After a few more painful minutes of staring at Alan's picture and fighting
the urge to hit the button that would bring the live feed up and jolt him
out of bed, I sigh and shake my head. I have to calm myself - what's done
is done, wishing to take it back won't do me any good. I turn away from
Alan's eyes, watching me from the portrait, and wander back down the hall.
I pass Virgil's room and falter. I feel dire for shutting him out like I did all day. I know I owe him an apology, and I want to do it now. It's so early; I know he'll be ready to bite my head off as soon as I wake him up. I ignore that thought and open his door, relieved to find he hasn't taken after me and locked it.
I shut the door quietly behind me, not wanting to disturb anyone else, and make my way to his bed. Virgil's sprawled under the covers in what looks like an uncomfortable position, his form a lifeless shadow before my eyes. I survey the bed carefully, noticing there seems to be just enough room for me beside him. I grin in the dark and push the blankets back, slipping soundlessly onto the bed and pulling the blankets back over me.
I'm surprised at how warm and comforting just being at his side is. I feel better about everything already and turn over so I'm facing him. He looks so childlike and innocent in the dimness. I reach out to touch him and then draw back, afraid I'll ruin the peaceful moment by waking him. In my mind I send him silent messages to shift and wrap his arm around me, the smile unable to leave my face.
My messages seem to be a bit too strong, for instead of just moving, Virgil's eyes flutter open and he stares straight up for a second. I know he's listening intently, wondering what has caused him to come out of his sleep. I touch his hand, hidden under the blankets, and he turns to look at me.
"Tin-Tin? What are you doing in here?" He whispers, sleep still clouding his eyes.
"I wanted to say sorry for locking you out of my room," I answer, my head resting on his pillow and looking at him repentantly.
He pulls me closer and kisses me lightly, letting me know I'm forgiven. I snuggle up against him in the blackness, enjoying his warm body against mine. I look over his shoulder at the clock, noticing it's four hours after midnight.
Virgil wraps me in his blankets to keep out the cold air softly blowing the curtains on his window back and forth. He lowers his head and kisses my neck and shoulder, both exposed because of my nightgown. I murmur in approval as he continues and I can tell he's not upset I woke him up. All the sleep has left his body and I shudder, feeling shocks of electricity spark between us and chills run up and down my spine.
All my fears, worries and guilt about Alan leave my system and are replaced by passion, love and energy. I get caught up and time freezes, slowing down until it stops entirely. For that night, Alan is forgotten. For that night, Virgil is the only man I know. And for that night, I am his.
+++
I wake up to the sunlight streaming through the window above Virgil's bed. There's a thumping noise at the door and I hurriedly enclose my body in the thin sheets I'm lying under. Virgil sits up as the door begins to open and we both gasp, afraid we're going to be caught by someone who doesn't already know our secret.
"I'm not decent!" He yells at the intruder, slamming the button on his bedside table to shut and lock the door.
"Aw, come on Virg! John and I are leaving for the mainland in ten minutes!" Gordon's voice complains.
I stumble out of Virgil's bed, holding the blankets tightly around myself. Walking swiftly but quietly across the room, I enter his spacious closet and press myself against the back wall, out of sight.
I can hear Virgil curse as he tries to pull on a pair of pants and gets his leg caught in his haste. Then the door opens and I see Gordon enter the room, talking to his brother about the girls he and John are going to pick up while they're off the island.
"Can I borrow that burgundy sweater of yours?" Gordon asks. "It would go perfect with my trousers."
"Sure." Virgil answers easily, wanting to get Gordon out of his bedroom as soon as possible.
"Great." The sound of Gordon's footsteps coming towards the closet makes my breath catch in my throat as I try and hide myself behind one of Virgil's suits.
"You can't go in there!" Virgil throws himself in front of the closet, trying to block Gordon's view.
"How come?"
"It's. . .It's a real mess," he lies.
"You know I don't care." Gordon pushes past him and the closet is flooded with light, causing me to blink against the harsh illumination.
I close my eyes, yearning to become invisible. I know my wish hasn't been granted because I hear Gordon's sharp intake of breath as he notices me standing in the corner.
"Tin-Tin?" There's disbelief leaking from his words and his eyes are wide in surprise.
"'Morning, Gordon," I say, sneaking a glance at Virgil who is standing behind him, shamefaced.
Gordon looks from me to his brother repeatedly, his mouth dropping open as he does so. "What's going on here?"
"I think you know," Virgil responds honestly, not even trying to come up with an excuse for my presence in his closet. Wearing a sheet, no less.
"But. . .? When? Why?" Gordon's voice has taken on a new pitch as he stares at Virgil.
"If you'll give us a chance, we'll explain it all to you," I answer for Virgil.
Gordon turns back to me and I notice his gawking look taking in the blanket. Self-consciously, I tighten my grip on it, reddening under his gaze. He snaps his head up, as if suddenly remembering something.
"It'll have to wait. I told John I'd meet him at the dock as soon as I got a sweater." Gordon locates it and pulls it hurriedly off its hangar before drawing it over his t-shirt. "When I get home, I want every single detail," he adds.
We nod agreeably as he leaves, seeming still in shock over catching Virgil and I together. I look at Virgil after Gordon has disappeared, both of us wondering if he'll tell John while they're on their trip.
"Well, that was a bit embarrassing, wasn't it?" Virgil asks after a minute, seeing the horrified look on my face.
"Congratulations, you win the understatement of the year award," I say sarcastically.
Virgil glances at his watch, which is sitting on a shelf in his closet. "You know, Gordon and John will be gone for hours and Scott's all the way at the end of the hall." His eyes sparkle mischievously and I can't help but feel like giggling.
"Is that so?"
He closes the large space between us in three strides and ducks his head to give me a kiss. "What can we possibly do until people begin to miss us?"
