One Thousand Years to Forever (5 page)

“
Mom, you did what? How in the
world did you find out that?” She listened some more. “Uncle Pat
did what? Oh my God, Mom, that’s a bit much... even for you.” She
listened some more. “I know. I know you are just looking out for
me. I know he could be a weirdo who just happened to save
me.”

She listened some more and was
shocked by what she next heard. “He’s what? He’s from one of the
richest families in Europe and has been richer than the Queen of
England... A very old family, very quiet, but movers and shakers in
everything... ”

She was trying to digest all of
this. “How the hell am I going to go out to dinner with him? I
haven’t got anything to wear and it’s already late in the
afternoon... ” She threw down what she had picked out and sat on
her bed. “No, I can’t... I am going to call him and tell him I have
pneumonia or something... ”

She stood at the sound of the
doorbell ringing. “Hold on you two, someone is at the door. Hang on
a minute while I go see who it is.”

She ran down stairs and looked out
the window next to the door. A white van with flowers painted on
it, with Hoboken Gardens written on the side, was parked in her
driveway. She opened the door.

“
Yes?”

A woman had a long white box in her
arm. “Katherine MacNamara?”

Katherine just stood there. She
could hear her mom saying, “Answer her.” But Katherine could only
stand there, staring at the white box, knowing it must contain
flowers.

All of a sudden both her Mom and
sister-in-law screamed, “Yes!” in her ear making her jump which
made her say, “Yes.”

The woman smiled and handed her the
box. Katherine said, “Thank you.” The woman turned and left,
leaving Katherine standing for a moment longer while she listened
to what sounded like magpies in her ear. “God, I am so going to
hang up on you two... ”

She walked back into the house and
brought the box to the dinning room table. “Yes, just wait.” She
opened up the box and moved the tissue paper back and was met by a
profusion of color. Crimson roses, a dozen of them, sat in the
milky, white paper. “Oh my God... ” She lifted one and smelled it
and drank in the faint rose scent. “Yes, they are flowers and if
you must know... roses... yes, it has a card... ” She opened the
card.

I wanted to send you something and
to thank you again for going to dinner with me tonight. Dress
casual, no worries. We will have a nice, relaxing
evening.

Colum
.

She repeated what was on the card
to her mother and Issy. “Yes, I guess he took care of that... I
will keep you posted... Love you too.”

She just stood there and stared at
the roses. Picking one up, she had a vision of a hot house that
grew these beauties but it didn’t look modern and then when she
looked further into the vision she saw him a far off and a warm
smile on his face as he walked towards her. It was Colum, but he
was dressed like a man would have two hundred years ago. His hand
reached for hers, she extending hers towards him and for the
briefest of seconds she felt his touch...

* * * * * * *

John looked his mom over and
smiled. “You look great, Mom.”

Katherine studied her son and knew
he was holding something back. “OK, what is it?”

“
You just look tired, Mom. Are you
feeling OK?”

Katherine brushed back the hair
that always fell over his face. “Yes, I am tired and just burning
the candle at both ends.”

John gave his Mom a hug. “Well,
just promise me you will relax tonight and enjoy
yourself.”

Katherine pulled away from John and
studied him. “You really are so wise for your age. It’s you who
should be going out and having fun.”

He blushed. “I do, basketball
season is coming up and then I won’t be home at all.”

Katherine could hear the other two
come flying down the stairs. “Mom, have you left yet?”

Katherine had to laugh as Pat and
Sally came skidding to a stop. “No, you know I wouldn’t leave
without kissing you goodnight. Besides, I will be home early, a
couple of hours max…”

A knock came to the
door.

“
I’ll get it Mom, go sit down,
don’t look eager…”

“
Oh my God, have you been talking
to your grandmother... wait till I talk to her.”

John laughed as he walked towards
the door. “She said she would call later tonight.”

Katherine shook her head and
chuckled as her oldest son went to open the door. She heard him say
hello and Colum’s deep voice saying hello in return.

When they came back into the
kitchen she was shocked at the size difference of her son next to
this giant. Her son was staring up in awe at the man who had saved
her and somehow also lived in the same town she now lived. She was
going to have to ask him about that... ”

“
I see you got the roses I
sent.”

Katherine blushed at the thought of
when they arrived. “Yes, they caused quite the furor when they
arrived. I was on the phone, conference call with my mom and my
brother’s wife.”

“
Aunt Issy?” Sally chimed
in.

“
Yes... ”

Colum walked up to the table where
the vase that held the flowers sat and picked up a blossom. “I
picked them out myself. I hope it wasn’t too much of a problem with
your family.”

Katherine felt like a moth to the
flame. Getting up she walked up and touched the blossom that Colum
held out. A vision flashed in front of her eyes. She looked up and
saw him but again, it was him but in another time. She shook her
head and blinked her eyes and the vision was gone but Colum stood
there watching her.

“
Are you OK, Katherine? If you
don’t feel well... ”

Katherine shook her head. “No, I’m
fine, just something floating in front of my eye, that’s
all.”

Colum smiled down at her. “I’m glad
you are OK, I would be lonely at dinner at the restaurant by
myself.”

Katherine felt like there was just
the two of them but she knew her children were watching and
listening to everything that was being said. “Somehow, I don’t know
if you would ever be lonely.”

“
Mooomm... earth to Mom... are you
going out or not? Olivia is coming to pick me up and I’m staying
over there. Remember?”

Katherine smiled at Colum and then
turned to her daughter. “Yes, I remember. Have fun, be respectful
and help out.”

