Tainted Blood

by S S Bazinet

  Peggy paused. “Elise?”

  Elise turned to look at her. “Yes, what is it?”

  Peggy smiled. “Elise, try to go a little easier on yourself from now on. Like you said, maybe it’s time to start over. The past is past.”

  Fourteen

  WILLIAM HELD ANNABEL'S hand as they strolled through a park within walking distance of their home. After some heavy fog, the gardens were still misty and damp. It was early morning, and the grounds were quiet. Annabel was quiet too. When William glanced down at her, she seemed far away, as if she’d rejoined her angelic friends instead of being there with him. “I don’t understand why Claire had such an effect on you, Annabel.”

  Annabel hesitated. “Hmm?”

  “I asked you about Claire. You haven’t been the same since you spent time with her.”

  “Oh, yes, Claire. I did find her challenging. In fact, she really scared me at first.”

  “Of course, she did. Claire is a go-getter, a woman on a mission. You want a quiet life.”

  “That’s what I thought too. When the four of us got together that first evening, Claire made me feel small and unimportant. However, after I had time to think about everything, I have a different opinion.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When we went shopping together, I got a better idea of how Claire views the world. You might say my old angelic senses kicked in enough to see that her life is founded on fear. Instead of trusting life, Claire’s at war with everything. Even our luncheon turned into a battle. In the end, she could only order soup and water.”

  “Maybe she wasn’t hungry.”

  “No, it was more than that.”

  “I think Arel would disagree with you. He thinks she’s perfect.”

  “That’s Arel’s business, but I’m happy that I met Claire.”

  William frowned. “You just said she scared you.”

  “It was more of a shock. Her energy was so intense that I got physically sick. Then I realized that she was reminding me of how much of the time I’ve been living in fear.”

  “That’s not anything new. We’ve discussed your fears many times.”

  “That’s true, but seeing myself mirrored in someone else was sort of an epiphany. I realized how I must look to you.” Annabel paused, gazing up with wide, emerald eyes. “William, I don’t want you to see me as some pitiful person who’s afraid of everything.

  “I never said you were pitiful.”

  “Maybe not, but I know the truth.”

  William came to an abrupt stop. “Hold on, Annabel. Are you saying that Claire is the opposite of how she appears?”

  “Yes, she fools people by acting very confident. She’s like one of those lionesses in a nature film. It’s the most ferocious when it’s protecting its cubs against any kind of danger. For Claire, the whole world is in danger. That’s why she’s so dedicated to causes. But underneath, I don’t think she has much faith in anything or anyone.”

  “Annabel, if you’re right, where’s that leave Arel? He’s going to marry her.”

  “I know, but I don’t think you should interfere. He’s made up his mind about Claire. He loves her. And who knows, maybe they’ll find a way to work things out.”

  * * * * *

  Arel walked through his living room, inspecting the tidiness of the space. His suburban rancher had been well cared for while he was away. His only wish was that Claire could have returned with him. After spending two weeks with her, it felt strange to be by himself again. Of course, he wasn’t actually alone. Michael and Carey were around. At the moment, Michael was out in the backyard, taking care of fall clean-up duties, and Carey was in the garage, working on his bike.

  Arel was staying busy too. While Claire was away, he’d decided to start his own project. With cold weather just around the corner, he wanted to winterize the house. That meant getting the furnace serviced and possibly getting more insulation for the attic. Soon, he’d have a wife and maybe even a family to think about. He wanted their home to be in the best shape possible. As an added bonus, Claire would commend his efforts to minimize heating costs.

  As he checked out each room, ideas came to mind. Perhaps, he could replace some of the windows. A number of them were drafty during cold weather. A side window in the living room was particularly bad at letting in a steady current of chill air. He was checking its condition when an outside movement caught his eye. A white dog was wandering around in his neighbor Elise’s yard. As he noticed how small it was, he remembered that Carey had mentioned something about Elise getting a puppy. His response had been immediate. “No living creature should be subjected to a woman like Elise.” Carey just laughed at his remark. He said Elise loved her little pup and treated it very well.

