...
Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla
judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus,
pie Jesu Domine,
dona eis requiem.
Amen.
[Requiem – Lacrimosa – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]
...
When sunday finally came, her cellphone alarm woke her at half past three in the afternoon, to provide her with the necessary time to shower, dress and drive to the cemetery.
Her mind was unusually foggy while she prepared herself for the funeral and she somehow felt as if she wasn't really there – just watching everything from an observers perspective.
She had thought she'd be a tear-streaked mess, but she was still calm and collected. It was odd, but she had to admit, she was glad that she was able to blur the events out to some extend – the reality would hit her soon enough...
When she got into the cab she had called, it was already an hour later and she arrived only five minutes prior to the ceremony, urged to hurry to find the chapel it would take place in.
By the time she found and entered it, most people were already seated – but she didn't give a damn. All she could care about was the open coffin right beside the speakers desk at the other end of the room.
She could see her grandmother lying in there with closed eyes and her hands folded in an unusual way and gulped while she hastily made her way to the front row, where her parents sat. Fortunately they were accompanied by Pat, who send her a warm smile as soon as he recognized her, while her parents didn't have anything but nods and grim expressions to spare.
Laura remained stoic throughout most of the ceremony and wasn't really able to follow the speakers, when they started to recall the stories about her Gran, they wanted to share with the audience. She felt as if her head was wrapped in cotton wool – she heard everything as if it was far, far away. But it didn't feel as if she should worry about it, as she was safe inside this secure bubble.
Only when she felt an elbow hit her ribcage, she awoke from this foggy state of mind and examined her mother with a baffled expression.
"This was your signal – its time for your piano solo", she told her in a low voice and slightly furrowed brows. Her mascara was a bit blurred from the tears she had shed and caused her green eyes to be even more prominent. The hazel, chin-long hair she usually wore partly tied back, was open and hung into her face, probably to hide her shaken state. It had been a long time since she had seen her mother upset like that.
"What?!", Laura asked shocked – she couldn't remember anything about a piano solo!
"I told you when I called you!", her mother explained with a slightly raised voice now, "And you said 'yes' so I took it you complied with your fathers wish!"
"I didn't-... I-", she stammered confused, but nevertheless found herself rising and strolling to the piano – right on the other side of the speakers desk – as if she would've been remotely controlled.
When she had taken a seat, her mind felt void and she couldn't for the life of her remember any serious piano solos her father might have wanted to hear.
But as she became aware of the pressure of all eyes in the room sticking completely to her – and her alone – she was forced to play something, and the first she could think about was this popular piano piece from the movie 'Amélie'.
She remembered an animated video, were an old man played this solo on the piano and his wife – as a ghost – accompanied him for a time. Maybe that was why that particular piece came to her mind in that moment...
When she finally let her fingers take over control, it was as if she was alone suddenly, as if all the people around her didn't matter anymore and she was able to simply concentrate on the beautiful music with every fiber of her body.
By the time she had pressed the last key, it was so quiet, she could have heard a pin drop. Only when she lifted her head, she was suddenly painfully aware again, of all the eyes sticking to her. Hesitantly she sneaked a peek to her father and was a bit surprised to find him smile faintly at her, while silent tears ran down his cheeks.
She couldn't remember having seen him cry ever before – not even at the funeral of her grandfather, which was one of the first things she could remember clearly from her childhood.
He had not shed a single tear then. But he hadn't been very attached to his father – the relationship to his mother was definitely quite another matter.
Only when she felt something wet drop onto the back of her hand, she realized that she had been crying too for the whole time. Perplexed she reached to her wet cheeks and rose to walk back to her seat again, where her mother greeted her with a tight hug and her father rubbed her back comfortingly.
"I'm so tired of this game Laura, aren't you too?", her mothers trembling voice reached her ears and she just nodded vigorously, as she wasn't sure if she'd be able to speak at that moment.
When they parted again, she noticed her mother nodding too and giving her a loving smile, while her tear-filled eyes seemed to refuse to look anywhere else but at her daughter. It was as if a mountain sized burden had been lifted off Laura's chest, when she saw that expression and felt herself smile in response.
