Thursday, November 6, 2014

McCrady Manor: Blood Curse - Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

          Leigha walked up the wooden steps to Meghan's door and knocked.  No one answered, so she walked in, to make sure her friend wasn't home.  It was an unspoken rule that their doors were always open to the others.  They even knew where the spare keys were hidden.  "Meghan!"  She called out.  However the cabin was empty.  Then she noticed a piece of paper on the couch.  Walking over she picked it up.  Then silently read the note.

 Leigha,
I knew you'd come in!
Thanks for sending Macen
to my rescue.  He talked me
into going to the doctor's office (gag).
You worry too much, but
it was probably the right thing to do.
See you later, Love and hugs
Meghan

          She folded the note up and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans.  Then turned and walked out of Meghan's cabin, shutting the door behind her. Crossing the narrow road to her own cabin, she glanced up at the afternoon sky. She walked up her front steps, turned the knob opening the door, and went in leaving the door open.  As soon as she stepped inside she saw the red light on her answering machine blinking.  So she pushed play and listened.
          "Leigha?  Leigha Mauve Zelmorre where are you?"  Her mother's annoying voice came across.  "Are you working or are you out with 'that boy' again?  This is your mother.  Call me!!  I want to talk to you."  Leigha couldn't help but to stick out her tongue after she stopped the machine.  Sighing, she picked up the phone and dialed her home phone number.  She rolled her eyes as her mother's answering machine picked up.
          "Hi, Mom, it's me.  I was working with 'that boy'.  Not that it's any of your business, really.  You must not want to talk to me all that bad because you're not home shortly after you originally called.  You know my number.  Bye."  She hung up.  She pushed play again and let the second message play.
          "Hi, Honey.  It's your lover.  I'll be over soon.  I just have to lock up and drive over.   Love you."   A smile crept across Leigha's face.  "And I really do love you."  A strong male voice said from behind her.  She turned around and saw Alec with a handful of roses.
          "Well that's nice to know."  She said with a light giggle in her voice.  "I think you've been dreaming again, though.  I'm not your lover."
          "Yet," Alec grinned slyly.
          Leigha nodded.  "Yet.  And you know that I'm a sucker for roses."
          Alec crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.  "I know."  He grinned as he tossed the roses aside.  He kissed her, mentally patting himself on the back when she didn't protest.  After a moment, Leigha pulled back.
          "I said I'm a sucker, not a pushover."
          "I never said you were a pushover."  Alec declared as a sly smile extended across his face.   "But I would like to push you over."  He laughed wickedly.
          Leigha smiled and turned her back to him as she picked up the roses.  "I'm worried about Meg."  She whispered.
          Alec wrapped his arms around her then and pulled her close being careful not to crush the roses.  "Why?"  He asked resting his chin on her shoulder.
          "When I went over there this morning she was laying on the couch.  She didn't look good at all.  She looked pale and tired.  She said that she threw up this morning."  Leigha paused.  "I told Macen and I guess he dragged her off to the doctor's."
          "That's good," Alec told her.  "At least she's getting checked out."  Alec was a first year resident at the Forrest Hospital Emergency Room.  Extremely good at what he did, and pretty young to be at that point already, but he had worked very hard to get there taking an overly max-ed class load the whole time he was in college and med school. 
          "I know.  It's just that something has been really weird about her.  Ever since that celebration with the big bon fire."  Leigha paused, lost in her own thoughts for a moment.  "It's like she's been trying to hide something."  She turned and looked into Alec's blue eyes.  "I don't know how to explain it but it's like she has gotten really withdrawn and quite.  It's been three months.  I just don't understand it."
          "I don't know what to tell you, Leigh.  Maybe something happened that night that she hasn't been able to tell you or is afraid to.  Maybe she has just been upset about Codie leaving.  I guess that they were close and he left that night."  He told her.
          "No, they weren't."  Leigha threw out.  "Meghan turns green every time Codie's name is brought up."
          "He said that they were.  In fact he said that they were really close, if you catch my drift."  He paused as he watched Leigha eyes change color from violet to a smoky gray.  He knew that deep down inside her the tempers were starting to brew.  "Maybe that's what she is afraid to tell you.  She knows how you hated him."
          "She would have told me,” Leigha stated angrily.  More so to convince herself than Alec.
          He leaned over and kissed her forehead.  "I think that I'll go make us some dinner."
          "Alec," she whispered.  "I don't have any food.  We were going to go shopping remember?"
          He smiled as he looked back into her violet eyes.  "Yes I remember," he laughed.  "Or at least now I do."




