Starting Over
Just when everything was going well...
'Thank you, sir. Have a nice day!' Satine smiled cheerily at the customer as he left. Ducking down, she busied herself under the counter.
'Hey, sweetie!' A voice came out cheerily. Satine popped up quickly, banging her head as she did so.
'Ow!' She said, rubbing her head. Christian grinned at her.
'Poor you! Come 'ere.' She leaned foward and he kissed it. 'Better?'
'Much. What brings you here?'
'My father's secretary, Betty, is leaving so I have come to pick up some flowers that were ordered.'
'And I thought you came here to see me!' Satine teased. She walked back to the opening that went up a flight of stairs and into the staff area. 'Frank!' She called up the steps. Patiently, she leaned against the wall beside the door and grinned at Christian, waiting for a reply.
'Yea?' Came a muffled reply.
'Are there any flowers in the name of....' Satine looked questioningly at Christian.
'Ardel.' He whispered.
'Ardel?' Satine shouted out.
'I think so. Hang on, I'll come down.' There was a bang and then footsteps on the stairs. A young man, in his early twenties came through the opening. He was medium height with brown hair and brown eyes. He had a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye.
'I didn't see any orders in the book this morning.' Satine explained as he began to look under the desk.
'Ok....Nope, nope....How strange, not here.' He stood up and scratched his head. 'I remember taking an order for an Ardel....' He trailed off, gazing out of the window. 'Oh no! I'm not here!' He whispered frantically before ducking down between Satine and the counter. Satine looked at him. There was a cough and Satine looked up, smiling a false smile.
'Mrs Weathers! What a pleasant surprise. We haven't seen you since this morning.'
'Yes, dear. Is my son in?'
'Who, Frank? Nooo, he popped out for a moment. He should be back any moment....ow!' She exclaimed as he pinched her.
'Are you alright?'
'Absolutely fine. I've just got a bit of cramp in my arm.' Satine stretched her arms out and then smile brightly. 'When Frank gets back I'll tell him you came.'
'Well, make sure you do.' Mrs Weathers looked at her sceptically. 'Bye bye, dear.'
'Bye!' Satine waved cheerily until she was out of sight. Then her face changed. 'You can come out now.' She said to Frank. Frank popped his head back up.
'Thank you, so much. By the way, I found the Ardel order. I'd written it on a piece of paper and just stuck it down here. I'll get it ready for you now.' He stood up and walked through another door which led to the flowers.
***
A few minutes later he returned with a beautiful spray of pink, red and purple flowers. Christian smiled and Frank took this to mean that he liked them. Carefully, he wrapped them up and then Christian handed over some money.
'I'll see you later, honey.' Christian said. Satine nodded absentmindedly, she was looking at some papers. He kissed her cheek and left. Just as he left another man entered. Satine gasped, recognising him. Frank looked around just as she disappeared from sight. She sat down on the step and listened.
'I'd like some flowers, trees and bushes for my new house.' A nasally voice said. It couldn't be, could it?
'The Duke's going to kill Christian.' Harold's words came flooding back to her. If he saw her....It wasn't even worth thinking about. The night she left with Christian she had been so happy that she completely forgot to mention it. He probably hasn't forgotten, she thought bitterly.
'...Of course, sir. What address would you like them delivered to?'
'141 Woodstock Road.' That was the house next to theirs. If she thought it would be difficult to avoid him, now it would be impossible.
Her train of thought was interrupted by Frank sitting next to her.
'I saw you. Want to tell me what happened?'
Satine drew a deep breath. 'I met Christian when I was working at the Moulin Rouge....'
'You were a...?' Frank gestured with his hand.
'Yes but you have to understand that I'm not like that.' Frank nodded, he could imagine. No way would he imagine Satine as a courtesan. 'That man that came in is a duke. He believed that I loved him because I was flirting with him but I only did that to keep him onside. I really loved Christian and when the Duke found out he threatened to have him killed. Fortunately, I managed to get him away but I didn't tell him. Now the Duke is here, I'm afraid that he's going to kill him.'
'Wow!' Frank said after a moment. 'That's quite a...pickle.'
'But that's not the best thing....He's moved in next door.'
Frank thought for a moment. 'I have a friend in the police force. If you want, I can dig some dirt up on him.'
'Would you really do that?' Satine asked excitedly.
'Of course. Just give me a few days.' Satine nodded and threw her arms around him.
***
Phyl lifted up the curtain and peered outside. Then she lowered it and looked at Christian who was reading the paper and sipping a cup of coffee.
'That is the weirdest couple I have ever seen.'
'Hmmm?'
'There's a tall bloke who's bald and looks like a bit of a thug and a short bloke with ginger-blond hair and moustache.' Christian quickly dropped his newspaper and went over to where his sister was.
