A Love for Rebecca (21 page)

The elderly man moved across the circle until he was in front of a rock smaller than the one in the center. Kenzie led Rebecca to the rock, and the old man raised his arms.

“Spirits of the east, spirits of the air: let us feel your breath! Through times of uncertainty, through winds of change, will you still love and honor each other?”

“I will,” Kenzie vowed, and squeezed Rebecca’s hands so she would repeat the words.

“I will.”

“Then may you be blessed by the powers of the east. May together you find freedom of flight in the clear mountain air; may your marriage be reborn with each new dawn.”

The druid moved again until he reached the next position, indicated by a similar rock. Kenzie and Rebecca joined him there.

“Spirits of the south, spirits of fire: let us feel your power! Through the flames of passion and when those fires burn low, will you still love and honor one another?

“I will,” they responded.

“Then may you be blessed by the powers of the south. May together you dance down the road of courage and vitality. May your home be filled with warmth.”

After yet another change in position, Rebecca understood they were lining up with the points of the compass.

“Spirits of the west, spirits of water: let us feel your energy flowing. Through the white currents and deep, still pools of emotion, will you love and honor each other?”

“I will,” they again repeated.

“Then may you be blessed by the powers of the west. May together you weave and blend your desires, flowing with the beauty of the ocean tides. May your life together be filled with love.”

They moved one last time. Rebecca felt the north breeze on her face; it brought her even more fully into the moment.

“Spirits of the north, spirits of earth: let us feel your certainty! Through times of cold restriction, when problems seem immovable, will you love and honor each other still?”

“I will.”

“Then may you be blessed by the powers of the earth. May together you root in sweet fertile soil, that your union may grow strong.”

They returned to the center of the circle, where the druid instructed them to intertwine their hands.

Kenzie took Rebecca’s right hand, lifted it, and placed their forearms together. With his free hand, he produced a strip of cloth made of the same material as his kilt. He gave it to the druid, who tied Kenzie’s hand to hers.

“At sacred times and places, our ancestors clasped hands when they wed. These handfastings, witnessed by the gods and the community, were lawful, true, and binding, as love binds one heart to another. Are you ready to declare your vows to one another, vows that will bind you together, soul to soul, heart to heart, joining the bloodlines of your ancestors and those of your descendants, as witnessed by those who have gathered here this day, in spirit and in body in this sacred Circle?”

“I am,” each said.

“All things are circular. Night becomes day, and day leads into night, which again gives way to day. The moon waxes and wanes and waxes again. The seasons pass one into the other in a timeless procession. These are the flowing rhythms of the Cycle of Existence, and in the center of the Circle is the stillness of the Source, eternal and brilliant.

“Do you bring with you this day your symbols of these mysteries?”

Kenzie produced two silver rings tied together with a red ribbon. The druid blessed them and placed them on the rock.

“These rings are an outward sign and a sacred reminder of your commitment, witnessed here this day. As the sun and moon bring light to the Earth, do you vow to bring the light of love and joy to this, your union? Do you vow to honor each other as you honor that which you hold most sacred?”

“I do,” said Kenzie, and Rebecca vowed the same.

The druid untied their hands, placed the cloth on the altar, and gave a ring to Kenzie. He slipped it on Rebecca’s left ring finger. Then it was her turn. Her hands trembled as she did the same for Kenzie.

“Then let the Earth bear witness that this couple is joined in love and joy and freedom. So let it be. Let your vows be sealed with a kiss.”

Kenzie drew Rebecca close. Pools of tears welled in her eyes. “Don’t cry,
mo ghraidh
. Now you are mine and I am yours, forever.” And with that, he kissed her.

Flower petals floated over their heads. The druid spoke again: “My own blessing and the blessings of all those assembled here be with you. The blessing of your gods and the gods of your ancestors be with you. With you and with all that comes of your union. So let it be!”

With those words, the ceremony ended. Rebecca was vaguely aware of celebratory shouts and encouragement, but her only true awareness was of the warm force that was holding them together inside the sacred circle.

