"Leprechaun's Agreement..."
Summary: A generation after their clash with the leprechaun Lubdan, Rory and Emily and their daughter face the consequences of their truce negotiations.
Prologue:
Six months after the events of "Leprechaun: Back2 da Hood" in 2004.
Bright sunshine, the old construction site now offering some hopeful signs of development...A growing bank of shops, coffee and juice spots, restaurants...
Rory Jackson and Emily Woodrow content to find the place calm and trouble-free as they made their way to the State campus library...
"So hello, boyfriend..." cooing tone, both looking to see a lovely young woman in her early twenties, long curly haired with glowing dark skin, deep brown eyes, well developed but not at all fat in figure, in reasonably classy purple blouse, blue sweater, black pants. "Rory Jackson…" teasing tone.
Uh...Rory eyed the woman, trying to fix a name to face...She beaming at him.
She reminds me of poor Lisa some but…
"Rory?" Emily's stern and inability to avoid a slight frown clearly indicating her inability to avoid some degree of jealousy.
"Hi, I'm Lubdan...Unusual name I know." Apologetic smile as the woman offered a lovely hand. "I think you've forgotten me."
Rory struggling to place her, hoping she wasn't a girl he'd, during his more unsavory and somewhat out of it days...
"Have you, Rory?" Emily, coldly now.
"Oh, I meant you too, Emily." Warm smile of perfect and dazzling teeth.
Rory breathing sign of relief...
Some girl from school, likely...But, a girl like this you think I'd...
"I understand. I've changed lots. Lost some weight, gained a bit in some places..." Smile. "But it's so great to see you both again, you look...Great. So alive."
Hmmn…Emily stared...
Reminds me of Lisa…But can't quite…Well…Maybe you're off the hook here, boy...She glanced at the nervous Rory.
"You've been away awhile…" Lubdan noted. "You know I've just started dating your cousin, Marcus, Emily. He's so sweet…" beam. "We went out to a movie the other night. He's such a gentleman."
"Oh…Marcus…" Emily nodded.
That's it…The girl he mentioned on phone…
Bragged about, rather…
"Yeah, he told me you were dating…Or he was dating someone new…"
"Special, I hope…" impish smile, wink to Rory who smiled…Cooling it as Emily renewed frown his way.
"Yeah, I think he likes you…" Emily agreed, with smile, then slight puzzlement… "But you said we know each other? I'm really sorry but…"
"As I say…" Lubdan put up a hand…Nice bracelet, Rory noted…
Gold or good imitation but not flashy…Kinda heirloom style.
"…I've really changed a lot since we knew each other. And I was away myself for a while…I was pretty ill last year, but I've gotten a little better…"
A little? Rory cautiously avoided too much eyeing…
"So…How are you guys doing?" the woman asked, eager tone. "Are you in college now or…?"
"We're both at State…" Emily noted.
"Great…I should take some courses myself, though I work right now…Researching…"
"Researching? You're a scientist?" Rory asked.
"Oh, Lordy, no…Though I do like Science…" Lubdan chuckled warmly. "So many wonderful inventions always popping up. No, historical research…You know, studying my people and their real history, getting the facts, not just the legends and all…But have you got majors?"
"That's cool, girl…" Rory nodded. "I'm pre law now and Emily's studying engineering."
"Pre law? That's terrific…" Lubdan nodded. "Wish I had the head for it…And Engineering? Wow. You two are going places…" shrewd nod. "Though Rory? I do remember you had a bit of a bad ass rep…Back then." Coy teasing tone, forefinger wag…Followed by pleased nod. "I'd bet Emily's got you on the straight road now, huh?" warm smile.
"He's cleaned up his act some." Emily nodded, relaxing a bit after initial stiffness at Lubdan's slight flirting.
"Good for you, Rory." Nod. "And I know Emily's always been the kind of girl who'll succeed at anything. It's so nice to hear you're doing well. And still together, I see…" another smiling wag of finger. "But no ring?"
