My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (5 page)

I turn the corner into the kitchen and spot Elena seated at the far end of the enormous granite island. She’s hidden behind the Washington Post, but I recognize the glossy red manicure as hers. I pour myself a cup of coffee and add in some Crème Brule flavored creamer.
Ah, now this is Heaven in a cup.

"Good morning Brennen. I do hope that a nights rest has removed the bitter taste your mother placed on your tongue."

"What do you think Elena?"

"Perhaps not."

Perhaps not indeed. In fact I'm more determined now to help Elijah completely on my own.

"Well at any rate, at least you have prom to look forward to today. I know you've been busy, so I've arranged for my people to come here after lunch."

"I'm sorry what people?" I ask, wondering what kind of torment they want to put me through today. Elena flips her newspaper to the next page as if she's already bored by the topic at hand.

"Thomas will take care of your hair
, and Maggie does the make-up. They're the best kept secret on earth," she whispers the last part while peeking out from behind her paper. I catch a hint of a smile just leaving her lips. "Of course, you should invite Emily."

"Elena thank you, but you didn't have to go through so much trouble."

"Better get used to it. After graduation, you and I are going to transform your wardrobe."

"What, why? I like my clothes."

She sighs, "Brennen, our future president cannot go off to Harvard in floral sundresses and plaid flannel. You have to look the part. And I intend to break you of the habit of using the word, ya'll when referring to more than one person. It's dreadful really."

"Is that so Elena? Well, ya'll better bring your big guns to that fight. I'd best be gettin along now." What is it with all of the women in my life wanting to control me? It only makes moving to Texas with Sam
sound that much more appealing.

I slip the lead on Brutus’s bone printed collar and head out for our run. I try and out run the angels tailing me like a hawk in kill mode. Brutus is in full stride right alongside me.  My legs burn but I ignore the pain and push through it. I’ll be glad when Elena is off my guard and Elijah is back. At least when it was him, he was never a pain in the ass. The ocean pushes against the shore, glistening under the citrine sun like a multi-faceted gem.

Brutus sets his sights on a flock of gulls and the beach is empty so I let him go. The birds take to the sky before he even gets close. He’s like a freight train with fur and they spot him bearing down from a mile away. 

Out of breath
, I strip off my running gear leaving only my swim suit on. I take to the water and Brutus joins in. He’s probably never been in the ocean, but he’s dead set on following me in. Once we get past the waves, he treads water next to me and licks my cheek. I dip under to rinse his slobber off.

“Sorry boy
, only Sam is allowed to get his tongue anywhere near me.” I rub the short slick hair on his nose. He’s starting to grow on me but I know I need to find him a permanent home. 

*~*~*

True to her word, Elena’s people show up and set up in the master bathroom. Maggie is a cherry plump woman with unnaturally red hair.
“Look out deary I’ve got a boatload of stuff to put up now.” She’s got a thick Irish accent and it takes me a moment to process what she just said.

“I’d be glad to help you.”

“Well come on then, get on with it,” she says shooing me out the door. I grab a box from her car and carry it to the bathroom.

Thomas
whips past us in some kind of hurry. He has an obvious spray tan and keeps his platinum hair in a short buzz cut. He’s wearing an ivory vest and copper colored shirt which alerts me to the fact that he’s too well dressed to be straight.

The counter is filled with cosmetics and hair products when they call us in. Emily whips out a bottle of champagne from
behind her back and two plastic flutes. I shake my head wondering how she gets this stuff. She pops the cork and pours us each a glass.

“My cousin works at the Stop n Shop.”

“To your cousin, and one hell of a night. No, wait I’d better rephrase that. To one simply fun prom night that we will always look back and cherish.” We don’t want to have any inkling of hell present tonight. 

Emily gets her makeup done by Thomas while Maggie does my hair. She sculpts my long locks first into gorgeous waves and then forms an elegant loose braid of sorts. I can’t describe it, it’s just pretty.

