Darkness of Light

by Gina Kincade

“Lucius? Lucius Clearwater? Young thing, big smile?”

  “Um, yes. He’s my age.”

  “Good Lord, is he eighteen already? Yes, yes, I’m nearly done. You can wheel me out in a minute.”

  “Grandma! Get off the phone!”

  “Fine. But, Rev, Lacy Clearwater’s birthday is in August.”

  “Really? Does Lucius have a brother?”

  The phone disconnected but not before Rev heard the nurse trying to take it away. She almost pitied the woman.

  How would she find out who the other man was? The card with Lucius’ number was still on the counter. She had a good idea why he’d be buying a gift in July for a birthday in October. She was flattered and interested in getting to know Lucius better.

  “Clearwater...” After searching online for Lucius Clearwater and finding beautiful, hilarious, and adorable photos as old as five years, she was pretty sure he was a hometown guy who loved his family.

  Dark Eyes, for lack of a better name, showed up in several of the family photos, but he was untagged, giving her no indication of their relation or his name.

  In any case, she would be calling Lucius. Spending the night alone at Grandma’s wasn’t exactly grabbing her imagination. It was probably a good idea to eat before calling; she could dodge any awkwardness over the bill and he wouldn’t have to watch her eat. She wasn’t the tidiest or demurest when it came to her food. Besides, it would let her skip straight to the good part.

  Littleton was too small for fast food chains, leaving Rev the choice of American Chinese or greasy spoon diner. She opted for the latter and followed the ‘seat yourself’ sign to one of the booths.

  The clientele were a mix of colors and creeds, but if one were more common than the others, it would be brown-red, the same as Lucius. She guessed his family was among the founders.

  In fact, the woman who came to her table could have been Lucius’ sister, with the same long, black hair; hers reaching her waist. She dropped a menu on the table and poured water into a glass, ice cubes splashing water everywhere. Rev revised her earlier assessment. With anger sparking in her brown eyes, this woman was more likely a sister to Dark Eyes. What could she have done to offend her?

  “Kristen! Go see to table six.” A middle-aged woman with brown hair and an olive complexion pointed to a group of men on the other side of the dining room. The round woman produced a rag and soaked up all the water from the table.

  “There you go, Love. Now, can I get you something to drink?”

  “Is she always like that?” Rev looked toward Kristen and found her smiling and laughing. “Or is it just me?”

  The matron looked over her shoulder. “Don’t take it to heart. When you’re the big fish in a small pond, you don’t take kindly to anyone else making waves.”

  Rev puzzled over that. “Is she worried I’ll steal the men? I just got here. For all she knows, I could have a boyfriend back home.”

  “Do you?” The waitress leaned in.

  “No, but that’s not the point. Ugh, this is turning into a chore sooner than I expected.”

  “How’s that?”

  “I’m only here to help until Grandma recovers. I’m not staying, and I’m not looking for a man. Will you tell her that?”

  “Happily. So, what’ll it be?”

  After ordering a burger and fries, Rev was left alone with the feeling more than one woman was staring at her with malice. She never caught one at it, but she had no idea how to make them stop.

  The chimes over the door rang and Dark Eyes came through. He stared at her a moment before waving to the nicer, rounder waitress.

  “Flo,” he called to her with a nod in her direction, sliding into the booth next to Rev’s. If she sat very straight, she could see the top of his head. He looked up and she ducked down reflexively. The anger filling the room intensified with Dark Eyes’ arrival, and yet, one by one, each pair turned their attention away until she could finally eat her meal in peace.

  “Here you go, Love. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you, Flo.”

  The waitress smiled. “Don’t worry, Love. They’ll get over it.”

  “I hope so.”

  Flo passed to the next booth. “And what can I get you, Dear?”

  Rev cursed her luck. Of course, Flo wouldn’t use his name. At least she didn’t feel like the women were shooting daggers at her any longer. She picked up her burger and a splat of ketchup fell from it to her plate. Careful to keep the burger over her plate, she leaned in. Her hands were covered in sauce and grease in no time.

