Chapter Five:
Intercoms and Big Houses
Leon hummed a tuneless song as he washed up in his tub. It had taken him a while to get used to showering sitting down but he was doing fine considering that there was a statue of a headless, naked man bolted to the tub and staring right at him. Leon knew all about art and it's sacredness and beauty, but he couldn't help but be intimidated every time he raised his head over the water and saw... yeah, well... anyway... the statue wasn't going to come alive in the middle of the night and kill Leon just because his was bigger.
Stepping out of the tub, he grabbed the cotton terry robe from off the well-designed, marble-carved, Carrara bench and slipped into it. Creeping back into his room he opened the armoire that was the same ebony textile that his bed frame was, he found a pair of white shorts and a light yellow polo shirt and put it on. Crossing over to the thermostat, he pressed a black button on another small device next to it.
"Hello, anyone?" he asked into the intercom. "Is anyone there?"
When no one answered he shrugged and headed out of his room and down the long hall. He checked the dining room, the drawing room, the formal living room, the kitchen and a bunch of other rooms that he couldn't remember the name to, but to no avail.
Deciding to try one more time, he pressed the intercom and shouted, "HELLO?! Is anyone in this house alive?"
After a pause, another intercom came on in the house. "Yes?"
"Oh, hey Claire." He said. "What are you doing?"
"I'm eating." She replied.
"Where at?" He asked. "The dining room? I already tried that room."
"Not the dining room, the veranda." Claire told him.
"The veranda?" he repeated. "No you aren't, I know you aren't, I just checked the veranda---at least I think that was the veranda."
"The glass-enclosed veranda in the West wing, Leon." Claire replied impatiently.
"Oh... that one..." Leon replied. "Well, okay, I didn't check THAT one."
"Where are you at right now?" she asked him.
"The ballroom." He replied.
After running through the house, he finally found Claire sitting neatly at an oak wood table, her plate full of pancakes, eggs, French toast, and something that looked like mangled potatoes.
"Hey, save some for me." Leon whined as he sat down and grabbed one of the red ceramic plates.
"It's not my fault. You snooze, you lose." She replied in a self-aggrandizing way.
Leon filled his plate with food from the buffet placed in front of them and started to inhale the food.
Claire ate in silence before just sitting and staring at him in disgust. "Where did you learn table manners-a barn?"
Leon shrugged before reaching for the glassware that held the syrup. "Is this maple?"
Claire nodded before gagging as Leon poured gallons on the freshly baked pancakes. He gazed around the table before sighing. "There isn't any butter-did you finish it all?"
Claire gasped in indignation. "I am not the only person who was eating at this table you know."
"Well, did they at least save any ketchup for me? I can't eat eggs without ketchup." He whined.
"Oh, stop being such a spoiled baby." Claire scolded as she reached to the left and handed him a red bottle. "Honestly, if this is what a month in the lap of luxury does to a tough guy like you... I never want to live like this again."
Leon laughed as he stabbed a piece of the potatoes and shoved it into his mouth. "What is this anyway?"
"Hashed browns." Claire replied tonelessly as she sat back in the white wicker chair, pulling her legs beneath her and staring out at all the trees that surrounded the veranda. Leon had to admit that this was one of the places that held any real peace, so close to nature. The trees all around them created a forest and the sound of birds chirping happy tunes in the branches was comforting.
"Heads up!" Leon shouted as he threw the tennis ball up in the air before sending it flying towards Claire, who returned it easily.
"So, where did everyone go to today?" he asked as he hit it back to her after they had been playing for a while.
"Euro Disney." Claire replied.
"Euro Disney? Man, I would've liked to see that." Leon said.
"What's the point?" Claire asked him with a tone of annoyance in her voice. "You can go there anytime in the states."
"Well, there must be a bunch of things that are different." Leon replied noncommittally, for fear that he would get her worked up into a fit.
"Can we just, like, not talk about this right now?" she asked, throwing her racket down. She reached out her bare hand and caught the lightning quick ball that Leon had just sent sailing over the net in her direction.
Scoffing, she tossed it up a few times before throwing it effortlessly back at Leon. "And you're getting weak, I think it's time that you start working out."
Leon felt a shock go through his body before gazing down at his form self-consciously.
Claire flinched as she reached out to pull down another book from the shelf. God, Leon could hit a ball. Why did she even ATTEMPT to catch that thing? It slammed straight into her palm and her entire hand went numb except for the painful sting that shot from the center of her hand to the tips of her newly manicured nails.
