Dave and the Shadow's Daughter
It was a sunny day and Beatrix Lane Cranston simply leaned her face up to feel the heat on her face. She was in her last year of college at Barnard University. Education was very important to her father, Lamont Cranston, who had insisted that she not take advantage of her extreme wealth and position but instead contribute to society in her own way. Her two bothers had already finished college, as both were older than her. Her oldest brother Wesley, was now officially the Shadow at 25 and had been for the last couple years. Jeffrey helped him out and so did she occasionally. Wesley was nearly a carbon copy of his projective father, with only a little of his mother's receptive powers.
Jeffrey was the most balanced of either Wesley or Beatrix with powers that were still growing, at 23. As for Beatrix, she had gotten more of mom's receptiveness then her father's projected powers. Still she was no slouch when it came to projecting when she had too, but it wasn't as easy as reading someone's thoughts.
While originally, Lamont and Margo had agreed to just two children when they got two sons they really wanted a little girl. They agreed to try one more time before they stopped having children considering at this point Margo was over 40. They were ecstatic when they finally got the little girl they had both wished for and that Margo had survived the birth, since so many women did not, especially older women. She knew her parents had tried their best not to spoil her too much and had succeeded for the most part. Her parents had made sure she had known how lucky she was to be from a wealthy family, as she had been taken to see how the extreme poor lived and she had been appalled. Of course, they had done the same for her two brothers. She had been lucky in a way being born just after the Great Depression, so while the economy was still poor it had been improving. By the time, she had been taken to see how the poor lived the economy was much better than it had been in the 30s and 40s.
Beatrix walked towards her economics class and accidentally bumped into an older man with a beard that was really no more than a goatee.
"Excuse me," Beatrix apologized blushing at how handsome the man was.
"No, it was my fault young lady," said the man with twinkling brown eyes hiding his shock quickly. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
Beatrix blushed at the handsome man's regard. The man couldn't possibly be more than 10 years her senior and she felt an instant connection to him. Had she finally found the one? If this man was the one she had certainly found him much sooner than her parents had found each other.
The older man politely pretended not to notice Beatrix's blush, but knew he had to get to know this lovely young lady for she was his mate. Someone he had not expected to find walking the hallways of Barnard College. She didn't look really that much younger than him though, no more than 21 or 22, Dave estimated silently.
"I had better let you get to your class miss before you're late," The man said.
"Shouldn't we introduce ourselves first," Beatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Sorry for not introducing myself I was distracted," the man offered with a slight smile, making Beatrix blush again at the man's heated regard. "You're right, it is only polite that we at least lot each others names, since we literally ran into each other. I'm Dave Rossi."
"Beatrix Cranston," Beatrix said shaking Dave's hand. "So are you a teacher?"
Barnard College was a big campus and she didn't know all the teachers that worked here and also since it was a women's college the teachers were mostly female as well with a few exceptions.
"No ma'am, I just came to see the dean about some business," Dave offered with a charming smile. "Now you had really better rush or you'll miss the bell for your class."
"A good idea," Beatrix said looking at her watch. She just had time to make it if she hurried. "I hope I can see you again."
Beatrix's watch was an expensive ladies watch from a very good brand which told Dave that she came from a well off family. Also her clothes were designer if he was any judge and not off the rack. This was a young lady that likely had a high social position in society not that he cared about such things. Still, many people would care what kind of family Beatrix came from Dave knew. He only hoped her parents hadn't arranged a marriage for her for when she was done with college as that was very possible and very common in those with wealth and social position.
"I'm sure you'll see me around," Dave offered. "I'm going to be here in New York for awhile."
Beatrix nodded and left after saying goodbye.
Dave watched her go smiling slightly and was determined to get to know that particular young lady much better.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~
"Well you're certainly in a good mood," Wesley teased his sister as soon as she entered the Cranston Mansion.
"Wesley don't tease your sister," Margo immediately said from where she was working on a sampler.
All the Cranstons were eating a snack in the solarium. Freshly baked cookies were the order of the day, along with glasses of tea.
"It's okay mom I can handle him," Beatrix said.
"You and what army?" Jeff teased her.
"Don't try me Jeffrey," Beatrix warned her tone one of slight menace.
Jeffrey nodded knowing better, as his sister could lift double her own weight and was far stronger then was apparent at first. They were joined with the gift they all shared. The power to read men's minds, and also to cloud them so that they couldn't be seen.
