Beloved: Memoir of a Phantom

Chapter 10- Love Grows and first kisses

                                            CHAPTER 10

                                  Love grows and first kisses

It was nearly another month before I could bring myself to say it out loud, but I was still madly in love with Gabriel St. James and had been wrapped in our slightly unorthodox relationship for three fabulous months. We spent nearly every night together just walking or sitting in the park or the cemetery, which was rapidly becoming one of my favorite places to go, even when I wasn’t with my beloved.

On the weekends we did normal mortal things on dates such as going to the movies, hanging around the malt shop and one weekend I even taught him how to bowl.

Although I didn’t like to at first, I often went along with him on his hunts; becoming rapidly more and more intrigued about how he lived.

I knew I never wanted to be separated from him and I finally spouted the three little words I feared to say aloud near the end of November when we decided to make a pilgrimage to the willow circle on the night of the first snowfall.

It was a magical night, as we stood there under the ghostly moonlight in the circle of seven towering willow trees and looked at the little wooden markers for each of my ancestors.

“I’ve seen this place in my nightmares.” I told him shuddering against the cold as our eyes lingered on the crudely carved marker for Viola Hume.

“You have no idea how many times these past two centuries I’ve thought of this place; it still smells like charred wood and burnt flesh to me.” He said crouching down to touch the letters of her name on the rotted wood marker.

“Do you still miss her?” I asked, seeing how sadly he looked at the little spot.

“I do from time to time, but really I’m glad for all that had happened. For if it didn’t I would have never found you.” He smiled taking my hand.

“Thank you for coming here with me, I know it was difficult for you.” I said pulling nervously at the finger of my glove with the opposite hand.

He gently wrapped his arm around me and we walked out of the circle together between the naked branches that hung in the way. “I know it was difficult for you too love, but I’m glad we came.”

I sighed, feeling relieved to have left and to be standing at my car. “This has been such a nice night so far, I love you so much.”

He smiled broadly at me, forgetting that this was the first time I’d ever said it aloud. We’d been sending little telepathic ‘love notes’ to one another every day and night the last few weeks that it felt only natural to say it aloud now.

“I love you too darling.” He said placing a quick kiss on my frozen forehead.

We got in the car and went to the Jitters for a little while to warm up, I got a hot chocolate and he got a tea to warm his hands on, as well as for appearances sake.

We sat on the couches at the back, listening to the bohemian songstress sing the songs of Joan Baez and relax in each other’s arms.

Chris and Gene came through the door and joined us at the back, Gene had brought her camera that she had got for her birthday a week ago and wanted me to take a picture of her and Chris together with it. After I did she turned her lens on us snapping photo after photo of us sitting together on the couch and promised to get copies for each of us printed.

We enjoyed many nights like this just sitting around the cafe and enjoying each other’s company, watching the snowflakes flutter on the slushy streets outside the window or simply just staring into each other’s eyes for hours.