Changing for Love Chapter 7

Changing for Love

Chapter 7

Celeste

It’s been a year since I fired that horrible rifle at Thomas. I still have nightmares that wake me in the middle of the night. My mom always runs into my room when she hears my screams. She holds me until I stop crying and fall back to sleep. When I wake for the day I am still tired. I don’t sleep much. My eyes are always puffy from very little sleep and I walk around in a slumber. The horror of what my father made me do is too much. Every time I close my eyes Thomas is there haunting me for firing that one shot that forever changed my life and his.

Dad has let me out a little more so that I can stretch my legs and run in cheetah form. It’s more out of guilt than anything. Mom said he is really sorry for making me shoot Thomas, but he has yet to apologize to me. I guess letting me out of my prison is his way of an apology. I walk around the compound, which is what I call my home now, and pass by the cell that once held Thomas. As I get closer to it that awful day runs like a movie reel over and over in my head with no pause or stop button. It ends with Thomas as a cheetah backing away from me slowly, trying to hide in the shadows of the back corner in the cell and me shooting. I don’t think I can take this much longer. I need out of here! As I near the gate, it opens. When I look back at the tower, my father is pressing the button to open it. He raises his hand to wave at me, but I still can’t look at him. I turn and run as fast as I can until I reach the tree line. Then, I strip my clothes and turn into cheetah.

The urge always hits me like it did a year ago to keep running and never return. I always end up on the border of my land and Thomas’s pacing back and forth. No matter how far I run or where I run to, the memories will still be there of the boy I could have loved. I could have never been with Thomas anyway due to the ridiculous marriage contract. In a few months I will be married to a man I don’t know and living in a country I have never been to before. The only reasons I don’t run are because of my mother and the others in our coalition. I turn slowly away from Thomas’s land. This is the last day I will return here. Today I must give up the thoughts of Thomas and my freedom. I have no choice but to go back and do as I’m told. My father will not end the contract and I will not endanger my family and friends. It is time to return. I glance back one more time and sniff the air around me. The smell comes into my nose like a speeding bus, fast and hard. That smell is the same smell from a year ago. I go back to the border of our land running up and down searching, but find no one. This is ridiculous! Why am I still here? That musky smell that was once Thomas’s fades and after a few steps it is swept away by the wind like a leaf that has fallen off a tree. Thomas is gone. I bow my head and walk slowly back to my home to submit to my father and my future betrothed.

When I arrive back I see a fresh pair of clothes laying by the tree where I always transition. That is odd. I look around to make sure there is no one watching and transition back to human. I grab the neatly folded clothes only to find my favorite red silk sleeveless shirt that ties around the neck and fits loosely. My black trouser pants are with it. This is my party outfit and I don’t remember a party being planned. Then it hits me. Today is my eighteenth birthday! I can’t believe I forgot my own birthday! I’m sure my mom planned a big one for my eighteenth. It will be the last one I celebrate here. It’s surreal really. So much happened on my last birthday…..

Ugh! I have to snap out of this. What happened then is in the past. I will never move on if I keep thinking about Thomas and what I did. It’s done and there is nothing I can do to change it. Today I will celebrate! I’m sure my mom has been planning this and working very hard. I put the clothes on that she was so kind to leave for me and pinch my cheeks a little to make it look like I have some color to me. I’m sure I look absolutely dreadful from very little sleep and my run. Oh well, this is good as it gets for now. I finger comb my hair and walk up to the gate. It’s already open when I arrive. That’s odd because that is my father’s number one rule. The gate always stays closed. As I walk through the gate there is a car I have never seen before. My coalition family and friends have Fords or Chevy’s, but this one is a town car. I turn and my mother is suddenly standing in front of me. I jump!

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you sweetie. Did you have a nice run?” She starts patting my face with make-up.

I look at her and she is wearing her plain black knee length cocktail dress. “Um mom, what is going on?” I point my thumb to the fancy car, “Whose car is that?”

She stops throwing make-up on my face and kisses me on the cheek. “All in good time my dear.” She smiles, “Come on, everyone has been waiting for you.”

