Lea rested her head against the seat of the bus. 2 more hours and she would be resting her head against her grandmother lap. Once a month she took this same bus and let herself be driven to her grandmother house. She never told Riley where she went every month. This was a part of her life that she wanted to keep secret, a part of her life that she always wanted for herself. Prejudice was the last thing she needed in her new life.
The bus driver stopped abruptly and Lea knocked her head against the window. She pressed her forehead and thought that maybe it was time to start driving again. She had not touched a car wheel since the accident. Ten years have passed and still she felt incapable of driving again, the responsibility was too much for her, and the memories too dark.
Lea closed her eyes and tried not to think about it anymore. She had a new life now. She owned a famous restaurant, her reputation as a gourmet was well known among the society and now, she had a good man by her side. Riley Finn. Thinking of him made her smile a little. It had been almost one year since the last time she woke up and did not find him laying beside her. One year since she decided it was time to leave him just like she had left so many men before.
But Riley was not an easy man to leave, and he promised her she would never wake up lonely again. So far, he had kept his promise, and Lea was more than happy living with him. She still had her own place, but she doesn't live there anymore. She liked Riley's place, near to the beach and the restaurant. So, little by little, she began spending more time there until one day, she discovered that all her underwear was now located in his wardrobe. It didn't seem to bother Captain Finn, he was pleased to have his girl near him, and Lea wouldn't leave his side for nothing in this world. She trusted him, almost completely, but still there was a part of her life that she needed to keep safe and sound from everybody. Her grandmother Nira was a part of this secret, she and her people.
The bus stopped and the driver turned the engine off. Lea run her fingers through her hair and prepared her soul to this monthly visit. Everytime was the same thing, the wild part of her soul wanted to stay and live by her people's rules, but the urban part was the strongest one and when dawn falls, she would leave her inheritage behind and go back to the city. Just like it was supposed to be. She grabbed her purse and stepped out of the bus. Jose was already there waiting for her with his big golden smile, assuring Lea that everything was fine. She hugged the old man and let herself be driven once again into the big property of her grandmother.
She never got tired of looking at the wide property, full of trees and little white houses, children running and playing while the women gathered around the old-fashioned common ovens that were kept outdoors. She took a deep breath and felt her lungs aching for this pure air. Jose was chatting happily about how the children were growing fast, how Eva was pregnant again and other futile things. Lea smiled softly and interrupted him.
"And Nira? How is she?"
Keeping his eyes on the small road that leaded to the main house, Jose answered a little too fast:
"She's doing fine. You know how she is, strong like an old mare. All the women in your family are like this, little Lea. There are only two ways for death getting you, when you are far too old or when fate twists your destiny and reserves you an accident."
Just as his words were out of his mouth, Lea knew that Jose didn't mean it. So, she touched his shoulder and said:
"Ok, I get it, Jose." He had a sad look in his eyes. "I know you didn't mean to upset me. Let's continue talking about the old woman. And, please, be sincere."
Jose stopped the car in front of the house avoiding Lea's face when he spoke.
"Nira is old, little Lea. Maybe the time has come for you to come back home."
She sighted and answered:
"You know it is not going to happen, Jose. Not now, not ever. I have a different life now; I can not pretend I am going to follow Nira's steps. I haven't half of her strength; our people would never obey me like they obey her. They would soon want me to get a husband to run the kumpanya. And, despite what you may be thinking, I would not bare to live under a man's command."
She kissed the old man on the cheek and stepped out of the car as he whispered too low for her to hear.
"Be strong little Lea. May Saint Sara keep you safe."
He turned the engine on and drove back to his own house.
********
As soon as she entered the house, music filled her ears, a wild violin was being played with emotion and passion. Lea closed her eyes and remembered how she loved when her father played, how she would spend her whole day watching her mother dancing among the other women. No other gypsy had ever danced as Iolanda did. Holding her breath, Lea opened the door that lead to the main room to find Nira watching one of Lea's cousin playing the violin. Tomas was around 15 years old, his black hair and tanned skin gave him the looks of a Spanish gypsy. Three more years and he will be breaking many hearts, Lea thought. She leaned against the door and listened to the boy, watching as Nira waved her hands like she was dancing. When Tomas finished the song, Lea clapped her hands and shouted:
"Bravo, bravo! So young and so talented."
