The Angel She Loved - Prequel To Voices Page 5
Jon slapped his forehead. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think about that." He studied us from head to toe. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Nobody collected five bottles," said Michelle.
"We did," said Andrew.
"Really?" asked Jon.
Juliana pulled out her whiskey bottle. Andrew handed his bag to his grandfather.
"Wow, a nice collection," said Jon. "Chianti and my own favorite wine."
"Oh!" Andrew took the cobalt blue bottle from his grandfather. "That's mine. I have a promise to keep." He winked at me.
He remembered.
My heart melted as fast at the ice cubes in the summer sun.
Chapter Thirteen
The paramedics cleaned Juliana's ankle before driving Michael to the hospital. They wanted to do an X-ray on his arm. Feeling guilty, I wondered if Andrew and I shouldn't have pulled him out from the hole. We waited until the paramedics left before heading toward our car.
True to his words, Andrew waited for Juliana and me to get our overnight bag. He handed us some towels and showed us the bathrooms. At first, we hadn't wanted to bring extra clothes, but I was glad we did. After putting on our costumes, I realized I wanted to change to my normal attire just in case we needed to stop somewhere on the way home.
I stood in front of the full length mirror and gasped. Grass and dirt stains decorated my white top. My once long skirt was now short. I donated a good strip for Michael's sling. Black ashes replaced my once perfect makeup.
"Wait a minute," I said to the mirror. "How did the ashes get on my face?" I played the incidents in my head. "Oh yes. The crystal bomb."
I jumped into the shower and scrubbed myself. The hot water on my skin felt so good. After about half an hour, I dragged myself out of the shower. I put on my white T-shirt and Denim shorts, and opened the bathroom door. Juliana and Andrew sat at a wooden bench, waiting for me. Juliana had a short sundress. Andrew wore a light yellow button down shirt and khaki shorts.
"There you are," said Juliana. "You didn't answer my call. I almost asked Andrew to bust the door."
I laughed. "I didn't want to get out of the shower."
"Me neither," said Juliana. "But where's your phone?"
"I left it in the trunk before we entered the Unforgotten Forest."
Andrew chuckled. "Unforgotten Forest, I like that."
"Let's head back to the car," said Juliana. "I don't want to lug this bag around."
"I'll see you outside in a bit," said Andrew.
As soon as we stepped out, Juliana elbowed me. "He's unforgotten for sure."
I made a face. "I was making fun of the Elf calling the woods the Forgotten Forest."
"Defensive, aren't you?" teased Juliana. "What did you two do when we split up?"
"Long story," I said.
"Did anything happen?" She nudged me with her elbow. "Huh? Huh?"
I laughed. "We were busy staying alive."
"Oh yeah, you did say something about using the Elf's powder. Was it bad?"
"Frankenstein and Zombies surrounded us… I'll have nightmares for a long time."
"I hate to say it," said Juliana, "But I had fun."
"Are you crazy?" I asked.
"Don't get me wrong. I hated every second in the forest, but now that I'm out here, I would like to do it again."
"Are you serious?" I stopped walking and stared at my friend, wondering if she was okay. "Did you hurt your head or something?"
"Think about it," said Juliana. "You and Andrew in the woods. I noticed how you two grabbed each other's hand when the Zombies appeared."
"We did?" I asked. "I didn't realize I did that."
"I doubt he did either," said Juliana. "You two look cute together."
"Did you forget about Lady Marian?"
"She left him and drove away as soon as she got out of the woods."
"Wow," I said. "How did you know?"
"I asked Andrew while we waited for you." Juliana pressed her key fob to open the trunk. "And he didn't sound too concerned either. I bet you have something to do with it."
"Don't be silly," I said, as I dumped my overnight bag into the trunk and grabbed my purse.
I closed the trunk, and someone honked at us. We turned. A shuttle van stopped. The door opened.
"Greetings," said the driver.
"Jesse!" I sprinted up the stairs and hugged him. "Am I glad to see you!"
"Good to see you too, Elrenia, and you too, Juliana."
"Glad you're in one piece," said Juliana.
