Balancer's Soul

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  ***

  After the mandatory teachers meeting ended, Sarah hurried home full of joy. “I still cannot believe that Connor’s family is gracious enough to let him court me…”

  Upon pulling into the driveway at her house Sarah noticed that her father was working out on the front side of the house. He finished stripping off the old paint from the front of the house and currently begun painting the walls in deep scarlet or blood red paint. Turning off the engine and stepping out of her vehicle Jack called out “Sarah, please come here for a moment.” He said evenly.

  “I hope that I’m not in trouble again.” “Be right there Father, just let me set my work into the house. Ok?”

  “As you wish.” Using a humoring tone of his own wasn’t very uncommon. She hurried nonetheless.

  Going inside through the garage door, she set her purse and keys on the table beside the door. Sarah then walked into the living room and sat down all the paperwork from her classes. She stepped back outside and walked into the front yard where Jack continued painting. “You wanted to talk?”

  Covered in red paint, Jack smiled happily. This was indeed a new development. He rarely smiled without his mate near. “Yes I do, but first tell me how your day went?”

  Not in the mood to keep beating around the bush Sarah asked calmly “Father, what’s going on? What’s with your change in demeanor?”

  His expression softened. “I was able to talk with Jillian today.”

  “Oh no! Mother, you didn’t? Couldn’t? Wouldn’t?” Trying to hide her distress she quickly asked “And what did Mother have to say?” and noticed a slight hysteria to her own words.

  His face became somber as he sat the paint roller in the bucket. “After her brutal chastising she gave me about last Friday, I wanted to say I was wrong for my actions.” “Sounds like Mother tore you a new one, Father.”

  “I accept your apology.” Sarah’s expression remained casual, but her joy rose from the confession.

  His face brightened and along with a smile came “Good news, Sarah. Jillian said that she will be here in two weeks instead of a month like she originally planned…

  “Oh and another thing, I can’t wait! Jillian stated ‘Sarah and I have a big surprise for you, My Love.’ Your mother sounded giddy on the phone and now I’m very curious about this surprise. Just what are you two planning?” He was still grinning from ear to ear. It looked like he hasn’t had a drop of liquor all day.

  Sarah walked away slowly and without another word. She felt numb and cold all over. “Mother what are you planning? Are you trying to give your mate a heart attack? Or are you trying to get someone killed?” Sarah stopped and turned back around to look at her father. “I have to go across the street to tutor one of my students.” She heard the sounds of Connor running up the street just then.

  “Which one? The little girl or the mule?” Sarah wasn’t sure if Jack was being sarcastic, but his last words weren’t leaving her euphoric.

  Getting angry Sarah spoke steely through her teeth. “He is not a beast of burden.”

  Connor ran along the road just then, cut across the grass of his front yard and moved right in the garage and didn’t glance at her the first time, but she recognized the tense setting of his jaw. He was obviously annoyed to be spoken of like that. Connor then went inside quickly and didn’t seem to see her even though she stood in front of the house hoping to see his eyes again.

  Jack brushed her off by saying “Ok, ok what time are you going to get home then?”

  Still upset, she returned with “When I feel like it.”

  He yawned saying “That’s your prerogative.”

  Still steamed, Sarah went into the house and had a snack. Afterwards she took a shower and asked herself while looking at her bedroom mirror “I wonder how Connor likes my hair done?” She decided to put her hair in one long braid. When she was completely dry she put on comfortable shorts and a tight green top.

  Walking across the street at six in the evening with some paperwork, Sarah knocked on the blue front door. Her heart started beating wildly knowing that she gets to spend more time with him.

  Kara opened the door and yelled over her shoulder “Brother, I’m going outside to practice my cheers!” Connor replied from the other end of the house, “Ok Kara!” Kara looked at Sarah in the eye and quietly said “Sarah, please come and have a chat with me real quick.” Without waiting for a reply she grabbed Sarah’s free hand and pulled her around to the side if the house.

  As Kara finally let go of her hand Sarah asked “What’s going on?”

  She wore a one sided smile and said “It’s about you and my brother.”

  Fear and insecurity set in. “Connor said that you all liked me?”

  She relieved Sarah by saying “My mom and I were talking for awhile last night about you. We decided that as long as you can make my brother happy, you are welcome to join our family.”

  Smiling shyly Sarah gratefully said “Thank you so much Kara, this means more to me than you realize. Also Connor means more to me than I have ever thought possible.”

  Kara was no longer smiling and applied a serious expression to her features. “Saturday at the dining room when Brother yelled at me…” Sarah nodded in understanding where she was being led. “Yeah, well never in my whole life has he said anything to me in that tone before, let alone show me how dangerous he can be. I was truly frightened by him. I almost told you about a very painful secret from his past. It was not my place to say it and I am truly sorry now, but just trust him because he is a good man. I believe he was, in a way, protecting you from me. Brother doesn’t want to lose you for some reason and I won’t be the cause should something happen. I couldn’t do that to him... He will protect you with his life so don’t toy with him. He doesn’t act his age. Never has. Everything he does is serious.”

