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18. Chapter
Cole and Prue walked along the street until they reached Harry van Berg's hotel. It was an old Victorian brick building with an ornated front and wrought-iron balconies. A bored page in a uniform was standing in front of the entrance. But he wasn't interested, when Cole and Prue passed him.
They walked on a red fluffy carpet into the hotel. But when they entered the entrance hall, they stopped and looked around in surprise. The large hall was crammed full with works of art. All walls were covered with different paintings from old oil paintings to modern art and at least one sculpture was standing beside every seat. It was so much that the many really good works of art were swallowed up by the mass. While the bad works of art stared everybody in the face at once. Even at the side with the reception desk paintings were hanged up on every vacant place beside the key rack and the post boxes.
Two lions guarded the wrought-iron grate of the fireplace by showing their teeth. And a group of plushy armchairs with wood carvings on the armrests invited everybody to take a rest in front of the fireplace. Another wood carving with a jungle motif was above the fireplace, where two antique vases made of silver were standing beside it on the mantelpiece. There was another place to sit in front of the window were a big board gave a notice of future events.
"A little bit too extravagant." Cole said taunting.
Prue nodded. "I'm wondering, how the rooms look like."
Cole smiled at her. "Do you want to find it out"
"Do you have enough money" Prue asked ironically and shook her head in rejection at the same time. Nevertheless she was keen to watch the old elevator coming down slowly. She heard the sound of a gong and the door opened with a rattle. Prue couldn't believe, who was coming out of the lift. She pushed Cole into the next plushy armchair and dropped onto him. She embraced him, while she was looking carefully alongside the back rest to the reception desk.
"I'm really enthusiastic about your sudden affection." Cole murmured in her ear. "But could you tell me please, what happens behind my back"
"David Morgan and an elder woman just came out of the elevator." Prue whispered.
"What" Cole wanted to sit up to look around the corner, but Prue held him back with all her might.
"Oh no" she let out. "That's all we needed" David Morgan and the woman walked towards their seating unit. Prue turned around Cole's face to kiss him, while she was looking through her hair to the two persons. They sat down in two armchairs in front of the fireplace and David Morgan looked into the direction of Cole and Prue. It seemed as if he was very interested to watch them. Obviously it turned him on, Prue thought angrily, what a bastard! She laid her hands at Cole's face and looked him in the eyes, just a few centimeters away from her's. "Morgan sits in front of the fireplace." she whispered.
"Okay." Cole said and kissed her again. "I think we have no choice."
Prue had to agree with a smile and kissed him again, the situation could have been worse. She concentrated on Cole and was only half listening. Therefore she didn't notice, that new visitors crossed the hall. The fluffy carpet swallowed their footsteps, so that Cole and Prue didn't hear, that they arrived in front of the fireplace.
"Edward, Shel at least you are here. I'm glad to see you." they suddenly heard David Morgan's voice.
Cole looked up startled and Prue hardened. "Edward Wingrove" Cole whispered into Prue's ear.
She looked aside and could only make out a general shape of a man, standing with his back to her. She shrugged her shoulders hardly noticeable.
"Sit down please, my dear friends." The woman at Morgan's side offered.
Edward Wingrove looked around hesitatingly. "Do we really want to talk here" he asked in a low voice.
David Morgan laughed. "Oh I'd say they are busy with something else, they won't listen." He said loudly.
Prue pulled an annoyed face, it was awkward to allow this bastard to watch them kissing, but it would be even worse if he recognized them. She snuggled up to Cole and tried to obstruct Morgan's view with her back as good as possible.
"But if they disturb you, we can go to the next restaurant." David suggested. "How was I to know that there are still some guests in the lobby at this time."
They stood up and went to the exit, when Morgan went past Cole's and Prue's armchair very closely. "You should better disappear in your room." He suggested them in a loud voice and laughed perfectly content.
Prue and Cole looked at each other and it was obvious, that Morgan made them sick. But they didn't utter a sound, but kept silent, until he was gone.
When Prue looked around the corner of the armchair the next time, she couldn't see anybody of the group anymore. She sat down in the next armchair in relief and said angrily. "He is so disgusting."
"You can say that again. But I'd like to know more about his close relation to Edward Wingrove." Cole said thoughtfully.
But before they could go on talking about it, a woman from the reception was standing beside them. "Are you guests of this hotel" She wanted to know hesitatingly.