Tomas dropped the violin and run into Lea's arms.
"Cousin Lea! I missed you so much!"
She hugged him:
"So did I, Tomas. If I were ten years younger I'd sure ask you to marry me!"
Nira's voice broke the happy moment:
"If you were ten years younger I'd never let you leave this house, child."
The older woman raised from the chair, and Lea was astonished to see how much she aged in the past 30 days since her last visit. She pushed Tomas away and hugged her grandmother.
"Grandma, I miss you too."
Nira kissed her granddaughter's forehead and blessed her in Romani.
" Baxt tho Wuzho."
Lea closed her eyes. To hear her grandmother blessing her in Romani made Lea remember her own parents using the language while chatting in the kitchen during breakfast. Lea still remembered many of the words, and the blessing that Nira gave her was for her to remain pure, heart and soul.
"Thanks, vó. It is good to be home again."
"I just wish you could stay a little longer this time. I really need to talk to you." Nira glanced at Tomas. "You, little devil, take this violin of yours and get out of here. I need privacy to talk to Lea." As Tomas made a frown, Nira played with his hair and added, "Come back tonight, we can use some of your magical music."
Tomas smiled, kissed both women and left. Nira was not a woman of too much words, she was the baro of the kumpanya on these troubled days. When Lea's grandfather died, Nira refused to marry again and no one complained as she claimed herself the duty to watch over the tribe. She was a fair judge and had a good heart, she just did not like to waste too many time with small talks. Nira walked back to her chair, signing Lea to follow her. Lea left her purse on the table and sat on the floor, looking at her grandmother's face.
"Hey, grandma, you know I can't stay. I have to take care of the business and..."
"There is this man of yours." Nira said. "It is exactly about him that I want to talk to you. Do not make this face to me, child."
Lea had frowned heavily, she did not like when Nira used that tone of voice, nothing good had ever come out of her mouth when she spoke like this. Lea remained in silence as Nira spoke.
"I saw him in my dreams. Your blond giant, your foreigner hero. He is marhime Lea. He spent many days playing with the Shilmulos. And I never heard of nothing good happening to people that danced their dance."
Nira paused, waiting for Lea's comments.
"Grandma, he is not impure. He had problems of his own, he met this girl; and then the vampires were just a consequence. He does not do it anymore."
Nira raised her hand:
"I am not saying this, child. I know that he quit his games since he found you. I am not saying that your giant is a bad man, but he is cursed. I saw it, something will happen soon, some bad thing that will leave your heart bleeding." Nira looked lovingly at her little child, and said a prayer to Saint Sara for her to keep Lea sane. "I need you here Lea, before it is too late. I need to teach you things that I know you will need sooner than you think. You go home tonight, talk to your man and explain to him that you will need to stay away for a month or so. Tell him you gotta watch over your old and fragile grandmother."
Lea buried her head into her hands:
"I can't tell him this, vó. He doesn't know about you or my gypsy past."
Nira looked at her horrified:
"Please, tell me he at least knows about your parents."
Lea felt the hot tears coming down her face. Ashamed, she could not tell Nira anything.
"Good." said the old woman. "He loves a woman he doesn't even know. Listen to me, go to your house now, pack some of your things, tell the giant something - I don't care what you will tell him, just do what I am telling you - be back tomorrow afternoon. We are running out of time."
"What is happening, grandma? Please tell me."
Nira caressed Lea's cheek:
"I don't know little one. I just know that you need to learn fast; I need to wake the power that lies inside of you, I have to make you able to hear the messages. I need to make you strong as a warrior. Hush now... don't cry, golden child. We will manage it. We did it once, before you decided to leave us. We can do it again. "
Lea dried her cheeks, kissed Nira and left the house.
"Riley," she thought, "will you ever forgive me?"
She got into Jose's car and he drove her directly to her apartment. No bus trip this time, just like Nira said, they were running out of time.
