by Sammi Cee
Shaking his head, he smiles sweetly at me. “That shirt looks amazing with your eyes.”
Looking down at myself, I grin a little. While my clothes may not be trendy, I do try to buy green because my mom always said it brought out my eyes. “Thank you. Let me get my phone.” Shutting the door right back in his face, I button my shirt as I cross the room to grab my phone. It’s odd because I could have sworn I left my phone on top of the folders by my laptop, but it’s sitting on the other side. I must have really been out of it yesterday that I had my phone on the right side of me; it’s always on my left. Shrugging it off, I decide not to take it and go back out to join Azorath.
It’s almost embarrassing how much I’m looking forward to spending the day at the boardwalk. Not so much to play games, ride the rides, or to eat—although, I’m pretty excited about that, too—but because it’s been so long since I did something like this with someone else and not alone. Just this little bit of time with Azorath is showing me how isolated my life has become. With whatever my uncle’s involved in, it may get worse, so I decide not to
think about him or the shipment or anything else, and just enjoy myself.
Azorath is the perfect companion for a fun-filled day. Everything I want to do he indulges, and he doesn’t let me spend a dime. Things are beginning to close down on the boardwalk for the season, but there are plenty of local shops still open. We wander in and out looking at all the touristy stuff. Laughing at the over-inflated prices on the mugs and t-shirts and discussing how people will spend ridiculous amounts on things if it has the name of a beach or casino on it. Next we take a nice long walk down to the inlet. Azorath stops at the first coffee shop we see and buys me a gourmet coffee to enjoy while we sit on the benches watching the boats come in.
Neither of us speaks of our personal lives, but we discuss our opinions on books and movies. Azorath making me laugh at his love for black and white films and me horrifying him at my love for horror B-movies. “Denny, come on. You can’t be serious.”
“I’m totally serious. Think about it, Azorath.” He quirks his brow at me for continuing to call him by his full name instead of Az, like he says everyone else does, but there’s something about his name I really like. The way it rolls off my tongue is pleasant to me, not that I’m telling him that. I’ll sound like such a dork. “Stop making that face at me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to use a person’s full name. Anyway, if you watch all the popular movies, they’re all the same. Or they have a message, or it’s something that could happen in real life, or it’s something that has happened in real life, but B-movies are different. They’re so ridiculous. Completely outside of the realm of possibility. Take From Dusk till Dawn, for example. Vampires, really?”
Azorath laughs hard before saying, “First of all, that had a lot of famous actors, so I don’t know if I’d consider that a B-movie.”
“Well, considering how hooked you are on the classics, I was trying to think of one you may have heard of that represents what I’m talking about. Dude, it’s about vampires, which don’t even exist. Wait, you don’t believe in those do you?”
Laughing even harder, Azorath says, “I agree with you. They definitely exist outside this realm.” His answer is a little weird, but I don’t think on it too much. Although Azorath doesn’t appear to be more than maybe ten years older than me, his speech patterns are sometimes odd.
After sitting for a while longer, I finish my coffee, and he takes the empty cup to the trash can to throw away for me. Coming back, he stops, standing right in front of me. “Since we had kind of a big lunch, I’m not quite hungry, yet. How about we walk back to the other side of the boardwalk and ride the Ferris wheel or go on the roller coaster or something?”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You’re so easy to please, Denny,” he says with a small grin.
“Well, it’s been a long time since anyone tried to please me.” Not wanting to change the tone of our day and make it depressing, I stretch out my hand and Azorath takes the hint, pulling me to my feet. Acting braver than I really am, I look up into his face before stepping away. “Thank you for today, Azorath. It’s been years since I had this nice a time.”
I’m shocked when he reaches up his hand and brushes his palm over my cheek. “Me, too, Denny. Me, too.” Neither of us moves, my head tipped up to look at him while his is turned down to look at me. Slowly, we both smile. “Shall we?” And he puts out his hand, palm up.