Cole looked at her with a smile. "No, unfortunately your colleague has told me, that all rooms are rent."
The woman shook her head in surprise. "Who could have told you anything like this" She wondered suspiciously.
"Do you mean, I can rent a room" Cole wanted to know quickly.
"Of course, if you'll follow me to the reception desk, please." She walked back and Cole stood up to follow her.
Prue held Cole's arm to stop him. "I don't think, that we should stay overnight in this hotel."
"Why not? Danny is at Dianne's and I'd like to find out, if the group came back here." He explained and went to the reception where he had to fill out a registration form.
"Where is your luggage" The woman asked busy.
Cole looked around searching. "Oh, it's still in the car, we'll take it later."
The young woman smiled. "I see." She said. "Actually we don't rent rooms for just one night." She told him and it was obvious, what she meant by that. "But I'll make an exception in your case." She took a key from the key rack and handed it over to Cole. "Room number 511. It's on the fifth floor. You'll find bathrobes and toiletries there."
Cole smiled smartly at her. "Thank you! And could you tell me, if there's still an open restaurant around here"
The young woman looked at him thoughtfully. "There are some restaurants along the street, which are open at any time. But if you prefer the local cuisine, then I can recommend you a little restaurant at the end of the street. It's a little bit difficult to find, because the entrance is in a side street on a little square. But it's worthwhile, a lot of our guests adore the good food and the cosy atmosphere."
"Thanks for your tip." Cole said and went back to Prue, waiting for him with a sceptical look. When he stood in front of her, he raised the key and waved it in front of her face. "Our room is ready for us."
"Just one key" Prue asked in a bored voice and stood up."You won't tell me, that there was only one room left, will you? That's such a cliché."
"No, you're wrong." he explained with a satisfied smile. "But unfortunately I don't have enough money for two rooms."
"What a pity, that you still don't have a credit card." Prue said ironically and looked at the young woman at the reception desk. She was looking back with a grin. Prue didn't want to know, what she was thinking of her.
"Yes, now I know, why I've waited so long with it." Cole said and seemed to be very satisfied with himself. He touched her arm to lead her to the exit. "But first we'll have to find David Morgan."
They left the hotel and walked along the street. Soon after they passed a few little restaurants and takeaways. They could see through the big glass windows into the interior where the light was shining brightly. There were only a few customers inside and therefore it was no problem to find out, that the group didn't stop at one of them.
When Prue and Cole arrived at the end of the road, they stopped and looked around.
"It was the wrong direction, I knew it. We won't find another restaurant here." Prue told him. "So don't waste time, let's go back." she decided and already wanted to turn around, when Cole stopped her.
"No, wait a moment. The woman has told me something about a hidden restaurant." He said thoughtfully and looked to the left side into a side street. And correct, there was a small square, as the woman has described it. Cole made a sign to Prue. "Let's check the square first." He explained and they entered the square.
It was surrounded by houses and a few cars parked under the shadow of numerous trees. The lighting was scanty, because half of the street lamps had broken light bulbs and nobody has replaced them. But from the back of the square subdued light was shining through the windows of a building. When Cole took a close look at it, he made out a small plate over the entrance, which could point out that it was a restaurant.
"It could be there, at the back." Cole explained and they went through the darkness of the square in the direction of the entrance.
"Tony's" Prue read after a while. "That isn't very witty. But who knows, perhaps the food is better than the name." She walked to the menu purposefully. It was hanging in a lighted box beside the door. Cole followed her and they stopped in front of it to look at the menu intently.
"Mm, not very promising." Prue found out quickly and looked at Cole requesting. "Do you see anything"
Cole looked at her asking "What"
"The window" Prue explained with a shake of her head and pointed to the back of herself.
"Oh, you didn't check it yet" Cole asked ironically and looked past the curtain. It was tied together at the sides and he could see into the room.
"What do you take me for? Do you think I've eyes in the back of my head" Prue wanted to know meanwhile.
"How should I know? You never know with Halliwells, you have to be prepared for everything." Cole told her, while he tried to look into the restaurant. A vase in the middle of the window obstructed his view. But he could finally make out that four persons sat at the table. "Well it's the right number." He just told Prue, when he heard a laughing coming out of the tilted window. "It's David Morgan, no doubt." Cole looked at Prue asking.
