I had a change I needed to make to this chapter. It doesn't change the plot of the story in any way, it just needed to be changed to fit the characters. Anyway, I hope you guys took a look at the pictures over at the journal. If you did, please tell me what you think, I'm dying to know.
The knocking on my door woke me up the next morning. Looking over at the clock, I saw that it was almost an hour later then I normally woke up.
"Miss Serena, are you awake?" The voice of Alfred sounded through the door.
"I am now!" I yelled back, realizing too late that I was speaking in Japanese. "Sorry, I said I am now!" I yelled again.
"I had a feeling what you said was to that effect." Alfred replied as I opened the door.
"Can I ask why you have come to my door to wake me up?" I asked Alfred as I walked away from the open door and to my walk-in closet where all my clothes were.
"The stylist Master Bruce had me call is coming this afternoon, and Master Bruce wanted to get in a lesson before they arrived, and we couldn't very well have you sleeping the day away, now could we?" While Alfred was talking, I had pulled out a pair of jeans and a button down shirt. Taking off my PJs, I called out in response to Alfred.
"Well, I guess that is a good reason to wake me up." I told him
"I thought it would be." He answered. "Now, I will leave you to continue dressing."
"Thank you Alfred!" I yelled out as I heard the door close. Stepping out of my closet with my shirt unbuttoned, I walked over to my bathroom and washed my face. Dabbing on some moisturizer with sunscreen, I began to consider what I wanted to wear Saturday night. I knew for sure I wanted it to have no resemblance to the dresses I wore as the Moon Princess and NeoQueen Serenity, but I had no clue what I wanted it to look like. Shaking my head, I buttoned up my shirt and slipped on a pair of shoes before I left my room and made my way down to the kitchen.
When I walked into the kitchen, two plates were laid out with food on them. Taking a seat at my normal spot, I glared at the glass of Alfred's nausea remedy that was beside my plate.
"I am not drinking that." I told Alfred firmly. He simply looked at me. We were locked in a stalemate for a few moments before Bruce came in. Taking a look at the plates, he immediately spotted the drink by mine.
"You're not going to drink that, are you?" Bruce asked me as he sat down.
"No, I am not." I told him, looking at Alfred as I did so.
"We shall see." Was all Alfred said as Bruce and I started to eat. We all took part in some small talk, and by the time breakfast was over, I heard all the trials and tribulations of the Delane's marriage, and how it was a miracle they made it to 50 years. Getting off the stool, I smiled at Alfred and then looked at the drink.
"I told you I was not going to drink that."
"I knew you weren't, Miss Serena." Turning around, he picked something up off the counter and turned back to me. In his hand was a glass of my favorite fruit smoothie. "That is why I made you this."
I could help but smile as I walked over to Alfred, got the drink, and gave him a hug. "Thank you Alfred." I told him as I gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"You're very welcome Miss Serena" He replied as we broke apart. Still smiling, I walked out of the kitchen through the door Bruce was holding open for me and made my way to Bruce's study.
"I was thinking that we could read some more from the book of poems you were reading from yesterday." Bruce said as we came to the study door.
"That sounds like a good idea." I answered as the door was again opened for me. I was surprised at the fact that I was acting so normally around Bruce. This was the man that I was in love with, and he returned my feelings. How could I, silly Serena, be acting so calmly.
Sitting down in my chair. I picked up the book from where I had laid it down yesterday.
"Actually, Serena, would you mind if I picked out a poem?" Bruce asked me, and by the way he said it, I knew that it was important to him. I nodded at him and passed him the book. He flipped it opened and took a look at the table of contents. Finding what he was looking for, he turned to the correct page and then passed the book back over to me. I noticed immediately that he was nervous, a far cry from the confident Bruce he had been just a moment before. Looking down at the page, I started reading.
"Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That valleys, groves, hills and fields,
Woods or steepy mountains yields.
And we will sit upon the rocks,
Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
A gown made of the finest wool,
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair-lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;
A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs;
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my love.
The shepherds' swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May morning;
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love"
My voice simply trailed off at the end. I was completely unsure of everything at that moment. It was as if my whole world had been turned upside down. Knowing about feelings and actually having them acted own were two very different things. I couldn't bring myself to look up, but I knew that I needed to say something.
"Did I…" I stumbled for a moment, "Did I read it correctly?" To say I was nervous at that moment was an understatement. I believe my hands started to shake, because the next thing I knew Bruce was beside me, steadying my hands and helping me place the book back on the table. Looking at our intertwined hands, I turned my head and met Bruce's eyes.
"You read it beautifully." Bruce told me. The next thing I knew, our arms were around each other and we were kissing. Not the sweet, innocent kisses that Darien and I had always shared, but kisses with passion behind them. By the time we broke apart, both of us were standing up, wrapped up in one another. I leaned my head against Bruce's chest as I gasped for breath, and I felt Bruce run his fingers through my hair.
"I heard you last night when you were talking with Alfred in the kitchen." I had no clue why I admitted that fact, it just seemed to come out without my consent.
"I know." He answered back, kissing the top of my head. "I heard you go up the stairs to come back down." I looked up at him, expecting some type of anger, but all I found was peace. For a moment all the shadows that had constantly haunted his eyes were gone, and all I saw was happiness. "The poem's request does hold true, I do want you to stay here." And while I knew that I should move out, that I should live on my own without being dependent on someone, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I felt more comfortable here with Bruce and Alfred than I ever felt back in Japan, and I didn't want to lose that. So I simply stood up on my toes and brought my lips up right in front of Bruce's, as if to kiss him, but stopped just before I did.
"I guess we will be needing to find some shepherds herding their flocks to watch." I whispered against his lips, which quickly turned up in a big smile when he realized my answer. And while we began to kiss again, something was nagging me within my mind. What was it that Alfred told Bruce he would need to tell me about? And why was it the big secret of Wayne Manor? But at that moment, I didn't care. I was in love, and that was all that mattered.
Serena read The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe.