True Love Never Dies 33/?
General information and disclaimer: Here
Summary: The story is about Camilla/Sofie. She has an opportunity to visit London after several years. She is there on an assignment and also to meet some new friends. However, destiny wants something more when she meets an old friend that causes her to have to confront the memory loss resulting from a surgery done a few years back. Not possessing any memory of the old friend or what sort of relationship they might have had, she only knows that she has seen him lately in films.
Previous Chapter; Intro-1, Chapter 2-3, Chapter 4-5, Chapter 6-7, Chapter 8-9, Chapter 10-11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24, Chapter 25, Chapter 26, Chapter 27, Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32,
*Chapter 33*
Authors Note: Back to Sofie's POV
I wasn't ready that my thanks' to make him to kiss me, so I stiffen up for a moment before I was able to relax and respond to him. It felt very good, and I sure could get used to it. He ended all to fast, but I appreciated his consideration of me. For every time we had close contact it felt better and better, it also triggered some of my memories. When those flew around in my head it made me dizzy, and he must have noticed as he asked if I was okay.
I blinked back to the reality and answered, "Yes, I'm okay. More than okay."
"Good. If I leave now, the sooner we'll both be finished in time for dinner." Orlando said, which was true even if for the moment I would like him to stay.
"Right," eating would be needed sometimes, "It would be great." I hoped him taking it the way I was thinking. I felt enough unsociable as it was. I knew I could be so lost in the work I was doing it took awhile before I knew there had went a lot of time.
"See you later then." Orlando's voice drew me from my thoughts, but before I had been able to reply he had opened the door and left the hotel room. I stood there, fingering on the dragon charm and dreaming for some moment things could have been so different.
Soon after, I went back to sit working in front of the computer again, though I did not spent all the time with the site. I did write some of my memories down, and what had happened. Some of the notes I did in my notebook-dairy. I was little old fashion about still keeping one that I wrote by hand, even if I mostly worked with a computer.
Absorbed in the writing the time seemed to fly by. When I finally looked at my watch, I saw it was passed the time Orlando said he would be back to pick me up, and I wanted to freshen up for our evening out. So I closed down the computer and went into the bathroom.
I was putting some eyeliner on when I thought I heard a knock, but as it could be on another door I finished applying the eyeliner on the other eye too.
The knock was repeated, and knowing it had to be Orlando I shouted, "Coming, coming." I went to the door, but for safety only opened it up a chink. Seeing that it was Orlando I let it open so he could come in.
I saw him letting his eyes travel down my body and giving me a more than approving look. One part of me felt very, very good to get it and I was not exactly used to it. The other part didn't want to get the hot stares guy's could give me, though if it were Orlando it was something else.
He stood there waiting, not saying anything, and I wondered what he hoped me to say or do. Orlando was dressed in black jeans and a white shirt and I had to smile, we had dressed similarly. I moved away from the door so he could come in. As he closed the door I said that I was ready in a minute.
"That's okay. We can probably get a taxi down stairs. I thought we would go to Fung Shing, I'm sure you'll like it there." Orlando said.
I had gone back to the bathroom to check my makeup, and tried to figure out what type of restaurant it was Orlando could mean. It sounded like a Japanese or Chinese. I didn't think I'd heard about it earlier.
When I was applying the lipstick it hit me that I was on the way to go out and eat with The Orlando Bloom. The films star. The man who had played Legolas. Instead of following the urge to splash cold water over my face, I turned to sit down on the toilet. I could feel how my heart beat faster than normal, so I took several deep breaths to calm myself down.
"Sofie, are you alright?" Orlando's voice sounded a lot closer than I expected.
I looked up, seeing him in the bathroom door and nodded.
"How's your head? Have you still feelings of the migraine?"
'Why did he have to remind me about that?' Just because he asked and I gave time to feel after, I could feel some of it, but it would be in the end of this episode. I had actually forgotten it during the work on the webpage. Now thinking about it I felt that I was quite tired, and hungry.
"My head is… okay, though some more food and a good night sleep would fix it." I rose and walked towards him, as I thought it was time to leave. "Is Fung Shing a … Chinese restaurant?"
"Yes, if I remember right you loved Chinese food, and we went there when you were here last time."
"I still like Chinese food, but I don't think I know the place."
"You'll like it. Actually it has become quite popular."
"If it is popular, will we get any table?" I had turned around to look at him, as he hadn't moved.
"Before I left home I fixed a reservation, so there is no problem."