"CLAIRE!" Sherry's voice came on in the intercom.
Claire hopped off the little stool and pressed the button. "Yes?"
"We're back from Euro Disney! Chris and Carlotta bought us a bunch of souvenirs! Jill has hers and yours in her bag. If you want to get them, she's locked herself in her room claiming that she's going to be taking a bubble bath for the rest of her life."
Smiling, Claire told Sherry a brief 'thank you' before the girl ran off to try on some new outfit that they had bought for her before they came home. She sat down on the soft silk-covered day bed in the modern library. Claire was surprised that she had never found this room, they had been here for nearly a month and she had yet to find a place that she could feel comfortable in. Her special little niche, but despite Carlotta's attempt at warmth, the house was far too huge to ever give complete comfort and security. But this room was different, it was bright and sunny and Claire suddenly felt as if she would fall asleep any minute.
Claire still didn't know why she was so hostile to Carlotta, who had only been friendly and hospitable to her, but she just couldn't soften her heart like everyone else had begun to do. Deep in her heart she still expected Carlotta to be the kind of woman who manipulates and uses her money and power to get what she wanted. And somewhere inside her, she expected that something big would happen soon. After soaking up the warm sunlight that broke through the skylight up above, she decided that for Chris' benefit, she would TRY to ease up. Sitting back in the chaise she soon got lost in the world of Danielle Steel's 'Jewels'.
After the first few chapters, she closed the book and set it down on the laminate table beside her. Moments past as she thought about the previous weeks and how they had all lived in a luxury never known to them before. Who was she to criticize Leon and how he was acting to all of this? If the circumstances were different, she would be having the time of her life too. She, herself, had taken advantage of Carlotta's hospitality when she was calm enough to let her guard down. She had to apologize, of course, if she could find him in this mammoth house.
Claire climbed down the narrow stairway that ended in a deep, rich mahogany door that connected back to the rest of the house. She was just about to head back down the hallway that was completely dominated by 16th century frescoes before she heard the low hum of a machine from somewhere in the opposite direction where she had come. Following the soft humming, she found a large glass enclosed area that had gym equipment stocked in it. Leon was busy running on one of the treadmills, sweat dripping down his forehead and neck and soaking up in his forest green tank shirt.
Feeling shocked, Claire entered and sat down on the cobalt settee with white trim that seemed so out of place in a room full of the most up-to-date exercise equipment. Gazing around, Claire absently wondered if Carlotta recently installed this room for Chris' benefit. Leon slowed the treadmill down until he was walking at a brisk pace.
"Hey." Claire replied after he had walked for about a minute.
Abruptly, Leon whipped around, the treadmill's runner continued moving while his body did not and he tripped forward, banging his face into the electronic personal trainer and got thrown off the runner.
Claire gasped as Leon withered in pain on his back and she went to her knees and patted his shoulder. "Oh Leon, I'm so sorry, are you all right?"
Leon grumbled in pain and he clutched his nose between his fingers. "Oh fuck, I think it's bleeding."
Claire looked closely before shaking her head. "No, it isn't."
"Then it must be broken." Leon persisted in agony as he rolled onto his side, holding his stomach and his nose at the same time.
"It's not broken, Leon," Claire insisted as she turned him over.
"Well, I can feel it in the back of my throat---that's supposed to mean something serious and bad, isn't it?" Leon asked pitifully.
"No, no Leon, you're fine." Claire said gently as she turned him over and held his head in her lap. "Come on now, stop that blubbering right now. NOW!" she added when Leon continued to bellyache about his nose.
Leon was quiet for a few seconds before staring up at her, suddenly captivated.
"What were you doing in here?" she asked lightly.
"Trying to work off that breakfast I ate so that you wouldn't kill me." Leon said tonelessly.
"I didn't know you would take me so seriously." Claire said.
"Well, your opinion is important, whether you know it or not." Leon explained, still smarting from banging his face into the treadmill.
Claire beamed before giggling softly and brushing the sweaty, tangled strands of auburn hair away from Leon's face.
"That's really sweet of you Leon." She said.
Leon shrugged. "It's a curse. I guess."
The intercom scratched on and Chris' voice spoke up, telling them that they would be going out to dinner that night.
"So what else is new?" Claire wondered out loud as she helped Leon up.
