VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, [6], 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 11:24:58 04/14/09 Tue
Author: Odelle
Author Host/IP: CPE0013f7f24246-CM0013f7f24242.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com / 99.234.121.213
Subject: When A Time Comes (Chapter 27)
In reply to: Odelle 's message, "When A Time Comes" on 11:23:04 04/14/09 Tue



“So, how overwhelming was that?” Nikita asked with a wry grin as Michael got into the back of the SUV, sliding into the leather of the plush black seats. His attire mimicked hers in style to fit with their evening tonight. A full suit was one of the rare times she enjoyed seeing him in all black, and he would undoubtedly stand out like a dark mirage in the crowd at the theatre.

Michael turned his gaze to her and smiled with it in response. “Fine,” he whispered softly, but he knew she wanted more so added, “I had fun. Thank you for having me.” They were both referring to the dinner at her home a few nights go. The festivities had lasted from early afternoon to the late night hours, and Michael assumed she was checking to make sure he hadn’t spent the time since recovering from the engulfing nature of her community.

Nikita studied him with her smile, “The kids haven’t stopped talking about you. Especially about your bike.”

Michael chuckled with a soft smile, and looked down shyly.

After an enormous, outrageously noisy meal together, they had all gone out to play outside in the waning sunset. Nikita’s property boasted a large green space behind the house, with a lush green field surrounded by groves of trees. The adults had sat in a collection of furniture on a brick island, while the children had played an array of sports and imaginative activities on the lawn. Their laughter had set the tone for the light conversation between the adults.

It had all be strangely domestic until Nikita, Liam, Guillaume, and Justus all had their cell phones ring simultaneously. With tight looks, the four got up immediately and went inside to confer. Michael had admittedly felt a tinge of jealously to be out of the loop; out of the action of the job. Confronted with what was obviously a division between the free and the restricted; the outside and the inside; Michael had found himself distinctly outside the perimeter of the informed. He could only admit that it stung. Even Walter’s presence beside him, still chatting amiably, was no consolation – and the older man clearly knew it.

But in moments a few of the children swarmed on them. As if sensing an unarmed, easy prey they cajoled and dragged a surprised Michael out into the action. Before he knew where he was, Michael had become the willing leader of one side of an intense battle for victory, in a series of soccer matches.

They played and played – until long after the sun set and the lanterns in the trees came on. Michael revelled in the physical challenge; in the sweat and the exertion. And he felt himself pulled steadily into their world, steadily into the community of these people.

And even, just for a moment, as he passed a hard kick off to one of the dark-haired older boys toward the goal line, he let himself remember how much he missed his son. The feeling made his chest ache. He slowed down and watched as the older boy kicked it past another, and straight into the goal of the opposing team. Just as he was about to fall into his sweet memories of Adam, he felt a huge force plough into his back, and he was knocked to the ground. Three of the kids on his team had tackled him in celebration. Their laughter and hollering echoed in his ears, greeted his memories of Adam, and joined them. Michael felt a small piece of joy take solid root next to his heart as he wrestled with the children in the grass.

The events that occurred later with his motorcycle were an inevitability, Michael supposed. It didn’t take long for one of the kids to chase a ball around the front of the house and notice the conspicuous jet-black bike. She came back and spread the news immediately through the group. Some brave ones were nominated to ask Michael for rides, and quickly surrounded him with pleading eyes. Michael was briefly concerned about showing them the dangerous machine, but at Walter’s permission he decided to indulge the eager group. So Michael spent the rest of the evening taking each kid on a spin around the property.

Nikita, for her part, had been pulled away to Three that evening to deal once and for all with Stevens. It was messy. She had only returned in the early morning hours, just before dawn, and found the house blessedly calm and orderly. All the dishes were done, the equipment outside put away, and the children all asleep in their individual rooms.

After checking on the household she had returned to her office to write a report on the events at Three. As she sat down in her large leather office chair, she saw a strange corner of coloured paper peeking out from under a filefolder. She had pulled it out slowly, and smiled. Two theatre tickets to a contemporary-modern performance in a few days’ time. And a note that read “If you can, call. If not, don’t worry. M.” She had called the next morning and agreed to pick him up at 8 to watch the performance and have dinner after.

Now, as the SUV pulled up in front of the large brick theatre for the 8:30 performance, they chatted quietly about the events of that evening.

“Simon is relentless about getting a motorcycle for his birthday,” she continued.

“I’m sorry,” Michael said ruefully. He thought for a moment, then added, “You could start him with a dirt bike.”

“I doubt that would satisfy,” she replied with a laugh, her eyes following her security guards as they meticulously examined the front of the building, and undoubtedly the whole of the inside. She would never get used to the feeling that travelling in this way caused. She was not royalty, star, or politician – and the pompousness of it made the street-kid in her cringe with embarrassment.

But the security’s efficiency was remarkable, and in short time a guard came up to her door; a light double-knock signified that they were ready for her to emerge.

Nikita flicked her eyes at Michael to ensure he was ready, and permitted the guard to open her door. His gloved hand entered the vehicle to help her out.

“That’s my job,” Michael whispered with a sardonic grin, receiving his own knock on his side of the car.

Nikita turned her head back to him and chuckled, “In any world but ours.”

************

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

  • When A Time Comes (Chapter 28) -- Odelle, 11:25:53 04/14/09 Tue
  • Timing -- Odelle, 11:28:28 04/14/09 Tue
  • I didn't think ... -- BJ, 18:47:27 04/14/09 Tue
  • Woo hoo!! 2 fantastic chapters.. -- Lina, 21:54:52 04/14/09 Tue
  • Re: When A Time Comes (Chapter 28) -- Vickie, 06:00:46 04/15/09 Wed
  • Re: When A Time Comes (Chapter 28) -- sarah (:)), 21:09:20 04/15/09 Wed
  • Great writing! Looking forward to reading more of your wonderful story! (NT) -- Sheila, 00:37:04 04/20/09 Mon
    Forum timezone: GMT-5
    VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
    Before posting please read our privacy policy.
    VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
    Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.