  Arel wasn’t convinced. After all, he’d dated Elise. He’d felt her quick temper and need to lash out. “Poor animal,” he mumbled as he pulled back from the window. He prayed that Elise hadn’t seen him. Fortunately, she was on the other side of her yard. When he took another quick peek, he saw Elise pick up the puppy and go back into her house.

  Seeing Elise again made him even more grateful for Claire. His beautiful bride-to-be was tall and lithe. Elise could be pretty, but she didn’t have a model’s body. She was probably only a little over five feet. Instead of Claire’s dark, silky locks, Elise had short, blond hair. The short part was new. When they were dating, her hair was longer. He liked the way it had softened her overall look.

  He frowned and let out a sigh. “I wonder why she got it cut.”

  As soon as he had the thought, he caught himself. Elise had no significance in his life. She could do whatever she wanted. That fact should have been the end of the matter, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her. As he continued inspecting windows, flashes of his blond neighbor kept bugging him. Not only was her hair too short, but she wore kiddy barrettes in it. They did nothing to make her more attractive.

  It was an annoying image. He hated when people made bad decisions. And from what he knew about Elise, she’d been making them all her life. Now, she’d chopped off her hair and was running around looking like an orphan.

  * * * * *

  Elise chased after Freddie as he ran to the front door. The puppy had already learned that the sound of the doorbell meant there were visitors calling. As Freddie stood waiting for Elise to catch up, his whole body trembled with excitement. Elise laughed as she picked him up. “Okay, I know you love everyone, but please mind your manners.”

  She had invited Peggy, Carol and their children over for a “get acquainted with the puppy” party. She thought that it would be a nice way to start over with Sara and Ariel. She opened the door with a smile and a friendly greeting, grateful for the opportunity to make amends with the youngsters, too.

  Once everyone was in the living room, Elise presented Freddie to the children. Ariel was the first to get to pet him. Carol’s little boy took after his father, Kevin. Even though Carol said he wouldn’t be two years old until the spring, he seemed older. He was tall and had a generous amount of brown hair. He was also very gentle with Freddie. When it was Sara’s turn, the tiny, golden-haired tot knew exactly what she wanted. She was quite animated at first, but with Peggy’s help, she soon learned how to pet Freddie properly.

  “I also have some toys for the kids in that basket,” Elise announced. “Some blocks and stuffed animals I found when I was shopping. Now, excuse me while I get lunch on the table.”

  Carol followed her into the kitchen. “Can I help?”

  “Thanks, I made pasta and a salad for us gals. And I put together an assortment of foods for the kids.” She took out a large serving tray from the refrigerator. “Does it look okay? There are cheese and tuna chunks, miniature meat balls, bite size pieces of vegetables and fruits, several kinds of crackers, and kids yogurt cups.”

  Carol smiled. “You’ve been busy.”

  Elise blushed. “Michael and Carey gave me a hand after our morning book meeting.”

  “They�
�re great guys, but are they helpful when it comes to a romance novel?”

  “They’ve been absolute knights in shining armor. I got stuck a couple of times with difficult chapters and almost shelved the project. With their suggestions, the book is taking shape very quickly. If I really work diligently, I should have the first draft done before I move.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I don’t know yet. Maybe I’ll just throw a dart at a map and let fate decide.”

  Carol stared back wide-eyed. “Really?”

  Elise laughed. “If I didn’t have a streak of chicken in me I would. I also thought about going out-of-state.”

  “There are nice towns in the general area.”

  “Maybe I’ll check some out.”

  “Have you thought about staying here?”

  “No, I can’t. The rental agency thinks they may have found some people who want the place. I’ll be gone in a few weeks.”

  “Oh, oh, oh!” Little Ariel called out from the living room.

  When Elise and Carol hurried in to check out what was happening, Freddie was circling the room on frenzied feet, acting like he’d had too much sugar.

  Elise laughed. “Freddie must love the kids. He has these puppy crazies when he’s happy and excited.”

