The Origin (10 page)

“Excuse me, Miss King?” An immense, dark-skinned stranger stood in front of her, dressed in a dapper black suit. His long black dreadlocks were held together in the back in a ponytail, and his face was attractive in an almost overwhelming way. With his square jaw, long nose and stately forehead, he gave her the impression of Polynesian royalty, big as a statue and just as imposing.

He let go of her arm once he had her attention. “I just wanted to tell you that your performance moved me.”

“Thank you. I hope that means you enjoyed it?”

“I did. Very much,” he said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Olivia King. Any relation to Richard King?”

Olivia, still high from her performance – and in a way she’d rather not admit aloud, from Alex’s unexpected return to her life – replied without hesitation. “Yes. He’s my father.”

The man sighed, visibly deflating from her answer. “Ah, I see,” he said.

“Is something wrong? Were you expecting someone else?”

He shook his head and stood straight once again. “I just wanted to meet you. Congratulations once again,” he said before walking off. A dark-haired woman met him at the end of the hallway and he whispered in her ear before they strolled off hand in hand, suddenly reminding Olivia of her own love interest.

She pulled out her phone and dialed Daniel’s cell phone number. When it went straight to voice mail, she hung up and tried his apartment.

He picked up halfway through the first ring. “Hello?” he said with his raspy voice. She was surprised momentarily; what was he doing at home? Did he attend the play at all?

“Daniel, did you use the ticket I gave you?” she said, trying to sound nonchalant when she was actually rapidly running out of patience.

“I did. I was there.” He paused a moment, then said, “You were… amazing.”

“Thank you, but did you leave early or something? Your apartment’s way up town.”

“No. I’m just really… fast.”

“I thought we were going to meet up after the ballet and maybe go to the after party?” She leaned against the wall. “Well, I
assumed
we would do that.”

“I’m sorry. I was just trying to avoid, uh, someone. Do you still want to me to come?”

“No, just stay there. I’ll come over. We still need to talk.” His reaction, an audible gulp, was so comically executed it made her snicker. “Give me about forty minutes.”

“No! I’ll just come and get you.”

“I appreciate that you’re trying to be chivalrous, but that plan makes no sense.” She caught a glimpse of blond hair in her peripheral view. Her eyes rested on Alex, who was at the end of the hall, talking to one of the dancers in a very friendly manner. He caught Olivia’s eye and winked.
 

“Don’t worry about it, Daniel. I’ll just get a ride from a friend.”

“I realize that we are just friends and all, but this is…” Alex began to say as he parallel-parked his gunmetal gray Audi. “Highly unethical.”

Olivia looked out the window at the non-descript apartment building. “What is?”

“My dropping you off at another man’s doorstep,” he said. Before she could say anything, he continued, “I may be a model, but I have enough brain cells to know that I just delivered you to your boyfriend’s place.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

He raised one groomed eyebrow. “He’s not?”

“No. We haven’t touched on that subject yet.”

“Well, then he’s a fool. If we were dating, I’d have already touched that subject. Amongst other things I’d have already touched,” he said with a megawatt smile.

She grinned despite herself. “You haven’t changed one bit.”

He sighed as he leaned back in the leather seat, looking at her in earnest. “What if I told you that I’m a different person now, Mei? That I’m not that same guy you knew before. What would you say to that?”

“I’d say it’s a miracle.” He had had a reputation of being a player, a title he had rightfully earned. Olivia had flirted with disaster, but in the end, had been smart enough to avoid becoming just another notch on his bedpost.

Alex was unable to keep from smiling at her. “When you tire of this game we’re playing, the same one we were playing a few years ago, you know where to find me.”

“Funny, and here I thought you were the only one who had been playing games all along,” she said, trying to stop the bitterness from seeping into her words.

“Like I said, I’ve changed.” His eyes bore into hers, willing her to believe the improbable. She had faith in his conviction well enough; she just couldn’t say the same about his follow-through.

“You’ve said that before.”

“This time, it’s true.”

“I’ve heard that too.”

He paused, fiddling with the leather steering wheel. “It took a while, but I finally figured out why you kept saying no to me back then.”

“Because you couldn’t keep it in your pants?”

He nodded slowly. “I guess you could say it that way.”

“How would
you
say it?” she said incredulously.

“I wasn’t mature enough for a monogamous relationship yet.”

“Nope, you certainly weren’t.” She shook her head ruefully. “And, honestly, I don’t see any indications of this change you speak of.”

“That’s not... You don’t even...” He blew out a sharp breath of exasperation and exited the car. “Goodnight, Mei,” he said as he held the door open for her.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she stepped out, wondering when their happy reunion had suddenly become so serious. “I guess it’s one of those things that needs to be seen to be believed.”

He swatted her words away with a casual flick of a hand. “Do you want a ride to the theater tomorrow night?”

“Sure, Alex.” She eyed him skeptically, sensing something definitely different with her old friend. The old Alex would have argued with her until he was blue in the face, possibly even calling witnesses to support his case. This alternate-reality Alex had just admitted defeat, a response that left her more than a little bewildered.

As she took the stairs to apartment 209 on the second floor, she entertained the idea of a more mature Alex, one who was ready to commit to a single relationship. She thought about the cut crystal bear that still lay in her purse and, despite the tiny prickle of guilt, hoped that he truly hadn’t changed. Because as much as she liked Daniel, she couldn’t help the fact that she’d always felt a strong chemistry with Alex, one that was still left unexplored.

If given an ultimatum, she didn’t know which man her finger would point to, and frankly, she didn’t want to have to make that choice at all.

