Dorian's Destiny: Altered (13 page)

“Sweetie, you are going to
have to explain just a teensy bit more before I accept the blame
for the tears in your cappuccino,” Josie joked, demonstrating her
lack of knowledge with her thumb and index finger spread widely
apart.

Megan kept her smile as she
recounted hers and Dorian's first encounter. “On my way home, after
getting forced to leave work, I literately ran into someone. I was
so tired and I wasn't paying attention. It was beautiful, Josie. I
nearly fell on my butt, but was rescued by the stranger I had
collided with.”

“Why didn't you tell me this?” She asked,
slightly upset.

“Embarrassment, and the
fact that I didn't think much about the incident until I saw him
two weeks later outside Saul's Grocery.” She scoffed, hoping her
deception would go unnoticed by her intuitive friend. When she
didn't pry further, Megan continued uncrossing the invisible
fingers in her mind. “Anyway for some reason, possibly demonic
possession…Hey, don't laugh. I haven't ruled it out. I acted
totally out of character and asked him out.”

Another omission. I can't tell her I accused
him of stalking me, then she'll know I lied earlier about not
thinking about him when he was pretty much the only thing I have
thought about. Ugh! I don't want to keep things from her, but I
just feel so stupid.

Josie sat listening,
picking up on the slight pauses in Megan’s words, wondering why she
wasn't telling her everything.
“You know,
you can tell me anything and I won't pass judgment. I'm here for
you, always.”

Megan nodded, but didn't respond. Awkward
silence filled the table as both ladies contemplated what to say
next.

“Well, don't keep me waiting, what did he
say?”

“He said okay.” Megan cringed, dreading the
reaction to her next sentence. “So I told him to meet me at the
park the following night.”

“Megan Marie Miller!” Josie saturated her
words with as much motherly authority as she could muster. “You
asked a total stranger to meet you in the park at night?!”

Megan rolled her eyes. “And you wonder why I
didn't tell you. I knew you would turn all MOM on me. Besides, I
already said I was possessed.”

“I am not turning MOM on you. I am just
speaking common sense. A young lady should not be inviting
strangers on dates in the park at night.”

“I just don't get it,” Megan threw her hands
up in defeat. “You tell me not to behave and when I follow your
advice, you lecture me. What role do you want me to play, good girl
or bad girl? Right now, I'm confused girl.” Shaking her head, she
stared at her hands resting on the table once again.

Placing a hand on one of
hers, Josie spoke kindly. “I want you to have fun, but I also want
you to be safe. I love you, Megan. You are like a little sister to
me. I'm sorry for lecturing. You are a big girl and apparently this
stranger isn't a pervert. So please continue with no further
interruptions.”

“I'm sorry for chewing you out. I know you
only worry because you care.” Megan squeezed her friend's hand
before continuing. “We met at the park and talked for quite some
time. I thought...” Stopping to wipe away a tear before it could
fall, she sighed before starting again. “This is the worst part...I
thought...maybe...he was the one.” She shook her head, almost too
embarrassed to go on. “Isn't that stupid of me, to conclude someone
I don't even know, is the person I'm meant to be with?”

Picking up on the return of her friend's
earlier fragile state, Josie hoped to intercede. “Of course it's
not stupid. Honey, there is nothing wrong with feeling an immediate
connection with someone. Just look at us.” She pointed back and
forth a couple of times. “Love is a peculiar emotion. It can happen
in an instant, or take years. Neither way is any more or less true
and meaningful. Please don't feel stupid or foolish that you
happened to experience the first.”

Pulling her hand free from
her friend's caring grasp, Megan retorted, “Well none of that
matters, since he obviously didn’t feel the connection I felt. I am
foolish, Josie. Extremely foolish. You say love is peculiar. Who
the hell knows, I don't. I know almost nothing on the damn subject,
except it takes two. How cliché? It takes two. And now this stupid,
childish ordeal I've allowed myself to become victim to has gotten
me swearing and rambling. I don't swear, but at this moment, I am
holding back a slew of four letter words. I don't know what I'm
talking about. I don’t know what I'm feeling – anger, confusion,
disgust at myself and him. Every encounter with Dorian has me
acting so out of character. I told you Blaze was the only man I
needed, but I didn’t heed my own words. Why didn't I listen to
myself? I know why. I thought that maybe I could have what my
parents had; the kind of love they write fairy-tales about; the
impossible love; the never ending love. The love everyone dreams
about, but so few ever get to experience. Ugh!” Exhausted by her
racing thoughts, Megan laid her head on the cold metal table. The
chill of the metal soothed her overheated mind.