  Peggy sat on the floor with the children. “I think you got the perfect puppy. He was very sweet with both of the children.”

  Carol sighed. “At least when you move, you’ll have Freddie.”

  Elise agreed. “Yes, the little rascal is my faithful, male companion.”

  Peggy gave her a quick glance. “But he might not always be the only one. Maybe you’ll meet someone soon. What do you think?”

  Elise shrugged. “Who knows, after spending time with Michael and Carey, I feel better about the idea of dating again.”

  Fifteen

  ELISE STEPPED OUT of the house and yawned. It was six-thirty in the morning, and Freddie had to go out. She should have been grateful that he didn’t have an accident in the house. Instead, she frowned at the idea of leaving her warm bed. It was too early to be up. Besides, there had been a heavy frost, and she started shivering immediately.

  She wasn’t prepared for the fall drop in temperatures. She was still wearing her summer pajamas. Her exposed legs were quickly covered in goose bumps. She didn’t have her slippers on either. They were missing. She suspected Freddie of being the culprit. He had a shoe fetish. If she didn’t keep an eye on him, he often carried off a sneaker to chew on.

  “Okay, make it fast,” she said as she put the puppy down on the porch. He immediately started for the steps. Yawning again, she closed the front door. When she heard it click, her sleepy lids flew open. She twisted and turned the door knob, but it didn’t help. “You have got to be kidding!”

  “Elise? Is something wrong?”

  As soon as she recognized Arel’s voice, she glanced over her shoulder and saw the man she’d recently been pining over. She remembered that Arel often got out early for a run. She cringed, turned back to her door and clasped the knob anxiously as if she could use her willpower to open it. “Uh . . . Arel?”

  “Yes?”

  “I think I’m locked out.”

  “Do you want to come over to my place?”

  “No, I gave Carey a spare key. Could you go home and get it for me?”

  “What about your dog?”

  Elise turned around enough to see Freddie. He was out on the sidewalk with Arel, jumping up on Arel’s leg and pawing his sweats. “Uh . . . could you bring him here.”

  “No problem, but give me a minute to get hold of him. He’s pretty frisky.”

  Elise let out a barely audible moan. She hadn’t even combed her hair. After the restless night she’d had, it was probably sticking out in all directions. She wasn’t wearing makeup, and if that wasn’t enough, she was wearing her faded, Minnie Mouse pajamas. Even if they were her favorites, they should have been replaced years ago.

  None of it should have mattered. Arel’s opinion shouldn’t have mattered, but the lump in her throat was a clear sign that it did matter. “Dammit, I still have a crush on the handsome bugger.”

  Until recently, she’d also had a lot of fantasies. They were the delicious kind, where she played the gorgeous heroine, and Arel played the suitor who couldn’t keep his hands off of her. Even after they broke up, she indulged in her daydreams with the same fervor that Freddie displayed when he enjoyed a fresh bone from the butcher.

  She realized how silly she’d been when she found out that Arel had asked someone else to marry him. It was a devastating change of events. Elise still had reveries about the man, but they involved a lot cursing and phrases like “I hate you, you rotten scoundrel!” and “How dare you think I’m not good enough for you!”

  But seeing Arel in the flesh was different than any of her fantasies. As she watched him pick up Freddie and walk towards the porch, her emotions were all over the place. She cared about what he thought of her, but at the same time everything about the man irritated her. As he climbed the stairs, a whiff of his cologne, his Christmassy pine and spices cologne, made her frown. Her face morphed into a mask of disgust when he ran a hand through his thick, dark hair.

  As he closed the distance between them, and he glanced at her with his amazing, golden eyes, Elise’s thoughts were filled with an unspoken plea for mercy.

  Please, Arel, those beauties need to be hidden behind sunglasses.

  As Arel came up to her, Elise heard herself let out a little gasp of longing. That’s when she grabbed Freddie out of his hands and thanked him with a grimace.

  Arel stepped back quickly. “It’s cold this morning. Do you want my jacket?”

