Seduce Me ~ The Path To Forgiveness

Path Two, Step Eight: Dreams and Reality

We finish cleaning up the kitchen just as James enters to begin dinner, his gaze darting down to my bandaged hand.

"Is everything alright, Miss?"

"It is now James, thank you, and I'm sorry for sending you all on that fools errand I've always had a bit of an imagination."

"No need to apologize Miss it's what we're here for." He smiles warmly before turning his attention to Matthew. "Will you find the others and tell them to come help with dinner please? And I do mean tell, I expect Sam to help as well."

"I'll do my best." Matthew replies, flashing us a smile before disappearing into the dining room.

"Is there anything I can help with?" I ask. At first it looks as though he will object but after a moment of consideration he seems to change his mind.

"Since Sam won't be coming to help would you mind setting the table?"

"Of course." I smile, happy to be allowed to help after all they have done for me, and hurry around the kitchen collecting any plates and utensils we may need.

"If only my brothers were so agreeable." He chuckles and I smile back at him as I exit the kitchen.

I'm only a few feet from the table, carefully carrying my stack of plates topped with a pile of knives and forks, when a scream breaks the silence, it's pained tone filled with pleading desperation and it's voice eerily familiar.

'WAKE UP!'

I jolt at the noise as my grip on the dishes loosens, the stack slipping from my hands, and wait for the sound of them crashing to the ground as a cold chill fills me but it never comes. Damien runs into the room, his eyes darting around frantically, as I lean down to inspect the pile of dishes seemingly floating a few inches above the ground and lift them to reveal the small, fluffy doll underneath.

"Simon! Thank you." I pat him on the head before lifting him with trembling hands and placing him back in the crook of my shoulder.

"Sam said.." Matthew's voice drifts to me as he steps into the room, pausing as he sees the look on my face and the face of his brother, and I suddenly realize why the voice sounded so familiar.

"Is everything okay?" He asks as he glances back and forth between myself and Damien but I'm too mortified to speak.

"She slipped, fortunately Simon caught the dishes so no harm done." Damien chuckles as he walks up to me and takes the stack from me. "However it seems to have given her quite the fright."

Matthew guides me over to a chair and takes a seat beside me as Damien sets the table. "You alright?"

"It just startled me, you know when you misstep and your heart leaps to your throat?" I may not have slipped but the effect was the same and has left me feeling queasy, terrified of what Matthew's scream could mean.

While I do my best to keep up with the conversation throughout dinner I can't push the words from my mind but fortunately for me no one seems to notice. When I've finished eating I excuse myself, explaining that it's been a long day and wishing everyone goodnight, before heading up to my room. The clock reads nine and I find myself wondering; where has the day has gone, how has the cruel night so quickly crept up on me? I drag my feet as I prepare for bed, my dread building with each passing minute and by the time I rest my head on my pillow I feel as if I might be sick.

"I'll be fine because it's just a dream and dreams can't hurt you, right Simon?" I ask as I place him on the bed beside me and he responds with his soft, nervous laugh, causing me to sigh as I pull him closer. "Yeah I'm not so sure either."