Life In The Palace (20 page)

“Enough with the stupid movie analogies,” Tal banged her hand on the table. “This is not a movie, it’s not a game.” She turned and looked at me, “He’s going to die. That would be bad enough, but Seth is not just a regular guy. He was sent from the Throne Room to do something. Every minute you’re together the sinkhole gets bigger and bigger until we’re all sucked into it. The world goes down the tubes because you want to make out with your boyfriend.”

“And why shouldn’t I?” I shot back. “I just have to believe your word that your religion is right. Well there’s a guy down the street with a billboard announcing the end of the world. Do I have to take relationship advice from him too? Look at yourselves, how arrogant can you get? You just sail on in here and announce that you hold the key to the universe and the rest of the world is just supposed to bow down to you?”

Dava sighed, “It’s not like that. We don’t usually get involved in anyone else’s business. It’s just that-”

“This time it is our business,” Noy finished. “We’re risking our lives to try to keep the sinkhole contained. We’re just asking for some help.”

I nearly shot out of my seat, “Some help! You’re not asking me to put up a few posters. You’re asking me to throw away the best thing that ever happened in my life. You expect me to just trust that you’re right. But you’re not prophets, you don’t know for sure. Your sinkhole could be caused by something totally different, and then I flushed my life down the toilet for nothing.”

Dava shut her eyes. When she opened them, they glistened with tears. “We spoke to the Guide, it’s quite clear.”

I shook my head, “Doesn’t Seth get to choose? Isn’t this his life? Maybe he doesn’t want to be all quasi-messianic. Maybe he just wants to be a regular guy with a nice life.”

“No one chooses what they are,” Noy said.

“But we all choose what we do with it,” I countered.

“Don’t you care?” Tal exploded. “The whole world can just fall apart and that’s okay as long as you get your rocks off? I can’t believe you’re doing this. We trusted you, we let you see in the Palace. This is what you do to us?”

I couldn’t take it anymore. “You trusted me? You of all people know what Seth means to me. Seth is my soul mate not some random crush I picked up to make the winter more interesting. I told you all about it, how he makes me feel, how it is when we’re together. And you lapped it up. You were so busy living vicariously that you never stopped to say, ‘Oh, by the way, are you sure that you’re not the Big Bad?’ I’m sorry Tal, you’re so worried about what being with me will do to him, have you thought about what not being with me will do? I’m the other half of his soul. You don’t just chuck that away because it’s not convenient.”

“Even if it kills you both?” Dava asked.

“Then we’ll die together,” I said grabbing my bag and storming out.

My phone buzzed as I turned the corner away from the coffee shop.

“Hey, where are you?” Seth asked cheerfully.

I went to give him an answer, but no words came out. The sobs that that been massing in my chest broke through.

“Just tell me, your place or mine,” Seth said urgently.

“Mine,” I croaked.

“I’ll be five minutes,” he said and hung up.

It couldn’t have been more than four, because I was just pulling off my second boot when he came running up the stairs behind me. I turned around and looked at him as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. His arms were around me before I could even think to speak. He held me tightly as I sobbed into his chest. When he saw that the deluge was not about to let up anytime soon, he gently peeled of my coat, and then his, without ever breaking his hold on me. With both arms still around me, he led me to the couch. He pulled me close to him and stroked my hair as I cried out my grief.

It took a long time, but eventually my cries subsided. Seth lifted up my chin with one hand and gently brought my lips to his. When he felt I was calm enough, he pulled away.

“Are you ready to talk?” he whispered.

I opened my mouth to speak and the tears began again.

Seth’s smile was tender and loving, “Did something new happen?”

I shook my head.

“Everyone in your family is okay? Spike and Jared too?”

I nodded emphatically.

He sighed, “Is it about your Footman friends and their stupid Chapel?”

I nodded and cried a little harder.

His tone hardened, “Did they try to talk to you about me?”

I nodded.

“Bastards,” he swore under his breath.

He took a deep breath.

“Was it everything I had predicted? ‘You have to break up with him because otherwise he won’t be in the Palace?’”

I shut my eyes and nodded. “It was worse,” I managed to say. “I have to break up with you because all of humanity depends on it and the great battle between good and Evil will be lost. I am the Big Bad.”

I opened my eyes and looked at him.

“Fucking bastards!” He pulled me back into his chest. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

His very presence was soothing away the pain, enough for me to feel my anger.

“Yeah, me too, because that sucked. What is their problem? The whole world depends on my decisions? I don’t think He Who Knows is so petty as to destroy the whole world just because of me.”