***********
The phone was ringing insistently, urging Riley to answer it. He turned off
the shower and wrapped a towel around his hips. As he picked up the phone,
he could see the mess that the hot water was doing to his carpet.
"Hello."
"Captain Riley Finn?" the operator asked.
"Yes, this is he."
"Hold on a second, sir."
Riley stood in the middle of the room, soaked and waiting for the operator to complete the call. Then, the familiar voice he heard on the line brought him a smile.
"Riley, man! How are you doing in that hot city?"
Graham Miller would never stop pushing him for choosing to stay in Rio de Janeiro. In fact, when Riley left the special military service and stayed in Rio, he knew that was what pissed Graham even more. Sitting on the couch, Riley prepared himself for whatever made his old buddy call him.
"Doing great, Graham, just great. And you? How are things going on in Texas?"
Graham was now based on the Texan unit, fighting evil and riding horses. Riley always wondered how the hell Graham ended up there.
"I am not on Texas anymore, Riley." Graham paused and Riley could feel some kind of tension in his friend's voice when he spoke again, "I received a call last month and I am back in California now. In Sunnydale to be more accurate."
Riley closed his eyes and let himself fly away for some moments. It was almost as if all was beginning again, the call, Sunnydale, false identity, ideological love, broken heart, hideous addictions. Barely breathing he asked.
"And you're phoning me from the US just to tell that you are back in the Hellmouth? Listen, Graham, I do not wanna hear about this, ok?"
Graham voice seemed to quiver.
"Riley, I had no options, I just had to call you, man. Things here are pretty bad. The city is chaotic, the demons are dancing on their graves, congratulating themselves on the absence of the Slayer."
Riley remained in silence. Part of him wanted to ask where Buffy was and the other part just seemed not to care any longer. This was the part that won the fight that was taking place inside of him and he just said.
"Too bad for you Graham, the Hellmouth was never an easy place to be, specially when you do not have a slayer to control it. But, what do I have to do with this whole thing?"
Graham's answer did not surprise Riley at all.
"We need you here, Riley."
He sank his head into his hands and felt the pang grow inside his heart. That old and well known pang that would never leave him alone again. He kept his eyes closed as he answered.
"Not a chance, buddy. Life is good down here. I've got a good job, loving woman, sun and fun. I am not moving away from all this."
On the other side of the line, Graham laughed bitterly.
"You gotta a woman? So, that's what this denial is all about? You don't want to leave your woman or you don't want to face the slayer again? Help me out, Finn, cause I am not getting it."
Riley lost his tact and patient and slammed his fist against the telephone table:
"You don't have to get anything, Graham. I just said I am not going to Sunnydale. I am not going to live it all again. If I was not able to help before, I am not able to help now. Just leave me here, leave me in peace of mind."
He tried to calm down and started taking long breaths. Riley knew it was too much for his mind to come back to Sunnydale. And he decided that nothing that Graham might say could make him change his mind.
But he wasn't expecting Graham to say what he heard next.
"Riley, I really need you. I can't fight the demons anymore. One of them got me really bad, and my legs are gone." Graham paused, obviously trying not to cry over the phone, "I don't want my men to stand up alone, please help me. I am begging you. Just for a few weeks and then you can go back to your love nest and never think about the Hellmouth again."
Riley knew there was no way out of this. His loyalty and sense of debt to Graham were far too big, and he could only hope that Lea understands him. Trying to leave all his fears behind, Captain Finn assured his friend:
"I will go Graham, but Lea goes with me."
Graham could not believe that Riley was willing to take his new girlfriend to the mouth of Hell. He thought that Riley would have known better than to risk the girl's sanity. Riley knew no one ever left that place in good mental conditions, but Graham could not care less. He had not even met the girl and he was needing his old buddy at his side, so he agreed.
"Ok, if you really think that you need to expose her to all this craziness."
When he finally answered Graham, Riley's voice sounded very weird, almost haunted.
"I need her to keep me sane. See you in two days."
And he slowly put the phone back into its cradle. He could feel the wind blowing stronger this time.
*****
To be continued