From: "Michelle Coursen" mcoursen@comcast.net
Subject:
Date: Friday, March 14, 2003 2:03 PM
Chapter 3: Never Enough Tiime
Summary: Sebastian and Annette struggle to find time for each other and Court finds out why he was summoned back.
"Did you ask her?" Blain asked.
"Ask what?" Sebastian asked not bothering to look up at his friend. Instead he concentrated on swishing the paper in a pan of chemicals.
Blain rolled his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about."
Sebastian ignroed Blain and instead focused on the task of developing the picture. The picture was just about to start to form and that was Sebastian's favorite part of developing pictures. It was like even though he knew what picture it was, it was like making a new discovery. It was art at its truest form just when it was starting to form.
"Yoo-hoo" Blain called out and waved his hands around. If there was one thing Blain couldn't deal with was being ignored! Unfortunely as he waved his hands around he accidently knocked a bottle of chemicals.
"Jesus Christ!" Sebastian exploded angrily. "Be fucking careful!"
Blain had caught the bottle just in time and gave Sebastian an injured look. "I'm sorry."
Sebastian sighed. It wasn't Blain's fault he was just edgy because Blain brought up something that deeply troubled him. It was that the ring was sitting in his dresser collecting cobwebs. It seemed like every time wasn't the right moment and when he was going to ask her, she didn't have time for him.
"I'm sorry." Sebastian said more calmly.He glanced at his watch. "I have a few hours to kill before work. How about we relax with a couple beers."
Blain smiled and nodded his head in agreement. As they were walking out of the darkroom, Blain turned to Sebastian. "Seriously when are you gonna ask her?"
**********
"It's good to be home." Court said politely and looked at the man expectantly.
"Right this way." The man said and began to lead the way.
"What about my bags?" Court asked.
The mann smiled reassuringly at Court and motioned in the direction of the baggage carousel. "Don't worry there's someone waiting for them. They will be delivered to you."
Court looked over at the questioningly and saw a man standing by them and looking at Court. The man nodded his head at Court and he followed the other man out the airport to the parking lot. When Court saw the awaiting limousine, he grinned happily. Miranda didn't like the flashiness of limo's and instead drove around in a boring Sedan. Correction, he drove her around in the Sedan. Court climbed into the car and began to relax into the plush seat.
"How long have you been gone?" The man asked Court from the front seat.
"A year." Court answered as he raised the glass portion. If there was nothing he hated more was when servants got chatty.
Court gazed out the window as the city whizzed by. Even though he wasn't actually in New York yet, he was happy to be back in the East Coast. It was too slow for him, noone was in a rush like in New York and he missed that. Court leaned back into his seat and started to doze.
"We're here." The man announced as he opened Court's door.
"Huh?" Court asked, momentarily confused. He had just woken up and was a little confused.
"I said we're here." The man said patiently.
Court ventured out of the limo and much to his delight they were in the middle of Manhattan. This was his home! He followed the man into a sleek modern office.
"He's excpecting us." The man said as he passed a receptionist at the front desk.
The receptionist didn't even look as up as he and Court passed her into the front office.
"Mack?" The man called out.
Mack Hart raised from his desk and greeted Court. "Nice to meet you." He said cheerfully.
"Hello." Court said curiously and sat down in the nearest seat. "Why was I sent for?" He asked, getting right to the point.
"Nothing like cutting to the chase." Mack chuckeld. When he got no response from Court, Mack turned serious. "My client asked that I find you and send for you."
"And your client is...?" Court asked. This cloak and dagger shit was driving him crazy!
Mack took a deep breath before answering. "Tiffany Merteuil."
Tiffany Merteuil? That was a name from the past. The last he heard the name, was when she was being forced out of her townhouse by her daughter, Kathryn. Court was slightly amused by the news, of course that was before he was kicked out of his house and family.
"What does she want?" Court demanded.
"That's none of my business." Mack answered briskly. "Here." He thrust a key and small piece of paper at him. "She's putting you in the Hilton for a few days and here's her number."
Court grasped both in his hands, completely confused by the briskness o everthing. What the fuck was going on?
*************
"Mei-Lin!" Kathryn called out when she came home. At once she threw her briefcase aside and kicked her shoes off. God it was so good to be home!
"Yes, Miss Kathryn?" Mei-Lin appeared out of nowhere.
"Run me a bath and fix me a martina." Kathryn barked at her. "Oh and where is Mr. Valmont?"
"He's still at work." Mei-Lin bowed formally and scurried off to grant Kathryn's orders.
