VITD Chapter 7

Just yesterday, William and Victor visited me, telling me what must have been inevitable. In a way, I was jealous of the two, but not because I liked Victor, but because I was still alone… For a nice change, after playing piano I sat out on my patio. I watched the woman, who I had been watching for a fair amount of time. She was just so beautiful and pure. Guarded, mysterious, and so caring for life. I had learned from the post-man that her name was Aislinn; the name was Celtic. It means a dream, a vision, and inspiration… When I first heard the name I seemed to walk on clouds. My mind was invaded with more images of her. I soon began to dream of her, when enough was enough, I spoke with her one day. I walked into the yard in a friendly manner and started an actual conversation with the woman I had fallen for.
“Good afternoon! I can’t help but notice how positively beautiful your garden is… You must put so much work into it!”
“Yes, I do. I love being in the sun, and I love flowers. They are… My escape from reality.” She said with a smile. “I’m Aislinn.”
“I’m Michael, feel free to call me Mike, or Mikey—as my older cousin calls me.” I replied. “Say, Miss Aislinn, I was about to have some lemonade, would you like to come inside?”
She seemed to hesitate, as if thinking, then smiled. “I would love to.” My heart soared, but my demeanor remained calm and cheerful. Soon we were sitting in the living room, drinking lemonade and making small talk. “So, I’m guessing you’re a pianist? I hear you playing all the time. Are you a professional?”
“No, but I could be if I wanted. I’ve had possible record contracts thrown at me, but I like to live low. I actually paint better than I play.”
“You paint? I’d love to see some of your work.”
“It’s all around the house. The only two that aren’t mine are that one and that one.” I said, pointing to two pictures of landscapes on the wall near the front door.  She stood slowly and looked around at the paintings. The fact that she was talking to me and being so polite was absolutely surreal. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her. She was just so… perfect. I pined for her silently.
She approached me again and sat next to me rather than across from me, like before. “Your paintings are wonderful.” She said gently, her voice light as air. I wanted to hold her, kiss her, or just simply touch her. I was lovesick. There were no two ways about that. The salacity of her mannerisms, her face, her body tempted me deeply If I let what was below the belt control me, like my cousin, I would have been on her as soon as she sat near me, but I kept my cool. “But you’re wonderful, too. I can tell.” She said cheerily. I smiled weakly, feeling my face get hot.
“You think so?” I asked sheepishly. She smiled.
“Oh, of course. Sometimes you can just tell, you know?”
“Yeah…” Like how I could tell I would love her until I die? Yeah. That kind of feeling. I knew what she meant.
“You and I…I think Fate brought you into my garden.” She said calmly. “Perhaps we will be friends, or even more one day.” She added. My heart skipped a beat.
“May…Uh…maybe…” was all I could stammer out. What kind of poetry leaps forth? A ‘maybe’!!! A goddamned ‘maybe’!!! What the hell, Mike? I mentally scolded myself. She smiled again. I wanted to fall away into the pools of love that always seemed to be positioned behind me. I wanted to bask in the warm waters of heaven. She was what I wanted, even more than the earlier two choices.
Looking at the clock on the wall, she sighed. “It seems I must go, I have to make dinner for my brother.” She said sweetly, getting up. I showed her to the back door and saw her off.
I had finally gotten the courage to speak to her. And I felt great about it. Aislinn and I spoke more and more, until one evening I took her out to dinner. The food, the service, the atmosphere… It was all so perfect, and even when we got back to my place things were great.
“Dinner was amazing, we should do it again some time.” She said softly, smiling at me. We were close and cuddly on the couch, but nothing obscene. I nodded.
“Yeah, we should...”
“Hey, Mikey?”
“Yes—?“

She kissed me. SHE KISSED ME!!! I thought I was going to die a happy man right then and there.  I deepened the kiss and let her on my lap; our first kiss turned into what I thought was going to be sex on the couch. She flipped off the lights in the living room as we continued, until my shirt was off and her dress was un-zippered. It was then that we stopped.
“Tell me you love me…” she said softly against my ear.
I had to comply. It was now or never. “I love you.”
“Will you stay with me no matter what?”
“Of course…”
“What if I were something you never thought I was?”
“Even then, I love you. And that’s all.”
“What If I wasn’t a woman?”
“What?”
“You heard me… I’m not a woman.”
“Then you’re a man?” I was shocked.
“…Yes.”
“Is your name really Aislinn?”
“No.”
“What is it?” My heart was wrenched. I thought she was going to be the woman I love for the rest of my life, and she was a man? She was a man! But did that matter? Victor and Will love each other, why can’t we? Of course we can! But why did she lie to me?
“Kasch.” Her, or rather, his voice changed. It was still soft and clean, but seductive, dark, almost evil. His name was German. It meant like a blackbird. When I thought about it, He was like a blackbird. He was so dark, yet so beautiful. “Do you still love me?”
“Of course.” I said quietly. He seemed surprised, but pleased. He hugged me close and held onto me. “I mean, does it matter? We’re here now, this moment, and this is all I need. That’s all.” Kasch beamed up at me. I couldn’t help but smile back.
“Even if it is forbidden…” He said softly. I raised a brow.
“Why is it forbidden?”
“My brother… He would not take this relationship we have in the lightest of manners. He would beat me…”
“Then he doesn’t have to know.” I said firmly. “No one needs to know, right?” Kasch nodded slowly, solemnly. His eyes, a pale, pale blue, held pain, but slight content. He was afraid of his brother, but he was happy being with me. I touched his hand and held it in my own. “As long as we have each other, it doesn’t matter, right?”
“…Right…”

We said our goodnights, kissing each other and he left, seemingly gliding next-door in all grace and wonder.  He was perfect, even if he was a man, and not a woman.