Thank you to everyone who has read and supported thus far, it is greatly appreciated! But here we are with a new chapter, and I hope you all enjoy! :D
Gene nodded in approval, looking around the newly refurbished room. The penthouse had finally been complete after about a couple months, and he sipped lightly on a martini. "The place is better than I expected. Every room was done very well. I'll have residents start moving in tomorrow." He turned to Kira, who was staring out the window, able to see the the waves crashing against the shore in the distance. "Kira, this is going to be our crowning achievement. And I have you to thank for it."
Kira smiled lightly, listening to the seagulls crying out as they flew towards the water. "I'm glad that we could have this room. The view is beautiful."
"You could have had any room you like!" He chuckled, taking another sip of his martini. "You've done very well, and I have something to reward you with." Gene took something out of his pocket, a shiny, gold key on a necklace. He went behind her, placing it around her neck. She blinked, turning and looking down at the key before looking up at him. "Father... is... is this-"
"Yes, Kira. It's the key to the penthouse. It's yours." Gene smiled.
"Thank you..." She smiled.
"Come, let's find you a nice party dress. Meg's got a new shop around here that's fully stocked." Gene said, placing an arm around Kira as the two descended the stairs.
"Oh, look at how beautiful you are!" Meg exclaimed, giving Kira a brief kiss on the cheek. "Come in dear, oh, I just got some beautiful pieces in! I think a nice shade of green will do..."
As Meg led Kira to the back, Gene looked around a bit, smiling when Felix entered the dress shop. "Felix, my boy! Thank you for arriving so promptly."
"Y- You're welcome sir, but, what... exactly did you need me to come here for, again?" Felix replied.
"Well, the party is coming up quite soon, as you know, and I want it to be the best in town. Now son, I'm not going to be around forever, so I'll need someone to help me make sure Kira's at her best. You know what I mean, don't you?"
Felix cleared his throat. "I- I'm sorry, I don't quite-"
"I need to be sure that if something, heaven forbid, were to happen to me, that all of my assets are left in the... right hands. Now, I love my Kira but she's... she's more like her mother than I'd like to admit. I need someone who's got their feet planted on the ground, Felix. I need someone who's rational about things, that can handle the business." Gene said.
"Are... are you saying... you, you want me to-"
"Alright everyone, take a gander!" Meg exclaimed as she came out with Kira, wearing a traditional 1920s style green dress with the rounded hat, matching green shoes, and a purse. Kira blushed lightly when she saw Felix had come.
"Good afternoon, Felix." Kira said lightly. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I uh..." He cleared his throat. "I wanted to um..." He saw Gene glancing at him out of the corner of his eyes. "I wanted to be the first to see your dress for the party... oh dear, please forgive me for being so flustered."
Kira smiled lightly, chuckling. "Could you not bear the suspense for one more day?"
"I... I suppose not..." Felix chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, you did work very hard these past months, you deserve some form of reward." She tilted her head. "So, tell me what you think."
"I, um... I think you look wonderful, Kira. You always do when you get gussied up." Felix smiled lopsidedly.
Gene nodded to himself as the pair conversed, distracted only when he heard someone call his name. He turned, smiling when Mary approached him. She was a good friend of Meg's. "Oh, hi there Gene! Getting Kira ready for the party, I presume?"
"Sure am! She's really a shining star, she is, as anything of mine is!" Gene beamed. "How's the catering coming along?"
"Wonderfully! Everyone's going to be going home with full stomachs once the night is done!" Mary chirped.
"Well, I always knew you were the finest culinary expert in the state!" Gene laughed, and he continued to chat with her and Meg as he paid Meg for Kira's new attire. As they left the shop, Gene put the bag of clothes in his car. "Say Kira, how about you and Felix take a drive to the boardwalk? It's a nice day, and I have some paperwork to get through anyway."
"And don't forget to stop by at 'Mary's Marvelous' whenever you want to grab a bite! It's right on main street, dears!" Mary waved as she and Meg went back into the dress shop.
Kira blinked a bit, looking from Felix to Gene. "Oh, alright..." She nodded. Gene drove home by himself, and she and Felix took a nice drive to the beach, the two walking along the boardwalk.
"I sure do love it here..." Felix smiled. "I've never seen such a blue sky anywhere else! Remember how you never wanted to leave on our summer trips? We can spend all year here now."
Kira slowed her walking to a stop, resting her arms on the wooden arm rest as she looked out on the ocean. "Father wants me to help run the penthouse..."
Felix blinked a bit, smiling. "That's wonderful, Kira! You deserve it."
"Do I, Felix?" Kira looked up at him, the breeze lightly blowing through her blonde curls. "Do you think it's not just another way for father to keep me as his ward? Can I not ever be free?"
Felix rested his arms against the wood post, biting his lip as he glanced down. "I... I didn't mean..." He paused a moment, his hand reaching for his pocket, taking something out of it. "I managed to make a nice hole in the seashell... nice and neat. But I haven't a chain to put it on."