I nodded, and then looked around to see where I had put my bag. Seeing my rucksack I remembered I used that one as a bag. Somehow this felt like it wasn't a good time to use it, and I regretted not having a more appropriate one, it wasn't like I could walk home and get one. For a moment I stood trying to decide what to do, if I should take it anyway. Orlando didn't say anything, just waited.
I took the rucksack and looked through it. I had taken the amount of medication I could, and didn't think we would be away so long I would need it. My wallet was fit to go to my back pocket in the jeans or in my jackets pocket. I had my camera, and it would be great to take pictures of Orlando, I looked over to Orlando and noticed that he had a bag that looked very much to include a camera. If he had one I could leave mine, so it was decided; I would not take more than I needed.
"Is it a camera you have brought with you?" I asked as I had took out what I decided to bring with me.
"Yes, if you do not mind I would like to take some of you. I really need some new, as you know Billy and Dom mentioned the one I've carry around in my wallet is in a bad shape, and then you look so great now." Orlando answered.
"I can agree to it only if I can take photos of you as well."
"I don't know. I got photographed so much that it would be nice to not need to."
"Then you can forget to take any of me." I smiled, as I wanted to see if he would be satisfied.
It didn't take long before he said it would be all right, and he wanted me to take photo of him rather than paparazzo's. It was okay if I borrow his camera as well. Agreed, we went out. We didn't have any problem to getting a taxi, there had been a few in the street, as there were several hotels there. In what seemed to be no time at all we arrived at the restaurant. No time to be in London, at least. Orlando paid for the ride and then with a hand on my back he escorted me into the restaurant.
I looked around, and thought they had made changes.
"Have we been here before?" I asked Orlando, as we waited to be shown our table.
"Yes. It became our favourite restaurant, so every time you came over we went here at least once." Orlando said and squeezed my hand.
I looked around more as we were shown to our table, and again as we got our menus. I looked through the dishes and there were a lot that sounded good, like the lobster with ginger and spring onion, or the duck with ginger and pineapple. Orlando said that I could choose what ever I wanted, or we could take the speciality for two people. Even if I guessed that Orlando would pay for me I looked at the prices, and I guessed they had risen since last time, and I wouldn't have gone there if I had needed to pay. Even if we split the bill I would not complain when we already were there.
"What did we eat when we were here?"
"Would you believe me if I said I don't remember?"
We both started to laugh. One part of me didn't believe him, but then I didn't remember either. I could only guess it was either something with beef or chicken, it was always something I loved to eat.
When we stopped laughing I said, "As neither of us remember I would very much want to take the speciality for two, as I see it contains different dishes."
"My dear, it sounds like a very good suggestion." Orlando put in a rich English dialect, and we were laughing again. Before we stopped he asked what we would drink.
Very conveniently the waiter materialized at our table asking if we were ready to order. Orlando started with the food and then that he wanted a glass of red wine and water. He left it to me to say what I wanted. When I knew that I still had quite heavy medication in me I didn't want anything alcoholic, so I went for a large coca-cola.
Seeing Orlando's lifted eyebrows I told him why I wasn't ordering any wine.
"Beside's, over the last two day's I seem to got myself into awkward positions when I have been drinking." I added.
"It's not that I want to force you and I can understand you, but you have your chance to change your mind. One glass would probably not hurt."
"Thanks, but no thanks. Of the wines on offer, red would be the best, but that would also keep my migraine lingering longer. I want to be well as soon as possible."
Before Orlando could say anything more on the subject, the waiter came with our drinks. Orlando took his wine, hold it up for a toast.
"For… destiny to bring you to me again!" he said.
I held up my glass. Orlando waited for me to say something, as he just held his.
"For…" I looked down at the table trying to come on something good to say. "For the surprise of meeting you!" I said in a rush.
"That due, but we have to get something better from you." Orlando said as he let our glass chink.
"I'm sorry, but this is like we do it first time. It probably is, with you as a film star and me… what ever I am."
"Oh, I could come with several things. Though it's kind of nice to think of this as the first time, how many get a second time as a first one?"
I just smiled at it. He was right. I felt this like a first time with lack of memory of any of our other dinners together. The memories I got back were others, so I do know we had known each other. He was right, that probably no-one gets a second chance to live it as a first time. Knowing that, I knew I would cherish this a lot.
We both went silent and just enjoyed our company, watching each other until the waiter came with our food order. All the dishes were served on a big plate that you could rotate. We also got a tureen with rice. Seeing the food made my stomach rumble. It had done it when we first entered the restaurant and I had smelled all the food. We started to dig in at once.
