Gathering Storm

by Jess Parry

  Pulling a pair of jeans out of the pile on the floor, she shimmied into them, grabbing a red baby doll top. Pulling her red sneakers out of another suitcase, Sarah turned again to riffle through yet another bag, grumbling as Siobhan watched her.

  “What in turkey turds are you looking for?” Siobhan asked

  “Gotcha you little shit…” Sarah squealed pulling out her make up bag. “Damn, I thought the shit was MIA” Sitting on the bed, she reached up and pulled Siobhan down to the bed with her. “Wait…did you just say turkey turds?”

  “Yes” Siobhan choked out laughing

  “Oh my” Sarah giggled “Such a lady”

  “Not with you I’m not” Siobhan barked

  “F.u.c.k., we look like death warmed over. Come here I need to make us look like we are in the land of the living”

  Siobhan winced as Sarah ran the concealer under her eyes rubbing it in hiding the dark circles that ghosted around her eyes. She then pulled out some eye drops and dropped two drops in each of Siobhan’s eyes. Blinking as the soothing solution coated her dry eyes, she watched as Sarah did the same.

  “Look up” Sarah ordered

  Siobhan did as Sarah ordered looking up and in the different directions Sarah gave her as she applied mascara and eyeliner. She felt the bristles of the blush brush stroke softly against her cheek followed by the light pressure of lip gloss tracing her lips.

  “Well that’s as good as it’s going to get, we don’t look as dead as we did” Sarah sighed heavily as she zipped her make up bag up tossing it onto the pile of clothes on the floor.

  89

  Gathering Storm

  9 CHAPTER NINE

  A light tapping at Sarah’s door, startling a squeal from both girls, giggling Siobhan rose off the bed to get it. She opened the door to see Jason standing there, hair hanging damp against his head. Dark circles showing under bloodshot eyes, he smiled sheepishly before stepping into the room.

  “Good morning beautiful” Whispering huskily into her ear as he pulled her closer to him “I had one hell of a dream about you last night”

  Blushing, Siobhan leaned over kissing him lightly “I don’t remember my dream”

  “Wait…did you just say Siobhan was Beautiful?”

  “Yep, she’s my girl so naturally I’m going to tell her she’s beautiful…wow! Sarah where the hell have you been hiding those clothes these years? Damn Derrick would be going nuts if he was here right now!” Jason exclaimed “Hell both of you are beautiful, damn you two look great right now”

  “You are such a suck up…No, we’re alive barely” Laughing Sarah rose off the bed walking over to Jason and Siobhan. Turning her cheek to Jason she smiled when he leaned down and kissed her softly.

  “Thank you love” Sarah laughed “I need food and coffee like now”

  Turning she grabbed her purse squeezing past them walking out into the hall. Jason and Siobhan followed holding hands heading to the bank of elevators. Entering the noisy lobby, all three winced as the sounds bounced through their heads. Walking briskly outside, they cut off a few guests trying to enter the lobby, stepping out into the street as a cab blasted its horn at the lolly idly in front of them.

  “Hell its worse out here” Jason mumbled as they walked down the street, turning into the first café they saw. Ordering large steaming cups of coffee, some muffins they headed to a table at the back of the café. Wolfing down the muffins, they were silent almost content with watching the people around them.

  Siobhan brought the huge steaming mug of coffee to her lips taking a tentative sip, sighing as she felt the hot coffee slide down warming her inside.

  “God this is the best coffee I think I have ever had” Sarah murmured as she took another sip, closed her eyes smiling.

  Jason downed his coffee in two gulps promptly going back to wait in line to order another cup and muffin. Shaking her head Sarah looked over at Siobhan choosing her words carefully.

