Burden to Bear (4 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

“Accck!  Fondue?  Why did I let you choose the venue for this double date?  Douglas pounded the wall with his fist in feigned exasperation.  Sarah was chatting via phone with him regarding the details of their double-date that evening. 

“Oh, you’ll love it,” Sarah laughed.  “It’s a new place in mid-town where Taylor said she’s been dying to go.”

“Why would anyone in their right mind want to cover perfectly good food in melted cheese?” Douglas asked.

“Because most people like cheese, Douglas.  And it’s not just melted cheese.  There’s also melted chocolate fondue for dessert.  You like chocolate.”

Douglas smirked. “I guess I’ll be eating dessert only, then.”

“It won’t hurt you,” Sarah said.  “With all that bodybuilding that you do, you can afford to put on a little body fat.”

“The ladies do like the muscles,” Douglas murmured to his bicep. 

“Meet us there at eight,” said Sarah.  “And be on time!  And please, don’t wear that raggedy old shirt you always wear to class.  Wear that new one you got over the holidays.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Doug said.  “Mother knows best.”

Sarah laughed.  “I just want you to look nice.  You’re such a handsome guy when you dress up.”

Douglas said his goodbyes to Sarah and trudged over to his closet to peer at his new shirt.  There it was, wrinkle-free and pristine in the dry cleaning bag.  His instinct was to distrust new clothes.  New clothes always reeked of chemicals from factories and department stores
. 
Then there was the stiffness of the fabric.  Old, well-worn clothes were always soft and comfortable.  They allowed one to move with ease.

But Sarah was right.  Taylor was a very attractive girl.  He should try to impress her.  His mind wandered.  Maybe if he and Taylor hit it off, that would spark some jealousy in Sarah.

He stopped that train of thought immediately.  It was foolish thinking, and he knew it.  He had no desire to seduce an innocent girl to make another desire him.  Decent people did not use each other that way.  He sighed.  He would wear the shirt, but he was not going to fake any interest in Taylor.  He would be himself and live his life honestly. 

***

All four met at eight o’clock that evening on the little veranda of Fond of Fondue.  Douglas had harbored many doubts about this restaurant, but his spirits lifted when he whiffed the aroma of roasting steak coming from the kitchen.  Taylor was chattering away at his side, bright-eyed and bushytailed with excitement, frequently touching his arm.  When Wilson and Sarah approached, Douglas could not help but raise his head and gawk at Sarah in admiration.  Despite the cold weather, Sarah had donned a short black dress tonight that showed off her shapely legs.  He had to silently remind himself that he would not be dating Sarah that evening, so ogling her was in bad taste.  He closed his mouth, and averted his eyes. 

Once he glanced at Wilson, though, he could not pull his eyes away – but for completely different reasons.  Douglas could see him approach from a few blocks away.  The man actually sparkled with supernatural power.  Only very formidable beings in the supernatural realm emitted luminosity like this. All of Douglas’ were-bear senses cautioned, “Predator!  Predator!”

In addition to the uncanny glow, which only another supernatural creature could perceive, Wilson emitted a powerful smell, which was probably enchanting to humans, having the same effect on the opposite sex as human pheromones.  However, to Douglas, the smell was revolting.  He recalled the conversation with his grandfather the night before, where they had discussed the possibility that Wilson was not human.  He and his grandfather had assumed that Wilson was some type of reptilian shifter, especially if his eyes held some sort of power.  Now, Douglas was positive that he and his grandfather were correct about the reptile part.  Wilson was evil – like a fiend or a monster.  Douglas did not know what sort of reptile Wilson was, or what sort of magic powers he possessed.  He was certain of one thing, however.  Wilson was very, very dangerous.

For a moment, he had no plan.  He could not attack this creature, not out in public, and not in front of these two human girls.  He decided to play it cool.  He would be patient and see how Wilson reacted.  Wilson most likely was recognizing that Douglas was a supernatural being, too.  Douglas figured that Wilson would also be reluctant to make a scene in public.

Wilson’s glow intensified as he approached Douglas.  He also had a grimace on his face.  He narrowed his eyes and held out his hand to Douglas.  “I’m Wilson,” he said.  “You must be Doug.  I have heard so much about you.”