“Yes,” I say softly, relaxing more than I already was. Placing my hand on his outstretched palm, he squeezes it before moving back, lacing our fingers together and pulling me around the bench. We stroll in companionable silence until we’re about halfway to the ride area when we run into Ophaniel.
“Hey, guys. How’re you doing? Having fun?” he asks. He looks hurried, not the put together man I saw last night, but…
“Hey!” I say.
“What?” ask Ophaniel and Azorath at the same time.
Pointing at Ophaniel, I say, “You really tried to pull one over on me last night. Trying to convince me that you’re the one who got me out of the ocean.”
Blinking rapidly, he responds, “I am.”
“No, you’re not. You looked perfect in the elevator last night. You weren’t wet at all, and your hair looked amazing. You look worse now. Why do you look so disheveled?” I ask him curiously.
With a cocky grin, Ophaniel turns to Azorath. “Did you hear that? He may be holding your hand, but he thought I looked perfect in the elevator last night.”
“What? No. You know I meant you weren’t wet or anything,” I say.
Ophaniel ignores me and keeps talking to Azorath. “And my hair looked amazing, Az. What do you think of that? Maybe you should get a haircut, and your man would think your hair looks amazing, too.”
Feeling flustered at the way he’s turning my words around, I burst out, “Oh, no. Azorath’s gorgeous. He doesn’t need to change a thing.” Horrified at myself, I try to pull my hand from Azorath’s so I can keep walking, preferably far away from the two of them before I embarrass myself further.
Azorath doesn’t let my hand go, though, jerking me back to his side as he talks to his friend. “Ophi, what are you doing here? I thought you had stuff to do today?”
“I did. I am. I found some stuff I was looking for and needed to take a break, so I thought I’d get some fresh air out here. But I found the cutest little crafter, and ended up just having to buy this bracelet.” He holds out a thick black, pink, and white bracelet made of what looks like leather. “Do you want it, Denny? I think it fits you.”
“Um, don’t you want it? You obviously really liked the stuff the crafter had if you stopped and bought something.”
“Oh, no.” Ophi waves his hand not holding the bracelet up and down at his side. “I literally meant the cutest little crafter. I had to buy something he made so I had an excuse to stand there and talk to him. You take it, it’ll look great on you. I insist.”
Glancing up at Azorath, he merely shrugs at me so I hold out my hand to take the bracelet. The second my hand not holding Azorath’s is out, Ophaniel’s latching it on my wrist. “See, I knew it would be perfect for you. Can’t exactly have Azorath’s man walk around with no wristwear.”
Checking Azorath’s wrist on his other arm, it’s the first time I notice that he does have a bunch of jewelry. Lifting up the hand I’m holding, too, I see he has tons on that one, as well. “Wow, how didn’t I notice that you wear so many bands and bracelet thingy’s before?”
“You haven’t been able to get past the muscles that the Henley hugs?” Ophaniel suggests.
Surprisingly, I don’t falter a bit when I look Ophaniel right in the face and say, “Yeah, that’s probably it.”
Azorath makes a choking noise, and Ophaniel runs an appraising eye over me. “Hmm,” he hums. “Maybe you have a little more spirit to you than I thought.”
Before I can think of a clever retort, Azorath says to him, “
Are you still here? You’re interrupting our date. I thought you were taking a quick break.”
“Well, fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” Then he laughs and says, “You keep that bracelet on, okay? It fits you and I wouldn’t want anything to happen.” Then he claps Azorath on the shoulder, winks at me, and saunters back the way he’d come.
The way these two cut off their sentences is strange to me, but I don’t dwell on it since I’m too giddy with the knowledge that Azorath feels like this is a date, too. My belly bubbles with anticipation for what the rest of the day has in store.
7
Azorath
“You ready to keep going?” I ask Denny.
The way he eagerly nods up at me melts my heart a little, and it’s all I can do not to kiss him. I didn’t miss the way he grinned a bit at me proclaiming this a date, nor did I miss the way his hand tightened in mine when Ophaniel called him “my man.”
