STRANGE GENTLEMAN

"Let's have our food then I will show you where to lay him"he rejoined, quivering her out of her thoughts.

She nodded in alliance with what he said as they proceeded to eat the cottage pie he had prepared.

Cottage was Catherine's favourite meal to prepare for dinner. She was happy that she got to eat it again after many years.

"Do you like it?"he asked as they both muched slowly in silence.

"Yes, it's.... it's nice"she responded with a smile and continued.

When they were done eating,she offered to take the plates out and he reluctantly agreed

She carefully loosened Bryan's grip from her hand and took the plates out while he cleared the table.

Catherine's kitchen was still the same,it was already nightfall but there was a lamp at every corner of the house for illumination She recalled watching her cook herbs and tasty meals;she smiled at the memories.

"Good old memories,huh?"he queried as he joined her. She jerked as she turned to look at him.

"Yes,....my great grand mother lived..."her voice trailed off.

"I'm very sure that you know all these,right?" she asked while he nodded with a shrug.

"Catherine Smith,you lived with her for ten years!"he responded as she sighed.

"My friend,Sandra....."

"I can swear that she's not there",he snapped, cutting her off sharply.

"Where could she be then?"she asked, puzzled by what he said.

"Let's lay down the child and then we can talk about everything,I promise!".

He headed for the living room while she followed suit still trying to wrap her head around what he told her.

He watched her lift the child into her arms. He could not see him but he saw the love in her eyes;he was very sure that she would make a good mother.He led her to her old bedroom, down the hallway.

Annie's jaw dropped when they walked inside. Her bedroom still looked the same; the walks were still painted blue and the paintings she made on them were still there.

The room was clean unlike the meditation room. The white linen curtains were still there and a few of her old book were on the reading table.

She laid him on the bed and walked around while Leonard stood by the door,watching her.

She walked over to her small wardrobe and pulled it open. A few of her old clothes were still there and they smelled nice and fresh like they had never been used.

She could not see well because of the dim lights but she could feel someone's presence but the feelings did not last.

Annie wondered if she came or maybe her weak mind was just making things up for fun.

"I felt her presence too!"Leonard said, disrupting her thoughts as she gazed sharply at him.

"You....",her voice trailed off as he nodded in affirmation and averted his gaze almost immediately.

*********

"Annie!" Sandra called out on top of her voice as she woke up from her nightmare. She was breathing heavily and she had a terrible head ache .

"Baby",she called out softly as she swallowed hard. The room was dark and she was very afraid.

She rummaged her hand on the other side of the bed but she did not feel Joe's body. He was lying next to her when they both fell asleep few hours ago.

She felt strange presence around her and started hearing footsteps around the bedroom. She closed her eyes tightly as great fear gripped her.

She clenched the sheets tightly as she struggled to breath. She tried so hard not to move her body.

"Aaargh!"she groaned in pains as someone grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"Sweetheart!"Joe called out as he turned on the lights and walked over to her.She opened her eyes and hugged him tightly.

"Calm down,baby. I'm here now",he assured as he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back softly.

"What happened, baby?"he queried after a while as he loosened his grip on her after a while.

She swallowed hard as she looked at him. She could not tell what happened earlier;all she remembered was that she had a terrible nightmare and it was about Annie

"I...."she paused when she recalled that he had warned not to ever talk about Annie.

"I didn't see you when I woke up from sleep so I was afraid",she lied while a beautiful smile played on his lips.

"I went to drink water",he responded as his smile disappeared.

"Don't leave me alone again, please",she pleaded, hugging him tightly.

"I'm really sorry,I was very thirsty and I didn't want to disturb you",he apologized as he pulled her closer to him and rubbed her back

They loosened their grip on each other and locked gaze. His lips descended on her's and they kissed passionately.

He kissed her until she gasped for breath. He let go of her lips and slid his hand under night dress while she watched him;her eyes filled with intense lust for him.

********

Annie heaved a long deep sigh as she nodded at him. There were tears in her eyes and she struggled to restrain them.

Leonard inhabited Catherine's home two months after she died. He was passing by when he saw the abandoned house and decided to stay since he had no accomodation.

He took care of the house,keeping Annie's and Catherine memories alive as much as he could. He took special care of the house and her garden;replanting dead herbs and trimming the flowers.

"Here",he snapped as he handed her a book

"This is her diary but... it's torn in half",Annie retorted as she took it from him. She was quick to recognize her great grand mother's beautiful handwriting.

"Yes,I found it at the door of her meditation room",he responded with a deep sigh.

"It was the room you did not clean.Why,...if I may ask?"she queried as she fixed an inquisitive gaze on him.

"In her diary,she stated that no one other than you could enter her meditation room after her death so I respected her words" he replied with a smile while she slowly nodded at him.

She loved the way he spoke,acted and carried himself around her. He was indeed a gentleman,a strange one at that!