His hand hovered for a moment.  Douglas summoned all of his willpower and forced himself to grasp it.  “Great to meet you, Wilson,” he said flatly.  He quickly withdrew his hand, trying not to visibly shudder at the cold clamminess of Wilson’s hand.

Sarah glanced at the two guys, swiftly observing that there was an instant dislike.  She promptly took charge of the situation.  “We have a reservation, so let’s go in and order. I don’t want to stand out here long in this dress,” she joked, trying to lift the mood.  “It’s still winter.”

She grabbed Wilson’s arm and headed inside.  Douglas took Taylor’s hand and quickly followed.  They were soon seated on low cushioned benches circling a bubbling pot of cheese.  Waiters brought trays laden with skewers of meat, dumplings, and vegetables.  Douglas cheered slightly when he realized that he could just eat the meat from the skewers without dipping it in the cheese.  He grabbed a few skewers of pork, and enthusiastically tore the meat away from the sticks with is teeth.  Wilson observed him nervously.

Midway through the meal, Sarah was feeling less in control of the situation, and very frustrated.  Only she and Taylor were talking.  Taylor noticed little about what was happening around her.  She was so enchanted by the idea of fondue that she paid little attention to the guys.  Sarah was enjoying the meal, but Wilson was strangely silent tonight -- a shadow of his normally charming self. 

Douglas was behaving like he typically did around newcomers.  He was eating with gusto, almost vehemently at times, but barely speaking a word.  Sarah felt a bit repulsed.  Douglas’ dining manners were a bit violent tonight.  He was sour, and grunted a “yes” or a “no” in answer to the girls’ questions.  At least he had worn the shirt she had told him to wear.  She had to admit, he was a very handsome man when he cleaned up.  Taylor was enamored with him in spite of his grizzly manners.

By the time dessert arrived, even ditzy Taylor had noticed that something was amiss.  “Aren’t you feeling talkative tonight?” she asked Douglas, ever so suggestively rubbing his leg. 

Douglas purposely shifted his leg out of her reach.  “I… I’m fine,” he grumbled.  “You know I’m not a big talker.”

“No, he’s not,” Taylor smiled, addressing Wilson and Sarah.  “He’s just a big bear of a man, isn’t he?  Like a Gentle Ben.”

Douglas choked as he tried to suppress a loud guffaw.  As vapid as Taylor could be at times, she had no idea how close to the truth she actually was.   He glanced at Wilson, who was examining him morosely, uninterested in the anecdote Sarah was adding to Taylor’s comment.

When Sarah finished, Taylor continued.  “Douglas is the biggest bouncer at the Holiday Club, by far,” she said.  “But also the nicest.”  She beamed up at him.

Douglas flushed.  Simultaneously, Wilson grew brave, put his arm around Sarah, and kissed her head.  “I’m glad not every woman is interested in the kind, gentle mammal type, then.” He glanced at Douglas smugly.  “Then there’d be none left for anyone else.”

The comment stung Douglas.  Aside from the fact that it was made by a vile predator who probably wanted to kill and eat his best friend, deep down he felt that there might be some truth to it.   Maybe the real reason that he and Sarah had never dated was because he was not Sarah’s type.  She seemed to like these suave, well-dressed guys. 

He gathered up his remaining dignity and took Taylor’s hand.  “Let me walk you home,” he said ingratiatingly.  She assented.  Douglas ignored the other two and helped her retrieve her coat. 

While they said their goodbyes, he noticed that Sarah seemed a little disturbed.  He noticed, too, though, that she took no steps to unwind Wilson’s hand from her waist.  Douglas felt a bit sick in the pit of his stomach as he abandoned Sarah in the restaurant in a potentially dangerous situation, to walk home a girl that he could care less about.  Nevertheless, he did not believe that Wilson would harm Sarah tonight.  “He’s too afraid of me to make a move right now,” Douglas thought.  “His type likes to act after they’ve planned everything out.”

Still, he breathed a sigh of relief when Taylor and her non-stop chatter disappeared behind her apartment door.  He stopped for a moment on the sidewalk and immersed himself in the familiar night-time sounds and smells of the city.  Some drunks were quarreling a few blocks away, arguing about scores and their favorite football teams.  An ambulance warbled a sad melody from the far-off interstate, its call eventually fading into nothing.  Car doors slammed.  An alarm system wailed.  Someone dropped a glass bottle and it shattered into thousands of pieces.  The city smelled of refuse and fumes and fryer grease and sour beer.  After spending a couple of hours in such close proximity to Wilson and Taylor, he thought it smelled and sounded amazing.

