Theo felt a tension between he and Colette unlike anything he'd felt before. Prodding her about her deceased sister had drastically shifted the mood. Though vampires usually scorned humanity's fleeting lives, he hadn't considered the sorrow of loss.
"Have a seat," Colette said, pointedly ignoring the silence. She pulled out a woven basket, overflowing with colorful balls of yarn, smooth knitting needles, and a well-worn measuring tape.
"Do I get to ask what this is about?" Theo quipped sarcastically, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Nope," Colette answered shortly, with a forced smile. She continued to work in silence taking measurements of his head.
Theo's mind continued to wander, considering human mortality. He took certain things for granted, including the value of human relationships and the warmth of shared experiences. Humans are unique because they form meaningful relationships and build lasting legacies to achieve a sense of immortality. Even after death, humans continue to exist vicariously through the lives of others.
Kneeling beside her, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I'm really sorry…"
In a moment of self refection, Colette realized she was taking her grief out on Theo. After all, none of it had anything to do with him. With a sudden burst of energy, Colette overcame her sadness and bit Theo's hand.
Silence filled the room until Theo, embarrassed, exclaimed, "What are you doing?!"
A devilish grin spread across her face as she let go of his hand, saying, "I just wanted to see what it was like."
Theo glanced into the open doorway, his face flushing. "Don't act like that, or your parents will never let a vampire in again!" Theo cleared his throat and picked up a pair of knitting needles. "You might as well teach me how to do this while I'm here."
"Knitting isn't for the weak." She crossed her arms proudly.
After a mere 30 minutes, Theo's frustration was audible from the living room. Natalie tip-toed over to the entrance of Colette's room to see what all the fuss was about.
As Theo moved the stitch from needle to needle, he sucked his teeth, irritated. "Why are they so tight together?! I'm afraid I'm going to drop this stitch again." Theo continued to tug at the stitches a little too roughly. Colette's laughter erupted, amused by his attempts.
Theo glanced at Colette, relieved to hear her laughter. This was one of the many things he loved about humans. Despite their sorrow, they always continue on. A gentle smile touched his lips as he went back to his knitting.
Natalie caught the way Theo looked at Colette. Although she tried not to overreact, she instantly pictured having a vampire son-in-law. How exciting, she thought happily. She slipped back into the living room and sat down next to Henry.
"So what are they doing anyway?" Henry questioned.
"They're just knitting," Natalie shrugged her shoulders and giggled.
After an hour of knitting failures, Theo called it a night. Colette equipped him with a ball of yarn and his own knitting needles for the journey home. Since he hated losing, he figured he'd show her he could at least knit a small square.
"Theo, come by anytime," Henry said softly as he shook Theo's hand.
The experience was reminiscent of a rite of passage. A warmth radiated from Natalie and Henry's faces, their smiles wide and genuine. Theo could sense their genuine acceptance of him visiting their home.
Lost in thought about Colette's past, Theo fiddled with the loose yarn while walking home. He wondered if Rika could give him more detail, but also if he should even ask. Though he was apprehensive, understanding Emily's past was the key to comprehending Colette's present self. He really wanted to be there for her.
*****
Theo spent the entire weekend working up the nerve to ask Rika about Colette and Emily. Despite his new resolve, he had to talk to Rika about it secretly, so Colette wouldn't find out. Theo finally caught up with Rika during her lunch period.
Their overlapping lunch break simplified things, but only by going into the human cafeteria. Student anxiety regarding blood consumption prompted the administration to establish a special division for lunch. What a stupid rule, Theo thought.
Theo attempted a casual entrance into the cafeteria, but the sight of a vampire had the other students paralyzed with fear. Theo, aggravated by the stressed faces, let out a defeated groan. Despite his attempts at a softer expression, his usual scowl betrayed him. With hurried steps, he scrambled into the empty chair across from Rika.
With a sigh, Rika closed her manga and tucked it away. "You realize you're a little out of place right now, right?"
