Disclaimer: I said I wouldn't say it again...
Chapter 8: Can't Lose You
"You know, as beautiful as Italy is, it's getting....boring," Paolo confided as he and James lifted up wine barrels. James wiped the sweat from his brow. "It is?" James was still awed by the wonder of the country----he could not imagine being tired of the place. Paolo nodded, sighing. "I feel thin, like butter scraped over too much bread." "And Bilbo, I suppose you want to see mountains again. Mountains!" James cried, exaggerating his British accent. When James had begun to be interested in life once more, Elsa had shown him to her own little library. James had come to love the Lord of the Rings trilogy, identifying particularly with the great wizard Gandalf. He'd felt an instant, powerful connection to the character the moment he had shown up in the book. "You know, you may be right with the whole vacation angle," Paolo commented. "I ought to check out some travel brochures soon." "That's a great idea!" Both James and Paolo whirled around to see Elsa standing behind them. "It's an absolutely perfect opportunity to go to London! Your home, Evan!" "Elsa, we're not even sure I actually live in London," James said placatingly. "It's the best lead we have so far, and I'm not letting go of the chance to check it out," she countered, her hazel eyes blazing. Paolo rubbed a hand over his tanned, ruddy face. "I knew work would be involved." Elsa swooped down on the thirty-something vineyard owner. "It is not work. We are helping a friend find his way back." James himself was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope as he listened to Elsa selling the idea. Perhaps his home really was in London. Perhaps it was there that he would find out who he was. A smile spread on James's face. Paolo took a look at his favorite worker, who was looking like Christmas came early. "Sheesh, all right, all right. We're off to London."
James carefully folded a shirt and placed it inside his duffel bag. He was nearly done----James owned nothing apart from a sweater, a couple of shirts Elsa bought him, a pair of slightly tattered jeans, a framed silvery quill, and a small portrait Elsa had done for him. James didn't understand why he kept a quill in a frame, but he was, all the same, attached to it. "Hi." Elsa dragged her suitcase, overflowing with clothes and books, into his room. "Elsa." James was quite happy to see her. "Here, let me help." He positioned the suitcase near the bed and stared down in askance at it. "Elsa, did you bring your entire library with you?" "No. Just the more important ones," she replied. "Oh, by the way, I brought your precious Lord of the Rings. You can keep them in your duffel. I've got Hemingway and Tolstoy too, if you want to borrow." She plopped onto his bed and pawed through his bag. "El-sa, you already know what I own," James reminded her. "Not all." She held up the frame triumphantly. "Why do you keep a QUILL framed?" James shrugged. "How should I know? I've got amnesia, remember? All I know is that it had to be really important to me." Elsa examined the quill inside the glass. "Maybe diamonds? Whoa, you must've been rich. Speaking of jewelry," she removed a box from her pocket. "this is for you." James stared at the box. "You're not proposing to me, are you?" Elsa laughed. "Don't flatter yourself. This--," she opened up the box, "happens to be my lucky ring." She pulled out a thin gold band. "That's a four-leaf clover on it." James took the ring in his hands. "Well, I think it's kind of a bit small for me." "I foresaw that." Elsa took the ring back and threaded through it a gold chain. "Here, you can wear it around your neck. For luck in finding yourself----and your home." James hooked it around his neck, feeling the cool metal against his skin. The four-leaf-clover ring bounced against his chest, and he smiled at it with pure pride. "It's so beautiful, Elsa. Thank you." He took her hand in his. "But with or without this ring, just by having you around, will ensure that I will never be unhappy or unlucky."
Elsa glanced worriedly at Evan as the plane landed smoothly at the London airport. He had been fidgeting all throughout the duration of the plane ride, except for the two seconds wherein he had drifted off. "Don't worry, Evan. We're here already." Evan gave her a tight smile, but his hazel eyes were still shifting back and forth nervously. Elsa grasped his hand. "Geez, how'd you manage to survive the trip to Italy if you're like this now?" She released it and tried to reach for the overhead compartment. Evan, who easily topped her, reached up easily and grabbed her backpack for her. "Thanks." They stepped from the plane into the sunlight. As he breathed in the English air, Elsa saw it in Evan's handsome face. This was it, she knew. He had found his home.