When he reached his apartment, Sarah was already there, pacing the hallway.

“What happened? What is going on between you and Wilson?” she demanded.

“Let’s get inside,” Douglas said, fumbling with his keys.  “You’re upset.  Let’s not wake the neighbors.”

Once inside, Sarah hopped into a chair and let him take the couch.  “I’ve never been so embarrassed.  Do you guys know each other from before?  What made you act like that?”

“I’ve never met that creature before,” said Douglas, removing his coat and tossing it over the back of the couch.

“But you don’t like him?” Sarah asked.

Douglas shook his head slowly but emphatically. “Not one bit!”

Sarah stamped her foot in exasperation.  “Douglas, how can you say you don’t like someone when you won’t even talk to him.  You have no idea what he’s like.  You know nothing about him.”

Douglas stroked his beard for a moment.  “No, but I picked up a little about him.  He’s not a good person, Sarah.”

“You’re not psychic, Douglas,” Sarah said dryly.

Douglas refused to be goaded.

“So you are basing this assumption from the two hours you spent in the restaurant with Wilson today?” Sarah asked.

“Pretty much,” Douglas said.  “But you know, Sarah, I can read people pretty good.  You know, I learned it from my job as a bouncer.”

That was bullshit, and Sarah knew it.

She suddenly looked crestfallen.  “Doug, it is so important to me that you get along with Wilson.  He means a lot to me.  I think he might be ‘The One’.”

Douglas scoffed.  A moment later, he wished he had not, because he could see that he had really hurt her.

“I cannot believe how you are acting tonight!” Sarah exclaimed.  “I hope you act better in the morning, after you get some sleep.”  She stood up to leave.  “I can’t believe you did this to Taylor and me.  We were really looking forward to this double date.  And you were the one that said you wanted to meet Wilson in the first place.”

Douglas shrugged.  “Wilson wasn’t talking, either,” he said.

“That doesn’t excuse you,” said Sarah.  “You’re my best friend.  I thought you cared about me.”  She was close to tears.

Douglas was relieved when Sarah left.  He was not comfortable when girls cried, and even more uncomfortable when he was the cause of it.  He felt a twinge of conscience about not being more social at the restaurant, but really, how was he expected to conduct himself while some reptilian killer was lying in wait across the table.  He laid back on the couch, pondering the situation until he fell into a fitful sleep.

CHAPTER FIVE

Sarah did not sleep well, either.  She was deeply hurt by Doug’s behavior that night.  For some reason, she felt less insulted by Wilson’s silence during the meal.  She was more willing to excuse his behavior.

She brooded over all the possible reasons for the guys’ dislike for each other.  While she believed Doug was honest when he said that he had never met Wilson previous to their encounter in Fond of Fondue, she had an inkling that he was not telling her everything. 

Wilson was handsome, romantic, and charming, but they had not yet achieved a point in their relationship where Sarah expected him to be open about his thoughts and feelings.  Conversely, with Douglas, they had been best friends for so long that she was a bit offended that he would not confide in her.

She was showering the next morning when Wilson texted her.  She decided to actually call him back.  Her spirits were low, and she needed to hear his voice. “Good morning,” she said. “Did you sleep well?  Fabulous.  I’m putting you on speaker so I can finish getting ready.”  She tapped a button on her phone.  “Go on.  What’s up?”

Wilson sounded a bit serious.  “Can we meet for lunch?” he asked.

Sarah was winding her wet hair in a towel.  “Are you okay?”

Wilson’s tone changed a bit.  “I’ve missed you, that’s all,” he said. His voice was a bit husky, and she detected a slight longing.  “We didn’t get any time alone last night, with all your friends there.”

Sarah smiled.  “I’m sorry about last night.  It was kind of a disaster, wasn’t it?”

Wilson hesitated and then replied nonchalantly, “No worries about it, babe.  It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Sarah was growing warm all over.  She liked this charming, amorous Wilson much better than the cold, uncommunicative one from the night before.

“Let’s do lunch, then,” she said.  “Where?”

“I want to cook for you,” Wilson said.  “I’m going to text you the address to my friend’s house.  He’s out for the day and gave me free reign of the kitchen.”