Kira looked over at the shell and up at him, slowly taking out the necklace she was wearing from under her collar, and Felix blinked. "Yes. Father gave me the key to the penthouse... and all the responsibilities with it that he wishes to place on me." She smiled sadly. "Coming here, I thought I would be free. But it seems that I'll be caged here too, like a lark... and how cruel that the key be placed in my hands but I cannot escape from it.
Felix gently undid the necklace, putting the seashell on and placing it back around her neck. "But this isn't all your life has to be, Kira." Felix smiled. "The seashore is just a short walk away." Kira looked up at him as he took her hands in his. "And you aren't alone."
Kira smiled at him, the two linking arms as they continued to walk along the boardwalk.
Gene had invited Roy, Don, and Norwood to his room, the four drinking a variety of alcohol and smoking cigars.
"You're really setting her up with that boy, Gene?" Roy laughed heartily. "He's a nice kid, treats her well, but he's as tough as one of her bloomers fluttering gracefully in the wind as it hangs to dry!"
"Oh, come now Roy, Kira doesn't have to marry an ox... they have known each other their whole lives, after all, it'll make the process easier." Norwood said, taking a sip of whiskey.
Gene puffed out a bit of smoke from his cigar before speaking. "The boy inherited his father's construction business the minute ol' Felix Sr. kicked the bucket. It's a very healthy industry, which is the other reason I relocated to the island. Kira will never have to worry about money a moment in her life... this is the roaring twenties, gentlemen! She'll be the richest woman in the state between my assets and his!"
"Boy, Gene... you've got this all planned out, huh?" Don took a sip of rum. "Does Kira know about the plans?"
"No, and don't any of you stool pigeons say a word to her or I'll charge you triple rent!" Gene snapped, calming a bit when he sipped on his martini. "I love Kira, but the girl is like a wild stallion. She never stays put and gets down to business. Her head is always in the clouds. When women become of age they marry and raise a family! Not doing all this painting and dreaming rubbish..."
"You've got to reel her in close, Gene. If you give her too much line, she'll break away and there goes your prize fish... and all the income the boy's got with it." Don replied.
"The party will secure their relationship, it's got to." Gene said. "By the end of the night, that boy better be the only thing on Kira's mind."
The next evening, Mary was setting up the food table with all of her delicious dishes, and Gene was setting up the bar with plenty of drinks to choose from. Kira had selected some choice songs to play on the record player. She was in her room, already cleaned and in her outfit, and Lucy, another friend of Gene, Meg and Mary's, was fixing up Kira's hair, an expert as she worked at the local hair salon.
"Darling, you are just stunning." She smiled, leaning her head down next to Kira's. "You've grown into a beautiful young woman, Kira. You'd be the perfect wife for any young bachelor!"
Kira blushed a bit, smiling as she bowed her head. "Please Lucy, you're making me feel bashful."
"I mean every word, dear. I remember when you were just a girl, your mother would dress you in those beautiful lace dresses, you were like a walking, talking doll!" Lucy giggled. "Well, you're just about done, you should hurry out now, the guests will enjoy someone pretty greeting them!"
Kira got up, smoothing her dress out as she put on her gloves. She went into the other room, putting on a record. Gene looked up as she proceeded to the foyer to wait for arriving guests, smiling lightly. In no time, guests arrived, all new residents in the penthouse, and they raved about how much Kira had grown since they saw her last, complementing the beautiful penthouse and congratulating Gene on this successful project.
"It's splendid, Gene! Such wonderful taste! I didn't care how much it cost, the view from my room of the coast is wonderful!"
"Gene, my boy, who is your landscaper? I have a few places that need some work done but it's just done so perfectly here!"
"Hey bartender! We aren't gonna wait all night for some sauce, are we?"
Gene shook hands, laughed, mingled with his guests as he poured out drinks and Mary helped give out food. Kira felt lost in all the chattering, laughing, even a bit of dancing, the music fast paced and adding to the overstimulating atmosphere. Her tense train of thought was broken when she felt someone take her hand, and she turned to see Felix smile at her, bowing his head a bit. "Evening, m'am."
A smile graced Kira's features as she chuckled. "Finally, someone I can actually converse with comfortably!"
"I can't believe how wonderful everything turned out... somehow even when involved in putting the whole place together, the results are still just as eye popping as seeing it for the first time!" Felix smiled. He glanced over, seeing Gene pouring a drink for someone, giving the young man a nod. Felix smiled nervously, remembering the discussion he and Gene'd had earlier concerning Kira. He hated to deceive his best friend for this, but even he agreed that settling her wild spirit down with a marriage licence was probably best. He had to do this slow, had to do it right. He turned back to Kira, the two talking and laughing. Kira wasn't a big drinker, neither was Felix. They sipped on ice water, the night rolling on as they ate. He knew in his heart he always had a special love for Kira, but it was always left unsaid. He was always perfectly content with just her company, being near her, even if she didn't love him as deeply as he did. He didn't know the deepest confines of her heart, too fearful to explore the deeper recesses of it, afraid of becoming lost in the forest.
