CH.16 - Back to Reality -
One week had passed since that stormy night. Riddick had not called her
since. He had disappeared. This was a good thing, she repeated to herself.
But she felt a little sad. It's because I'm tired. She said this to herself -- as if to justify her
feelings -- but she knew it wasn't true.
It was morning, she was finishing cleaning a section of the shop when a
delivery man arrived with a small box.
"'Morning. Here's a package for you, Miss Baxter."
She signed for the package and took it curiously. When the man was gone,
she opened it. There was a smaller box and a card inside. The card read:
"Your payday." There was no signature.
She opened the box. Her jaw dropped as she looked in, astonished. There
was a small, pure diamond inside. She reached in with her fingers and
lifted it up. Light passed through it, reflecting a kaleidoscope of
colours. She was speechless.
She stood for a while, looking astonished at the precious stone. She felt
confused. Her "payday?" She had not done what she had for that, she
thought. She hadn't saved his life to gain something. She did it because
he'd done the same for her years before. But that wasn't all. She had
helped him because. . . because she cared about him. She blinked, realizing
her thoughts. She cared about him. More than the shop. More than everything.
It's stupid. It's dangerous. . . she repeated to herself. But it was too
late, she realized. She - cared - for - him.
She shook her head. She didn't want it, she thought, and put the diamond
in the box again. She would give it back to him. Sure. With this new
consciousness she served a client who'd just come in.
----------------------------------------
Three hours later she was on the road to Riddick's house. And if he doesn't
want to see me? Stephanie thought for a second. Her mind drifted back to
that night. He'd driven her home safely. Once in front of the house, she'd
turned to watch him, but his gaze didn't move from the road in front of him.
"Be fast or you'll wake someone," he said in a strange tone. She thought
for a while it was anger, but why? Why was he angry? She didn't know. She
got out of the car and closed the door. He didn't even wait one second
before driving away.
Now she was in front of Riddick's house. She looked for a while at the door,
trying to figure out what she wanted to tell him. She took a deep breath
and rang the door bell.
Jackson opened the door. "Yes?"
He is always so damn serious and impassive, thought Stephanie, looking at
the man in front of her.
"I need to talk to Mister Ripley."
"He's not here."
She looked at him in astonishment. She'd been taken by surprise.
"W-what? When will he be back?" she asked him.
"I don't know Madame. Can't help you. Goodbye," he said, starting to close
the door.
"Wait Jackson," she stopped him.
"Yes?"
"One more thing. Could you give this to Mister Ripley?" She showed him the
small box.
"Yes, Madame. I'll do that," he said as he took the box from her.
"Goodbye." And he closed the door in front of her.
Stephanie shook her head. Riddick was a complicated man, but his butler was
strange too. She wondered where Riddick was as she drove back home. She'd
prepared herself to face him and he'd surprised her by not being there.
You'll never know this man, she thought to herself. The most important
thing was that she'd given him back his diamond. She reassured herself,
though she felt some regret. She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted to
see him again.
-------------------------------------
He was alone, sitting in his armchair in the dark living room, looking at
the box Jackson had given him when he came home. He looked at the diamond
in his fingers, then reread the small card she'd included: I'm not a merc."
He knew she needed that money. He leaned his head back on the black
leather armchair, closing his eyes. He needed to think.
----------------------------------------
One week had passed since that stormy night. Riddick had not called her
since. He had disappeared. This was a good thing, she repeated to herself.
But she felt a little sad. It's because I'm tired. She said this to herself -- as if to justify her
feelings -- but she knew it wasn't true.
It was morning, she was finishing cleaning a section of the shop when a
delivery man arrived with a small box.
"'Morning. Here's a package for you, Miss Baxter."
She signed for the package and took it curiously. When the man was gone,
she opened it. There was a smaller box and a card inside. The card read:
"Your payday." There was no signature.
She opened the box. Her jaw dropped as she looked in, astonished. There
was a small, pure diamond inside. She reached in with her fingers and
lifted it up. Light passed through it, reflecting a kaleidoscope of
colours. She was speechless.
She stood for a while, looking astonished at the precious stone. She felt
confused. Her "payday?" She had not done what she had for that, she
thought. She hadn't saved his life to gain something. She did it because
he'd done the same for her years before. But that wasn't all. She had
helped him because. . . because she cared about him. She blinked, realizing
her thoughts. She cared about him. More than the shop. More than everything.
It's stupid. It's dangerous. . . she repeated to herself. But it was too
late, she realized. She - cared - for - him.
She shook her head. She didn't want it, she thought, and put the diamond
in the box again. She would give it back to him. Sure. With this new
consciousness she served a client who'd just come in.
----------------------------------------
Three hours later she was on the road to Riddick's house. And if he doesn't
want to see me? Stephanie thought for a second. Her mind drifted back to
that night. He'd driven her home safely. Once in front of the house, she'd
turned to watch him, but his gaze didn't move from the road in front of him.
"Be fast or you'll wake someone," he said in a strange tone. She thought
for a while it was anger, but why? Why was he angry? She didn't know. She
got out of the car and closed the door. He didn't even wait one second
before driving away.
Now she was in front of Riddick's house. She looked for a while at the door,
trying to figure out what she wanted to tell him. She took a deep breath
and rang the door bell.
Jackson opened the door. "Yes?"
He is always so damn serious and impassive, thought Stephanie, looking at
the man in front of her.
"I need to talk to Mister Ripley."
"He's not here."
She looked at him in astonishment. She'd been taken by surprise.
"W-what? When will he be back?" she asked him.
"I don't know Madame. Can't help you. Goodbye," he said, starting to close
the door.
"Wait Jackson," she stopped him.
"Yes?"
"One more thing. Could you give this to Mister Ripley?" She showed him the
small box.
"Yes, Madame. I'll do that," he said as he took the box from her.
"Goodbye." And he closed the door in front of her.
Stephanie shook her head. Riddick was a complicated man, but his butler was
strange too. She wondered where Riddick was as she drove back home. She'd
prepared herself to face him and he'd surprised her by not being there.
You'll never know this man, she thought to herself. The most important
thing was that she'd given him back his diamond. She reassured herself,
though she felt some regret. She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted to
see him again.
-------------------------------------
He was alone, sitting in his armchair in the dark living room, looking at
the box Jackson had given him when he came home. He looked at the diamond
in his fingers, then reread the small card she'd included: I'm not a merc."
He knew she needed that money. He leaned his head back on the black
leather armchair, closing his eyes. He needed to think.
----------------------------------------