Her mother had kept her arm wrapped around her throughout the remaining ceremony and when the crowd started to leave the chapel and they stood up to proceed to the cemetery too, her parents flanked her sides, each of them holding one of her hands while they walked behind the pallbearers.
It was one of those bittersweet situations, where you weren't sure if you were supposed to laugh or cry...
When Laura sneaked a peek over her shoulder, to make sure Pat was OK, she found him trotting behind them, smiling at her and forming his lips to an "I told you!".
By the time they finally reached the grave, the coffin was placed beside the excavated tomb, to finally allow her father a few minutes for his last words, before his mother would be lowered into the earth.
Although Laura followed his every move intently – being aware of his trembling hands, when he extracted the peace of paper with his notes and his shaky walk towards the position he obviously thought would be seen best from the audience – she wasn't able to comprehend what he said. Her mind had switched back into this secure feeling, foggy state, as soon as she heard him start with "loving mother and grandmother".
When her mother started to sob uncontrollably beside her, she tried to comfort her by caressing her back in slow circles, like Godric had done with success the last three nights.
She felt the constantly present lump in her throat become more prominent with every minute that passed, as every passing minute caused the inevitable and final goodbye to draw nearer and nearer.
At the moment her Gran was still there, dead though and hidden in the coffin, but if she really wanted to, she could still walk up to her, open the lid of the coffin and touch her usually always moving hands to get a hold of this feeling of home once more.
Whenever she had been away for a school trip or such, and came back, it wasn't the house or room she lived in, that had caused her to feel at home again, but her Gran – waiting for her at the front door and hugging her as soon as she was in arms reach, telling her she'd missed her.
Soon her grandmother would be lowered into the grave, and she wouldn't be able to touch or talk to her ever again – and that thought saddened her as much as it scared her.
Just when she felt the first sob escape her throat, Patrick approached her to comfort her as he always did whenever something upset her: he simply took her hand and squeezed it softly, reminding her that he would be there for her whenever she should need him.
And that was the time, when the dam broke and all the feelings she had held back up to this point, broke free at once.
Due to her uncontrollable sobs and tears, she couldn't really say when her father had ended his speech, or when the men who had carried the coffin had started to lower it into the grave.
All she new, was that she felt horribly sad and forlorn at the moment she watched this box containing her grandmothers dead body disappear into the hole in the earth and the ridiculous urge to jump down right behind it.
Her father let the first white rose drop onto the coffin lid, followed by her mothers and hers which caused the seemingly endless flood of people to start offering their condolences. She listened as intently as she could manage and realized only now how many had come to bid her Gran farewell.
Two of the first people telling them how sorry they were for their loss, were her uncle and cousin. There wasn't much family present, as Laura and her parents had been the last relatives of her grandmother, but her uncle had come with his daughter to comfort and support them. Her aunt hadn't been able to take the day off unfortunately, but Laura was grateful to see her cousins face when she and her father approached.
"I'm so sorry Laura – I know you were very attached to her", Frankie told her and stepped to her side, gripping her left hand, as Pat still held her right. They both kept standing beside her like bodyguards, silently supporting her with their mere presence.
Many of the people who had come to the funeral, were in their late sixties or older, and friends of her Gran from the time when she had still lived in Dallas with her husband. But some had even come all the way from Arkansas to say goodbye.
When the last person finally approached to pay his condolences, Laura felt as if she'd break down any moment. She doubted her trembling legs would support her much longer and she still hadn't managed to quit crying, which didn't help her headache either.
Through tear-dimmed eyes she recognized, that the quite hooded person didn't seem to take the usual way – from her father to her mother and finally to her – but headed instantly into her direction.
"I am so sorry for your loss", she heard him murmuring, after he had reached for her right hand with his gloved one, which caused Pat to reluctantly let go of it. The sound of the man's low voice had startled her and she hurriedly rubbed her tears away, to have a better look at the person standing in front of her.
He wore a black Stetson, dark sunglasses and a gray scarf pulled up over his nose, which gave him an awkwardly mummed appearance. The only normal thing he wore, were his black suit and shoes, as even his dark gloves were unusual, considering the relatively high temperatures they still had.
