The Glass Secret (Chain of Secrets) (43 page)

“I’m not sure...bad blood, maybe, or perhaps it was too difficult for them.”

I nodded. “Yes, I’m sure it was hard for them. But, I’m wondering. Why did he give her things to a child?”

He sighed. “That’s a good question.” Rain smiled, it was apparent to me by his expression that he liked my inquisitive nature. “It wasn’t so much that the items were given directly to my uncle. You see, in order for his wish to come to fruition, he had to choose a family with a young child, someone young enough, who could complete the request.”

“Ah, I see...I think,” I said, still feeling a bit puzzled. “So, what did your uncle have to do?” I asked with bated breath.

“They were asked to give away only the gifts that he had given to her.”

“Hmm...I suppose that doesn’t seem like such a hard thing to do...I mean unless they got attached to them, especially, if the other things were as exquisite as this.” I ran my hand over the porcelain edge of the tub. “Unless, someone was attempted to sell them, but who would risk getting cursed.” I grimaced, but I wasn’t sure if I believed yet in the legendary curse. It sounded far-fetched, but I played along. Rain nodded as I spoke on. “So, what were the other items?”

“There was a silk gown, her engagement ring, a pair of red shoes, and a silver necklace that he had designed especially for her, and of course...the bathing tub.”

“I’m sure they were all lovely. But I still don’t understand why he chose a young child to do this? I mean, why couldn’t your uncle’s parents just give her things away?”

“Well, they did—some of them, but there was a catch, a long-term catch. In the letter he specifically stated, under no circumstances can the items be sold—or the curse would come to them—”

“Right, and who wants that,” I chirped with conviction, but still doubted there was a curse.

“Exactly...and not only that, but each gift had to be given away piece by piece, one at a time...every twenty-three years on the date of her birthday.

“Hmm, that is a long-term catch...which makes sense then why he had to choose a family with a child—I mean, in order to give one item away, every twenty three years, the gift-giver would’ve had to been young enough to complete it over all this time,” I said, doing the math in my head.
One item every twenty three years, and there were five items—hmmm, that person would have to live to be over one hundred years old.
“This all makes sense now, but why did he ask them to be given away every twenty three years?” I asked, curling my bottom lip inward under the top one, wondering.

“Because that’s how old she was at the time of her death.”

“Oh, gosh...of course, I should have known. It’s so sad, she died so young...” I winced. “I wonder why he did such a thing?”

“Well, I don’t believe it was entirely up to him, remember there was the one wish he was granted by the after-life spirits...but first her belongings had to be given away as a part of the deal.”

“Right...” I confirmed. “I wonder what his wish was...surely, it had to have been something to do with his bride?”

“I would imagine so...but there’s more to the legacy.”

I inquisitively asked, “More?”

“Yes, his specific instructions were that the
gifts
he had given to his bride had to be given away to a young woman—a woman who could
not
afford such lavish items.”

“I see. That means giving away her things was even a bigger part of the deal that he had made, in terms of time anyway. And, of course, he couldn’t have accomplished this on his own, even if he had lived,” I said, calculating again the time it would take to give the five treasures away. “This doesn’t make sense though because it would’ve taken almost a hundred years to give away her things, so he would have died before he got his wish. That doesn’t seem like it was such a great deal for him. I hope somehow...he’s with her now. Somewhere.” I felt like crying, but didn’t.

Rain didn’t say anything. He only nodded, yes.

“So, how many years has it been since the last gift was given away?”

“Well, today is May eleventh. So, it’s been twenty-two years, one month, twenty-seven days and seven hours.”

“Wow, you have this down to a science. I’m impressed!”

“He was specific that it must be done on the day of her birth, and within the hour she was born. It’s something I just keep track of.”

“I see.” I felt a strange pang of jealousy. “When is her birthday?” I quickly counted ahead. “Sometime in March, I’m guessing.”

“March fourteenth.” When Rain told me this chills transcended down the length of me, causing my fine hairs to stand straight up.

“Pi...” I said, my eyes widening in awe of the date.

“A perfect circle,” We both whispered in tandem.

“What a beautiful love story—legend.” I smiled fondly at him.

“It is and I am honored to complete the legacy.”

“Complete? Is it over...?”

“Soon...” he said, a sad expression crossed his face.

“But, why?” I asked, feeling a pang of grief, too.

“The bathing tub is the last gift that he gave to her, and it’s the last item to be given away. When my great uncle could no longer hold her things in his possession, he gave it to me. So, the circle will be completed on the day of her birth.”

“Wow, he really went to great lengths to do this, huh? He must have really loved her.”

“Yes, he certainly did,” Rain said with a magnitude of conviction in his tone.

“Gosh...” I whispered then paused, my eyes drifted into the swirling water of the bathing tub.

“What is it?” he asked, “Is something wrong?”

“I was just thinking...I hope someone loves me one day as much as he loved her. What a beautiful legacy he created in her honor.”

“Yes, he did,” Rain said then lifted my chin with his finger to face him. “And, Brielle, I’m sure someone does.”

I knew what he meant. He was being sweet.

“Thanks.” I smiled, blushing at him and contemplated. “Why did your uncle’s family agree to this, considering the curse that was attached to it and all? What was in it for them—and you? I mean, not that we should expect something in return for helping someone out, but who wants to risk getting cursed—”

“That’s another good question...there are two sides to the
curse,
per se, like the ying and the yang. The legacy promises with each item that is given away, that the giver, and the one who receives the gift will be granted good fortune, long life, and one wish.”

“Ah...like a magic lamp...so, did your uncle get his wish?”

“I think so.”

“You don’t know?”

“He never told me what he had wished for because...”

“...It wouldn’t come true,” I said, feeling as if I had finished his sentence.

“That’s right,” he confirmed, smiling.

