DAY Five
"Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans."
― Allen Saunders
Stephan came out looking dark and hungry with a bad hangover. Holding his head tenderly he carefully sat down on the dining chair, you'd mistake his head for something much more fragile than an egg.
"How do you feel", I shout as loudly as I can.
He groans with anguish as a response.
I laugh.
"Tylenol. Top drawer"
He stands in response and reached for the cabinet.
I got up early to serve him breakfast. Granted he didn't deserve it. After he tried what he did last night. I guess being kind is my weak point.
"We are having pancakes. I did it especially for you" I gush out of pride.
My pancakes came out thick and fluffy this morning. That usually doesn't happen. But that's not all, I didn't burn myself.
Stephan sits down again after taking two pills and I drop his plate of steamy pancakes with syrup.
Maybe I should have kept a diary for tracking the progress I make with Stephan. It's the fifth day and I feel like we are growing apart instead of closer.
I rack my brain as I was him groan in pain. What can I do to bridge this suffocating distance? What can I say? I reach for the fridge and grab the one thing he keeps insisting on me to get.
"Here", I dropped the cup in front of him with a satisfying thump.
"One glass of apple juice to go"
It bit into the pancake and I watch him chew.
And chew.
And he's still chewing.
"So, what do you think?"
He looks up at me, there was no solid indication on his that I messed it up "You have flour all over your face"
I dust myself quickly.
"Yeah, I had a few mishaps trying to transfer the flour, big deal".
"You put too many eggs. Why didn't you just get a pancake mix? It's so much easier with that"
"I wanted to make it from scratch. Just like you"
He didn't reply and he just concentrated on his food while I watch closely.
Did he forget what he did last night?
What type of drunk is he anyway? My mind suddenly lurches towards last night, how pissed he was that I mentioned his mother. No, he wasn't pissed, I thought to myself. He was sad. Heart wrenchingly sad.
"Thanatos showed up didn't he?"
My heart picked a fast rhythm.
"How do you know that?" Did he hear our conversation?
"I can sense his spiritual pressure I guess I'm not quite human yet"
"Oh, I see", I wasn't relieved. "What's a spiritual pressure?"
He was using his left hand to support his head now.
"You know, when you close your eyes and someone passes you, let's say your brother. Because you know his scent and you have been with him for a long time, you'd know it was he that passed you, even with your eyes closed, that is what you call pressure, you get a whiff of his essence. For ghost and other supernaturals, we tend to have that only that it's heightened"
"Oh", I drawl dumbly.
Stephan picked up his apple juice and finished the glass in three gulps
"Did he come because he wanted to take me back?", he asked after he was done eating.
"Why would you think that?" I asked confused.
"Because of what I almost did to you"
So he remembers.
"No, he came because he wanted to beat you up, but Noah already took care of that", I lie.
With his head in his hand, he used his other hand to circle the brink of the glass cup absent-mindedly.
"I'm sorry", he said. He looks up at me.
"I was just so angry yesterday, I figured I just needed to sleep the alcohol out but then I met you on the way. That comment on... on my mother, ticked me off. I don't know why but it did"
I sigh," I guess I'm sorry too. I made a mistake spiting you with your mom. It was low and insensitive"
"So do you forgive me?" he asks nodding his head slightly.
I was inclined to say yes until I thought of something useful.
"You have to give me three wishes."
He looked a bit shocked before masking it with a look of amusement. "Well, I always pegged you to be a fairy tale lover"
"That's not it" I scoff, trying to ignore the creeping heat-accumulating on my face.
"Well, as the saying goes, there are three wishes I can't grant. I can't resurrect a life, I can make someone fall in love with you and I can't kill anybody for you"
"Hahaha. Real funny"
He smiles at me. I almost blushed from the way he looked at me. His smile is not as haunted as I remember.
Wouldn't this kind of genuine smile disappear once he remembers whatever tainted him in the first place? When he smiles or laughs, he looks like he's enjoying the moment, sincerely. For the first time, I feel a tremor of fear flow through me. Fear for him. I want to protect his innocence, protect him from the unknown past. But I don't know-how and even if I did, he had a right to know.
Sniffles jumped on the table and head straight to Stephan, purring as he rubs his body on Stephan's chest.
"Mr. Sniffles! Is that how you treat a lady, you totally ignored me. I am literally your mother, you have no shame do you?"
The proud tabby cat looked at me as if to say,' what's that? I'm a cat, I'm pride itself, I know no shame'
Stephan chuckled lightly and massaged the furry traitor.
"Since when did you two become friends?"
Stephan shrugged.
"Can we be friends?" I eyeball him.
He diverts his attention towards me again. "Where we ever enemies?"
"But we are not friends"
"No we are not", Stephan confirms, while petting Sniffles.
"So..." I push.
"I need to know who I am before I can make any meaningful relationship with anyone"
His response made my hope fall.
"Well, it doesn't seem like you are making progress" I mutter under my breath, I head to the sink to wash my hands.
"I want to go over Jasmine's place today, we-"
"No", I interject a little too quickly.
"Why?"
"Well, you just said you can't make any meaningful relationships now. Why do you have to see her?"
"I promised Jasmine I'd come over, we have plans, and remember she is the one helping with my portfolio, you know, for the job you got me that I never asked for"
"Uh, well, you need to grant my first wish", I stutter.
"And what is your first wish?" he rolls his eyes, "Not hang out with Jasmine?"
"Help me plan my parent's wedding. My friends and I are having a get-together for the planning. You are going to help us, with everything related to the wedding"
Stephan cocked his head to the side as if he was weighing what I said.
"I guess your wish is my command princess", he replies after a while.
"Great, let's get ready soon, we are going to meet them in about three hours that's enough time for me to sneak on some work. We are going to my favorite place the coffee shop", I stand up and packed all the dishes into the dishwasher. As I leave the kitchen Stephan called me back.
"The next time your boyfriend hits me. I'll be the one knocking him out"