The Long Summer 16
The next day dawned with little alteration save that he felt bleary and his head ached with abominably. A fast, cold shower shocked his system and when he wandered into the living room he took a perverse moment to wonder where his Mary Poppins was. The moment he realized the trace of his thoughts, he altered course from the kitchen and took a direct path to the front door.
The work site was a mess, but what was left of his crew put it together by lunch. Xander managed to recruit in two part time crews to fill out his injured roster. They integrated well with his boys. By late afternoon, the project wasn't back on track, but the clean up was complete and new support struts were in place.
It went so well that Xander was able to let them go by six-thirty and dash off to the shop. He scouted the block twice before pulling into the alleyway. A peek inside assured him that it was Brit free. He relaxed fractionally and dived into his work. The counter took shape in short order and he was sanding the corners by the time true darkness fell. The stain would wait until he was completely done, but he leaned towards light oak.
The overall effect would make the shop lighter and airier. It could use a beautiful setting to make a new beginning. He swiped his forehead with the back of his hand and leaned back to survey his work. It wasn't half bad, he thought to himself. His eyes went to the wall behind the counter.
He could set shelves into them, shallow and flush against the wall. They wouldn't intrude into the counter space, but would increase the display area. The idea sketched itself out as he found his beaten notepad in his back pocket.
Mapping the idea out with a pencil, a low humming sound intruded on his design space. He glanced around for the source. The sound itself was pervasive and alluring. His pencil lowered as he started to move around the shop. Maybe there was a radio playing loudly in a car out front.
He approached the door and pulled the cover back to look. A dark vision moved sinuously to the music that seemed to wrap around it. He flipped the lock and opened the door fully.
There was a woman dancing in the puddles of light formed by the street lamps. Her white gown seemed to shimmer as she danced in and out. As he stepped into the street, the music rolled towards him.
She was singing.
It was so beautiful.
He stood and watched her swaying figure move to the dulcet melody. He didn't recognize the tune, but it reminded him of Enya with the way it melted over his senses. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as the dancer slid around the pool of light closest to the store.
She came closer, alluring and enchanting at once.
He wanted to ask her to dance.
The notepad slid away into his back pocket. The gloves were tossed back into the shop. He wiped his palm over his lips as he watched her movements. Her music was mesmerizing and her dancing the most alluring he'd ever glimpsed.
On her next pass, he dared chance and stepped into her path.
"May I?" He asked boldly.
She paused, dark shadows hiding her expression from him. "Only if you will dance with Miss Edith, too."
Xander tilted his head and then saw the beautiful little girl standing in the woman's shadow. He smiled at her.
"It would be my pleasure." He offered his hand first to the little girl and is other hand to the enchantress.
She laughed with delight and he felt a shock tingle through him as their hands joined. She started singing softly once more and he joined them in their round into and out and of the pools of light.
A magnificent sensation sang through him as he surrendered to the music.
In some sad, small corner of his mind, he acknowledged it was the happiest he felt in months. He locked away that sad, small thought and threw away the key. He wanted this release and this freedom.
He wanted it desperately.
The next day dawned with little alteration save that he felt bleary and his head ached with abominably. A fast, cold shower shocked his system and when he wandered into the living room he took a perverse moment to wonder where his Mary Poppins was. The moment he realized the trace of his thoughts, he altered course from the kitchen and took a direct path to the front door.
The work site was a mess, but what was left of his crew put it together by lunch. Xander managed to recruit in two part time crews to fill out his injured roster. They integrated well with his boys. By late afternoon, the project wasn't back on track, but the clean up was complete and new support struts were in place.
It went so well that Xander was able to let them go by six-thirty and dash off to the shop. He scouted the block twice before pulling into the alleyway. A peek inside assured him that it was Brit free. He relaxed fractionally and dived into his work. The counter took shape in short order and he was sanding the corners by the time true darkness fell. The stain would wait until he was completely done, but he leaned towards light oak.
The overall effect would make the shop lighter and airier. It could use a beautiful setting to make a new beginning. He swiped his forehead with the back of his hand and leaned back to survey his work. It wasn't half bad, he thought to himself. His eyes went to the wall behind the counter.
He could set shelves into them, shallow and flush against the wall. They wouldn't intrude into the counter space, but would increase the display area. The idea sketched itself out as he found his beaten notepad in his back pocket.
Mapping the idea out with a pencil, a low humming sound intruded on his design space. He glanced around for the source. The sound itself was pervasive and alluring. His pencil lowered as he started to move around the shop. Maybe there was a radio playing loudly in a car out front.
He approached the door and pulled the cover back to look. A dark vision moved sinuously to the music that seemed to wrap around it. He flipped the lock and opened the door fully.
There was a woman dancing in the puddles of light formed by the street lamps. Her white gown seemed to shimmer as she danced in and out. As he stepped into the street, the music rolled towards him.
She was singing.
It was so beautiful.
He stood and watched her swaying figure move to the dulcet melody. He didn't recognize the tune, but it reminded him of Enya with the way it melted over his senses. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as the dancer slid around the pool of light closest to the store.
She came closer, alluring and enchanting at once.
He wanted to ask her to dance.
The notepad slid away into his back pocket. The gloves were tossed back into the shop. He wiped his palm over his lips as he watched her movements. Her music was mesmerizing and her dancing the most alluring he'd ever glimpsed.
On her next pass, he dared chance and stepped into her path.
"May I?" He asked boldly.
She paused, dark shadows hiding her expression from him. "Only if you will dance with Miss Edith, too."
Xander tilted his head and then saw the beautiful little girl standing in the woman's shadow. He smiled at her.
"It would be my pleasure." He offered his hand first to the little girl and is other hand to the enchantress.
She laughed with delight and he felt a shock tingle through him as their hands joined. She started singing softly once more and he joined them in their round into and out and of the pools of light.
A magnificent sensation sang through him as he surrendered to the music.
In some sad, small corner of his mind, he acknowledged it was the happiest he felt in months. He locked away that sad, small thought and threw away the key. He wanted this release and this freedom.
He wanted it desperately.