Immortal Aimé

Chapter One

It was December 24th, 1887 in Kingston New York. The streets were bustling with late Christmas shoppers and perhaps just those who wished to get out for a romantic but of holiday joy. Two in particular were especially enjoying the snowy scene that the British Colonies of America had been tossed into. Alexandria and her husband James Coopington walked slowly, at a comfortable pace, through the crowded and snow covered streets. They wanted to get an absolutely perfect gift for Alexandria’s mother. James hadn’t told his wife yet, but on his last doctor visit he’d been diagnosed with a fatal disease. He wouldn’t worry her though, not during the holidays. He would tell her on December 26th, the day after Christmas, when all the holiday joy was just starting to simmer down back to normal life.  

“James!” Alexandria giggled. “What’s gotten into you? You’re so lost in thought that you didn’t even notice when I pointed out this lovely bag to you.”

It had only been recently that Alexandria and her family had come over from England, and her accent was so strong you couldn’t tell she’d ever left her home at all.

“Oh, yes, Alexandria dear.” He murmured. “It’s a lovely bag. I think your mother would like it very much. How much is it?”

Alexandria’s calm happiness was worth more in that moment than twenty silk bags, which was what they happened to be looking at. She then went up to the counter to ask the man behind it how much the bag cost. Her long skirt swished with the movement of her slender body. James smiled at the thought of being the one who would give that gorgeous creature her first child. He had not had the chance quite as of yet, but he would. He would.

“Alexandria! James! It’s Christmas morning!” The shrill voice of Alexandria’s little sister shouted up the stairs to where they were staying. “Come down! It’s time to open presents and mother won’t let me until you two get your lazy butts down here!”

“All right, Lily!” Alexandria called back. “We’ll be down in a minute.” She then turned back to James. The young brunette man was sleeping soundly. How, she couldn’t for the life of her figure out, with his wife shrieking in his ear. “Come on now, love.” She murmured. “Lily wants to have her way with the presents. Time to get up.”

But try as she might, James wouldn’t move. She shook him, and prodded and poked until she was sure anymore would leave great bruises, yet he refused to budge.

“James, this isn’t funny.” She told him sternly. “James, wake up!” But still he would not. Finally she checked his pulse and, “NO!”

Downstairs, Lily and her twin sister Alison heard their sister’s scream of terror. Mary, their mother, and Christopher, their father, were downstairs getting the rest of the presents from the cellar. But they came pounding upstairs when they heard it. By that point Lily and Alison were already up on the top floor, checking on their older sister. When they arrived while their parents were still on the ground floor, they saw Alexandria hunched over James and sobbing into his nightshirt.

“Alexandria, what’s wrong now?” Alison questioned her.

Alexandria’s eyes were wide with pain and terror when she looked at them. Her normally perfect light golden brown hair was a mess and her eyes were bloodshot from tears.

“Get mother.” She commanded. “Get mother now.”

Just then Mary and Christopher ran upstairs and Mary immediately, noticing how upset her oldest daughter was, ran to her side. Alexandria buried her face in Mary’s dress and sobbed into her sleeve.

“He’s dead, mother.” She sobbed. “James is dead. He’s died in the night.” She hiccupped and continued. “He was fine, just yesterday. W-we were going to buy you a present, just last night. He was fine. Just fine.”

“Oh, Alexandria.” Mary whispered as her daughter sobbed harder and harder. “I know this is…difficult, but cheer up, love! It’s Christmas. Let’s keep it a happy day.”

Alexandria looked up at her mother in what was either shock or disgust.

“My husband has just died and all you can think of is the bloody holiday. Immortal aimé, right?” She growled, tears still spilling out over her eyes. “How can you be so selfish?”

“Alexandria!” her mother called after her as she ran from the house. “You’ll catch your death of cold and your feet will fall off.”

“Good!” she yelled back. “I hope I do die out there. Immortal aimé, right mother?”

“Alexandria!” This time Lily and Alison were the ones calling her. They were each holding a box in her hands. “Wait!”

“This one’s for you.” Lily told her, holding out her box, which Alexandria accepted.

“And this one was for…James.” Alison added, holding out her box.

 Alexandria choked out another sob and ran from the house, leaving the wooden door open behind her.

“Alexandria!” Alison called after her again. “One more for you!”

“What is it?” Alexandria called back.

“This!” Alison held out a large flat box. “It was from James!”

Alexandria grabbed the box and ran again.

“Thank you miss, and here’s your room key.” The hotel clerk told her.

She took the key and went up to the room he’d assigned her. Locking the door behind her she sat on the bed and opened the first box that Lily had given her. Inside was a homemade card and a beautiful porcelain doll. Her pale, round face and curly black hair looked absolutely perfect together. The card read-

Dear Alexandria,

Mother told us once that you’d always wanted a doll just like this. So we saved our money and now you have her. We were going to get you a snow globe, but we thought you’d like this more.

Love,

Lily and Alison

Alexandria smiled and took in the mixed scent of her little sisters and the downtown doll shop. Next she opened the box from James. Yet more tears came to her eyes when she saw what was inside. Four items. Two were baby outfits, one pink and one blue, a golden maternity dress and a letter.

To Alexandria, my love: From James.

Dearest Alexandria,

I know that I can’t give you what you truly wished for quite yet, but I do give you this promise. I, James Coopington, hereby do pledge to give you a child to fill those baby garments. I wasn’t sure if you wanted a boy or a girl, so I got an outfit for either or both.

Loving you forever,

James

Alexandria felt the tears slip down her cheeks and shook her head, disgruntled. James was dead. She would never get her child. But she would treasure her gift forever.