People came forward to congratulate them. She smiled and accepted their wishes for love and happiness. Gradually, they trickled away. The druid had some words for Kenzie, but Rebecca, speaking with a woman and her daughter, wasn’t close enough to hear their conversation.

The druid turned and walked toward Rebecca in his slow and steady pace as some of the men hoisted Kenzie in the air. “Dear lass, Kenzie has taken a beautiful woman for himself. But external beauty is not enough to make a man happy. I have spoken with him at length and he has told me about your situation.”

“And you still agreed to perform the ceremony?”

“I have known Kenzie since he was a boy.” He indicated a child’s height with a gesture. “In those days, he was full of bitterness and anger. A mother’s abandonment can cause a lot of harm to a boy. At first he didn’t talk about it, but with time his heart opened, and he learned to redirect his emotions to something positive. Now he’s a man and he deserves to be loved. I am afraid for the two of you
 . . .
But he told me what he feels for you, and I know he is a one-woman man, just as his father was. He’s wanted to offer his love to someone for too long, although I don’t think he knew it himself. He has chosen you, and no one can change that. That is why I performed the ceremony; the rest is out of my hands. You two have my blessing to face all the obstacles in your way. If you do it together, as one body and one heart, you will be able to do whatever you desire. If not, dear lass, you will fail. I will think of you both every day.” That said, he kissed her forehead and left, as silently as he had arrived, as if he were part of the forest.

Everyone had quietly disappeared, slipping back into the forest like a procession of elves, leaving Rebecca and Kenzie alone. He searched her face, then took it in his hands. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Now I am part of you. Well, not quite yet; there is one thing left to do.”

“What?”

“Don’t be naïve, Rebecca. Like any marriage, ours is not complete until it has been consummated.”

She hesitated.

He took her in his arms and embraced her tenderly. “Know in your heart, we have the blessing of all that matters.” Taking her by the hand, he led her deeper into the forest.

“Where are we going?”

“To fulfill a promise.”

The walk was difficult. There were no lanterns now to light the way, just an elusive moon peeking through the clouds. But Kenzie knew the forest like the back of his hand and guided her with a sure touch.

Soon enough, he stopped. Rebecca was glad for a chance to catch her breath. Kenzie took out the cloth that had tied their hands during the ceremony and moved to cover her eyes.

“Why the blindfold? I can’t see anything anyway.”

She heard him laugh. “Trust me.”

He picked her up in his arms. She let out a little yelp and then laughed. “Oh, this is so much better!” Her cheek resting on his broad shoulder, she felt the vibration of his laughter. “But for your sake I hope we aren’t going far. I’m heavy.”

“You’re as small and light as jellyfish.”

“I’m not that small or light, and jellyfish sting.”

Another laugh resonated on her cheek. “You are, compared to me. I could carry you all night long.”

She was sure he could. His breathing wasn’t even altered.

“What does
‘mo ghraidh’
mean?”

“Did I say that?”

She punched him lightly on the shoulder, and he laughed again. “You pronounced it correctly. You Spaniards are good with the r’s.”

“So?”

“It means ‘my love.’ ”

Rebecca caressed the back of his neck. “I like being your love.”

“From now on, you’re not only my love, you’re my wife,” he said and kissed her.

He set her down, still kissing her, and when their lips separated, he removed the blindfold. She blinked to clear her vision. And then she saw it: brilliant points of light flying in luminescent circles, a multitude of fireflies punctuating the darkness. It took her breath away.

“Oh, my God, it’s beautiful,” she said, overcome.

The luminescent glow parted as they passed through. She spun around, dancing with her arms open wide, hoping one would land on her hand.

Kenzie was watching her tenderly. He took her hand. “Come.”

They crossed to a clearing, a carpet of grass free of branches and leaves. They saw the flitting of a lone firefly, and the moon peeked from behind the clouds for an instant, illuminating their faces with a soft light.

Kenzie wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close. “Dance with me.”

