You know how it is. It was after a depressing Christmas and New Year where I was about as happy as a two week old turkey sandwich! I tried not to let it be known, putting on a smile for my family’s sake, but there were certain things I couldn’t do, no matter how traditional they were in the William’s household. For one thing, everyone got their gifts from me in gift bags instead of wrapping paper because it was too painful a memory of when Draven and I were in my old room wrapping gifts together.
Oh and I stupidly crammed in Christmas pud, just because last year we declined it after dinner to go back upstairs. Poor Frank had to go out in the snow and get me a packet of Rennies from the only place he could find open.
So, by the time I went back to college I was in desperate need to focus on anything that had nothing to do with a certain someone. I can’t say it didn’t still hurt, oh hell no, it hurt every damn day! But as the days went on and as the time passed, it just hurt a little less. That was ok of course, until my friends had finally ground me down into going back to Afterlife to see them and I’m not talking about just Jack and RJ.
The main difference this time was that ‘he who shall not be named’ had kept to his word. I spoke to Sophia and Pip almost every day, but I always refused any information they had offered about their King. I’d even met up with them both a few times since, along with seeing Lucius when he was near Portland, which granted was only once and that was because I quote ‘Squeak nagged me’.
I had even seen Vincent on occasion and once we even went for a ride on his bike to nowhere in particular, just somewhere and anywhere we could be alone. There was never anything in it, but spending time with someone I loved like a brother and always would, meant the world to me. He had tried to tell me about his brother a few times but after I made it more than a little clear (I was loud), he gave up.
I had even received a postcard from Sigurd, which was funny as it had on it a man’s naked behind with a tattoo on one cheek that was stamped ‘Pain in the ass women belong here’. I had tears in my eyes that day and laughed until it hurt. But I had to say the biggest shocker of all was when one day Jared showed up at my door. Frank nearly had a heart attack at seeing a biker on his doorstep asking for me.
He told me he was just passing through and wanted to know if I fancied getting a drink with him. It took me three days to convince Frank and Libby that I wasn’t going off the deep end and becoming a biker chick or a Hell’s Angel’s old lady! (Which had me once again in stitches laughing when Libby had said that’s what they call them).
I think that was why they seemed so relieved when I finally introduced them to Alex. Libby had to fan herself in the kitchen when she heard his French accent. I just laughed and shook my head knowing my family was nuts, but I loved them.
Alex was originally born in America, but he was brought up mostly in Bordeaux, in the South of France, to then study in Paris. Both his parents were dead, but that was about as much as I had been able to get from him, as it was clearly a touchy subject, which was fair enough considering I had quite a few of those myself.
He travelled quite a bit, which was also alright with me as I wasn’t ready to jump into a demanding relationship just yet. But the strangest thing about our relationship, which had been just over six months, was that we had not once had sex. We had done some stuff together but the actual act was not on the cards yet and I found myself conflicted, wondering if I ever would be able to. I was happy this wasn’t just down to me as he was deeply religious and didn’t believe in sex before marriage.
I couldn’t believe my luck. I had found the one guy out there who was old-fashioned enough to think this way and I couldn’t have been happier for it. After that last night with Mr No Name, I couldn’t seem to be able to get past it enough to even try, but thankfully with Alex I didn’t even have to.
Which brought me back to now and why I had been in the loo for the last ten minutes having a series of mini panic attacks. Sophia had convinced me to come to Afterlife tonight as she and Vincent were coming back for a few weeks. My first question had been answered even before I asked it.
“Don’t worry Keira, Dominic won’t be there.” The relief was obvious in the whoosh of air that came from my side of the phone. Sophia just laughed at me and then talked my ear off for an hour and half until I caved in. So now, for the first time in over a year, I was back and weeing my not so big girl knickers!
“Yo Bitch, your yummy French pie told me to come in here and get you…oh and he told me to say ‘Surprise’!” RJ said coming to jump up on the sinks to face me.