So, thanks to the people who reviewed and added this story to their favorites/alerts. That always gives me a smile. So, without further ado, here's my next story. :)
It was late in the evening; Eloise was wondering what clothes she should wear. She hated everything she owned. "This? No, this! Ugh, no, this would look stupid…I don't have anything to wear!"
"Really now, Eloise…"Bernard said dryly, "Anything you pick will look wonderful." He tucked his dress shirt into his trousers, and watched himself in the mirror at Eloise's vanity while he put on his tie. "I'm the one who looks like a fool." Eloise stuck her tongue out at her husband and made a rude sound. "Look, if you want my advice, then I say wear that white dress, the one that looks good with the brooch I got you last Christmas."
Eloise snorted, but walked into her closet, and walked out wearing her knee-length, creamy dress. Her stockings were black. She straightened the sleeves out, and walked to the vanity in matching heels. She took out a small, golden wreath, with diamonds taking the place of the holly that should have been there, and pinned it over her heart. She put on her make up, and brushed her long, blonde hair. She stood up, looked at Bernard, and asked, "Do I look alright?"
Bernard smiled and said, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight…"
"Uh…" Curtis said to Santa. It had been at least 15 years since the new Santa had come, and he still couldn't speak English very well. Likewise, Curtis was horrible with Portuguese. "A noite é de festa…" That's how you told someone that there was a party tonight, right? He wished Eloise and Bernard would hurry up and get to the Christmas party already. They were always good with languages.
"Sim, sim…" Santa said. "Onde está Eloise…(1)?"
"Uh…não sei!(2)" Curtis said irritably.
"Curtis! There you are! Sorry, we're late!" rang Eloise's voice across the hall. Curtis and Santa turned to look. Curtis let his jaw drop in wonder. She was stunning. And while one would expect Bernard to disappear behind her curtain of beauty, the fact that she never let him leave her side made Bernard look ten times more handsome.
"Ela veste o luar…(3)" Santa said softly as they came closer. Eloise, of course, heard him and blushed.
"Obrigado…(4)" she said, looking pleased at the compliment.
"Me arrasta e me testa se sente uma super star…(5)" Bernard said sourly, speaking in Portuguese for Santa's benefit.
"Oh, I do," Eloise said sweetly in English, giving Bernard a quick kiss on the cheek. "Now, I'll go and help Santa through the party, do what he needs to do, and then we'll go straight home, okay?" She winked at him, and took Santa's arm to walk him through his duties at the After-Christmas party.
Bernard watched Eloise walk away, chatting easily to Santa in Portuguese, and felt a pang in his chest. He missed the old Santa. He missed Scott Calvin.
"Você está em paz?(6)" Curtis asked. He supposed he should practice his Portuguese, especially if it would prevent eavesdropping at a time like this.
Bernard kept his gaze on Eloise. Santa, the old Santa, he supposed, wouldn't want Bernard acting down at a time like this. Not with such a wonderful life, and a lovely wife who loved him so. Scott was gone, but not forgotten. The photo album filled with memories that Eloise had made for him was proof of that. So Bernard smiled. "Sim…I feel wonderful tonight."
"Well, you changed your mind fast."
Bernard's smile widened. "Come on, Curtis. Why shouldn't I? I feel wonderful because I see the love light in her eyes. And the wonder of it all is that she just doesn't realize how much I love her." He almost laughed. "She gives me a lot more to be grateful for than she thinks."
The night passed quickly, and soon, Santa was retiring for the night. "One dance," Eloise pleaded, and Bernard consented. They moved across the floor easily, and for once, Bernard was glad he took those ballroom dance lessons with Eloise so many years ago. "How…how are you feeling?" Bernard smiled and told her he felt wonderful. She looked surprised, and asked him why.
"I feel wonderful because I see the love light in your eyes," he repeated to Eloise. "And the wonder of it all, it that you just don't realize how much I love you…" Eloise flushed, looking delighted. She stretched up and kissed him. "Vamos voltar para casa…Cansados de festejar(7)," he whispered to her, nipping her ear. He heard bells. She was laughing.
"Yes, let's." She turned her head and whispered back to him, her breath hot in his ear. "Me deita e me abraça, me beija não quero falar(8)…" He brought her closer to himself and kissed like she asked. They left for home.
Eloise turned on the light in their bedroom, turned and took Bernard's hands, trying to drag him into the room. He resisted, laughing with her when he finally stopped pulling back, making them trip over one another and fall into the bed. "And how are we supposed to go so sleep with the lights on?" He stood and walked back to the light switch, saying that they couldn't sleep with the light on. Eloise complained that she wasn't tired. Bernard blushed as he turned around quickly. She winked at him. He grinned, and then he told her as he turned out he light, "Darling, estavas linda até demais(9)."
He felt Eloise move from under his arm. "Huh?"
"Shh, I'm just getting a glass on water. Do you want anything?" He shook his head and watched her leave the room. He grinned to himself, and was still smiling when she came back. "What? Why are you smiling?"
Bernard smiled and shook his head, saying it was nothing. She turned out the light, and came back into bed, back into his arms. He said, "My darling, you look wonderful tonight." She sighed with content, and snuggled closer to him. And then he said, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight…."
I was listening to 'Wonderful Tonight', the one that Michael Buble sings, and thought about this. And I felt like I needed to somehow incorporate the lyrics into a story about Bernard and Eloise. So I did. Here are some translations for the stuff in Portuguese. Stay tuned, because as soon as the semester ends, I'll probably be putting up a story every other day. I'm thinking my next story should be either about how Eloise and Bernard first meet, or about the first time Eloise meets Scott Calvin. Let me know which one you'd want to read first.
1…Yes, yes…Where is Eloise?
2…I don't know!
3…She wears the moon.
4…Thank you.
5…Test me and drag me if you feel like a superstar.
6…Are you at peace?
7…Let's go home…I'm tired of celebrating.
8…Lay me down and hold me…Kiss me, I don't want to talk.
9…You were far too beautiful.
