What If?
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What if Satine never worked at the Moulin Rouge? What if they had met in another time, another place? What if there was no other angry man? What if Satine didn't have consumption? Would their love be perfect or would there still be hardships and struggles?
***
'Papa, are they here yet? Are they here yet?' Lilibet asked excitedly, jumping up and down.
'Not yet, darling.' William told her gently. 'Will you two please stop messing around?' He called over to Joshua and Kate who were playing with a porter's trolley.
'Come on, Father, there's nothing else to do here.' Joshua complained.
'That may be so but your sister's train is in now.'
'Yay!' Lilibet shouted and began running along the platform to keep up with the engine.
'Lilibet come back here now!' William called after her. She stopped and came back, scowling. 'Don't forget your picture.' Lilibet smiled and the sulking instantly stopped. William smiled at Joshua and Kate. They all had watched Satine over the years to see how to calm her down but now it was their turn. Fortunately, Satine always used the same trick - pictures. Lilibet loved drawing them and she would draw a picture for anyone, especially Satine.
***
The train from Dover to London was extremely busy and Christian and Satine walked up and down the train trying to find somewhere to sit. It was after the fifth time they passed the guard that he got up and blocked their path.
'Is there a problem?' He gruffed. He couldn't stand young people, especially young people in love. All they wanted was a compartment to themselves.
'Yes, we're looking for somewhere to sit.' Christian said politely. The guard looked into a compartment.
'There you go.' He said, jerking his thumb. Christian and Satine looked in and turned to each other dismayed. The seats were at either end of the carriage on the same side. It wouldn't be so bad if they were on the opposite side because at least then they could looked at each other but there would be three large ladies between them. They turned to the guard who was smirking at them.
'Before you ask, no I will not ask any of them to move.' He said before walking away. Christian sighed and walked into the compartment with Satine close behind him. The three ladies looked up and looked disdainfully down their noses at them. The two gentleman didn't look up from their newspapers and the young mother with two children smiled shyly.
'Where do you want to sit?' Christian turned to her and murmured under his breath.
'Next to you.'
'You know that's not an option.' He wrapped his arm around her. I will see you in two hours.' He squeezed her hand and went to sit by the window. He would have kissed her but he could just imagine the reaction from the three ladies.
Satine sighed and slumped into her seat. Her honeymoon had been perfect up until now. The lady next to her was sitting over slightly and Satine could feel herself being squashed into the corner. She turned and smirked at Satine before carrying on with her knitting. Great, Satine thought, she's doing this on purpose. Normally, Satine would complain to the guard but this time she knew she shouldn't even bother. She leant her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. Suddenly she began to feel her head spin and her chest tighten. Coughing slightly, she wrapped her coat tighter. It was going to be a long journey.
Christian watched as his love sat down. His heart was being wrenched sideways because he could tell how much she was hurting. He looked along the back of the seats behind the three ladies. He could see a blur of red which was Satine's hair. He kept on looking, hoping she would look at him but she didn't. Christian opened his newspaper he bought and began to read. It was going to be a long journey.
Christian could see the station looming towards them. He jumped up before the train had even slowed and made his way to Satine. Those had been the worst two hours of his life. Satine smiled happily when she saw him and stood up when he offered her his hand. Some people had had the same idea and there was a queue to get off. Christian wrapped his arms around Satine's waist and hugged her from behind.
'Those were the worst two hours of my life.' Satine told him.
'Mine too.' Christian agreed. 'Next time make sure we get on early.' He stepped down onto the platform and helped Satine off.
'Let's get our luggage and find a taxi to take us home.'
'We won't need a taxi, look.' Christian pointed to where William, Joshua, Kate and Lilibet were standing.
'Satine!' Lilibet called out, running towards them with her arms flung open wide. In one hand she clutched her picture. Satine caught her and picked her up, hugging her tightly. 'I've missed you so much.'
'We've missed you too.' Satine set her down. 'Father.'
'Satine.' William embraced his daughter and then, whilst she was hugging her brother and sister, he shook hands with Christian. 'I hope you had a good time.'
'Yes, William. Paris is a fantastic city.'
'Extremely beautiful.' Satine agreed. 'All that culture.'
'Excuse me, are you Mr James?' A porter walked up to Christian with a trolley.
'Yes.'
'Then this is your luggage. If you would like to lead the way to your vehicle.'
'We've bought the carriage.' William told them. 'Come on everyone.' He said, leading the way outside.
***
'When do you leave?' Joshua asked Satine and Christian in a low voice. He was afraid that Lilibet would have heard from her seat by the driver. It was a bit of a squash in the back because one of the cases had to go on one of the seats. On one side sat Kate, Satine and Christian and on the other was the case, William and Joshua.
'In five days.' Satine said, absentmindedly rubbing Christian's hand. She was making up for the two hours they had spent apart.
'So that's next Monday?' Kate asked and Christian nodded. Satine wasn't listening really, she was beginning to feel funny again. Her head became light and she had to lean against Christian because she felt she couldn't keep it up otherwise. Her chest tightened and she coughed lightly. William looked up at the noise. Since he was a doctor every time he heard a cough or groan he would insist on doing a full examination.
'Are you all right, darling?'
'She had this cough on holiday.' Christian smiled rubbing her arm. Satine smiled back but then felt the tightness come back. She gasped, hoping to suck in as much as possible but all she could manage was a tiny amount. Trying again, she felt Christian's hand rub soothingly up and down her back. Her eyes swam with tears as she tried to breathe. Her head was spinning. She could feel herself losing consciousness. Trying to keep herself awake, she attempted to take another breath but it was no use. Everything went black.