We took a seat behind Jesse.
"So what happened when we split up?" asked Juliana.
"First of all, I'm sorry," said Jesse. "I felt like such a loser when I split like that. After a few seconds, I realized you guys weren't with me. I turned and Sonia leapt past me like a reindeer. I tried to go back, but the Zombie got me." He snapped his fingers. "I was out just like that."
"You're the lucky one," I said. "Did you hear about Michael?"
"What happened?" asked Jesse.
"He broke his arm," I said. "And Juliana hurt her ankle."
"Oh no," said Jesse. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," said Juliana. "It's Michael I'm worried about."
"Where is he?" asked Jesse.
"The paramedics drove him to the hospital for X-ray," said Juliana.
"That's why you're lucky, Jesse," I said.
"I thought so too. Then, a lot of the folks said they had a blast although the Zombies beat them."
Juliana smiled at me. "At least someone agreed with me."
I thought for a while. "I guess you two are right now that I'm out of the woods. It was fun."
"Let's ask Jon to organize this game again," said Jesse. "I want to help the team to win next time."
"We did," I said. "So your sacrifice was worth it."
"You found all five bottles?" asked Jesse.
"Yes," said Juliana.
"We rock!" said Jesse, as he stopped in front of the house.
"Are you driving all night?" I asked.
Jesse glanced at his watch. "I'll be done for the night in an hour. I'll find you guys later."
"Great," I said. "I'll give you the Rum."
"Yummy," he said.
We thanked Jesse and got off the bus. Juliana's cellphone rang.
"Unknown number," said Juliana.
"It could be the hospital," I said.
Juliana pressed the green button. "Hello," she answered. After a few seconds of silence, Juliana asked, "Is he okay?" Juliana nodded. "I'll be right there… No, it's your birthday. I'll drive Michael home." She ended the call and sighed.
"Is Michael okay?" I asked.
"Doc wanted him to stay, but the stubborn guy said he'll rest at home. I told Michelle I'll drive him."
"Then, what are you waiting for?" I asked. "Go!"
"I can't leave you here. Let me see if Michael left his keys in the car."
As she turned to leave, I grabbed her arm. "No time for that. I'll call a cab."
"Are you sure?" asked Juliana.
"Yes, I'll be fine. Now go."
"Thank you." Juliana kissed my cheek and ran the way we came.
"Is everything okay?" asked Andrew.
"Juliana's driving Michael home," I said.
"Well at least, he doesn't have to stay at the hospital."
"True," I said. "Oh, I need a cab. Any suggestions?"
"Why?" he asked. "Tire problem again?"
I grinned. "Not this time. Juliana drove her car. I came with her."
"Aah…" He nodded. "Stick around for a bit. I'll drive you home."
Did he just say he would drive me home? The handsome Angel, Andrew Gritt, is going to drive Elrenia Kitrusen home? I needed another shower to cool myself down.
"Is that okay?" he asked. "Or we can leave now."
"No, I'd like to stick around," I said. "Do you have extra vehicle here since Sonia took off."
&nb
sp; "We drove in separate cars," said Andrew. "She has plans with her sister tomorrow."
"I see."
"Let's enjoy the evening." He offered me his arm. "Shall we, My Lady?"
I curtsied as I took his arm. "Certainly."
Chapter Fourteen
Andrew gave me the tour of the inside of the ranch house. The wet bar near the living room was every bartender's dream. People filled up their drinks like water. To my surprise, Andrew didn't touch a drop.
Andrew opened one of the bedrooms at the far end of the house. "This is where I sleep whenever I visit Grandpa."
His bed had a black and white striped sheets and pillowcases. The dark brown curtains also portrayed his masculinity.
I stepped inside. An opened door revealed a beautiful marble tiled bathroom. "Nice."
Andrew smiled. "Yes. I would have offered it to you if someone occupied the other bathroom."
How considerate. The thoughts of Andrew slipping into the bathroom while I showered entered my head. I groaned.
"Are you all right?" asked Andrew.
