoke to me in a comforting tone.
“I-I need to know she’s okay. I need someone to tell me she is okay,” I whispered, not taking my eyes off the sterile white doors.
“As soon as the doctors know anything, you will be informed. You are her daughter, correct?”
I nodded.
“Please come with me. The faster we get through the paperwork, the better things will be.”
It didn’t make any sense. What was paperwork going to do to wake up my mother? I needed to be with her not filling out her name and birthdate on forms. Hell, I probably didn’t even know the information.
“I can’t help.”
“Okay, honey, let me take you to the waiting area.”
I didn’t want to move. What if my mom needed me? What if she called for me and I wasn’t there? Anxiety clogged my throat, making it almost impossible to breathe.
“Breathe, sprite.” Callum’s voice penetrated the deep fog.
I turned in a circle trying to find him, but it was only me and the nurse in the hall.
“Focus on my voice and breathe. Do as you are told and allow the doctors to do their job.”
“Yes, Sir,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry?” The nurse asked.
“Oh, sorry, nothing.” I turned back and followed the nurse.
“Good girl. I’m here. Focus on my voice,” Callum continued “Breathe in, out, in, out,” he instructed. Feeling him near, I found my breath. Commotion went on all around me, but I didn’t pay attention to anything but his voice and doing what he said. Even breaths in and out. In and out.