"What are you doing here Godric?", she asked equally baffled and concerned, but due to her constant sobbing with a rather broken voice, "The sun didn't set yet – how could you do such a reckless thing?!"
"Wait a minute", Pat suddenly interrupted, before the wannabe cowboy had a chance to reply and continued with a slightly disappointed tome, "This is Godric? I didn't imagine you like this man..."
"Well you can't see much of him now, can you?", Laura noted as dryly as she could in her still sobbing state. She constantly felt the muscles around her mouth tense uncontrollably, causing her lips to tremble – she had to look ridiculous...
Godric didn't seem to care about their little quarrel and gently grabbed her chin to tilt her head up to him, forcing her to face him.
"Look into my eyes Laura", he told her with a soft and alluring voice while he lowered his sunglasses just enough to make it possible, "You'll calm down now. Everything will be fine..."
Immediately she could sense the lump in her throat become almost inexistent and her erratic heartbeat calmed down as well as her breath. Suddenly she felt as if there wasn't any reason to cry anymore – sure her Gran was gone, but life would go on and she had people she could count on.
It was strange being a sobbing mess at one moment and calm and settled the next, but it felt right nonetheless.
"Thanks Godric", she whispered gratefully and watched him readjust his sunglasses.
"That was awesome dude", Pat noted baffled and grinned at the vampire before them, obviously completely forgetting about his former aversion to said person.
"Don't 'dude' him Pat!", Laura chided him, but couldn't suppress a smile.
"Would you care to introduce us Laura?", her mother suddenly asked with a trembling voice, her eyes red rimmed from crying. Despite his still deeply sad expression, even her father seemed somewhat curious.
"We should postpone that until we're at the restaurant", Laura suggested and looked expectantly at the hooded person in front of her and then at the sun, hovering just above the horizon already. "Would you care to go to the 'Penne Pomodoro' at 1924 Abrams Parkway and wait for us there? It shouldn't take us long..."
"Of course Little One", she heard him muttering, while he let go of her hand and chin and the next moment he was gone.
"What was that?", her cousin and mother asked simultaneously, both looking expectantly at Laura, while her father seemed as if someone had pulled the rug out from under his feet.
Maybe she should ask Godric to glamour him too, it definitely couldn't hurt...
"Can't we elucidate that later?", Laura sighed and darted her parents a pleading look, "We should head to the restaurant too – the others are probably waiting already..."
Her father nodded silently and began to lead the way to their rental car. His face was blank now, as if every last emotion had been sucked out of him. He didn't look like his usually confident self at all and it scared Laura to see him so vulnerable. What would it be like for him then, when she'd die one day?
Laura, her parents and Pat drove with the car to the restaurant, while Francine and her dad took a cab. The ride proceeded quietly, as Pat obviously feared to say the wrong thing, judging by the nervous twitching of his foot every now and then and her parents were each busy with their own thoughts.
As they arrived at the 'Penne Pomodoro', Laura could already hear the voices of people, talking animatedly inside the building. When they told the waiter who they were, he immediately lead them to a separated room where two long tables had been prepared for the funeral guests.
As soon as they set foot into the room, the voices died down abruptly and kept quiet until her family had sat down at the head end of one of the tables, where some chairs had stayed vacant for them.
Laura and her mother left to head for the restroom then – to perform damage control. Their faces were both tear stained, their eyes red rimmed and while her mother was busy with her mascara, Laura even managed to take a painkiller without her noticing it. Only when they had accomplished to at least look half-decent, they returned to the gathering again.
There were a few chairs unoccupied between her family and the other guests, as some had obviously already headed home – obviously the ones who had come all the way from Arkansas. She and her mother took the chairs opposite of each other, both flanking her father, who sat at the head of the table, staring at his interlaced fingers absentmindedly.
Laura had always found it quite macabre to gather for a meal and drinks after a funeral. But now it suddenly seemed to be exactly what they needed: the presence of people who'd miss her grandmother as well, and stories about her life that would remind them of the funny and loving person she had been.
"Where is your friend Laura?", her mother asked suddenly, looking down the tables after they had placed their orders and the waiter had left to hurry into the kitchen again, "Didn't he find the restaurant?"