'Show me.' He demanded. Phyl obligingly lifted the curtain. Christian gasped. It was him. Where was Satine? Was she out still? If she was and he saw her....
'Boo!' She touched his shoulders quickly, making him jump. Christian wrapped her in an embrace, as if by doing so he could keep the Duke from getting to her.
'Darling, there's something I need to tell you...' How was he going to let her know?
'I see you've seen our new neighbours.' Satine commented, peering out of the window.
'How did you know?'
'He came into the centre just after you left.'
'Did he recognise you?'
'I left before he had a chance.'
'Excuse me, could you please tell me what's going on?' Phyl asked.
***
'...So that is basically what happened.' Christian finished up twenty minutes later.
'I never knew you had it in you!' Phyl looked admiringly at her brother.
'What?'
'Well, you don't seem the sort of person who, no offence Satine, would go out with a tart.' She quickly hurried on, noting the murderous look on his face. 'You seem like the kind of man who would go out with someone with less attitude, more quiet, more sensible like a....'
'Librarian.' Satine supplied. Phyl creased up with laughter. 'No offence, honey, but when I first met you....'
'Well, thank you very much!' He said, stomping over to the chair. Satine tried to hide a smile.
'Is that the whole story?' Phyl asked.
'Yes.'
'No.' Satine said quietly. Christian looked up at her in surprise.
'What do you mean, Satine?' He crossed over to her.
'After I left you to go and pack Harold came and found me. He told me that the Duke was going to have you killed.'
'Killed?' Christian asked, not believing it.
'Yes. I was going to tell you but when I saw how happy you were, I completely forgot. That part of my life is over and I erased it from my memory. When I saw him again it came flooding back. Are you mad?'
'Oh, honey,' he drew his arm around her, 'I could never be angry at you. We have to move away from here.'
'Why do we have to move? I'm sick of running.'
'I'm not going to have him hurt you. That is the reason he wants to kill me - to get to you.' That hit her like a hammer. She hadn't realised that before. Then she remembered - that night. He had wanted to hurt her.
'Satine!' Frank burst into the room. They hadn't even heard the bell ring and the maid answer it. 'I've got something!'
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked at him. 'What?'
'The duke but we can only catch him with your help.'
'Go on.' Satine said bravely. She would do whatever it takes.
'Thank you, sir. Have a nice day!' Satine smiled cheerily at the customer as he left. Ducking down, she busied herself under the counter.
'Hey, sweetie!' A voice came out cheerily. Satine popped up quickly, banging her head as she did so.
'Ow!' She said, rubbing her head. Christian grinned at her.
'Poor you! Come 'ere.' She leaned foward and he kissed it. 'Better?'
'Much. What brings you here?'
'My father's secretary, Betty, is leaving so I have come to pick up some flowers that were ordered.'
'And I thought you came here to see me!' Satine teased. She walked back to the opening that went up a flight of stairs and into the staff area. 'Frank!' She called up the steps. Patiently, she leaned against the wall beside the door and grinned at Christian, waiting for a reply.
'Yea?' Came a muffled reply.
'Are there any flowers in the name of....' Satine looked questioningly at Christian.
'Ardel.' He whispered.
'Ardel?' Satine shouted out.
'I think so. Hang on, I'll come down.' There was a bang and then footsteps on the stairs. A young man, in his early twenties came through the opening. He was medium height with brown hair and brown eyes. He had a cheeky grin and a twinkle in his eye.
'I didn't see any orders in the book this morning.' Satine explained as he began to look under the desk.
'Ok....Nope, nope....How strange, not here.' He stood up and scratched his head. 'I remember taking an order for an Ardel....' He trailed off, gazing out of the window. 'Oh no! I'm not here!' He whispered frantically before ducking down between Satine and the counter. Satine looked at him. There was a cough and Satine looked up, smiling a false smile.
'Mrs Weathers! What a pleasant surprise. We haven't seen you since this morning.'
'Yes, dear. Is my son in?'
'Who, Frank? Nooo, he popped out for a moment. He should be back any moment....ow!' She exclaimed as he pinched her.
'Are you alright?'
'Absolutely fine. I've just got a bit of cramp in my arm.' Satine stretched her arms out and then smile brightly. 'When Frank gets back I'll tell him you came.'
'Well, make sure you do.' Mrs Weathers looked at her sceptically. 'Bye bye, dear.'
'Bye!' Satine waved cheerily until she was out of sight. Then her face changed. 'You can come out now.' She said to Frank. Frank popped his head back up.
'Thank you, so much. By the way, I found the Ardel order. I'd written it on a piece of paper and just stuck it down here. I'll get it ready for you now.' He stood up and walked through another door which led to the flowers.
