Maurice Ch. 08

******

Now that everything else has fallen into place, I can concentrate on Regina. I showed Gremlin and Annie to their rooms while Olivia showed the brothers to theirs, I noticed that she seemed to like Daniel quite a bit and he was reciprocating. Good for her, she deserved some happiness.

I sat in my room which was next to the room that Regina was sleeping in and weighed my options; I couldn't just come out and tell her that she was my mate, that's exactly what Micah did. If I presented it that way, the war would be lost before the first battle had been fought. I couldn't even use any of my gifts; she would see it as a manipulation and as her free will being taken. What did that mean? It meant that I had to in her on my own merits and for the first time, I felt insecure about my looks.

I had no doubts that if I looked anything like a vampire that all of you have in your minds that the battle would be half won but as you know, I look nothing like that. That pity party lasted for about an hour, "Snap the fuck out of it!" I told myself. "You are still Maurice Delgado direct descendent to Comte Saint Germaine and you have a mate to woo!"

I had no illusions, there was no way that Regina and I would be mated anytime soon, I had to begin with building trust, she trusted me not to hurt her or else she wouldn't be here but I'm talking about the kind of trust that a woman and a man have for each other, the kind of trust that Gremlin and Annie.

*******

I let Annie in, hugged her and then stepped back to look at her, she was glowing with happiness; love suited her.

"Your luggage is in that little room over there, Gremlin and I went back to the room to get our stuff and to check out." She said.

"Annie, I can't stay here."

"I know but Reggie, I can't leave but we'll come to see you."

A small part of me wanted to beg her to leave with me but I shushed it, she was where she wanted and needed to be. I smiled at her, she was already crying because we were going to be saying goodbye soon. It would be hard going home and back to work without her and I missed her already.

"Reggie, I want to tell you something that you may not want to hear." she said.

"Annie....."

"No, just listen to me and then I'll shut up."

She took me by the hand, led me to the small sitting room and made me sit on the couch.

"You have been through so much and had so much taken from you and the past few days have been horrible." she said, "but Reggie there's something that you should know and it's going to be hard for you to accept but Delgado cares for you...."

"Stop right now." I said, "I don't know if he sent you in here as a character reference or not and I don't really care. I'm grateful that he saved Danny and Eddie and that he came after me but that's all I feel for him, gratitude and that's all."

"Why do you think he went after you?" she asked, "if you had been anyone else he wouldn't have gotten involved and by the way, he doesn't know that I'm talking to you about this."

"Annie, I'm happy for you, I really am but I don't want to see another vampire."

"Does that include Eddie and Danny?" she asked.

"No but....."

"Look, I shouldn't have said anything but since I did, you have to start thinking about where your brothers fit into your life; forget Delgado for now but you can't dismiss your brothers so easily."

After she left I got dressed and headed downstairs, everyone except for Delgado was there. Olivia and Danny were cooking dinner while Eddie was talking to Gremlin and Annie. Once again the normalcy of the situation struck me and like before I reminded myself that this wasn't normal. Then it struck me that I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't normal and I wondered about that.

"Hey sis!" Eddie called out when he saw me.

"Hey!" I called back, that had always been our greeting for each other no matter the time of day.

Danny looked up at me and grinned with that same mischievous grin that he had when he was a boy; these vampires were really my brothers just in another life form. I thought that I had accepted that fact last night when I hugged them, I guess I hadn't but now I did.

"Good evening everyone." I heard from behind me.

Delgado had finally come downstairs; he was casually dressed in a tee shirt, jeans and flip-flops. If he had been on the street he would have blended in with the thousands of tourists roaming the streets.

We all spoke to him as he passed us on the way to the stove.

"What are you making?" he asked Danny.

"Chicken fried steak with white gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans."

"What about biscuits?" Eddie called.

"Them too!" Danny called back.

Maurice rubbed his stomach and asked when dinner would be ready. When Danny told him it would be another hour, he asked to speak with me.

I followed him into what had to be his office. He sat behind his desk and offered me the chair in front of it. I sat down and waited.