  “I know.” Because Sarah truly did know he would risk his life to save hers. If he didn’t, one of them would be being digested or rotting right now. That’s just who he is. “One last thing,” she began “when he shows you his secret. Please do one thing.” Her eyes were sincere and intense.

  “Kara said when not if, well that’s a good sign.” “Anything.” Sarah said flatly.

  Kara then revealed a dangerous smile of her own. “Just don’t laugh or run away when you see it. Otherwise you will have me to deal with. Got it!” And with that she walked away, swinging her arms around quickly, stretching them out.

  Walking in a daze back around Connor’s house and stepping in the entry way, Sarah knocked three times. A moment later Connor opened the door and her mind and body became intently and instantly focused on him. His sandy blonde hair dripped wetly because he stepped out of the shower not too long ago. He wore a dark green sleeved shirt and brown pants with no shoes. His hazel eyes were so welcoming and his lips were inviting. “What’s the matter, Princess? You look strained.”

  “Oh no it’s isn't anything like that. Kara and I just had a friendly little chat that’s all.” She said, breaking eye contact.

  “Oh great! I’m in trouble.” He said in a cautious and teasing voice.

  He can always make her smile and it worked. “You better believe it, buster.” And Sarah hugged him. She looked up into his face and asked “Ready for your lesson?” He quickly looked away. “Why is your face getting so red?”

  “It is just something Kara said to me on the run home.” He admitted.

  “It looks like she has a talent for getting under our skin.”

  Connor smiled and bent down to kiss her head. “I’m sorry, please come in.”

  He led her inside his house, but this time he gave the grand tour. Heading down one hallway he pointed to a white door on his left. “This is my mom’s room and next door is Kara’s.” He turned and pointed to two other doors across from the first two rooms. “The door on your right is the bathroom and the one on to its left is the laundry room.” He grabbed Sarah’s hand and their fingers intertwined. She marveled at how they fit
together so perfectly and the warmth that seeped into her cool hand. Connor led her down another hall that sat secluded from most of the house and it was very quiet and peaceful back here. He opened a green door saying “Sarah, this is my room.”

  He let go of her hand to turn on the lights as she entered his room. The room was painted in the same color as her eyes, emerald, and it was beautiful. The brush strokes made it look like a forest. “I love the color.” Sarah said absentmindedly.

  “As do I. It’s the same color as your beautiful eyes.” He scanned the room. “Kara was the one to paint it for me though.”

  Trying to not get choked up or stutter she continue to survey and study his room. It was tidy for a young man’s bedroom. Connor’s bed was a beautifully crafted four poster queen size bed, probably to accommodate his large physique. A singularly large open window, faced the north, and was situated over the headboard of his bed. It let a cool breeze into the room. The covers on the bed were a dark brown and had a tree bark color. Sarah walked over to his dresser and ran her finger tips across the surface to find it perfectly smooth. “He really is a master craftsman.” She stepped away from the dresser and opened up his sliding closet to see nothing but all dark sleeve shirts and jackets.

  Still standing in his closet she turned around to see him watching her intently. “Your home is beautiful, Connor.” Unfortunately Connor saw her reaction to all of his dark sleeved clothing in the closet.

  “Don’t worry too much about it, Princess. I will show you and explain one day. I promise” and he smiled her favorite smile

  “And I promise to tell you my secret one day as well.” And she smiled back.

  He walked forward and enveloped her in a hug and the new scent that she loved. He kissed the top of her head saying “One day then. Until then, let’s go get started on the curriculum.” As he held her, Sarah felt him go rigid. “What’s the matter?” They were obviously and rudely interrupted in some way.

  He held one finger across his lips “Shh.” He melted out of the embrace and stalked over to the open window above his bed. Reaching through the window with one arm Sarah saw his large arm flex as he caught something.

  “Thought I heard a spy!” He said pulling a little girl by the back of her neck in through the window, like she weighed nothing. She wore a pink shirt and white pants and had sandy blond, shoulder length hair.

  “Kara?” she feigned astonishment. “What were you doing back there?”

  She had on a disappointed face as Connor set her on the ground. “Wow, you picked her up with one hand and didn’t even hurt her. You have great control of your body.” Kara said in a bird like chirp “I was trying to make sure that the two of you were ok.”

  “Likely story, you little closet pervert.” Connor said as he stared at her. He crossed his arms in disappointment. Her jaw was hanging by their hinges.

  Wanting to leave her and be with him alone Sarah said “Connor, we had better get to work or else you’ll have difficulty on the upcoming test.” Those raptor hazel eyes instantly zoomed in on her and her pulse quickened up again. He walked over and gently took her hand saying “Later” to Kara. He led Sarah back into the living room and they sat side by side on the leather sofa.

  He opened the book to the lesson that the class started today, his fingers stopped and she looked at his face “What’s on your mind, Connor?”

  Connor whispered in her ear just incase anyone was listening “It is just that since we are studying American history, I was wondering that since that you have lived so long, one day I want to know if you can tell me if they got anything lost in translation over the years.” And at that Sarah started laughing.

  She touched his leg. “When you get out of school I will give you all of the stories of my past.” she whispered back.

  They got to work not too long afterwards.