Bewitched
Chapter 21
It was not until a few hours later that things really started to sink in. Jesse was alive. He was flesh and blood, he had a heartbeat. I knew all this when it first happened, but it took a while for it to hit me full blast. Like when someone close to you dies, and you know that it happened, but it just takes you a long time to actually realize that they're gone—and they don't come back in ghost form (I have to make it so it relates to me, too).
But now Jesse and I could do all those things we never thought we would be able to do when he was dead. We could get married, have kids, do the thing that creates the kids...and, well, people would be able to see him now. My parents, my siblings, my best friends...
It all seemed like a dream. A very, very good dream that I never wanted to end. Except...this was not a dream. It was real and I was happier than I had ever been in my life.
Jesse could see the difference in me, I could tell. He even told me so. "Querida, you are glowing," he had said with a smile. At first I thought he meant I was glowing, like he used to do when he was dead. But then I realized that he meant I was glowing, as in I was ebullient, happy, radiant.
It was just so surreal, everything happening all at once. But...I would not have had it any other way. God came back to me. He finally answered my prayers and gave me the one thing I wanted most in the world: the one man that I truly loved to possess life.
After that day, I never doubted God again. He came through for me in the end and that's all that mattered to me. Because, honestly, God was on my side throughout all of this. I would not have made it that far if it were not for him—who else would have sent Jesse to me?
The day after he became alive, Jesse and I decided it was best if we left. Madame Zara gave us some money that we could use (after I swore to her that I would pay her back someday) and we still had some of the money from Father Dominic, so Jesse and I would do well for a while. Madame Zara also gave Jesse some clothes that she had (I assumed they were Benjamin's), so he would not be wearing the clothes he died in, which were very outdated.
It was night when we left. We still wanted to remain inconspicuous lest anyone spot me and turn me in to the authorities. I had my doubts that it would happen, but Jesse and I wanted to remain on the safe side.
As we walked from town to town, Jesse kept his arm around me, keeping me warm even throughout the night, which was something that I was very thankful for. It was odd, though...it seemed as if Jesse had never been dead. For someone who only just became alive a little over a day ago, he adapted to it very well. I guess I gave him less credit than he deserved.
We walked all through the night. It was a tiring experience, but it had to be done. Once the sun began to rise, we made our way to the nearest inn and stayed there. No one recognized us. The nice lady in the front led us up to our room and asked if we needed anything. When we said no, she walked away.
Once the lady was down the hall, I shut the door behind Jesse, and I and smiled up at him sunnily. "Finally!" I exclaimed, falling down on the bed in the room. It felt like so long since I had sat down, especially on a bed.
I looked around the room, surveying it. The bed was probably the largest object in the room, followed by a vanity with drawers for some clothing. There was a chair in the corner, but it looked very worn, so I would not recommend sitting in it.
The bed was the only thing we needed, though. The lady, before she left, briefly told us that there would be breakfast for us in about an hour, if we wanted to come down. I guess we arrived so early that the breakfast was not even made yet. Fancy that.
Jesse smiled back at me, sitting himself down next to me on the bed. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he reached out and pulled me into him.
It really is amazing just how much life can make someone so happy. Yes, Jesse seemed happy enough when he was dead (unlike most other ghosts that are brooding and want to wreak havoc on any and every human they see), but now that he was alive...well, he seemed radiant. And I guess it was contagious, because I was just as happy as—if not more than—he was.
It was strange, because I should have been worried. I had, after all, escaped from a dungeon with no doors or windows. Not only that, but the reason I was in there was because mostly everyone thought I was a witch. If you put those two together...well, you do not really get something good.
But even though I should have been worried, I was not. I had Jesse with me...and I guess I just felt that he would protect me no matter what. No, I knew that he would protect me no matter what.
He was warm. This time he actually was warm, instead of my mind playing tricks on me when he was a ghost. I pretended to struggle out of his embrace, even though I relished every second of it.
Jesse chuckled and pulled back from me slightly, so he could look down at me. He smiled and leaned down, lightly kissing my nose.
What a tease. He knew how his lips made me feel. So, really, he should not have been as surprised as he was when I wrenched my arm out from his embrace and pulled his head back down toward my lips.
I fell back on the bed, dragging him with me. He braced himself around me, so as to not crush me with his weight. His left hand, which was previously on my hip, came down to my face and caressed my cheek. Then he held my face in his hand and whispered, "Te amo, querida."
And then he kissed me again.
I moaned against his lips in approval, urging him to keep going. For something so sinful, it felt so right. I assume Jesse thought the same thing, because, when I slipped my hand up his shirt and ran my fingers along his muscled stomach, he groaned.
But I guess the noise made him realize just what was going on, because he stopped, yet again, and sat up, looking at me apologetically. I sat up as well and moved away from him slightly, realizing he needed his space. "Susannah, I—" he started, but I put a finger to his lips and shook my head.
"No, Jesse, do not apologize. I know." I removed my finger and smiled.
He shook his head. "Querida, if it were any other time or place. If we were just married—"
"But we're not." I shook my head and looked down at the bed. "Please, I do not wish to argue right now."
He put his finger under my chin and tilted it so I had to look him in the eye. "Susannah, I have been given life, something that should never have happened. God has been generous enough to give me another chance at life. I cannot disgrace Him with something so...so sinful."
