The Certainty (Book Four in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Till Kingdom Come Pt. 1

“You have warm fuzzy feelings? You’re a Vampire.”

“You think I should just have dark, malicious feelings?”

“No. Then you’d be like every other Vampire.”

“I used to, you know. Be mean and evil. Broody too.”

I looked at him like he was insane. “Yeah? I just don’t see that.”

“That’s because I’m different with you, because of you.”

I smiled. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Because ‘I love you’ is such a horrible thing.”

I shook my head. “No. That still amazes me on its own. But it’s nice to know I can change lives without lifting a finger.”

“I don’t know about changing lives…”

I looked at him and the corner of his mouth was threatening to turn up. I smacked him on the shoulder.

“Don’t be an ass.”

The boys eventually emerged from their showers smelling ten times better. We went shopping, well I went shopping. I let Luke and Sebastis pick out their Christmas presents. Sebastis got a video game and Luke got…well I wasn’t sure what it was. We were at an antique store and I just ran the credit card. Michael didn’t say any thing the whole time.

“Your turn Michael,” I said.

“I don’t want anything. I don’t celebrate Christmas remember?”

“I have to get you something…”

“You already gave me something.”

We were still in the antique store and Michael stood over by an extremely large trunk. I looked around and headed over to the book section. Michael liked books. Michael had tons of books. I was scanning the titles when I spotted the perfect thing. I paid for it and tucked his present into my pocket. That left only my parents and Aidan.

I already had an idea for my parents; I just needed Sebastis to cooperate. We hit all the usual tourist attractions, The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, and the Ferry. I got pictures everywhere.

We were riding the ferry when I took some time to just take it all in. Luke and Sebastis were talking quietly on the bench nearby, Michael sitting quietly next to them. I stood at the railing looking out across the water, trying to ignore how dirty it looked.

Michael got up and came over halfway through the ride. He stood next to me, bent over with his elbows resting on the railing, just like me.

“Does it always look like that?” I asked.

“Look like what?”

“Like it’s endless.”

“Are you talking about the nasty water or the view?”

I looked over at him. “The view.”

I turned back and looked at the endless stretches of water front buildings and the other various things lining the harbors.

“There’s an end to everything, Georgiana. Even the amount of buildings New York can pile onto the water front.”

“It makes me wonder what the ocean looks like.”

He smiled and looked over at me. “I can take you to see the beach.”

I smiled and looked at him. “Not during this trip. It’s too cold for the beach.”

“You’re right. I was talking about after you graduate; our agreement, remember? I said I’d take you to see whatever you want.”

“The beach is definitely on the top of that list.”

“Why do I have a feeling that will be where the trip starts and ends?”

I smiled. “Because that’s all I really want to see. Yeah I’d like to go to Europe or Russia but I don’t like flying. So the beach is just about it.”

“What about the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone National Park?”

“You’re assuming I’m the camping type.”

He snorted. “Hell no. You like your showers and warm beds. I would never dream of depriving you of those.”

“Alright then. No more talk of nature.”

We remained quiet for a while, both of us turning pensive. It was a wonder we did anything else lately. There were so many things to decide and so many things to ponder. I sighed at one point and closed my eyes. I hated having the weight of my future or nonexistent future hanging over my head. I would love it if someone made the decision for me.

I felt Michael’s warm arm wrap around me from behind and I smiled. He started humming Coldplay’s Til Kingdom Come and I leaned back against him. It was so easy here in his arms. All the decisions clicked and moved away from my mind.

Hold my head inside your hands / I need someone who understands / I need someone, someone who hears / For you I’ve waited all these years.

Michael sang inside my head and I kept my eyes closed. This was one of those moments where I wished we were alone and we didn’t have to share it with the rest of the world.

In your tears and in your blood / In your fire and in your flood / I hear you laugh, I heard you sing / I wouldn’t change a single thing / And the wheels just keep on turning / The drummers begin to drum / I don’t know which way I’m going / I don’t know what I’ve become.

I threaded my fingers in between his and squeezed.

“For you I’d wait ‘til kingdom come. Until my days, my days are done. And say you’ll come and set me free. Just say you’ll wait, you’ll wait for me,” he whispered the remaining lyrics against my face.

I smiled and tried not to feel sad. The song was a sad one, one I’d only heard a few times before but loved all the same. I felt a tear run down my face and he turned me to face him. Michael took my chin between his thumb and forefinger. I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His blue eyes glittered down at me. He brushed the tear off my face with his free hand and leaned down, inches from my lips.

“I wouldn’t change a single thing, Georgiana.”

I closed the rest of the distance and kissed him. He wrapped his free arm around my waist while the other cupped the back of my head, fingers fastened in my hair.

The bond flared with bright gold light, filling me up with his emotions and mine. It was times like this I couldn’t tell us apart. We were one and the same, like my purpose was to be here, with him, made of him. There was no one else in the world I wanted, just him. There was no Aidan. No Jason. No pending doom.

There was just Michael.

The horn of the ferry blasted and I ended the kiss. The announcement of the ferry docking filling my ears. I opened my eyes and looked up at Michael.

“Ok,” I whispered.

His eyes widened momentarily and then relaxed to normal size. He took my face in his hands and kissed my forehead.

“Ok,” he echoed.

Luke cleared his throat and I closed my eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned to look at him.

“Time to go,” he called.

Both Luke and my brother looked reserved. It was almost as if they knew what was decided, the heavy pressure it caused. Michael nodded and I turned back to look at him. I closed my eyes again and nestled my face in his shirt. He kissed my head, stroking my hair.

“Everything will be fine,” he whispered. “I promise.”

He took my hand in his and squeezed. I sighed and pulled back. With one last shared look we followed Luke and my brother off the ferry.

 ~ * ~

Music selection: Till Kingdom Come by Coldplay (which is the official song for the book) and Let It Be Me by Ray LaMontagne