Intercoms and Big Houses
Leon hummed a tuneless song as he washed up in his tub. It had taken him a while to get used to showering sitting down but he was doing fine considering that there was a statue of a headless, naked man bolted to the tub and staring right at him. Leon knew all about art and it's sacredness and beauty, but he couldn't help but be intimidated every time he raised his head over the water and saw... yeah, well... anyway... the statue wasn't going to come alive in the middle of the night and kill Leon just because his was bigger.
Stepping out of the tub, he grabbed the cotton terry robe from off the well-designed, marble-carved, Carrara bench and slipped into it. Creeping back into his room he opened the armoire that was the same ebony textile that his bed frame was, he found a pair of white shorts and a light yellow polo shirt and put it on. Crossing over to the thermostat, he pressed a black button on another small device next to it.
"Hello, anyone?" he asked into the intercom. "Is anyone there?"
When no one answered he shrugged and headed out of his room and down the long hall. He checked the dining room, the drawing room, the formal living room, the kitchen and a bunch of other rooms that he couldn't remember the name to, but to no avail.
Deciding to try one more time, he pressed the intercom and shouted, "HELLO?! Is anyone in this house alive?"
After a pause, another intercom came on in the house. "Yes?"
"Oh, hey Claire." He said. "What are you doing?"
"I'm eating." She replied.
"Where at?" He asked. "The dining room? I already tried that room."
"Not the dining room, the veranda." Claire told him.
"The veranda?" he repeated. "No you aren't, I know you aren't, I just checked the veranda---at least I think that was the veranda."
"The glass-enclosed veranda in the West wing, Leon." Claire replied impatiently.
"Oh... that one..." Leon replied. "Well, okay, I didn't check THAT one."
"Where are you at right now?" she asked him.
"The ballroom." He replied.
After running through the house, he finally found Claire sitting neatly at an oak wood table, her plate full of pancakes, eggs, French toast, and something that looked like mangled potatoes.
"Hey, save some for me." Leon whined as he sat down and grabbed one of the red ceramic plates.
"It's not my fault. You snooze, you lose." She replied in a self-aggrandizing way.
Leon filled his plate with food from the buffet placed in front of them and started to inhale the food.
Claire ate in silence before just sitting and staring at him in disgust. "Where did you learn table manners-a barn?"
Leon shrugged before reaching for the glassware that held the syrup. "Is this maple?"
Claire nodded before gagging as Leon poured gallons on the freshly baked pancakes. He gazed around the table before sighing. "There isn't any butter-did you finish it all?"
Claire gasped in indignation. "I am not the only person who was eating at this table you know."
"Well, did they at least save any ketchup for me? I can't eat eggs without ketchup." He whined.
"Oh, stop being such a spoiled baby." Claire scolded as she reached to the left and handed him a red bottle. "Honestly, if this is what a month in the lap of luxury does to a tough guy like you... I never want to live like this again."
Leon laughed as he stabbed a piece of the potatoes and shoved it into his mouth. "What is this anyway?"
"Hashed browns." Claire replied tonelessly as she sat back in the white wicker chair, pulling her legs beneath her and staring out at all the trees that surrounded the veranda. Leon had to admit that this was one of the places that held any real peace, so close to nature. The trees all around them created a forest and the sound of birds chirping happy tunes in the branches was comforting.
"Heads up!" Leon shouted as he threw the tennis ball up in the air before sending it flying towards Claire, who returned it easily.
"So, where did everyone go to today?" he asked as he hit it back to her after they had been playing for a while.
"Euro Disney." Claire replied.
"Euro Disney? Man, I would've liked to see that." Leon said.
"What's the point?" Claire asked him with a tone of annoyance in her voice. "You can go there anytime in the states."
"Well, there must be a bunch of things that are different." Leon replied noncommittally, for fear that he would get her worked up into a fit.
"Can we just, like, not talk about this right now?" she asked, throwing her racket down. She reached out her bare hand and caught the lightning quick ball that Leon had just sent sailing over the net in her direction.
Scoffing, she tossed it up a few times before throwing it effortlessly back at Leon. "And you're getting weak, I think it's time that you start working out."
Leon felt a shock go through his body before gazing down at his form self-consciously.
Claire flinched as she reached out to pull down another book from the shelf. God, Leon could hit a ball. Why did she even ATTEMPT to catch that thing? It slammed straight into her palm and her entire hand went numb except for the painful sting that shot from the center of her hand to the tips of her newly manicured nails.