“I’m so flattered!  And excited,” Sarah said.  She could bet that a man as cultured as Wilson was a great cook.

Wilson texted her his address, and she plugged it into the GPS app on her phone.  Then she dashed to her closet to search for an emergency lunch date outfit.

***

She emerged from the subway, dressed to kill, about fifteen minutes after twelve.  She had already texted Wilson that she was going to be a bit late.  She had told him that she was being waylaid with an important phone call, but in reality, she had taken hours to perfect her makeup, her hair, and her outfit.

When she approached the address he had given her, she gasped.  The building was magnificent.  She could tell it was centuries old, and built of a beautiful, iridescent stone.  Gargoyles grinned from the eaves.  She grinned back up at them.  What a charming place to live!  It was perfect for her prince among men.

She spoke into the intercom, and Wilson’s cheerful voice answered.  He buzzed her in, and she found the elevator.  Wilson was waiting at the door of his friend’s condo when she arrived.

“What a beautiful place your friend has!” she exclaimed to Wilson.

“Yes,” he agreed.  “I am so lucky to stay here.  I’ll have to show you the courtyard garden.  Did you see that?”

Sarah shook her head.

“There is a fountain.  Of course, it’s not as pretty as it would be in the springtime, but it is very charming.”

He beckoned her towards the kitchen. They sat on two bar stools while he poured glasses of white wine.

“Isn’t a bit early for a drink?” she protested.

Wilson insisted that she at least sip it.  “I bought it just for us,” he explained.  “Besides, it is the perfect starter to our meal.”

“Wow, it is absolutely delicious.”  Sarah took just a sip at first, and then a huge gulp.  She finished the glass, and Wilson, who was still hovering over her, refilled it straightaway.

The oven timer rang.  He flung open the oven door and removed a tray. An enticing aroma filled the kitchen.

“Mmmmm, it smells so good,” Sarah said.  “What are we having?

“It’s grilled tuna with wasabi and ginger and my own special sauce,” he announced.

“What’s in your special sauce?”

“It’s not just special.  It’s also a secret.  I can’t tell you.”

“I won’t tell anyone else,” promised Sarah.  “Tell me what’s in it.”

“I’ll go to my grave and shall never reveal the ingredients of my secret sauce,” said Wilson overdramatically.

Sarah giggled.  “I bet I can guess the ingredients.”

“If you do that, my lady, you will win the prize.”

“That just makes me more determined,” Sarah smiled, accepting the plate Wilson handed her.

She studied it in delight.  The filet and roasted vegetables were arranged artfully around the plate, while Wilson’s “special sauce” (she sniggered again at the name) spiraled and looped around them.  “You have some skills with the squirt bottle,” she teased.

Wilson’s eyes danced and he nodded in agreement.  His mouth was stuffed with tuna and vegetables.

Sarah speared some tuna and an asparagus spear with her fork and sopped up a bit of the sauce.  She put the bite in her mouth, and raised her eyes in amazement. “It’s incredible,” she told Wilson.

“Do you really like it?” he asked.

“You should have your own restaurant!” she declared.  “No one has ever cooked like this for me before.  It’s marvelous.” 

“Thanks,” Wilson said.  “Figure out what’s in that sauce yet?”

Sarah focused on the next bite.  “Honey?”

Wilson nodded.

“Thyme?”

He nodded again.

“Worcestershire?”

Wilson laughed and shook his head.  “Wrong.”

Sarah was thinking aloud.  “There’s something that’s not sweet, but smells sweet.  Kind of reminds me of a summer morning in the country.  Almost magic, in a way.”

She glanced up to notice that Wilson was staring at her in that disconcerting, creepy way he had a few times previously.

She shifted uncomfortably.  Perhaps he was having one of his seizures.  If so, it was beyond his control, but she was beginning to find it really eerie.

“Wilson.  Wilson!” she said loudly.

He jumped.

“I’m sorry,” he said.  “I was lost in thought.”

Sarah found it strange that his thoughts would stray in the middle of what she had thought was a stimulating and playful conversation.  But again, if he was having seizures, he could not control what his mind was doing.

When Wilson was finished eating, he suddenly sighed and looked at her sadly.  “I don’t think your friend likes me.”

Sarah frowned.  “Doug?  No, he’s just a bit shy.  He doesn’t talk much.”

“You’ve known him your whole life?”

“Pretty much,” said Sarah.  “We met in first grade.”