“They think that every person is a world unto themselves so has the power to make or break the whole world. Which sounds pretty until you start to apply it to real life.”

“But what if they’re right?” I asked quietly.

Seth pulled away from me and looked me squarely in the eyes, “Don’t ever think that. You are not destroying the world. We are not destroying the world by being in love. Love creates, it doesn’t destroy. I’d give up an eternity in the Palace for a lifetime with you.”

“That’s what I told them,” I said with a wry smile.

“I’m glad you know me and where my priorities lie.”

He lent to kiss me and in his kiss was a covenant. When next we spoke he asked, “What are you going to do?”

I shrugged, “There’s not much to do. I don’t know what the purpose of all that was, but I got mixed up with some religious wackoes and now I’ve seen then for what they are. I guess now I’ve got a bit more free time on my hands. I wonder if Dwayne needs help over at the International Students Society?”

“Last I heard he was trying to organize a mass sushi-making contest, but the Japanese kids refused to take part.”

“Perhaps he needs someone to make tacos?”

Seth suppressed a smile, “Shouldn’t I teach you how to do that first, though?”

I hit him playfully and relief washed through me. Life might actually go back to normal.

Chapter 16

“
S
kipping school, Chlo?
I thought you were a model student these days,” Spike laughed.

“Is my model student status lost for skipping class one day?” I paused from my packing to consider the issue.

“It’s one class or more?”

“Two lectures. I’ve already arranged to get the notes for both.”

“Ok, I guess your goody-two-shoes crown is not at stake,” Spike said begrudgingly.

“How many skirts do I need?” I asked, looking at the pile on my bed.

“You’re going for three days. Do you need any?”

“One of the days I might have to go to his parent’s Chapel and I think there might be a family meal thrown in,” I explained.

“Can you wear the same one for both Chapel and meal, or do you have to wow his mother with your fashion styling?”

I tried not to get nervous just thinking about it. “This is the woman who doesn’t know that she’s destined to be my mother-in-law.”

“So take them both, you don’t need them, but it will make you feel better to have back up.” I could hear Spike smiling. “What are you wearing to see me?”

“Pink tutu, wooly green socks and a baseball cap.”

“Just make sure it’s a Red Socks cap.”

I giggled, “Will do. Tell me it’s going to be okay.”

I might have heard her sigh, “
Chica
, I know you’re about to meet your boyfriend’s parents for the first time, but your boyfriend is Seth. The guy beyond loves you. He all but took a flame thrower to that Chapel place after what happened last month. He told you he’d rather give up his place in heaven than go without you.

Which is incredible for two reasons, one, he’s that dedicated to you, and two, he’s prepared to come out and say it. He actually says that sort of romantic shit to you with a straight face, and he’s not gay! With a regular guy you might have to worry that if you didn’t hit it off with his parents it would cause tension, but nothing in the world is making this guy drop you.

You should still try and make a good impression on his mother because it looks like she’ll be in your life for a while, but this is not a make or break issue. You guys are so solid you might as well get hitched now, for Pete’s sake.”

Her speech had given me time to both finalize my choices and start putting them in my overnight bag.

“Thanks Spike, I feel better now.”

“Any time you start freaking out, just give me a ring.”

I tucked my makeup bag in between my shoes. “Yeah, well Sunday I’ll be seeing you. It’s weird, eh? I can’t believe it’s been five months.”

“Yeah, eh … What are you, Canadian now, too?” It was so Spike to avoid any emotional content.

“I’m sorry, should I stick with y’all, LC?”

“Don’t go there,” Spike warned in response to the slight reference to her legal name.

I laughed, “Sunday, by the big clock thingy then?”

“Twelve o’clock. You’re leaving soon?”

“I thought Seth might be here by now. We’re going to eat on the way. For normal people that would mean stopping in McDonalds, but I suspect Seth has prepared a whole feast. This way we avoid having to go straight into dinner with his parents, but we get the whole day there tomorrow. I think Seth is actually looking forward to meeting you.”

“It is getting a bit ridiculous not to have met someone I hear about on a daily basis.”

I paused, “Spike, you will be nice, right?”

“Of course, I promise no juicy stories. Good luck with the future mother-in-law.”

My bag was basically packed when I heard the doorbell ring and Seth’s footsteps on the stairs.

“You parked? I would have come down.”

“But then I couldn’t have carried your bag like a true gentleman.” He bent to kiss me. The obligatory peck I was expecting turned into something else as he wrapped his arms around me. After a few minutes he pulled away and buried his head in my hair.