Jesus! Kathryn thought annoyed. He was never home when she was! She angrily picked up a stack of envenlopes and flipped through them angrily. How come she and Sebastian could never get their schedules in sync?
"Miss, your bath is ready." Mei-Lin buzzed through the intercom.
Finally! Kathryn made her way to the bathroom, all the while taking her clothes off. Nothing like to unwind in a hot tub after a hard day at work.
"Ahhhh." Kathryn sighed as she eased her way into the tub. She had to hand it to Mei-Lin she knew how to make a good bath. Not too hot, just enough to be relaxing not uncomfortable.
Kathryn closed her eyes and began to relax. She lost track of time and only when the bath began to get cold did she open her eyes. As she opened her eyes Sebastian suddenly appeared in the door way, leaning against it.
"Room enough for one more?" Sebastian asked.
Kathryn was very happy to see him. "Always." She said sexily.
Sebastian sat on the edge of the tub and trailed his hand around the water. "I missed you." He said and reached into the water and began to stroke her breast.
"Mmmmm." Kathryn moaned and began to relax under Sebastian's expert touch.
Suddenly he snatched his hand away. "Be back in a sec." He muutered and disappeared.
"What the fuck?" Kathryn asked and sat up. Where the fuck was he going?
Just when Kathryn began to get irrated he appeared holding a small velvet box.
"What's that?" Kathryn asked puzzled. Maybe it was jewlery, she loved getting jewelery.
Sebastian didn't answer, he kneed down with one knee and opened the box. "Kathryn, will you marry me?" He asked somberly.
Kathryn felt a rush of emotions. Confused, Happiness and fear. Confused that he wanted to propose, happy that he did and fear of what she would say. She couldn't say no, Sebastian would be crushed and perhaps break off with her. She couldn't say yes. Could she? Kathryn didn't even know if she ever wanted to be married. Granted if she did, Sebastian would be the one she did marry.
"Yes." Kathryn breathed out.
A grin spread across Sebastian's face and he leaned in for a long deep voice.
Kathryn got a closer look at the ring. "Oh Sebastian." Was all she said. How could she get married when she had an empire to run? Kathryn pushed the thoughts away and pulled Sebastian into a soapy embrace. "Let's see if that shirt is waterproof." She muttered and pulled Sebastian into the bath with her.
Subject:
Date: Friday, March 14, 2003 2:03 PM
Chapter 3: Never Enough Tiime
Summary: Sebastian and Annette struggle to find time for each other and Court finds out why he was summoned back.
"Did you ask her?" Blain asked.
"Ask what?" Sebastian asked not bothering to look up at his friend. Instead he concentrated on swishing the paper in a pan of chemicals.
Blain rolled his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about."
Sebastian ignroed Blain and instead focused on the task of developing the picture. The picture was just about to start to form and that was Sebastian's favorite part of developing pictures. It was like even though he knew what picture it was, it was like making a new discovery. It was art at its truest form just when it was starting to form.
"Yoo-hoo" Blain called out and waved his hands around. If there was one thing Blain couldn't deal with was being ignored! Unfortunely as he waved his hands around he accidently knocked a bottle of chemicals.
"Jesus Christ!" Sebastian exploded angrily. "Be fucking careful!"
Blain had caught the bottle just in time and gave Sebastian an injured look. "I'm sorry."
Sebastian sighed. It wasn't Blain's fault he was just edgy because Blain brought up something that deeply troubled him. It was that the ring was sitting in his dresser collecting cobwebs. It seemed like every time wasn't the right moment and when he was going to ask her, she didn't have time for him.
"I'm sorry." Sebastian said more calmly.He glanced at his watch. "I have a few hours to kill before work. How about we relax with a couple beers."
Blain smiled and nodded his head in agreement. As they were walking out of the darkroom, Blain turned to Sebastian. "Seriously when are you gonna ask her?"
**********
"It's good to be home." Court said politely and looked at the man expectantly.
"Right this way." The man said and began to lead the way.
"What about my bags?" Court asked.
The mann smiled reassuringly at Court and motioned in the direction of the baggage carousel. "Don't worry there's someone waiting for them. They will be delivered to you."
Court looked over at the questioningly and saw a man standing by them and looking at Court. The man nodded his head at Court and he followed the other man out the airport to the parking lot. When Court saw the awaiting limousine, he grinned happily. Miranda didn't like the flashiness of limo's and instead drove around in a boring Sedan. Correction, he drove her around in the Sedan. Court climbed into the car and began to relax into the plush seat.
