You're My Infinity

My body doesn’t feel my own anymore, and hasn’t since Ronan showed up to give me the “tour”. I can’t explain the feeling, only that it shouldn’t be what it is, and that there is a certain lack of control. I first felt it when he touched the back of my neck, speaking those strange words, and now it won’t leave me. Maybe I’m just in shock…what if I’m not?

“Emilee.” Speak of the devil. I blink, turning my gaze towards Ronan, whose features are contorted in worry, to find he’s already staring at me. “Are you ready?” Whereas before he had seemed hesitant to come near me, I’m starting to learn that rule no longer applies. He has his hand pressed against my cheek, fingers running gently across the skin.

Sighing softly, I swat him and his worries away. “Yes, I’m fine,” I answer. Well, fine as I can be at least…Really, I also can’t imagine how my mama is reacting. Every time my mind goes to her, worry fills me. I’m sure Annah will be able to deal with her better than I ever did, but that doesn’t make things that much better.

“Emilee.” This time as I look to Ronan again, he sighs, an unconvinced expression on his face. “Are you sure you’re okay? I can cancel meeting my parents if you aren’t. I know this is probably a lot to take in at once and I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Shaking my head, I push my bothersome thoughts aside and straighten my shoulders knowing that procrastination will do me no good. Whether I had a say or not, I was brought here and now I can’t get home. And I have to admit, things could be worse. At least I know Ronan and we were friends once upon a time. “No. I’m fine,” I insist. When he still continues to study me, I roll my eyes. “I was thinking about my mom and sister. I swear, there’s nothing wrong.”

This, at least, seems to make him feel better as he stops giving me his intense stare and his hand moves from my shoulders to my wrists and then my hands, and he links his fingers through mine. For a moment, goosebumps crawl across my skin, and then I shake the feeling off as he smiles at me and starts to lead me again. “Then in that case, we’ll be eating with my parents now.” He soon falls strangely silent as we walk, looking forward, but stops just before a set of doors to turn and look back at me.

I raise my eyebrows at him as he once more fixes me in his intense stare, though for a moment my breath does seem to catch in my throat. “Scared?”

“A little.” His blunt answer throws me a little off guard. “Listen,” he continues. “They are going to know you are originally human and more than likely, they’ll be rude to you. Don’t just take it silently though please? I made the right choice whether they think so or not, and I would rather you just be yourself.” Silence fills the pause. “Well, let’s go then, shall we?”

Without another word from either of us, we’re inside the room where two Pharisees are waiting for us. I can only assume the woman is Ronan’s mother and the man his father. There is a strong resemblance between father and son, especially as they share the same features, but not so much from the mother. She almost looks like a child, with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes that almost look silver, fair skin, and the only sign of age being in her startling eyes. “Ronan, we hear you were quite busy last night,” his mom said. Curiosity hinted in her voice as well as accusation. I can only assume he hasn’t told them a word yet.

Then I saw a pair of startling violet eyes under the table. If Ronan saw, he didn’t show it, but I openly stared. Then they moved and I could see a little girl with the same platinum blonde hair as Ronan’s mother. Ronan, himself is speaking, but I don’t really pay attention to what they are saying at this point as I step forward and crouch down in front of the violet eyed girl. “What’s your name?” I ask, despite the stares I can feel transferring to me now.

At first, she seems to shy away a little from the question, and then looks at me. “I’m Taka,” she answers. “And you’re Emilee, right?” If I was shocked that she knew my name, I’m practically speechless as Taka crawls into my lap and wraps her arms around me. She looks to be a little younger than Annah, who I still pick up, so I simply just stand as she does this. As I stand, I support her weight, suddenly very acutely aware that no one’s talking anymore and all eyes seem to be on me.

I feel my face heat up. “Sorry, I saw her under the table and-“

“Don’t worry. Taka prefers to be on her own anyway and always seems to do what she wishes,” Ronan’s father cuts me off. All eyes remain on me still though.

His mother stands up then and moves around the table. “Taka, come here sweetie. You shouldn’t be here. Mum and Da are speaking with your brother and his…” Her silverish eyes flit to me. “Bride.” I feel the back of my neck prickle as Taka silently refuses, seeming to press closer to me and nearly choking me at the same time. Halting just in front of me, Ronan’s mom looks dangerous as she looks between me and her disobedient daughter. “Well, it seems Taka has taken a liking to you. Don’t worry, it won’t last long.”

My skin crawls as she turns to go and sit down and simultaneously, Ronan pulls me back to where he is. Glancing at me, he then looks to his parents. “I think before dinner I should talk to Emilee for a bit. It isn’t quite time yet to eat anyway. We will be back shortly.” He doesn’t wait for more than a nod from his father before he takes me by the elbow and retreats from the room. He doesn’t stop either, waiting until we’re back in the ballroom before stopping and turning back to me.

“Emileee…my Emilee, why did you do that? Taka would have been fine under the table you know.”

I give him a glare. “I didn’t know you guys would freak out because I picked up a child! She was staring at me anyway, and knew my name somehow.” I glance down at the little girl still in my arms. “Although, I’m starting to wonder if she’ll let go of me…” I trail off with a sigh.

Ronan looks at me, puzzled. “That’s not it>” He runs a hand through his hair. “Taka will barely go near anyone and you’re probably the first she’s actually talked to. I think it irked my mother.” He grins then with a small laugh. “She’ll let go when she’s ready,” he assures me. “I just hope its soon.” His gaze turns to his sister then. “I’m neither really fond nor used to sharing.”

Once again my skin seems to prickle- these Pharisees seem to have a knack for that, but then Taka starts to move, climbing up on my shoulder. She puts a small hand to the base of my neck where Ronan has touched before and seems to look straight at her brother. “Infinitum,” she says, then settles on my shoulder, perched there.

Meanwhile, Ronan’s looking strangely at the little girl, who now kicks her feet gently and begins to sing.

“Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Had a wife and couldn’t keep her
Put her in a pumpkin shell
There he kept her safe and well.”

I simply shake my head for a moment. “All of you Pharisees are such a puzzle to me,” I sigh softly. Ronan seems to be obsessed, Taka seems to know much more than any girl her age should and then she lets on to, their mom I think wants to kill me, and everyone else just seems…off. At least compared to normal people. So where does this leave me? Well, I’m sure I’ll figure that out eventually, and as Ronan and I start to head back to the dining room, I get the funny feeling that I’m well on the way to figuring it out.