Back To The Future

Suspicion

"Mhm... don't go... not yet...", I growled sleepily as Clive moved away from me.

"Honey, I will be home sooner than usual today, I promise", he assured with a tired, husky voice.

"Please...", I begged. "Just a few minutes!"

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What had meant to be a few minutes turned to a couple of hours of napping cuddled close to each other until Clive finally left to work on his project.

"When... will you tell me more about it?", I asked him carefully as he opened the door to leave.

"I... soon, I think." His voice had changed drastically... he seemed to feel guilty about something. That was when the suspicions I had had for several months now started to grow even more... and I knew I had to find out about his project.

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It was just about five minutes I had needed to throw on some acceptable clothes and get ready to go outside.

I couldn't bear it anymore- Clive's silence, the secret of his project... I had a bad feeling regarding it, even if it was just my intuition... I had to finally do something.

He probably went to the clockshop, I thought as I left our apartment and stepped out on London's streets.

Hurrying up to eventually catch up on Clive, I finally found him.

I can't allow him to see me, he will know I am following him around!, I realised.
What could I do... hm... I have to hide!

Proceeding to hide behind corners and walls, I quietly followed Clive around and paid close attention to his behaviour.
He was extraordinarily calm but had something with him, something that must have been in his bag when he left as I hadn't seen it back then- it was a camera!

Was his project about an article he worked on?

But no... that wouldn't make any sense... I wouldn't know a reason for an article being so secret that he couldn't even tell me!
It had to be something else...

clack-clack!

I winced at the sound that interrupted my thought process and saw that Clive was now taking photos- photos of the buildings that were standing nearby.

Why was he taking photos of some random buildings of London? What could he need them for?

It didn't just stop with one or two photos either.

Clive carefully and exactly photographed the buildings from several angles as if he would need their measurements and exact appearances for something.

I couldn't make sense of it- it seemed so odd to me and it just made my bad feeling even worse...

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Apart from seeing Clive take photos of random houses, I did not find out anything new about his project.

He just seemed to be so interested in the city itself- though I had the strong feeling that more was behind that...

I had followed him around for a while when I decided that it didn't have a use anymore.

Clive was taking photos of a little park when it suddenly happened.

He turned around.

I immediately stepped left into an entrance of a little yard to hide. Had he seen me? I really hope not... that would make everything so much more complicated...

When I quietly waited in the yard, I could see him pass by without any hint of suspicion.

phew.

Whatever Clive was trying to do, I felt as if I was in the middle of something.

I was entwined in something that I didn't even know what it was of yet- and all I could do is wait...

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"What... what is it that you did at work today, honey?", I carefully asked Clive when he arrived home in the evening.

"Oh! Well, I have to admit something there", Clive replied slowly.
"I had to collect information in the city all day today so I spent my day wandering around London!"

Realising that Clive at least wasn't lying to me, I sighed in relief.

"There is also something else, my love... I got something for you...", Clive suddenly admitted blushingly.

Trying not to appear as surprised as I was, I paused for a second.

"You... you got me something?", I asked.

Clive nodded.

"But I also have to apologise for something, my love.

You recently got a letter and I opened it. I kept it hidden from you to make it a surprise."

"Make... what a surprise?"

"I'm going to show you, my dear... will you follow me?", he begged.

Clive suddenly took my hand and escorted me to the mirror in our dressing room.

"Please, stay in front of it- close your eyes- and don't open them until I say!"

Putting my hands on my eyes to prevent me from lurking, I started to feel guilty- Clive had got me a wonderful present, whatever it was, and I had spent the day following him around, being suspicious about his project and behaviour. How could I do that to him...

"Open your eyes!"

My eyes widened as I saw my reflection in the mirror. Clive was holding something in front of me- a beautiful, dark blue ball gown embroidered with small crystals that made it resemble the beautiful night sky.

"I... I can't believe this", I hesitated as my eyes were still wide open.
"Clive... this is truly beautiful... but I don't deserve it!"

"Yes you do, my love, no disagreements!"

"Clive, I... what is this for?"

He laughed lightly.
"This, my love... is a gift to make you happy and also prepare you for a wonderful evening....". I was about to protest about the gift again but Clive interrupted me by handing me a letter.
Keeping eye contact with Clive still, I opened it and then threw a glance at the beautiful handwritten words of an old friend:

Dear ~.
Although I know that we have not seen each other for a while since both of us are so busy with our professions, I really want to see you again! I sincerely hope you are doing well and have as much fun in writing your beautiful novels as you did before, although I believe to have read an article in the London Times a while back which featured your name- do you work as a journalist now? Whatever the profession- I hope you are as happy as I am!
One of the reasons I am writing to you is that there is a festivity soon- which is held to celebrate London's Thames fest. The celebration will be similar to a ball and be held in the beautiful Everwood mansion by the Thames- and I have been commissioned to sing during the evening! You can imagine my face when I was asked! Of course, you might object as I have sung opera's before, but I felt deeply honoured and insisted to invite some dear friends of mine, including you of course, to spend the wonderful evening there. As I will be occupied during the majority of the night, I want you to take someone with you if you want to! It will be the most beautiful Thames fest of all. I look forward to seeing you again there!
My sincere well wishes,
your dear friend,
Janice Quatlane.

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A/N: I hope you are looking forward to the next chapter ;))
the "Suspicion" title is inspired by the same called theme from lost Future which is mainly played in the background in the clockshop in Midland Road, but also other places at the beginning of the game.