Now Laura allowed her eyes to roam about the room as well, but when she glimpsed the windows it dawned on her why they couldn't find him. She felt a bit guilty for not looking for him earlier – he was probably waiting somewhere, where he wouldn't have to feel the sun's power over him...
"He's probably in another room", she finally told them simply. It wouldn't be necessary to go into detail...
"Oh – so he forgot to tell the staff he belongs to us", Frankie noted and nodded understandingly before she continued, "You should go find him, Laura!"
"I'm afraid, it's a bit more complicated than that...", Laura muttered and looked at Pat for help, but he just shrugged with an apologizing expression. Frustrated she rolled her eyes and took a glimpse at her wristwatch.
"He'll be here in about eight minutes anyway", she told her family and hoped they'd leave it at that, as their drinks arrived just at that moment. But apparently that was too much to ask for...
"Would you please start to explain?", her mother demanded with an annoyed voice and stared expectantly at her, "He was gone much too fast and now you say he'll miraculously turn up in eight minutes?! How would you know such a thing?"
"Well...", Laura reluctantly started and sighed before she scratched the back of her head in an embarrassed manner, "I don't now how to say it without causing you to freak out..."
"Oh, come on Laurie – they saw he doesn't mean any harm to you! He even calmed you down, he's obviously concerned about your wellbeing!", Pat interrupted as she had paused for a moment and glanced at her parents with his most sincere face, "He's a vampire – simple as that!"
Her mother covered her mouth, as it had opened in shock after that statement and looked horrified from her daughter to Pat – who sat directly beside her – while her father appeared as if his eyeballs would pop out of his head any moment.
"You're acquainted with a vampire?", he asked her disbelievingly and shook his head in disapproval, "How can you trust him? – He could crush you with his little finger!"
It was the first sentence escaping his mouth, since his speech at the funeral – and in Laura's humble opinion it would have been better if he'd stayed quiet...
She inwardly blessed the waiter when their first course arrived the next moment and everyone was occupied with their meals for a short time. But unfortunately her parents hadn't forgotten about the conversation they had conducted.
"So he's coming here in eight minutes?!", her mother reminded them and it wasn't possible to overhear the fright in her high pitched voice.
"No, it's just two minutes now", Frankie interjected helpfully and with a grin, obviously quite excited to meet a vampire. Other than Laura and Pat, she came from a little city – not a small town – and had probably already had contact with vampires.
"What?!", her mother almost shrieked and some heads turned into her direction, until Pat was able to convince them, that there wasn't any problem.
Laura had never had a very extensive discussion about vampires with her parents, but she had never thought they't react in such a bigoted way. She knew her father had already had one or two vampire clients, as he had mentioned it at dinner back then, and – for God's sake! – her mother tried to get her hands on their blood for some time now, to run some tests!
How could they be so narrow-minded and hypocritical?!
"I can assure you he's the most friendly and caring person I've ever met – there's absolutely no reason to-", Laura tried to calm them before Godric would arrive. She wanted to spare him this awkward situation – but she was rudely interrupted by her mother.
"That doesn't mean anything – you hardly know anyone!", she reminded her, still with a quite shrill voice. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she seemed to be simultaneously angry and frightened as her eyes almost screamed 'fear'.
"And who's to blame for that?", Laura countered as dryly as possible, just barley managing to keep herself from shouting at her mother. Instead she cocked her eyebrow in a challenging manner and leant forward to reduce the space between them, glowering at her accusingly.
"We should all calm down now – I think the person in question arrived...", Pat interjected to calm the waves and gestured to the entrance of the room with his pointer-finger.
And really: Godric stood in the door with his black suit, looking unusually dressed up and reminding her of the ball they had attended to. Fortunately he got rid of his Stetson, sunglasses, scarf and gloves – as Laura had to admit she wasn't really a fan of this hooded style.
"I did not mean to cause any trouble", he addressed them while he slowly strode into their direction and finally halted directly behind Laura's seat, putting his hands onto her shoulders in a reassuring manner, "I just wanted to make sure your daughter was fine."
"Please don't tell me she is your 'pet'!", her father, who still hadn't even touched his soup, suddenly spat, "I read everything about it in the newspapers – your customs are outdated and simply wrong!"