  “Siobhan, about last night” Sarah started watching the happiness slip off Siobhan’s face. “It was screwed up on so many levels. I shouldn’t have gone off with Marcus and Simon. I know it was wrong, but I just wanted to have some fun”

  “It’s alright Sarah; you didn’t exactly see me telling you to stop did you?” Siobhan responded as she lifted the mug for another drink

  “No, but I saw the reservation you held, I should have listened to that I don’t like this face and said no”

  “I admit I have my “mom”, Siobhan made air quotes, “moments, but even I wanted our first night here to be something memorable Sarah” Putting the mug down she took Sarah’s hand “I was just as willing to go with them as you”

  “Me too” Jason response was muffled around a bite of muffin as he sat back down putting his cup of coffee and already half eaten muffin down. Grabbing Sarah’s other hand and squeezing it tightly.

  “I think its official that last night was something we’ll share with our children after they are married and have kids of their own” Jason laughed as he leaned over kissing Siobhan smartly on her lips.

  “I still don’t understand everything that happened last night?” Siobhan murmured between bites of her muffin.

  “It was pretty damn intense, not to mention Marcus and Simon, both were pretty damn hot and moody, the ultimate bad boys” Sarah said wistfully

  “Oh hell no, Sarah, don’t you go there” Jason choked out between bites

  “What Jason?! Like you have room to talk..um…hello Moira” Sarah sarcastically replied back

  “Moira, what about her, nothing happened” Jason impishly retorted

  “Oh please you had massive lusty eyes at her! Hell, you are squirming even now, so what exactly happened before Marcus pulled you two out of there last night?”

  Sarah stared at Jason with a look of smug satisfaction as he began to squirm in his chair.

  “Nothing”

  “Really?”

  “Dammit, Sarah, let it go, nothing happened and it wasn’t going to” Jason’s lips firmed into a straight line as he kicked Sarah under the table

  “Ouch!” Sarah squealed

  “Stop it, just stop it” Siobhan barked looking between her two friends “Dammit I don’t want to fight, all of us did some pretty stupid shit last night so drop it”

  “All?” Jason looked at Siobhan with raised eyebrows, his brown eyes searching Siobhan’s face. He knew what he had done last night with Moira, was pretty sure what Sarah may have done with Simon, but what had Siobhan done?

  Aside from the band incident at the pub he’d been with her all night.

  “Never mind, ok we just need to put it behind us and get started on the stupid project for school ok?”

  Siobhan turned away from Jason shoving her empty plate across the table. Bending down to her purse, she pulled out the letter opening it. Laying it flat on the table, she smoothed the crinkles out of the paper running her fingers down the page as she read. Mouth silently forming the words as went, stopping suddenly; she cleared her throat looking back up at her friends.

  “Here, we are supposed to go to the library at Trinity College here in Dublin and see the Book of Kells. It’s one of the most famous illuminated manuscripts. We are to write an essay on its origins, it says there is an exhibition “Turning Darkness into Light”, we are supposed to visit that and then report on it as well in essay format.”

  Taking a breath, she traced her fingers further down the letter. “We must also visit the Long Room at the library”

  Looking down at the page again, a ghost of smile crossed Siobhan’s lips as she glanced up at Jason

  “Oh I think you’ll like that room, supposedly the room was used as the Jedi library Jason. They deny it, but it says that the gift shop there also stocks toys from the movie” taking a deep breath she looked at Jason who was grinning. His dimple was showing, as he laughed grabbing Siobhan hand as her cheeks turned a bright pink.

  “Oh yeah, so we have you covered with the old books to hunt through, Jas
on and his toys, what about me?” Sarah asked as she tipped the mug bag finishing her coffee.

  “Um” Siobhan continued skimming through the page “Well, if classes are still in session there will be plenty of guys there”

  “Swweeet” Sarah drawled the word out smiling wickedly “Then let’s move our asses people, how exactly do we get to Trinity College?”

  “I guess we can see if there is a bus, maybe someone here knows which one we should take?” Jason asked as he started looking around the café.

  “Oh the heck with that, we’ll take a taxi” Sarah stood up, grabbed everyone’s dishes and started to the trash.