"I am aware that you are anxious to be gone from New Orleans and understandably so." he said, "I just wanted to talk to you to see how you're doing."

"I'm better thanks and yes, I want to leave this city as soon as I can."

"I thought as much, I've taken the liberty of having my jet ready to take you whenever you are ready to go." He said.

That surprised me; I was expecting him to try to talk me into staying. Did I want him to? Hell no! Like I said, I never wanted to come back here again.

"Thank you but I'm going to call the airline to see if my departure can be changed to tonight." I replied.

He looked like he was going to say something but didn't, he simply nodded his head and stood up.

I followed him back to the kitchen where it was quite obvious that Danny and Olivia had made a love connection. Since supper wasn't quite ready yet, I took out my cell phone and called the airline. After being placed on hold several times they finally told me that the earliest flight out would be the next afternoon.

I had to spend another night in this wretched city.

Dinner was absolutely wonderful! Danny's chicken fried steak tasted every bit as good as moms and the biscuits were damned close. Olivia made a pecan pie that I have to admit was better than any that I'd ever tasted and I had to have the recipe which seemed to please her to no end.

The evening was spent with Eddie, Danny and I asking questions about what was real and what wasn't. The memories of our childhood up until that first trip here were real although some of the circumstances were influenced or changed. Most of what happened after the trip was implanted memories although I really did go to college and the Lannisters supported us after they killed my parents.

There was one more issue and it involved me and Delgado and I wasn't going to discuss it now or ever if it could be helped.

We stayed up late talking mostly about what we remembered about mom and dad, it was a memorial service of sorts. We laughed and at the end we cried together as we should have years ago. The sad part was that mom and dad should have been alive now, they were only in their forties when we came here for the first time, we cried for that too.

Eddie and Danny understood why I couldn't stay but promised to keep up the weekly phone calls and when time allowed they would come to visit. Annie wanted to tell me to stay, I could see her struggle not to say it but I helped her.

"Annie, I can't. I love you but I can't stay here."

It was almost five when I went to my room, I lay on the bed fully clothed and thought about the past week. Its funny how things work out; the creatures that I had been so afraid of were now family members- who says that god doesn't have a sense of humor?

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, someone was tapping on my door.

"Reggie, it's time to get up."

I looked at the clock; I had to hurry if I didn't want to miss my plane. I stripped and was showered and changed in less than twenty minutes. Everyone was waiting to say their goodbyes- and it was a tearful one at that. Delgado stood back and waited by the door, he was my ride to the airport.

The drive there was as quiet as the drive to his house had been; I was the one to finally break the silence.

"Thank you for everything."

He looked over at me and didn't speak for several minutes.

"You're welcome." he said, "Regina, our paths crossed for a reason and they will cross again. I hope that the next time that happens that you will remember that not all of us are like the Lannisters and you will at least agree to have dinner with me."

I didn't answer one way or the other; I really didn't think that I would see him again.

******

Watching the four of them mourn over people who should still be alive and thriving was difficult but watching Regina becoming reacquainted with her brothers was uplifting. I could almost see them as children, with Regina being the pesky little sister who as Danny said that her brothers would die for and in a way had. Hearing her laugh was like music to my ears, it held none of the fear that had plagued her from the moment she stepped foot off of the plane upon her arrival.

She was going to be fine.

When I drove her to the airport, I planted a seed; I mentioned our paths crossing again knowing full well that if she never saw me again it wouldn't be too soon. I parked the car and carried her luggage in to be checked almost offering to wait with her. I did wait until she was in line for security before leaving and not once did she look back to see if I was still there.

**********

Six months later

My life had settled down, I went to work, went home and did it all again the next day. At first I really missed Annie, she was my lunch buddy, and the one who could make me laugh at the stupidest things and the one that I could cry to. I think my phone bill was tripled for the first three months I was back. Eddie and Daniel called two or three times a week and it was nice because they knew who I was and it wasn't a false knowing.

