Free A Tiny Bit Mortal by Lindsay Bassett Page A

“love” hung in my  mind.  We’d known each other for less than a month, but I was sure.  I was in love with him.  “I love him too.” I said.
    My dad stood there, expressionless and silent.  Peter and I waited, patiently.  Peter grabbed my hand with his and I felt relieved he was there. My worrying about him being upset with me was laid to rest. 
    “Okay then.” said my Dad, softly.  He turned and left the room.
    Peter turned and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me off the floor with a hug.  I laughed as he set me back down onto the floor.  We looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, both of us smiling.  He stroked my cheek and then kissed me.  He pulled away, smiling, and looked into my eyes again.
    “I am so glad we are here together.” he said.  “These past few weeks have been painful.”
    “They were awful.” I said.
    “I’m sorry.” he said, though the words didn’t seem like enough.  I still felt heavy inside. 
    “I went back to my parents to research.” he said.  “My mom is one of the elders at the Hall of Elders, which has a great library of the history of our people.  I read and read, and also carefully asked my mom questions, trying not to arouse suspension.”
    “The Pure have rules,” he said.  “and the few times in the past few hundred years that they were broken the human turned out to be completely mortal.  The Corrupt have tried for a long time to make one like you, but they’ve always failed.”
    His words were all very excited, quick, and I had to interrupt to satiate my curiosity.  “What do you mean they have tried?” I asked.
    “They are infertile.” he said.  “They only grow their number by turning the children of the Pure to their side.  We have laws that prohibit us from consorting with humans.”
    “Why?” I asked.  “What makes them infertile?”
    “No love.” he said.  “There are special conditions required for immortals to conceive a child, and love is one of them.”
    “Love is just an emotion.” I said. 
    “Is it?” he asked.
    Furrowing my brow, I contemplated love.  In my mind, love was tucked neatly into its category of “feelings.”  I couldn’t see how it played a role in fertility.  Maybe it was different with the immortals, but there were plenty of mortals making babies together without any sort of love.
    “Anyway.” he said. “I believe we have a very good case to keep you in our world... meaning my world.  I was very worried they would hide you away somewhere, and make you forget me, and forget us.”  He grinned.  “I believe even more so now, from what Nicholas just said.” 
    His smile faded.  “Though I’m not sure what to think,” he said. “about him being your Dad.  I’d wondered about who your Dad could be, where he was, and why he’d left you alone all this time.  Are you angry with him?”
    “We spoke today, about it.” I said.  “I feel like I understand though it does hurt a little.”  I left out the part where it hurt a little like when he left me those few weeks ago.  I didn’t want him to feel badly.
    Peter left the room and returned with my dad to eat dinner together.  No one said much though they did both thank me for putting together a meal.
    Peter and I kept exchanging looks and smiles.  I occasionally looked over at my Dad, and he was clearly uncomfortable with the situation, and just quietly tolerating it.  As the evening wore on, we all sat in silence in the living room.  Peter and I continued our silent conversation of glances and smiles. 
    After I announced I was getting tired and got up to go to bed, my Dad asked Peter to sit and talk with him for a while.  Feeling nervous about that, I headed up the stairs.
    George greeted me with figure eights around my legs when I entered my room.  I glanced over at the nesting dolls on top of the dresser.  Reaching up to my chest, I felt the locket that rested there.  It was still there, and Peter was there as