Ravenswood Ch. 05

"Oh my!" she whispered as she stepped into the room. "It looks like something out of a bedtime story my mother used to read to me when I was little."

"Thank you dear." An elderly woman entered from a back door. "It's my hope that you will feel safe here." She smiled warmly and gestured towards the fireplace. "Please take a seat by the fire, I'm sure your day has been very stressful."

Jason turned to close the door. "Grandmother, this is Maura, I thought you might like to meet her."

"Yes I do," said Jason's grandmother who turned to Maura. "My name is Vera and I'm glad to meet you, finally. Jason has been very remiss in not telling me that he has such a lovely friend."

Jason shrugged and grinned.

Maura paused at the seat Vera offered.

"Oh, sorry, just set that knitting on the floor, it will be fine there."

Maura moved the pile of yarn to the floor beside the chair and sat down. A calico colored cat settled onto the bundle of yarn that Maura dropped by her chair. "Thank you, I'm happy to meet you, too" Maura replied.

Jason leaned in to give his grandmother a peck on the cheek. "Grandmother, sorry to arrive so abruptly. We had to leave the city in a hurry."

"I know. Yaol has taken the necessary precautions." She turned to Maura. "They won't be bothering you now."

Who or what was a Yaol? Did she mean the marauders who tried to abduct her? What necessary precautions?

Jason's grandmother returned his kiss on the cheek as she passed him by to sit on a bench opposite Maura. "Jason would you take Maura's things into the guest room? I'd like to speak with her for a moment."

"Sure, I'll be back in a bit." Jason shouldered his bags, grabbed her shopping bags and disappeared through a door.

Grandmother turned to Maura with a knowing smile. "Now then Maura, welcome to Earth. I guess I'm probably the first one to say that to you, officially."

"Huh? Oh, yes, I think you are. Thank you, ma'am." Maura was beginning to have a funny feeling about all of this. It was as if Jason's grandmother knew they were coming before they arrived.

"Please call me Vera. As you might suspect, the village is not exactly what it appears to be. But you'll be safe as long as you're here."

Outside of the window several fireflies flit and dashed across the darkening sky as Vera continued.

"Jason tells me that you're his math tutor. I'm glad he's found such a helpful friend. His job allows him so little time to study and I know he wants to do his best."

Vera looked intensely into her eyes and Maura was beginning to feel uneasy. Did she know who she was? Did Jason tell her?

"Yes dear, I know who, or more precisely, what you are," said Vera, "you wouldn't be here if Jason didn't trust you completely."

"Huh?" Maura gasped as she frantically looked about for the shortest way to escape. Her body began to tense. "Run! Jason what did you do? Why did you bring me here?"

"It's okay Maura, it's okay." Vera took Maura's hand and gently tried to stroke it. "You're safe here. No harm will ever come to you here."

Maura froze momentarily then jerked her hand away starring wide-eyed at Vera. If she knew, how could she say that? How could she be so calm about this?

And then Vera's voice entered Maura's mind. "I've looked into your heart my dear, and I found it beautiful, more so than any other of your kind."

Maura shot a terrified look at Vera. She watched her tilt her head, smile and nod. "Yes, Maura, I can talk to you this way too. I know it's a bit disorienting so I'll only do it when I don't want to be misunderstood."

Maura's eyes darted frantically about the room. She stood to run as Jason returned from the guest room. "Maura! What's wrong?"

"Jason...I-I don't know...I'm frightened...your grandmother..." Maura stood, trembling.

"Maura. Please." Jason ran to her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Grandmother is here to help. It's okay, just sit down, it's okay." He knelt down next to her and held her hand. "I would never put you into any danger, I told you, remember? Don't worry, you're safe, everything is all right."

"We know how much trouble you are in Maura," Vera said softly, "your current pursuers have been removed from this world but we also suspect that there will be more. You'll have to be much more careful from now on. Jason and I will do whatever we can to keep you safe, but you have to do your part too."

Maura turned quickly from Vera to Jason. She did remember him saying to always trust him. His soothing smile helped her to slowly relax.

Vera turned in her chair to look into the kitchen. "Jason, would you turn the burner off on the stove, I think the stew is ready. Maura would you help me set the table?"