“
Oh Mom, you know I
do.”

Pat came up and gave his mom a hug.
Whispering in her ear, “Have fun Mom, you deserve it.”

Katherine hugged her son and when
she pulled away she felt a tear sliding down her cheek.

“
OK guys, behave, see you
soon.”

She let Colum help her with her
leather jacket, then he held the door for her. She felt the kids
watching her so she turned to wave to them, acting like going out
on a date was a normal occurrence.

When they got to his Rover, he
opened the door and held it till she got in. As she sat waiting for
him, she watched him as he walked around the front. She saw him
stand for a moment, almost as if he sniffed the air. He got in and
smiled at her. She saw his teeth gleam in the lights of the car as
he started it up. “Excuse me for a moment.” He picked up his cell
phone and typed out a quick text. Then he turned back to her as he
hit send. “I hope you brought an appetite because I hate eating
alone.”

Katherine snuggled down into the
seat that was warming up despite it being leather. “Yes, actually I
am quite hungry. Normally, I just nibble, but tonight out of
nowhere, I am ravenous.”

As Colum drove out of Mechanic
Street he turned and smiled. “That’s good. You need a bit of meat
on your bones. You look a bit smaller from the last time I saw
you... ”

“
The last time?” Katherine looked
up at him and then she knew what he meant. She had lost weight in
the last few years. She had always been one hundred and thirty
pounds, now she was lucky if she was at one hundred and
fifteen.

As Colum drove by the end of her
wall that surrounded her property he saw a car parked just a car’s
length from Katherine’s gate. He detected a foreign tobacco being
smoked. He smiled at Katherine but his whole body and senses were
in a heightened state. That was why he had sent a quick text to
Travis, who was now on his way to check out whomever was sitting at
Katherine’s at this very moment.

Colum touched Katherine’s hand.
“Promise me you will eat more then just a salad
tonight.”

Katherine smiled at him. “Don’t
worry, I’m starved... ”

They sat in a back corner of the
restaurant. A few other couples were sitting further away from
them. After they had finished a bottle of wine. Colum ordered a
steak, rare. Katherine took one look at that and her mouth started
watering.

Colum could see her sizing it up
like it was about to be devoured by
her
not him. He knew she
wouldn’t be able to resist it if it sat in front of her, especially
with her blood count and iron levels. He was taking in everything
about her scent, and it was a wonder she was even
walking.

“
It’s really too much for me to
eat alone,” Colum said as he watched her watch him. It was funny
how she had always loved rare meat.

So she finished his steak and her
scallops. Now they were on to dessert. “How about we do a dessert
crawl after?”

“
I don’t know if I will be able to
fit any more in.”

Colum smiled. “You will...
”

Katherine sat back and held her
teacup. She studied the man who sat in front of her now. Who, when
talking with him, was cultured, well-read, but also a battle
hardened warrior. He had been the head of a Special Forces Units in
quite a few places. She now remembered having heard his name when
she worked for the
Times
.

“
Now, tell me how you happened to
come live in Rockport, Maine of all places?”

Colum stretched out his long frame.
“A piece of property came up at the right time. I could show it to
you tomorrow if you like.”

Katherine had to pinch herself.
Here was the man, one of the wealthiest men in Europe, who had
rescued her, was now seated across from her, lived just down the
road from her, and had come across her on her run. It also appeared
he liked her company, too.

“
I would love to, but it would
have to be early in the morning. I promised Sally I would take her
to Freeport and the Mall to shop.”

“
You’ve got it. How about
breakfast at my place, say at seven? There isn’t anything like
seeing the water come alive with the sunrise.”

“
Yes, it’s beautiful. I’ve become
quiet spoiled living here after living my entire life in the city.”
She took another sip of her tea. “I’d love to have breakfast at
your place.”

She leaned in towards him. “So tell
me, why Rockport? I know the property was available but from what
my Mom told me, you and your family have homes and estates all over
the world.”

Colum picked up his coffee cup.
Taking a sip he studied Katherine. Her hair, like polished copper,
falling in waves, layers cascading off her shoulders. Her eyes,
sending off sparks. Those emerald green eyes, that were so very
common amongst her folk. Making him want her like he had always
wanted her and loved her.

“
Yes, I’ve been all over the world
and once you find a spot that speaks to you, well, you never quite
forget it. I came here many years ago... on a sailing trip...
”

He remembered that time, it had
been right after he had lost Katherine the last time. He had been
beside himself, inconsolable. He had been looking for someone to
kill, even tried self-destruction, but his father had caught him
and had banished him to the new world. His father had always had
his hands full with his heir every time after Colum lost her. That
last time had been in 1710. He had come here and found peace but it
had taken many, many years. He had become a soldier for hire in the
years leading up to the Revolution. It had taken the Revolution to
get him back on an even keel...

“
Colum, where are you? You seem so
far away.”

Colum straightened up. “Let’s go to
that little restaurant called Fresh and have another
dessert.”

Katherine laughed. “Do you really
think I am going to be able to eat anymore? God, I am about to
burst.”

Colum signaled for the check.
“We’ll walk for a bit... ”

They walked along the harbor on the
boardwalk. Walking side by side, their arms just brushing each
other, occasionally their hands. Katherine noticed that most of the
boats were covered in shrink wrap. The windjammers looking like
giant ghost floating on the water.

Colum looked down at Katherine and
saw her shiver. Taking off his leather bomber jacket he placed it
on her shoulders. It was the real deal from his World War II
days.