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Past Imperfect
Written by Cait MacChat
Chapter 15
In the time it had taken to give Connor the short tour, Renee and Amanda had completed dinner preparations and dressed the dining table in Riverhavens finest. Royal Worcester china and antique Tiffany silver place settings glowed softly in the candlelight. The Waterford crystal glasses appeared translucent, too ethereal to hold the wine resting in the silver ice bucket. The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air.
The friends stood around the table - each silently admiring the elegance of their surroundings. As if on cue, Adam, Connor and Duncan pulled out the dining chairs and began to formally seat the ladies.
“How gallant of you,” Kit said her heart in her eyes as she looked at Adam.
“Why, thank you kind sir,” Amanda purred as Connor seated her with a flourish.
“Thank you,” Renee murmured, as she settled into her chair, not daring to look at Duncan.
After everyone was seated Adam ceremoniously uncorked the wine and began to fill the glasses. “It’s been a very long time since we’ve all been together to share a meal. In honor of the occasion, I’d like to propose a toast.”
Pausing for a moment as his friends raised their glasses Adam continued, “Long life, enduring friendships and, no matter what the future holds, no matter how stressful or unnerving, may we never lose our heads.” Six glasses came together to produce the clearest and purest of tones - the song only the finest of crystal can sing.
Kit raised her eyebrows in sardonic acknowledgment of Adam’s toast. “Let’s not lose our heads no matter what the evening brings,” Kit thought. “We’ll just see about enduring friendships once Renee learns my secret.”
“I’m hungry,” Connor stated, “and if there are no more toasts, no comments, questions, observations, may we please eat now?”
As hostess, Kit began to pass the silver serving dishes and smiled in satisfaction as her friends made “ohh-ing” noises as they filled their plates. Kit’s eyes flicked back and forth between Renee and Duncan trying to read their thoughts...to no avail. Both were avoiding her and each other. “Ok, fine,” she thought, “just get through dinner and we’ll go from there...”
For once, Connor refrained from teasing Duncan about his successes with women while Amanda managed to subdue her usual tartness. Adam surprised Kit by slipping into his professional host role and kept the conversation on neutral ground. Renee graciously accepted the frequent compliments that came her way like a queen accepting her due.
“At long last,” Kit thought as she noticed no one was making moves towards seconds, well thirds considering Connor and Duncan, “let’s get this over with!”
“Desert anyone?” Kit asked just a shade too brightly.
“Sure,” Connor began only to pause when he felt Duncan’s elbow in his ribs. “I mean, surely not -not after that feast, Renee. Glad to see you haven’t lost your touch.”
“Then shall we adjourn?” Kit asked. “Adam has some wonderful brandy and the coffee’s ready to pour. Renee, leave the dishes for later. We’ll put the menfolk to work cleaning up.”
As the men moved to assist Kit, Amanda and Renee from their seats, an almost palpable change came over the immortals. It was is if their individual auras, their internal, immortal, protective, shields were put on alert like a pack scenting danger. Only Renee seemed unaware of the change in atmosphere. Renee appeared blissfully disconnected from the sudden undercurrents.
Kit, watching Renee closely, noticed a tensing of her body while her face remained pleasantly composed. “She knows we’re moving towards the explanations she wants but I’ll bet my bottom dollar she’s reconsidering,” Kit mused. “I don’t blame you, Renee, I would too if I were you. But, you asked for it and we can’t avoid it.”
Having removed themselves to the Common Room, Connor and Duncan busied themselves stoking the fire in the fireplace, good-naturedly criticizing the others skills.
“Bring that big log up a little and add another small one,” Connor instructed.
“No likely! Do you want to fill the room with smoke y’fool?” Duncan asked in exaggerated exasperation.
“And you wonder why I’m always in charge of firebuilding and cooking when we go camping? You’d burn the forest down and make charcoal out of our meal!” Connor replied as he added a small log.
“Don’t tell me you two still go on campouts?” Amanda asked in disbelief. “No wonder Smokey the Bear just celebrated his 50th anniversary - you two keep him from retiring!”
“Once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout,” Adam observed as he passed around coffee and snifters of brandy. “Here you go, Renee.”
Renee, having taken off her shoes and settled herself into the far corner of the love seat, reached for a mug - only to find her hands were shaking too much to grasp it. “Here, let me do that,” Duncan said as he made a neat pivot from the fireplace and turned to Renee. Gracefully lifting the mug from the tray and placing the coffee on the side table, he turned again to pick up a snifter.
“Here, this is better. This fits better for now,” he continued as he placed the snifter into Renee’s hands. His long, tapered fingers wrapped around her slender ones and held them firmly, but gently, as he looked Renee squarely in the eye.
“Thank you,” Renee replied quietly as she met his gaze, her heart in her eyes - along with a silent apology that only Duncan saw and understood. His eyes answered and she felt his limitless understanding and forgiveness.
“What? No Scotch?” Connor asked in disbelief.
“Oh Connor, give us a break!” Amanda demanded.
“As long as we don’t have to toast again,” Connor smiled with a devil-ish glint in his eye.
Unable to contain her tension for one more moment, Kit blurted out what she was thinking, “Ok, Renee, you want to know what all the mystery’s about? Fine, I’ll tell you.”
“Whoa, Kit,” Adam said as he put the tray down and placed a restraining hand on her arm. “It’ll wait for a few more minutes.”
“No, it won’t,” Kit snapped. “Renee wants to know and I’m the one that’s telling - let me be!”
“God, I love a strong woman,” Adam responded as he grabbed Kit and kissed her hard and fast. “Go for it,” he commanded with a warning glance and a shrug of his shoulders.
“Kit,” Connor spoke her name softly but with all the power contained within his long years of dealing with mortal-immortals. “I’d like a moment if you please.”
Facing Renee, Connor continued, “Do you believe in life after death, Renee? Do you believe in immortality?”
Surprised by both the turn in conversation and the actions of her friends, Renee found herself momentarily speechless.
“Let me put it this way, Renee...if you could, would you want to live forever?”
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