  The simple question was the most irritating element of all. She shook her head. No, she didn’t want Arel’s jacket. In that moment, she wanted Arel, all of him, right down to the last whisker in his beautifully groomed, facial hair. “No, I’m fine,” she said too forcefully.

  Arel looked confused, but a moment later, he gave her a hasty wave and was off.

  She watched him skip down the steps like a school boy bolting from the school yard. They had barely exchanged any words, and she’d alienated him. Instead of feeling good about her attitude, she felt a wave of regret. Why couldn’t she be nice? If she was honest, like she was with Carey and Michael, she knew Arel had never done anything wrong. She’d made up all the fantasies about him, both the good and the bad ones, like she made up stories for her books. She wasn’t proud of herself. In fact, as she considered how unfair she’d been, she knew she wanted to make amends like she did with Carol and Peggy.

  She was thinking about how to apologize when Freddie squirmed and twisted. It was such a quick, forceful action that she lost her hold on him. He half-fell to the porch, but he recovered immediately. After that he didn’t hesitate. He clearly had an objective in mind. After navigating the stairs in record time, he took off after Arel.

  As Elise watched him bouncing across the frosted grass, her mind began to race ahead. Freddie still had a full bladder. If he followed Arel into the house, the warmth would hit him. He’d find a spot to take care of his needs. Arel’s beautiful white, wool carpeting would be the perfect place for Freddie to relieve himself.

  “Oh, no, don’t do it, Freddie!” she shrieked as she hurried down the porch steps too. She’d been around Arel enough to know how particular he was with his house and furnishings. He’d seemed especially concerned about his pristine rug. He picked up every crumb that might blemish its fibers. Since she’d just decided to make amends, having her puppy soil something that he valued was the last thing she wanted. She had to act fast.

  The thought spurred her on. Her bare feet sprinted across the lawn in an almost effortless motion. Glancing ahead, she saw Freddie approaching Arel’s house, and she started shouting. “Freddie! Come back here! Freddie!”

  The thought of what the puppy would do when he got inside made her pick up her pace. She ran faster than she’d ever
run before.

  * * * * *

  Arel hurriedly unlocked his front door, cracked it open and took a deep breath. He’d been holding it after spending a few minutes with his neighbor, Elise. She had that effect on him. It was like she resented men who dared to breathe freely around her. Now, he had one goal in mind. Get her key, return it to her and try to forget he’d run into the sour-faced woman. And later, when he saw Michael and Carey, he’d let them know how wrong they were. The truth was plain and simple. Elise hadn’t changed at all.

  Just the thought of what he’d endured when he dated her made his temples throb. But that was behind him. He was engaged to Elise’s opposite, a perfect woman in a perfect woman’s body. Claire made him smile. He remembered how lovely she’d been when they said goodbye in London. The memory was quickly dispelled by the grating sounds of someone shouting behind him. His morning wasn’t going well.

  He took another deep breath, determined to stay in a better place. After all, Michael kept harping on how Arel’s thoughts and feelings determined how the world responded. And he knew it was true. When he decided not to give in to all his negativity, he was happier. He was back home with his friends, enjoying life. He’d even found someone he loved and who loved him. He had to keep those facts in mind.

  He turned to see who kept calling out and froze. Something about the environment had radically changed. The cold morning air had turned foggy. His front lawn was suddenly shrouded in a heavy mist. Was there something wrong with his eyes? He blinked several times, but the scene remained constant.

  A pixie-like being was running towards him out of the fog. The pixie was stuck in midair, as if the frames of time weren’t moving. He let out a gasp as he realized that time itself seemed to be stuck. In fact, it had stopped. But something about the pixie had him spellbound.

  He’d read about fairy-like beings. These magical creatures fascinated him as a child. He’d sometimes dreamed of seeing one. But he’d never expected to have one leaping about in his yard. This one had a bare leg stretched out in front of her. She was the size of a small woman, but he couldn’t make out the details of her face. Her hair definitely had pixie qualities. It was short, blond and spiky.