I looked up and into his deep, gorgeous eyes and asked softly, "But is it really such a sin, Jesse? If you and I want it, if we are in love...isn't that enough?"
He stared into my eyes, just like I was staring into his. "I..." he started and looked down at the bed, "I do not know." He shook his head and looked up at me again. "I know Father Dominic would not approve."
I scoffed. "Well, I wonder why—wait! Father Dominic!"
Jesse knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Yes...that is what I said."
"No, not—never mind. Jesse, we forgot about everyone at home. They—Father Dom probably assumes the worst. You have not visited him since before you became alive and he is probably...oh, dear..."
Jesse had the same expression on as I did. "You are right, Susannah. But how are we going to—" Then he stopped and stared at me.
I was confused as to why he was looking at me like that at first, but then I realized soon enough. "Jesse...I don't think I can..."
He cupped his hands around my face and looked into my eyes. "You did it before. You can do it again."
"But—but Jesse...I—"
"Shh," he soothed, "I'm here with you. All you need to do is shift into his house, behind the church. You remember what it looks like, right?"
I nodded. "Of course. But I don't think I can—"
"I know you can, querida."
I nodded again and he held my hand I closed my eyes and thought of the place. Father Dominic's secluded place behind Andover's church. I had only been there once, but I remembered it as if I had been there thousands of times.
I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.
"Susannah? What—"
I whirled around and saw Father Dominic sitting in his chair, reading from a book, a candle on a stand next to him. His eyes drifted to my left and his eyes widened in shock. He instantly stood up and walked over to me, his eyes still glued to something to my left.
Curiosity took over and I glanced to my left and gasped. Jesse was there. How did he—
Oh, my goodness. I dragged him with me. Would that...did it hurt him? Oh, no.
"Jesse!" I gasped in shock and he looked at me in astonishment. I guess he did not realize that he came with me, either.
"Susannah, Jesse, what is the meaning of this?" Father Dominic whispered in a hard voice. "How on God's gracious earth did you—" He stopped mid-question, probably realizing he was getting too worked up. That was not a good thing at his age.
I do not know why I did this, but I flung myself at Father Dominic and hugged him. It was an awkward one after I realized what I had done, but it still made me feel better. It just felt so long since I had last seen him that I needed to do something to show him that. And that was hugging him, I guess.
He patted my back awkwardly and said, "I know, child. I have missed you, too."
I pulled away from him, as he did from me. Then he gestured to Jesse and asked, astonished, "How did this happen?"
I looked at Jesse and he smiled at me lovingly. Then I looked back at Father Dominic and explained to him how Jesse had become one of the living once again. I told him how I went to see Gina and then she sent me to stay with Madame Zara. And then I told him about Benjamin—what I knew of him, anyway—and then about Jesse being alive once again. To say he looked shocked afterward would be a tremendous understatement.
"She is like us, then," he said after he recovered from his shock. "She is a mediator."
I shook my head. "No, not exactly. She said she could sense spirits, but could not see them, nor hear them."
Father Dominic, I could tell, was still in shock over the situation. I do not really blame him; I still am not fully used to the idea that Jesse is alive.
Father Dominic shook his head and then turned his eyes to me, "We were worried. When Jesse did not show up for a few days, we began to fret."
"That is why we came," Jesse said from my side. It is funny. I had almost forgotten that he was there.
I shifted nervously. "There is also another reason," I said quietly.
"Your mother is fine, Susannah. I have been checking up on her daily."
"What about Mary? Is she—"
"Paul exorcized her." Then he added begrudgingly, "without my permission."
I smirked. I just could not help it. So Paul did exorcize her. Well, good. It serves her right. That horrible creature. Hell would—should—be her new home.
Father Dominic's gaze flitted between Jesse and me. Then he said, "Enough about ghosts. How are you both?"
I looked at Jesse and gave him a half-smile. He returned it. "All right," I said, turning back to Father Dominic. "As well as we can be."
Father Dominic nodded. "Where are you staying? Surely you are not still traveling."
"No, we stopped this morning. We are staying in an inn in Andover."
"In...in separate rooms, I hope," he said.
Jesse and I exchanged glances. "Um, well," I started, not knowing what to say. "We did not want to waste money. Besides, people seemed to think we were...well, together, anyway."
"Susannah! You know it is a sin to—"
"Father Dominic, we are just sleeping in the same bed. Nothing else is happening, I assure you. I would not lie to you about that."
He sighed resignedly. "Alright, alright. Just...promise me you will not do...that, before marriage."
My eyes widened and unwillingly focused on Jesse. He spoke before I could. "We promise, Father. Nothing of that sort will happen."
I noticed he did not say did happen. Because it most certainly was not nothing that was going on before.
Father Dominic gave us a few more things to abide by, then wished us good luck. Grabbing Jesse's hand, I thought of the room in the inn, and when I opened my eyes we were there.
Except there was one little problem. The lady that showed us our room was there, looking down at us on the floor with immense concern. And right then a few men came in.
SOOO sorry this took so long. I promise to try and update a lot sooner next time. Also, Merry Christmas/Channukah/Kwanza/or whatever it is you celebrate. Hope you all get what you wished for!
Oh! And remember to review!