Chapter 8: Can't Lose You
"You know, as beautiful as Italy is, it's getting....boring," Paolo confided as he and James lifted up wine barrels. James wiped the sweat from his brow. "It is?" James was still awed by the wonder of the country----he could not imagine being tired of the place. Paolo nodded, sighing. "I feel thin, like butter scraped over too much bread." "And Bilbo, I suppose you want to see mountains again. Mountains!" James cried, exaggerating his British accent. When James had begun to be interested in life once more, Elsa had shown him to her own little library. James had come to love the Lord of the Rings trilogy, identifying particularly with the great wizard Gandalf. He'd felt an instant, powerful connection to the character the moment he had shown up in the book. "You know, you may be right with the whole vacation angle," Paolo commented. "I ought to check out some travel brochures soon." "That's a great idea!" Both James and Paolo whirled around to see Elsa standing behind them. "It's an absolutely perfect opportunity to go to London! Your home, Evan!" "Elsa, we're not even sure I actually live in London," James said placatingly. "It's the best lead we have so far, and I'm not letting go of the chance to check it out," she countered, her hazel eyes blazing. Paolo rubbed a hand over his tanned, ruddy face. "I knew work would be involved." Elsa swooped down on the thirty-something vineyard owner. "It is not work. We are helping a friend find his way back." James himself was beginning to feel a glimmer of hope as he listened to Elsa selling the idea. Perhaps his home really was in London. Perhaps it was there that he would find out who he was. A smile spread on James's face. Paolo took a look at his favorite worker, who was looking like Christmas came early. "Sheesh, all right, all right. We're off to London."
James carefully folded a shirt and placed it inside his duffel bag. He was nearly done----James owned nothing apart from a sweater, a couple of shirts Elsa bought him, a pair of slightly tattered jeans, a framed silvery quill, and a small portrait Elsa had done for him. James didn't understand why he kept a quill in a frame, but he was, all the same, attached to it. "Hi." Elsa dragged her suitcase, overflowing with clothes and books, into his room. "Elsa." James was quite happy to see her. "Here, let me help." He positioned the suitcase near the bed and stared down in askance at it. "Elsa, did you bring your entire library with you?" "No. Just the more important ones," she replied. "Oh, by the way, I brought your precious Lord of the Rings. You can keep them in your duffel. I've got Hemingway and Tolstoy too, if you want to borrow." She plopped onto his bed and pawed through his bag. "El-sa, you already know what I own," James reminded her. "Not all." She held up the frame triumphantly. "Why do you keep a QUILL framed?" James shrugged. "How should I know? I've got amnesia, remember? All I know is that it had to be really important to me." Elsa examined the quill inside the glass. "Maybe diamonds? Whoa, you must've been rich. Speaking of jewelry," she removed a box from her pocket. "this is for you." James stared at the box. "You're not proposing to me, are you?" Elsa laughed. "Don't flatter yourself. This--," she opened up the box, "happens to be my lucky ring." She pulled out a thin gold band. "That's a four-leaf clover on it." James took the ring in his hands. "Well, I think it's kind of a bit small for me." "I foresaw that." Elsa took the ring back and threaded through it a gold chain. "Here, you can wear it around your neck. For luck in finding yourself----and your home." James hooked it around his neck, feeling the cool metal against his skin. The four-leaf-clover ring bounced against his chest, and he smiled at it with pure pride. "It's so beautiful, Elsa. Thank you." He took her hand in his. "But with or without this ring, just by having you around, will ensure that I will never be unhappy or unlucky."
Elsa glanced worriedly at Evan as the plane landed smoothly at the London airport. He had been fidgeting all throughout the duration of the plane ride, except for the two seconds wherein he had drifted off. "Don't worry, Evan. We're here already." Evan gave her a tight smile, but his hazel eyes were still shifting back and forth nervously. Elsa grasped his hand. "Geez, how'd you manage to survive the trip to Italy if you're like this now?" She released it and tried to reach for the overhead compartment. Evan, who easily topped her, reached up easily and grabbed her backpack for her. "Thanks." They stepped from the plane into the sunlight. As he breathed in the English air, Elsa saw it in Evan's handsome face. This was it, she knew. He had found his home.