Beyond Death Ch. 2
Beyond Death
Ch. 2
at the quarry
“Hey, hey” Natalie heard faintly as she felt herself being shaken.
“Cris?” Natalie questioned, “Is that you Cristian?” Natalie set up and rubbed her eyes seeking visual clarity.
“How did you know my name?” Cristian asked, “How did you even know about this place?”
“Oh, God,” Natalie’s stomach turned slightly realizing who was standing, seemingly very much alive, in front of her, “What is today?” she asked not trusting herself.
It’s the third,” Cris answered then looked at his watch, “I mean the fourth, it’s 1:46 in the morning.”
“The fourth of what?”
“Is this a trick question?” Cristian laughed then realized the young girl in front of him was serious, “September,” he replied. “Are you okay?”
“The year?” Natalie got to her feet and walked behind Cristian causing him to turn around, “Is it 1998?”
“Yeah,” Cris’s face showed of concern for this girl who looked so familiar. “Do I know you?”
At Cristian’s question Natalie looked up at him and realizing he wasn’t a dream she smiled her first genuine smile since the day he had been taken away from her. “It’s complicated,” Natalie finally answered.
“Oh,” he responded sitting down, “I didn’t think anyone else knew about this place,” he commented.
“Yeah … well sometimes I like to come here to think. It clears my head,” Natalie sat beside him.
“Me too,” Cristian grinned at the redhead. “Did you grow up here? Do I know you from my childhood?”
“No,” Natalie shook her head, “I grew up in Atlantic City – and not the glamorous side that’s for sure.”
“I don’t know what it is about you,” Cristian’s eyes scanned the girl in front of him. “What’s your name?”
“Natalie,” Natalie took his outstretched hand shaking it.
“So, Natalie you – uh, you’re married?” Cris pointed at the ring on her finger, “It’s just you seem a little young,” he added quickly.
Grasping the ring Natalie twirled it around, “It’s complicated.”
“Why is everything so complicated?” Cris asked, “You either know me or you don’t. You’re either married or you’re not. It’s that simple,” Cristian smiled a to-die-for smile.
“He, uh, he sort of died,” Natalie tried to remove the ring from her finger. Finally the ring popped off and fell. “I have to find that ring,” Natalie became frantic searching the ground on all fours.
“Don’t worry,” Cristian tried to comfort her, “I’ll help,” Cris got down on his hands and knees and began looking for the ring, too. “Ah-ha” Cris muttered triumphantly holding up the ring, “What is that?” Cristian asked confused.
“Give it to me. Give it to me now,” Natalie demanded.
Cris handed the ring over to Natalie, “there was engraving on the inside of that ring.”
“So”
“So … it said ‘Cristian and Natalie – forever.’ Your husband spells – spelled his name the same as mine.”
“Yeah” Natalie made the word sound more like a question than the statement it actually was. Unhooking her necklace Natalie allowed the ring to fall on the chain then returned it to her neck.
“Hey,” Cristian commented, “I have one of those, too,” he reached for the chain and pulled it out of his shirt and off his neck. They look a lot alike,” he smiled.
“Mm-hmm, well, there is a reason for that,” Natalie looked him directly in the eye. And with that Natalie allowed her heart and all her emotions to pour out. She told Cristian how they knew each other, how it is that the medals look so much alike. She told him everything.
“Are you crazy?” Cristian looked at the girl sitting in front of him.
“Cris, please,” Natalie took him by the arm refusing to allow Cristian to stand up. “Look at your St. Christopher’s medal,” she took it off her neck, “this one” she said handing him the medal.
Cristian studied the medal Natalie handed him, “‘Natalie, our love is as steady as the quarry & as free as birds flying – through life & beyond death – Cris’”
“Please Cristian you’ve gotta believe me. We were married. We were in love or at least in the future we will be. It’s still there I know it is.”
“An engraving on the back of a medal or the inside of a ring is not enough evidence to convince me of anything, Natalie” Cristian said unwilling to believe the beautiful girl whose name fell so easily from his lips.
“Okay” Natalie racked her brain, “uh, the quarry was sort of our place. Whenever something happened, like Jen Rappaport lying to us about her being pregnant so you would marry her, we would always find each other here.”
“Wait a minute,” Cris stopped Natalie, “Rappaport? As in Will?”
“Jen is Will’s sister.”
“I would never get involved with anyone but least of all a relation to Will.”
“Well, you did”
“I would never do that to Jessica,” Cris insisted.
“You and Jess broke up.” Natalie took her medal, “Look, when you were in high school, in shop class, you leaned over a machine and it sniped a piece of the medal off,” Natalie rubbed the indention on the medal as Cris took his medal and placed it by Natalie’s, “the piece of medal went flying full force and hit you,” she pointed toward his inner thigh, “right there.”
Her touch was enough to send shivers through his spine. A feeling he had never felt before with anyone else not even Jessica or for that matter Roseanne. “I, uh, I” he backed away somewhat uncomfortably having thought what he thought.
“I’m sorry Cristian it’s just I’ve waited for this moment forever. I missed you so much,” Natalie sat back down tears falling from her eyes.
“Please,” Cristian sat beside her, “don’t cry,” he wiped the tears away from her cheek with a caress of his hand. Cupping the side of her face Cristian gazed at the girl in front of him deeply as his lips leaned into hers and met with a soft yet deep kiss.
Natalie had been taken somewhat from surprise to be able not only to see and touch Cristian again but to kiss him was heaven.
Cristian forced himself to pull away, “I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry. I really have to go,” Cris began gathering his things, “it’s almost light out and I have some things I need to do.”
Natalie nodded in understanding.
“I’ll see you later,” Cristian backed away sufficiently confused from their encounter. Deep in his heart he knew he would see the redheaded girl again and he had the sneaking suspicion he’d seen her before.
Watching Cris leave Natalie couldn’t believe it, she had actually done it; the old woman was telling her the truth. Her heart grew with anticipation for the future – well technically the past, whatever. She would have the chance to be with Cristian again. “I can’t believe it’s 1998, jeez,” Natalie commented, “I had already left Roxy’s and I won’t meet Seth for a few months. Oh my gosh, I’m not even 18 yet. Let’s see if memory serves I heard that Clint is married to Lindsay. Mom hasn’t met Ben yet. Jess is about to get pregnant with Megan. And Cristian is going to stand by Jess and then become somewhat involved with Roseanne,” then happily Natalie added, “and Jen’s not in town yet! This is great. I have another chance with everyone,” she smiled happily.
xLauren
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Beyond Death Ch3
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