The Third Throne: Angel of Darkness (3 page)

How would you like me to explain that I can sometimes see the spirits of the dead roaming around, or worse, that I hear voices?  That alone would get me committed.  No telling Uncle Bob!

P.S. Dana is staring at you.  I think she will be the next one to ask you to Prom.  Whatever you do, don’t go with her.  She’s obsessive about her boyfriends and accuses them of cheating if they don’t constantly look at her.  She’s too needy.

CJ read the note, crumpled it up, and shoved it into his pocket with enough force to pop the corner seam.  The girl was frustrating and stubborn.  He might have to go around her and tell Uncle Bob since her parents had dismissed her strange behavior years ago.  He wanted to yell at them for ignoring her depression and sadness.  Even his mother had noticed Michelle’s lack of appetite and bleak expression.  One night she had grilled him on why Michelle seemed so unhappy, but he had kept quiet.  He regretted not telling her, but Michelle would never forgive him.

He craned his head around to look at Dana to see if Michelle was right about her staring at him.  Dana giggled and smiled at him.  He quickly turned around and sank lower into his chair. Michelle was right, as usual.

On their way to Spanish, CJ tried one last time to convince Michelle that talking to Uncle Bob would be the best plan of action.  “Uncle Bob understands you better than your parents and is definitely more worldly.  He probably knows a ton of doctors that could help you without medication or a straitjacket.”

“No thanks.  I don’t need shrinks screwing with my mind.  I like my messed up dreams the way they are.  With my luck, I would have nightmares about clowns and rainbow ponies.  I’m used to corpses and death; clowns scare the hell out of me,” Michelle snapped at him, putting an end to the subject.

She looked out the window of the classroom and focused on what the summer would bring.  Uncle Bob had promised to take her on vacation and show her some of his favorite places before she started her tour of Europe, though he hadn’t given her the details yet.  Despite her parents’ protests, she had finally convinced them that she wanted to travel instead of going to college right away.  Thankfully, Uncle Bob had worked his magic and explained that she needed to explore new places and experience new things before hitting the books again and figuring out a career path.

Looking up at the clear blue sky, she felt like she was trapped in her life.  Her parents were well-meaning, but they couldn’t understand her desire to trek through different cities and be a part of the world.  Something inside told her that there was more to life than school and video games.  It was as if she was waiting for something to happen so that she could run away from this bland existence and start a new life.  She hoped graduation signaled the beginning of an adventure, though she had no idea what would happen.  Anything would be better than sifting through boring textbooks and staring at the backs of the same heads she’d seen for the last thirteen years.

“There’s my favorite girl!” Uncle Bob held his arms wide to hug Michelle.

Michelle smiled and tossed her backpack in the corner of the entryway.  It felt like a real home when Uncle Bob visited.  The sun was brighter, the air warmer, and she didn’t feel as lonely.

She hugged him and stepped back to look at him.

Robert Black was tall and classically handsome with bright blue eyes and black hair that was shiny like a raven’s wing, unlike her father who was short, balding, and had brown eyes.  He was a paper salesman and droned on about boring stories about Bright White paper verses Ultra White paper, while Uncle Bob had exciting stories about his adventures in exotic locations.  Of course, Detroit would be more exotic than her hometown.

When her parents ignored her and refused to listen to her problems, she would often look into the mirror at her own bright blue eyes and black hair and imagine that Uncle Bob was her father.  He understood her in ways even CJ couldn’t.  Everything she said was important and relevant.  He asked about her hobbies, books she’d read, boys she liked, and what she and CJ had done since he’d last seen them.  He could recount every story she had ever told him.  The man missed nothing.

Always buttoned up in a dark suit and tie, he was an eternal bachelor who used every excuse to buy her presents, since her parents were tightwads who rarely bought anything new or went anywhere exciting.  He was charismatic, graceful, and always had impeccable manners.  When he spoke, people paid attention to him.

“How long are you staying?” she blurted out.  This was the first and most important question asked upon every visit.  She held her breath, waiting for the answer.

“I’m afraid I have to leave after dinner,” he sighed.  He sounded as sad as she felt.  He seemed upset that he couldn’t spend more time with her, but he was a busy man, forever on the move.

“Then you will have to talk really fast and tell me everything that has happened in the last three months.  I can’t believe I haven’t seen you since my birthday,” Michelle followed him to the living room and sat down next to him on the couch.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called, but things have been crazy at work.  I wanted to stop by to make sure you were ready for our trip.  I brought a few amenities for our travels, which I put in your room,” Uncle Bob looked around Michelle to make sure her mother Elise was occupied in the kitchen.  He leaned in and chuckled.  “Don’t tell your mother, but I bought you a new wardrobe.  My assistant picked out the clothes you like and I purchased some supplies for your European trip as well.  Once your parents are asleep, feel free to look through the boxes and start packing.  Oh, I also got you new luggage.  I didn’t think you wanted to use that atrocious bag your mother so loves.  I know your parents have a thing about not spending money, but I don’t see the point in traveling with old beat up luggage,” he winked at her.