  “Taxi it is then” Jason mumbled taking Siobhan’s hand “Really, Siobhan, there is nothing between Moira and me”

  “I know, ok, just drop it, we have too much to do today” Siobhan sighed as she took her hand away and started folding the letter back up. She pulled her purse to the table placing the letter inside before pulling out her wallet. Noting the funds were getting low “Hey we need to find an ATM or bank, we need to get some euro’s”

  “Oh I think I saw a bank a couple of streets over as we were walking here” Jason pulled out his wallet shaking his head after opening it. “Wow, how much money did we spend last night anyway?”

  “Apparently more than we thought we did” Sarah stated as she pushed her chair in and grabbed her purse from the back “Let’s go people, there are boys out there who need a good American heart break!”

  Laughing they made their way through the maze of tables to the exit turning the direction Jason pointed as having seen the bank.

  They reached the bank a few minutes later quickly walking through the double doors leading them into the ropes separating the bank tellers. They each went into a different line and waited until they were next.

  Each pulled out a card at the teller to exchange money, stuffing the money the teller’s gave them into purses and wallets while they made their way out into the street.

  Jason hailed a taxi telling the older man behind the wheel their destination, riding in silence towards the college. Siobhan sat back in the warm cloth seat staring out the window taking in the sights of the city unfolding before her. The buildings were old and cramped together. Some had bricks falling apart, giving off waves of shambling sadness to them instead of a simple old building. Siobhan watched the people walking by, some stopping to talk, others walking briskly with bags from shopping or groceries. Children playing happily nestled in the comfy safety of their strollers while their mother’s happily pushed. It reminded her of Chicago in some ways, feeling a little pang of homesickness.

  Jason watched the emotions playing across Siobhan’s face as they passed the buildings reaching over, he took her hand in his and squeezed. Siobhan turned to gaze at Jason smiling a little smile; she watched the dimples play across his face.

  The taxi pulled into an open spot between a bus and car parked with its hood opened. Two guys were bending over the front and pulling out suitcases. Jason paid the taxi fare as Siobhan and Sarah climbed out onto the sidewalk walking past the parked car.

  “Why are they pulling suitcases out of the hood?” Sarah asked as she turned to where Siobhan was staring

  “Silly, that’s the trunk here, the engine is in the back on those cars” Jason said between fits of laughter

  Sarah slapped Jason’s shoulder and rolled her eyes “I’m not car and driver, I know enough to make sure it’s full of gas, to put it in drive and step on the gas or break…what more is there to know”

  Barking out laughter, Jason shook his head at Sarah “A hell of a lot more”

  “Well I can tell you the one bent over right now has a pretty nice ass” Sarah said as she threw her arm around Siobhan.

  Leaning in whispering softly for only Siobhan to hear “You could hit that ass and Jason couldn’t do anything”

  Sarah looked up at Jason as he scowled at her before leaning back to Siobhan “I mean come on turnabout is fair play when the other does something stupid”

  “Whatever the hell you are over there whispering about Sarah, just stop it” Jason boomed, his face turning red contorting in anger

  “She was talking about the guy’s ass Jason; really, you wanted to join in that conversation?” Siobhan asked trying to divert Jason’s angry glare off Sarah. Jason glared at Sarah again, before turning back around to take Siobhan’s hand lightly pulling her away from Sarah.

  “Hey, how do we get to the library in this labyrinth for a college?” Sarah yelled at a group of people mulling about in the square. A girl in the group turned to them pointing at a building across the way

  “Thanks” Sarah called as she started off in the direction the girl had pointed. Coming to the entrance, they stopped looking at the ornate Georgian building before them. Walking through the doors they entered into the main entrance teaming with tourists as well as students. Taking a few minutes they wandered around the impressive structure, silently taking in the sheer majesty of the old building.

  Spotting where to buy tickets for the tour Sarah rushed to the booth. Returning a few minutes later to where Jason and Siobhan stood ogling, she handed them each a ticket.

  “I figured it was my turn to buy” Sarah joked as she opened the tour pamphlet “There is a group over there, I think we are supposed to be with them”

  Merging into the crowd of obvious tourists, they listened as the leader began instructions on what they could and couldn’t do.