"If we hide behind the cars, they won't be able to see us but we'll have a better view." Prue whispered.
"But we won't hear anything." Cole threw in.
Prue ignored his objection and shook her head. "We won't hear them here, either. They don't talk very loudly. So let's go." She turned around and went to the parking cars.
Cole sighed and followed her reluctantly. From their new position they could make out the four persons sitting in the restaurant at the window. "David Morgan, Edward Wingrove and Shelly Carey." Cole found out to his own surprise. "What's Amy's mother doing here? And who is the other woman"
Prue shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps she is Morgan's mother." she supposed.
Cole looked at her sceptically. "The woman is black, Prue." he informed her.
"I know, but that's Morgan's mother, too." Prue told him with a satisfied grin. "Judy has told me about it."
"Oh." Cole said in surprise. "But it's still a mystery to me, what they are doing here together."
"Yes, I wished we could hear something." Prue sighed.
"You wanted to change our position." Cole reminded her and looked around. "If we could get into the restaurant someway." He said thoughtfully, when suddenly the door of the restaurant was opened and Shelly Carey rushed out of it. Cole and Prue crouched behind the cars and listened Shelly's steps. Her high heels clip-clopped onto the cobblestones of the square.
Shortly after the door was opened again. "Shelly" Edward Wingrove shouted. "Can't you stop for a minute." Wingrove ran behind Shelly and obviously stopped her, because her shoes didn't clip-clop anymore. "You know that it's important. We'll do it for Amy."
Cole and Prue heard a loud sob. "No, I can't believe that there is no other solution."
"You know, that there isn't. Otherwise I wouldn't allow it." Edward explained loudly, but then he continued in a low voice, nevertheless Cole and Prue could understand every single word. "She's my daughter, too.
Cole had to try hard not to utter a sound, because this news took him by surprise. And it was the same with Prue. She looked at Cole completely flummoxed.
"I know." Shelly whispered. "But I can't come to a decision right now. Please don't force me."
"I won't ever do that." Judging by the sounds, Edward embraced Shelly to comfort her. At the same time another person opened the door of the restaurant again.
"What's wrong now" they could hear David Morgan's harsh voice.
"Nothing David. I'll contact you later. Finish your diner, it's on me." He explained generously. "I'll take Shelly home now."
"As you wish Edward. It's your decision." The door was closed again and Shelly's clip-clopping steps were getting lower and lower, until they couldn't hear them anymore.
Cole and Prue stood up and looked at each other, they were completely amazed. "She's his daughter" Cole let out. "I can't believe it."
"Me, too." Prue looked at Cole thoughtfully. "Do you think she knows it"
"I doubt it very much." Cole said and pulled a face. "Edward Wingrove is her father, well it hits some people where it really hurts."
"Well you just can't choose your parents." Prue said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"You're telling me" Cole turned around and decided. "Come on, let's disappear here."
They crossed the little square and turned into the street leading to the hotel again. But as far as the eye could see, Edward Wingrove and Shelly Carey weren't there. Cole and Prue slowly walked back side by side to the hotel.
"I'd like to know, if Edward's good fellow Donald Carey knows about it." Cole said finally. "Of course not." He answered his own question.
"Mm." Prue thought. "And if Amy didn't know it, I think you shouldn't tell her about it."
Cole smiled ironically. "Do you mean, it wouldn't be pleasant news for her, that the good Edward Wingrove is her father"
"Hardly, I doubt it. She already supposed that her stepfather wants to see her in jail, it will be even harder to know that her biological father feels the same way about it." Prue said.
Cole shook his head thoughtfully. "Much as I'd like to, I can't understand, what Shelly has to do with it. I'd really supposed that her daughter means a lot to her."
"You don't know every detail. Perhaps she is sure to do the best for her daughter." Prue explained thoughtfully.
"Well what is it good for, to see your own daughter in prison for the rest of her live" Cole reflected.
They already arrived in front of the hotel and entered the lobby. Nobody was there, just an elder man obviously fell asleep, because the newspaper was fallen from his lap.
Cole and Prue crossed the hall and went to the old elevator. The woman at the reception desk didn't pay them attention. She didn't look up, when the squealing door of the elevator opened and Prue and Cole got it. They went up to the 5th floor and entered the corridor. Cole took out the key and looked for the right hotel room.
