Disclaimer: Somewhere in Time and Twilight are not mine.
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Chapter 8: Man of her Dreams
EPOV
My ticket is waiting for me at the door just like Bella said it would be. I quickly settled in my seat and waited for her. When she makes her appearance I am captivated by her presence on stage. She is wearing a floor length white gown and the spot light gives her an ethereal glow. She looks like an angel walking across the stage, the fabric alternating between billowing out and clinging to her legs. She is amazing. She is able to project that soft voice into the theater so that all can hear her. She has such poise. She really is talented. I am so proud of her.
I am mesmerized watching her for the first half. I don't think I heard more than two words she said. I just watch her. The way her skirt clings to her legs as she walks across stage. The way she gestures with her hands as she talks. How she licks her lips before speaking her lines. I'm grateful for this opportunity. If she were not on stage performing I would never have been allowed to watch her the way I am without attracting attention. She's a member of polite society and I will have to play by their rules. But for now, while she is up on stage, I can memorize her body in motion.
When she looks me in the eye, I come back to reality. Her words start sinking in. It seems as though she is delivering a monologue. She is supposed to be addressing the other actress on stage. My eyes lock on hers and the whole room disappears. She is talking of love. Of meeting her destiny. I know that these are words from a script but, something about the way she looks to me as she recites them, I can't help but think she is talking about me. About us. I still feel like I am in a dream. I can't keep the glazed over look out of my eyes. She is talking about the man of her dreams. I try not to read too much into her words but she is looking right at me as she says them with such feeling I almost forget to breathe.
"… the sort of man each woman dreams of in the deepest most secret reaches of her heart. I can almost see him now before me. What would I say to him…if he were really here? Forgive me. I've never known this feeling. I've lived without it all my life. Is it any wonder that I failed to recognize you? You, who brought it to me for the first time. Is there any way that I can let you know how my life has changed? Any way at all to let you know of the sweetness you have given me? There is so much to say I… I can not find the words… Except, for these…" She takes a small shuddering breath.
"I love you."
My heart is pounding in my chest and I don't think I took a breath or blinked the entire time she 'spoke to me'. When I flash her my crooked smile she breaks character and smiles back for just a second. She quickly turns to hide the small blush that has, once again, stained her cheeks. The crowd burst into applause after her moving speech and I can't keep myself from joining in. I'm thankful for a way to release some of the joy that has been rising in me to near overflowing.
I seek her out during the intermission. I'm not sure if I will be able to see her, let alone talk to her again, but I have to try. I'm lucky. The cast is being photographed and I arrive just in time to see Bella sit for her portrait. Not wanting to disturb, I slowly approach her from behind the camera. The photographer has just finished adjusting her pose and is about to snap the picture when she looks up at me. Her eyes light up and she smiles with a hint of a blush. It's the look.
FLASH
Realization dawns the second that the picture is taken. The portrait that will one day hang in the Hall of History. The one that I gazed into so often, dreaming that she was looking at me that way. It truly was a picture of my Bella giving me that look frozen in time. The thought makes my head swim.
We need to talk. The company is leaving after the set is broken down. She isleaving for Denver tonight with them. How can I let her go now? I can't keep my smile in. Yes, we definitely need to talk.
I'm not able to see her after the photo is taken. Alice, her maid, shows up and whisks her away for her wardrobe change so I make my way out to my seat. Shortly after the play resumes, an usher hands me a note. It's from James Meadows. He needs to speak to me, to meet him at the gazebo behind the theater straight away. It's a matter of life or death, the note claims. As much as I would like to ignore him, this matter needs to be settled. At least Bella will be on stage and not have to witness our argument. She notices me get up and walk up the aisle. I send her an apologetic smile unable to explain as I leave.
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Mr. Meadows doesn't waste any time and lays into me the second I mount the stairs to the gazebo. "Do you have any notion how many years I have been with Miss Swan?"
I've done my research and I remember it well. "It will be ten years this coming March." It's only summer now and I hope that referring to their relationship in the future tense will calm him somewhat.
"March… that's correct." He seems quietly surprised I know this and makes eye contact for the first time. "Over nine years ago. She was sixteen at the time." Mr. Meadows' voice is eerily calm as he remembers. I find it unsettling. "There she was. On that dingy stage in that pathetic play. Total. Radiance. It only took me seconds to realize exactly what she had to be."
"Mrs. Meadows?" I clench my jaw.
His voice steadily rises and his face reddens. "Do you actually believe that I have nurtured her, cared for her, molded, taught and developed her for all these years merely to groom a WIFE!?"
"What then?" I ask shocked and completely confused.
"A star." The eerie calm voice is back and I'm not sure it's better than the rage. Then his voice rose again as he began, "Only someone with the limited awareness of your age could conceive that my entire passion for this woman is no more than physical!" he accuses. "Are you even capable of understanding that she has it within herself to be one of the greatest, if not, THE greatest actress of her generation!?"
I slowly approach James and take a steadying breath to address him calmly, "I owe you an apology, Mr. Meadows."
"What?" he huffs. Confusion is playing on his face as its color slowly returns.
"I understand you now." I speak quietly, calmly, and try and let him know that I am not a threat. "You have nothing but the best of intentions for her."
"And you think-"
"BUT," I interrupt him, "So do I. Of course, she will continue to act. She will continue to grow. And she will become everything that you want her to be."
"With you at her side?" he asks, his voice sounds almost disconnected.
"Yes. With me at her side." I am confident.
"Never," he hisses.
"My God. You really think you own her, don't you?" It's time to walk away from this.
"Masen," he calls me back. "I know who you are." He has almost a crazy gleam in his eyes. "Ever since you came here. I've known from the start." Can he really know? "You came to destroy her."
"God man, you really are out of your mind." Now I really do walk away from him. He has lost touch with the situation. I need to keep Bella from him. I can see that now. She is no longer safe with this man. The play must be ending now. I can hear the applause. If I hurry, I can get backstage before James has a chance to get close to her again.
"Victor! Laurent!" James yells from behind me.
I turn just in time to see two dark figures rush towards me from the shadows and attack.
Then… darkness.
A/N: Review, Review, Review! As you can see reviews make me post faster. LOL I need to make sure I reward you guys for taking the time to tell me what you think or what your fav lines were, right? BTW, who liked that I gave Victoria a sex change to fit her into the story? :snickers and giggles: Not that you could tell but I also made her balding and gave her a bad mustache just to really piss her off. You know she had to be vain about all that red hair after all the mentions it had in SMeyer's books. ;o)
Obviously, most of the material this chapter was in the one shot. The next chapter is all fresh-never-before-seen stuff, though. (Yeah!) :o)
We are officially over the hump. There are only 16 chapters to this story if you include the prologue. The good news is that other than the lemon, the chapters will be all new material that was never posted in the original one shot. I hope your excited. The chapters after the lemon are my favs! :o)