Twenty-Five

The explosion was so loud, Cristal felt like the ground beneath her feet was about to cave into a massive hole and swallow her up. She was shook up from the blast. The air around her was suddenly dense and toxic with billowing black smoke that could be seen for fifty miles. And the heat was intense. It felt like hell was all around her, and the devil was tapping her on her shoulder. Coughing erratically, Cristal couldn’t breathe, and the darkness was sucking the life out of her.

Then there was another loud explosion. And then another. Dynamite was perpetually exploding like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Wherever Cristal turned or tried to run, she was cut off and trapped into an unnatural black cloud of smoke that formed a ring around her. She fell to her knees in agony. But the pain had only just started. She looked ahead, but the thick black smoke made it so she couldn’t even see her own hands.

Then she heard voices, their loud screams piercing her ears. From the smoke emerged a dark silhouette, the eyes cut out, but the grim-looking face recognizable. Cristal’s mouth gaped open in shock as the dark apparition came her way.

Grandmother Hattie’s body reached out to Cristal, and her scorching touch seared into her flesh. Another face emerged from the dark smoke—this time it was her Aunt Ruth, and she also grabbed Cristal with a fiery hold that made her feel like her skin was on fire.

Her cousins came next. But her unborn child haunted her most. Each damned soul plunged their claws into Cristal, and she screamed like a banshee. They’d all come back from the dead to blame her for their deaths.

She stretched out her arms until they couldn’t stretch any longer, reaching out to some invisible support and trying not to be pulled under. “No! No! Please, get off me! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she yelled out.

Suddenly, she felt someone grab her as she flailed around in the bed, screaming out hysterically.

Daniel reached out for Cristal and pulled her into his arms. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” he said in a soothing tone.

He cradled Cristal in his arms and held her gently. She couldn’t stop shaking and was sweating profusely. The nightmare felt too real.

“It was only a bad dream,” he said, holding her affectionately. “I got you, baby. I got you.”

Daniel turned on the bedside lamp on the nightstand. Cristal was still shivering. He kissed her tenderly and said, “I’m here, Bee. I’m here for you. I will always be here for you.”

With her head pressed against his chest, she could hear his heartbeat thumping. She closed her eyes and listened. His voice was in her ear, his touch was reassuring, and his hold was strengthening.

“I got you, baby. Everything is going to be okay,” he declared with certainty in his voice. “I promise.”

Her chest heaved rapidly with heavy panting. Her breathing was still ragged. Her lips trembled with each outlet of air, the intake fluttering as it struggled to infiltrate her constricted throat and feed the heaving lungs and palpitating heart.

“Just breathe easy, baby, easy,” Daniel whispered into her ear. He massaged her chest, cooling her nerves bit by bit.

An hour later, Cristal fell asleep with Daniel by her side, spooning against her. She didn’t know what she would do without him. She had been back in North Carolina for two days, and every moment with him was an encouraging one.

...

Cristal woke up alone in bed to the smell of breakfast permeating the air and the morning sun percolating through the open window. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and planted them against the parquet flooring. She stood up and stretched. The sunlight filtering through the window suggested it was going to be another beautiful fall day in North Carolina.

“Grandma Hattie,” she uttered out of the blue. She could hardly remember the nightmare, but it spooked her a great deal.

She donned one of Daniel’s T-shirts and went to join her man in the kitchen. He was by the stove frying something up. She could hear the grease popping in the pan. It smelled like bacon.

Daniel stood over the stove with his back to her, his body bare of any tattoos. He was one of a kind.

He turned around to see Cristal looking his way. A smile immediately splashed across his face. “Good morning, beautiful.”

Cristal stepped farther into the kitchen. She felt embarrassed about last night. She hated for Daniel to see her like that. Right away she said, “I’m sorry about last night.”

“There’s no reason to apologize. It was simply a bad dream. We all have them.”

Daniel had no idea about her past. His world was simple; trying to get through med school, paying bills, and living a humble life. She didn’t want to pull him into her nightmares. He didn’t deserve it. So, she kept him apart from who she really was. She had to. Cristal felt she was protecting him from the demons that haunted her. She didn’t want them haunting him too.

Daniel went to her and wrapped his arms around her. He hugged her and planted a kiss on her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Breakfast is almost ready.”

“What you cooking?”

“Bacon and eggs, and some salmon croquettes, something my mother taught me how to cook,” he said with delight.

She smiled. “Sounds good.”

“You’re going to love it.”

Daniel turned and attended to the stove again. His kitchen was coming to life with a sweet aroma.

Cristal sat at the kitchen table and watched him work. He was special. “Look at you, trying to become Bobby Flay,” she joked.

He laughed. “Hey, I try.”

“Yes, you do, and you’re the best, baby.”

“I’m glad you feel so.”

They looked at each other with expressions of pure love. Daniel loved her, scars and all. Cristal didn’t feel ugly around him. She didn’t feel the need to cover up the keloid on her face or put on any makeup. Daniel liked her just the way she was. But she remembered what she used to look like.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said.