"We're sort of engaged but we agreed to finish school first." Emily noted, then eyeing the pleasant and pleased-looking girl.
"Oh! Congratulations! Mind if I give hugs?" Lubdan beamed, moving to hug Rory who tried not to seem overly pleased to be embraced by the beautiful girl.
"All yours, girlfriend…" she grinned to Emily, releasing Rory and hugging her briefly…
Hmmn…She is still not coming to me…
"So we knew each other…At school…?" Emily asked.
"Hmmn-hmm…" nod. "But I was a bit of the underground type, something of a loner. Till this year when I kinda blossomed a little." Slight rocking and swell of breasts under blouse…A fine gold necklace swaying.
I guess you did, girl…Rory thought, somewhat enraptured.
Idiot…Emily frowned. Say…That's a nice necklace…She thought…A little old-fashioned but very classy…
"And now I'm trying to get out more and enjoy life a little, meet people." Lubdan beamed. She reached to adjust a comb at the back of her head, in her hair.
"Say that's lovely, it looks antique." Emily eyed the comb a bit.
"Yes, it is…Family heirloom, they say it's hundreds of years old but...In any case I like it. Here…" Lubdan pulled it out and offered a close look. "See the working…And the lettering is old Gaelic…"
"Irish…" Emily explained drily to a puzzled Rory.
"Yeah, I'm Irish, in part…Not all, of course…" Lubdan smiled.
Emily blinking suddenly…
"When in school did we know each other?" she asked, nervous now…A clutch of dread.
Rory still rather clueless…
"Oh, it was about six months ago…Last time we met…" Lubdan smiled.
Emily pulling phone, dialing… "Marcus?!"
"Is Marcus all right?" Lubdan, innocently as Rory stared, puzzled…Emily?
"Oh, thank God…Marcus, you're ok?"
"Tell him I hope he's all right and that I had the nicest time." Lubdan, eagerly.
"Em?" Rory asked.
"I just wanted to check on him…He was driving to an appointment…" Emily, a bit lamely. "He's fine."
"Good…" Lubdan breathed a sigh of relief. "He really is such a sweet guy. Hey, how about we all grab a coffee?" Lubdan suggested, re-inserting her comb and pulling up a stylish purse. "I'm…Treating!" beam.
Emily, hesitant…
"Emily…We really should talk." Lubdan eyed her, smiling. "Among other things you can tell me all about Marcus…Girlfriends should support each other, ya know. Though I am sure he's a good guy. And we should talk about the old days…"
Emily staring…
Rory blinking…
God…Don't tell me they were…
Not that there's anything wrong with that…
But Goddamn…
"All right. We should talk." Emily agreed, nervous look. "How about just us? Rory has a lot of class work to do…"
"Oh, I…" Rory began, coughing as Emily jabbed him.
I mean, hell…If you two were…You know…I should know about it…
Not that there's anything…
"Okay, if you like…Just us girls." Lubdan smiled. "Maybe Rory can join us later for dinner or something."
"Yeah…Maybe." Emily, paling…
Don't panic, don't get him panicked…Maybe I can at least save him…Call him once he's left when I can…
Dinner? Jesus, God.
I can just imagine.
"I've had my eye on the steakhouse downtown…Riley's? And I've been starving myself just to be able to go." Lubdan noted happily. "Rory? Try and finish and lets do a nice steak or something together. All set, Emily?" broad smile, taking her arm.
"Uh, sure…Lubdan…You ladies have a nice…" he eyed Emily's desperate look.
Jesus…
How serious were…?
Wait a minute…She's scared, not worried…
What the…?
"Okay! See ya, Rory!" Lubdan waved, Emily's arm locked in her arm…
….