"Huh? Eh, okay sure." A bit surprised, Maura stood up slowly. She sure can change the subject quickly. She could hardly keep up. Hmm, she moves with such grace. She wondered how old Vera was?

"I'll be two hundred and seventy four next month," Vera said, then pointed to a cupboard by the fireplace. "The small plates are in the cupboard over there."

"Damn, I can't have a private thought anymore. I suppose you heard that too?"

Vera smiled a knowing smile and continued to place some cups and bowls on the table.

After dinner, Jason regaled them both with the tale of how Maura dealt with a couple of scumbags. "So she lifted this scum off the ground with one hand, he had to be twice her weight, and then she kicked him like a sack of potatoes, at least fifty yards down the alley and into a pile of trash." Jason was grinning and laughing like a schoolboy telling stories. "I've never seen anything like it! Even Yaol can't toss anybody that far." His laughter was catching and soon he had Vera and Maura smiling as well. "She disappeared in a flash after that, I was shocked at how fast she could move."

Vera gathered the bowls from the table and nodded towards Maura. "You'll have to be more careful about that, too. You've only been here about nine months and although you've adjusted well to human life, there are still things that you need to keep hidden."

Maura stood to help clear the dishes. "If you knew I was here, why did you let me stay?"

"You were a curiosity. You didn't act like a typical marauder." Vera handed the empty bowls to Jason to carry to the kitchen sink. "We've had visitors before, those who explore but don't disturb the local population, they've become the stuff of legends in human folklore.. We watch them until they leave then we patch the weave to prevent others from entering. We knew you were different but not exactly how. You weren't an explorer nor were you a marauder. Those who have been following you confirmed that for us." She shrugged as she moved back to the kitchen. "Sometimes an exile can become an ally. So, we decided to wait and see." Jason handed her several bowls. "And as I said, you seemed to have adjusted well to Earth. The place is a bit eccentric at times but, all in all, it's a truly remarkable world."

Maura gathered up the rest of the flatware and napkins and carried them to the kitchen counter. "I couldn't agree more. It's so lush and green, so amazingly vibrant with life."

"Yes, but you need to take my words of caution to heart, Maura. Humans are a curious bunch by nature, but if they're faced with something extraordinary they become frightened and quickly become violent. A Terrian may see a single human as weak and easily manipulated but when faced with a mob of angry humans they can easily become overwhelmed."

Maura set the unused plates back into the cupboard. "My father once told me that humans are truly beautiful creatures whose only flaw is the fragility of their love. I never understood that until I came here." She took the spare plates from Jason and returned them to the cupboard.

Vera paused and studied Maura's face. "Your father is a very wise man, my dear. Always listen to your heart; it will never lie to you. Now off to bed with the both of you; night is falling quickly and morning comes at daybreak around here."

Jason moaned as he moved slowly towards his bedroom. "And I have to work tomorrow."

Vera led Maura to the guestroom door. "There are towels on the dresser and a robe hanging on the back of the door for you. Sweet dreams." Vera turned and stood in the open doorway. "Oh, I almost forgot, I've removed Jason's protective charm, the one you encountered last week. I've decided that he won't need it anymore."

Ah-hah! It was a charm! Her face felt warm as she touched her lip. "But aren't you afraid of what I might do?"

Vera leaned against the open door and placed her cheek against her hand. She looked at Maura for a moment and smiled. "I know what's in your heart Maura, I know how strongly you feel about him. Remember...always trust your heart. Goodnight." Vera gently closed the door.

Her face continued to feel warm. Maura flopped back on the bed. Her head was spinning again. Did Jason know how she felt? Too much...it was all too much, too soon. Maura moved further onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. She was safe here. Finally. But who are these people? Were these the ones her father spoke of, the ones who would keep her safe? She shook her head gently. She needed to know more but more importantly, who was Jason?

Maura yawned as she stretched across the bed. It all felt marvelous. She hadn't slept that soundly in ages.

The morning sun filtered through a canopy of leaves outside her bedroom window to fall softly onto her bed. The leaves rustled as a gentle breeze played with the curtains.

She got out of bed, slipped out of her bed clothes, and put on the robe that hung on the back of the bedroom door. She grabbed a towel from the dresser and opened her door.

As she stepped through the doorway, the main room in the cottage was filled with people. The boisterous sound of conversation stopped abruptly as she entered and, as if it was choreographed, they all turned to her.

