Promised Soul

by Sandra J. Jackson

  “Open them, please.”

  How can I possibly ever look into his eyes? However, his gentleness and concern made me brave, and I did as he said and opened them. Instantly, our gaze locked, and a whirlpool of echoes and memories encircled us. Flashes of sound and images spun around us in a dizzying fashion. Aaron held my face in his hands as he gazed into my eyes; my own hands clasped onto his and the heat between them almost burned. I struggled for breath as the air was sucked from my lungs. My heart pounded and I feared at any moment I was going to start gasping. The spinning of images and voices around us moved faster and faster until they became a blur, and the voices became a steady hum. Everyone and everything had disappeared, and it was just the two of us. I wanted to close my eyes, to pull away, but it wasn't possible, I was frozen. Slowly, the sounds and images began to ebb, and I began to become aware of my surroundings. My heart slowed to a near normal pace and my lungs filled with air.

  “I don't see anything. I guess you were right, it was probably just dust.” Aaron quickly removed his hands from my face.

  I stared at him in disbelief. How could he not have felt that? Seen that? Heard that? He must have sensed something – anything.

  “What's the matter?” he said staring back at me.

  “Did you not just…” I stopped myself. What exactly was I going to say to him, anyway? Should I ask him if he heard the voices, saw our images, or felt our emotions? There were no words to explain what had happened. Nothing that wouldn't make me sound as if I hadn't completely lost my mind. Instead, I turned away from him and looked back out over the side. His hand touched mine, the heat still radiating between them.

  “Yes, I did,” he whispered.

  Thirty-One

  Aaron lay in bed, staring wide-eyed, yet as exhausted as he was, he could not fall asleep. The streetlight outside cast shadows of the nearby tree into his room, and he watched as they danced on the walls and across the ceiling. Krista was on his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about her that reminded him of someone. But what was it, he wondered, and more importantly who? Too many unanswered questions mulled around in his head. There was no going to sleep until he figured something out.

  Slowly he began going over a checklist of possibilities as he tried to work out the connection, mentally crossing out each option as he went along. Krista, although attractive, wasn't his usual type, generally, he preferred brunettes. He was sure that she didn't remind him of one of his ex-girlfriends. It wasn't until he'd exhausted all avenues that a thought suddenly occurred to him. As farfetched as it was, perhaps she reminded him of a girl he used to dream of, a girl he hadn't thought about for a long time.

  The girl was a nameless, faceless character that occasionally made brief appearances from as far back as he could remember, and though the dreams were never clear, she somehow left a lasting impression. For a time, he actually convinced himself she was real; he'd believed that if he ever found her, he would know it in his heart. Anne had once been the recipient of that belief, with her long dark hair that so looked like the girl's – the only true memory he had. As their relationship progressed, he began to realize that Anne wasn't meant for him. They had been together for almost a year, and in the end, their strained relationship had just about ended his friendship with Peter, especially when he had broken Anne's heart. It was then he decided to give up the search for the girl from his dreams, though he always felt a small part of him looked for her in every girl he dated.

  His one true regret was that he'd once told his mother about the girl, and she had believed emphatically that she was not just a figure in a dream, but someone Aaron was destined to meet. She urged him to be patient, telling him that when the girl came along, he would know it the instant they touched. After his break-up with Anne, he made his mother promise never to bring it up again, eventually forgetting all about the girl as his dreams faded.

  For the first time in his life, Aaron felt what his mother had meant. Each time he'd touched Krista, he felt electricity coursing through his veins, and each time it became more intense. Their initial handshake had just felt unusually warm, but when he'd reached out and touched her hand in the car, it was so shocking that he hadn't quite believed what he felt. He hoped for another chance to touch her again. Finally, the opportunity presented itself when he held her face in his hands. Her eyes burned into his own as he searched for whatever was causing them to tear. It had been hard to concentrate, particularly when he was sure the colour of them had changed. It happened so quickly that he doubted himself, blaming it all on his imagination. Especially after Peter's recounting of what he'd experienced. In any case, something had happened between them, something beyond his understanding, but definitely something worth investigating further. He didn't know or really believe that she was the girl from his dreams, he'd given up the notion that she existed years ago, but undeniably there was something about her that puzzled him.