It’s been such a lovely day that I hesitate to push too hard, especially knowing that Ophi is apparently making progress. Bringing out the bracelet told me many things. Denny is in chaos, unsure, and in need of direction—a new beginning. I also know that he’s in for a fight and needs strength. A strength I can provide if he’ll let me in and talk to me.
Tightening my hand back around his, I tug gently and continue walking. “So you’re here on vacation with…” I trail off to see what he’ll reveal on his own.
He’s silent for so long that I’m sure he’s not going to answer me. “It’s not really a vacation so much as my uncle had work to do here and let me come, too.” He’s sounds unhappy, and I’m not sure what it is, but there’s an undertone of something to his words.
“So, you and your uncle are close, then?”
I’m unprepared for the snort-grunt that bursts through his lips. Stopping short, I pull him to the side of the boardwalk, out of the way of anyone else strolling along. “What was that for?”
Denny’s eyes are following any person or thing behind me to not meet my inquiring gaze. Since he’s my assignment, I have no problem patiently waiting him out until he’s ready to talk. This is why I’m so good at my job. Angel’s, like Ophaniel, have to be ready to move quickly, so they’re not known for their patience in everyday things. Vamps, like my friend Caedmon, get a thrill from stalking their prey, those in society that are the worst of the worst and getting away with unspeakable horrors against their kind. Then my friend Deo, as a doorkeeper, is always on high alert when on duty. Over the years, I’ve watched that stretch him to the point where when he’s not working officially, he disappears and is lost to us. But my very nature equips me to outwait whatever I have to.
Sighing, Denny’s eyes focus on my chest as he says, “No, I’m not particularly close to my uncle. But my parents tragically died while I was away at college, and my aunt and uncle are the only family I have left. We weren’t particularly close to my uncle when I was growing up, so I didn’t know him well when they took me in so…” he trails off.
“And your aunt?” I ask gently.
His face brightens as he lifts his eyes to meet mine. “Oh, I adore my Aunt Rhonda. She always came for visits and brought the best gifts. It was hard on her when my parents, died, too. My mom and her were thick as thieves. You’d never have known that my dad and uncle were the real siblings. She’s been so sad since my parents died. I used to try to spend time with her, but her eyes would get more haunted the longer we were together. And eventually, my uncle confirmed it upset her to be around me and asked me to stay away as much as possible. Now I visit with her a little here and there, if she calls me, but I try to keep my distance.”
“That must be hard on you.”
It’s not a question, but he nods his head before looking away from me. “Not being able to spend time with her was really like losing the only other family member I had.”
“Enough with this for now. How about more fun?” I turn, pulling Denny toward a roller coaster I see running in the distance, hoping to distract him. As we walk, my thoughts swirl with the information he’s given me. He doesn’t even consider his uncle his family, not really. And his uncle sounds like a cruel man to take him in, but then basically exile him from the only person affording him any kind of comfort. I wonder if his aunt feels the same way.
After handing the lady working the line at the roller coaster the tickets I’d purchased, I shoot off a quick text to Ophaniel to research the aunt. Maybe knowing more about her can help, as well. He immediately responds that Caedmon, the unfriendliest of us all, has already contacted Deo to let him through to visit her. It eases my tension knowing how on top of things my friends are, however, Caedmon isn’t necessarily the best person for this job. Shooting off another text, I ask Ophi if maybe he should go instead. I’ve yet to meet a person who wasn’t immediately enamored with his good looks, and no one can resist his magnetism. His response is for me to enjoy my date, so I do.
Pushing all thoughts of my duty away, I enter the ride with Denny and delight in watching his every move through the ride. He exuberates excitement as the boxcar we’re in ascends, squeezes his eyes shut as we near the top, and then pops them open to yell along with other riders as we shoot down the other side. He bounces next to me during the curves, and flushes with anticipation as we approach the next hill. There’s something so useful and innocent in the way he experiences the roller coaster that I find myself wanting to be there to watch him experience other things as well.