***
A few minutes later he returned with a beautiful spray of pink, red and purple flowers. Christian smiled and Frank took this to mean that he liked them. Carefully, he wrapped them up and then Christian handed over some money.
'I'll see you later, honey.' Christian said. Satine nodded absentmindedly, she was looking at some papers. He kissed her cheek and left. Just as he left another man entered. Satine gasped, recognising him. Frank looked around just as she disappeared from sight. She sat down on the step and listened.
'I'd like some flowers, trees and bushes for my new house.' A nasally voice said. It couldn't be, could it?
'The Duke's going to kill Christian.' Harold's words came flooding back to her. If he saw her....It wasn't even worth thinking about. The night she left with Christian she had been so happy that she completely forgot to mention it. He probably hasn't forgotten, she thought bitterly.
'...Of course, sir. What address would you like them delivered to?'
'141 Woodstock Road.' That was the house next to theirs. If she thought it would be difficult to avoid him, now it would be impossible.
Her train of thought was interrupted by Frank sitting next to her.
'I saw you. Want to tell me what happened?'
Satine drew a deep breath. 'I met Christian when I was working at the Moulin Rouge....'
'You were a...?' Frank gestured with his hand.
'Yes but you have to understand that I'm not like that.' Frank nodded, he could imagine. No way would he imagine Satine as a courtesan. 'That man that came in is a duke. He believed that I loved him because I was flirting with him but I only did that to keep him onside. I really loved Christian and when the Duke found out he threatened to have him killed. Fortunately, I managed to get him away but I didn't tell him. Now the Duke is here, I'm afraid that he's going to kill him.'
'Wow!' Frank said after a moment. 'That's quite a...pickle.'
'But that's not the best thing....He's moved in next door.'
Frank thought for a moment. 'I have a friend in the police force. If you want, I can dig some dirt up on him.'
'Would you really do that?' Satine asked excitedly.
'Of course. Just give me a few days.' Satine nodded and threw her arms around him.
***
Phyl lifted up the curtain and peered outside. Then she lowered it and looked at Christian who was reading the paper and sipping a cup of coffee.
'That is the weirdest couple I have ever seen.'
'Hmmm?'
'There's a tall bloke who's bald and looks like a bit of a thug and a short bloke with ginger-blond hair and moustache.' Christian quickly dropped his newspaper and went over to where his sister was.
'Show me.' He demanded. Phyl obligingly lifted the curtain. Christian gasped. It was him. Where was Satine? Was she out still? If she was and he saw her....
'Boo!' She touched his shoulders quickly, making him jump. Christian wrapped her in an embrace, as if by doing so he could keep the Duke from getting to her.
'Darling, there's something I need to tell you...' How was he going to let her know?
'I see you've seen our new neighbours.' Satine commented, peering out of the window.
'How did you know?'
'He came into the centre just after you left.'
'Did he recognise you?'
'I left before he had a chance.'
'Excuse me, could you please tell me what's going on?' Phyl asked.
***
'...So that is basically what happened.' Christian finished up twenty minutes later.
'I never knew you had it in you!' Phyl looked admiringly at her brother.
'What?'
'Well, you don't seem the sort of person who, no offence Satine, would go out with a tart.' She quickly hurried on, noting the murderous look on his face. 'You seem like the kind of man who would go out with someone with less attitude, more quiet, more sensible like a....'
'Librarian.' Satine supplied. Phyl creased up with laughter. 'No offence, honey, but when I first met you....'
'Well, thank you very much!' He said, stomping over to the chair. Satine tried to hide a smile.
'Is that the whole story?' Phyl asked.
'Yes.'
'No.' Satine said quietly. Christian looked up at her in surprise.
'What do you mean, Satine?' He crossed over to her.
'After I left you to go and pack Harold came and found me. He told me that the Duke was going to have you killed.'
'Killed?' Christian asked, not believing it.
'Yes. I was going to tell you but when I saw how happy you were, I completely forgot. That part of my life is over and I erased it from my memory. When I saw him again it came flooding back. Are you mad?'
'Oh, honey,' he drew his arm around her, 'I could never be angry at you. We have to move away from here.'
'Why do we have to move? I'm sick of running.'
'I'm not going to have him hurt you. That is the reason he wants to kill me - to get to you.' That hit her like a hammer. She hadn't realised that before. Then she remembered - that night. He had wanted to hurt her.
'Satine!' Frank burst into the room. They hadn't even heard the bell ring and the maid answer it. 'I've got something!'
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked at him. 'What?'
'The duke but we can only catch him with your help.'
'Go on.' Satine said bravely. She would do whatever it takes.
