As the morning sun was shining beautifully on the fifth avenue, impatient Aurah rode her bicycle down the street to meet her mate-to-be halfway.
Ben, in his dark blue jeans and green sweater, was looking as much elegant as casual.
She intercepted him with an artistic maneuver. Ben couldn't help but smile, seeing her in tracksuit. Aurah smiled back at him. A smile that warmed up Ben's heart like nothing else could.
"Race you to the house," Aurah said, stepping on the pedal quizzically.
"I have a better idea," Ben replied, lifting up the bike easily. "Shall I carry you home?"
"Please, pull me back to the ground before someone sees us!" Aurah laughed.
Ben walked by her side as she rode her bike slowly.
"You know, I have a thought," Ben mildly said. "Why don't I just turn around and jumped from the the New York Bridge?"
Aurah rolled her eyes. "I thought you want to confront Angelina. Here is your chance. The sooner you get it over with, the better."
"Okay. But don't say later that I haven't warned you. You can have the biggest shock of your young life today." Ben gave a tense smile.
"After all those years living in the same house with them? Don't you think I know their weak spots?" Aurah said smugly.
"I hope so." Ben sighed.
"There won't be any problem. Relax."
When they arrived at the building, Aurah jumped off the bike and removed her bike helmet. She rang the doorbell. The housekeeper opened the door and let them in.
Richard was watching morning news in the living room. When they entered the room, he turned off the TV and came to his feet.
"Welcome back, Ben," he said, extending his hand.
Ben shook Richard's hand, smiling. He was almost feeling comfortable around this old man.
"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Castle," Ben said.
"Nice to see you, too," Richard replied. Then he turned his direction to the housekeeper and asked; "Doris, is breakfast ready?"
"Yes, Dr. Castle," she replied.
"Where is mom?" Aurah asked, looking around. "She's not in dining room."
"We're gonna have the breakfast on the terrace," Richard said.
"Fantastic!" Aurah happily said.
They went on the terrace where Angelina waiting for them with a tense look upon her face.
She slowly arose from her chair. "Hello, Benjamin," she coldly said.
"Mrs. Castle, I'm very pleased to meet you. How do you do?" Ben graciously asked.
"Thanks. How are you?"
Ben couldn't stop himself from saying "Never been happier in all my life."
Angelina's eyes smoldered. Richard patted her hand to remind her to settle down.
She took a breath and said; "Have a seat, please."
Ben sat next to Aurah. Richard and Angelina sat on either side of them. Ben watched New York in bird's eye view from the terrace.
"Did you like it?" Aurah whispered to him.
"It's beautiful," Ben replied.
The breakfast table was laid properly and looking very inviting. A plate of toast and eggs, colourful table-mats, a bowl of fresh fruit and a knife in the centre of the table, warm milk poured into individual glasses. The tea was ready in a tea pot covered with a tea-cosy. All the things were ready at hand-bread, butter, honey, jams, sugar, salt and pepper along with teaspoons, forks and knives.
They started having breakfast in an awkward silence.
Richard decided to break the ice. "You know, according to the experts, breakfast boosts our brain-power, keeps us slim and lifts our mood, " he said. "It is not advisable to manage on a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits till lunchtime like Aurah usually does!" He gave his grandchild a reproachful look out of the corner of his eyes.
"Grandpa! Stop messing with me," Aurah said vociferously as she put some milk into her tea.
"Milk and tea? Aurah, what are you doing?" Angelina asked with a bewildered look on her face.
"I'm just trying something new."
"One week in London... And my daughter has become a completely different person." Angelina shook her head uneasily.
Richard laughed silently. Ben wanted to laugh too, but he held back his laughter, trying hard to look as serious as possible.
Angelina took a sip of her tea and stared at Ben. "So… Tell me about yourself, Benjamin. Aurah told me that you work on computers. Where did you get your degree?"
Ben quickly chewed and swallowed the morsel in his mouth. "I graduated from the University of Salford."
"Manchester," Aurah added.
"Sweetie," Angelina said, raising an eyebrow to Aurah. "I know you've become quite qualified in British culture, but I'm talking to Ben right now. So, please, let him express himself."
After she took one more sip from her tea, she continued. "What do you do for a living now?"
"I'm working at the Pacific Northwest Nation Laboratory," Ben replied.
"I heard of it," Richard said. "They are affiliated in some arcane manner with the Hanford Nuclear Site."
Ben said nothing, just nodded.
Angelina decided to test whether Ben is a spiritual person.
"So… Do you search for Nirvana?" She asked.
Ben was puzzled. He took a sip of his tea to take his time. "Well... Kurt Cobain was one of the most talented musicians of all times, but he died years ago and that's it." He shrugged.
Aurah and Richard burst into laughter. Angelina looked down on Ben, curling her lip.
"Did I say something stupid?" Ben whispered to Aurah, blushing.
"No, it was just funny… and sweet." Aurah smiled at him.
"When are you going back to work?" Angelina asked.
"Ben is leaving today," Aurah said with a sulky face.