When he finally found it, he unlocked the door and opened it. Then he turned round to Prue. "I'd like to carry you over the threshold. How about it" He asked grinning.
Prue flashed a look of contempt at him. "Well you are a demon, therefore you can't know it. But only the groom carries his bride over the threshold, nobody else." she informed him. "And as fas as I know, we aren't a happy couple and we'll never be."
"You never know." Cole pointed out with a smile.
"Forget it." Prue said angrily and squeezed past him to enter the room.
"You can't take a joke, Prue." Cole shrugged his shoulders and followed her into the room.
They were standing in a small corridor and looked around curiously. On the left side was a door to the bathroom and on the other side was an open entrance leading to a combined bed and living room. A light fluffy carpet was lying on the ground and there were two chairs and a table straight on. A large four-poster bed with frilled quilt was placed on the right side and two small antique bedside tables were at every side of it. A wide door made of glass leaded on the narrow balcony.
"Not bad." Prus stated and sat down on one of the armchairs. "At least much better than the lobby."
"Just the frilled bed reminds me of it." Cole explained and took a close look at it. "Mm, what do you think about a little test of the convenience." He wanted to know with a grin.
"Don't mind me. If you are already so tired." Prue said sweet as sugar. "I'll watch the street meanwhile, because therefore we are here." She reminded him. "You can take the next turn later."
"Don't worry, I'm not tired at all." Cole went to the balcony and opened the door. A mild evening wind was blowing and Cole entered the balcony. He bent forward to look over the high railing. From this position he had a good view onto the street in front of the hotel. He turned around to Prue. "We can watch the entrance to the hotel." He informed her. "So we'll realize, if Morgan and the woman come back to the hotel."
Prue stood up and stepped beside him to look over the wretch-iron railing onto the street.
"Will you watch the street for a while" Cole asked her. "I won't be a minute."
Prue nodded and Cole entered the room again. She watched the street, there were hardly any cars on the way at this time. Prue heard a soft sound of music coming from a window at the other side of the road. She sat down on the ground and leaned back on the railing. If she looked aside, she could still see through the bars onto the street. But Prue prefered to listen to the music in the air and to look into the clear sky full of stars.
Soon later Cole appeared on the balcony again and gave her a glass of champagne.
Prue took it, while she looked at Cole sceptically. "I thought, you don't even have enough money for two rooms."
"Well, that's right but I won't pay for this." He explained with a grin and sat down on the ground opposite to her, too. "But the next guests will be surprised, because the champagne will be a little bit watery."
"Oh, your new- old demonic power" Prue asked and looked at the glass thoughtfully. "You know, what I'm thinking about it."
"Since when do you make such a fuss of it" He asked sipping at his champagne.
"I've never trusted any demons." She explained quite clearly. "And unlike you, I'm against it. I'd be glad, if your demonic powers never came back."
"I know, but they are different." He tried to explain. "That are just powers, Prue, they aren't evil, believe me. They simply belong to me. Don't you understand it"
Prue shrugged her shoulders. "In any case, you shouldn't handle them carelessly."
"Don't worry, I won't do that." Cole looked at her thoughtfully. "But nevertheless you should drink it." He told her. "Otherwise you would just waste it, finally I can't pour it back."
Prue looked at the glass in her hand and drank a little bit. The champagne wasn't to be sneezed, it tickled her tongue slightly. Prue decided to stop exaggerating and sipped again. She looked at the street now and then, but nothing happened.
Cole leaned back at the railing. "It isn't very cosy here, is it" He asked and stood up, to go for some pillows. When he came back, Prue was standing at the railing and looked onto the street.
"What's happened" he wanted to know.
Prue cast a quick glance at him. "Somebody entered the hotel, but I don't think that it was Morgan."
"You don't think" Cole asked angrily and stepped beside her to look onto the street. "I really thought, you'd take it more seriously. You could watch out more carefully."
"Oh really? Well you entered the room every five minutes. If it's so important for you, you should have stayed on the balcony." Prue explained and decided. "Basically it doesn't matter, if they come back or not. It doesn't help us along."
"Okay! Perhaps you're right." Cole confessed, nevertheless he sat down again and put the pillow behind his back. "But it won't do any harm to go on watching." He decided and stretched out his legs.
Prue nodded and stayed at the railing to look into the night. She also wasn't keen to go into the hotel room. The stars were shining at the dark sky and the mild wild blew soft music to them. She closed her eyes and relaxed.