It was hard to choose which one I would begin with, if I would take the prawns that really looked delicious or the fried egg rice. I decided to take the later, so I could save the best to last. Orlando had chosen the beef, and after a few bites he had to drink some water.
"That one was spicy, but good. How's yours?"
"Good, not that much spicy, so maybe mix it with the beef…" I said and took some of the beef over the rice.
Orlando watched me.
"What?" I said as I swallowed what I had in my mouth.
Orlando's smile got wider, "Not to spicy for you?"
"No that you mention…" I took a large mouth of the soda, "it was spicy, but I've eaten hotter things."
"Okay, then the rest of the beef is yours..."
He took up his camera.
"Oh no, you don't take pictures now!"
"Why not, I think this is as good opportunity as any."
I quickly swallowed and took the napkin and dried of any sauce that was around my mouth. I wished I had a pocket mirror to know how I looked, but had to hope I got everything away.
As I said, I had to take a few of him as well after he snapped a few, and I was blinded by the flash. "You're mean."
"Just you wait and see what it's like to be surrounded by hundreds of photographers."
"Hopefully that won't happen…" I let the sentence go to a whisper. I did understand if I was going to keep contact with Orlando that day probably would come.
"One day I hope you will be at my side as a friend or girlfriend when we are at a premier, gala or something. That day there will not only be photographers, it will be many people, fans, other stars and journalists."
I looked up at Orlando. He was very serious, when he said it. He had promised to go slow, but this told me he had hopes and determination. I felt an urge to run away; to the bathroom or back to my hotel, but at the same time I liked to hear he had optimism about a relationship. Had this only been a year or two ago, I would have run, though now I just sat still and quiet.
I slowly started to eat again. This time taking what looked like chicken. I could feel it was a bird meat, but as it was roasted it had to be the duck.
"Orlando, you have to taste this," I said as I filled my fork with a new piece of the food, and held it out to him.
He leaned forward, opened his mouth and took what I offered.
"Mmm, this was good." He said and then took a few spoons of it to his plate.
The sharing seemed to lose the awkwardness that for a moment was between us. The dinner continued in the more first date, couple in love feeling. For every hour I spent in the company of Orlando I felt that I became more relaxed, and lowered the wall I so carefully held around me. I wanted to believe that Orlando wouldn't take advantage, and that I had to start somewhere to trust people more. I had slowly started to do that with several of the friends over Internet, but that was easier as I would probably never meet them, or have to tell them of my past.
With Orlando it was different. It was new and old at the same time. He know me then, and what I was now was not the same, not only by looks but mentally. The brain tumour had certainly changed that. Without thinking about it I had started to rub at my scar I had in my hair.
"Is it your migraine that is bothering you?" Orlando asked and brought me back to the restaurant.
"Not exactly. I was just thinking of how my life changed back in '96. How I felt during the worst months around the operation and chemotherapy I went through. How I miss that I miss."
"Do you think you are ready to talk more about what happen '96? Did you really not get any of the letters I sent you? Who was there to support you?" Orlando asked and put a hand on the one I had on the table.
"I know I said we should talk, and you more than anyone probably has most right to hear it." I paused, trying to decide how I would continue. "The last hours, or day I have got a few memories back that I've been missing, though I have several gaps still from before and some during the treatment. The later probably as I really wanted to forget that."
I turned my hand so I could squeeze his. I so appreciated that he seemed so sincere when he said he wanted to know what I been through. I had never felt that before from any of the guy's I dated. At every little doubt I had stopped, didn't like the thought that they asked to be only polite and then maybe not take me serious. None of those feelings came from Orlando.
I took his hand and kissed the back of it. I would have wanted to kiss Orlando properly, but didn't feel like leaning over the table. When I let his hand go, Orlando took one of his fingers and stroked it after my lips.
"If you not feel comfortable to talk here, we can do that later at the hotel, or if you want to follow me home."
"How come can you be so… have consideration for me?"
"Because I loved you, and I have never stopped doing so." He had continued stroke after my chin, neck and then stopped at the dragon.
I felt my body temperature rise and he must felt how my heart was beating. I felt an expectation run through my body. I wanted him like I hadn't wanted any man for a long time. Not knowing how to handle all emotions that flowed through me, I took some of the prawns to eat.
Orlando took his hand away, and took some food as well, clearly showing that he would wait for me to start talking, or what I wanted to do.
Chapter 34