"CLAIRE!" Sherry's voice came on in the intercom.
Claire hopped off the little stool and pressed the button. "Yes?"
"We're back from Euro Disney! Chris and Carlotta bought us a bunch of souvenirs! Jill has hers and yours in her bag. If you want to get them, she's locked herself in her room claiming that she's going to be taking a bubble bath for the rest of her life."
Smiling, Claire told Sherry a brief 'thank you' before the girl ran off to try on some new outfit that they had bought for her before they came home. She sat down on the soft silk-covered day bed in the modern library. Claire was surprised that she had never found this room, they had been here for nearly a month and she had yet to find a place that she could feel comfortable in. Her special little niche, but despite Carlotta's attempt at warmth, the house was far too huge to ever give complete comfort and security. But this room was different, it was bright and sunny and Claire suddenly felt as if she would fall asleep any minute.
Claire still didn't know why she was so hostile to Carlotta, who had only been friendly and hospitable to her, but she just couldn't soften her heart like everyone else had begun to do. Deep in her heart she still expected Carlotta to be the kind of woman who manipulates and uses her money and power to get what she wanted. And somewhere inside her, she expected that something big would happen soon. After soaking up the warm sunlight that broke through the skylight up above, she decided that for Chris' benefit, she would TRY to ease up. Sitting back in the chaise she soon got lost in the world of Danielle Steel's 'Jewels'.
After the first few chapters, she closed the book and set it down on the laminate table beside her. Moments past as she thought about the previous weeks and how they had all lived in a luxury never known to them before. Who was she to criticize Leon and how he was acting to all of this? If the circumstances were different, she would be having the time of her life too. She, herself, had taken advantage of Carlotta's hospitality when she was calm enough to let her guard down. She had to apologize, of course, if she could find him in this mammoth house.
Claire climbed down the narrow stairway that ended in a deep, rich mahogany door that connected back to the rest of the house. She was just about to head back down the hallway that was completely dominated by 16th century frescoes before she heard the low hum of a machine from somewhere in the opposite direction where she had come. Following the soft humming, she found a large glass enclosed area that had gym equipment stocked in it. Leon was busy running on one of the treadmills, sweat dripping down his forehead and neck and soaking up in his forest green tank shirt.
Feeling shocked, Claire entered and sat down on the cobalt settee with white trim that seemed so out of place in a room full of the most up-to-date exercise equipment. Gazing around, Claire absently wondered if Carlotta recently installed this room for Chris' benefit. Leon slowed the treadmill down until he was walking at a brisk pace.
"Hey." Claire replied after he had walked for about a minute.
Abruptly, Leon whipped around, the treadmill's runner continued moving while his body did not and he tripped forward, banging his face into the electronic personal trainer and got thrown off the runner.
Claire gasped as Leon withered in pain on his back and she went to her knees and patted his shoulder. "Oh Leon, I'm so sorry, are you all right?"
Leon grumbled in pain and he clutched his nose between his fingers. "Oh fuck, I think it's bleeding."
Claire looked closely before shaking her head. "No, it isn't."
"Then it must be broken." Leon persisted in agony as he rolled onto his side, holding his stomach and his nose at the same time.
"It's not broken, Leon," Claire insisted as she turned him over.
"Well, I can feel it in the back of my throat---that's supposed to mean something serious and bad, isn't it?" Leon asked pitifully.
"No, no Leon, you're fine." Claire said gently as she turned him over and held his head in her lap. "Come on now, stop that blubbering right now. NOW!" she added when Leon continued to bellyache about his nose.
Leon was quiet for a few seconds before staring up at her, suddenly captivated.
"What were you doing in here?" she asked lightly.
"Trying to work off that breakfast I ate so that you wouldn't kill me." Leon said tonelessly.
"I didn't know you would take me so seriously." Claire said.
"Well, your opinion is important, whether you know it or not." Leon explained, still smarting from banging his face into the treadmill.
Claire beamed before giggling softly and brushing the sweaty, tangled strands of auburn hair away from Leon's face.
"That's really sweet of you Leon." She said.
Leon shrugged. "It's a curse. I guess."
The intercom scratched on and Chris' voice spoke up, telling them that they would be going out to dinner that night.
"So what else is new?" Claire wondered out loud as she helped Leon up.