      After a quick trip to the nearest grocery store, fifteen minutes away, Leigha sat in her den reading while Alec sang in the kitchen.  The strong smell of pasta, spaghetti sauces and garlic bread surrounded her.  Her stomach growled every few minutes in response.
          It was a classic romance novel that she held in her hands.  Man and woman meet.  Man and woman fall in love.  They both deny their feelings.  Problems arise causing man and woman to become thrown together.  Resulting in their not being able to deny their feelings any longer.  Growing closer.  Eventually they make love.  One still tries to deny their feelings but the other convinces them not to.  Then they all live happily ever after.  The end.  "I could write one of these things."  Leigha uttered.
          The phone rang and Leigha jumped up to answer it hoping it was Meghan.  "Hello?"
          "Where have you been?  I've tried calling you four times today.  And I did not enjoy that snotty message that you left on my machine, young lady."
          "Hello, Mother."  Leigha mumbled.  She could feel herself tense up the instant her mother's voice raced into her brain.
          "So where on Earth were you?"  The older woman asked apparently irked. 
          "For your information, Mother, I do have a job and a household to take care of."  Leigha defended which annoyed her.  She knew that she had no reason to defend herself to her mother.
          "A small one!"  Her mother spat through the phone.  "You told me that you don't go in until the afternoon."
          "No, I said that I don't get home until the afternoon.  I work the morning shift."  Leigha explained for the hundredth time.  Her temper was rising higher every second.
          "Well, make it clearer next time."  She yelled.
          "I don't know how much clearer I could have made it," she all but spat out.  "You've had no problems the past four months."  Her retort was out before she realized it. 
          "Fine, but I called an hour ago and you weren't there.   I suppose that you were with that boy."
          "For your information, Mother, my life no longer revolves around you.  I have a job.   I have a roof over my head.  I pay my own bills.  And I happen to be in love.  An hour ago, by the way, Alec and I was grocery shopping.”
          "I don't like your attitude."  The woman yelled.  "Is that boy living with you now?  Is that why you have to go grocery shopping together.  I'll just have to call up that boss of yours and let him have a piece of my mind about this co-ed rooming that he allows."
          "Mother!"  Leigha shouted.  "He lives in his own cabin.  Plus, since you stopped making payments on my car, I no longer have one.   I need some way to get to town and get what I need."  Now Leigha was really getting angry.  The woman knew how to push her daughter's buttons.
          "Since you're making your own money you can get your own car."
          Leigha took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "That car was a birthday present."  Leigha tried to say calmly.  "You didn't even give me the chance to finish paying off the car myself.  In fact, you didn't even warn me, what so ever, that I should find new transportation."
          "I told your father not to get it for you."
          "It wasn't from you, it was from Dad.  You had no right to do what you did after he died."  Leigha said still trying to maintain her composure.  Yet, she was very close to tears.  "I need to go, Mother, Alec is making me dinner."
          "What's he making?  Macaroni and cheese?"  She asked sarcastically.
          "No, pasta with a spicy tomato sauce and gourmet bread."  She told the older woman playing it out some.  "And by the way, he is an amazing cook." 
          "He's trying to get you in bed.  That is what he's trying to do!"
          "So what if he is, Mother!"  Leigha wailed not being able to hold back her anger any longer.  She wanted to piss the woman off now.  She wanted to make her as mad as she was.  "As you very well know, Alec and I have been dating for 3 years.  If that was the only reason he was seeing me, he would have left long ago."  She paused, debating on saying what she wanted to say next.  She decided to give into the urge.  "Plus, not that it is any of your business but Alec and I have made love many, many times."  She lied.
          "Leigha!!"
          "I am so sick and tired of arguing with you, Mother.  When you want to talk to me without trying to run my life or interfere, let me know.  Until than, Good-bye."  The receiver hit the cradle before she thought twice about hanging up on her mother.  She turned around and saw Alec.  "Sorry," she whispered near tears.  She threw the book that she was reading across the room.  She had so much anger and frustration built up inside her from the woman who called herself her mother that it was eating away at her insides.  She let Alec wrap his arms around her.  "I wish that I was adopted."  She told him honestly letting the tears break free. 
          "You lied to your mother."  Alec smiled and looked at her.  He gently wiped away a few fallen tears.  "We could always make that lie a truth."
          Leigha turned around and punched Alec playfully in the gut.  "I didn't lie," she announced with the bite of anger still in her.  "I always have my dreams."
          Alec noticed that Leigha's eyes were the darkest gray he had ever seen them.  Stone gray...almost black.  They were beautiful.  She was beautiful when she was angry.  "I could always make you dreams into reality."  Alec declared with a playful look on his face.
          Leigha smiled.  "You know that I want to wait until Mr. Right comes along and asks me to marry him."
          Alec pulled away suddenly with his hand over his heart acting as if he had just been shot.  He gasped a couple of times and then fell onto the couch.  "I'm not Mr. Right," he whined.  "Oh, God, my poor broken heart."
          Leigha walked over to the couch and leaned over him.  "I should just laugh in your face and go eat.  But you look so pitiful."  She whispered before pressing her lips to his.  "I love you.   Maybe you are Mr. Right.  But how would I know.  You haven't proposed."   Alec threw his arms around her and pulled her down onto him.  They started kissing again.  Only this time with more passion.
          Alec stopped to breath.  "Are you saying that if I did ask, that you'd say yes?"  He questioned.  
          Leigha shrugged.  Then she lifted her head as far as she could and sniffed the air.  "Do I smell something burning?"  She asked.
          Alec jumped up and ran into the kitchen forgetting that Leigha was on top of him.  Leigha never saw the floor coming, but she sure did feel it.  Then burst into laughter, as she rubbed her bruised behind.