  Looking at her stain-smeared napkin, she felt better about not eating with Lucius. Even Dark Eyes didn’t see the mess she made. Thinking of him, she glanced up to see his eyes and nose clear of the booth, watching her. Dark, deep brown, they didn’t seem cold, now, but rather deep, alluring. They drew her in, making her want more than ever to know who he was.

  He batted long, black lashes in a blink that reminded Rev to breathe. Spell broken, she gave herself a little mental shake.

  “All done, Love? Can I get you dessert? We have apple pie.” Flo’s appearance made Rev feel more foolish about staring at the man in the next booth.

  “No, just the bill. I might be back later for the pie.” Rev dug her wallet and phone from her purse.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Rev used Flo’s absence to call the number Lucius had given her. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Lucius. It’s Reverie, from Pennywise?”

  “Reverie! How are you? Looking for something to do in this tiny corner of nowhere?”

  She grinned at the jovial way he talked down Littleton. It was done with such affection that it was clear there was no other corner of nowhere he’d rather be. “Kinda. I just grabbed a bite to eat. Could I meet you somewhere?”

  “Where are you? Golden Palace?”

  “No, Sweet Home.”

  “Do they have apple pie?” The way he asked, uncontained excitement evident in his voice, made Rev think of her six-year-old nephew.

  Unable to repress her giggle, she managed to say through it, “Yes.”

  “I’ll be right there.” The call disconnected and she shook her head, setting the phone on the table.

  A square of paper sat on the edge of the tabletop. Maybe Flo had dropped it?

  The waitress arrived with the mobile debit machine and Rev offered the paper to her.

  “I don’t think it’s mine,” Flo said, opening the note while Rev typed in a tip and her PIN. “No, Love, I’m sure this is for you. I’m no Goldilocks.” Flo patted her brown curls and flashed a grin.

  “I suppose not. I’m going to wait here. Someone who wants pie is coming to meet me.”

  “That’s lovely. I hope he doesn’t keep you waiting long.”

  The chimes rang and Rev recognized Lucius through the glass of the door. “Nope. Not long at all.”

  Lucius stopped just inside the door. Dark Eyes rose and faced him. The entire diner fell quiet, the low volume of soft rock music seeming harsh in the silence. Dark Eyes looked back toward her, gave a very small smile, more of a smirk, really, and left the establishment.

  Rev thought her ears might have popped. The sudden resurgence of conversation startled her. Lucius beamed as he slid into the booth.

  “Oh, dear.” Flo hurried away, clearing Dark Eyes’ dishes.

  “Who was that?” Rev asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

  “Him? One of my cousins. I have lots of them. There’s one over there.” He waved to Kristen, who then came over, a smile plastered on her face.

  “Hey, Lucius. Let me guess, you’re here for Diane’s pie.”

  “You know it. Say, have you met Reverie? She's Penny’s granddaughter.”

  Rev wasn’t sure she’d ever seen someone flip from friendly to stoic so quickly. “Yes, I know. Let me get your pie.” She turned that cold shoulder and headed to the kitchen.

  “I don’t know why, but she really doesn’t like me.”
/>
  “No? Why do you say that?”

  “She practically drowned me while pouring my water. Then there’s that exit. Do you mind coming back for pie? I really want to get out of here.” Dark Eyes’ presence had done something to avert those angry eyes, but Lucius wasn’t able to repeat it. Rev rolled her shoulders to try and shake off the negative stares.

  “Oh, yeah, sure. I’ll just stop Kristen.” He hopped out of the booth while Rev stashed her phone and wallet. The square note slipped out from between them and she opened it.

  Goldilocks, don’t settle for the first bowl of porridge you find. There is hotter and just right to come. —K.

  K was it?

  Lucius slid back to the tableside and held out his hand to help her from the booth.

  She stuffed the note in her bag and grasped his warm palm, curling her fingers around his digits.

  Lucius was a decidedly hot bowl of porridge, but she’d keep Dark Eyes’ suggestion in mind. After all, he managed to hog her attention whenever she spied him. His eyes both chilled her and made her heart race at the thought of what that stare might mean.

