Beneath The Mask

chapter 20

Chapter

James:

I hear a knock at my door in the late afternoon. I don't know who it is but I don't care. Oh, Cameron. I should tell her I met a friend of hers today. Just kidding.

"You look like you're doing much better," she says with a smile, "How do you feel?"

"Better, thanks."

"Think nothing of it." She comes in and hugs me.

I'm happy she's here again. I like it when she's here. When she steps back, I look to the counter. "If you want a laugh, look at the mail today."

She picks up a card. It's from Mycroft with a big fat GET WELL on the front.

Thanks for the tip.

Call me next time you're ill. Maybe I'll get a promotion

-Mycroft Holmes

"I think he sent this to the wrong person," she says while rolling her eyes. I think she means he should have sent it to Graham. "Oh, I think I scared Graham."

"You did?"

"I was very forward. He was two minutes late so I addressed that too. I informed him that Mycroft would likely be stopping by because of his idiocy and I threatened to tell someone if he ever got you in trouble again." Wow. She'll tell on him. I haven't heard that since I was a kid. "He was very quiet."

I just roll my eyes. There's really nothing Graham could ever do to change my opinion of him.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No." I haven't. I haven't wanted anything all day.

"I'll get you something to eat then," she says with a smile, "You choose a movie."

"A movie?"

"What, you've never heard of watching TV during dinner?"

I give her a smile. "I've heard of it. Have I don't it?" I shake my head no.

She chuckles. "There's a first time for everything." I laugh while she starts rummaging my kitchen. "I forgot to tell you, I got a call from Sarah and she got my passport cleared."

"That's good news."

"I sure thought so. I like Sarah. She actually does her job."

"Yeah, that's rare. With that said, she brings so food out to the living room.

"I wonder when Mycroft will get the hint and drip the case -or at least mine."

"Probably when we're all pin prison." Which is probably not far from the truth. unfortunately.

"That surely won't be easy. How is he going to put a law-abiding citizen in prison unless he oversteps the law himself?"

"I don't know," I say, shaking my head. "Thanks for dinner though. I didn't know you were going to wait on me."

"Who says I'm waiting on you?" she teases, taking a big bite.

"Oh, excuse me."

She laughs and snatches the remote.

"Aw, you're no fun." Why?

I just smile, figuring she wanted me to be displeased about her remote theft. I don't pay attention to the television at all. My mind is wandering all sorts of places. Cameron next to me, her having come out of concern for me, making dinner. I feel like I owe her something. After all, she has given me a sense of contentment in this existence. Just when I think my mind has settled, she snuggles up to me. It makes me slightly uncomfortable. I don't cuddle. But I don't mind so much. I dare say I'm enjoying it.