"How did he treat you?" Eric asked quietly.
My automatic shrug probably spoke volumes. "He was nice to me when he wanted something, like for me to show up in a quirky dress, playing the part of his cute girlfriend when his coworkers had a party." I paused. "We spent more time at his work social events then alone, to be honest. He was always telling me that I needed to drop ten pounds and get my hair cut so that I'd show up better in the photos."
I heard a slight clicking noise, and looked over to see that it was Eric's jaw clenching, vibrating.
"Andy… What did you say his last name was?"
"Marsh, but it doesn't matter."
I watched as Eric made a quick note on his phone. I couldn't help smirking. "Don't bother going after him. He's not worth it."
He reached over to give my hand a little squeeze. "Your curves are part of your… Awesomosity? Is that a word? Whatever. I think you are ravishing, and anyone who suggests you should change who you are deserves a swift, hard slap." He shot me a grin. "Please continue."
I exhaled hard, then blurted out the shortest version of the story of Andy planning to dump me while my mother was in the hospital. And how he had been using me the entire time.
The clicking got louder.
"Well, I'm glad that you got to be the one to do the dumping, in a way,” Eric said. "I cannot fucking stand that he made you feel small. That he used you."
This time I wasn't sure what my shrug was saying. "That's what normal girls have to deal with, I guess," I said quietly. "We get what we get and we hope for the best."
"No." He practically spat the word at me. "Eden, you are extraordinary. You are funny and light. You are gorgeous. You are ridiculously sweet, and have a halo of warmth around you that colors everything you do and say."
Nobody had ever said anything like that to me before, and my mouth actually fell open for a second. "I… I don't…" I sputtered.
"Andy Marsh is human-shaped garbage," Eric said with a touch of darkness in his voice. "If you ever want to see me as the devil, you put him in front of me for ten seconds. I will give that fucker the punishment he deserves."
Seeing how riled up Eric was just thinking of the man who had hurt me warmed my heart in a way I couldn't understand. I could see that Eric would always defend me. Protect me. I would be completely safe around him if it wasn't for… the curse.
"So, I see that it might take you a little time and space to work through the nastiness that was your ex-boyfriend. If that's an issue, we can take our relationship incredibly slowly if you like."
Then he paused. "Would you like to try to explain this curse from your grandmother now? What exactly do you mean? Is she psychic?"
"I don't know, exactly." I stared down at my hands while they twitched slightly. "I don't think I really believe in psychic powers. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I don't."
"Well, I don't," Eric said, “But I will be extremely open-minded while you try to explain what this thing is."
I nodded, taking another sip of coffee. I tried to let the quiet energy of the café wash over me, calming me so I could think this through.
"Nana doesn't announce that she's making a declaration or anything. She sort of zones out, and whispers to the ceiling. Or occasionally down at her teacup. We jot down whatever she said, then it usually comes true or makes sense in a couple of days, or weeks."
"Does every single thing come true?"
"We've never exactly kept score," I said. "But lots of them do."
"Okay. Could you tell me some examples?"
I reached out to squeeze his knee, smiling over to him. "I really appreciate that you're listening, and not just telling me I'm nuts."
Eric flashed me an adorable wink. "I only think you're a bit nuts in a good way. Go on."
I nodded, thinking. "There was one time Nana said something like, ‘No blue cars on the highway today’."
He nodded. "That does sound ominous."
"Yeah. About a week later my Uncle Nick had to rent a car, and had his choice of blue or silver. He had to drive on the highway, so he picked the silver one. When he returned the car, the sales guy said he made a good choice, because the blue one’s engine cut out while it was being driven. He could have been in an accident."
Eric nodded. "Okay. More likely he would have been stranded on the highway. Not quite life and death, but strangely precise. Tell me another."