The room went quiet after that statement, as her dad had spoken with a quite raised voice, attracting the attention of the other guests – if on purpose or not Laura couldn't really tell. But she felt horrible for this whole scene nonetheless.
Of all people her father had to pillory exactly Godric for whatever shit he had read in his stupid magazines – the vampire, who had offered his last three nights to calm her down and comfort her and who had given her a place to stay, when she had nowhere else to go.
"I totally agree with you", Godric told him calmly, surprising not only Laura, but her whole family, "That is why I did everything in my power to make some of those practices indictable while I was still in charge of the vampires of this area. Unfortunately there was a quite influential lobby working against me."
While the room still held its breath, Godric grabbed the chair beside Pat and placed it between him and Laura as best as he could, making himself comfortable on it before he continued with a smug grin, "But that does not mean that I was not successful!"
Although Laura had been curious about Godric's goals and achievements as the sheriff of the area, she had never dared to talk about vampire politics with him. Partly because she feared it would remind him of the position he had been dismissed of, partly because she didn't want to commit a blunder or even worse – offend him.
It kind of came in handy to hear him talking about his past, without being the one asking him to do it.
"So you tell me you were some sort of vampire-mayor of Dallas or something?", her father asked disbelievingly, when the other guests attention had switched back to their own discussions and the noise level increased again, "Wouldn't it be better to let someone more... – intimidating do the job?!"
"A few moments ago you told me he'd be able to crush me with his little finger and now you ask something like that?", Laura interjected incredulously, "Looks can be deceiving Dad!"
"Surely he can crush you – you're only human! But other vampires are something else entirely!", he told her in a hard voice, as if he had become a vampire-expert since she'd left home, and looked sternly at her.
"I can assure you, no one ever doubted my authority – neither in this area, nor anywhere else. My age and reputation caused the vampires to accept me as their sheriff without hesitation", Godric told him with a slightly annoyed sigh, "Physical size does not matter for vampires – our power depends on our age. But to answer your question: I would never take a human as a 'pet'. Your daughter is safe from me."
"Good", her father stated curtly and with a tone, that indicated he'd have taken certain measures if it were the case – as if that would have scared a vampire...
An awkward silence settled at their end of the table, only cut by Laura's whispered "Thank's for coming", which only Godric was able to sense. He simply nodded and smiled at her, before he took her hand in his and gently squeezed it.
"You still haven't told us in which relationship you are with each other!", her mother suddenly noted and sounded as if she had calmed down again. Fortunately, the first shock had obviously ebbed away – or she had fallen for Godric's charm, which was absolutely possible as well...
"We are friends – do you have a problem with that?", Laura stated in a challenging manner and slightly furrowed her eyebrows while she stared at her mother. She'd never let them dictate how she was supposed to live ever again!
"I don't know yet...", her mother hesitantly replied and looked suspiciously at their hands. Godric started at that very moment to deliberately stroke – with gentle movements of his thumb – over the back of her fingers. It was astonishing how he supported her in this little war without any need of words.
He seemed to always understand immediately what she felt and how he could help her with any situation. Did such knowledge come with time and experience, or was he just an extraordinarily attentive person?
"I would never harm your daughter and I promise you I will keep her safe during our journeys-", Godric started but stopped, as soon as he felt Laura squeeze his hand rather harshly. Confused he averted his gaze from her mother to face Laura. "Did I say something wrong Young One?"
"Oh not at all!", her mom interrupted dryly, before Laura could have answered, "I think she just wanted you to stop, because she had obviously been too busy to tell us about your plans yet."
"What did he mean with 'journeys' Laura?", her father demanded to know now, "Does it have anything to do with the trip you wanted to take with your grandmother?"
Laura bit onto her bottom lip and lowered her gaze to the now surely cold soup in front of her. This was not how she had planned to tell them about it...
"Yeah, we wanted to take a trip to some special places around the world, Gran and Godric wanted me to see before-...", but she stopped mid-sentence and gulped when she became aware of where this statement was about to head to.
"Before what, Laura?", her mother asked with a shrill voice again and gripped her spoon so tightly, it would certainly have broken, had it been made of anything other than metal, "Before you die because you refuse any treatment?!"
