Slow Dancing

09 | rubato

0 9

r u b a t o

[It.] : Steal; as in steal time; speeding up and slowing down for expressive purposes.

  

ON MY SIXTH meeting with Kaden, I rejected Parker and Nolan's offers to drive me to the Brettons' beach house. Instead, I made the journey myself, driving with the windows down and enjoying the view along the way. It was a lovely day but the pressing reminder that this was the second to last time I'd ever see Kaden dampened my mood.

Security ushered me in and I was greeted by Edwin at the door, who told me that Adelaide was out once again. It was just as well because I didn't wish to be reminded of the fact that I hadn't much time left.

When I knocked on Kaden's door, he didn't answer and a quick peek into the room told me that he was probably in the shower, if the closed door to the bathroom was any indication.

"You're not going in?" Edwin seemed puzzled when I headed out of Kaden's room. He was standing a little way down the stairs, giving instructions to one of the other housekeepers.

I went over to him, leaning against the banisters. "Kaden's in the shower," I explained, when the housekeeper had left and it was just Edwin and me. "Will you do me a favour?"

He smiled in amusement. "It depends on what you're asking."

"I want to bring Kaden out to the beach today," he began to frown and I hastily continued. "I know, Mrs Bretton doesn't allow it. But I'll take full responsibility for it. You said so yourself – Kaden's been cooped up in the room for days and he's getting restless. I just want to do something for him."

Edwin seemed to hesitate for a few seconds. And then he sighed. "I will...pretend I didn't see it," he acceded at last. "I will make sure the rest of the staff doesn't say a word about it either."

I smiled widely. "Thanks Edwin, you're the best."

It was funny – I hadn't been here for long and yet I trusted Edwin more than I trusted most people. In certain ways, he reminded me a lot of my Dad; it was the same familiar paternal vibe all round. He was a beacon of warmth in this isolated household and I couldn't help but wonder what he was still doing here, when he could easily be retired and enjoying life at home.

"I've been taking care of young Mr Bretton for a long time now and he's almost like a son to me," he replied, when I voiced my thoughts aloud. "I've been in this family long enough that I can leave whenever I want, but I have no intention to – at least, until I know that they no longer require my services."

Something in his words made my heart ache. "And if they no longer do?" I asked, after a moment's pause. The words seemed so hard to say. "If, one day, you see Kaden no longer needing you – would you leave?"

"I would," he responded in a heartbeat. He seemed almost indifferent, a little wistful but nothing more, nothing less. "If Mr Bretton found a better person for this job and no longer wanted me to work for him, I would leave."

Leaving seemed like such an easy thing to say, but to do it was a different thing altogether. I had only been here six times but I already knew I'd miss Edwin and Michelle and, most of all, Kaden.

A part of me wished to defy Adelaide's wishes – I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay until Kaden got better and got his eyesight back, I wanted to see the reaction on his face when he saw me for the first time, I wanted to know if these six meetings meant anything, even the slightest thing, to him.