"Hmm. . ." I pretend to ponder his question before breaking out in a smile and letting him lead me back to his bed.
I pass Virgil's room and falter. I feel dire for shutting him out like I did all day. I know I owe him an apology, and I want to do it now. It's so early; I know he'll be ready to bite my head off as soon as I wake him up. I ignore that thought and open his door, relieved to find he hasn't taken after me and locked it.
I shut the door quietly behind me, not wanting to disturb anyone else, and make my way to his bed. Virgil's sprawled under the covers in what looks like an uncomfortable position, his form a lifeless shadow before my eyes. I survey the bed carefully, noticing there seems to be just enough room for me beside him. I grin in the dark and push the blankets back, slipping soundlessly onto the bed and pulling the blankets back over me.
I'm surprised at how warm and comforting just being at his side is. I feel better about everything already and turn over so I'm facing him. He looks so childlike and innocent in the dimness. I reach out to touch him and then draw back, afraid I'll ruin the peaceful moment by waking him. In my mind I send him silent messages to shift and wrap his arm around me, the smile unable to leave my face.
My messages seem to be a bit too strong, for instead of just moving, Virgil's eyes flutter open and he stares straight up for a second. I know he's listening intently, wondering what has caused him to come out of his sleep. I touch his hand, hidden under the blankets, and he turns to look at me.
"Tin-Tin? What are you doing in here?" He whispers, sleep still clouding his eyes.
"I wanted to say sorry for locking you out of my room," I answer, my head resting on his pillow and looking at him repentantly.
He pulls me closer and kisses me lightly, letting me know I'm forgiven. I snuggle up against him in the blackness, enjoying his warm body against mine. I look over his shoulder at the clock, noticing it's four hours after midnight.
Virgil wraps me in his blankets to keep out the cold air softly blowing the curtains on his window back and forth. He lowers his head and kisses my neck and shoulder, both exposed because of my nightgown. I murmur in approval as he continues and I can tell he's not upset I woke him up. All the sleep has left his body and I shudder, feeling shocks of electricity spark between us and chills run up and down my spine.
All my fears, worries and guilt about Alan leave my system and are replaced by passion, love and energy. I get caught up and time freezes, slowing down until it stops entirely. For that night, Alan is forgotten. For that night, Virgil is the only man I know. And for that night, I am his.
+++
I wake up to the sunlight streaming through the window above Virgil's bed. There's a thumping noise at the door and I hurriedly enclose my body in the thin sheets I'm lying under. Virgil sits up as the door begins to open and we both gasp, afraid we're going to be caught by someone who doesn't already know our secret.
"I'm not decent!" He yells at the intruder, slamming the button on his bedside table to shut and lock the door.
"Aw, come on Virg! John and I are leaving for the mainland in ten minutes!" Gordon's voice complains.
I stumble out of Virgil's bed, holding the blankets tightly around myself. Walking swiftly but quietly across the room, I enter his spacious closet and press myself against the back wall, out of sight.
I can hear Virgil curse as he tries to pull on a pair of pants and gets his leg caught in his haste. Then the door opens and I see Gordon enter the room, talking to his brother about the girls he and John are going to pick up while they're off the island.
"Can I borrow that burgundy sweater of yours?" Gordon asks. "It would go perfect with my trousers."
"Sure." Virgil answers easily, wanting to get Gordon out of his bedroom as soon as possible.
"Great." The sound of Gordon's footsteps coming towards the closet makes my breath catch in my throat as I try and hide myself behind one of Virgil's suits.
"You can't go in there!" Virgil throws himself in front of the closet, trying to block Gordon's view.
"How come?"
"It's. . .It's a real mess," he lies.
"You know I don't care." Gordon pushes past him and the closet is flooded with light, causing me to blink against the harsh illumination.
I close my eyes, yearning to become invisible. I know my wish hasn't been granted because I hear Gordon's sharp intake of breath as he notices me standing in the corner.
"Tin-Tin?" There's disbelief leaking from his words and his eyes are wide in surprise.
"'Morning, Gordon," I say, sneaking a glance at Virgil who is standing behind him, shamefaced.
Gordon looks from me to his brother repeatedly, his mouth dropping open as he does so. "What's going on here?"
"I think you know," Virgil responds honestly, not even trying to come up with an excuse for my presence in his closet. Wearing a sheet, no less.
"But. . .? When? Why?" Gordon's voice has taken on a new pitch as he stares at Virgil.
"If you'll give us a chance, we'll explain it all to you," I answer for Virgil.
Gordon turns back to me and I notice his gawking look taking in the blanket. Self-consciously, I tighten my grip on it, reddening under his gaze. He snaps his head up, as if suddenly remembering something.
"It'll have to wait. I told John I'd meet him at the dock as soon as I got a sweater." Gordon locates it and pulls it hurriedly off its hangar before drawing it over his t-shirt. "When I get home, I want every single detail," he adds.
We nod agreeably as he leaves, seeming still in shock over catching Virgil and I together. I look at Virgil after Gordon has disappeared, both of us wondering if he'll tell John while they're on their trip.
"Well, that was a bit embarrassing, wasn't it?" Virgil asks after a minute, seeing the horrified look on my face.
"Congratulations, you win the understatement of the year award," I say sarcastically.
Virgil glances at his watch, which is sitting on a shelf in his closet. "You know, Gordon and John will be gone for hours and Scott's all the way at the end of the hall." His eyes sparkle mischievously and I can't help but feel like giggling.
"Is that so?"
He closes the large space between us in three strides and ducks his head to give me a kiss. "What can we possibly do until people begin to miss us?"
"Hmm. . ." I pretend to ponder his question before breaking out in a smile and letting him lead me back to his bed.