Josie tenderly stroked the back of her head,
wishing she could do more to ease her friend's pain. Unfortunately,
there was no remedy, no medicine, and no cure, besides time.
Josie's only option was to provide a shoulder to cry on. This was
something Megan would have to work through on her own, a rite of
passage so to speak, her first broken heart.

*****

Sticking to his promise to protect Megan
from those that would do her harm, Dorian stood in the shadow
afforded by a shot street lamp, eavesdropping on the conversion in
the coffee shop. Guilt gnawed at his insides. His mistake of
getting close had caused more damage than he could have imagined.
The spark of decency still alive in his soul, inextinguishable even
by Thomas' morbid hands, caused him to contemplate possible
solutions.

“How can I fix this? I
could simply walk away, just put one foot in front of the other.
Force myself to forget her. But how long would she suffer – a day,
a week, more? What if my actions cause her to permanently doubt the
prospect of love? I could kill her. Finally extinguish a life to
complete the final step in my evolution. Wouldn't Thomas be proud?
She would no longer be suffering. That's a bit drastic though for
only a broken heart. I could confess. Tell her the ugly truth of
what I am. Then she would understand why I can't get close or she
will be too scared to care. Either way, problem solved.”

He remained in the dark, long after Megan
and her friend exited the coffee shop, debating with himself on
which course of action would be best: Walking away or confessing.
Murdering her was removed as an option almost as soon as the
thought entered his mind.

Pausing in his pacing, Dorian stared up at
the ominous black clouds bearing down on his location. A fierce
wind whirled around him. He shivered, a completely unnecessary
response done purely out of habit. Tucking his trembling hands into
the pockets of his jeans, he leaned against the brick building
waiting, anxious for Megan's arrival. Tempted to leave numerous
times, the impending storm provided a welcomed distraction.

God smiled down upon His once faithful
servant, pleased Dorian had chosen to confess, having only
shuddered momentarily, when His son mentioned murdering Megan among
his list of potential solutions. God knew Dorian's soul had not
darkened enough to commit such an act. Still hearing those words
spoken from someone once so pure was distressing. Dorian's current
decision marked the third in a string of wise decisions concerning
her. God felt sure given her nature, she would easily accept
Dorian's revelation and help him realize he wasn't a lost cause,
but only if he didn't bolt. Sensing his hesitation to await her
arrival, God gave the upcoming storm a little nudge. Then God
settled back to watch His lost lamb be gathered back into the
flock.

Minutes passed as Dorian continued watching
the sky, wondering if she would arrive before the bottom fell out.
Just as a drop of rain splashed against his cheek, he heard
footsteps. He knew they belonged to her, having memorized the soft
sound her nursing shoes created against the concrete sidewalk.
Knowing he couldn’t escape without being spotted or soaked, he rose
up off the wall and held his position.

Conflicting emotions waged war in Megan's
mind when she spotted Dorian outside her apartment. Stopping to
glance up at the sky after considering a quick reversal of course,
she wondered if avoiding him was worth getting drenched over.
Deciding she would rather remain dry, she continued walking toward
her building.

“Looks like rain,” Megan affirmed, stopping
just in front of the door to her building and glancing up at the
sky.

“Yep.” Dorian chastised himself internally,
but before he could come up with something better to say, Megan
spoke again.

“I don't see an umbrella,” Megan noted as
she searched his hands and the sidewalk.

Yanking his hands from his pockets, he
looked down at their emptiness. “No, unfortunately I left it at
home.”

Don't do it, she told herself, but before
she knew it, the words where spilling from her mouth, “Would you
like to come in?” Hoping not to sound too forward she added, “At
least until the storm passes?”