She took his hand and rested her cheek on his shoulder. They danced slowly, barely moving. Kenzie’s taut muscles rippled through his shirt. She squeezed his hand tighter, wanting to extract every ounce of joy from the moment.

He whispered in her ear, his warm breath a sensual elixir. “The night we met, I fell in love with your eyes,” he said, and kissed her eyelids. “With your hair and your
 . . .
” He didn’t say it, but he caressed her breasts lightly. “You danced with me, but you were so uncomfortable. I knew it was because of how I looked. For the first time I wished I were someone else, someone worthy of you, like that fiancé of yours waiting for you in a city far way. And look at us now, Rebecca, dancing with fireflies in the night. Did you ever imagine anything like this could happen?”

“Never,” she whispered.

“Nor did I. And now my joy is complete, beyond my wildest dreams.”

Kenzie’s expression was as sweet as a child’s. His almond-shaped eyes smiled along with his lips, radiating happiness that seemed to come from the core of his being.

Unexpectedly, Rebecca felt a wave of sadness.

“What’s wrong?”

“I never want to hurt you
 . . .
”

“You won’t.”

“How do you know? Even I can’t be sure.”

“Your body tells me every time I touch you.”

“I want to stay with you forever.”

Kenzie began to sing softly as they danced, a romantic melody of love, of belonging to each other, of growing old together. He paused to gently kiss her neck before continuing his lyrical promises to her.

Rebecca tilted her head to kiss him, but dodging her lips, he looked into her eyes and whispered, “Will you stay here with me forever and forget everything else?”

The earth shifted under her feet, and a dreamlike aura enveloped her. “For you, Kenzie MacLeod, I would forget the entire universe.”

Slowly, delicately, he untied the lacing on the bodice of her dress, then turned her around and unbuttoned the back. He placed his hand inside to caress her skin. Rebecca breathed heavily when he unfastened her bra and let it and her dress fall from her shoulders to the ground. From behind, Kenzie’s hands caressed her belly, causing waves of erotic energy to wash over her. The heat of his body made her head swim, and when he touched and cupped her breasts she couldn’t hold back a gasp. His lips anointed her neck and shoulders.

She turned, wanting to look into his eyes and kiss him. She buried her hands in his long hair and caressed him. Kenzie removed his grandfather’s aged shirt, his hair tumbling to his bare shoulders, and his skin aglow in the silvery light. Rebecca moved her hands over his chest, feeling the soft covering of hair. He stood still, savoring her touch. His hands moved to the belt that held his kilt. It fell to the ground and they stood together naked, locked in an embrace.

Kenzie spread the piece of tartan on the ground for Rebecca to lie on. She thrilled to the silhouette of his naked body, to the darker shadow of his genitals, to his erect manhood. Kenzie lay down next to her and then slid lightly on top of her, covering her with kisses as he whispered words of love in the language of his ancestors.

He worshipped her body with his kisses, then looked in her eyes as he moved to mount her. She returned his gaze, her heartbeat accelerating, longing to fuse her body with his as the sea joins with the shore, wave after wave.

And that night all her desires were fulfilled.

THE RETURN

On the flight back to Barcelona, Kenzie’s voice resounded in her ears. “I’ll hold you in my dreams until you come back to me,” he’d told her on the bridge to Eilean Donan Castle, their final stop before returning to Beauly.

She was going home, but she felt her destination, in some ways, was uncertain. Her heart ached when she recalled Kenzie at the airport, his anguish palpable, his steps practically faltering. Fighting back her own agony, she had tried to cheer him up and give him courage, but it was as if her promises served only to deepen the sadness of their parting.

She had fallen unalterably in love with Kenzie. Making promises about their future together had been effortless; she had been powerless to do otherwise. And she never doubted that things could turn out any other way. On that incredible night in the moonlit clearing on the Black Cuillin, as they made love one last time at dawn, she had sworn she would return. Her body was incomplete without him. That enchanted night in the forest had blessed their union with the powers of the Earth itself. They had become one—one body now forlornly split, each half missing the other, as the return flight carried Rebecca and Berta home.