Silence settled again on their end of the table and nobody dared to say anything until Frankie suddenly laid her spoon down audibly.
"It's her life and her choice Aunt Charlotte!", Laura's cousin noted and glared pointedly at her mother, "I wanted to keep my nose out of your business, but honestly: don't you two see that you're making everything much more difficult for her? It obviously wasn't an easy choice to make and she probably thought about it for a long time, so get yourself together and accept her decision already!"
Laura was positively surprised by this little outburst. She hadn't had much contact with her cousin for the last couple of years, but when she had been younger, Frankie had sometimes stayed at their home for a few weeks during summer holidays, while her parents went on vacation to god knew where.
They had developed a quite tight relationship back then, and though they hadn't talked to each other for a long time, there was still this deep trust, that her cousin would help her in any situation she'd need her – no matter what.
"You can't talk to your aunt like that, Frankie!", her uncle chided his daughter to calm the waves and patted the back of her hand in a rather grandfatherly manner.
"So you think it's OK what they're doing?!", Franky asked shocked and looked at him with an accusing glare.
"No, not at all, but-", he tried to explain but was immediately interrupted by his sister.
"What? So you think it's a good idea to ignore the chance she still has and give up?"
Laura had started to press her hands flush against her ears as soon as she realized this would turn into a huge argument about her. But the only people who took notice of it, were Godric and Pat who both tried to comfort and calm her in their own way.
She could see how her mother's head became slightly red and her father started to talk with his hands (which never was a good sign), but fortunately she couldn't really understand anything they said through her hands.
Laura new her behavior was childish, but she just couldn't stand it, when she was the reason for an argument, especially when it was such a serious one.
Only when Godric gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand at least a few inches away from her ear, she could hear her cell phone ring and immediately let her other hand drop too, to search for it.
Fortunately whoever tried to call her, had obviously a lot of patience, because it took her some time to find it in her purse. But when she finally got a hold of it she noted with surprise, that 'The Huge One' was standing on the screen in bold letters.
She looked up to get a picture of the scene before her and decided to stay were she was, as none of them would listen to her conversation anyway, as long as they where discussing the pros and cons of her life and death choice.
"Hey Eric – I'm so sorry I didn't call you", she told him apologetically and shortly bit onto her lip before she continued, "I completely forgot – the last days were a bit tough..."
"You should be glad I didn't hang up – it took you ages to answer! You definitely need a new purse... ", he suggested a bit grumpy from the other end of the line, which conjured a smile on Laura's face, "But no problem honey pie. I just wanted to make sure you're alright – but what the hell is going on on your side? Where are you?"
"At the funeral meal", she sighed and glanced to her parents, who still were occupied with their discussion, "And my family thinks its the right time to debate about my decision to refuse surgery..."
"Sounds funny", the Viking chuckled and she could almost picture his amused smirk.
"Yeah... If it weren't for Godric and Pat I'd have probably long run amok", she muttered with an annoyed voice, "But on the other hand this reminds me why I left home in the first place – I almost forgot that. I wonder how that was even possible..."
"Godric is with you?", Eric asked surprised, but continued before she could have answered, "I'm glad you talk to him again – I've told you it's just been a misunderstanding!"
When her eyes involuntarily darted to said vampire, she was able to glimpse the corner of his mouth twitching upwards for just a moment. He seemed to concentrate on the argument taking place in front of them, but she knew in reality he listened intently to her conversation with his progeny.
"I thought you already knew? I mean you texted me – so someone had to inform you right?", she replied confused, but continued with a rather bored voice to respond to his know-it-all manner, "And yeah, Mr. All-wise – I'll ask you for the numbers next time I play the lottery."
"Well, it couldn't hurt – you'd be surprised darling", he retorted easily and Laura chuckled about this mysterious undertone in his voice, which immediately conjured the picture of him, wiggling his eyebrows meaningfully in her mind. "And I didn't now you were on good terms with him again. He merely texted me 'Laura's grandmother died' – end of quote. He could've received that information from anyone..."
"True", Laura muttered and continued a bit meekly after a short pause, "I wanted to thank you for your nice words, by the way. It was really kind of you to think of it..."