“Sure,” Dorian agreed, happy to be sheltered
from the storm.

Seeing the interior of Megan's apartment
allowed him to finally witness all classes of homes, the meager
(his childhood home), the grand (Thomas' oversized mansion), and
moderate. Her home was small, but cozy, a place Dorian could feel
at ease. It had everything necessary without wasting space. He
admired its quaintness and Megan's unique decorating. Thomas' home
was immaculately decorated with the finest offerings money could
buy, all matched perfectly both in color and theme. Megan's was a
mishmash of styles and colors, and Dorian found it much more
appealing.

Megan became self-conscious noticing Dorian
inspecting her home. “Welcome to my humble abode. I'm sorry
for...no, I'm not sorry for the decorating. My philosophy is if I
like it, I get it. It's not important whether it coordinates or
not,” she confessed as she slid her finger down the shade of a
zebra print lamp sitting on top of a lemon yellow end table.

“No, you shouldn't apologize.” Dorian shook
his head reassuringly. “I quite enjoy your style of decorating.
What is it called?” He asked with a smile.

Megan smiled back shyly. “It doesn't have a
name but if I was to give it a name, it would be 'Whatever'.”

Their pleasant banter was interrupted when a
mound of copper fun bounded out of nowhere and rubbed up against
Dorian's leg. “What the …!” He shouted, stopping himself just
before cursing.

“Sorry,” Megan apologized, grabbing and
introducing the big fur ball. “This is my cat, Blaze.”

Dorian couldn't keep from staring, impressed
by the similarities between human and feline.

“Would you like to have a seat? No need for
us to stand during the entire storm.” She nodded toward the couch
as she wrestled to contain her cat.

“Thanks.” He took the left
end of the brown suede couch while Megan and her twin occupied the
right end. As soon as all were seated, Blaze squirmed out of her
arms and plopped himself in Dorian's lap. He glared down at the
cat, convinced both cat and owner lacked the skills to sniff out
potential threats. No, instead, they practically throw themselves
at predators. However, he admired their bravery even if they were
completely unaware. Finally giving in to the prodding of Blaze's
head and paw, he stroked the feline, rewarded by intense
purring.

Mouth agape, shocked by Blaze's behavior,
Megan stammered. “Wow, he doesn't usually warm up to someone so
fast. My friend Josie doesn't get such a warm welcome and she's a
cat person. Do you have a cat?”

“No. Most animals give me a wide birth. So I
am just as shocked as you,” Dorian admitted, perplexed by the
animal's uncharacteristic behavior.

After his response, she went to take Blaze
back.

“No, it's fine,” Dorian
promised when he noticed Megan's outstretched arms. “I don't mind.
Besides, I have a feeling he would be a little miffed if I
displaced him.” Dorian smiled reassuringly.

“Okay.” Megan placed her hands back in her
lap, wishing she had something else to do with them. “Let me know
when you get tired of him. It won't hurt him to be miffed.” She
smiled back, enjoying the scene of the only man in her life
enjoying the company of the man she hoped would become number two.
Her manners broke through the veil of her daydream. “I'm sorry for
my rudeness. Would you like something to drink?”

“No,” Dorian responded, all
of a sudden serious. However, as much he enjoyed himself, he
realized there was no need to continue the pleasantries. It was
time to quit stalling and get down to the business of his visit, no
matter how painful it might be for those involved. “There is a
reason for my visit, besides sanctuary from the storm – which I
greatly appreciate, by the way. I never prepare for things like the
weather.” Sitting up straight on the edge of the sofa, Dorian
passed a snoozing Blaze back to Megan. “I don't want to take up any
more of your time. I am sure you're tired and would rather rest
than entertain company, just having gotten off work. So I'll
divulge the reason I was outside your building awaiting your
arrival. First, though, you should put Blaze up
somewhere.”

Her breathing increased drastically. She
wasn't ready for their visit to end. However, his sudden switch in
demeanor alarmed her, so she carried Blaze into her bedroom without
questioning why she needed to do it.