Anastasia's Story

Chapter 20- Last Day at the Retreat

Chapter 20

I barely remember being called to breakfast, I was still so numb and heartbroken from the news last night. How could she be dead? I was lost without her. So instead I simply stayed in my room and the tears started to flow- there was nothing gentle or graceful about them, they just broke free and kept on falling. There was a knock on the door, it was mother.

"Anastasia, are you all right? They called us to breakfast five minutes ago. We musn't keep them waiting." Her voice barely registered, and suddenly I felt I should tell her. She needed to know. But I decided to grieve alone today, there was no point in ruining her morning when there was nothing we could do until we returned home.

"I'm not that hungry, go on without me." I said with an enormous fake smile on my face just in case she could tell my mood from my pitch.

"Well....alright." she muttered reluctantly after a few seconds, she left.

I couldn't stand being alone in this room, it was suffocating and I felt trapped and alone. I headed out into the hallway with the intent of taking a walk outside in the vineyard, but as I was walking down the stairs I noticed Rebekah sitting on the steps of the staircase.

"Rebekah, why aren't you at breakfast?" I asked concerned.

When she turned to me her vision was clouded with tears as she was clearly sobbing. "Go away Anastasia." she remarked rudely before turning her gaze back to her lap.

I went down the stairs and sat down next to her on the steps. She wouldn't look at me.

"Rebekah, are you ok?" I asked as I put my hand on her back.

She didn't yell at me or recoil, she leaned in and rested her head on my shoulder. "I made a fool out of myself last night."

I looked down at her, and I realized that there were in fact two sides to Rebekah. Now that I had seen both I realized I liked Rebekah even more. "Tell me, you can trust me."

"Everyone was asleep, but I could hear Pastor Harmond in his room, he was just laying there thinking. So I decided I would do something bold, show him how I felt. I walked to his room, when I got there I walked over to his bed and disrobed." She looked up at me, temporarily stopping the crying as she told me what happened.

"You took off your nightgown and stood naked in front of him?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes. And despite his body's obvious reaction he told me to go, he said I was being a temptress and this was God's test. He said he could never break his vow to God to marry a virgin. I've acted like a total fool, I thought he could love me, but I just crash and burn every time." She started crying again but her eyes were drying up. "Anastasia, I'm paralyzed with embarrassment, I can't even compel him!"

"Why can't you compel him?"

"I didn't drink any blood this whole weekend, I thought that the Pastor and I would fall in love soon and I'd turn him. I wanted to save my hunger. If this isn't embarrassing enough, Klaus will surely tease me about yet another lover I lost."

I thought for a moment. "I think I know how to solve your problem. You can even eavesdrop to make sure I honor your wishes."

Rebekah and I stood up, she turned to me and her face changed. "Anastasia, why have you been crying? You were so focused on consoling me I didn't even notice that you might be in need of it too." This time she was the one concerned.

"I found out last night that my Grandmother died. She was like a second mother to me." I confessed. That was the first time I had said that out loud.