"I meant everything I wrote there Laura", he told her, suddenly sounding serious again, "Tell me if you need anything – though I suppose my maker leaves nothing to be desired anyway..."
The tone of his voice had become rather ambiguous at the end of his sentence and even if she hadn't noticed it, she would at least have understood his little hint, when he started to chuckle slightly about his own joke.
What a jerk... Sometimes he acted as if he was a five year old and not a 1000 year old Viking.
"Eric!", she warned him sternly and cocked her eyebrow in anticipation of his doubtlessly witty response.
"Who's 'Eric'?", her father suddenly asked, painfully reminding her of her family's presence again and that they probably had listened to her conversation for a while now.
She only gave Godric a disappointed glance, because he hadn't warned her about their change of interest, before she whispered a "I'll call you back later – I promise!" into the phone.
"What? You're not going to introduce me?", he asked with feigned dismay, "Mothers always love me!"
"But fathers probably not... Seriously, goodbye you fruit cake", she chuckled into the phone before she finally hung up. She deliberately stored the device away, very much aware of the expectant glares sticking to her, before she lifted her head again and returned her fathers stare.
"Another friend", she finally answered her fathers question nonchalantly and continued in an icy voice, as anger suddenly boiled up inside of her, "I had to make up for the time I was isolated from pretty much everyone but you two, Gran and Pat."
They had absolutely no say in who she chose to be friends with any more – that ship had sailed a long time ago...
"We had our reasons!", her mother defended herself, laying the spoon she had held down beside her plate and Laura was surprised to find the soup in front of her emptied. How she had managed to eat it while she simultaneously argued with her uncle and cousin, was beyond her.
"I know that you think that. But in my opinion these 'reasons' were just selfish and not really to my benefit", Laura told them boldly and took the first spoon of her soup to emphasize that she was done with this topic. And really: she had nearly emptied her plate until her father finally replied something.
"You never said you were unhappy with the situation!", he reminded her, obviously thinking this would wash their hands of their responsibility. But it didn't – at least not if you asked Laura.
"Just because I never went on a rampage, doesn't mean I didn't try to tell you I wanted to lead a normal life – at least as normal as it would have been possible at that moment", she argued and put her spoon aside, as she hadn't any appetite anyway, "I tried to talk to you on at least fifty occasions, but you two just went deaf whenever I tried to tell you I wanted to attend school again, like any other girl my age. You didn't even let me accompany Pat to his prom for God's sake!"
"Something could have happened to you there!", her mother stated in a tone that meant 'end of story', but Laura ignored it.
"And what? Someone could have danced with me?! – Oh my God, what an offense!", she hissed, cleaned her mouth with the napkin and chucked it down onto the table afterwards, standing up in the same movement.
"And where do you think you're going now, young Lady?", her father demanded to know in his most serious voice and put his cutlery down, before he hammered his closed fist onto the table.
"Somewhere", she just answered, while Godric and Pat stood up too, "I just need to get away from you – you two make me sick!"
"You are sick, Laura!", her father bellowed and got to his feet as well, when Laura seemed to ignore him, "If you think you can lock yourself away in that apartment – think again! Do you really believe I'll let you stay there, now that I am the owner?!"
She immediately stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder to face her boiling father. His blond hair was still neatly combed back like Eric's, but he didn't show his usually relaxed business demeanor. No, in fact he appeared everything but cool. He looked tense like a sprinter before the starting shot – as if he'd jump at her, if she made just a single move into the wrong direction.
"That's blackmailing Mr. Freeman!", Pat protested disgusted, but Laura gestured him to stay out of it with a raised hand.
"So you're throwing me out – is that what you're trying to say?!", she asked disbelievingly, but at the same time she was surprised that she hadn't seen it coming.
How could she have thought for only a single moment that they'd simply go along with her plans?! She really had been incredibly stupid...
"That's exactly what I'm saying! If you don't come with us on your own, then we're going to kick you out – simple as that!", he told her matter-of-factly and readjusted his tie, obviously in an attempt to compose himself again, "You don't have any financial aid anymore, now that your Gran is gone – you won't be able to rent any other apartment!"
"You simply have to come with us Laura!", her mother tossed in desperately and stood up as well, taking a step into her direction. But that only caused Laura to take a step back.