“What exactly happened to the groom?”

“Brielle...legend has it he died from a broken heart.”

“But, what about his wish and long life and all that?” Rain’s gaze drifted into the darkness. “Rain...did his wish come true, or does he have to wait until the legacy is completed? Rain,” I said, nudging him slightly.

“I don’t know Brielle...maybe—” He smiled softly.

“Tsk, that hardly seems fair—unless his wish was to be reunited with his bride in the after-life. I would bet on that.” I shuddered. “Unfortunately, we will never know if any of this is true, or what happened. For all we know it’s just a silly legend,” I pouted, stretching my lips into a thin line. “This is the saddest, but sweetest story I’ve ever heard. I hope his wish came true or does next year, or all that your family did was for nothing,” I said, noting Rain’s smile had turned downward.

I shouldn’t have been so negative. Maybe, Rain was banking on a big wish for himself, and along comes me, destroying the power of the legend.

Rain continued to gaze into the dark, passively.

The candlelight that danced on his face cast shadows, making him appear older than his actual age. Nonetheless, he was extremely handsome. I had to recapture his attention, I felt as if I was losing him to a sad memory. I placed my palm over Rain’s hand, which brought him back to me.

“Yes...I hope so too,” he whispered humbly. Rain gently wrapped his large hand around mine, brought it to his face and kissed my fingers, tenderly.

Oh God, his lips heated the blood in my veins. He entwined our fingers together and slipped them into the hot steamy water, waving them through the rose petals. The petals dispersed like ballerinas spinning across a stage.

I felt his dark misty gray eyes absorbing all of me. The sound of the swishing water mingled with the hum of the motor, and the warmth of his touch, arousing me like an aphrodisiac. A familiar sensation dwelled at the entrance of my femininity.

“Please, excuse me for just a moment.” He released my hand and stepped away. I sat on the edge of the spa, waving my palms back and forth through the silken water.

In the reflection of the water there was an immediate flash of light:

I saw Rain and me in a darkened room—we were bathing together, there was a pink light illuminating behind us. I saw books, lots of books, and loose pages of a novel, my novels floating around us. He hovered over me, his lips pressed hard against mine as his tongue parted my mouth. He tasted like a decadent truffle. I wanted to swallow the very being of him.

Rain’s voice captured my attention. “Beautiful Brielle, you look deep in thought,” he said inquisitively. “What stirs your mind?”

-5
1-

I would be honored...

I sprang to my feet, spilling out my words without hesitation, and when doing so his jacket fell off my shoulders. “I’m not sure why you brought me back into this lovely place...but I’m glad you did.”

“And, I am honored that you came.” He endearingly brushed his fingers across the contour of my cheek. God, I loved how he was so down-to-earth, yet, spoke so proper, almost formal at times. He had a quiet reserved nature that I found profoundly attractive, spellbinding, as much as his physical attributes, but I sensed he hid another side that was much more assertive and dark.

“Me too, I mean, honored that you invited me here,” I reiterated, definitely, doing my best to impress him, but felt as if I was failing miserably. My eyes fell to the spa then lifted back to his; it all happened in a flash. “Rain, this is such a gorgeous bathing tub...thank you for taking the time and sharing its history...but, well, I still need a spa,” I buzzed, followed by a high-pitched breath of air. Lord, I was stumbling over my words.

I continued on when I should have shut my mouth, instead allowing my tongue to mangle whatever thoughts came to my mind. “I mean...I can’t afford this spa, and even if I could you’re not supposed to sell it—” I gushed. “So, is there a replica of it stashed away around here somewhere, you know, something I can afford?” I asked, trying to pass it off as a joke by my tone. “I want one that looks just like it.” I grasped onto my purse and pulled out my credit card, passing it toward his direction. “Here, I have one-thousand dollars left on it; unfortunately the shoes shopping ate up most of my budget, so it’s all I can afford. Can you find me a spa similar to this one for that price?”

If it was his plan all along to make a grand sale by using the good old bait and switch tactic, he succeeded with me. I scanned the dimly lit room, feeling my cheek blushing with utter embarrassment. Just, another non-filtered moment of mine.

The corners of his mouth curled upward into a demure smile that settled into his eyes. He fixated on me without breathing a word. My fingers knotted together as he took a step closer to me.

Should I have moved in toward him? Was I imagining that there was more going on here between us, than, what I was feeling? I felt a strong connection with him. Did he feel it, too? Maybe he was just being polite, and I'd surmised that he was trying to seduce me. Was it all just a notion wishing that he was?

I stared intently back at him, trying to hold my composure, again, failing miserably as my wet hands fumbled between the folds of my skirt in an effort to dry them. I was a hot and cold mess, literally. My fingers were freezing, but other parts of me burned with desire—I wondered if he even noticed.

He had an inexplicable patience about him; it was unnerving, causing me to swallow my confidence. I would like to see him lose his composure, just a little, or to see him a little mad, but not at me though, but then again, maybe! Not sure why, but the thought of him losing it, angry like a bull, turned me on. Surely the making-up session would be phenomenal.

He kept up his steady eye contact, his eyes glued on to me as I scrambled for the right words to say. He made me uncomfortable with who I was, and he particularly seemed to be enjoying my awkwardness.

Then he reached down to my sides and ran his palms down the length of my arms, but this time his touch delivered warmth to my chilled skin. Almost magically a small white towel appeared in his hands, and he enveloped it around my wet cold hands, drying me. I wondered why I didn’t notice he had been holding the towel. How did I miss it? Because I was too busy processing my internal thoughts. His touch was tender and pampering. I stood there, allowing him to dry me as if he were my chambermaid, or in this case, chamber-man. I was feeling a bit foolish with too many thoughts stimulating my brain.  Most of which, I wanted to hide from him.