"You don't understand!" Willie was
agitated and on the verge of anger.
"I gotta get back with that thing by
tonight!"
The jeweler understood. It was
Valentine's Day and the young man
clearly planned to give the antique
bracelet to his sweetheart. Looking
at the young man on the other side of
the counter, the elderly man thought
about what it would be like to be
young and in love again.
"I'll do what I can, son. I just
can't make any promises--I don't work
so fast these days and repairing
something this delicate is hard on
the old eyes. Now if you had brought
this to me a few days ago..."
"Well I didn't," Willie interrupted.
"Now I ain't leavin' here until it's
fixed." The man took the bracelet to
a table and began to work.
"She's gonna love that bracelet,"
Willie mused as he sat down. Then
there was a hint of sadness in his
eyes. As he stared across the room
at nothing, his mind took him back to
another bracelet in another place.
Had it really been six years?
**********
"Willie!" A man with a slight irish
brogue yelled from across the
street.
Willie Loomis turned to see his
friend Jason McGuire, walking toward
him. Willie had been deep in thought
as he sauntered down the sidewalk.
Now he grinned at his friend--eager
to share those thoughts.
As Jason approached, he pulled out a
pack of cigarettes. Offering one to
Willie, who accepted, he placed the
pack back into his pocket. Removing a
lighter, Jason proceeded to light
both of the white paper-wrapped
tobacco cylinders.
Willie was still grinning. Jason gave
his friend a wary look and said,
"Willie my boy...if you keep grinning
like the Cheshire Cat I'll expect you
to disappear at any moment!"
"I can't help it, Jason. You know
what today is? It's Valentine's Day
and I just found the perfect gift for
Kate!" Willie reached into his
pocket and pulled out a small gold
box. He opened the box and pulled
out a delicate gold bracelet with a
tiny gold heart dangling from it.
"Ach Willie! You didn't spend money
on that thing did you?" Jason asked
with disgust.
"I got a bargain on it, Jason. I had
just been put out for sale today at
Greeley's Pawn Shop." Willies's
smile had dimmed. Why was his friend
disapproving? Jason usually loved
beautiful things.
Jason put his arm around Willie,
"Laddie, I never thought I'd see the
day when you'd let a female lord over
your life and money. Unless..."
Jason pulled away from Willie and
looked at him seriously. Then
letting out a laugh, he smiled, "Oh
of course! I'm getting slow these
days. Sorry Willie, I should've
realized you were looking to bed the
little wench tonight!"
Although that was not Willie's main
objective, he couldn't deny that he
had tried to get there with Kate on
several occasions. She was so
young--only 19--so he hadn't pushed
too hard. If it pleased Jason to
think this, he wouldn't argue.
"Listen Willie. I'm thinkin' it
might be time for me to move on.
How'd you like to go with me?"
Willie frowned, "I don't know, Jason.
Things are goin' all right for me
right now."
"All right? Are you rollin' in
dough, Willie? Wouldn't ya like to
see different places and have lots of
women? You used to have such dreams,
Willie!"
The anger in Jason's voice startled
his friend, "What do you want from
me, Jason?"
Putting his cigarette out on the
concrete beneath his feet, Jason
replied, "Go with me, Willie. I've
got some business of a financial
nature to take care of up in Maine
and and when I'm done, we can go
wherever we want. Don't stay here
and locked into something with that
little lass. You know me Willie. Now
would your old pal steer you
wrong?"
*****
"Oh Willie!" Exclaimed the petite
redhead, "It's the loveliest thing
I've ever owned!"
Kate looked at Willie and her heart
felt as though it would burst. It
didn't matter that he didn't have
much more than this little apartment
he shared with McGuire. Or that her
mother thought he was a bum. Kate
knew that she loved Willie Loomis and
felt that she always would.
Willie kissed her and this time she
let herself relax and enjoy the feel
of his kiss. Kate loved the way he
smelled--clean and masculine. His
face rubbed against hers and the
sandpaper feel was more exciting than
ever before.
Willie had been with women before,
but not one had ever made him feel
the way Kate did. He realized it was
really going to happen this time as
she allowed him to unhook her bra.
Willie was trembling as he gently
leaned forward, placing Kate beneath
him on the bed.
A couple of hours later: "I have to
go now, Willie. My mother will be
suspicious if I'm not home by ten,"
Kate said as she buttoned her
blouse.
Willie admired the view of her legs
since she had not yet put on her
skirt. "Your mother is suspicious of
me no matter what," he said as he
grabbed a leg and pulled her back
down onto the bed. He kissed the
rosebud lips with passion he did not
know he had. He loved her....and it
scared him.
Willie let go of Kate abrubtly and
said, "Okay, you go ahead and run on
home to mama." She got up quickly and
continued to dress--in such a hurry
that she didn't notice how suddenly
he had given her freedom.
After Kate had gone, Willie thought
about the things he'd said to her
during their lovemaking. He knew
that he meant every word and that it
frightened him. Did he really want
to be tied down to one woman? Not
yet!
A month later, Willie and Jason left
the city. Willie told Kate he'd be
back....that was six years ago. So
much had changed, Willie thought as
he still sat in the jewelry repair
shop, staring at nothing in
particular.
Greed had taken hold of Willie for a
while, and that had led him to
unleash something more sinister.
Barnabas had killed Jason years ago
and Willie was still living in
Maine--working for the man--yes, man
now, who had killed his best friend
and others in the little village by
the coast. In the past, the
situation with Barnabas had prevented
him from even thinking of contacting
anyone he cared for. But now...
Willie was a very different person,
Barnabas was cured of his vampirism
and in love with Julia. Oh, she is
gonna love the bracelet Barnabas is
giving her, he thought again.
**********
The yellow school bus pulled up--its
doors opening in front of a lovely
redheaded lady. She smiled as the
strawberry blond little boy stepped
off. As the bus rolled away, she
asked, "How was kindergarten
today?"
"Oh mommy! Today was Valentine's Day
and I got lots of valentines and some
candy from the teacher!" He replied
excitedly. "Cassie gave me a big
valentine. My teacher said she must
love me a lot."
His mother smiled. They started to
walk together down the sidewalk--it
was cold, but an otherwise beautiful
afternoon.
"Mommy?"
"Yes sweetheart?"
"Did my daddy ever give you a big
valentine?" The little boy asked
earnestly.
Kate stopped and knelt down to look
into her son's eyes. What a handsome
little man, she thought. She wrapped
her arms around him and said from
deep within her heart, "Yes darling.
Your daddy gave me the best valentine
I could ever receive!"
MORE DS FICTION
DS Story 1
DS Story 2
MORE FAN FICTION
everafter2
FANTASY HOMEPAGE
everafter
FANGS DON'T MAKE HIM ALL BAD
http://angelfire.com/va/KnightLadyCollins/index.html
*************************************
****
©1996 Maria Maupin. May not be
reproduced without the author's
consent.
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