“Emily you are going to make every girl jealous tonight. You’re simply stunning.”

“You’re too kind. Stop.” She gushes playfully.

We switch chairs and Thomas transforms my face to airbrushed perfection, he whispers in my ear with a thick Spanish accent and in his feminine voice, “You need none of this.” He spins my chair around for the big reveal. “Look what masterpiece I have created.”

He’s rimmed my eyes in shimmery gold and swept copper and fuchsia across the lids. It looks exotic, like the eye of a majestic Arabian princess. My lips are red with a touch of gold shimmer and my lashes have been lengthened to gravity defying lengths. I bat them in slow blinks trying to convince myself that it’s really me under all of this paint and shimmer.

“Brennen you look so beautiful.”

“No
, no ladies, no tears, ju will ruin all of my hard work,” Thomas points out in a mock angry tone. I give her a long hug as Thomas blots my teary eyes.

Back in my room
, we slip on our couture for the night. The cool white organza slides over my bare skin and sends shivers all over me. Emily and I zip each other up then turn and raise our arms up and bump our hips together in triumph.  

Emily and I come downstairs after getting primped and poofed for hours. I crank up my stereo and put something funky on. My hips canno
t resist getting "low, low, low,” to Flo rida. It doesn't take long until we're both acting like fools in the kitchen. I laugh as Emily uses a nearby column to fill in for Jesson. I wonder what he's in for tonight.

"So dish, has he even tried to kiss you yet?"

"No, which makes tonight all the more exciting." She squeals in anticipation. I wonder if he even likes her like that or if he's just using her as an excuse to be near me, to protect my mother's investment. I hope he doesn't break her heart. The doorbell rings, it must be them.

Sam takes my breath away in his white bowtie and black jacket. A subtle whiff a new cologne drifts up from his over starched collar and it takes all of my strength not to strip him down right here in front of
the whole lot of us.

"Brennen Elizabeth Hale, tonight you outshine the stars. I can't take my eyes off of you, you're just so beautiful." Sam takes both of my hands and admires me from an arm’s length before kissing my lips as if I were made of glass.

Jesson doesn't look like himself. His hair is tidy and his face clean shaven. Tonight, he looks like the angel born from God's own breath that he really is. Emily's spellbound, her gaze lost somewhere between his cool blue eyes and the sparkle of his cuff link. He kisses her hand and entwines their fingers. The four of us, plus three invisible angels, pile into the limo. I find it amusing that the humans in this car are outnumbered, significantly, if I include myself in the "other" category.

After stopping at Em's house so her mother can photograph us in every pose conceivable, we finally arrive at the hotel. I make a vow to keep my eyes in this realm tonight. I don't want to have any clue what’s going on around me. Ignorance is bliss.

Our party heads up to the restaurant overlooking the Atlantic and one unforgettable sunset. Sam pulls out my chair, always the gentleman. A dizzying array of visions flash before my eyes nearly causing me to fall out of my seat. Memories of Elijah bombard me one after another. I grip the table willing them to go away. I want tonight to be perfect.

"Oh my God, " bursts from my lips sounding wholly desperate and needy. Elijah, a hammock and a setting sun far more glorious than this one, make for the steamiest uninvited day dream imaginable.

"Um babe, are you okay?" Sam asks with a look of utter confusion slapped on his face.

"I'm fine. Em, powder room?" I squeak out.

"Yes, let's check ourselves before dinner." She takes hold of my hand and drags me away thankfully before I can let another cry of need ring out.

"So, what was that all about?"

"Nothing I just thought I saw someone that I couldn't have."

"Like who, Channing Tatum?”

"Never mind, let's just get back out there."

Sam and Jesson both rise when we get back to the table. I can tell Emily is not used to dating a gentleman. That one small gesture, has probably caused her to anchor her affection for Jesson in stone. Not that I blame her, he’s kind, intelligent and handsome.