Daniel heard the soft footsteps coming up the stairs and he quickly leaned against the doorway in an attempt to appear casual. He had seen Olivia pulling up in a grey Audi and had wondered why she was taking so long in the car. When the blond guy had emerged from the car to open the passenger door, Daniel had felt an unfamiliar urge to dash down there and shake him by the collar, a feeling that left him dazed and discombobulated. Was this what happened when emotions were allowed to wreak havoc in one’s life?

When Olivia finally made it to his floor, she greeted him with a tentative smile and a quick hug.

“Uh, did you get here okay?”

She nodded. “Yes. A friend gave me a ride.”

He looked at her expectantly, hoping to hear an explanation on this
friend’s
very existence. But Olivia simply met his eyes and said nothing.

They stood around awkwardly for a few moments before Daniel finally invited her into his humble apartment. Since her phone call, he’d had time to pick up in the living room and wash the dishes in the sink. He didn’t have to do much more to make his apartment presentable, sparse as it was.

“So this is where you live…” She stood in the middle of his tiny living room, looking out of place in front of the sterile white walls and his collection of ill-assorted second-hand furniture. If she thought him low-income and lacking a creative bone in his body, then she would be right.

“Yep, this is it.” He headed towards the narrow galley kitchen, which was but three steps away from the living room. “Would you like a drink?”

“Just water, please,” she said and took off her long, black coat. She laid it on the edge of the faded blue couch, along with her purse.

Daniel took his time in the kitchen, trying to delay the inevitable. He had promised to tell the truth, and in that he would deliver, but he wasn’t exactly looking forward to her reaction. She would think he was certifiable, that much was certain.

“Are you desalinating the water first?” came Olivia’s voice, reminding him that her patience would not endure forever.

“Sorry,” he said as he returned, handing her a glass of water from the faucet.

She took a small sip then set the glass on the water-stained coffee table, never once taking her eyes off him. “So… talk.”

As he sat down beside her, his mouth immediately began to move on its own volition. “Well, when I was a boy, I once had a crush on Kelly from Saved by the Bell.”

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clearly trying to dig into the deepest reserves of her patience. “Daniel, honestly, I’m beginning to seriously doubt if you’re worth all this aggravation. If you aren’t going to tell me, then just say so and we can stop all this bullshit.” She paused, biting her lower lip. “Is it drugs?”

Daniel looked at her in mild horror. “No. Hell no.”

A look of relief briefly crossed her features. “Then tell me why you disappeared for four days.”

He sighed. It was time to pull away the mask he’d so long hidden behind; he couldn’t stop himself now if he tried. “I was lured into a trap and shot. Lots of times. Then they tied me up and left me for dead in the bottom of the Hudson.” He paused for a moment, shocked at how much he was willing to reveal, then continued, “Four days later, I woke up cold and starving.”

God, she must think I’m completely
batshit
insane
, he thought as he searched her face for a reaction.

“Okay,” she said carefully. “So who shot you?”

“I don’t know, some drug lord I’m assuming. All I saw was that he had a ponytail.”

Olivia visibly stiffened. “A ponytail?” she asked, her eyebrows knitting. “Did he look Polynesian or Pacific Islander?”

Daniel shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t get a good enough look at him. It was dark inside that building…”

“A man came up to me today, after the performance. His hair was in a ponytail. He asked me if I was related to Richard King.”

“And?” He leaned closer and held his breath.

“I told him he was my father.” When he exhaled sharply, she added in a fluster, “I mean, how was I supposed to know? I thought he was just a fan coming to chat!” She threw up her hands in frustration. “I might as well have given him my social security number too!”

Suddenly, she paused and her eyebrows furrowed. “Hold on a minute…”

Daniel froze, knowing the instant when the jig was up. For a moment there, he thought he had actually pulled it off.

“So you were shot by this guy, and you were where? Underwater? For four days?” Olivia said, her frown deepened the more questions she asked.

Shit. Crap. Damn!
He had hoped that she would be distracted enough to forget about that little detail. Though he’d had plenty of time to ponder, he still had no clue how to breach the subject of his abnormalities without sounding mentally ill.

“You were great tonight, by the way. At the ballet,” he said, cupping her cheek in his hand in a last ditch attempt at diversion. “You danced so beautifully.”

One perfectly-shaped eyebrow rose. “Thank you, Daniel. But you’re stalling.”

He took her hands in his and laced their fingers, as if that gesture alone would prove his integrity. “
Liv
, if I tell you this, you have to promise not to freak out. Or think that I’m certifiable.” He squeezed gently.

Her eyes searched his and she must have found something of value for she said, “I promise. Now tell me.”

“I’m different,” he began, drawing out every syllable. “I have, um, defects.”

“Defects? Like what?”

“Well.” He took a deep breath. “I’m very strong and very fast. And I heal quickly…”

“Like Superman?” she said slowly, one eyebrow still cocked.

“I guess. But he doesn’t need rapid healing because he’s indestructible. The healing ability is more like Wolverine’s.”

“You can’t be serious.”

A bitter laugh escaped from his throat. “I wish I was kidding.”

“So you’re telling me that you are superhuman. And that’s how you survived being shot?”

Ignoring her thinly veiled sarcasm, he nodded. “And I can breathe underwater too, apparently.”

“So… like Aqua Man? Like you can summon dolphins and crabs?”

He gave her a look of exasperation, though her reaction did not surprise him at all. “You don’t believe me,” he said, dropping her hands.