“You do?”

He nodded his head. “Something special.”

“Tell me,” Cristal faintly begged.

“No, it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you right now.”

“Not fair.”

Daniel laughed.

He served her breakfast at the table. Everything looked delicious. The salmon croquettes looked extra tasty. They were a golden, fried brown and already had her mouth watering.

“It looks good,” she said.

“Wait until you try them.”

She picked up her fork and dug into the salmon. Her taste buds exploded. “Damn! This is really good, Daniel.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I love them. Wow!” She stuck another piece of salmon into her mouth. “Mmmm . . . now this is breakfast.”

Daniel couldn’t stop grinning. He joined her at the table, and they shared a wonderful breakfast together, devouring every piece of food Daniel cooked. Breakfast was so good, Cristal felt like licking the plate.

...

Before Cristal knew it, the day had gone by, and it was late evening. Their day together was blissful and simple: first, shopping at the nearest supermarket, and then a walk in the park. Then she helped him tend to a few things in the house that needed fixing.

As the day turned into dusk, the couple shed their clothing and shared a bubble bath. The mood was set with Daniel placing rose petals in the bath and romantic music playing. He started out the bath with a toast for two from champagne chilling in a bucket nearby.

At first, they agreed not to speak to each other for the first half-hour, communicating instead by touch and emotion. They used a bath sponge to wash each other. He treated his partner as if she was royalty, spoiling her, gently giving her a sensual massage in the tub.

Cristal snuggled next to him and lay against his chest.

“I hate it when you leave, Beatrice, especially for such a long periods of time. I’m miserable without you. And I worry about you.”

Cristal released a deep sigh. It was upsetting to her, knowing she’d lied to him about her real name.

“You okay?” he asked.

The soothing bath, his loving words, his touch had her feeling vulnerable. She felt terrible about it all and was tempted to reveal the truth to him, but she kept her lie strong.

“I’m okay,” she said. “What time is your first class tomorrow?”

“Eight in the morning.”

“Well, let’s not waste any more time then,” she said, turning herself over to face him in the tub, her breasts pressed against his thin chest, and began to kiss him fervently.

They used extremely soft towels to dry each other off when they were done bathing. Then they blow-dried and brushed each other’s hair. They completed their special evening by having a plate of romantic finger foods and downing more glasses of cheap, store-bought champagne.

In the heat of the moment, Daniel sheathed on a latex condom, pushed Cristal’s upper body slightly forward, and found her wet entrance from behind. The entire night went on like that—making love, drinking champagne, and pillow-talking until they both slept peacefully.

“You never did tell me what my surprise was.”

“It’s coming,” he hissed against her ear.

...

Daniel and Cristal enjoyed a nice multicourse dinner in a romantic setting. The lounge, with spectacular city views overlooking the river, served a delicious dinner buffet and offered an array of creative cocktails. After dinner, they took a long carriage ride to a high peak out of town, where they could take a moonlight stroll and enjoy a star-filled sky.

It was the perfect setting. Their love was going strong and speeding in the fast lane. Cuddled together, the world felt different for Cristal.

Daniel kissed her cheek. “Remember that surprise I told you about the other day?”

“Yes, I remember.”

Daniel gazed at her as the carriage ride was about to come to an end. The look in his eyes said that he only wanted to be with her and only her. Then out of nowhere came the ring box. He slightly got down on one knee and revealed the 1/7-carat diamond hearts ring in sterling silver.

“Beatrice, will you marry me?”

Cristal was floored. “M-marriage?” she said, stammering.

“Yes. I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She didn’t know what to say. She was stuck. She couldn’t say yes to him, but she didn’t want to break his heart.

Daniel was still on one knee. “We can build something together, you and I, baby.”

“Daniel, I need time to think,” she replied quietly.

“Think?” Daniel looked baffled by her comment. “Don’t you love me?”

“I do; more than anything on earth. But I’ll be leaving soon.”

“I know. It’s the reason why I want us to get married. I’ll be finished with school soon. I know times are rough now, but it’ll get better.”

Cristal still was unsure. He was still calling her Beatrice and believed that she was in the Peace Corps, aiding and helping poor people around the world. How far could she carry the lie?

Their carriage ride came to an end, and Cristal still didn’t have an answer for him. Daniel looked a little disheartened.

When they stepped off the carriage, she said to him, “Look, I’m not saying no, baby. All I’m saying is, let me come back from overseas, and I’ll give you my answer then. I’m not going anywhere, Daniel. I love you.” She already knew her answer. It couldn’t be.

“Okay. I understand.”

They kissed on the street.

Daniel hugged her close. Every time she was in his arms, he always gave her the feeling that he never wanted to let her go. Her biggest concern was, her layers would peel right before him and he would see her for who she truly was. She never wanted the way he looked at her to change.