          Macen watched as Meghan walked from the bathroom and laid down on her bed.  All the color had drained from her face.   He walked across the bedroom and sat down next to her on the satin burgundy sheets.  "How are you feeling?"  He asked pushing her golden brown hair away from her face.
          "Dinner just came up."  She whined.  "And it really didn't taste that good on the way back up."
          "I'm sorry, baby."  He whispered stroking her golden hair.  "Can I do anything to help?"  She shook her head and closed her eyes.  "Are you tired?"  
          She nodded.  "I am so sleepy, Macen."  Her eyes shot open and she looked at Macen.  "We have to think of names...we need to get stuff."  She shot up to a sitting position.  "What if it's more than one?  We have only six months to prepare!"
          "Calm down, Meg.  Lay down and get some sleep.  You have an appointment next week.... and we'll talk about the rest after you wake up.  Okay?"  Macen said stroking her hair to try and get her to relax.
          "Don't leave me tonight."  She pleaded.  "Stay here with me, please."  Her eyes were wide with fear.  He could tell how upset she was.  Which made him worry.  It hurt to see her like this.  She was so collected before.  He detested his brother for what he had done to her.  So much that the next time he saw the sight of Codie, his evil twin, would have more than a black eye.
          "Okay, Meggie.  I'm going to go and get some of my stuff from my cabin and I'll be right back.  Alright?"  He asked as he started to rub her back a little.
          "Swear you'll be right back."  She whispered closing her eyes.
          "I swear," he muttered than leaned over and kissed her forehead.  "Get some sleep.  I love you."  A smile spread across her face before he kissed the corner of her mouth.  "I'll be right back, I promise."



          "I'm sorry that your mom hates me."  Alec said putting a fork full of pasta in his mouth.
          "It's her loss.  You're a wonderful man and I love you."  She reached across the small round table and touched his hand.  "Your my man." She whispered with a smile.  "With her attitude I'd give her up before I'd give you up."  She stated matter-of-factly.  "She has always been a bitch to me...I've never understood that."
          "Want some champagne?"   Alec asked feeling her anger starting to spark again, and wanting to nip it in the bud before it wrecked the mood of the evening.  "I know that you don't drink and are still underage, for a couple months" he whispered grinning.  "Though this is a special occasion."
          "Special, why?"
          "Because.... indulge me."  He whispered.  "You can just have a sip, you don't have to drink it all."
          "Alright, I suppose,” She smiled laughing.  "Planning on seducing me, Alec?  Trying to get me drunk?"  She asked watching him pour the bubbly into the glass.
          "Not planning on it, yet...but hey, if it happens...” He laughed with a sly smile.
          "What's the special occasion?"  She asked a little nervous.
          "Take a sip first," he told her handing her the champagne flute.
          She took it and sipped.  She heard something clink in the bottom of the glass.  "What did you put in my glass?"  She questioned.
          "You might just have to drink the rest to find out."



