Tale of a Vampire

Chapter 52

She was sat on the bed feeling more terrible than ever. Every single bone in her body hurt. Her head was this ticking bomb giving her hell, her eyes were so swollen she could barely see well, her throat was a bit sore and she felt cold, intense cold. Diana stared at her figure in the mirror, a black dress accentuating her moribund semblance. A widow at the age of twenty-four. As she remembered Jack had died, her eyes blurred instantly, and tears ran down her face. She might not have loved him, but he had been a great husband, a wonderful father and has given her a great life for the time they were together. Jack had accepted her with all her faults, and she would be eternally grateful for that

"It's time." Constantine appeared behind the door.

Diana nodded without saying a word and got up with difficulty. She felt worse than the day before. Deep inside she knew what was happening with her, but she refused to worry people around her, especially on that moment when all of them were suffering with the loss of Jack. She dragged her body out of the bedroom feeling the light fabric of her dress heavy on her body. Jack's funeral would take place that afternoon and she would be present.

With difficulty she sat by her father's side in the carriage. Constantine noticed how awful she looked. Diana's eyes were bloodshot, and her cheeks were flushed though she was rolled on her cloak. His heart ached at the acknowledgement of her condition though she hadn't announced anything. She was ill, he knew she had gotten Jack's disease. Tenderly he held her hand in his, hers was burning hot. Tears flickered in his eyes and he looked at her.

"Have you told the master?" He asked her and Diana simply shook her head.

"Don't tell him." She asked with pleading eyes. "He is going to be devastated."

"But he will acknowledge it by himself." Diana just nodded at her father's remark. He may have noticed it already the day before. She felt it by the way he held her and the way his frighten eyes looked at her.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth yesterday?"

"I wasn't sure." She added

"Diana..." Constantine's body shook, and he sobbed low. She reached for him holding him tight.

"Don't cry father." She whispered. "Just watch over Megan alright?"

"Don't talk like that..." He asked looking in her eyes.

"We know how this is going to end. Megan will need you because she won't have their mother and father around. Julia and Henry will be glad to stay with her but don't abandon her, promise me."

Constantine could barely speak as he cried, so he just nodded, then he pulled her back to him. "I love you." He said and kissed her cheek. Diana felt her eyes watering.

"I love you too father. Thank you for everything you've done for me."

The carriage stopped and Diana cleaned both hers and Constantine's eyes with the burning palms of her hands. With assuring look she nodded at him and they got out. Constantine helped her as she was weak, and they sat front row inside the church. Now he had more than his son in law's death to mourn. Selfishly he looked at Jack's coffin thinking soon Diana would be in that place. It corroded him inside. He cried openly as Diana looked resigned to her destiny. Deep inside Constantine knew she has always known she'd catch the illness but bravely she took care of Jack never abandoning him.

Diana followed the funeral always with a surreal feeling that wasn't happening. Her life had turned into hell in less than a week. She lost Jack, and she was going to die too. She accepted her fate, at least, she'd have the time to say goodbye to everyone she loved, except for Megan. She decided not to visit her in that state. As the coffin descended on the ground her eyes cried out, Jack was so young and yet he had been taken away. She questioned herself about God's existence, about God always watching over them. If He was looking over them how could He let things like this happen? How could He leave her little child without a mother and a father? She had pleaded in vain; He didn't listen, He had forsaken her in the hour she had needed Him the most.