"How long have you been gone?" The man asked Court from the front seat.
"A year." Court answered as he raised the glass portion. If there was nothing he hated more was when servants got chatty.
Court gazed out the window as the city whizzed by. Even though he wasn't actually in New York yet, he was happy to be back in the East Coast. It was too slow for him, noone was in a rush like in New York and he missed that. Court leaned back into his seat and started to doze.
"We're here." The man announced as he opened Court's door.
"Huh?" Court asked, momentarily confused. He had just woken up and was a little confused.
"I said we're here." The man said patiently.
Court ventured out of the limo and much to his delight they were in the middle of Manhattan. This was his home! He followed the man into a sleek modern office.
"He's excpecting us." The man said as he passed a receptionist at the front desk.
The receptionist didn't even look as up as he and Court passed her into the front office.
"Mack?" The man called out.
Mack Hart raised from his desk and greeted Court. "Nice to meet you." He said cheerfully.
"Hello." Court said curiously and sat down in the nearest seat. "Why was I sent for?" He asked, getting right to the point.
"Nothing like cutting to the chase." Mack chuckeld. When he got no response from Court, Mack turned serious. "My client asked that I find you and send for you."
"And your client is...?" Court asked. This cloak and dagger shit was driving him crazy!
Mack took a deep breath before answering. "Tiffany Merteuil."
Tiffany Merteuil? That was a name from the past. The last he heard the name, was when she was being forced out of her townhouse by her daughter, Kathryn. Court was slightly amused by the news, of course that was before he was kicked out of his house and family.
"What does she want?" Court demanded.
"That's none of my business." Mack answered briskly. "Here." He thrust a key and small piece of paper at him. "She's putting you in the Hilton for a few days and here's her number."
Court grasped both in his hands, completely confused by the briskness o everthing. What the fuck was going on?
*************
"Mei-Lin!" Kathryn called out when she came home. At once she threw her briefcase aside and kicked her shoes off. God it was so good to be home!
"Yes, Miss Kathryn?" Mei-Lin appeared out of nowhere.
"Run me a bath and fix me a martina." Kathryn barked at her. "Oh and where is Mr. Valmont?"
"He's still at work." Mei-Lin bowed formally and scurried off to grant Kathryn's orders.
Jesus! Kathryn thought annoyed. He was never home when she was! She angrily picked up a stack of envenlopes and flipped through them angrily. How come she and Sebastian could never get their schedules in sync?
"Miss, your bath is ready." Mei-Lin buzzed through the intercom.
Finally! Kathryn made her way to the bathroom, all the while taking her clothes off. Nothing like to unwind in a hot tub after a hard day at work.
"Ahhhh." Kathryn sighed as she eased her way into the tub. She had to hand it to Mei-Lin she knew how to make a good bath. Not too hot, just enough to be relaxing not uncomfortable.
Kathryn closed her eyes and began to relax. She lost track of time and only when the bath began to get cold did she open her eyes. As she opened her eyes Sebastian suddenly appeared in the door way, leaning against it.
"Room enough for one more?" Sebastian asked.
Kathryn was very happy to see him. "Always." She said sexily.
Sebastian sat on the edge of the tub and trailed his hand around the water. "I missed you." He said and reached into the water and began to stroke her breast.
"Mmmmm." Kathryn moaned and began to relax under Sebastian's expert touch.
Suddenly he snatched his hand away. "Be back in a sec." He muutered and disappeared.
"What the fuck?" Kathryn asked and sat up. Where the fuck was he going?
Just when Kathryn began to get irrated he appeared holding a small velvet box.
"What's that?" Kathryn asked puzzled. Maybe it was jewlery, she loved getting jewelery.
Sebastian didn't answer, he kneed down with one knee and opened the box. "Kathryn, will you marry me?" He asked somberly.
Kathryn felt a rush of emotions. Confused, Happiness and fear. Confused that he wanted to propose, happy that he did and fear of what she would say. She couldn't say no, Sebastian would be crushed and perhaps break off with her. She couldn't say yes. Could she? Kathryn didn't even know if she ever wanted to be married. Granted if she did, Sebastian would be the one she did marry.
"Yes." Kathryn breathed out.
A grin spread across Sebastian's face and he leaned in for a long deep voice.
Kathryn got a closer look at the ring. "Oh Sebastian." Was all she said. How could she get married when she had an empire to run? Kathryn pushed the thoughts away and pulled Sebastian into a soapy embrace. "Let's see if that shirt is waterproof." She muttered and pulled Sebastian into the bath with her.