Danny and Olivia were officially a couple and Eddie had just found his ..... Mate. Both he and Danny were working for Maurice as CEOs of a couple of companies that he bought and loved it. Annie and Gremlin were expecting a little Gremlin and they were ecstatic although it was hard for me to imagine Gremlin being ecstatic about anything.

Delgado.... I hadn't spoken to him since I left although I would occasionally get a card or an email from him. Sometimes I replied to the emails and sometimes I didn't. I assumed that he was still in New Orleans but I didn't ask and he never said.

One day, I got an email from him telling me that he was coming into town and asking me to dinner, I deleted the email and logged off. The next night there was another email from him asking me to dinner, I didn't delete that one but I didn't answer it either. By the end of the week, there were seven emails all saying the same thing and I know what you're thinking, why didn't I give the guy a break? After all he did save my life ect.....

I finally replied to the seventh email,

"Delgado,

If it will make you stop emailing me then I will have dinner with you.

Regina"

Two minutes hadn't even passed when he responded.

"Regina,

Thank you for accepting my dinner invitation, will Friday night at six suit you?

Delgado."

Friday? It was Thursday when he sent the last email! Where was he?"

"Delgado,

That will be fine, where are you?"

Regina."

******

It's been six months. I stayed away but did send cards and emails reminding her of my presence in her life. It was now time to start actively pursuing her. I wasn't at all surprised when she didn't answer my emails right away because Annie had forewarned me.

"Reggie isn't big on emails and.... Well Delgado, she really doesn't want to hear from you."

That, I already knew but I wasn't about to be deterred and besides, she had responded to a few of my emails even if they were one word responses. For example, I would send her an email asking how she was, IF she replied it would be either "good" or "fine" and nothing more.

I believe the response to my repeated request for dinner was the longest response that I had gotten from her. I responded to her inquiry to my whereabouts honestly.

"Regina,

I am here in your lovely city on a business matter. I am looking forward to our dinner tomorrow evening.

Delgado"

Of course there was no response and I wasn't expecting one. The question that I had to ask myself was at what point I would tell Regina about us, I believe that on some level that she knew but it had been six months. She was comfortable with talking with her brothers, Annie and even Olivia but then none of them would be taking her to bed. I spoke to Annie about this and she gave me a very valuable reminder.

"She's going to fight it and you even if she knows that you're right. I don't know if you noticed or not but when she found out about everything, she had a meltdown and then she pulled it together and dealt with it. That's Reggie; she's been that way for as long as I can remember."

"Are you suggesting that I just tell her and then wait?"

"You can do what you want." she replied, "I'm just saying that she hates being coddled."

That conversation took place three months ago. It wasn't that I didn't believe Annie after all she and Regina had been and still were close but I just wanted to give her a little more time to settle before I dropped the "I'm your mate bomb" on her. I have to be honest and admit that I was growing impatient enough that I considered telling her at dinner, I'll just have to see how it goes.

I did however make preparations for a home here; it was still being made ready and was supposed to be complete in two weeks. In the meantime I was staying at a hotel that catered to Vampires and other beings. The restaurant that I chose wasn't far from the hotel and the reservations were made.

********

Annie called me just to chat and invariably the talk turned to Delgado.

"Reggie give the guy a break." was always how the conversation started and this time was no exception.

"For god's sake!" I said, "I'm having dinner with him tomorrow night, happy?"

"Really? You and Delgado are having dinner?"

"Cool your jets!" I snapped, "It's just dinner so that he can leave me the hell alone."

Annie hesitated, "did he say that?" she asked.

"Say what?"

"That he would leave you alone if you had dinner with him."

"No but....."

"Reggie, I'm going to speak out of turn here and if Delgado knew that I was telling you this he'd be pissed, so would Gremlin come to think of it."

"Fuck Annie just spit it out!"

"Delgado loves you."

"Annie...."

"He loves you and you know it true."

"Annie...."