What if Satine never worked at the Moulin Rouge? What if they had met in another time, another place? What if there was no other angry man? What if Satine didn't have consumption? Would their love be perfect or would there still be hardships and struggles?
***
'Papa, are they here yet? Are they here yet?' Lilibet asked excitedly, jumping up and down.
'Not yet, darling.' William told her gently. 'Will you two please stop messing around?' He called over to Joshua and Kate who were playing with a porter's trolley.
'Come on, Father, there's nothing else to do here.' Joshua complained.
'That may be so but your sister's train is in now.'
'Yay!' Lilibet shouted and began running along the platform to keep up with the engine.
'Lilibet come back here now!' William called after her. She stopped and came back, scowling. 'Don't forget your picture.' Lilibet smiled and the sulking instantly stopped. William smiled at Joshua and Kate. They all had watched Satine over the years to see how to calm her down but now it was their turn. Fortunately, Satine always used the same trick - pictures. Lilibet loved drawing them and she would draw a picture for anyone, especially Satine.
***
The train from Dover to London was extremely busy and Christian and Satine walked up and down the train trying to find somewhere to sit. It was after the fifth time they passed the guard that he got up and blocked their path.
'Is there a problem?' He gruffed. He couldn't stand young people, especially young people in love. All they wanted was a compartment to themselves.
'Yes, we're looking for somewhere to sit.' Christian said politely. The guard looked into a compartment.
'There you go.' He said, jerking his thumb. Christian and Satine looked in and turned to each other dismayed. The seats were at either end of the carriage on the same side. It wouldn't be so bad if they were on the opposite side because at least then they could looked at each other but there would be three large ladies between them. They turned to the guard who was smirking at them.
'Before you ask, no I will not ask any of them to move.' He said before walking away. Christian sighed and walked into the compartment with Satine close behind him. The three ladies looked up and looked disdainfully down their noses at them. The two gentleman didn't look up from their newspapers and the young mother with two children smiled shyly.
'Where do you want to sit?' Christian turned to her and murmured under his breath.
'Next to you.'
'You know that's not an option.' He wrapped his arm around her. I will see you in two hours.' He squeezed her hand and went to sit by the window. He would have kissed her but he could just imagine the reaction from the three ladies.
Satine sighed and slumped into her seat. Her honeymoon had been perfect up until now. The lady next to her was sitting over slightly and Satine could feel herself being squashed into the corner. She turned and smirked at Satine before carrying on with her knitting. Great, Satine thought, she's doing this on purpose. Normally, Satine would complain to the guard but this time she knew she shouldn't even bother. She leant her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. Suddenly she began to feel her head spin and her chest tighten. Coughing slightly, she wrapped her coat tighter. It was going to be a long journey.
Christian watched as his love sat down. His heart was being wrenched sideways because he could tell how much she was hurting. He looked along the back of the seats behind the three ladies. He could see a blur of red which was Satine's hair. He kept on looking, hoping she would look at him but she didn't. Christian opened his newspaper he bought and began to read. It was going to be a long journey.
Christian could see the station looming towards them. He jumped up before the train had even slowed and made his way to Satine. Those had been the worst two hours of his life. Satine smiled happily when she saw him and stood up when he offered her his hand. Some people had had the same idea and there was a queue to get off. Christian wrapped his arms around Satine's waist and hugged her from behind.
'Those were the worst two hours of my life.' Satine told him.
'Mine too.' Christian agreed. 'Next time make sure we get on early.' He stepped down onto the platform and helped Satine off.
'Let's get our luggage and find a taxi to take us home.'
'We won't need a taxi, look.' Christian pointed to where William, Joshua, Kate and Lilibet were standing.
'Satine!' Lilibet called out, running towards them with her arms flung open wide. In one hand she clutched her picture. Satine caught her and picked her up, hugging her tightly. 'I've missed you so much.'
'We've missed you too.' Satine set her down. 'Father.'
'Satine.' William embraced his daughter and then, whilst she was hugging her brother and sister, he shook hands with Christian. 'I hope you had a good time.'
'Yes, William. Paris is a fantastic city.'
'Extremely beautiful.' Satine agreed. 'All that culture.'
'Excuse me, are you Mr James?' A porter walked up to Christian with a trolley.
'Yes.'
'Then this is your luggage. If you would like to lead the way to your vehicle.'
'We've bought the carriage.' William told them. 'Come on everyone.' He said, leading the way outside.
***
'When do you leave?' Joshua asked Satine and Christian in a low voice. He was afraid that Lilibet would have heard from her seat by the driver. It was a bit of a squash in the back because one of the cases had to go on one of the seats. On one side sat Kate, Satine and Christian and on the other was the case, William and Joshua.
'In five days.' Satine said, absentmindedly rubbing Christian's hand. She was making up for the two hours they had spent apart.
'So that's next Monday?' Kate asked and Christian nodded. Satine wasn't listening really, she was beginning to feel funny again. Her head became light and she had to lean against Christian because she felt she couldn't keep it up otherwise. Her chest tightened and she coughed lightly. William looked up at the noise. Since he was a doctor every time he heard a cough or groan he would insist on doing a full examination.
'Are you all right, darling?'
'She had this cough on holiday.' Christian smiled rubbing her arm. Satine smiled back but then felt the tightness come back. She gasped, hoping to suck in as much as possible but all she could manage was a tiny amount. Trying again, she felt Christian's hand rub soothingly up and down her back. Her eyes swam with tears as she tried to breathe. Her head was spinning. She could feel herself losing consciousness. Trying to keep herself awake, she attempted to take another breath but it was no use. Everything went black.