I eat dinner in my caravan, ignoring Trowa hammering on the door, wanting
to talk to me. I can't stay in here forever, the circus show starts in
five minutes, but I don't want to face him. In the end I get up and open
the door.
"Sienne, please just listen to me!" He says, running to keep up with me as I stride towards the tent.
"Why should I?" I ask. "You lied to me!"
"No I didn't!" He replies. "Anyway, you were the one listening in on my private conversations!"
"So that makes it OK?" I ask.
"No!" He says hurriedly. "I didn't mean that. But Sienne please, just promise me you won't tell anyone about what you heard. I don't want them to know about my past."
"Fine." I say angrily. "If you leave me alone!"
"Do you promise?" He asks.
"I promise." I say. I can't believe I'm giving in to him. Please just leave me alone Trowa; I don't want to talk to you now.
"Sienne, you got the wrong idea about what you heard!" He persists. "Quatre and I."
"I think I got the picture." I say. "You don't need to give me the details."
I choose to ignore whatever else he has to say. I sense that people are looking at us but I don't care. I find Polly and Paul and start talking to them. They seem surprised that Trowa keeps trying to talk to me and I ignore him, but thankfully they don't say anything. Trowa is called out to perform and I'm left with my uncle and aunt.
"Now what was all that about?" Paul asks crossly.
"Nothing." I reply sullenly.
"It didn't sound like nothing. Remember that Trowa's sister Catherine has been very kind to you." Paul berates me.
"So I'm meant to forgive Trowa for hurting my feelings because I like his sister?" I ask.
"Have you and Trowa had a little argument?" Polly asks. God she's quick off the mark! I think everyone else noticed that too!
"You have no idea." I say, and then we are called into the ring so Polly and Paul stop asking questions.
We perform well, but I know that as soon as the show is over Trowa will be on my back again. I know in my heart that I should listen to what he has to say, but I don't want to hear something that I don't want to be confirmed. I'm so confused. When we finish the finale I feel someone standing next to me.
"What now?" I ask, knowing that it is Trowa who stands so close to me. He reaches out and takes hold of my arm. My heart gives a flutter when he touches me, but I instantly wrench my arm out of his grasp.
"Please let me explain." He pleads. He stays walking close to me as we leave the tent. When we are outside he takes me by the arms and forces me to stand still. I can tell that he is looking at me, but I keep my head down. For a moment I really want to listen to him.
"Go on then." I sigh. I feel Trowa sigh with relief and squeeze my arms.
"Sienne!" Catherine calls from nearby. Surprised at out interruption Trowa jumps back as if I suddenly became to hold to hold anymore. The moment has passed and now I don't want to hear Trowa's excuses. "Sienne, this is Doctor Dalzell." Catherine says. "He came and spoke to me just now. He guessed that you are blind."
I hold out my hand, curious as to how this man knew I was blind.
"Charmed." He says. "Miss Sienne, I am a Doctor from the city, and I specialise with restoring partially damaged or removed sight."
"Oh." I manage to say.
"I noticed that you have a sight problem, tell me, are you completely blind?"
I nod.
"Because I would like to run a few tests on you." The Doctor says. I shake my head; I have always reused to be a lab guinea pig. "Because recent advances in medical science mean that it is easier for us to restore sight, even to patients who have been completely blind for over a decade."
My heart gives a leap. "You mean you can make me see again?" I ask, not even daring to hope that he can.
"I would like you to come to my surgery tomorrow and I will definitely have a look." He says warmly. "I would very much hope that a simple operation will amend your sight."
Just as I'm getting excited a thought strikes me. I hang my head and say, "I'm sorry but I can't afford your treatment."
"Don't be silly." The Doctor says. "The government gives me money to perform these operations on deserving people. I think that you deserve this more than anyone. My office is on 32nd Street, number 12. Be there at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."
He walks off leaving me struggling with my thoughts. Could I see again? Just one free operation and I could see? I could look at my reflection for the first time in twelve years! I could see how much Polly and Paul have changed. I could even see what Trowa looks like.
"Then that is settled." Catherine says. "Trowa will drive you into the city tomorrow."
"Can't Uncle Paul or Aunt Polly take me?" I ask.
"I'm afraid I'm going to need them here tomorrow. We have a group of school children coming to look around and Paul promised to show them the basics of the trapeze and Polly has assured me that she will help with the cooking. Trowa can take you." Catherine says, not seeing my face fall. I don't want to spend all of tomorrow with Trowa; he will just try to 'explain' himself to me.
"Fine." I hear myself saying. "I'll be ready for us to leave at eight o'clock." I walk away towards my caravan to share the good news with my aunt and uncle before Trowa can even say 'Goodnight'.