"Yes," Ben muttered. "My time is up. I have to get back to work tomorrow morning."
Angelina's face was enlightened. A smile yanked the corners of her mouth.
"That's a pity," she said. "You didn't get a chance to explore New York."
"It's okay." Aurah shrugged. "We'll be back for Christmas."
"What do you mean 'YOU'?" Angelina's eyes smoldered.
"Well, I decided to live in Tri-Cities with Samuel… Or with Ben," Aurah calmly said.
Ben's tea went in the wrong way. While he was trying to recover from his shock, Richard was watching them in silence.
Angelina was about to raise the hell. Just when she took a deep breath and opened her mouth to pull up stakes with Aurah, Ben spoke:
"Mrs. Castle, please, I will accept whatever you say to me… Because I know Aurah deserves much better than me." He looked at Aurah for a second. Then he turned his stare back to Angelina. "As a concerned and protective mother, you think you're doing the best for her sake. But, the most obvious mistake you're making is underestimating your own daughter. Each time you go flat against her decisions, she'll fight you and your whole attitude... In everything you do and every argument you ever try to give her."
Richard who had been listening to them attentively decided to set in. He put his hand on his daughter's hand.
"I'm afraid Ben is right," he said reassuringly. "I can see the point."
"I just don't want her to be unhappy," Angelina sadly replied.
Richard smiled. "If she becomes unhappy, it would be the consequence of her own choice. And she will have no one but herself to blame… But if she becomes unhappy when you force her to stay, she'll blame you all the time for everything she couldn't do."
Angelina heaved a sigh of annoyance. Richard turned to Ben and asked in a serious manner:
"Do you love her?"
"Yes," Ben said without hesitation. "And I'd do anything for her." His eyes spoke the truth.
Richard turned to his daughter again and cracked a smile.
"Until today, I'd never have believed that I could say such a thing but if Ben fights you for Aurah, I think I'm going to be on his side."
"I never believed that l would hear you say a thing like that." Angelina gave him a tiny smile.
Ben coughed. "I'm sorry if I overstepped the line. This whole thing... happened so quickly... We didn't plan it that way. It just happened that way. I know it's like trying to do the unthinkable. But I don't care. Cause I'm in love."
After that, the silence set in again. Ben, after one more bitter look at Angelina, kept his head down and his mouth shut. Richard was examining Angelina's face to predict what she was thinking. Angelina was staring at Aurah with a worried frown.
"I guess I'd better be going," Ben said, pushing his chair to back slowly with a sad look upon his face.
Angelina raised her hand and stopped him. "Please, I'd like you to stay, Benjamin. We wanna get to know you better."
Richard winked at Aurah as she gave her grandfather a lovely smile brighter than the sun.
(Soundtrack: "Give It Up To Me – Sean Paul feat. Keisha Cole)
LaGuardia AIRPORT - 5 p.m.
Delta Airlines announced the arrival of flight 279 to Washington D.C.
Aurah wrapped her arms around Ben's waist.
"It kind of sucks that they don't have a direct flight to Tri-Cities Airport."
Ben twisted his fingers through her chocolate-brown hair.
"It's okay."
Aurah turned his head to left and checked out the flight board.
"You have only fifteen minutes left."
"It feels like fifteen split seconds." Ben sighed.
"How do you think your pack will react to your decision of taking a half-vampire as your mate?"
Ben grinned. "They're just gonna have to endure it. Besides, you're Marrok's grandchild. So, they'd better keep their mouths shut if they don't want Samuel to spring at them." Then the grin on his face vanished. He assumed on a serious air. "I hope Samuel won't spring at me soon as I arrive at Tri-Cities."
Aurah threw her head back, laughing. "Don't worry. I'll protect you," she winsomely said.
Passengers with destination to Washington, please proceed to your gate.
Passengers with destination to Washington, please proceed to your gate.
"I've got to go," Ben unhappily said.
"Yeah, you'd better go. Otherwise, you will miss your flight."
"But… There's one more thing."
"What?" Aurah raised her eyebrows.
"I don't want to regret later for not doing this before I leave."
Ben cupped her face in his hands gently and brought his lips towards hers. He kissed her with such passion that Aurah felt like floating on the air. She leaned into him as her lips trailed all the way down Ben's neck, until she found the hollow at the base of his throat and indulged in his smooth skin.
Ben sighed her name. "Aurah, don't!"
Aurah lifted up her head and looked into his eyes mischievously.
"What?" She tittered. "Do you think I'm crazy enough to sink my teeth into your neck and start drinking your blood in front of everyone in the most crowded city of USA?
Ben heaved a sigh of relief, smiling. He bent his head down and met Aurah's lips again with a strong, passionate kiss…
OKAY EVERBODY, THAT'S A WRAP!
THIS IS THE END OF "UN-THINKABLE".
BUT IT'S NOT THE END OF AURAH&BEN'S STORY.
THEY'RE JUST GETTING STARTED :)
THANKS FOR THE LOVELY REVIEWS, MESSAGES AND ALL THE SUPPORT.
HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN...