The Unwanted Ring: A Romance that Stood the Test of Time

Chapter 9: A Tough Two Weeks Part 1

The last two weeks had passed by like a slow-moving dream. Madeleine rested her head on her palm and repetitively dipped her croissant into her chocolate milk. She still missed him, which was odd to her. Normally, she would be relieved when a spirit would disappear, but something about him made her want him closer. 'Christian...' Madeleine sighed and dreamily looked ahead of her. 'No, this is sill-'

"You called?" Christian's voice interrupted her thoughts and she shot up to look at him standing in her living room with his hands in his pockets. He teetered back and forth on his feet, not meeting her gaze. "Look, um..." He licked his lips and pressed them into a straight line, while he ran his hand through his hair.

Madeleine panicked and her eyes were wide. If he had heard her say his name, then he had known the emotions that were running through her body and that was embarrassing. Her cheeks caught fire and her heart pounded in her ears.

"I'm really sorry for- for showing you that. I- I didn't mean to upset you." Christian let his hand slowly slide down the back of his neck and he peered up at her through his messy bangs.

"It's okay. Actually... can I ask you something about that?" Madeleine pushed her breakfast away. She crossed her arms and searched his green eyes with her own.

Christian worried his finger again and she took notice. "I mean... we don't have to talk about it if- if it's too hard. Um... I'm sorry." Madeleine pushed away from the table with a trembling bottom lip.

She knew it hurt him to talk about, but the last two weeks had been hard on her too. From having her design stolen by another designer and they had never let her explain how it was hers. How she had tripped and spilled her lunch all over herself in the college cafeteria. No one had laughed at her, but it was enough that it had happened. She had failed her math test and she had stressed out over getting a project done for her marketing class. The last two weeks had gone by badly. Not to mention a date she had gone on that had turned awful. She rolled her eyes at herself, as she walked through the hallway and wiped the tears from her eyes. She was a fool for thinking that she could have it all. That she deserved to be loved. She wasn't perfect and she was clumsy. What made her special?

"Madeleine." Christian forced energy into his hand and grabbed hers, yanking her back towards him.

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT, CHRISTIAN!" Madeleine burst out with her eyes clenched shut before she gasped and covered her lips with her hands. "I- I am so sorry. I-"

"I know. About everything. I was at the da-" Christian shook the thought away and took in how her eyes were red and puffy. How tears fell down her cheeks. How her bottom lip trembled. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip and held her chin up. "Madeleine. It's okay. I want to answer your question. I-"

Christian sighed and let her chin go. "I want to get to know you. And... I want you to get to know me too."

Madeleine dropped his hand. "This is- this is silly." She laughed and her voice hitched as another cry tried to escape her lips. She walked away from him with her lips parted in a trembling grimace.

Christian appeared in front of her, and she ran into him. Her eyes went wide as his arms wrapped around her. He pressed his lips to her hair and suddenly she could feel all of him. He was ice cold and he felt so real. So tangible. He radiated emotion and she had never felt this much love before. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes went from being wide to relaxed. "Ho-how are you doing that?"

"Is that the question you had for me earlier?" He smirked at her, and his voice invaded her ears like a smooth caramel. Her heart beat faster, and she was sure he would feel it against his chest.

Madeleine couldn't even speak straight, and the room felt like it was spinning. She shook her head as his embrace disappeared from her. She nearly fell down and he pushed energy from his chest and out to his limbs, catching her. "Madeleine!" Christian caught her before she could hit the ground. "Are you okay?" The chill of his body helped her gain consciousness.

"Just- it's been a hard two weeks is all." Madeleine licked her lips and sighed. She was having a hard time taking all of this in between the stress of college and the attractive spirit in her house. "Can- can you give me a moment?" She breathed and tried not to panic.

"I know you have had a tough two weeks. I was on that date. That man wanted only one thing, Madeleine." Christian helped her stand up and she walked into her bedroom once she had felt his embrace falter again. She breathed out and laid down on her bed. She held her breath and counted to ten before she slowly let it back out.

"You- were at the date?" Madeleine tried to keep her head from spinning.

"I was. Why do you think he was so 'clumsy'?" Christian crossed his arms over his chest and watched her bring the back of her hand to her forehead. "He was going to get you into his bed, Madeleine. And I mean was prepared to use any means necessary to accomplish it."

"I- what?" Madeleine was shocked by his words and everything about it made her sick to her stomach.

Christian cringed as he heard her heart beat faster and louder.

"I- I'm sorry. Do you want me to go?" Christian appeared beside her on the bed and wrung his hands in his lap. "I- I can go if you want." He hoped that she wouldn't tell him to.

"NO!" Madeleine burst out and was shocked by her own outburst. "It- it doesn't matter. Thank you for protecting me. I- I wanted to ask you..." She worried her bottom lip, unsure if she wanted to even hear the answer herself.

"Yes?" Christian searched her eyes with his own and waited for her question. He braced himself for something that he wouldn't want to answer, but he wanted her to know about him. To know everything there was to know about him. He wanted to know more about her too. Wanted to explore more of her personality and what she was into.

"When the bombs fell from the German Bombers on January 30th, 1918.... Did-" She cleared her throat. She was too afraid to ask and when she finally did get the courage to... the words fell from her lips in a jumble. "Didyoudiethen?"

"Did I what?" Christian raised an eyebrow confused about what she had said. It came out of her mouth so fast. The words were faster than a bullet coming out of a St. Étienne Mle 1907 machine gun. He shook his head, getting lost in the haunting memories of when he served on the front lines and of a nurse with brunette hair and peridot eyes.

"Did you pass away that night?" Madeleine worried her bottom lip. Her heart picked up its pace and she felt like she wanted to cry for him.