The fast paced atmosphere slowed a tad when a slower song came on, and a few of the guests slow danced, laughing and chattering, but it was softer now. Kira met Felix's gaze as the female on the record sang a smooth, liquid melody, and Felix slowly took her hands, gently standing her up with him as he gained a bit of confidence, moving closer as they started to dance in a slow circle.
"Felix... I had no idea you knew how to dance." Kira smiled.
"Well, if I'm coordinated enough to build a whole penthouse, I suppose dancing isn't all too hard..." He chuckled lightly. "You're so light on your feet."
"I did take ballet lessons... mother insisted because SHE took them as a girl. I hated those awful wooden blocks in the shoes... just thinking of it makes my feet sore..." They both laughed a bit, falling silent for a moment as Felix gazed upon her sweetly.
Gene was watching them silently, smiling to himself as he watched his plan unfold before him. "Another successful project under way, Gene, my boy..." He said quietly to himself as he sipped on a martini.
Felix exhaled lightly, noticing Kira's gaze start to break from his as she glanced to the side. "Kira... you don't have to be afraid. It's only me."
"I know that... but... I... I just..."
Felix stopped the slow dancing, holding her hand with one of his, gently pressing a finger against her lips, making her refocus on him. "I've... I've always felt a closeness with you. It's... I hope I don't alarm you with this confession... but we aren't children anymore. I... I know you've got a free heart, but... if you could give it but to one person... if you could honor just one lucky man with it... I would never dishonor that offer." Kira stared up at him in shock as he gently squeezed her hands, never seeing her friend be so bold before. "Kira Walker... I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I... I love you. I have always loved you."
Kira blinked, and she took in a deep breath before Felix leaned in to kiss her, making some of the party guests giggle and gossip a bit. Kira heard their voices, gently pushing him away and breaking the kiss. "Felix, I..." She shook her head. "Not like this..." She took a step back. "Don't soil what we have like this..."
Felix furrowed his brows. "Kira... I... I didn't mean to-"
"I'm sorry... but... this is not what I want. I... I'm not ready for marriage, for the lock and key..."
"Kira, you know I would never-"
"Felix, things always change... do you think how you feel for me now would change if we were wed? You would want to protect me, keep me sitting on the shelf like a fragile doll, afraid for me to break... no. I want to be free... I want us both to be free. I'm sorry, I can't accept you." Without another word, she turned, quickly heading out the door.
Gene was already quickly distracting the guests, avoiding any bad press. Felix stood in shock, plopping down in a chair as he looked at his hands, the hands that Kira's had been neatly folded in not moments ago, and they felt very cold as he held his head in his hands. "Felix, you fool..."
Kira inhaled sharply, her eyes squeezed shut as tears managed to pour out of them, sniffling as she dabbed her face with a handkerchief. The love they shared was already simple and beautiful, like the forest encircling most of the penthouse. But now Felix had wanted to clear it, building on it a cage of brick and stone to keep her trapped within the binds of marriage. Was what they had not enough? She sighed, dabbing her eyes as she regained her composure, about to head back inside when she heard something in the distance, from within the woods. She looked towards it, remembering that fateful day she had seen the mysterious creature within the trees. Her feet moved on their own accord as she was drawn to the sound, wandering into the trees darkened by the night, except for the moonlight that touched down through the treetops as the sun had that day. As she entered, she saw a large outline, just out of the moonlight's reach. She paused, looking around for a moment before returning her focus to it, making sure she was seeing clearly this time.
"I know you're there... and I know you are real, you aren't just a fabrication... you were watching me the last time... you are the one I hear roaming in the night... the one who saved me from the sting, and returned me." She said, slowly stepping closer. "Won't you let me see you? Won't you speak? Can you speak?"
She noticed the creature shift, and she jumped back a bit upon what she heard next, not expecting it.
"... Yes." It spoke, answering her question.
It took a few moments to compose herself, inhaling sharply. "Do you... have a name?"
"... all things have names... whether they are spoken are not. I am the Keeper. The Keeper of the Trees. But some... have been taken." His voice was deep, a bit gravelly.
"I... I am Kira." She took another step closer. "Please, let me see you... let me know you are a true form."
The creature hesitated, and when voices were heard in the background, she did not acknowledge them, only furrowing her brows when the creature began to retreat. "No... no, please, don't leave! Come back!" She cried, reaching a hand out. It was too late however, as the creature hurriedly ran deeper into the forest on heavy footsteps, leaving Kira's arm to slowly return to its side. As her father caught up with her, she could not hear his scolding but only the voice of the creature that enchanted her.
Well well, we already have some drama starting in this chapter! Poor Felix was let down, and we once again meet with the mysterious forest creature. Will Kira be able to see him again? Find out next time! Thank you again to those who have read/reviewed/supported! :D