Something Lost (Original Draft)

Chapter 24: Your Smile

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I sat near the hearth of James' fireplace waiting on him to return. While waiting I decided that I would have to talk with him about the importance of furniture, sitting here was dreadfully uncomfortable. I needed something soft to relax in, or at least try to relax in.

Waiting on him to return home was torture. I wanted to explain him why I did, what I did. His meeting was running longer than mine and in time I was growing nervous that they didn't take my confession seriously and gave him sentencing. But after a while, the nagging thought that he was out drinking a celebratory drink crossed my mind. I perked up, he better not be out drinking like a fool, not while I am suffering, waiting on him. If so, we would truly have something to fight about.

Luckily, the sounds of the rustling door broke me from that heated though. It opened and James plowed through it lively, slamming it behind him.

He crawled out of his cloak, hanging it beside the door. "I don't know what you said to him, but we're in the clear," he exclaimed merrily.

I was relieved that he wasn't upset with me for talking to Alexander before him. I looked over at him and noticed the chilled bottle of wine he held in his hand. What was he planning? He walked into the kitchen and opened several cabinets before he paused, noticing the stare that was following him.

"Don't worry about your sentence, most likely it will be a small task... nothing major." He gave me a smile while reaching for two glasses from his hanging cabinet. He pulled them down.

"I know... I just don't want Alexander or his Council to think poorly of me."

He walked over to me with a puzzled look on his face.

"Nobody does, why would you say that?" He sat down beside me and handed me a glass.

I rolled the glass in my hands. "No reason," I lied, while thinking about the way Alexander's Council scrutinized my intentions. They seemed threatened by me, they had no reason to be.

I looked down the glass and blew away the dust that had settled at its bottom. It was clearly a long time since these had seen use.

He held the bottle of wine high above his head. "Let's celebrate," he cheered as he scooted as close to me as he possibly could without smothering me.

I grabbed his glass. "What for," I asked while cleaning it the same way I did mine.

He rolled his eyes, "Being alive, that's why." He popped the cork of the wine bottle quickly, like he had done so a thousand times before.

He filled my glass before his. I had to stop him midway before he filled it to the top. I could smell it, the merlot, it had a sweet robust aroma, you could almost taste it by its smell alone.

I raised my glass with him, "I guess that's a good enough reason." I smiled letting go of the worry that was eating away at my heart.

He nudged me gently, "There it is," he exclaimed happily with a return smile.

"Excuse me," I replied while I looking him over, was he already drunk?

His blue eyes told a story of their own as he gazed over at me, unrelentingly, "It's been awhile since I last saw it, your real smile... it's as beautiful as I remembered it to be," he replied suavely.

I lowered my hand, it seemed the weight of my glass was far too great for my weak arm to handle at the moment. His stare was making me uncomfortable, it was overpowering. I could almost hear a hidden overtone through his stare.