The following afternoon I was sent out by Nicole to pick up the groceries for dinner. I think you can figure out why I went instead of her. I had little trouble figuring it out as I passed the mailman. You'd swear she was the boss in this scenario instead of me. Oh well. I decided to walk again, not wanting to come back home and find myself in the middle of something that I'd rather not be in the middle of.
As I made my way down the hill I ran into Julio. "Hey Buddy. What's going on?"
"Well, you remember that girl from the Halloween party?" I asked him.
"Which one?" Evidently he talked to other girls after striking out with Amera.
"The light skinned black girl with the wolf ears and tail."
"Oh! Werewolf girl!" He exclaimed.
"I wouldn't let her hear you call her that. Anyway, she's coming over for dinner and. . ."
"Wait! Are you and she. . .? Dude! How did you score that fine little chica?" He asked in amazement.
I cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Mutual respect, my friend."
"What's that?" He asked.
Buried my face into my palm. "Tell me. Why are we friends again?" I joked. "Anyway I'd like for you and Elisa to come."
Here Julio's expression changed to sadness. Almost depression. "She's back in the hospital.
Julio's little sister Elisa has been in and out of the hospital most of her life. She suffers from Ripson's disease. It's a fairly new disease that slows down the immune system and enhances certain other viruses. Even the common cold can be deadly for her if not treated properly. She's only eleven and has already spent more time in the hospital in one year than most people spend their entire lives. It didn't help Julio that their father died five years ago. A firefighter who perished in the line of duty. Or that their mother died in a car crash a year ago. The result of icy roads on a mountain path.
"I'm sorry man. Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked placing a hand on his shoulder.
He smiled weakly. "No. Not now anyway. But maybe just pray for her."
" Of course man. Hey look. Don't worry about tonight." I'm pretty sure he had a lot to do now.
"No man. I'll be there. someone's gotta show you how it's done." His expression changed to an overbearing confidence.
"You mean how not to do it." I teased. "I'll ask Nicole to make an extra serving and put it in some Tupperware or something."
"That would be great. Thanks man."
"Anytime." Then we parted ways. As I got to the bottom of the hill I saw something new. A cart. It had no signage but I could tell it sold that sweet nectar, I am so fond of. Coffee.
"Damn! Where is it?" I heard a girl's voice say from under the cart. I came a little closer and saw the girl hunched down looking for something under the cart.
"Hello?"I called.
"Just a second. Sorry, I'm looking for. . . Ah Ha! There they are." Sabrina said as she stood up raising a bag of paper coffee cups triumphantly. "Oh! Hey Myer."
"Well this is a surprise, Sabrina." I looked the cart over.
"Yeah. My mom said it was time I started earning my money. I had no real argument when she showed me the bill for the Halloween party. So she gave me a small loan and I bought this cart and some supplies. I have to pay her back with some interest with in a year, but otherwise all profits are mine."
"Look at you being all responsible and stuff." I teased.
She giggled. "Yeah she was so angry." Then she suddenly looked sad. "But then what else is new." Sabrina's mom was a bit of an alcoholic. After Sabrina's dad died, her mom took to scotch the way a fish takes to water. It was a shame too, cause her mom and dad were real cool back then. They would work with my mom on community events.
"Well, if it's any consolation, I had a great time at the party." I said.
She smiled again. "I'm glad to hear it. So did you ever get together with your mystery girl?"
"Yes, actually. We got together last night. Are you busy tonight?"
"No. Why do you ask?" She asked.
"We're having her over for dinner. She doesn't have many friends and I wanted to introduce her to our little social circle." I explained.
"That sounds fun. I've made a new friend too. She just moved here. Would it be ok if I brought her along?"
I had to think about this. I know I could trust Sabrina and Julio to keep quiet if Amera's secret got out among our group. But I had no legitimate reason to refuse. We'll just have to be a little extra careful around this new girl. "Well, I guess so. Try to be there around seven."
