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Chapter Forty - Two

Aquæ furtivæ Tempus tecum — 'Stolen moments with you'


September 21st 2015

13.47pm

For some unascertainable reasons the weather was not concrete today; it was a strangely pleasant in temperature but with a constantly breeze that would gather pace and build as quickly as It dropped itself. In the recent weeks the sun had been cruel; she had been beating down in her own relentless way but instead today it was almost as if she was acting kindly and humble towards the population. Elizabeth had taken a seat in the classroom as the students pilled out and her staff walked in. She glanced over to Henry and sighed before looking over to her left and out of the window, watching as the rays of sunshine fell upon the tresses as they swayed effortlessly in the wind. She was thankful for the change in weather, but she couldn't help but question why today? Why on the day she met Henry? The changing weather was not forecast so why did it happen? Could it be as foolish as It sounds? Was it a sign of a good omen for the future? Was Henry that omen?

'Madam Secretary?' Elizabeth was broken from her thoughts, she softly shook her head to re-alert herself to the present her eyes fell upon her assistant and she smiled warmly

'Blake, what can I do for you?'

'Dr McCord has asked if he can have a private chat with you, we have about fifteen minutes before we leave' Blake smiled, assuming it wasn't going to be an issue he had already agreed and half the staff were walking back out of the door, giving them the classroom. Elizabeth sat up right in the seat, shifting in her position as her anxiety grew. Eventually she decided to stand and greet Henry. She tried not to smile as she spotted him walking over to her, but as soon as a grin appeared on his face; she melted, her eyes smiled back at him.

'Hey' He almost whispered

'Hi' she nodded, Henry pointed to the seat in the row before her and took a seat, Elizabeth following suit and sitting down herself once again. She fiddled with the end of her skirt as a silence fell between them for a moment.

'So how have you been?' He asked. She glanced up and her eyes met his; his deep brown eyes drew her in, she was just as captivated by them as she was years ago.

'Busy' she laughed and so did Henry.

'Yeah! Secretary of State isn't a quiet office job' he laughs subsided and he leant over the back of the chair a little more, edging closer to her.

'I heard it was you on the news; I had to know if it was you, I was so happy when I heard you were visiting the school' he smiled and she sat back in her seat coughing a little, needing clarity on the situation before her

'Its me; and…it's you…' she tailed off, not really knowing the point of her statement other than to state the obvious. Her fingers laced the hem of her skirt, fiddling with it a little more as a nervous energy filled her

'Did I really hurt you that much that even after fifteen years of not seeing me you can't even look at me?' He asked softly, his words dripping in desperation as her eyes narrowed and she refused to reply to his question.

'I missed you Elizabeth, so much' he lowered his voice, the hushed tone full of sincerity as it wrapped around her

'Don't'

'No Elizabeth, I let you go all those years ago, I cannot let you go again'

'Please Don't Henry. Stop before someone gets Hurt.' She stood up and loosed her neck tie a little as she walked a few steps back and forth. Henry remained seating, showing her that she was in control of the situation, giving her all the space she needed but always being within close proximity.

'Elizabeth'

'Henry' she whispered looking down at him, her chest rising and falling heavily

'I don't want to upset you, or make you feel uncomfortable, so we can stop that is not a problem, but can I take you for dinner? Tomorrow maybe?' He smiled hopefully

'yes' she replied instantly without thinking 'No, wait no, no you cant' she backtracked

'I'll take the first response, I liked that better' he teased, his eyes fell back upon hers. The kindness in his eyes absorbed her and she let out a small giggle. A giggle he hadn't heard for over Twenty years, little did he know she hadn't either, no one had ever had the same effect on her.

'I can't tomorrow I am meeting the French Ambassador' she reasoned

'I don't mind a late night, just coffee it is' he smirked and she rolled her eyes

'I remember you being this persistent in the library all them years ago' she chuckled as the memories of their younger years danced around them.

'Me too, but you were much easier to sway. See since then a terrible, terrible man broke your heart and he never repaired it, it doesn't looked to me like its repaired itself either.' He stepped over the chair into her row of seating, walking closer with each word spoken 'I have to take extra care this time' he whispered as he stood within close proximity. Her perfume filling his senses as he thrived in her presence once again

'He wasn't a terrible man, a good man, with good intentions just a terrible habit for lying' she softly chuckled at the irony.

'Well no lies, no deception, no hurt. Just Henry and Elizabeth'

'Thomas!' She blurted out

'No Henry' he raised an eyebrow at her as she shook her head and stepped away from him

'No, Thomas! Thomas is… a guy'

'Ok… and Rosa Parks is a woman….' Henry replied not understanding where she was going with this. She rolled her eyes at him and sighed

'No, Thomas is a guy I've recently started seeing' she clarified.

'Oh…' Henry's heart sank like the titanic.

'Im Sorry Henry, you're too late. I waited Fifteen years and Ten Months for you; never falling in love or even glancing at another, but I had to let you go' She smiled sadly

'Im sorry, sorry for it all, Thomas is a lucky guy' he sighed, picking up his coat and walking away from her, just like she walked from him all those years ago. Elizabeth stood rooted to the spot, her eyes following him as he walked past the window she glanced out of earlier…omen…

'But I suppose Coffee with an old friend won't hurt, that's if it's not too late' she called across the classroom halting Henry. He turned to look up across the room at her and instantly smiled

'It's never too late' he winked and left the room. Maybe the change in weather was an omen, maybe the brightness of the sun, and the fresh wind was a soft kiss of the past, greeting you like an old friend.