"Oi!" Came a chorus of cheers from the crowd of people in the room. "She's up!"

Jason stepped from behind a cluster of people at the far end of the room and walked towards Maura. "Good morning sunshine, did you sleep well?"

"Ah, yes, wonderfully so." Then Maura whispered to Jason as he put his arm around her shoulder. "Who are all these people?"

"Friends of the family," Jason whispered back, "I'll introduce you." Jason spoke up so that everyone could hear. "Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Maura.

GIRLFRIEND? The word screamed inside her head.

"Maura, this is everyone," Jason said, grinning profusely and gesturing widely enough to take in the entire room. The room erupted in a chorus of "Hellos and Oi's".

Vera, acting like a mother hen, ushered the crowd out of her cottage. "Alright we can all greet Maura later. Right now I'm sure she wants to freshen up. Grace, would you show Maura where the bathhouse is? Thank you." Vera turned to Maura and gently guided her towards a door near the back of the kitchen. "Maura, Grace is Yaol's daughter, you'll be fine with her."

Maura turned to the girl called Grace. The look on her face told Maura that she was anything but pleased with the prospect of showing Maura nothing more than a push into a mud puddle. She wondered what was her problem? She looked like she just swallowed something bitter. "Hi, I'm Maura, could you..."

Grace pushed past her in a huff and bumped her shoulder in passing. She pushed the back door of the cottage open and stood there holding it with a scowl on her face as she pointed to a building across the way. "It's this way, ma'am."

Ma'am is it? "Thank you." Maura managed a tone of restraint. I'll ma'am you right across my knee! Oh damn, that does sound like a 'ma'am' doesn't it.

As Maura moved through the open door she glanced back to see Vera smirk at her thought then she watched her face show a tinge of disappointment as she turned to Grace. It lingered a moment; then another guest spoke to her and her gracious smile returned. Maura passed through the door and it closed behind her with a slam. Her last image was of a scowling Grace throwing the door closed. "Hmmm, good morning to you too," she muttered as she crossed the path towards the building that Grace indicated was a bathhouse.

The trip back to the city was uneventful. Maura watched the scenery whisk by, her mind floating on air like Jason's strange car. He had such an easy manner about him. She found it difficult not to relax in his company.

He maneuvered his car through that same mountain pass they navigated yesterday. "Penny for your thoughts."

"It was so peaceful there. Now I feel like I'm heading towards the eye of a storm. The city is filled with so much negativity. It's constantly pulling people apart; it's even worse in my own world; there it's a constant battle just to survive. I really don't want to go back, Jason. In the village it's so...so tranquil, everyone is so nice, well, almost everyone." Maura added with a slight twinge in her voice.

"What do you mean almost everyone?"

"I don't think Grace likes me much."

"How do you know?"

"Girls know." Maura was quiet for a moment then, "girlfriend?"

"Yeah, I sort of sprung that one on you didn't I. Still it does have a nice ring to it."

"A little more warning would be good." Maura felt her face get warm and then she turned quickly towards the window. Damn he's cute when he says things like that. She raised her hand and touched her face. It was still warm but the thought of the word brought a subtle smile.

Jason turned to Maura with a grin. "I've never had a steady girlfriend so this is a new experience for me, too. It's kinda fun."

"What does it mean to be a girlfriend? I mean what does it mean here, on Earth?"

He turned back to concentrate on his driving. "Huh? Oh. I guess it means different things to people depending on who they are and how old they are. When you're a kid in this country, it's all holding hands, kissing, and going to the movies and such. If you're my age it means that you're committed to being in a steady relationship. If it's serious, and a couple can stick with it, it could lead to marriage and a life together. I guess it all depends on the people involved."

"Does it include sex?"

"Whew, you don't hold any punches do you!" Jason's face flushed bright red. "Ah. Well, ah, I'm not going to lie to you. For most couples, yes, sex of some sort can be involved."

Maura fell silent and the car purred across the sky. The word sex spun in her mind like a brightly faceted jewel. Her face flushed red to match Jason's.

The atmosphere inside the car turned more reflective for the remainder of the trip home. Eventually, he brought the car down several miles from the city and they drove on in silence until they arrived at his apartment.