  Aaron rolled over onto his side tucking his hands under his pillow. He stared at the window, watching the patterns of light and dark. His eyes began feeling heavy and he breathed a sigh of relief as sleep finally took hold, pulling him under.

  He heard a whisper and a slow, sleepy smile crossed his face – she was back.

  Thirty-Two

  It was without a doubt the worst sleep in weeks, if one could call it that. My eyes burned red from staring up at the ceiling for what seemed like all night. In any case, I was definitely going to need an entire pot of coffee just to stay awake.

  Anne had been so interested in my day that she'd made a point of waiting up for me, though it was only nine o'clock when Aaron had brought me back to the bed and breakfast. At any rate, I had felt obligated to tell her about my adventure, apart from divulging anything about what had transpired between Aaron and me, although I truly felt she could be trusted.

  As our conversation progressed, Anne had revealed that she and Aaron had dated a long time ago. The news had taken me by surprise and had caused a feeling of jealousy that I had never experienced before; I silently rebuked myself. By the time we'd finally decided to end the evening, it was eleven thirty, and neither of us could hold back our yawns any longer – it had truly been a marathon.

  When I had climbed into bed, sleep had been the only thing on my mind. Unfortunately, the second my head had hit the cool pillow, my eyes popped open. No matter what I'd tried, sleep was not going to find me. There was no shaking what had happened on that boat; moreover, Aaron had admitted he had felt something, too. Although, he had never really made clear what exactly it was he'd felt.

  After our boat ride, we had spent the rest of the afternoon walking around, visiting shops, and then dining at a pub. He'd not touched me again, and it had been difficult resisting the urge to reach out and touch him. I had begun to wonder if what he had felt had freaked him out; it certainly had me reeling.

  I had spent a good part of the night trying to analyze what had happened between us, revisiting everything frame by frame. In the end, I still had no answers, only more questions. By the time one-thirty had rolled around, I had given up my futile analysis and only sought sleep. Unfortunately, my brain had had a different idea and appeared incapable of shutting down. An hour later, I had still not fallen asleep. Frustrated, I had jumped out of bed and searched my bag for the book the old woman had given me. After a few seconds, it had struck me that it hadn't been packed and that it was still sitting on the kitchen counter – untouched.

  With the arrival of morning, I desperately wanted to fall asleep even if just for a little while, but the smell of breakfast kept rousing me, not to mention my ever-gurgling stomach.

  “Okay, I'll get up.” My stomach growled happily in reply. I pulled on my yoga pants and a tank, stuck my hair in a ponytail, and headed down the stairs.

  “Good morning!” Anne greeted me cheerfully as I entered the dining room.

  “Good morning,” I said, trying to sound more awake than I looked.

  “You don't
look like you've slept very well.”

  I'd failed my attempt.

  “Do I look that bad?” I said, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the perfectly set table, briefly taking note of the extra place setting.

  “No, not bad, just tired.”

  “I guess as tired as I was all the excitement kept me awake.”

  “Well, here's some coffee. I'm sure you could use some,” Anne said as she poured me a cup before leaving the room.

  I bent forward, inhaling the coffee's aroma, the steam rising in my face. I grasped the cup with both hands and brought the energizing brew up to my lips. Blowing gently before taking a small sip, I closed my eyes as the warm liquid trickled down my throat leaving a path of warmth in its wake as it trailed down to my stomach.

  “Good morning, Krista. Did you have a good sleep?”

  I looked up to find Paul with Christina in his arms. At least, he didn't appear to notice the bags under my eyes.