“You didn’t have to do that, though I appreciate the clothes,” she hugged him quickly.  “I’ll be sure to hide the luggage somewhere in the basement until we leave.  I’m just looking forward to spending time with you.  I always feel like you have to leave before I can really talk to you.”

She hated admitting that she missed him, but she wanted him to know he was special to her.

“I am looking forward to our time together as well.  There is so much I want to show you and teach you.  I’ve always enjoyed learning new languages and meeting new people.  I hope I can pass along some of my enthusiasm to you.  You’ve always kept people at a distance.  Perhaps this journey will help you open yourself up and learn to interact with all kinds of people,” Uncle Bob spoke enthusiastically about seeing the world.  It made her eager to leave as soon as possible.

Michelle thought about CJ’s note and worried she might have nightmares on their trip.  She considered talking to him, but didn’t want to ruin their plans.  He might cancel the trip and have her evaluated.

“Uncle Bob, do you think I’m strange?” she asked before she could stop herself.

He pondered her question for a moment and tilted his head.  “No.  I think you are very bright, intelligent, loving, and caring.  I don’t think that’s strange.  Why would you ask that?”

“I feel out of place sometimes, like I have a force field around me.  I see what’s going on, but I don’t feel like I’m a part of it.  I feel disconnected,” she was afraid he would dismiss her concerns.

“My darling, you see the world very differently than most, but there’s nothing wrong with that.  I’ve watched you grow up and I know you’ve had trouble making friends.  CJ is the only person you are close to, which is fine, but I believe you need to trust people more.  You are very quick to judge strangers and decide they are not worth getting to know better.  Take the time to learn about people and you will build friendships.  Patience and understanding are vital to creating new bonds with those around you,” Uncle Bob patted her arm.

Michelle hung her head.  “I understand what you are saying, but sometimes it’s hard to let people in.  Maybe if I can get some distance from this place, I can start over.”

Uncle Bob took Michelle’s hands into his.

“Michelle, life isn’t easy.  We don’t always know what fate has in store for us.  I promise that you will make sense of things in time.  You are in such a rush to leave home, but I’m afraid you might regret losing the simplicity of this place.  The world can be overwhelming and you will have to find your own way.  You will take on new responsibilities and be expected to do great things.  You may yearn for the safety of this life and wish you had stayed a little longer,” he sounded wistful when he spoke, as if he regretted growing up too fast or having too many responsibilities on his shoulders.

Michelle slumped back into the couch and felt guilty for wanting to rush through the next few weeks.  She took his advice to heart and told herself to be patient.  He always had a way of making her see things from a different perspective.  She valued his opinion above all others.

“Okay.  I’ll relax and try to enjoy what I have here,” she pulled her hands away from his and picked at her fingernails while she thought about what he said.  She would try to make the most of the next few weeks so that she wouldn’t regret rushing through it.

CJ burst into the living room and greeted Uncle Bob with a handshake.  “Good to see you, Uncle Bob.  I want to hear all about Maui, or Canada, or wherever you were, but after dinner,” he quickly headed into the kitchen to see what Mrs. Black was making.

Uncle Bob chuckled when he saw CJ’s enthusiasm over a pot roast.  “His parents still make him frozen dinners I see.”

“Yes, they do.  Sometimes I think it’s the only reason CJ is friends with me.  If mom ever stopped cooking, he would move on to some other girl who had a mother with culinary abilities,” Michelle chuckled darkly.

Uncle Bob laughed.  “Don’t dismiss the boy’s feelings so quickly.  Though, if his parents cooked, he would probably have to come up with a new excuse to spend so much time here.”

Michelle rolled her eyes.  “Stick to Communication Management, Uncle Bob and forget the relationship advice.  You’re bad at it.  Three girls asked him to Prom this afternoon alone.  Well, technically, it would have been four, but I saw her stalking him and he was able to avoid her.  I have to help him sift through the offers tonight.  He needs to give them an answer by tomorrow.  There will be a lot of crushed hearts come morning,” she hated the thought of helping him pick the future Mrs. Jeffries, but she would do it with a smile to make him happy.

Uncle Bob crossed his legs on the couch and rubbed his chin.  “I beg your pardon; I happen to be very good at relationship advice.  You are just too close to the problem.  I think if you took a step back and really looked at CJ, you would see what I see.  That boy cares very deeply for you.  You just need to follow your heart and stop letting your fear get in the way.”

Michelle frowned, but didn’t say anything.  She was happy Uncle Bob was taking the time to help her.  She liked that he listened to what she had to say.  Her mother had told her that CJ was too good-looking to be interested in her as anything more than friends.

In a moment of weakness, she turned to Uncle Bob.  “Please say that you’ll stay the night.  Just one night, that’s all,” she knew she was pleading, but she didn’t want to wait a month to see him.