" Thanks Myer. So what can I get you?" She asked holding up a cup.
"Huh? Oh!" I had zoned out for a second. "I'll take a large coffee, four sugars, and caramel cream please."
She made it and had it in my hand in about a minute. "$2.95 please."
"No discount, huh?" I asked pulling out my wallet.
"That is with a discount. A large is usually $3.30."
I paid her and took a sip. "Hey, not bad."
Then she looked like she had something on her mind. "Myer, I was wondering. Is this girl someone special?"
I wasn't sure how to answer that. Sure we kissed and I did like her. But she wasn't human. But did that even matter? I mean her dad was human.
Then she waved her hand Infront of my face. "Hello? Earth to Myer."
"Sorry. Guess I spaced out again."
With a half hearted smile she said "That's ok. I'll just take it as a yes." Then she held up the tip jar, her grin widening like a Cheshire cat's as she did.
I dropped in some spare change. "I gotta go or they'll be nothing to eat tonight. See ya later."
"See you tonight." She called back as I made my way across the street.
I had gotten within about half a block of the grocery store when I almost tripped on my shoe lace crossing the street. When I got to the corner I knelt down and tied it. Suddenly a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see a Japanese girl of about seventeen.
"You have a most peculiar aura about you." She said in a tone that lacked any emotion.
I stood up. "I'm sorry. What?
"Your aura is an extension of your. . . "
I cut her off. "I know what you mean by aura. What I meant was, what do you mean it's strange?"
She looked at me as if studying me. In an almost robotic fashion. "I get feelings about people all the time. Most are pretty mundane. But you seem different. You are like a sponge drawing in energy from many other sources. People mostly. Do not worry though. It is not enough to harm anyone."
I gotta be honest, she was creeping me out. "Ooooook. Thank. . . you, I guess."
With the least amount of expression I ever saw on a human face she said "You are most welcome."
I'm sorry to say that in probably one of my least considerate moments I dashed for the grocery store. I was going so fast I almost ran into Amy as she was coming out.
"Myer? Are you ok?" She asked looking at me with concern.
"Amy!" I said breathlessly. "Yeah, I just. . . Nevermind. So how are you?"
"I'm good." She smiled.
"Cool. Good. . ." Then I had an idea. I think you can guess what it was. "Amy, if you're not busy, I'm having a few friends over for dinner tonight to meet Amera. You know the girl I met at the party? I wanted to introduce her to some of my friends." Man I must be losing it. Inviting my secret crush to meet the girl I'm currently dating. What the Hell is wrong with me?
"That would be lovely." She answered.
"Cool. We're getting together around seven o'clock."
"I'll be there with bells on."
"Great. Well I better get shopping." I said.
"See you tonight then." She waved as she left.
"Bye Amy." I waved back. Then I made my way through the store picking up ingredients for Mongolian Meatballs, a favorite dish of mine. I was grabbing some ramen for it when I dropped something.
"You dropped this." Came that emotionless voice. I turned and saw the creepy girl from outside. She was holding the soy sauce bottle I had apparently dropped.
"Thanks." I took it back thinking maybe I just misjudged her.
"You seem to walk on a thin line between life and death."
Then again.
"My name is Ray Ichihanna by the way."
"Myer West." I tried to extend a hand to shake but almost dropped the ramen.
"Have you considered using a cart or a basket?"
She had me there. I was in a bit of a rush.
"I will go get you one." Before I could protest she had made it to the front and just as quickly returned with a basket.
"Thank you." As I took the basket I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. So I figured why not. "So I haven't seen you around town."
"I just moved her with my father. He and my mother divorced."
Now I just felt horrible. "Well we're holding a dinner party for some other girls who are new in town. You're welcome to come if you like." Man Nicole is going to kill me.
"I appreciate that, but I have plans. Thank you though." She replied.
"Oh. Well ok. I guess I'll see you around town." I smiled.
