Haha Vicki, you're funnehhhhh. Thanks m'lovely love.
Noelle, you're a dude. I swear though, I'm never going to escape this Edmund Dantes thing, am I? I haven't even read the book and I'm apparently drawing parallels! I feel like Lovett when she gets pissy at Sweeney, "It's always about the bloody Judge" just with you "It's always about bloody Dantes". Gah, it's haunting me! Maybe if I finally read the damned book it'll leave me alone. Aww, but I don't want to hate Fernand, he was the only decent thing in the film. Awww, loved your review…AHHHHH, I JUST IMDB'D IT AND FERNAND WAS GUY PIERCE. OH, DEAR LORD! I FEEL VIOLATED!! *SOBS* HELP ME, I THOUGHT FERNAND WAS HOT!! *Sobs*
Thanks you two, as always.
Reviews would be lovely…Then Noelle and Vicki, my two friends, won't feel so obligated to give them…Am I doing something wrong? Am I not moving this plot quick enough? Do you want a naked Anthony scene dancing in the streets to…No…Can't even joke about that, that's just disturbing… :|
Chapter Four.
Johanna opened the door after hearing footsteps moving to the doorway. She tried to stop the tears, for it always distressed Anthony to see her cry when he could do nothing to put things right. She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief she had found in his coat pocket earlier – it was white, with his initials A.H. embroidered in scarlet, and underneath was also embroidered blue waves, accompanied in gold alongside it Psalm 139. A woman must have made this for him; that verse holding some meaning for him. This did not inspire petty jealousy as it would other women, but only curiosity. Who was the woman? And what meaning had she to Anthony? She then stood and pulled the door completely open, surprised when she found him crying softly to himself.
For some odd reason she had to stop herself from pulling him in and burying her face in his chest, holding him tightly and wanting to share whatever pain he had. And at the same time relief tingled in her stomach – he felt sorrow too! They had something to share finally. Before his only distress seemed to be at her own sorrow and him trying to cheer her had seemed – not insensitive – but revealing more brightly to her their differences. He was good and kind and happy. She had felt she could never reach him.
He was so good at keeping up appearances; it had both pained and pleased her to see her sailor weep. That of course then confused her as to why she should care. And then she realised that she had labelled him as her sailor in her mind. It was all very confusing. But she reached out and took his arm, bringing him from his thoughts and back to the hallway he was standing in, pulling him in. She squeezed his arm ever so slightly, and he lowered his head, scrubbing away his tears and missed her soft smile she offered him. When he looked back at her, it had faded.
"No, don't…" she had begun to say she liked seeing his tears, then realised how foolish that would sound, and instead spied the milk bottle he was holding.
He noticed her looking at it and he smiled slightly, "The barmaid thought my unwell friend should drink some."
She nodded slightly, then turned and sat back down. Anthony closed the door and came in, placing the bottle on the small table they had. Then he smiled and presented her with a box of chocolates. She smiled in thanks, inwardly sighing. Whenever he went out he bought her chocolates. He was trying too hard…Still, it was rather sweet how he offered them to her. He said nothing, only smiled slightly – almost shyly. She untied the yellow ribbon and placed it aside, then opened the box, offering him to choose the first treat.
He smiled as if entertained and took the box, studying them for a moment, "I see that my usual gift doesn't please my lady."
Johanna stared at him and blushed a deep crimson, a shock of warmth erupting in her chest at his comment. Were her thoughts that transparent? He took a chocolate caramel and bit into it, then sucked the filling, "A pity," he said in a mouthful, "I'm going to have to eat them myself."
"I…" she began, but Anthony laughed good naturedly, and set the box down.
She watched as he cheerfully went over to the window, and pulled it up, sticking his head out into the small garden.
"Johanna, I need your help!" he called and obligingly, even if a little confused, she went over beside him.
"Anthony, I appreciate the chocolates, I do! I'm only tired," she tried to assure him.
He said nothing to this, but dug deep into his coat pocket and pulled out a small brown paper bag.
"Do you think there are any robins in this garden?" he asked, opening the bag and pouring some seeds onto the windowsill. He turned to her and raised an eyebrow.
She was confused about his motives. What was he trying to do? There was an awkward silence for a moment before she sighed and answered, "I don't know…There is a Jay, he hops around sometimes to say hello."