  She’d have to think about that later. She was with the friendlier of the cousins and he held the door for her. “Thank you, Lucius. That pie did look great, but I think I need to work off some of my dinner before eating it.” She slipped her arm through his and let him turn them east, away from the setting sun.

  The night was much cooler than the day, making the walk much more enjoyable. She might even wish for a sweater before they returned.

  “Yeah? Eyes bigger than your stomach?” he teased.

  “Something like that. Maybe the portion was more suited to someone your size rather than mine.” She nudged him with her elbow. He stood several inches taller than her, but was probably twice as wide. All that muscle had to require some serious metabolism.

  He laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Most of the guys around here can pack the food away.”

  They walked in silence to the end of Main Street, toward the woods that bordered Littleton. “Where are we headed?” she asked, in no hurry to turn back.

  “Hmm. Oh, I know, let’s check out the bluff.”

  Until Lucius started down the path, Rev didn’t see it. There were no paving stones, no lights, just a patch of bare ground amid the grass and trees.

  Tugging on Lucius’ arm, she made him slow down. “Sorry, I can’t see and I’m worried about tripping.”

  He put his hand over hers. “No worries. I’ll make sure you don’t fall, but let’s slow down, too.”

  An owl gave a series of hoots, reminding her how far they seemed from civilization. Of course, Littleton wasn’t civilization in the urban sense, but at least it had electricity, lights, and sidewalks. She had never been a hiker, never spent a lot of time in the wild outdoors. Her idea of a vacation was sitting next to a pool with a book, not climbing trees or mountains.

  Lucius echoed the owl, making it call again. He pointed to the shadow in a tree down the path. “Can you see it?” he whispered.

  She squinted and leaned forward but had to sigh with defeat. “No. But I heard it. What kind of owl is that?”

  “A barred owl. They’re pretty big. There she goes.” He pointed to a black smudge against the deep purple sky.

  Rev shivered and rubbed her bare arms. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.”

  Lucius turned to face her and rubbed his hands over her arms as well. “You’re not cold, are you? It’s just finally getting nice out.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. The sweltering heat was gone and a lovely breeze rustled the leaves on the trees and blew away the stagnant humidity.

  “Besides, the bluff is just a little further.” Lucius set his hand on her hip this time, guiding her down the path she still couldn’t see clearly. “It’s worth it, I promise.”

  “Okay.” Rev leaned in toward him, taking advantage of his keener eyes, and his reassuring calm. He didn't seem afraid of anything coming up on them, so she wasn’t either.

  Lucius stopped and turned, taking both her hands. “Ready?”

  Rev giggled at his eagerness. “Yes.”

  He pulled her past the last trees and onto the edge of a cliff. It wasn’t a sheer drop, but far too steep to walk down. She grabbed hold of her strong companion in fear of falling.

  “Hey, don’t worry. I’ve got you. Don’t look down, but out.” He stretched his arm out, gesturing at the series of gullies and canyons that connected over the miles ahead. With the sun set, she couldn’t make out details, but she could see the other hills and slopes, the pockets of dark that were trees, the lights of cars and houses in the distance.

  “And once you’ve done that, look up.”

  She craned her neck, and gasped at the bright stars. She’d always lived in the city, and although she’d seen pictures of the sky full of stars, the most she’d ever seen at a time didn’t make three digits. There were thousands of stars here. The whole sky, dotted with breathtaking brilliance from the distant hills to the trees just behind them.

  Lucius’ breath traced over the curved shell of her ear. “You’ve never seen them, have you?”

  “No.” She shook her head in disbelief. She tilted her chin down and her nose brushed along his ear, her cheek tickled by his free-flowing hair. The breeze flicked the strands up, back, and let them drop again.

  “I’m glad I could show them to you.” He kissed her earlobe and then beneath, his breath fluttering over her neck.

  She fisted the fabric of his shirt, not flat on his chest any longer, and turned her head to find his lips, her nose bumping up to his.