Ignoring the chaos he'd unleashed in the cafeteria, he pleaded. "I need your help again."
Rika folded her hands and continued, "So, what brings you to my office? …I'm going to have to start charging you for these sessions."
Theo was unsure of where to begin. A lot had happened; the meeting with her parents, the frustrating knitting lesson, and, most importantly, the devastating news of her sister's passing. As Theo spoke, Rika listened intently, her eyes wide with fascination.
To Rika's pleasant surprise, Colette was not acting like her usual self. Rika was sure Colette hadn't introduced any other boys to her parents before. While tempted to ask about Colette's interest in Theo, she understood his visit had another purpose.
Theo continued to mention his awareness of Emily. It was obvious from his expression that he was worried.
"So, it's Emily we're discussing," Rika began taking off her glasses and massaging her temples to relieve the pressure. "I want to let you know beforehand that this is a delicate subject for Colette, as you can probably guess."
Halfway through her sophomore year, at age sixteen, Emily's symptoms appeared. At first, she had shortness of breath, a cough that lingered, and persistent pain in her back. A chest X-ray unexpectedly revealed a mass in her right lung. Subsequent testing confirmed the mass was stage three lung cancer, posing significant treatment challenges.
Her treatment began with lung imaging, progressing to biopsies and eventually surgery to remove the mass. Treatment, regrettably, proved ineffective against the cancer. The illness worsened at an alarming rate, while medical bills mounted even more quickly. Facing ever increasing medical expenses, the Briars eventually sold their house.
Her parents devoted considerable time to Emily's hospital care. Emily would pop in and out of surgery, sometimes needing a ventilator and ICU care. Rika clearly recounted, since her family frequently hosted Colette to support her parents during Emily's health crisis.
Her eighteenth birthday passed, and soon after, they discovered the cancer had metastasized. In the beginning, the thought of death frightened Emily. She compiled a list of her unfulfilled aspirations, which she termed her retirement dreams. Months before her death, she confided her dreams in Colette, asking her to fulfill them. Emily's true desire was for her sister to have a happy life. Emily aimed to inspire Colette to pursue her goals and embrace a regret-free life. Not long after Colette promised to live out these retirement dreams, Emily was gone.
Colette became fixated with the idea of retirement planning after Emily's passing. Elaborate scheming turned into reality as she fully immersed herself into the life of a retiree. A sister's final promise to live with no regrets soon morphed into a completely new way of life. So much so that Colette put aside a number of her own aspirations to ensure that she lives out these retirement dreams.
"I mean she seems happy enough as a teenage retiree…but there should be more to life than that right?" Rika prompted Theo for a response.
A heavy weight settled on Theo's chest; this wasn't his story to shape, a silence of exclusion echoing in his heart. Theo wasn't used to grief; after all, vampires live forever. It gnawed at Theo that the vampires treated human death with such callous indifference, their cold disregard for the dead a stark contrast to his own beliefs.
His upbringing taught him that human life is short and not to take it seriously. Despite his vampirism, Emily's tragic story added a somber tone. He felt a dull ache in his chest, a heavy weight mirroring the unimaginable grief he pictured Colette and her parents experiencing during those tough years.
Seeing Theo's reaction to Emily's death surprised Rika; his face was pale, and his shoulders slumped with a heavy sorrow she hadn't expected. She found it strange that a vampire cared about a human.
Rika had doubts about Theo and Colette because of how he acted a few weeks back. But Rika could tell he was different. He was really sweet and understanding, particularly with Colette. It almost made him seem a little more human.
Rika felt a deep need to understand his motivation, so she pressed him for answers. "Hey Theo…If this is too forward, forget I asked, but… do you have feelings for Colette?" She asked curiously.
Theo stiffened, his face burning red with surprise at the abrupt shift in conversation; a flush spread across his cheeks. The school bell cut him off before he got a chance to say anything.
"Saved by the bell," Rika chuckled, waving goodbye as she left the cafeteria, adding, "Your secret is safe with me."