"And that goes for you as well Wesley," Beatrix added with a glare at her brother in case he decided to get in on the teasing.
"Children! Enough!" Margo said sternly. "I will not have you fighting! Especially not here in the solarium!"
All three children fell silent, as they knew when their mother talked in that stern tone of voice to listen.
"Let's just enjoy our snack," Lamont suggested calmly, as he sipped his tea.
"Yes dad," all three children said at the same time.
The five of them chatted as they enjoyed their cookies and tea, before Margo finally broached the subject of why her daughter seemed so cheerful, much more cheerful than normal.
"So Beatrix why are you suddenly in such a good mood? A man?" Margo asked her daughter and watched in interest as her daughter's cheeks and neck reddened.
Yes, it was definitely a man.
"So who is he?" Lamont asked.
"I only know his name," Beatrix admitted. "His name is David Rossi and I literally ran into him in the corridors of Barnard. He is a few years older than I am, but I'm sure he's 'the one'.
The way Beatrix emphasized the one led the family know that she would be pursuing a relationship with him. That was what happened with Lamont and Margo they had formed an instant connection the moment they'd met. Lamont hadn't proposed for a couple years and it had taken nearly a year after that to plan the wedding. It had been the society event of the year over 27 years ago.
"Well then, you'll just have to figure out a way to interact with him," Lamont said.
"How much older are we talking about?" Wesley asked.
"That doesn't matter son," Margo chided her oldest. "Just because you fell in love with someone close to your own age doesn't mean that always happens."
"Your mother and I are nearly 7 years apart, but though we didn't want to admit it at first we were meant for each other," Lamont admitted taking his wife's hand and giving it a squeeze.
Lamont Cranston was still a handsome man, with hair of silver and blue-green eyes. He was still tall and very imposing, his frame athletically slim with muscles in his arms and legs. He was still a strong man physically and mentally and could run rings around anyone else, despite being over 60. Despite his age Lamont still lifted weights to keep in shape in the gym that was in Cranston Manor.
"We are yin and yang, the strong projector and the equally strong receptor. In a lot of ways we compliment each other," Margo added.
"If you must know brother dear, I'll say he's no more than 10 years older than I am. It's not really unusual for an older man to marry a younger woman and really 10 years, isn't so much," Beatrix said sweetly.
Wesley grimaced at his sister's tone and knew that he had annoyed her, more than he had with his teasing. He knew he should've kept his mouth shut. There was nothing he could really do if this David Rossi really was 'the one'.
"So is he a professor?" Margo asked her daughter.
"No, he said that he was there to see the dean. What about I don't know," Beatrix answered.
"He wasn't likely to tell you on first meeting," Lamont observed calmly, "especially if it was in the corridor for no more than five minutes or so. There wouldn't have been time to pass on much information if he was so inclined. I'm sure Bea was on her way to class."
Both Beatrix's brothers had to acknowledge this, because their father was absolutely right.
"I was, economics, not my favorite class," Beatrix grimaced.
"I can definitely sympathize," Margo said with a grimace.
"You let us know if you need any help," Lamont told his daughter.
"I will," Beatrix promised.
"So does he have any unusual talents? Clairvoyance for instance?"
"I don't think so, but it was only a very brief meeting," Beatrix said. "No more than a couple minutes."
"And it would've been rude to try to read his thoughts," Margo observed, giving her sons a scolding look, causing all of the younger generation to look down at their feet at their mother's scolding tone.
"I used to do it all the time," Lamont said. "It was so easy to overcome an opponent in business, if you knew what they were thinking. I won't say I'm proud of it now, but I still use it quite often. The Tulku taught it as a defensive technique, but I often use it as an offensive one. It is easy to win over an opponent in business if you know their strengths, their weaknesses, their skills, their hot buttons."
"That's one reason that we didn't lose our money in the stock market crash," Jeffrey observed.
"At least a large chunk of it," Lamont agreed. "Still, I don't want you reading this David Rossi's thoughts until you at least get to know him better or he proves himself a danger to you. If he doesn't have any psychic talents and he'll have no natural barriers protecting his mind from intrusion. He'll likely never know you're there and definitely won't be able to defend himself. Besides, it would be a betrayal of trust and you would feel guilty if you did."
"I would never do that dad," Beatrix exclaimed. "If he was a criminal it would be one thing."