"I'm fine," I said. Before I did something I'd regret, I stepped out of his bedroom. "Show me the backyard," I said.
We walked in the garden and looked at the goldfish. Although I had seen them earlier, I wouldn't mind staring at them over and over again. As long as Andrew stayed beside me, we could do something, everything, or nothing at all. I meant in the cleanest and well-behaved way possible. After a few minutes, he led me to the only swing in the garden and helped me get on it.
"This is paradise," I said. "So calm and peaceful. Not like L.A."
"I like it out here." He sat next to me. "But I miss the ocean."
"Of course," I said. "You love to surf."
"How did you know?" he asked. "My surfboard was in my car when I helped you with your tire."
Oh no, what should I say? I opted for the truth. "I saw you surfing that day."
He turned to face me. "You mean the day…"
"Yes, the same day you saved my life."
"Wow, I didn't notice you."
Of course not, I thought. "I was sitting under a tree. Actually, I didn't watch you surf. I saw you walking toward the beach." So were many other girls, I wanted to add.
"Aah…" He didn't elaborate.
"Is that good or bad aah?" I asked.
He chuckled. "I like you," he said. "You speak your mind, and are full of surprises."
"I like you too," I said. "I'm so glad we're on the same team."
"Same here, Elrenia. You're my Angel."
"No, Andrew Gritt, you're my Angel," I blurted.
For a few seconds, we stared at each other. He leaned closer. I dared not move or breathe. He lowered his face toward mine. A melodious strumming sound of guitar broke the spell. He jerked back and pulled his phone from his pocket.
He looked at the Caller ID and sighed. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have to take this." He slid off the swing and took a few steps away from me.
Since I didn't like people listening to me talking on the phone, I decided to give him some privacy. A wooden bench under two lamp posts at the edge of the garden caught my eye. I headed toward it, but not before I heard Andrew raise his voice.
"You left me, remember!" he said.
I hurried toward the bench and sat down. Andrew shook his head. The light from the lamp post dimmed. I glanced up. It brightened. Spooky. Sitting not far from the entrance to the Forgotten Forest gave me the heebie-jeebies. The rectangular lamp with frosted glass looked enchanting. The images of the Elf, the Angels, and the Zombies came to mind. Okay, enough of this. I power-walked toward the fish pond.
"Sorry about that," said Andrew. "That was Sonia."
Ah, my arch-enemy. "Is everything okay?"
He shoved his hands into his shorts pockets and nodded a few times.
"Do you need to leave?" I asked.
"No," he said. "Do you?"
I shook my head. "You can go if you need to be with Sonia." The name left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"She'll be fine," said Andrew. "Hey, how about tasting some of Grandpa's homemade wine?"
He hadn't touched a drop of beer or wine when we were together and suddenly he wanted to have some of his grandpa's home brew. That phone call must have made him mad or gotten on his nerves.
I nodded, as I needed something to numb this strange feeling inside my soul. "I'd love to."
"Let's head inside. The wine's in my room."
His room? He invited me to his room again? I better behave, I told myself. One of the twins met us at the door. Without the paints on their faces and the distinct colors on their hair, I couldn't tell them apart.
"Hey, Andrew," she said.
"Hey, Michelle," said Andrew. "I don't know if you two have met. This is Elrenia."
"Hi," I said, unsure what else to say.
"Hi," said Michelle. "My brother introduced us earlier. Congratulations, by the way. You guys kicked ass."
"We were lucky," said Andrew.
"Your grandpa's a gem," she said. "He cleared his sparkling garage for us to crash for the night. He even moved some futons in there and gave us blankets."
"Nobody needs to sleep in the garage," said Andrew. "We have enough rooms for everyone in the house."
"You know Marilyn," said Michelle. "I'll be calling it a night soon. Some of us want to crash early, but Marilyn wants to keep partying. She'll stay out there."
"You ladies know how to party," I said. "Today's a memorable one."
Michelle grinned. "The game was fun. Hats off to your team again!" She gave Andrew's arm a playful slap. "Lucky you. I'm jealous."
"What can I say?" Andrew cleared his throat. "I was with the best."