He led the way in and pointed to a room further back from the kitchen. "You're over there, make yourself at home, 'Mi Casa, Su Casa' as they say. I've got to check in at Trenton but I'll be back for lunch so we can gather the rest of your stuff then, okay?"

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean we're almost strangers."

Jason put his hands on her shoulders. "I know it's going really fast but this is about keeping you safe, all right? And, well, we have separate rooms and I promise to honor your privacy. Besides, I like the idea of keeping a cute girl around the house. She can cook and clean; do the all the domestic stuff like laundry..."

"Jason!" Maura's face blushed red as she pushed against his chest. He flew across the room, landing spread-eagle, and upside down on the sofa. She raced across the room and helped him sit up. "Damn it, I just promised you that I would never do something like that. I'm so sorry, are you hurt?"

"Just my pride." He smiled meekly as he spun around and slowly stood up. "Okay, that was my lame attempt at being cocky with my new girlfriend and it serves me right." He feigned a serious expression. "I'll keep it serious from now on."

"No, don't say that, I love your sense of humor, even if I don't understand it most of the time." She had no idea why she reacted so strongly. Was it the sex thing again?

"Alright, I'll chalk this up to a miscommunication between the planets." Jason looked into Maura's eyes a moment then leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.

She closed her eyes and savored his touch.

"I have to go to work, back at noon." Jason grabbed his backpack and walked to the front door. He turned back to see Maura standing near the sofa. "I'm really glad to have met you Maura, life's sure going to be a whole lot more interesting from now on. See ya."

Melting...she felt like melting into a little puddle. She sighed as she flopped down on the sofa and sat motionless, almost stunned. For the first time in her life she was completely flummoxed. Move girl, you'll turn catatonic if you don't.

She took a shower and rummaged through her bag for a clean change of clothes. She stood in the middle of the apartment and wondered why it was that boys were so messy regardless of what planet they're from. She decided that the best way to discover her new apartment was to clean everything and put things away.

Two hours later, it was nearly noon and she felt like she barely made a dent in all that needed to be done.

Jason opened the front door. "Lucy, I'm home!" he exclaimed in a rather poor Cuban accent. "Whoa, this place looks spotless!"

Maura held a picture frame in her hand as she walked out of the guest bedroom. "Hi, who's Lucy?"

"Huh? Oh, stupid joke from television." Jason walked around the room then into the kitchen. "Hey, I was kidding when I made that lame joke about cleaning, really."

"Oh, it's okay, it's the best way to find out where everything is, especially in the kitchen." Maura held out a picture frame and showed it to Jason. "Who is this in the picture?"

Jason's head was buried in the refrigerator, "Huh? What picture?"

"The one I found stuck behind the dresser in the guest room."

Jason looked up from the refrigerator. "Oh, that's my mom, dad, and me from a long time ago. I must have been seven at the time. Stuck behind the dresser huh? That must be Lisa's picture.

Oh yes, the sister who's a handful. "Why isn't she in it too?"

"She was probably taking the picture," Jason said wistfully, "even though she's a year younger than me, after my mom died she started acting like an older sister. I must bring out her maternal instincts, I guess. It drives me crazy but I love her for it anyway."

Maura studied the picture. "How old were you when you're mom died?"

"Umm, seven," he said pulling sliced meat from the crisper. "She died soon after that picture was taken."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up sad memories."

"It's okay, it was a happier time." His expression was of someone lost in thought as he turned his attention back to the refrigerator.

Maura walked back into the guest room and set the picture frame on the dresser.

She gazed at the picture. Who were these people? What kind of life was it? From the looks of it, it must have been peaceful, at least some of the time. The forest in the background looked so lush. She sighed and walked back out into the living room.

"We need to go and gather up all your stuff, okay?" Jason started tossing things from the refrigerator into the trashcan.

"Sure. They probably think I ran away or something so I had better check in at the library too."

"No problem. It looks like there's nothing edible in this fridge and I'm hungry so we'll pick up some sandwiches along the way." He grabbed his keys off the counter and headed for the front door.

Jason drove Maura to a ramshackle old building to gather the rest of her belongings. After climbing up a set of rickety stairs, the second floor looked like several others had used it since Maura had been there. Broken cheap whiskey bottles were scattered across the floor and piles of old rugs and makeshift bedding dotted the corners of each room. There didn't seem to be much left worth taking.