Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 50

Have this video in mind when reading this chapter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0vuM0qovmA&list=RDc0vuM0qovmA&start_radio=1

For dinner the main course was bœuf bourguignon and dessert was mille-feuille, a meal that had favorites of both Alastor and Charlotte which she happily dined on but he took no more than two bites, something that didn't go unnoticed by her. Another thing that didn't go unnoticed was his trembling hands and how he wasn't engaging her in a long conversation like he normally did.

"Dinner is very delicious." She said trying to get him talking.

"I'm...I'm glad it's to your liking." He said.

"The wine is good too. Have you tasted it?"

"No-No-No...But I probably should."

He brought the glass to his lips and swallowed hard.

"You've been very quiet this evening."

"Oh? Have I?"

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Well I...I...I-I-I...I can't um...It's a little hard to speak...Seeing you in that dress has made me lose my words."

"Thank you but I don't think that's the only reason you're not you're usual self tonight. If something is bothering you, you know you can tell me, don't you?"

"Yes! Of course I do! Nothing's bothering me! I just...Um...I'm...I'm a little nervous."

"About what?"

"About your surprise. I...I...I'm a little nervous about what you'll think of it."

"Oh I'm sure that whatever it is I'll love it because it's from you."

The way she smiled at him when she said that caused red to spread all over his face and his heart to beat uncontrollably fast.

"Are you feeling well? You're looking a little flushed." She said.

"I feel fine." He said. "But you're right, my lack of speech has made this meal very dull. I shall bring up a subject of conversation. Why don't we talk about you?"

"Alright. What about me?"

"Well you said that you're not too fond of that fellow your father wants to marry you off to, so I wondered what type fellow could you see yourself marrying?"

"Oh..." She blushed. "Funny, no one has ever asked me that before."

"Really? You mean your father never wanted to know what you looked for in a husband?"

"He always assumed he knew what kind of husband I needed."

"With all due respect, only you can know that for certain. Not him. Only you." Alastor said. "So enlighten me, what qualities must your one true love have?"

"Well give me a moment to think. Remember I've never been asked this before." She thought and thought until it came to her. "I would want him to be honest. Kind, considerate, faithful. I would want him to be willing to listen to me and care about what I thought, even if we disagreed. I know I can't expect the two of us to always have the same view point but I would always hear him out and I hope that he would always hear me."

"But what if he had done a lot of terrible things in the past? Things that you disapproved of? Things that frightened you, maybe even disgusted you."

"I could never love a flawless man because one does not exist, and I could never love a man who believes himself to be flawless. I could only love a flawed man who acknowledges that fact and is willing to learn from it."