A Veil of Glass and Rain (5 page)

beside me in an instant. He took me in his

arms.

I screeched, “Don't touch me. I hate you!”

Then I began to tremble uncontrollably.

“I don't know what to do. She's so cold. Should

I take her to a hospital?”

I was back under my mountain of blankets,

but I still felt like there was ice in my veins. I

wanted sleep to take me back under, but

Eagan's anguished voice kept me afloat.

“The aspirins aren't working. Maybe I should

give her something stronger, or--What? Mum,

are you listening? She's freezing and--Seriously?

Fine. I'll ask her. She's awake. Well, sort of.

Dammit!”

His face was suddenly close to mine. His

hand caressed my hair, his other hand held his

cellphone close to his ear. “Kitty-cat?”

“What?” I rasped.

“Mum, I really think she needs--Fine. Brina,

why do you hate me?”

I emerged from my cocoon and managed to

sit up. Eagan sat on the couch, close to my

feet, still clutching his phone.

“I hate you because you're cutting me out.

I'm supposed to be your family, Eagan, but

you've let them trash and poison what we

have. I love you and I don't care what other

people think about us. You're my friend, my

family, and if other people don't like what we

have or how we behave with each other, I

don't care. Screw them! All I need is my

family, all I need is you. But, apparently, you

don't love me enough, if all it takes for you to

give up on us are a few words.” By the end of

my speech I was breathless and deplete, but at

least my heart felt a little less heavy.

Eagan smiled his easy smile. “Are we sure

she's only 14, mum?” He asked his cellphone.

“Yes, I'll take care of her. I'll make everything

good again. Bye, mum.” He placed his phone

on the coffee table, then he pulled me into his

warm embrace. I let him.

As soon as my face was pressed against his

chest, and the smell of cinnamon enveloped

me, I began to cry.

His lips brushed my temple. “I am so sorry,

Brina,” he whispered. “I love you so much,

kitty-cat. Forgive me, please. I'm sorry. I love

you.”

He painted my skin with his sweet words,

until I fell asleep.

A rumbling laughter woke me up. Eagan's arms

were around me, my cheek was pressed

against his chest and a huge snot and drool

stain decorated his t-shirt. I sat up and

covered my leaking nose with my hand.

“Sorry!”

Eagan reigned in his laughter, but only to

admire the stain on his chest. “It has the shape

of Italy.” He traced the contours with his

fingertip. “You even painted Sicily and Sardinia

with your drool. You're very accurate.”

“Gross, Eagan!” I blushed wildly and

grabbed a Kleenex from my stash on the coffee

table. Eagan began to laugh anew, while I

buried my nose into the tissues.

“Don't be embarrassed. I'm actually

impressed,” he managed to say in between

bouts of laughter.

“Stop it!” I tried to sound stern, but his

chuckling was infectious, and my lips curled

into a smile.

After a few more bad jokes about snot,

drool, and geography, he brushed my cheek

with the back of his fingers.

“It's good to see you smiling,” he said, then

he cupped my face in his hands and drew me

toward him, to press his lips to my forehead.

“You're not burning anymore,” he murmured

against my skin.

“I'm in desperate need of a shower,” I told

him.

He sniffed. “Yes, you are.”

I pushed him away and he laughed, again. As

I stood, my head spun a little and I wobbled.

Immediately, Eagan was beside me, his arm

around my shoulders to support me. I leaned

into him.

“I'm still a bit weak,” I stated the obvious.

“I can see that,” he agreed.

Then he scooped me up in his arms and he

carried me up the stairs. He deposited me

gently in front of my room.

“Thank you.” I beamed up at him, but his

face was tense. “What?”

“If you feel like you need to thank me

because I'm kind to you, it means I've really

made a big mess of things.” He gave me a sad

smile.

I grabbed his hand. “Eagan, I-”

Hi shook his head. “I'll fix this. I'll make

everything good again.”

When I was fourteen my hair barely reached

my chin, therefore it was very manageable and

quick to wash.

It didn't take me long to shower and change

into clean sweats. I even managed to descend

the stairs without faltering. In the den I was

greeted by a grinning Eagan; a sofa full of

clean blankets and pillows; a tray loaded with

toast, jam, orange juice and steamy milk.

Eagan had changed into fresh clothes as

well. I went to him, clutched a handful of his

T-shirt and stared right into his bright blue

eyes. “Thank you, Eagan.”

His expression turned serious and

unmovable for a few moments, but then his

face relaxed and the grin reappeared. “You're

welcome, kitty-cat.”

We ate breakfast while we watched

cartoons on TV. I ate toast, drank some juice,

but my stomach refused the milk. While Eagan

cleaned up, I hid under the blankets and

waited. After a while the covers shifted and

the sofa dipped. I felt Eagan's warm body

behind mine. He linked an arm around my

waist and pulled me back against him. I took

his hand in mine and cradled our joined fingers

against my chest.

“When my mum called and told me you

were sick, I got so, so scared, kitty-cat.” He

nuzzled my neck. “Then, when I saw that you

weren't just sick, you were crushed, I wanted

to kick myself.”

I squeezed his hand to reassure him.

