I began to kiss my boyfriend,then snuggled against his chest. "This is so much better than I imagined. I love having your parents in town. So we give up some independence. Who cares? We're gaining so much more."
"I have to tell you-"
"No- there's something I really want to tell you." I stared into his deep, dark eyes. "I finally think my life is perfect."
Alexander looked shocked, then pleased.
"So what do you want to tell me?" I asked.
"It can wait," he said resignedly.
Alexander kissed me good night with such emotion it was as if he were kissing me for the first time-or the lust.
'I'henext morning, I arose from a dead sleep and walked glass-eyed downstairs in my slippers and pajamas. I headed straight for the coffeemaker.
My parents seemed strange-odder than usual. Solemn, like someone had died. My mom was hovering over the Sunday paper on the kitchen table.
"Maybe she already knows," she said.
I poured some coffee. "Knows what?"
"It's funny. TheSterlings didn't mention anything last night. You'd think they would have."
"Maybe they are buying a new house?Something more modern?Something without bats."
"What are you talking about?" I dragged my feet and leaned on the table.
My dad pointed to the paper.
Under the real estate column was a picture of the Mansion:
For sale-Three acres.
Sterling Estate, Benson Hill.
Berkley Realtors
My heart sank to my empty stomach.
TheSterlings were selling the Mansion!
This was what Alexander had been trying to say. Why his mother and father kept saying they'd be in town for only a few months. Why Alexander had been preoccupied and in an unusually dark mood. If there wasn't a Mansion-there 'd be no Alexander,
Alexander, the love of my life, was moving back toRomania .
Chapter 20 Torrid Tomb stones
Ipedaled my bike the entire way to Dullsville's cemetery, tears streaming down my cheeks like dripping blood. Out of breath, I flung my Trek against the brick wall and scaled the fence. Votives on tombstones lit my way through the dusky graveyard.
As I ran through the graveyard, rain began to drizzle down and extinguish the votives as I passed them. Fog slowly enveloped the landscape as if it were trying to keep me away.
In the distance, Alexander was standing next to his grandmother's monument. I stormed over to him.
"I don't want you to leave!" I cried.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"I saw the ad in the paper! Your parents are selling the Mansion. Why didn't you tell me?"