"Oh?" Emmanuel mused. "And what about us have you been thinking?"
"Well," Violet said, bringing the mugs over to the table, "Mostly I have been thinking about how little I know about you. You won't tell me about any of your past, be it on the pirate ship or otherwise."
"Oh, dear Violet," Emmanuel said, "You do not want to hear of my past. It is too full of violence, torment and pain. No, the present is what matters right now. The present, here, being with you and I."
"But there is so much in a man's past that can tell you who he is. The things that he has gone through -- darling, I will not judge you for anything that you tell of me. If anything, it will only make my heart grow fonder for you, and make our love grow stronger."
Emmanuel had stopped smiling.
"And what would you do with this information?" he asked, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Hmm? For what reason do you so desperately want to know these things? Is it for your husband, the Lord Winchester?"
"What? No!" Violet replied, shocked at the accusation. "The information would be for me and me alone!"
Behind her the kettle began to boil and she went over to attend it, feeling flustered. The conversation she had started was not going at all the way she had intended.
"You still haven't answered my question," Emmanuel said, standing up from the table. "What would you do with this information, were I to give it to you?"
"Nothing!" Violet said as she pulled the kettle away from the fire. "I would do nothing with it!"
"So then why do you want it so desperately?" he asked, walking towards her.
"I simply want to know more about you!" she cried, tears starting to run down her face. "I only wish to be more involved with your life!"
"My life!" Emmanuel roared. "You know nothing of my life, you spoiled woman! I have risked life and limb to come find you! Men were at my back, shooting at me as I ran! I was almost caught by the royal guards as I scaled your mansion's walls, all to see you! I escaped from my old life simply to be with you, and this is how you repay me?"
"No!" Violet cried out. Emmanuel was standing before her now, his huge chest heaving with anger. She placed both hands there, lowering her head as she wept. He did not move his arms; did not embrace her.
"I think that your curious mind and delicate frame would not be able to handle, let alone understand, what I have gone through in the past," Emmanuel said, his voice low but still full of anger. "Perhaps it is best if you left."
Violet gasped and looked up into Emmanuel's face, her cheeks streaked with tears, her eyes brimmed with red. Emmanuel looked into her eyes and for a second she thought she saw compassion on his face. But the next moment he looked away from her, at the wall instead.
"Yes, I think it is best if you were to go, Violet," he said. He took a step back and left her, shaking, to stand on her own. Emmanuel picked up her shawl and handed it to her, then walked to the door and opened it. He stood to the side as Violet, still sobbing, walked through. Once out into the street Violet heard the door close behind her, cutting her off from her lover.
~~~
Veronica put the book down and leaned her head back on the chair. She did not want to read about that right now. She folded the corner of the page and closed the book, putting it back down on the table. Getting up from the chair, she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. As she drank she glanced at the clock on the oven. It read 11:13.
She decided that she would leave early, maybe grab a snack on the way to the park where the group was meeting up. Grabbing her purse and coat and putting on her shoes, Veronica left the house and got into her car, driving away.
Chapter 16
At five minutes to noon, Veronica pulled into the parking lot where the group was meeting, a cherry danish in her hand. She parked her car and did the traditional sweeping glance to try to find Jason's car. But it wasn't there. She turned off the engine and looked around again, thinking she may have missed it. It was nowhere to be found. She felt her heart sink in her chest.
Jason wasn't here. That was it. He'd quit the group and she, in all likelihood, would never see him again. Because he wasn't the kind of guy who would be able to be found if he didn't want to be found. She didn't know where he worked, where he lived, what part of town he was staying in. She didn't even know his last name, for God's sake. How could she have been so stupid?
Her lower lip started to tremble and Veronica wanted to go home. But she knew what would happen if she went back now. She would walk back into an empty house, a sham of a marriage, and a meaningless life. Instead she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, forcing her feelings down inside of her, where they weren't going to show. She opened her car door and got out, locking it behind her.
Walking over to the group, all waiting to enjoy the lovely day, she did another instinctive sweep for Jason's black hair and leather jacket. Again, nothing. She walked up to Nancy, who greeted her.
"Hey Veronica," she said. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Huh?" Veronica asked, thrown off by the question.
"You look a little pale," Nancy pointed out.
"Oh, no," Veronica replied, trying to put on a smile. "I'm just a little tired."
"Ah, of course," Nancy said.