Lola did not accompany them; she was staying a few days longer with Rory. Soon the two of them would come to Barcelona and then move together to Edinburgh.

The plane touched down at El Prat Airport late in the afternoon. Enric was waiting for them with his friend Pablo. Rebecca felt odd and hardly noticed the tall man with brown hair who accompanied her brother. On the drive into the city, Enric chatted on and on, asking about their time in Scotland. Berta took the initiative and carried the conversation, mindful of her friend’s fragile state.

After they dropped Berta off at her home, Enric addressed his sister. “What’s wrong? You’ve been very quiet. Are you feeling unwell?”

Rebecca wanted to tell Enric the truth, but she didn’t feel up to talking about it. Not yet. Besides, Pablo was there. She didn’t know him and didn’t want to say anything in front of him.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” she said, taking the out that her brother’s question presented.

Enric didn’t persist and talked instead with Pablo. Rebecca, in a daze, looked absentmindedly out her window, wondering what would happen now and how she would come to grips with it. She closed her eyes and Kenzie’s image appeared. Her breathing deepened. She tried to relax.

When they reached the family home in Pedralbes, Enric began to question her again. “You want to tell me what’s going on? You can’t fool me. If you go in the house with that face, Mother and Dad will know something’s wrong.”

“I’ll come see you after work tomorrow, and we can talk then, but right now my stomach doesn’t feel very good.” This time it was true. Her nerves were wreaking havoc with her stomach.

“Why don’t you spend the night with me tomorrow and fill me on your Scottish adventure? The guest room is all furnished. Plus, I have things to tell you,” he said, turning his gaze toward the vehicle, where Pablo was waiting.

“OK.” She tried to laugh, but her smile fell short of her eyes. “But first I have to see Mario.”

“I already figured that. He’s been going crazy with this business with the Arabs and hasn’t thought about anything else. You know how he is.” He took her bags out of the trunk and said, “Really, Sis, do something about that look on your face, or Mother and Dad will think you had a thing with some Scotsman.”

Rebecca blanched at the insinuation and faced anew the realization of how far away Kenzie was from her world. His life was the polar opposite of her own. She pondered the difficulties confronting her.

That night she ate little. Throughout the evening she was acutely aware that her face was flushed. Normally it would not have been so evident at this time of year, but after three weeks in Scotland, her tan had faded. The longer her mother observed her, the deeper she flushed. Her mother was known to have the intuition of an oracle. She was sure her mother could detect her errant thoughts.

Patiently, she answered questions from her father and Inés about her trip to Scotland. But her mother, who didn’t have the slightest interest in the history or culture of Scotland, soon turned the conversation to the center of her world: the wedding. She highlighted the great efforts she and Rebecca’s future mother-in-law had gone to so that everything would be taken care of well ahead of the event.

Rebecca pleaded her queasy stomach and excused herself early. In bed, she lay still as she held the photo that Sophie had given her. She realized she was holding her breath and tried to breathe normally. She focused again on the picture: her and Kenzie dancing at the Celtic festival. She looked so shy in his arms; no one would suspect she’d end up falling in love with him. Yet Kenzie seemed to have realized at that exact moment that he would love her forever.

She exhaled. How would she tell her mother there would be no wedding? She had looked at Rebecca strangely. Had she noticed something?

That night her determination suffered a mild setback. Everything seemed strange, from her room to the feelings she had when she thought of Mario. Luckily everything would be over soon. But how was she going to sort it all out? “When you don’t know what to do, honey, don’t do anything,” their maid, Baudelia, would always say. But that wasn’t an option in this case.

As a student at the university, Rebecca had always been well organized and prepared. It didn’t matter whether it was just an everyday issue or a tough assignment to develop a methodological study plan. Everything had a beginning. What was hers?

Undoubtedly, the first thing was to talk with Mario. She knew it would be a blow, but she was convinced his feelings for her were not irreplaceable. He would find another woman, maybe one closer to his age, and everyone would learn to accept the broken engagement.

Or so she hoped.