"Good, don't," Margo told her daughter with a wink. "It's better to learn some things from the individual instead reading their thoughts. We all know that you are the strongest receptor in this family other than me and your reservoir will probably grow some more, since you're still young."
"I know my power has grown considerably from when I first awoke over 30 years ago," Lamont said. "The tulku used to tell me that I was the strongest projective telepath he had ever met. Of course, that was a very long time ago now, so I have no idea if that's still true."
The family stayed to chat in the solarium for awhile before they left. Wes of course, left to deal with the latest crime wave as the Shadow, with Jeff's help.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~
"So we meet again, Miss Cranston," came a familiar voice.
"Mr. Rossi," Beatrix said, trying not to show how startled she was. That David Rossi had managed to sneak up on her was rather unusual, though she had been distracted thinking of him actually. "Did you finish your business with the dean?"
This was a polite inquiry and Beatrix really didn't expect an answer. They'd only met twice and the first time briefly, so this David Rossi was unlikely to reveal his business to her.
"Yes, my business was very successful," Dave said smiling. "I was actually waiting on you Miss Cranston."
"Oh? Why?" Beatrix asked curiously.
"Well, I was wondering if you would be agreeable to going out to dinner with me," Dave offered with his most charming smile. "That is if you don't already have a boyfriend or some kind of engagement or if you are betrothed to someone else since I know so many young ladies are even in this day and age."
Beatrix stared at him stunned that she had never expected David Rossi to ask to take her to dinner. She had certainly hoped, but since this was only their second meeting she hadn't really expected it. Unfortunately it wasn't really proper for a lady to ask a man out though she had been seriously thinking about doing that very thing, the proper thing be damned.
"I'd be delighted Mr. Rossi," Beatrix finally said recovering quickly. "No, I don't have a boyfriend or another engagement as I've been concentrating on my studies. Nor am I betrothed as I'm sure you feared. My parents would never do that to their children no matter our position in society."
"Your parents must be very proud of you, for going to college," Dave offered inwardly relieved that his mate was not betrothed to another. That would've been tragic from his point of view, as there would be absolutely nothing he could do it. At least not legally.
"My father, kind of insisted on it actually," Beatrix said. "My father, Lamont Cranston, insisted I not take advantage of my extreme wealth and social position and that I go to college. Contribute in my own way to society."
"So you're Lamont Cranston's daughter then," Dave said.
"Yes, I am. Do you know him?" Beatrix asked.
"No, I do not, but I have heard of him," Dave said honestly. "One of the few wealthy families here in New York that didn't lose their money in the stock market crash. From what I know he was a notorious playboy when he was younger,"
"He was until he met my mother," Beatrix said.
"The love of a good woman can change a man," Dave observed with a slight smile.
"You know this from experience?" Beatrix teased him.
"No, but I have known men in my time that went through a stage where they slept with a lot of women until they met someone special. I, have never been married, which I'm sure will relieve your parents. I'm sure they wouldn't want me to date their daughter if I was divorced," Dave offered honestly.
Beatrix said nothing but she knew that while normally, that would be true, considering how her parents had connected when they first met, she doubted that would matter to them just so long as no one else knew it. If they all didn't share the ability to connect with the man or woman that was right for them. Her brother Wes had connected to Alice immediately, as she was an unawakened clairvoyant. She was very close to awakening now and Wes was helping her as much as he could. The only problem was that the Tulku was in Tibet and it would be a couple of months journey to go over the mountains to get to the Temple of the Cobras. They were many dangers even in the summer, treacherous ice floes, the possibility of one of the donkeys taking a misstep and falling over the edge of the Himalayas taking the person on his back with them, having to burn grass and trees to keep warm, with very few places they could be found. The obstacles were enormous.
"I'll pick you up at seven Miss Cranston," Dave said finally. "Make sure you dress up as I'm taking you to the Cobalt Club."
"If we're going to go only a date isn't it about time you call me Beatrix or even Bea?" Beatrix asked. "That's what my family calls me."
"Only if you call me Dave," Dave said smiling kissing the back of Bea's hand like a gentleman causing Beatrix to blush.
"Alright, Dave, I'll see you at seven," Beatrix said giving the man her address.
"I'll look forward to it Bea," Dave said emphasizing her nickname causing her to blush again. She also laughed in delight at the way Dave said her name.
Dave left her then once Beatrix had given him her address in Turtle Bay, which Dave knew was the ritzy section of New York.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~