          The black haze started to disappear behind the images. 
          She saw the woman standing, looking out the curved window.  She stood in the tower looking over the large body of water.  Then she looked down and she longed to sit in the front garden next to the stone lions.  Maybe even play in the fountain.  But it was to chilly out.
          Then she looked down at her large rounded belly.  She turned and started to make her way to the perfectly made bed that rested in the center of the room.  She sat on the bed, which made the sheets and quilt wrinkle under her weight.
          Suddenly she clenched her rounded middle and screamed something awful.  For a moment the scream seemed to echo though the house.  It took her a moment to realized that it was someone else's bellow.
         
`        Meghan shot up, waking in a panic.  She looked around, finding herself in her own room, in her own bed.  Her heavy eyes begged to be closed again as her heart raced.   She laid back down, and fell back into the land between sleep and dreams.




          Macen walked back into Meghan's cabin.  She was still asleep.  He stood in the doorway of her room and just watched her for a few moments. He then went back into the living room and dropped his bag next to the couch.  He sat down and started watching TV.  He wasn't sitting there 5 minutes before she came out.
          "Did I wake you?"
          "No. I don't think so."  She whispered rubbing her eyes.
          "Feeling better?"  He asked as she sat next to him.
          "Kinda...a little," she paused.
          "Still tired?"  He asked as she laid down with her head in his lap.  He instantly started stroking her thick golden brown hair.
          "A little."
          "Nauseated?"  Figuring she'd say "a little" he asked anyway.
          "Not at the moment."  She turned her face towards him.  "Six months...so much to talk about and do.  I don't know where to start."
          "Us, or the baby?"
          "Both," she muttered.
          "No, which do you want to start with?"  He asked.
          "We should start with you and I, I guess.  When do you think that we should get married?"  She inquired.  He had done so much for her.  He did love her.  She was so happy that he did and that everything was working out the way it did.  She wasn't absolutely sure she was "in love" with him.  She thought she was.  Figured she was pretty sure, that she was.  If she wasn't she knew she could take that leap with him, her feelings were strong already for him.   She just couldn't get over the fact, Codie had damaged something inside, and she wasn't sure about anything she did anymore.  She didn't want to lose Macen.  She wanted to marry him, which she knew for sure.
          "What do you think?  Before or after the baby is born?"  He asked smiling at her.
          "Before...I was thinking...soon.  How long do you think we'll need to plan the wedding?"
          "At least 3 months.  You'll be six months than, honey.  Are you sure you want it before?"
          "New years!"  She exclaimed.  "Small, friends and family, candle light."
          "That sounds really nice."  Macen said thinking that she'd be almost due.
          "I have no family, though."
          "I am sorry that your parents died."  Macen whispered still stroking her hair.  "You've had so much pain through your life."  Her eyes were looking up...at the ceiling.  They seemed distant. So far away.  "Baby, what's wrong?"
          "I have no family that I know of, well, some distant relative, grandparents, aunts and uncles, that sort of thing...but I have some somewhere, I have real family out there."  She whispered.
          "What?"  He asked very confused.  He thought that her parents died.
          She suddenly snapped back.  "I'm adopted."



          "My goodness," Leigha gasped looking at the ring she found in the bottom of her glass.  "It's a half caret.  You could afford this?"
          "Leigha, it's paid for in full."  Alec laughed loving every minute of her reaction.  "Now," he said getting down on one knee beside her.  "I want you to marry me.  I want you to be my wife.  I know we've had a wonderful past couple years, other then the time, not even a year ago we broke up for a few weeks, but love prevailed right? Forever and always, you and I.  Will you Leigha?  Will you marry me?"  He asked with her hand in his, placing the ring on her finger.
          "Yes!  Yes, yes, yes!"  She yelled bouncing in her chair.  "Of course I will.  I love you Alec."  She said smiling from ear to ear.  She threw her arms around him and hugged him knocking him down.  "When?  When will we be man and wife?"  She asked still on top of him.
          "Any date that you pick."  He laughed then pressed his lips to hers.  In the distance they heard thunder crash, and the lights flickered.   "Was that anything like fireworks?"  He whispered.   She laughed and crushed her mouth back against his.




          Thunder crashed and made Meghan jump a little.  "I found out after my father died."  She wiped away the tear that had escaped down her cheek.  "I always wondered why I was the only child that ever survived for them."
          "Does Nate know this?"

          "No. I haven't told him."  They were all close to Nate McCrady and his family, but especially Meghan.  She cuddled up against him.  Enjoying his warmth, taking in his scent.  "Tomorrow," she whispered.

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