"He fought and killed for you and are you going to tell me that when you were being held at Micah's that you didn't hope that he would come for you? Are you going to tell me that when you found out that he was there you didn't feel relief? And when they left him there, you were worried for him, can you at least admit that much?"

But damn she was relentless!

"Answer me!" she demanded.

"Well damn Annie!" I exclaimed, but she wasn't to be put off. "Alright! I was worried about him when Gremlin and the others left him."

"That's a start." she replied.

"Why is this so important to you?" I asked, "You should be concentrating on Gremlin Junior and not me."

"Reggie, Gremlin Junior as you call him is your family and.... We want you to be his guardian if anything happens to us."

I didn't know what to say, I had assumed that they would have asked Olivia since she was Gremlin's cousin.

"I don't know what to say."

"Say yes." she said softly.

"This doesn't explain why you are so hung up on me and Delgado." I replied.

"I just want you to be happy, remember how we used to talk about how we hoped to find someone to love us quirks and all? I found that with Gremlin and I think that if you give it a chance you would find it with Delgado. As far as the baby is concerned, either way we want you to be his or her guardian."

"What's involved?" I asked, "other than being his or her guardian I mean."

"You.... You would have to come back here to be present for the birth."

"What?! No, I can't do that!" I exclaimed.

"Just think about it." she said before hanging up.

"Fuck!" I said and then repeated the curse word. I thought that I was done with New Orleans and now I was going back. There was no way that I was going to say no to Annie and I think that she knew that when she asked but there was still the issue of Delgado and what Annie said about him being in love with me.

Was I aware of it? Honestly? Yes, I just never acknowledged it. Did I have feelings for him? No, well not really other than to say that I liked him which begged another question, if I liked him why was I acting the way I was. I also couldn't deny any of the things that Annie said about me hoping that he would come after me and being relieved when he did.

Fuck.

******

Friday dragged by slowly, I spent the day debating what if anything that I was going to say to Regina regarding us. I wasn't nervous about it I just wasn't sure about the timing. Eventually I decided to play it by ear, if the conversation headed that way then I would say something, if not then I would continue to pursue her.

I knew that she was at work and unable to help myself I had a bouquet of flowers sent to her job along with a note saying that I was very anxious to see her. After that was done, I went for a walk downtown and eventually ended up at our home, yes I said our. I had no doubt that some point Regina would be living there with me and I hoped that she would get over her fear and hatred of New Orleans.

After checking on the progress of the house, I continued my walk passing several jewelry stores along the way. I stopped in one to browse and noted the disdain that was directed my way. No one greeted me with even a smile believing me to be poor because of how I was dressed. I wasn't dressed in shabby clothes but even if I were I was entitled to common courtesy.

I was about to leave when I saw the most perfect diamond, it wasn't so large that it looked gaudy but large enough to be noticeable. As soon as I saw it I knew that it belonged on Regina's finger. I stood by the display case waiting for someone to help me; it was a full ten minutes before someone finally came to assist me."

"Yes?" He asked, his tone impatient and bored.

"I would like to see that ring." I said politely.

"That one?" he asked.

I looked at his name tag and then up at him.

"Yes Chad, that one."

I wanted to slap the amused expression off of his face but waited patiently as he pulled out the key to open the case. I looked up to see that two security guards had appeared, one by the back and one by the front door, I pretended not to pay attention to them as Chad took the ring from the case.

I took the ring from his hand and examined it without looking at the price tag; Chad was barely containing his laughter. The ring was perfect, the diamond was flawless and I was going to buy it.

"I'll take it."

"Funny." Chad said as he reached for the ring.

"I said that I will take it." I repeated as I reached for my wallet.

"You got thirty K in your wallet?" he joked.

"No but I have this." I replied as I took out my black card and slapped it down on the counter. "Now ring this up you arrogant prick!"

I watched as he swallowed hard and then he asked me for my ID. I reached into my pocket, took it out and slapped it down next to my card.

"Ring it up."

Fifteen minutes later I left the jewelers with the ring but not before I gave them a good dressing down. From there I went back to the hotel to get ready for my evening with Regina.