Tap tap tap,
All he heard was his footsteps on the cold stone floor as he left the project site, loosening his tie and shirt buttons to breath a bit better, a smile on his face as he passed by the walkways and paths, contemplating what he would say and do when he see's her...
Down the corner he passed the all together familiar spot where they had sat for tea, his eyes twinkled at the memory, but his cheek hurt with it, he concluded that she had a bit of a breather for a couple of days but he still wanted to apologize and just be on his way.
He stepped into the lavish building, passed bill boys, and went into the reception area inquiring about her.
"Oui! Zee Mademoiselle is staying in suite 1021, Shall I call her?" the receptionist asked already picking up the phone to dial, at his nod she proceeded, with a little mumble here and there, she placed the phone down, glancing at him with a little smile and eyes that shown with curiosity.
But she did not ask much, "She asks if you will join her in zee suite." was all she said, and proceeded with giving him directions to the lady in question.
A manly blush stole to his cheeks but he said no more simply turned to the directions described, soon he would see her.
HIs steps were careful as he remembered the glittering intrigue in the receptionists eyes.
Women.
He sighed, finally reaching the tall white double doors at the far end of the wing, he knocked, and straightened, wanting to appear nonchalant but failed miserably.
He wasn't nonchalant at all, he wanted to see her, wanted to be make it good between them, but that was all he reasoned, none of his romantic self getting ahead of him.
When the door opened, it wasn't her but a tall blonde frenchman in gentlemanly garb, "Bonjour monsieur..." said the smiling man, and waved his hand inviting him in.
"Thank you 'Henry."said her sweet solemn voice just beyond to the valet, her hair down and about her this time, a simple lavender dress that contrasted with her hair and made her look...
What was that word she always used?!
Parisian.
He smiled at her, noting the ready made tea set and little girly biscuits, that he would never admit he liked.
"Hello."he said softly, as Henry bade a little bow and left, he noted she didn't reply to him just simply looked at him with her cheek cradled in her hand.
"I saw the news today. Your awfully charming when you want to be." she said already pouring her tea in her cup and not giving him the courtesy of pouring his.
"Look I'm sorry about the bit in the cafe...I came to apologize, I know I was an asshole in there." He said coming closer to stand beyond her, mentally noting her Marie Antoinette-isque living room, her bedroom he concluded must have been beyond the french doors behind her.
"Apology accepted."She said, "Would you like some tea?"she murmured, at his gulping nod she did his bidding, and he seemed more at ease after that.
"I remember you liked tea...all your life you kept giving it to me, I kept drinking it like a drug even though I hated the stuff!" he blurted.
Her dark lashed eyes widened, and a smile peaked at him from the corners of her mouth, "But you liked it!" she argued.
"Naah...I prefer coffee." He said waving his hand, "But I always drank it for you..."he said not comprehending what little secret he betrayed until he looked up at her and saw her eyes looking at him as if seeing him for the first time.
"I'll ring for coffee..."she said after a long moment of restoring her thoughts
"No need...If its here I'll have it, I'm not that picky." he shrugged picking up the cup and holding it in his palm and sipping the watery drink.
"I know."she murmured looking at him again with that same strange look, he just looked at her and smiled.
"Do you still write?"he asked her after finishing his tea, she raised her head as if reminded by something she long ago lost and abruptly shook her head.
"Oh lost interest?" He asked.
Her thin shoulders drew in a shrug, "Not much to write about."
"Oh...I'm sure you'll get it back, I remember you were really good at it." he said encourgingly.
"Truly?!" she asked him in earnest.
"Sure, you remember that story about the sailor who lived his whole life under the sea?"
"Oh yes! Haha what an imagination I had." she smiled.
"Yeah, I thought that was interesting the bit with him learning to breath oxygen through water...it goes against all logic, but I liked it."he said.
She smiled into his eyes and said no more, all the childhood memories, the thoughts of a whimsical girl and a rough edged boy who somehow just simply...parted.
"I'll write again...I'm sure I'll get my inspiration back somehow." She said smiling into his eyes.
He gave a light cough as if to clear his voice and said, "I'm sorry about your father."
Her eyes seemed to smolder at a memory and she just gave a nod in response,
After a moment she seemed to regain her wits and said in a voice tinged with emotion, as if trying her best not to cry in front of him, "My husband said something to me, you fight against the inevitable and when you loose to it, your simply left with grief, that is death." she finished quoting her other worldly husband.
"Were all going to die. How's that for the shorter version. " he said his eyes twinkling with merriment trying to get her out of her mood, and when she broke into her usual sunny smiles he knew he succeeded, though his dark joke would please very little people, but he knew he could always make her smile.
Silence.
But for the mutinous sound of a pair of eyes searching the other, slow and probing, his hand found hers and he ran his fingers through it, how he had imagined those same hands that he had worshipped, without thinking he touched her palm to his lips, breathing the subtle scent of her, pressing a kiss to her hand.
Fool.
His mind raged, and he straightened getting up to stand, unseen to him the crestfallen look on her expressive face, "I just remembered I've got to be somewhere....Goodbye."
and just like that he caught back some of his dignity and walked away.