  “Here we go!” Siobhan whispered smiling widely

  “Oh yeah books” Sarah retorted

  “Shh” Jason hissed at Sarah

  They made their way around the long tables separating the main floor. The wooden floor was worn from thousands of transient people who had come into its inviting warmth over the centuries. A mix of students and tourists were sitting at the long gleaming wooden tables that reflected the books spread out before them.

  Jason leaned over to Siobhan whispering “How can they study with all these people passing around them?”

  “You learn to tune them out, what do you think it’s going to be like when we go to college?” Siobhan asked looking at Jason a smile ghosting her lips.

  “Well, um…I haven’t thought about it.” Jason answered quietly

  Entering into the Long room of the library, the speaker cleared her throat loudly to silence the group before she began her speech on the famous room. Siobhan stopped suddenly as the musky scent of hundreds of old leather bound books filled her senses. Looking up at the barrel-ceiling with its deep dark wood shining, Siobhan saw the heavy dust that clung to the shelves. The smell was intoxicating as Siobhan closed her eyes breathing in deeply.

  The corners of her lips turning up as she pictured herself getting lost in one of those beautifully bound books with its hidden treasures. The adventure she was sure one of these old books was hiding was too much, her fingers were itching to pull one off the shelf, find a quiet corner and get lost for a few hours.

  The noise around her becoming muffled as the crowd began moving away; Siobhan opened her to eyes to see the room was almost empty. Looking around for Sarah and Jason, catching them merging into the crowd. The group was moving into another portion of the library tour, the speaker was calling for everyone to be quiet and respect the students currently on site.

  Stealing a quick glance around her, she ducked into one of the aisles. Timidly running her fingers gingerly across some of the leather bound books. Letting out the sigh she had been holding, she didn’t notice the air come out in a mist. The temperature quickly dropping around her as a gray dense mist circled her.

  The room fell into an eerily quiet as the brisk air continued to cling onto the surfaces as hoarfrost lightly coated the books. Everything began shimmering as the light from the windows danced across the white sheen. Someone was humming softly; the seductive sound weaving its way to Siobhan. The tune was elusive, but hauntingly beautiful, Siobhan found herself searching out the source.

  Wanderi
ng down a few aisles, Siobhan felt her breath coming faster, nervous energy building inside her. She reached a small alcove near the back of the last aisle, stopping abruptly as she caught movement from the shadows inside the tiny space. Sitting on a striking dark wooden bench, was a lone figure hunched over a book, his face hidden under cascading golden hair. Black and blue streaks caught the light above the window bringing through the golden hue as the figure continued to read. Siobhan took in the long nimble fingers holding the book tenderly. A soft chuckle filled the air around her. Siobhan’s eyes widened as she realized that was the sound she had heard. It wasn’t humming but a beautifully soft laughter that clung to the air, calling for anyone to listen and seek it out.

  “I was wondering how long it would take you to seek me out” The figures lilting voice wrapping itself around Siobhan enchantingly.

  “I’m sorry, I was on a tour and got separated, I heard humming and thought it might be someone who could direct me back to my group” Siobhan’s voice coming out in a soft whisper.

  “This story is quite entertaining, you should read it Siobhan, I think you would enjoy it” the figures voice cloyingly filling her senses

  “How do you know my name?” Siobhan asked fear ring inside her, paralyzing her body as it whispered she should run from this man

  “I’ve always known you; your soul will always call me to you”

  Taking a tentative step closer to the man, even as everything inside Siobhan was screaming to run, she was enthralled by him. She took in the dark jeans hanging loosely on his lithe frame, the dark wool sweater he wore that hinting at the strength in his wide shoulders. His boots were coal black, slightly scuffed at the tips, showing wear from years of use. He had yet to raise his head to look at Siobhan, sighing as frustration grew within her, every fiber inside her pulsing in raptured curiosity.

  Yearning to run her fingers through his silky hair, to entangle her fingers within the soft stands, to slowly move it from his face, she took a small step towards him. She longed to see what was hidden behind those waves of gold. She craved to ask why he had the blue and black streaks added to his beautifully golden hair. Catching herself reaching out to touch him, she pulled her hand back to her side, taking a step back.