Free Soulshine by J W Rocque Page A

he told
me everything. He said that he wanted to keep me just the way I
was at the moment he fell in love with me. I thought it was such a
beautiful sentiment that I told him that I wanted him to make love
to me completely for the first time. That"s another thing, Mom.
He loved me at thirteen, yet he still waited until I told him I was
ready… and that took five years.”
“He"s treated you well?”
“Always. The only thing he ever kept from me was when
he gave me that elixir.”
“Well, both your father and I would have wanted to
strangle him if we found out the truth, but I wish you had told us.
Maybe you wouldn"t have ended up feeling that you needed to
move away and hide from us.”
Michelle started to cry. “Mom… it"s just what Evan
always had to doall his life. He couldn"t let everyone see him stay
young. He couldn"t arouse any suspicions, especially with the
authorities who require everyone to have proper identification.” Mary froze for a moment. “Oh dear… someday you will
have to live without proper identification.”
Michelle cried harder. “And I might have to do it alone. ” Mary turned sympathetic toward Evan. “It"s that bad ?” “The reason he is deteriorating fast after the accident is
because he really is old. They are afraid he is dying.”
“Well, when I call your dad… I"ll try to soften things so he
will understand. I"ll do my best, honey. I love you.”
August, 1953
    The evening at the apartment did not wind down until close to ten o"clock. Bryan, Rob, Steve and Ann were finishing their umpteenth hand of bridge. Jean was busy cleaning up the remnants of the kitchen mess. Eric tried relaxing with a book, but the loud chatter and laughter at the card table made it tough for him to concentrate. He had played card games in the past, but many years earlier became bored with it. Eric enjoyed the banter with Bryan and the guests, but the game ended up swallowing up the good conversation. He rose from the chair and made his way to the kitchen.
“How much do you charge to clean an apartment?”
    Jean , startled, turned and smiled. “Why do you ask? How much are you offering?”
“Oh, that"s right. This apartment is half mine, isn"t it? I will have to pay half your fee, won"t I?”
“Well, if you"re not planning on retiring for the night, I don"t need to go right home.”
Eric wasn"t tired, and he did want to spend some time with Jean. He enjoyed talking with her more than the others. She was more soft-spoken, and she felt comfortable talking to Eric. Eric"s youthful charm made Jean feel safe, and despite feeling like she was an older sister to him, she found herself attracted to his seemingly wise intelligence.
Eric certainly did not mind getting away from the apartment. “Would you like to go to a restaurant for some dessert and coffee?”
“That sounds good.”
“I don"t know if everyone else will be here when we return. Will you have a ride home? I… don"t drive, so I can"t take you home.”
“That"s okay. We walked to get here.”
“Then I"ll walk you home.” Eric and Jean said their goodbyes to the group and stepped out.
April, 1972
    Though he lived for what seemed an eternity, Evan found it difficult to believe that he had waited this long to find his perfect soul mate. Making love was never this good. Evan had abstained for many years. Even something that pleasurable becomes somewhat uninteresting after a couple of thousand years of living. But his strong love for Michelle made the experience feel like the best time, if not the first time. He took great care to ensure that Michelle would have a great first experience. In his heart and mind, he still thought of himself as barely twenty, and the pretty girl he embraced his beloved sweetheart of thirteen. He did not regret the decision he had made five years earlier. He also had no regret that he not only waited five years for this moment, but he also waited for her to ask him. Otherwise, he would have always wondered if she had