I nod and follow her to our banquet hall. Dad had it built a few years ago for holidays and special gatherings such as this. I don’t like birthday parties for myself, but I will follow my mom anywhere. She has been my support all my life especially this last year. If she wants to throw me one last party then I will smile and enjoy it. This is the day I decided to forget the past and start fresh anyway.

We get to the banquet hall doors and I see my father waiting. Mom walks a little faster and speeds through the door my father so kindly opens for her. Then he shuts the door behind my mother before I can enter.

He looks down at me with kinder eyes than usual. “Celeste it’s time we talk.” We stand there staring at each other until he finally just nods and begins to speak. “I am sorry for making you shoot that boy.”

“His name was Thomas father!” I’m already getting irritated.

He puts up his hand, looks up to the sky and back down at me. “Please allow me to finish without interruption.”

I nod yes and stay silent.

“I love you Celeste. You of all my children are the most like me. That’s why I was harder on you than your sisters and even your brothers. I was too hard on you. It didn’t even occur to me that you had any connection with that b…, I mean with Thomas. He was a human! There are some that have connected with humans and have left their coalition, but I never thought my own daughter would.”

Now it’s my turn so I put my hand on his large forearm. “Father on my run today I did a lot of thinking. I will submit to this marriage contract. Thomas is not coming back and I have to do what’s best for my family and coalition. It’s my duty as a coalition leader’s daughter. Have no more worries father; I will stay here until it is time to marry. Now let’s get in there.” I point to the doors and begin to walk toward them. As I walk past him he grabs my arm lightly.

“No Celeste. You will not be marrying the man from India.” I look up at him in total shock. “I called off the contract.”

“But father, there will be repercussions. Call them and tell them its back on!” He kisses the top of my head.

“Thank you, but I will not change my mind. The India leader and I came to another agreement. As it turns out his son is in love with another and wishes to marry a young lady in his own coalition. So, all is well on both ends.”

I can’t help but smile up at him. Wow! My life is really starting anew today. The possibilities are endless! My father is actually smiling too. I don’t think I have seen him smile in a very long time. He grabs me into a tight bear hug.

He releases me and takes hold of both of my arms. “I have a gift for you my dear Celeste. That’s what the town car is about. I sent it to bring your gift to you in style. Are you ready?”

I nod yes. If I were to speak at this moment I would probably let out a really girly squeal so I just give a little excited jump after my father lets me go. He leads me into the banquet hall. When I get in there I see all of my friends and family standing around, a lot of food, and a large cake. As I enter further everyone gets very quiet. Well this is awkward. I stand there looking at everyone with what I’m sure is a very confused look on my face. Then I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I know that warm touch so I take an inhale. It can’t be! I spin around and almost lose my balance, but a man in all white catches me and steadies me on my feet again. I look up to thank him and my mouth drops open.

“Thomas!” He smiles and all of the tingles I felt a year ago come rushing back.

He smiles that sly grin of his, “Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back to you. I’m finally on leave from the Naval Academy and wanted to spend it with my number one cheetah girl.” He kisses my cheek.

I’m about twenty shades of red. I reach my arms up and around his neck to hug him. He puts his arms around my waist to pull me in tighter. Everyone in the room disappears in that moment. I nuzzle my cheek to his and thank the Lord above for my mother running to me one year ago and knocking the gun up so the bullet missed my sweet Thomas. She saw him transition back to human right as I aimed the rifle at him. Thomas was freed, but on agreement never to return and to never see me again.

I pull away quickly, “No Thomas, your agreement with my…”

“Is null and void.” I hear my father behind me. I turn to look at him. “You two are free to see each other. I will not interfere unless he hurts you.” He slaps Thomas on the arm a little hard.

I reach up and hug my father, “Thank you.”

My father turns and walks away and I could have sworn there was a tear in his eye. Hmmm, he’s getting soft in his old age. I feel Thomas take my hand, but this time I plan on holding onto it as long as I can. He turns me around, brushes the side of my face with his thumb and leans down to kiss me on the lips. It’s my first kiss and he will be the only man I will ever kiss again.