“Are we on a time schedule? I thought we had to go.”

“Some things are more important,” he whispered in my ear.

I pulled away a little to look at his face. “Are you going to be totally off-limits the whole weekend? I was guessing separate rooms, but I thought you’d at least creep down the corridor to kiss me goodnight.”

There was a tenderness I couldn’t explain in his eyes. “No, bedtime kisses should be manageable. I’m pretty sure it’s separate rooms also, but my Mom will probably put us in rooms next to each other to make it easy on us.”

I laughed, and looked at him quizzically. I really was worried about being late so I didn’t ask him anything else. He had the good grace not to comment on the size or weight of my overnight bag, aka suitcase.

The sun was shining and the sky was crystal clear as we cruised downtown to pick up the highway south.

“I’m in the mood for Nina,” Seth commented as he slid a CD into the slot.

Blues was good for me too. My heart was singing as we crossed the sparkling river and headed into the mountains. It was warm in the car, I slipped out of my jacket and, even though the snow on the bare trees passing the windows declared otherwise, I felt that summer Sunday sort of feeling.

We hadn’t said much since starting out. I’d been happy to let Nina soothe away my anxiety. Seth stretched out one hand and took mine in his. He glanced at me and I smiled back. I stretched my other hand over to rub his arm. Trying not to take his eyes off the road, Seth smiled back.

“I’m really happy that we’re doing this,” he said seriously.

“Going away together? Me, too. I’m glad we waited until after mid-terms were done so I can at least try to enjoy myself.” I turned myself slightly closer to him, the driving situation notwithstanding.

There seemed to be more he wanted to say. I waited for him to say it.

“Going to my parents like this, it makes it feel complete. I mean, you and me, this feels like the last piece.” He glanced over again to see my reaction.

I nodded and my heart swelled. “I know what you mean, although you probably had better meet my family sometime too, unless you want to make their acquaintance in Vegas.”

Seth chuckled, “Did you all stay in the same motel together?”

“We let Randy and his wife stay somewhere alone, but the rest of us piled into a Best Western. Dad took Mom to a show. Watching the whole clan work the slot machines together calling to each other in Spanish was a bit much for her.”

“I thought your family wasn’t very Latino-y?”

“My branch of it isn’t. My Grandpa was really into his kids “making it,” and being part of American society. But he came to America about fifteen years before his siblings. Those branches of the family are much more Mexican.”

“They sound fun.”

I thought about it for a minute, “They are. It’s a nice mix. I like having some ethnic heritage. It’s good to know where you come from.”

“I feel the same about being one of the People. I don’t want to do anything about it, but there’s something to knowing where you come from. I want to raise our children to know their heritage.”

I stayed quiet and watched his face for two reasons. Firstly, we hadn’t talked about the People since the whole thing with Tal happened, secondly, he’d just said “our” children and I wasn’t sure whether I should comment or not.

We’d gone a few more miles before he spoke again, “I thought we could go to my parents’ Chapel while we’re there.” He kept his eyes straight ahead.

I was confused, “I thought we already talked about this? I packed an outfit especially for the occasion, although I had to rely on Spike for fashion guidance, so I hope it’s appropriate.”

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to go after what happened.”

“But I thought your parent’s place was all warm and accepting.”

“It is,” he said quickly.

“So what’s the problem?” There was something I was missing.

Seth shrugged, “Nothing, I guess.”

I knew him well enough to know there was more he wasn’t saying. I ran my mind through the possible issues.

“Are you going to come out and say it, or am I going to have to guess?” I asked.

He didn’t say anything.

“I’ll make the Quest,” I said simply. “I know you don’t want to ask me to because that would be admitting there was something to Tal’s insanity. I’d already decided to do it before they all went mental. Nothing has changed that.”

“You don’t have to do it.”

“I know. I get that. You’re not asking me to do it, but I want to. If I’d do it without you, then I’m definitely going to do it with you.” I squeezed his hand.

“When are we going to Vegas?” He joked.

“No Vegas please. I haven’t even met her yet, but I bet your mother is the type who wants to plan a big wedding. My mother will die of mortification if she doesn’t do the flowers. I think the whole traditional number is in order.”

It was my turn to be silent with the next question on the tip of my tongue.

Seth suppressed a smile. “Shall I guess?”

I smiled and bit my lip.

“We’re getting married,” he said. “I’m not sure that makes us officially engaged because I’m planning a big engagement moment sometime, but if it helps your future planning then I’m working on the assumption that we’re getting married.”