  “The bed was very comfortable,” I said, hoping he wouldn't notice my blatant avoidance of his question.

  “Ah, good. Christina here said she wanted to see the pretty lady this morning.” Christina buried her head into her father's shoulder.

  “Good morning, Christina,” I said, managing a smile.

  Christina smiled, rubbed her eyes, and turned her head back into her father's shoulder.

  “I think someone is still sleepy,” Paul said as he walked out of the room.

  “You've got that right,” I mumbled, taking another sip from my cup.

  Moments later, Anne returned placing a plate of toast on the table. “Make sure you eat plenty. I hear you have a busy day ahead.”

  “Not that it's any of my business,” I began, “but do you have another guest?” I asked jutting my chin in the direction of the empty place in front of me.

  “No, that's for Aaron. He called this morning and asked if it would be alright if he joined you for breakfast.” Anne smiled.

  I just about choked on the piece of toast I'd bitten off. “Aaron's coming here – for breakfast?” I knew I sounded astonished, maybe a little overjoyed. Nevertheless, it was too late and no amount of backtracking could reel that emotion in. I saw it reflect back on Anne's face as her smile grew wider.

  “Yes, he should be here any moment.” With that, she left the room humming the same tune from yesterday.

  As if on cue, the doorbell rang, and I heard voices coming from the foyer. I kept my head down and busied myself filling my plate with the foods on the table. By the time I finished, the voices had drawn nearer and gathered in the dining room.

  “Good morning!”

  I raised my head to see Aaron smiling at me or maybe it was more like beaming. It was impossible to tell, but whatever it was, I was sure that both Anne and Paul, who had followed Aaron into the dining room, saw it too.

  “Good morning,” I said, trying very hard not to blush, but it was too late as that all too familiar heat started rising. Quickly, I looked down and began eating, trying not to shovel the food into my mouth and choke.

  “Thanks, Anne.” I heard Aaron say while I busied myself with breakfast. There was no way I was going to look at him again, not until both Paul and Anne left the room, which couldn't be soon enough.

  “If you need anything else, let me know,” Anne said.

  I looked up to see her smiling strangely at me. A grin that put the Cheshire Cat's to shame. A grin that said, 'I know your secret.' Moreover, if her grin wasn't telling enough, she winked at me as she left the room. I was mortified. Paul, on the other hand, didn't notice anything; he was the typical male that never seemed to pick up on unspoken words or subtleties.

  Aaron and I ate in silence while awkwardness floated around the room dancing mockingly between us like an invisible fog.

  “So, how did you sleep?” Aaron was the first to break the silence, and the fog began to ebb.

  I stared blankly at him.

  “Not too well – huh?” He answered the question for me, and it woke me from my stupor.

  “Good Lord, do I really look that bad?” I picked up a spoon, trying to use it like a mirror.

  “No, you look…” Aaron hesitated.

  What – fine, beautiful, stunning, fetching?

  “Lovely.” Aaron smiled at me.

  Well, that is certainly better than fine. I smiled. “What about you… did you sleep well?” I put a fork full of food in my mouth and stared at him. At least now, I could look into his eyes.

  He stared back at me, finally answering. “Not at first, it took a while.”

  At least he's honest. “How come?” I asked, though it really wasn't any of my business, but more importantly, placed the focus on his lack of sleep and not mine. There was no way I was going to tell him that my entire night was spent thinking of him.

  “Because, I couldn't get you out of my head.” He took a sip from his cup, keeping his eyes glued to mine, his openness surprising me.

  “So, why couldn't you sleep?” He turned the focus back on me.

  Should I be as open as he is? I shrugged. “Because of you.” I put another fork full in my mouth.

  We stared at each other while we ate, seemingly unable to pull our gazes away. What his excuse was, I couldn't be sure, but as for me it was as though my body was made of metal and he was a magnet drawing me in.

  “Really?” He smiled.