“That was fun.”
“It was so much fun, Azorath. You want to ride again?” His eyes are twinkling and the smile across his face is a wonder.
“How about we ride some of the other rides first, and if you still want to ride this again after, we can,” I say indulgently.
“Aww, big bad Azorath didn’t like the roller coaster?” he teases while leading me to a ride full of swings.
“I did, but the sign when we came through the gate said the rides close at six, which is soon. I want to make sure we can enjoy as many as we can.” Really, I want to observe his expressions on each one. From the stories he’s told me through the day, I know him and his parents and later his friends, used to go to fairs and visited boardwalks. This isn’t his first time to do any of this, but I’d never know by the joy he’s emanating. It’s like he’s experiencing all of it for the first time.
Or he thinks it’s his last time to have fun, Azorath. Remember your duty to your suflet mwenza. Read his body language. Follow the clues.
Mildly annoyed that Ancient One is interrupting my date, I ask Denny, “What next?”
“Ferris wheel!” Then he practically tears my arm off rushing toward it. We arrive just as an empty cart comes around and get right on.
As we go up, he says, “This used to be my favorite part about going anywhere that had a Ferris wheel. It was always the last thing my mom and I did. My dad didn’t like heights, so it was our thing. We’d watch the people getting smaller and babble about how fun the day had been and how full we were. And then when we got to the very top, she’d have me look out and tell me as far as I could see, that’s how many opportunities awaited me. That the world was mine to conquer.”
“She was right, you know.”
Grimacing, his eyes remain fixed on the skyline as he responds, “Maybe when they were still alive it was true, but not anymore. Now my life has very few options.”
Releasing his hand, I finally wrap my arm around his shoulders and pull him in close. I wasn’t lying when I told him he fits me perfectly. As he nestles in, I rest my chin on his head right as we get to the top and the wheel stops moving for a minute. “Your life has more options than you may know. When we feel trapped, it’s because we haven’t gotten creative enough, yet. Or stepped far enough outside of our own box. And sometimes, we just haven’t met the right person, yet. But as long as you pay attention, Denny, life can change in the blink of an eye.”
Softly, he responds, “Yeah, I found that out when my parents died.”
Hugging him closer, I whisper, “That must have been terrible and overwhelming. I’m so sorry you had to live through that so young. But Denny, good things can happen just as quickly. Your mom wasn’t wrong, and in her memory, you have to hold on to that. The hope that there are more opportunities out there than you can imagine.”
Shaking my head off his, he tilts his head up. His expression is somewhere between awed and bewildered. “You believe that don’t you, Azorath?”
“I do.” And then the most beautiful transformation occurs, I see the stirrings of hope go through him.
“Okay,” he whispers before stretching up to peck his lips to my cheek, and then nestling back in the circle of my arm. “Okay,” I faintly hear again. This timid, little, bold man continues to amaze me.
As we near the bottom, my mouth is opening to suggest we ride one more time, when I hear a voice yelling out, “Denny, your uncle wants you now.” The demanding tone causes my hackles to rise, especially when Denny gets impossibly tense in my arms, and then pushes off of me.
While we exit the cart, the man continues, “Where have you been all day? We’ve been calling and texting, and you haven’t responded. Your uncle is furious. This isn’t a vacation, you know? You’re here to work.”
I study the man as Denny scrambles away from me and toward him. I recognize him as one of the unsavory gentlemen I saw walking down the walkway last night. The minute Denny is to him, he grasps his elbow and begins to propel him out of the park area. I keep close enough for Denny to be aware of me, but I’m not sure he notices with the panic I see on his face.
The man again asks, “Why haven’t you been answering us?”
“Oh, well, I, um, I most have forgotten my phone in my room.” He didn’t forget. My little man wanted a day to himself. Even though my worry is spiking at the man’s rough treatment of Denny, I can’t help the satisfaction that courses through me that Denny wanted to have a special day with me. A date.