  He brushed his lips over hers, his breath cool on her heating skin. He let the first peck fall short, catching the corner of her mouth, but Rev wasn’t about to let it end there. She slid her hand up into his hair and pulled him toward her again, pressing her lips against his, a unique but heady spiciness filling her mouth.

  His hesitation evaporated and he trailed his hand over her hip, over her ass, caressing the globes before squeezing and pulling her tighter against him, fitting her hips to his. She could feel the hardness of his belt, and below his belt. It made the dampness below her waist obvious for the first time.

  As great as the kiss was, and as curious as she was to experience what his jeans hid, this wasn’t the place, and she definitely needed to know him better. Even with her logical self, and a tiny pinprick of guilt from Dark Eyes’ message, it wasn’t easy to pull back.

  “Lucius? Can we slow up?”

  His sigh filled her nose with the same spicy scent. What was that? Something he’d eaten? It was maddening, making her mouth water and long to find his lips again.

  “Of course we can, Reverie, we can do anything you like.”

  She leaned her head into his shoulder until her heartbeat slowed back to normal and her head felt less clouded. “I’d like to walk back now. After all, we haven’t had that pie.”

  “Mmm, pie.” Rather than turn toward the path, he nibbled on her ear. “Mmm, Reverie.”

  She giggled and pushed him away. “I’m not for consumption.”

  “I would beg to differ. However, the pie is only fresh a day. You, on the other hand...”

  “You’re the freshest of all,” she countered, taking a step down the path she hadn’t seen but knew had to be there.

  “Yeah, can’t argue with that.”

  There was hiss at her feet and Rev backed up into Lucius. “What’s that!” She clung to his arm, praying it hadn’t become too dark for his sharp eyesight.

  “Get lost,” he shouted at the creature. “Go on, scat, you grumpy, little pest.”

  “What is it? Does it bite?”

  Lucius grunted. His usually bright smile was gone, lips drawn down instead. “Yes, with tiny sharp teeth.”

  Rev dug her fingernails into his arm, her pulse racing again.

  Lucius smoothed her fingers, coaxing them loose without giving any indication that she’d hurt him. “Don’t wo
rry. It’s just a badger. It’s not going to attack us.”

  The small shadow hissed again.

  “Go!” Lucius kicked at the animal and Rev made out the striped tail for the first time. “Oh, you won’t hurt it will you?”

  Lucius scoffed. “One minute you’re scared it’ll hurt you, and the next you want to protect it.”

  “Well, it’s small. And you said it wouldn’t attack.”

  “Yeah, it won’t. Let’s go.” He clasped her elbow and started marching down the path. Rev glanced back at the badger, oddly interested in what it did. It stood up on hind legs and pawed the air. Then, rather quickly, they were too far for her to make him out against the blackness.

  A buzzing in her bag caught Rev’s attention. “Lucius, slow down. I think I’m getting a call. It could be Grandma.” She pulled free of his hand on her arm and started digging in her purse. He didn’t argue and when the light from the phone touched his face, she saw his smile was back in place.

  It was a text message, not a call, from her Dad. All clear. Surgery went fine. Grandma’s sleeping.

  Rev blew out a relieved breath she didn’t notice she’d been holding. It was good news. “She’s fine.”

  Lucius slipped his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her in a half-hug and kissing the top of her head. “That great. Now, let’s celebrate with pie.”

  Rev laughed but didn’t argue. A piece of pie seemed the perfect end to what might have been a trying first day in Littleton, but turned out to be one good thing after another. Well, with the one exception of Kristen and the other women anyway.

  Hairs rose on her neck, sending a chill skating down her spine. Someone was watching her. Rev turned, expecting to see another female resident who didn’t want her around. Instead, she found Dark Eyes on the path they had just left for the sidewalk. He didn’t smile, and she took his demeanor as angry, but the longer she watched, the sadder it seemed. She waved and he stared, probably not noticing her. He held a fist to his chest and closed his eyes. What did that mean?

  “Something wrong?” Lucius asked, turning to look behind them as well.

  Rev watched Dark Eyes take a step back and disappear into the trees before Lucius spotted him. “No, nothing.”