"Sienne, please just listen to me!" He says, running to keep up with me as I stride towards the tent.
"Why should I?" I ask. "You lied to me!"
"No I didn't!" He replies. "Anyway, you were the one listening in on my private conversations!"
"So that makes it OK?" I ask.
"No!" He says hurriedly. "I didn't mean that. But Sienne please, just promise me you won't tell anyone about what you heard. I don't want them to know about my past."
"Fine." I say angrily. "If you leave me alone!"
"Do you promise?" He asks.
"I promise." I say. I can't believe I'm giving in to him. Please just leave me alone Trowa; I don't want to talk to you now.
"Sienne, you got the wrong idea about what you heard!" He persists. "Quatre and I."
"I think I got the picture." I say. "You don't need to give me the details."
I choose to ignore whatever else he has to say. I sense that people are looking at us but I don't care. I find Polly and Paul and start talking to them. They seem surprised that Trowa keeps trying to talk to me and I ignore him, but thankfully they don't say anything. Trowa is called out to perform and I'm left with my uncle and aunt.
"Now what was all that about?" Paul asks crossly.
"Nothing." I reply sullenly.
"It didn't sound like nothing. Remember that Trowa's sister Catherine has been very kind to you." Paul berates me.
"So I'm meant to forgive Trowa for hurting my feelings because I like his sister?" I ask.
"Have you and Trowa had a little argument?" Polly asks. God she's quick off the mark! I think everyone else noticed that too!
"You have no idea." I say, and then we are called into the ring so Polly and Paul stop asking questions.
We perform well, but I know that as soon as the show is over Trowa will be on my back again. I know in my heart that I should listen to what he has to say, but I don't want to hear something that I don't want to be confirmed. I'm so confused. When we finish the finale I feel someone standing next to me.
"What now?" I ask, knowing that it is Trowa who stands so close to me. He reaches out and takes hold of my arm. My heart gives a flutter when he touches me, but I instantly wrench my arm out of his grasp.
"Please let me explain." He pleads. He stays walking close to me as we leave the tent. When we are outside he takes me by the arms and forces me to stand still. I can tell that he is looking at me, but I keep my head down. For a moment I really want to listen to him.
"Go on then." I sigh. I feel Trowa sigh with relief and squeeze my arms.
"Sienne!" Catherine calls from nearby. Surprised at out interruption Trowa jumps back as if I suddenly became to hold to hold anymore. The moment has passed and now I don't want to hear Trowa's excuses. "Sienne, this is Doctor Dalzell." Catherine says. "He came and spoke to me just now. He guessed that you are blind."
I hold out my hand, curious as to how this man knew I was blind.
"Charmed." He says. "Miss Sienne, I am a Doctor from the city, and I specialise with restoring partially damaged or removed sight."
"Oh." I manage to say.
"I noticed that you have a sight problem, tell me, are you completely blind?"
I nod.
"Because I would like to run a few tests on you." The Doctor says. I shake my head; I have always reused to be a lab guinea pig. "Because recent advances in medical science mean that it is easier for us to restore sight, even to patients who have been completely blind for over a decade."
My heart gives a leap. "You mean you can make me see again?" I ask, not even daring to hope that he can.
"I would like you to come to my surgery tomorrow and I will definitely have a look." He says warmly. "I would very much hope that a simple operation will amend your sight."
Just as I'm getting excited a thought strikes me. I hang my head and say, "I'm sorry but I can't afford your treatment."
"Don't be silly." The Doctor says. "The government gives me money to perform these operations on deserving people. I think that you deserve this more than anyone. My office is on 32nd Street, number 12. Be there at ten o'clock tomorrow morning."
He walks off leaving me struggling with my thoughts. Could I see again? Just one free operation and I could see? I could look at my reflection for the first time in twelve years! I could see how much Polly and Paul have changed. I could even see what Trowa looks like.
"Then that is settled." Catherine says. "Trowa will drive you into the city tomorrow."
"Can't Uncle Paul or Aunt Polly take me?" I ask.
"I'm afraid I'm going to need them here tomorrow. We have a group of school children coming to look around and Paul promised to show them the basics of the trapeze and Polly has assured me that she will help with the cooking. Trowa can take you." Catherine says, not seeing my face fall. I don't want to spend all of tomorrow with Trowa; he will just try to 'explain' himself to me.
"Fine." I hear myself saying. "I'll be ready for us to leave at eight o'clock." I walk away towards my caravan to share the good news with my aunt and uncle before Trowa can even say 'Goodnight'.