My debt to you, Belovèd, is one I cannot pay in any coin of any realm on any reckoning day.
[Thursday morning]
[April 22th (day 326)]
[Verite’s apartment over the salon]
I’ve spent nearly every night for the past week at the ‘Boy, except for Friday, when it was so busy at the Whitechapel that it was all I could do to stagger in at half past three to curl up next to Ri until noon, and Monday, when I came in worse for most of a bottle of port. She’s been so sweet about all this, saying she understands about Miao and that I want to help, but I want to make sure she stays happy. And I’m starting to feel like I’m taking her hospitality for granted. Miao pays me, and I’m trying to do my duty by her, but Ri’s taken me in out of the goodness of her heart and asked nothing of me but what I wanted to do. Need to make sure she knows I’m grateful for it, and that I have the good sense to repay her.
Which is why I’m in her kitchen making pancakes at six in the morning, mostly awake because I had a shower at the ‘Boy before I came over here and I’m finishing my second cup of coffee. The shortage of sleep will hit me this afternoon, but I can maybe have a nap before work. I get the pancakes done and start on the eggs, thinking about how long it’s been since I made anyone breakfast, including myself. Tarquin was the early riser, and not a bad cook with simple things. Really, really don’t want to think about Tarquin now.
The eggs are done, so I start making up a plate and set it a tray with rhubarb jam and butter and milk and coffee. Still not hungry in the mornings, even though I can afford to be now. Hope she won’t mind that I don’t plan to eat with her. Hope to hell she likes pancakes and eggs over easy. I get the tray up, a little wobbly though none of it spills. Been too long since I waited tables. The stairs are tricky but nothing spills, and I manage to get the door open quietly.
She’s still asleep, curled up on her side with one arm hanging off the bed. My stomach turns over at the sight of her, green hair all over the pillow and one foot uncovered. Wish I’d been here last night. I set the tray down on the bedside table and sit on the bed beside her. I just look at her for a little bit, because she’s pretty in a way that’s all her own and she looks so sweet sleeping, and then I stroke her hair behind her ear and bend down to kiss her cheek. “You feel like waking up now, sweetheart?” Don’t quite whisper it, but make it just loud enough that it might wake her without annoying her.
[OPEN to Ri]
[CLOSED]
[April 22th (day 326)]
[Verite’s apartment over the salon]
I’ve spent nearly every night for the past week at the ‘Boy, except for Friday, when it was so busy at the Whitechapel that it was all I could do to stagger in at half past three to curl up next to Ri until noon, and Monday, when I came in worse for most of a bottle of port. She’s been so sweet about all this, saying she understands about Miao and that I want to help, but I want to make sure she stays happy. And I’m starting to feel like I’m taking her hospitality for granted. Miao pays me, and I’m trying to do my duty by her, but Ri’s taken me in out of the goodness of her heart and asked nothing of me but what I wanted to do. Need to make sure she knows I’m grateful for it, and that I have the good sense to repay her.
Which is why I’m in her kitchen making pancakes at six in the morning, mostly awake because I had a shower at the ‘Boy before I came over here and I’m finishing my second cup of coffee. The shortage of sleep will hit me this afternoon, but I can maybe have a nap before work. I get the pancakes done and start on the eggs, thinking about how long it’s been since I made anyone breakfast, including myself. Tarquin was the early riser, and not a bad cook with simple things. Really, really don’t want to think about Tarquin now.
The eggs are done, so I start making up a plate and set it a tray with rhubarb jam and butter and milk and coffee. Still not hungry in the mornings, even though I can afford to be now. Hope she won’t mind that I don’t plan to eat with her. Hope to hell she likes pancakes and eggs over easy. I get the tray up, a little wobbly though none of it spills. Been too long since I waited tables. The stairs are tricky but nothing spills, and I manage to get the door open quietly.
She’s still asleep, curled up on her side with one arm hanging off the bed. My stomach turns over at the sight of her, green hair all over the pillow and one foot uncovered. Wish I’d been here last night. I set the tray down on the bedside table and sit on the bed beside her. I just look at her for a little bit, because she’s pretty in a way that’s all her own and she looks so sweet sleeping, and then I stroke her hair behind her ear and bend down to kiss her cheek. “You feel like waking up now, sweetheart?” Don’t quite whisper it, but make it just loud enough that it might wake her without annoying her.
[OPEN to Ri]
[CLOSED]