"You-...! I-...", she stammered, but couldn't form a coherent sentence, knowing secretly they where right. She really had no money and if they seriously decided to throw her out, she'd be homeless.
How couldn't she have thought about that earlier? Without her Gran, no one would support her financially!
She bit onto her lip when she realized that her situation was hopeless and send Godric an apologetic glance trough her tear-dimmed eyes. He had done so much for her, but now their ways would inevitably have to part...
Only peripherally did she realize how her mother stepped into her direction again. But just as she was only a few feet away, Godric suddenly shielded her.
"I know you do not like the thought of me spending money on you", he slowly spoke while he looked at her over his shoulder, "But I can not accept, that you give up so easily. It is a gift to have goals and you still have so many – let me help you to achieve them."
"Godric, what-...?", Laura stammered, not daring to believe what she just heard. Did he just offer to let her stay with him? According to their plans, he would have paid for their travel anyway...
"No!", her father suddenly shouted and stood beside her mother within the next moment, "You won't go with him – he's a vampire! I won't allow it!"
"Stop saying 'vampire' in such an accusing tone", Laura shouted back as she had found her voice again, "He's a person just like you and I – only a lot more patient and understanding. Stop insulting him – that's insulting me!"
"What? – You're saying you choose this vampire over your family?!", her mother suddenly asked with a quiet and shaky voice. Laura just opened her mouth to retort something, but Godric lifted his hand, gesturing her to stay quiet.
"You should not have to choose", he muttered and she could see how he lowered his head for a moment, "I will end this now."
"Godric?", Laura asked concerned as she had heard the sad tone in his voice and stepped beside him, her hand resting on his upper arm. He darted her a guilty glance, but before she could have asked any further, he averted his gaze and fixated her parents.
"You will forget about this argument and accept your daughter's wishes", he told them in an alluring voice and Laura was baffled, when she recognized the relaxed faces of her mother and father, who had both been on the verge of snapping just a moment ago. "You will not argue about her choices ever again and will support her in every possible way."
He looked at Laura for a moment and this regretful and sad expression he showed, scared her to such an extend, that it was difficult to breathe.
"You will help her to achieve her goals and forget that you met me and that Laura ever had contact with me, as soon as I have left this room."
"What?", Laura asked shocked, but almost inaudibly, because of the lack of oxygen in her lungs. Every word he had said had pressed more and more of it out of her and the more desperate she tried to breath in, the fewer she was able to inhale.
"It is for the best Little One", he told her, but refused to look her in the eye, "I saw you suffering while you were not able to contact them. You need their support, even if you do not realize it yet."
"But Godric-...", she tried to make him understand how unnecessary his last few words had been, but wasn't able to form a coherent sentence.
"I will miss you, Laura", he admitted with such a low voice, that only she could understand him.
"There's no need to-", she started, but when she felt his soft lips touch her cheek, she immediately lost her voice again and her eyes widened in surprise.
She wanted to tell him, that he had no reason to miss her. She wanted to explain, that she still wanted to travel the world with him. She wanted him to know, that she didn't need her parent's support as much as she needed his.
But he was gone.
AN: Hey there :) Here's the next chapter - as promised! I hope you're not too disappointed with the ending...
Thank's soooo much for your lovely reviews Royal Ember, downbelowgirl, Arenola, DanathaKettu, galwidanatitud and Guest! It's a pleasure to get such a nice feedback from you! I had never thought, there'd be a time I'd receive so many reviews in such a short time - thank's so much! I really appreciate it!
Unfortunately I have a lot to do in the next few weeks - little things though, but many - so I won't have as much time to write as I'd like to... So the next chapter will probably take a few weeks - I'm sorry :/
I hope you liked the chapter and leave me a review - and if not I hope you'll inform me about the things you didn't like, so I can correct any mistakes and improve the story ;)
I know I still have some grammatical issues from time to time, especially if it get's a bit complicated like "She couldn't remember having seen him cry ever before"... I'm really sorry about that and want you to know, that I really try my best, but sometimes it's quite hard -_-
That's all for now - I hope I haven't bored you to death with my drivel ;)
Thanks for reading!