The waiter comes and fills our water glasses and takes our drink order.

“Let’s start a tradition. Every summer, no matter where we are
, we will spend one weekend together.”

“Yes, I like the way you think Em’s,” Sam says before he squeezes my waist. He pulls in close to me and whispers in my ear, “I can’t keep my eyes off of you tonight, or my hands for that matter.” The heat from his breath adds kerosene to the flames already burning deep inside for him. I know Jesson just heard every word as he looks up from his water glass almost choking on his ice. Emily pounds him on the back vigorously and I laugh at his misfortune.

The waiter comes back to take out order. I pull him aside and ask him a question in private. He nods with an air of caution built around it. But agrees to honor my odd request after I slip a couple of twenties in his hand.

“What did you ask him?” Sam wonders out loud.

“Oh it’s a surprise.” I say shoving a piece of bread in my mouth. He sticks out his chin and I’m sure he’s trying to estimate the depth of weird his girlfriend may possess.  

Dinner is delicious. I ordered the crab cakes like I always do in any seafood restaurant. After the guys get the check
, the waiter returns with my to-go order.

“What’s that?” Sam’s lids lower. “Desert for later?”

“Nope.” I pick up the bag before he can. He sighs out in mock frustration.

“Come on let’s get a quick picture on the beach before the sun sets,” I offer. We make our way down to the beach, luckily for our hair, it’s not windy yet. We kick off our shoes and I lift my dress to keep from dragging
it in the sand.

“Here give me your phone, I’ll get one of you two and then you can get us,” Emily says shooing us to the perfect spot.  Sam pulls me in and kisses my lips on cue while Emily snaps away. He poses behind me sweetly holding me in his arms.

Emily and Jesson strike the sailor and nurse pose and he lays a kiss over her lips that has her leg held in midair and all. Wow, I didn’t see that one coming. I snap the perfect shot. I’m pretty sure I just captured Jesson’s first kiss ever. He releases her slowly and they both look a little stunned. Emily composes herself for the next picture and Jesson holds her hands for the shot. I’m so happy for both of them.

“Okay so do ya’ll want to know what’s in the bag?”

“Nah.”

“Nope.” Sam and Emily tease.

“Alright then I guess I’ll just throw it out.” I walk over to the trash can and Sam finally breaks.

“Okay give.”

A smile speeds across my face with the anticipation.

“In this bag there are four live crabs. One for each of us. You will name your crab, you will cheer for your crab
, and the one who makes it to the sweet freedom of the Atlantic first, wins. The looser has to…”

“Spike the punch at prom,” Emily offers. I shake my head knowing some people drove here.

“The loser has to wear the crab for ten seconds.”

“Alright it’s on Hale.” Jesson says getting pumped up. I open the to-go boxes and release the small blue crabs. I name mine Elena. Sam draws four lanes in the sand and Jesson releases the rubber bands on their claws.

“You know you’re absolutely crazy right?” Sam teases.

“I already confirmed this with you, take me as I am or leave me for someone wholly sane and boring.” I retort. He points his crab in my direction with its claws open and ready to inflict pain.

“Get your crab away from Elena, she thinks he’s sexually harassing her.”

“Well get ready to eat crab dust because Jet is gonna leave her behind like the blue corps she is.”

We line our little guys up and Jesson whistles loudly to start the race. Commentating the whole thing like it was a NASCAR event.

“Jet gets a strong start out of the gate. Emily’s Nelly
, is coming up fast with claws raised in glory. Elena hasn’t moved at all, maybe she’s a corpse after all. But wait, who’s this making his draft from behind Jet? Ooh, it’s Blue Fury, it’s almost as if he’s being threatened with a boiling pot of seasoned water with a side of drawn butter.”

I’m dying laughing listening to Jesson. We all are. We can hardly cheer were laughing so hard. But this adventure is about to bite me in the ass literally if my crab doesn’t pull her stuff together.