A Picture of Summer

by: Venusskies

email: venus_skies@excite.com

Standard disclaimers apply.

Chapter 7: Sparks

I couldn't forget the sight of Uncle John at the hospital, all wrapped up in bandages with two of his limbs in a cast. If he weren't in a comatose, I would've laughed at him. His head was wrapped in bandages only to reveal his face. He had a deep red blood stain in the pad on his forehead, which, according to the doctor, was where he got hit when the carriage crashed. He had been in comatose for a day now, and the doctors aren't certain on when he'll wake up.

Some of his bones have been badly damaged. His leg was almost smashed and his arm was fractured. The doctor was kind enough not to divulge the gory details of it all for fear that the family might faint. Who the hell was the lame driver that drove the carriage? If I found out who he was, I might think of pounding him into itty bitty pieces.

But I need not. According to the doctor, they also found the carriage driver more injured than his two passengers. I instantly felt a pang of guilt and sympathy for the driver and decided that I would just wish him a speedy recovery. I didn't have the heart to stay angry with him. I felt he had already been punished enough. Surprisingly Aunt Mikako volunteered to pay a portion of the expenses of the carriage driver. In my honest opinion she shouldn't have, but then, as she revealed to me later on, it was partly in thanks that the carriage driver didn't bring them to their deaths. Ha ha ha. Nice joke…

Mr. Barry meanwhile wasn't much of a pitiful sight. He was… well… funnier. With him being small in proportion, he looked like a ball ready to be tossed in the air. Like Uncle John, he was heavily bandaged, and he also had a deep red stain in the pad on his forehead. He didn't break any limbs though, but he had swollen muscles on his right leg. The doctor said something about severe pressure inflicted on his leg that had something to do with the swelling.

Anyhow they would all do okay, and in a few months' time they'd be as good as new. But for Uncle John, there was a strong possibility that he might not be able to walk again if he isn't operated properly. The doctor referred Aunt Mikako to a well-known osteologist at Paris (whose name I cannot pronounce) who could operate Uncle John's leg and get him to walk again. For her husband, Aunt Mikako was willing to pay for anything. She loved him so much, that when she first saw him she burst into tears at his side. But she's alright now and she's taking care of him, wishing for his speedy recovery and the best of luck in his operation.

The osteologist was already contacted and an operation date was scheduled. It would be next month, after the snow has started to melt a little and traveling was much safer. The Whitmans would still be accompanying us upon the insistence of Ms. Lea. I heard Aunt Mikako say that it wasn't necessary and that they could manage on their own, but Ms. Lea would hear none of it. She persisted that Aunt Mikako was forced to agree.

We were staying at Uncle John's home in St. James's, two-stories high with a neat front lawn and a garden outside. I couldn't very much enjoy these since it was winter and the snow was usually ankle-deep whenever I'd go out to the streets. The matutinal air was always foggy, making it hard to see. And the air was ice-cold. It took a while for me to get adjusted to the temperature, and for a whole week, I had a bad cold, forcing me to stay indoors.

Chiharu and Phillip were then assigned the task of watching the family business while their fathers were recuperating. After their short trip to the hospital, they started to learn the business right away with the aid of Uncle John's personal secretary Hans Werner. Everyday they would wake up at six thirty in order to reach the office by eight. They would finish at around seven or eight in the evening and then go to sleep after supper. That routine went on for a week, and I found myself sorely missing my younger cousin. I was often left to my own devices, and since I had a bad cold, I couldn't get around much. Once I had a fever, and Chiharu was kind enough to tend me the whole night. Aunt Mikako wasn't around most of the time, since she was usually in the hospital watching her husband. She'd come home once in a while to refresh her clothing supplies and check on us. Then, she was gone again. Chiharu stayed home for the weekends.

Well, Dave was there to accompany me. He'd visit me everyday. Around ten in the morning, I would expect the bell ringing at the door and the maid opening it for him. He'd walk in wearing a thick coat, his woolen scarf and a bowler's cap, which he deposited at the door. The maid would then accompany him to my room and bring in some tea every now and then.

The week I had the cold, he'd usually find me sneezing into a handkerchief when the maid opened the door, or lying on the bed with a headache. It was a miracle he didn't catch the virus himself. He probably had a strong stamina and was most likely used to the cold. I remember Megumi saying before that people don't catch a cold because of the weather, but because of the virus…

After a week, I felt better, and I was more adjusted to the cold. I could finally go out of the house and see the sights of London. He'd accompany me and tour me around. We visited Trafalgar Square, and I didn't pass up the chance to go in the National Gallery. The paintings I saw in there fascinated me, and I couldn't keep my eyes off them. Dave laughed at me but I paid no attention to him. I was too wrapped up in my own little world and there was little space for him there. Afterwards he took me to Number 10 Downing Street, the place where the Prime Minister lived. There was a guard standing in front of the door that we couldn't take a peek. Dave told me that Buckingham Palace was just a few in the same area (St. James's). He promised me that we would pass by it one of these days.

One weekend night, the four of us (me, Chiharu, Phillip and Dave) went to see Die Zauberflöte otherwise known in its English title The Magic Flute, by Mozart. The opera was staged in a theater an hour away from St. James's. Honestly, I didn't see the reason why we had to travel one whole hour just to get to see the opera, but it was on Chiharu's insistence that we go see it. I had no intention of denying my cousin the only recreation she would have in a long time, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

We dressed up for the occasion, I in the blue silk gown we had bought in Japan before we left and Chiharu in her green sequined gown. The men were in their tuxedos, and we watched in the balcony, I seated beside Phillip while Chiharu with Dave. We all watched the opera earnestly, and thankfully, I didn't have a hard time understanding it.