  I put my fork down and replaced it with a napkin, wiping my mouth. What I really wanted to do just then was to throw myself at him from across the table. Of course, that idea completely shocked me; I really wasn't that type of person and had truly never experienced such a strong attraction for someone – ever. How is it possible to be so… in love, so quickly? Then of course, I remembered, we had always been in love. And at this moment in time, it was my job, somehow, to make sure that he realized that, too. Aaron was without a doubt my soulmate, my promised soul, and I didn't have to read that book to know it – not any more. I felt it in my bones and in every breath. He was my Thomas, and I was his Mary.

  “Really.” I smiled back.

  Thirty-Three

  After showering, I made my way to the mirror and carefully wiped away the steam. It had been a couple of days since I'd last seen Mary's reflection or at the very least, her eyes, and it left me wondering if it was because I wasn't at the apartment. In any case, her image had become somewhat expected and without it, she was missed. She hadn't even invaded my dreams and no new memories surfaced. It seemed I was all alone in my body again. Though I understood she wasn't another entity possessing me, it sometimes made it easier to think of her as separate from myself – less confusing.

  I dressed quickly, knowing that in a few hours, I would be spending my last full day with Aaron before returning to my apartment, and I planned to make the most of it. Especially since it would be some time before our next outing, and I had a lot of questions. We had spent the entire day before visiting tourist destinations. He'd kept me so busy and involved that I never had the chance to find out exactly what he'd felt when we were on the boat. Apart from the occasional flirtatious gesture, there was nothing obvious about his feelings. At the end of the day, he assured me our last day would be slower paced. Somehow, I was going to find out what he felt or knew – if anything.

  When breakfast was over, I waited in the parlour for Aaron. By nine o'clock, I was beginning to grow impatient, and when nine thirty ticked by, I started pacing and wondering what could be taking him so long. He was supposed to have picked me up at eight thirty.

  “Is he not here yet?” Anne asked me as she walked into the room with little Christina tagging slowly along behind.

  “Nope.” I tried to keep my frustration to myself.

  “Why don't I give him a ring?” Anne headed back out of the parlour, Christina in tow, before I could respond. I sat back down again and peered out the front window, yet there was still no sign of him. “I couldn't reach him, but I'm sure he's on his way. Can I get you something whilst you wait
?” Anne said, returning to the room with a very tired-looking Christina on her hip.

  She had been such a lovely host these past couple of days and had made me feel so welcomed in her home. I hated having her wait on me; it felt like I was taking advantage of her. “No, I'm fine.”

  “Well then, I'm going to put Christina down for a nap. She's not feeling herself today, are you, sweet pea?”

  Christina shook her head as she rested against her mother's shoulder.

  “If you need anything, let me know.” Anne called back over her shoulder as she headed toward the kitchen – their rooms being on the other side.

  I turned back to the window just in time to see Aaron's rental car pulling up to the curb.

  “Well, it's about time.” I muttered. I went to the door and opened it causing Aaron to jump a little.

  “Hi!” he said sounding a bit surprised.

  “Hi yourself. Is everything okay? I was starting to get a little worried.”

  “Yes, fine. Listen, I have a slight change in plans. That is, if you don't mind.”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “We'll talk about it in the car.” Aaron turned away from me and headed towards the rental. Once we were in and our belts buckled, he turned and faced me.

  “First, sorry I'm so late. This truly has been an extraordinary summer. I really don't make a habit of being late for clients or missing appointments. It's just this whole thing with my mother…”

  “Is she okay? If you have to go, please don't let me stop you.”

  “No, it's not that. I mean she's fine.”

  “What's wrong then?”

  “Well nothing – really. I don't know how say this, so I'm just going to start from the beginning.” Aaron's eyes darted around before finally resting on mine. I was intrigued, but I couldn't begin to fathom what Aaron was about to say or why he was acting so strangely. “My aunt rang just as I was about to leave this morning.”

  “Your Aunt Jane?”