"Yes, you were. Oh, sorry about Sonia," said Michelle. "What a spoilsport."
Andrew laughed. "She's mad at me, said I left her when the Zombies attacked. I reminded her she took off like lightning, leaving us all behind."
Michelle laughed. "She's so silly. Don't worry. She'll get over it. Well, I'm going to find my evil twin. Thanks for coming." She turned to me. "Nice meeting you, Elrenia."
"Same here," I said. After she left, I turned to Andrew. "How did you tell the twins apart?"
"It was hard at first," said Andrew. "After hanging out with them, I can tell the difference. Michelle's the mellow one. Her twin's the social butterfly."
"Ah, that's why Marilyn painted a butterfly on her face."
"You got it."
We entered his bedroom. The cobalt blue bottle of wine sat on his pillow. He jumped on the bed and picked up the bottle. I stood in the middle of the room, unsure what to do. Should I join him? Should I sit on the loveseat? Before I could decide, he wrinkled his brows and leapt off the bed. Great, did I do something wrong?
"I better give you the wine since I'll be driving tonight."
Guilt gnawed at me. He planned to spend the night. I had just ruined his weekend. I remembered he mentioned something about enough room for everyone.
"We can stay," I said. "I'll sleep on the couch."
"No!" he said. "Yes… I mean, you can stay. But you're not sleeping on the couch. You can sleep in here."
"I'm not sleeping in your bed." I touched my lips with my fingers. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
He laughed. "I can sleep on the couch. You can sleep in my… I mean you can take the bed."
I joined his laughter. "I can't steal your bed," I said.
He snapped his fingers. "Do you want to crash in the loft? It's big enough for both of us."
"There's a secret loft in this house?" I asked.
"It's in the attic. I call it the loft. Sounds cool." He grinned. "So, what do you think?"
"I want to see this loft."
"All right." He put the wine on the table and handed me his two fluffy pillows. He peeled off the comforter and grabbed the wine. "Come with me."
We headed toward the back patio. Instead of walking outside, he turned toward the bay window. He pressed on a
round brown thing behind the curtains. A low buzzing sound from above my head made me look up. A metal ladder unfolded and slowly descended from the ceiling.
"Watch your head," said Andrew.
I inched close to him. "I didn't realize there's an attic… I mean a loft from the outside."
He smiled. "The attic is grandpa's least favorite place. He can't find the right staircase. Until it's done to his liking, he won't announce its existence."
A white light shone from the square hole in the ceiling. "I'm sure it's lovely like the rest of the house."
"It's my favorite," said Andrew. "Do you want to go first or you want me to lead?"
"You go first," I said, fearing of Zombies.
Andrew ran up the stairs. When I reached the attic, Andrew stopped by the rectangular window and pressed on the same round thing on the wall. The ladder folded and rose back up. I scanned the area. Apart from the thick burgundy carpet and two fluorescent tube lamps hanging from the ceiling, the attic was bare.
Andrew opened the tinted window. "I'm glad Grandpa installed this awning window. At least fresh air can flow inside. If it's too hot, I can get a fan."
I sat and looked out the window. "The breeze feels good."
"Yes, it does," he said. "Oh, there's a working bathroom at the corner. It's not as fancy as the ones downstairs, but it works."
"That's all that matters," I said.
He spread the comforter on the carpet and placed the pillows against the windows.
My heart and soul stirred.
As long I'm with you, Angel, I don't care if I sleep in the Forgotten Forest.
Chapter Fifteen
I sat on the comforter, facing the window and stared at the garden. The two lamp posts by the bench I occupied a while ago looked so beautiful. They also appeared safe from up here. Andrew opened the wine bottle.
"Oh no!" he said.
I held my breath. "Did you cut yourself?"
"No," he said. "I forgot the glasses."
I blew a sigh of relief. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
"I'm sorry." He stood. "I'll be back in a minute."
"We can drink out of the bottle," I said. "If you don't care."
He said back down. "Not at all." He smelled the wine before handed me the bottle. "Dandelion wine."