"Really?" Anthony sounded offended, "Well he hasn't introduced himself to me."
Johanna moved and sat on the bed, folding her hands neatly in her lap, "You'll be waiting for awhile. He doesn't come often."
Anthony looked a tiny bit mischievous at her cynical claim and he asked musingly, "How much would you wager on that, Miss Barker?"
She pouted, "I don't gamble, Mr. Hope. Only godless fools do such a thing. Anyway, I don't have anything that you would want."
His mischievousness deepened, "I wouldn't be so quick to judge. What about a kiss?"
Her eyes widened at such an imprudent request, but then she folded her arms, "You shan't get one anyway, but it won't be because of me. He's a stubborn little fellow."
"Oh, I'm used to stubbornness," he said playfully and laughed when she looked utterly affronted at that remark, "Very well, very well! I won't force a kiss, but I at least want a smile."
She raised her chin defiantly and looked away, but she was surprised that this was done with playfulness on her side too. He laughed and turned back to the window and called out, "Mr. Jay, do be kind and come introduce yourself to me. I believe you are already acquainted to Miss Barker who I care for and I think it only right we acquaint ourselves."
Johanna let out a small laugh accidentally and he spun around to face her to catch her smile but she forced herself to look neutral again, though, she hid her face with her hands for a moment. He grinned knowingly and turned back, but unexpectedly let out a whistle – for a moment Johanna thought it was a bird already outside, but then she realised the whistle was coming from Anthony! Her hands fell from her face, her mouth opened in surprise as he whistled again. How was he doing such a thing? It wasn't a whistle that she had heard people do merrily as they were finishing their work, it was...Bird-like...So convincingly untamed.
He leaned his head further out the window and whistled rather loudly, and she clapped in startlement when two birds sang in reply.
"Oh, Anthony!" she said breathless, but he did not turn to face her as he whistled a long reply. It was almost as if the barrier between humans and the creatures of the sky had been lifted as a small conversation began. And with a flourish two birds appeared and landed on the windowsill where they gobbled the offered meal greedily. Forgetting all her previous thoughts Johanna bounced from the bed and ran excitedly next to him.
"You called them for me!" she spoke excitedly, her thrill sounding almost child-like. She grabbed his coat and tugged at it, "Oh, how did you do it?"
She was staring at the birds with such enthusiasm that she did not see the look of pure devotion he gave her. He held out his hand to touch her hair softly, but dropped it back to his side before the gesture happened…It was too soon for her to savour something like that. But how he relished seeing her bounce on her tiptoes in excitement.
The birds ate the seed in a hurry, and she begged him to add more to the windowsill so they wouldn't leave. She was startled a little when he gently took her hand, but allowed him to pour seed into her palm. She moved to scatter it over the windowsill, but he stopped her and without saying a word he drew her forward and she squeaked in delight when the little light brown Jay hopped onto her hand, his little beak tickling her skin as he gorged down his meal.
She was trembling at the sensation inside her and she began to cry and laugh at the same time, leaning in to Anthony and allowing him to place his arm around her waist. She was so close she could smell his cologne, feel his warmth, sense his breathing. Her other hand reached to pet the small bird ever so slightly and she laughed out loud in glee once again when the bird only shifted slightly and did not fly away in fright.
"Shall we name him, Johanna? It's only proper for a new friend to have a name," he said quietly.
She did not answer, so engrossed in the little creature in her palm that he chuckled, "Well, at least I won my smile."
She stiffened then, hearing that and she slowly looked up at him hesitantly where she deepened her smile for him. It was not out of awkwardness or unwillingness that she faltered – it was just so unusual for her…She hadn't had fun in…In a long while. Had she ever had fun at all?
"And I suppose you deserve a kiss too?" she asked lightly, trying to jest but failing miserably as her voice wavered.
His hand moved from her waist to her back, where he rubbed it softly and then he moved back, "I won a smile today, I think that's enough," he looked at her oddly for a moment and she could not understand what he was thinking. He tried to explain what he meant, stumbling over his words, "I don't want to steal a kiss…I want it freely given…" he cleared his throat and moved to where the box of chocolates had been left, "Anyway...Enjoy the birds, Johanna."
