Vampire Bride

Chapter Thirteen - Part One

Charlie

Morgan acts strangely at work the next day. She constantly smiles in my direction as if she knows something I don't. Every time I try to talk to her she scampers off claiming to be busy or pretends to be on the phone. She still doesn't admit to hiding anything even after the phone rings loudly in her ear, catching her in her lies.

In order to ignore her peculiar behavior, I stay in my office. I was planning on staying late to get as much work done as possible to make up for my departure, but at six o'clock Morgan leaps through my doorway. Her booming voice that fills the room causes me to fumble my pen as my body convulses in a tremor from fear. She runs over to my desk, piling up all my papers, insisting that I head home. My brain barely has time to register what's going on before she starts pushing me out of my own chair.

"What's going on with you? You've been acting weird all day. You're not having your boyfriend over here again, are you?" Keeping some authority in my tone, I intend on scaring her into telling me her secrets.

She shrugs her shoulders. "No. I would never have him here again after you specifically stated not to. Just go home, get some rest, and I'll see you later." She winks at me as she holds the messy pile of papers in her arms.

I guess authority isn't going to work with this situation. Not wanting to be smothered with her eagerness, I heed her words and home.

What's that girl hiding, I ask myself on the drive. The sun starts to set by the time I walk through the front door. Even though Morgan forced me to leave the office, I have to admit that I'm quite tired and relieved to be home. First thing first, pajamas followed by food, followed by mind-numbing TV. Midway through my evening plans, things take a turn for the worse with the sound of a familiar voice.

"Do you seriously find this show funny?"

Leaping up from the couch, my empty bowl falls to the floor. A shameless yelp escapes my gaping mouth. I turn around to face Maxwell with my eyes closed and slowly huff in response. His bland words imply he's unimpressed by my lifestyle or mere interests in human things for that matter. Somehow, almost accidentally my brain connects the dots from Morgan's odd behavior at work earlier today to this unexpected arrival of Maxwell.

"I'm going to ignore that and ask two questions of my own. First, why are you here exactly? Second, why do you think you can come into my home whenever you please? My house is absolutely not your house." Irritation distorts my words.

"I'm here to pick you up; we have a plane to catch within the hour." There's a twitch of his upper lip as if he wanted to smile, but thought better of it.

My eyes get bigger as I take in what he's saying, completely dumbfounded at his words. "Plane?" I know I must sound like an idiot with my one word response and my bulging eyeballs.

"Yes, plane, Charlie. We're leaving for the presentation; remember I told you about this days ago."

"What? You told me that it wasn't until six days. That's Friday, Maxwell. Not today." My arms sail through the air in disbelief. Even though I'm flabbergasted by his behavior once again, my mouth continues to ramble on. "There you go with your lies again. Would it kill you to be honest?" I'm furious...no, I'm more than furious. The need to punch him in the face washes over me.

"You can express your anger and I'll plead for forgiveness when we're in the air." He sounds bored as he blandly pleads with me. "Now, please get ready, we have to go."

"I have to pack."

"No need. Grace stopped by while you were out and packed for you. It's already at the hotel waiting for us."