“I know I shouldn't care what other people

think about me,” he continued, “But David's

parents aren't just people. It matters what

they think about me. You know, according to

David, Felia is already over the whole thing. It

was just a momentary crush. But I knew it

already. It's David's folks reaction I don't get. It

made me question everything. At the airport

David hugged me and I pushed him away. And

he told me, 'Dude, snap out of it!'”

“I like David. He's a great friend,” I

interjected.

Eagan kissed my cheek. “He is. And so are

you, Brina. You brought me back.”

I let go of his hand and shifted a little. His

arm tightened around me. “Where are you

going? You need anything? I'll get it for you.”

I beamed and shook my head. “I want to

look at you.”

His arm loosened a bit, and I turned, so that

we were facing each other. “You are an

amazing person, Eagan. You make everyone

around you feel special. You even made the

uptight Russian crew snort. I don't want you to

change.”

He held me tighter and nuzzled the top of

my head. He murmured my name, then he

said, “I'm wearing a snot-proof T-shirt.”

I chuckled and buried my face against his

chest.

We spent the entire day sleeping. We

needed it. Eagan's arms were the perfect

cocoon. I hoped he thought the same of me.

The following day I felt much better, but I

wasn't happy about it, because it meant that

Eagan could go back to his grandparents.

I found him in the kitchen. He was a very

good nurse, for on the table there were toast

and tea; the only things my stomach was able

to accept. He was also preparing sandwiches

for his trip back to England.

I took some deep breaths and tried to brace

myself for the imminent separation. Then I saw

the plain tickets; they rested on the table, one

was for him, the other one was for me.

Tears gathered in my eyes and then fell

along my cheeks; I just couldn't hold them, so

much was the relief. He came to me and

cradled me in his arms.

“I love you,” I sobbed.

“I love you too, kitty-cat.”

5.

My heart stutters when I see his name on the

display of my cellphone.

“May I speak to Miss Brina Féau, please?”

I try not to laugh. “It's me, Eagan. You

called my cellphone.”

“Are you otherwise engaged, or are you free

to talk?”

“I am free, but not for long. I need my

beauty sleep.”

“I won't keep you for longer than it's

necessary.”

“Eagan, seriously?”

“You started.”

“Well, no. You called.”

“You're the one with the
previous

engagements,
'” he says, imitating my tone

“I see, that's what this is all about. Well,

sorry. I really had something to do.” A lie,

once again.

“You formally ran away.”

“I did not!”

“You so did!” He is right.

“Eagan, it's not like I left you alone in the

middle of big, old Rome. You were with your

friends.”

“You didn't like them.”

“They were very polite.”

“But?”

“Nothing. How was the happy hour?”

“Happy.”

I try very hard not to think about him with

the attractive brunette. “And the rest of the

night?”

“I went home. I was beat. Your city is very

tiring.”

“Said the New Yorker, who went to

university in London.”

“Rome is crazy. It's--”

“Too much, I know.”

“Yeah, but I found a nice, secluded park

today. A place to escape the chaos. It's not far

from the Colosseum. It's surrounded by walls.

You enter through an iron gate. Once I stepped

inside, it was like being in another world.”

His tone has changed, his voice has become

deeper and bit rougher.

I am reclining on my narrow bed, and I can

easily imagine Eagan stretched out on his,

which is probably a big four-poster, with soft

sheets and covers that smell like cinnamon and

male skin. In my imagination he is surrounded

by darkness and the faint streetlights that

come from his window. Shadow and light

caress and define his firm body, just like I've

seen water do so many times. In my

imagination he's also naked.

“This park was all soft hills and high pine

trees,” Eagan's voice continues. I walked for a

while. I let my skin absorb the warm sun. I

filled my lungs with clean air.”

I extend my limbs and arch my spine, just

like a cat. I'm wearing panties and a thin top.

Eagan's soothing voice is like a caress along my

body.

“Then I saw something that made me think

of you, Brina.”

For a moment I freeze, waiting. My fingers

tighten around my phone; I don't know what

I'm expecting, but it seems crucial.

“It was a flower, an hibiscus. Its petals were

a deep pink, and wide open to the light. They

seemed very delicate. I was almost afraid to

touch them, but I couldn't help myself. I

allowed only my fingertips to brush the petals,

at first. Then I took one petal between my

forefinger and thumb and I stroked it lightly,

then more insistently.”

My nipples are hard and pressing against my

top. My legs have parted of their own accord,

and the hand that is not clutching the phone is

cupping my wet and throbbing sex. He is killing

me with his voice and his tale.

“I found out the petals were warm from the

sun, and a bit moist from some lingering

humidity. They were also more resilient than

they appeared. Just like you, Brina.”

I whimper and Eagan exhales deeply.

For an infinite moment we remain quiet.

Only our breathing punctuates the silence. I'm

tempted to grind my mound against my hand,

to find some sort of relief, but Eagan's voice

still my movements.

“You're still there?” He murmurs his

question.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Good. There is a party next Saturday.

Nothing fancy. Just some friends and

colleagues, It's not private, it's a club, so you

can bring your friends.”

I let out a frustrated whimper, then I force

my hand away from my pulsing groin.

“Say yes, Brina,” Eagan demands.

“Yes.” My voice sounds a bit firmer this