A/N: I'm sorry that it took so long once again. I've been really busy, what with school just starting and church on Wednesdays with my bf and my friend, Majerle, whom you may know as iheartkenji, and my mom and I are babysitting my neice while my sister in law goes up to Conneticuit to visit my brother in the Navy for the weekend. I might have started this bright and early but I went to get my eyebrows waxed and when I got home, I continued to procrastinate up until this very moment. Oh yeah and inspiration for this came from the great mind of –my forgoten rose-. I'll tell you what part exactly at the end cuz I don't want to ruin it by telling you now.
So I know you guys don't really care about my personal bothers and that I'm just wasting your time. :sheepish grin: Anyway, I won't stall any longer, onto the chapter!
Chapter 25
"Oh good…you're awake," I heard Sweeney's voice say as I cracked my eyes open. I groaned and rubbed my head which felt like it was splitting in five different directions.
"What 'appened?" I asked, blinking at him blearily. He had a strange look on his face, one I was not used to. He actually looked nervous.
"Well", he cleared his throat- never a good sign. "After we found out that Mathew was…"
I cut him off with a sharp gasp as everything flooded back to my mind. "Mathew! That's right! I 'ave to get up now!" I exclaimed, flinging back the covers and leaping out of bed, feeling my head swim and ache with the sudden movement. I clutched the bedside table for support.
"Well I think you should sit down", he suggested, placing both his hands on my upper arms and lowering me down to a sitting position on the bed.
"Why?" I asked, "What time is it?"
He bit his lip and looked down at me for a moment before answering, "One o' clock."
My stomach twisted in a dreadful knot as this knowledge sunk in. My expression changed from one of shock to anger in no time flat. "HE WAS 'ERE AND I MISSED 'IM?!" I yelled, horrified and furious, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TRY TO WAKE ME?!"
"I DID TRY TO WAKE YOU!" Sweeney yelled back defensively. "I tried everything but you were too out of it. You hit your head too hard!"
"WELL WHAT 'APPENED? WHAT DID YA DO?!" I demanded and then thought about it myself for a moment before my mouth fell open in horror. "You didn't do it yerself, did you?! You couldn't! It was my job! MY revenge! I wouldn't kill the Judge for you! Where the bloody 'ell is the satisfaction in that?!"
"Calm down!" he said quickly, "I didn't kill him!"
Relief washed over me and then a new worry took hold. "Ya just let 'im go then?!"
"Of course I let him go! I provided him with an exemplary shave and gracious hospitallity!" he replied.
I groaned and flopped back onto my pillow which made my head scream with pain. I didn't care though. I was too angry and distressed to care.
"He'll be back though", he said reasurringly. I perked up at this. "When?" I asked, feeling a slight bit of hope creep into my heart.
"Next Thursday," he answered, obviously glad I wasn't going to chop his head off or something. "He said he'd be in town then and he'd definitely stop by for a shave."
"Next Thursday…" I repeated to myself. It seemed so far away but the hope made it a little easier to bear. No doubt I would be depressed until then, but I could live through that so long as I could kill Mathew.
ST
It was two days later, Saturday. I was working again, keeping a safe distance from Nellie and staying out of the bake house as much as possible and when I did have to go down, I was sure to have a weapon nearby. I was glum and depressed, as predicted, and I was listless during the day, not really seeing what I was doing and behaving as if I were a machine.
I slowly made my way up to Sweeney's shop with a tray in my hands. The lunch service had just ended and I was already tired and groggy. I pushed open the door, not even bothering to knock. Sweeney looked up when I entered, frowning a little. I knew he didn't like to see me looking like the living dead but there wasn't really much I could do about this funk I was in.
"G'mornin'," I greeted as I set the tray down. I turned to leave when he caught my wrist in his hand. I turned around to find him staring down at me, his brows furrowed in consentaration.
"What is it?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound a little less monotone.
"The thing is", he began, releasing my wrist, "I hate to see you so lifeless and… well I was wondering if you wanted to go to a play tonight." He winced and tried to cover it up with a smile. I knew this was hard for him and he was doing the best he could to make me happy.
And it did cheer me up. He was finally taking me on a formal date. I almost laughed at the thought but simply smiled instead. I did love plays and I hadn't been to one since I was a kid. And besides, anything Sweeney offered to do with me, I'd always agree to. "Sounds lovely", I said, sounding more enthusiastic than I had in awhile, "What time shall we go?"
"We can leave at 7:00," he replied, seeming a bit less tense.
"Sure, the dinner rush should be starting to thin out by then. Nellie and Toby can 'andle it."
He nodded and I headed towards the door. I stopped and bounced back to Sweeney, planting a kiss on his cheek, and promptly leaving.
The rest of the day was torture, waiting for the "date". All day, I absentmindedly served customers while I pondered what exactly I would wear to the play. I felt giddy at the thought. I was outside during the dinner rush when I looked up to read the time on Big Ben. 6:00 it read. My stomach did a flip and I quickly poured some glasses of ale before hurrying off to my bedroom to get ready.
I excitedly opened my closet, digging through to find the dress I wanted for that evening. I finally felt the expensive velvet material against my fingertips and hauled out the heavy garment. It was the most extravigant dress I owned by far.
It was a deep bloody red color with bustles in the back. Shimmering black beads hung from the bodice that bore a low neckline. I absorbed the beautiful sight before slipping off the violet dress I was wearing. I put on extra peticoats to make the dress float around me. I slipped on the brilliant red gown after first pulling my corset tighter. I fixed my makeup, putting on fresh a fresh layer of red lipstick.
I was looking myself over when I noticed that I had forgotten to lace my dress up the back in my haste. I rolled my eyes at my own carelessness and began to fumble with the thin laces. My hands didn't want to cooperate with my brain and the stupid laces kept slipping from my fingers. I let out an irritated sigh and let the laces go to close my eyes and massage my neck that was sore from trying to look over my shoulder.
Suddenly I felt cold fingers touch my back. I jumped and my eyes snapped open as the hands started to lace up my dress. When he was finished, I turned around to see Sweeney looking down at me amorously. Our eyes locked immediately and he slowly, almost subconsiously began to caress my cheek. Blush snuck its way onto my face and neck. It never failed, no matter how many times that man touched me, I reacted as if it were the first time.
Before I even realized it, I was standing closer to him, my hand on his chest and I was still staring up into his eyes which were half-lidded and sultry. His lips were suddenly against mine and my heart skipped a beat. I felt his arms encircle my body and pull me closer to him as I kissed him back. The kiss deepened quickly and I clung to him as he parted my lips with his. His hands began to move over my sides, caressing my back where his fingers found the strings he had tied moments ago.
I knew what was coming and at this rate, we'd never make it to the play. I pulled back from him, breathing raggedly as my heart raced. I realized it wasn't really the play I was worried about. I worried about not living up to his expectations and I didn't want to lose him no matter how badly I wanted him at that moment. I sighed and leaned my head against his chest, feeling his own rapidly beating heart.
"I was…coming to see if you were ready to go", he said, his breathing slowly returning to normal.
I looked up at him, "Yeah. I'm ready," I replied, hooking my arm with his and heading for the door.
A/N: :wolf whistle: Yeaaaaah. Okay so the inspiration I got from –my forgotten rose- was the whole play thing. She mentioned it in a review and my imagination ran wild. Hehe, I can't wait to see how this turns out myself. Seriously guys, I rarely plan any of these things ahead of time, lol. So…tell me what you all think!