Bailey's Coffee…
"This place is great. Now I find Starbucks…" Lubdan, looking over the coffee menu… "…Ok. But for real Irish cream and the closest thing to Irish whiskey in my non-alcoholic Irish coffee, this sure and is the place…" she giggled, affecting Irish accent. "And while I might try a wee one tonight at dinner, I really can't handle too much…Goes right to my wee head…" grin. "You, Emily?"
"Just the house coffee." Emily managed to get out. "Thanks."
"That's good too…Sometimes the best is to go right to the main event. Ok, girl…" Lubdan beamed at the young girl barrista at the counter. "One medium Irish coffee, with the whipped cream and one house…Uh, Emily?"
"Small, thanks."
"Small it is. Anything to eat, girl? I know I shouldn't but I gotta take a butterscotch scone. With the clotted cream? How much? Fourteen seventy-five? Thanks." She offered the girl a twenty. "Please keep the change…" she beamed. "Ok, lets try and find a quiet seat…Ah, there…" she pointed to where in an isolated booth a young man was intently working on laptop.
"I think that one's…" Emily began. Lubdan eyeing the young man, slight wave of hand.
"Damn…" the man eyed his blank screen…Fiddling with cord…Then finally rising in annoyance and carrying computer to another table.
"There we go, come on…Don't worry…I'm sure he backed things up." Lubdan hissed to the startled, increasingly nervous Emily. Pressing on to the seat before anyone could grab it, Emily following.
"There, nice and quiet." Lubdan smiled at her companion who'd moved to the far side of the booth. "Don't be nervous, Emily." Kind smile. "I've no ill intent just now. I swear on my mother's…Well, whatever we have, not exactly a soul, but…Come now, relax and be glad this reunion is going so much more pleasantly than you expected. Eh, girlfriend?" cocked head, smile. "Ah, here's our coffees and my scone. I hope you try a piece, at least…I haven't had scones like these in a very, very long time. Thank you, missie." She beamed at the waitress and pulled plate with scone over, then the cup of clotted cream, spooning it on.
"Good coffee?" she asked Emily who'd taken hers and begun to sip at it.
"Yes. Look, it is you, right?" she asked. "This isn't a joke or…?"
"And who would be pulling such a joke after those sad events last year…?" Lubdan stared, shocked expression that Emily had to admit looked truly sincere.
He/She is good…Oh, God…
"Only you, Rory, and yours truly know of them unless you've been telling tales? And I can't believe Rory would ever do such a terrible thing…" concerned look on the lovely face. "Of course, it was touch and go for me for a bit, and I was concerned for you two as well in your turn. But here we all, the three of us…Safe and sound, more or less." Smile. "To happy endings for all." She raised her coffee cup.
Emily reluctantly following suit with her own cup…
"It is you, then…So?" Emily stared at the open, friendly face.
"I've said I've no ill intent…"
"'Just now'…" Emily noted.
"True enough, one day things could change but I promise…Again, I swear on my mother's eternal…Whatever…There's no harm coming to you from me today, tomorrow, next year, perhaps even for your whole and naturally ending life."
"'Perhaps…'?" Emily noted.
"You'd know I was lyin' if I were to swear you were safe and in no danger from me forever. After all, I never know what might happen…You might even get in a crossfire betwixt me and some enemy one day. And I am pledged to be honest with you. Pledged to another, that is."
Mmmn…Slight twitch and shake of head. Emily eyeing her…
"Sorry, it's costing me a great deal of me strength to hold this form as long as I have in my weakened state…Yes, I am weakened since we 'lost' our gold all those months past." She nodded. "And there are powerful forces restraining me for the moment."
"Oh…?" Emily eyed her.
'Our' gold?
"You needn't believe or trust in me, dear." Lubdan smiled. "But the fact I've not taken your head off nor Rory's nor my sweet Marcus' is some evidence I'm not out for a quick blood letting here. So lets enjoy our coffee, please try a bit of this wonderful scone and cream, and let me explain why I've come to you like this, and the happy day for you and Rory…And me, tis true…This is."