Say Yes To Forever

Chapter Nine

As much as I trust Nikki, this is one thing I need to keep to myself. I don’t have real proof that Cyrus and his family are Vampires, just circumstantial evidence, as they would say on Law And Order. And though she seems as like-minded as me or our generation, when faced with the real possibility that Sub-humans are in our town… there’s no knowing how she would react.

Plus, and maybe this is the paranoia talking, there’s no safe way to tell her. Even at my house in my room while Mama is gone seems too risky… what if Mama forgets something? What if she comes back early? What if Nikki’s Mom stops by for something? No… no… for the safety of Cyrus and his family, this one needs to stay close to my chest.

As I finish getting ready for the Pumpkin Festival I’m so glad my catalog order finally arrived. My new, ribbed, gray turtleneck is tucked into my new, navy, plaid tennis skirt, which shows off just enough of my new, ultra-sheer tights that are tucked into my calf-height, black leather boots. Looking like a college student that walks the historic halls of Oxford, I’m totally loving this whole academia trend this year.

I’ve yet to wear a short skirt or short dress in front of Cyrus so I’m excited to see his reaction. Maybe it’s a little vain of me, but whenever I’ve had a crush or boyfriend it’s fun for me to get them all flustered. With a surprising high of seventy degrees and most of the Festival being in the Sun, I’ll be comfortable enough without a coat.

I stop dead in my tracks on the stairs the moment I hear the doorbell ring. In all the commotion of Cyrus-and-his-family-might-be-Vampires and being so embarrassed on our last date, I’d totally forgotten to tell Mama we’re dating. I had been all prepared too! Memorized a little speech and everything. But she’d left to open her apple cider booth at the Festival hours ago and now I’m stuck with dropping the Cyrus-and-me bomb on her in person in public.

Staring hopelessly at the door, I’m immobilized by fear. How is it that I’m more afraid of my own mother, I think quickly, than the fact my boyfriend might be a Vampire?

On cue, Cyrus knocks softly.

With nowhere to go but forward, I open the door, “Hey! Sorry.”

---

We’ve been walking around Stars Hallow for over two hours now and the stares and whispers have yet to subside. At first, I had accepted them with grace, this is a small town after all. But now? Especially with Valarie’s elevated agitation, I wish it would stop.

I try to focus on the decorations… the wreaths on every door, the various stacks of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns, candy corn colored flags draped from overhangs, bales of hay, antiquely dressed scarecrows, and then the various booths that are a part of the Pumpkin Festival. They have everything from bobbing for apples to a pie-eating contest to face painting.

We pass a few carnival games, where the hayrides start, and Valarie slows. “So… up there is where we can get apple cider.”

“Sounds good.”

She squeezes my hand and pulls me to the sidewalk. In a hushed tone she says, “That’s my mama’s booth. I’ve kind of been avoiding it all afternoon. But,” she looks down to her watch, “it’s almost three which is when we’re supposed to meet Nikki to head to the bonfire.”

She looks around, heaving a breath. “So, yeah… um, I’ll say hi, we can get some cider, and then I’ll tell her we’re meeting Nikki.”

In the past four weeks, Valarie hasn’t said anything about her mom except that she’s overprotective. Other than that, the only thing I know about her is how anti-Sub she is, given that she called Ramsey to complain. Not that those two things are related – that Valarie didn’t want her mom meeting me, a Vampire, because as far as I can tell, Valarie is still none the wiser.

I lean in and kiss her on the cheek. “Whatever you want.”

She nods and then leads me down the street. We must wait behind a row of people, and I move from holding Valarie’s hand to placing it on the small of her back, supportively. Her heartbeat quickens and she starts twisting her hands together. When we get to the booth’s edge, she stutters, “H-hey mama.”

Valarie’s mother is the exact opposite of what I pictured in my mind, the exact opposite of her daughter. Tall, round, with curly auburn hair, her skin has a golden tan, she has large hands with short nails ladling cider into cups, and she has quite a resting expression of displeasure. Reminding me of an angry English Bulldog, while Valarie is a joyous and carefree Siberian Husky, I’m taken off guard.

She stares me down as if I’m an annoying Chihuahua, “… Cyrus Laveroi.”

I jut my hand out. “Misses Ward.”

She purses her lips as she shakes my hand. “Miss Smith,” she corrects me.

Right, I think as I look to Valarie for help, the husband left….

Valarie notices my expression and clears her throat. “Well, Mama, I thought we could pick up some of your famous cider before meeting Nikki for the bonfire,” and she hands a cup to me.

Miss Smith does not take her eyes off me, even when her daughter says goodbye. I offer a pathetic wave before turning and rushing away with Valarie. There was no need to even try to read her mind, I shake my head a little, she hates me.

---

Drinking a concoction of Nikki’s creation, I throw it back hard and fast, staring into the bonfire without really seeing anything. “I’ve resigned myself to the fact my mother’s gonna kill me.”

Nikki laughs, “It couldn’t have been that bad.”

I laugh too, but a breathy, sarcastic laugh. I look back to her, “You should have seen her. When she shook Cyrus’s hand I all but thought she was going to rip his arm out of the socket.”

Nikki looks around, “Speaking of…,” but he’s not back yet from grabbing us pizza inside. “How did he take it? Meeting your mom… dealing with the crazy people in our town?”

I shrug. “Fine enough, I guess. He really hasn’t said anything except that he had fun today and that he really liked the caramel popcorn.”

She claps me on the shoulder, “At least it’s all over a done with. It’s out in the open, no more hiding… surely that’s a relief?”

I bob my head in a sort of nod, looking around to all the bonfire goers. Sure, our relationship is out in the open, but I still had my questions about the whole Vampire thing. I’d paid extra attention to him today… the sunglasses, the need to find shade, his saying biting into the caramel apple was a little much, and never letting me drink out of his thermos.

Speaking of… I peak down to our pile of stuff where we staked claim to a log bench.

I motion for Nikki to sit with me. But before I can put my cup down and pick up his thermos, the more than tipsy Nikki already has it open, sniffing it. “Oh man,” she laughs, “he must have dark beer Scott insists on bringing,” and pushes it under my nose, “smell it!”

Taking it quickly, I do smell it and force a laugh. “Totally, oh my God.” But I am ‘oh my God’ing for whole ‘nother reason ‘cause, there is no denying it: it smells like blood.