"Good bye Myer. Be careful of the white coat." She warned.
"Ok then. Goodbye."
Thank God that was over. I've seen robots with more emotion. I grabbed the rest of what I needed and cashed out then I made my way home.
I had just got to my front porch when I saw Amera running towards me with her ears on full display. "MYER!" She cried out as she jumped and tried to tackle hug me. I just managed to dodge and she collapsed on the floor. "Owie! Why'd you do that?"
"Sorry, but I do have the groceries. And besides you should be more careful." I looked around and saw no one. Then I whispered. "If someone saw your ears and tail they might freak out and call the sheriff or something."
She closed her eyes and like magic her ears vanished. "Better?"
"Much better." I said opening the front door. "Come on. You can give us a hand."
"Okie dokie." She said. She seemed much happier today. Maybe because she's going to meet new people. Maybe it's because she's trying something different. Or maybe it's because she doesn't have to hide who she really is from me now.
"So I invited some friends I trust. I'm pretty sure if your secret gets out I can trust them to keep it. There are two wild cards though."
"What do playing cards have to do with tonight? Are we playing some games?" She asked.
" No. What I mean is there's two people we have to be careful around. One is obviously Nicole. But the other is a friend of someone I invited. She asked if she could bring her, because she's new in town."
"Why didn't you tell her no?" She asked aggressively.
I had to admit it kinda turned me on. "Well I kinda have a reputation for being a really nice guy." I explained. "And if I told her no without a good reason she might not have come or worse, got suspicious. We'll just have to be a little extra careful. That's all." Then I thought back to that creepy girl. "There was almost one more. I invited this creepy girl at the supermarket cause I kinda felt a little guilty. Fortunately she has plans for tonight. So we dodged a bullet there."
"You know, you should feel guilty for callinging her creepy. Maybe she just sees things from a different perspective. Did you think of that?" She crossed her arms.
I shrugged. "Maybe, but she kept talking about my aura and all this spiritual stuff. Saying my Aura looked funny."
She sniffed me. "I didn't want to say it, but your scent does smell a little funny."
"Hey I showered this morning." I said a little indignant.
"No. I mean for a human. You don't smell quite like the rest of your kind. But then Nicole smells a little off too. But with her I think I know what it is. She wears so much of that, what do you call it?"
"Perfume?" I guessed.
"Yeah. I gotta be honest, it's killing my nose a little. But anyway." Here her face took on an expression of deep concern. "It was a good thing that girl said no. She'd have spotted me in a heartbeat. Hat or not hat."
"Wait. You mean what she said was true? About my aura and stuff?" I started to see her concerns.
"Of course. We call them Balancers. They're chosen by the Creator to help maintain the balance between this world and the next." She said this with a bit of solemness in her tone.
"You know what? I'm gonna stop you right there, because we are getting into some really deep territory here." It wasn't that I didn't believe in God, assuming that's who she meant by Creator. Quite the opposite. I go to church and I listened to the Bible on audiobook. I'm not really patient when it comes to reading. But I am working on that. It's just that I just found out about whatever Amera is and I can only handle one major change to my beliefs at a time. But hey, if the big man up there wants me to, then who am I to argue? But in anycase we need to change the subject before. . .
"Having a philosophical discussion?" Nicole asked from behind.
That happens. Yeah. Now we just gotta hope she didn't here too much.
"Yeah. Something like that." Amera answered.
"Well, if you like, you can come with us to church." Nicole suggested.
"If I can make it." She gave her that charming smile.
"Well I better go start preparing for dinner. Myer once you're done getting ready could you set the table please. Amera you're welcome to watch TV in the private lounge."
"If it's ok I'll wait here to meet the guest."
"Alright, but please let Myer know if anyone knocks." And then Nicole left for the kitchen.
"I won't be long Amera." I told her as I went into the hall towards the dinning room. A few minutes later I finished and came back out and we talked for about an hour when we heard the first knock at the door. I opened it to see. . .