Uncle Bob stood up from the bland beige couch and looked around the meticulously kept living room with matching beige drapes and carpet.  It reminded him of a hospital waiting room.  It was entirely too antiseptic for him.

He paced around the small room and considered her request.  He was thrilled to see her, but was devastated that he had to leave again so soon.  His love for her was his downfall and he immediately caved to her request when he looked into her eyes.

“Fine, I will stay, but just for tonight. I have to leave in the morning,” Uncle Bob sighed.  He knew there would be problems if he stayed, but he couldn’t help himself.

Michelle couldn’t believe it.  He’d finally agreed to stay!  She threw her arms around him and was too overwhelmed to speak.

He responded with a chuckle, and accepted the hug.  He pulled something out his coat pocket and handed it to her.  “I have another gift for you.”

Michelle looked at the white box tied with a red ribbon.

“You know you don’t have to buy me things,” Michelle was embarrassed by his generosity.  She carefully pulled the ribbon and opened the box.

“Do you like it?” he watched her excitedly peer into the box.

Inside was a black cord necklace with a gold charm on it.  The charm had the bottom of a cross and a loop on top instead of a straight line.  It was beautiful.  The only other jewelry she owned was an adjustable thick silver band with a large gem in the middle that she wore on her right hand.  The gemstone was red, with a black half crescent in the middle and more specks of red inside of it.  The gem glowed when the light hit it the right way.  Uncle Bob had given it to her when she was born and she never took it off.

“It’s amazing.  What is it?” Michelle liked the idea of wearing a necklace.

“It’s called an Egyptian Ankh; they were depicted in hieroglyphics in Ancient Egypt.  The drawings suggest that the gods used them to breathe life into people when they went into the afterlife.  I fell in love with it when I saw it.  It’s made out of gold.  I found it in an auction house.  They said it was very old,” he explained matter-of-factly.

“It’s beautiful.  Thank you so much,” she appreciated his thoughtfulness, but felt bad that she never had anything to give him in return.

He took the necklace and fastened it around her neck.

“I’m glad you like it,” Uncle Bob smiled proudly while CJ walked over to admire the necklace.

Michelle’s mother popped her head into the living room and waved to Uncle Bob.  “Dinner time, Robert.  I made my special pot roast, your favorite.  Hurry along before it gets cold.” 

“Can’t wait Elise, we’ll be right there,” Uncle Bob turned his attention back to Michelle.

Michelle folded her arms and rolled her eyes.  “It must be five o’clock on the dot, Early Bird Special at the Black House.  I swear to God, by the time they’re in their 70’s they’re going to eat dinner at two o’clock and be in bed by three o’clock.  Don’t you just love how she invites me and CJ to dinner?”

Uncle Bob patted her arm and nodded.

Mr. Black walked into the living room and extended his hand to his brother.  “Hello Robert, good to see you as always.  Sorry I didn’t come down sooner, I had an emergency with a large order I was working on.  You know how it is when duty calls; you drop everything.  How have you been?” Henry smiled brightly, though he appeared tired.

“Yes, I know all about duty,” Uncle Bob chuckled and shook hands with him.  “Everything’s fine.  I see you are taking good care of Michelle and CJ.”

“Of course.  Now, come along, I have some paper samples for you to look through.  I’m sure we can find something for your company letterhead.  You really need to make a statement with it,” Henry’s eyes lit up at the thought of conducting business.  He made his way over to the kitchen table and waited for dinner.             

Michelle shook her head at father’s unique ability to turn any conversation into a sales pitch.  She waited to escort Uncle Bob to the kitchen.

“You go along; I forgot something in the car.  CJ, why don’t you help me?” Uncle Bob watched Michelle shuffle into the kitchen.

Uncle Bob and CJ walked out of the house and stood next to the shiny red Mercedes convertible in the driveway.

CJ watched Uncle Bob lean against the car and smirk.

“So…how’s it going?  I see you still haven’t gotten up the nerve to ask my lovely niece out yet.  I heard about the Prom offers.  I assume I know why you haven’t accepted any of the offers yet,” he watched CJ fidget under his scrutiny.

CJ hung his head.  Uncle Bob had figured out some years ago that he had a huge crush on Michelle, despite the fact that Michelle was oblivious.  He had tried to give him advice over the years, but CJ always managed to screw things up.  It was hard because he was sworn to silence about Michelle’s problems and couldn’t explain how there was rarely a good time to profess his love for her.

“Well, no, but I do have a plan.  We made a pact Freshman year stating that we would go together, if we didn’t have any dates.  I figured if I deny all the offers, then I would be considered dateless.  She will have to take pity on me since the deadline for bids is tomorrow.  She will have to go with me.  Then I just have to tell her how I feel about her on Prom night.  I’m just afraid she’ll tell me that we’re better off as friends and rip my still beating heart from my chest,” CJ grimaced at the image.  He stopped for a minute and debated if that was his nightmare, or if it had been one of Michelle’s nightmares.  No, he was sure it was his nightmare.