“He probably doesn’t like anyone who you date, does he?” Wilson asked.

Sarah disagreed.  “I think he’s just overprotective sometimes.”

“What did he say about me?” Wilson asked.

Sarah was a bit stunned that Wilson would ask such a question.

“He told you not to go out with me, didn’t he?” Wilson said petulantly. 

“He didn’t say that,” Sarah said.  “Besides, it’s none of his business.”

Wilson was silent for a few minutes.  He laid the empty plates into the sink, rinsed them, and dried his hands.  Then he walked softly over to Sarah and kissed her on the cheek.

“I’m sorry I’m being so difficult,” he said.  “I don’t mean to criticize your friend.  It’s just that you are starting to mean so much to me, and I don’t want anyone to ruin that.”

Sarah forgave him instantly.  She hugged him tightly.  He smelled so good.  His scent almost reminded her of that secret ingredient in the sauce, that special, magic herb that she could not identify but stimulated her appetite and evoked feelings of security and happiness.

Wilson murmured.  “My friend won’t return until tomorrow afternoon.  Perhaps,” he hesitated.  “Perhaps you could stay the night?”

Sarah released him.  Suddenly, she was on edge again.

Wilson stepped back.  “I apologize.  Maybe I am misreading you?  I just miss you so much when we’re not together.  I’ll be all alone here tonight… We could always stay at your place, if you’re more comfortable there.  Except your cats hate me,” he suddenly recalled, and grimaced.

Sarah wavered.  She was very drawn to Wilson, but a little voice in the back of her mind was whispering that she should postpone a romantic interlude for the present.  She thought quickly.

“Oh Wilson,” she said.  “Any other night I would accept, but I can’t tonight.  I have to study for an exam for tomorrow.”

Wilson was disappointed.  “But you study all the time, Sarah.  Are you sure you’re not just over-preparing?”

Sarah shook her head.  “I’m sorry, Wilson, but it is absolutely necessary that I pass this exam.” 

“Maybe tomorrow night then,” Wilson said dejectedly.

Sarah put her hand on his arm to reassure him.  “It’s just for tonight.  We’ll talk tomorrow.”

She kissed him quickly on the cheek, grabbed her coat, and made a quick exit. 

She felt a bit liberated after leaving Wilson’s place, almost as if she had escaped from a situation where she had not been free to leave.

“My feelings about Wilson are so conflicting,” she thought a bit desperately as she walked quickly through the city.  “One minute I feel like I know him so well, and the next, he’s actually a little scary.”

She decided that she needed to get Doug’s advice, although she already knew what it would be.  She hopped on a bus headed towards his neighborhood.

Douglas was sitting on his living room floor, avidly studying for a chemistry exam when she knocked.

“Good, I need an excuse to take a break,” he said, summoning her inside, and limping back to his spot on the floor.  “My leg is asleep,” he moaned.  “I was sitting on it at an odd angle for too long.”  He punched his leg until there was a slight crack.

“Disgusting,” grumbled Sarah.  “I told you not to do that around me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Douglas in mock obedience.  He shook his leg and hopped to his feet.  Then he grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and tossed one to her.

Sarah drank it gratefully.  Her head was still a bit fuzzy from Wilson’s wine.

Douglas lay flat on the living room rug again.  He stretched his limbs. 

Sarah grimaced at the cracking joints. “I didn’t come to watch you flex your muscles, Mr. Hairy Giant.”

“What’s up, then?” Douglas asked.  “Still mad at me about last night?”

“No,” Sarah said softly.

Douglas began doing some crunches. 

Sarah studied him.  “I had lunch with Wilson today,” she remarked.

Douglas said nothing.

“Sometimes I really think he’s ‘The One,’ and then other times, he creeps me out,” she blurted.

Douglas ceased his work-out activity and sat up quickly.

“He’s very dangerous,” he said. “I’m glad that you’re picking up on that fact.”

Sarah was irritated.  “And what do you base that conclusion on, Doug?  Tell me.  You have to know more than you’re saying.  I’m starting to get scared.  I wish you would be honest with me.”

Doug was silent.  Sarah knew only of the human world.  She would lose all respect for his opinions if he spouted an absurd concept about supernatural creatures.  He kept his eyes on the carpet.

Sarah waited for a response, and when there was none, she got up and left in a huff.