I watched as the Queen of the Night, Pamina's mother, sing an aria at the center of the stage. I marveled at her ability to reach the high notes of her aria, which I confided to Phillip.

"They're actually trained for it," he replied, adjusting his binoculars. "The Queen of the Night's arias have extremely difficult passages and high notes, so those who get the part have to be very talented and trained."

"You seem to know much about this," I remarked looking at him. He let go of the binoculars and turned to face me, his face quite grim.

"I've already watched this opera twice," he stated. "Both in this same theater."

"You have?" I replied amazed. "Then why did you still come with us?"

"I like this opera," he replied simply, turning back to face the stage and watch his binoculars. My conversations with this man were often short and frank. I sighed. I looked behind me to find Chiharu and Dave chatting softly, not paying attention to the play. I frowned at her and then returned to the opera.

It finished with the scene in the Temple of Wisdom of the high priest Sarastro. When the actors were called to the stage, the audience applauded politely, and then exited the theater. On the way out, there was a photographer who was taking pictures of the guests for a small fee. The four of us had our pictures taken, and then went back home to the St. James's. Chiharu fell asleep on the carriage. We were unable to wake her up, so Dave ended up in the carrying her himself inside the house. Just before they left, I was able to talk with Phillip once again.

"Did you like the opera?" he asked me.

I nodded. "It was nice," I replied. "And the music was marvelous."

"Have you seen a play?"

"No, I haven't."

"Then, would you like to see one, some other time, when I'm not busy?"

I looked up at him, my eyes shining with pleasure.

"I'd love that," I answered smiling. "I'll look forward to that. What play will we see?"

"Probably one of Shakespeare's," he said. "Maybe Twelfth Night or probably Much Ado About Nothing. There're also others which are not written by Shakespeare, but are equally good. I'll look them up and see."

"Alright. I hope we push through with it," I smiled. "And, by the way, thank you, for such a wonderful night."

He smiled. "You're welcome."

Then Dave appeared and they both bid goodbye to me. But just before they left, Phillip took my gloved hand, and kissed it. I stared at him in surprise as he bowed down before me saying, "Good night and sweet dreams."

"S-same to you," I breathed as he turned to the carriage and shut the door. Once they were gone, I went back inside and stared at my hand. If Kenshin had done that to me, I would've melted in his arms. I smiled to myself and then went up to my room to sleep.

"What did you do that for?" Dave asked his brother. "Kissing Kaoru-san's hand like that. I imagine that you are interested in her."

"It is in a gentleman's nature to kiss a lady's hand," Phillip replied.

"But you don't do it to most ladies brother," Dave stated. "That means you must feel something for her."

His brother just remained silent, his face expressionless. Dave smiled to himself, seeing that he had made his brother uncomfortable.

"Nevertheless, I admire your choice in ladies," Dave remarked. "Kaoru-san is a wonderful lady. Many a man would see that."

"Yes, I agree," Phillip replied, nodding his head.

We went to the hospital a week later and found the invalids already sitting on their beds. Chiharu was overjoyed to finally see her father awake and healthy after so many weeks in comatose. His arm was no longer in a cast though his leg still was. Next week, the doctor would be granting him permission to leave the hospital. Immediately after would we go to Paris for Uncle John's operation. We were all putting our hopes on that operation. If doctor what's-his-name couldn't do it, then nobody can.

"It's good to see you well Uncle," I smiled as I sat beside him.

"And it's good to be alive," he replied, smiling. "How have you been Kaoru-chan?"

"I've been fine," I answered. "Chiharu's been taking me around during her free time, and I've enjoyed it immensely."

"Looks like you did." Then he stared at me for a few minutes and his smile broadened. "You seem very different from the Kamiya Kaoru we first brought here some months ago. You're more sophisticated now, and more womanly. You've grown so much since I last saw you."

I found myself blushing at my Uncle's words. Never in my life had an elder thought this highly of me after oto-san.

"Th-thank you," I stammered, trying to hide the blush. "I appreciate your kindness. You're the closest I've had to oto-san, and I can't help but feel so loved. Thank you."

He just smiled.

"Anytime Kaoru-chan," he said. "Anytime."

To be continued…

Author's Notes:

Die Zauberflöte otherwise known as The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a two-act fairytale opera first performed in Vienna, Austria in the year 1791. It's pretty well-known for the arias of the Queen of the Night, Pamina's mother. The story's a tale of two lovers, Tamino and Pamina. The opera itself takes its name from the magic flute that protects Tamino from danger.

Aria (plural is arias) is an elaborate vocal solo that usually expresses a character's feelings. It's usually used to develop an opera, quite like drama's soliloquy, except that an aria is of course, sung. The Queen of the Night's arias are showpieces for a coloratura soprano. They have extremely difficult passages and high notes. (Source: World Book Encyclopedia; vol. 14; various authors & contributors ;)

I'm going to develop the story more starting from here. I remember some reviews telling me to break up Kaoru and Dave, and I remember answering I can't do that because I have my own reasons. Well, the reason why I can't break them up is because that I really can't break them up. It's actually going to be Phillip and Kaoru, but their relationship's going to be one-sided since Kaoru's already in love with Kenshin. It's going to affect the story… Oops! I won't stay anymore. It'll spoil the fun. J

Chapter 8 will be coming up soon. Please wait and don't forget to R&R this chapter! J

I've also finished my site, which is a K&K shrine. The URL is http://www26.brinkster.com/stjn/ Please visit it sometime! :)