“When are we doing that?” I asked and congratulated myself for sounding so casual.

“Depends on how you feel about being married in college, I thought you’d probably want to wait until afterwards, so how about the summer after you graduate?”

I couldn’t quite believe we were discussing our wedding date.

“Sounds good. Should I hurry up and graduate quickly?”

Seth laughed, “That’s up to you. I’m not going anywhere.”

Dinner was the three course banquet I’d predicted. Although it lost some of the extravagance bathed in the orange glow of a street light in the car. I must have fallen asleep afterwards because suddenly Seth was stroking my cheek.

“We’re nearly there. I thought you’d want to wake up before we actually arrive.”

I leapt up, flipped down the sun visor in front of me to check I didn’t have mascara smeared across my face.

“You look lovely.” Seth smiled as I pulled my hair out of the top knot, combed it with my fingers and put it back up again.

“You love me with morning breath and dried drool on my cheek, so I’m not taking your opinion as an impartial witness.”

Seth pulled the car over to the curb.

“We’re there?” I asked.

“No, it’s the next block. I just stopped so you can compose yourself.”

“Am I that bad?” It wasn’t making me any calmer.

Seth leaned over and pulled my face towards his. “Kiss me,” he ordered.

For the first time ever, kissing Seth managed to lower my heart rate.

“Look, my parents bought my brother and me a luxury apartment to make our school experience comfortable, and they gave us a car when we live four blocks from school so we can come home and see them. They want us to be happy and will go to great lengths to see that happens. You make me really, really happy. They are not going to do anything to upset that. I love you, so they already think the sun shines out of you.”

He kissed me on the top of the head and eased the car down the block.

It was hard to see; there weren’t many street lights in the suburban area.

“I thought Boston was a bit more urban.”

Seth chuckled, “This is really Brookline, much posher.”

My eyes narrowed, “Why do you always say you’re from Boston then?”

“Brookline is the sort of place you get kudos for buying into, not for coming from.”

We pulled into a gravel drive lined with pine trees. I could just about make out a large stone house with gables. Before I’d undone my seatbelt, the front door was open and a figure was hurrying towards the car.

Seth straightened out of the car and was immediately pulled into a one arm hug.

“Easy drive down? You made good time. Your mother’s still finishing up in the kitchen.” Dr. Wilks had a fine head of hair for a man his age; I wouldn’t have guessed it was dyed. He wore rimless glasses and there were laugh lines around his green eyes. He was wearing dark chinos and a stripped polo shirt.

“We already ate,” Seth said tentatively.

“Well don’t tell her that. She actually turned on the oven in your honor.”

I loitered around the side of the car, not sure what my next move should be. Seth shot me a smile across the bonnet.

“Dad, this is Chloe. Chloe, my father.”

“It’s nice to meet you Dr. Wilks,” I held out my hand to shake his.

“Please, call me Jerry. If you call me Dr. Wilks I’ll have to put my white coat on. Let me help you with that.”

Seth’s Dad grabbed my case out of his hand. Seth carried his own backpack. I’m not sure he would have bothered to bring any clothes with him if we hadn’t been coming together. The food bag had been bigger than his clothes bag.

As we came into the foyer, a dark wooden staircase ran directly in front of us with doors on either side. I followed them through the door to the right and into a large dining room dominated by a mahogany table that must have seated twelve. Over it hung a glass creation too intricate to be simply called a chandelier. The delicate iron work mingled with the blown glass like they had been formed together. For a minute I forgot my nerves and stepped closer to get a better look.

“It was made by my friend Julia,” a voice on the other side of the room said. “It’s quite extraordinary, isn’t it?”

“It’s beautiful,” I stammered and turned to face my nemesis.

Mrs. Wilks was thin in a way that conveyed height, although she wasn’t any taller that I was. She was wearing black tailored slacks and a charcoal sweater with wide sleeves. Her hair was tied at the nape of her neck with a large bow. She had the aura of wearing pearls.

She smiled warmly as she crossed the room, “Hello, Chloe, I’m Carol.” She lent to my left and her cheek brushed my ear as she kissed the air above my shoulder.

I air kissed back and hoped that was the right move.

“Come and have a drink,” she said walking through to the kitchen.

We all trailed after her. Seth squeezed my hand as we walked into the largest kitchen I’d ever seen outside of a magazine spread. There were marble counter tops and warm wooden cabinets. The counters ran around in a square with a passageway left to reach a breakfast area where a round mock farmhouse table was currently overflowing with food. Through the windows that surrounded the eating area, I could make out a lawn circled by large trees.