Cole looked up at Prue and when he saw her standing there, she was very lifelike. He didn't want to think that she had been dead not long ago. "Are you happy, that you are alive again" he asked in a low voice and added with a smile. "In spite of everything."
"In spite of everything." Prue said thoughtfully and looked at the street again, where a cat just ran around a corner onto a backyard. Yes, in this moment she felt incredible alive and she couldn't imagine to give it up again. In spite of everything. She turned around to Cole. "I've never really accepted to be dead. That everything should be over for me forever."
"Oh, I can well imagine, that you didn't accept it." Cole said with a smile.
Prue kneeled down to be at Cole's eye level. "I suppose it was the same with you." She said.
"Yes, the first time it was. I would have done everything to live again." Cole explained thoughtfully. "But the last time." He shook his head. "No, actually I wasn't keen to change anything of my situation."
"But nevertheless you did." Prue said.
Cole nodded. "Yes, and it's the best what could have happened to me." he explained in a low voice.
Prue kept squat down and leaned back to the railing, because opposite to Cole wasn't enough place for her. She grasped with her hands through the elaborate curved bars to hold onto it and looked into the hotel room. "I'd say, I'll better go inside. Because obviously there's no room left for me on the balcony."
Cole pointed at the place in front of him. "You could sit down here." He suggested and leaned forward to pull her up to him.
Prue let it happen and when she was sitting in front of him, she leaned back on him, that was much better than the hard railing, she decided. And when Cole wrapped his arms around her, she felt against her own will, very secure with him.
Cole's glance passed her and he suddenly saw the amulet with the big tooth around her neck. She had told him, that the voodoo priestess had given it to her as a present, nevertheless he was surprised, that she was still wearing it. He lifted it with one of his fingers and held it in front of her face. "Why do you still wear it" He asked in surprise.
Prue shrugged her shoulders, she herself didn't know exactly, why she didn't take off the ugly amulet, yet. "Well I don't know why." She confessed. Cole dropped it again and Prue took it into her hand. "I really shouldn't wear it anymore." She decided and wanted to take it off, but Cole took her hand to stop her.
"No, leave it where it is. No matter how ugly it is. You should wear it, if there is the slightest possibility that it protects you." He stated firmly.
Prue turned her head a little to look at him. "Why"
"Well I want to be sure that everything is alright with you." he said in a low voice and kissed her neck, suddenly he made up his mind that it was the truth. He couldn't imagine what he would do, if she wasn't there anymore.
Prue had to smile against her own will, why on earth did she have to feel so terribly good? Alive and content, as if she had everything, she always wanted. But of course that was completely wrong.
They didn't talk anymore, they just listened into the night. They breathed in the sweet May air and heard the quiet music. There wasn't anything to talk, because no-one of them would confess, how he was feeling at the moment. It was even harder to admit that they like it to be together, than to accept that they have slept with each other. Uncontrollable passion was one thing, a fact they could tolerate, but it was something else to feel good and confortable in each others company.
Time passed by, but both didn't want to budge. Probably they would have sat on the balcony until dawn, if a tower clock hadn't suddenly struck two. This noise caused that Prue came back to reality. "I'll go inside now." She decided and pushed aside Cole's arms to stand up. "For my sake you can stay here and watch the street till sunrise, if it makes you happy."
Cole looked after her and saw Prue going through the room disappearing in the bathroom. But he stayed where he was and looked into the night sky thoughtfully. As long as it was just fun between him and Prue, he could enjoy it, but he didn't want more, by no means. He knew where it would all end up and he would never allow another Halliwell to twist him round her little finger, this much was certain. He didn't want to fall in love ever again.
Cole leaned his head against the railing and remembered, when he held Prue in his arms not long ago. A part of him wanted to sit there and hold her tightly for the rest of his life. But no, that was crazy, just to think that he could have any feelings for her. No, he wouldn't allow that ever again, he'd make it a rule not to let it happen, everything else would just cause nothing but trouble. Because Amy was so right, love was just a goddam mess. Even if it had it's good sides, and that was indisputable, they couldn't balance out the bad sides.
Cole looked at the street again lost in thoughts. He doubted very much, that Morgan and the woman would come back to the hotel again. Either they had missed them or they didn't come back at all. Nevertheless Cole couldn't decide to leave the balcony.