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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 1, 2009 0:19:22 GMT -5
Aurelia thought for a minute. "Well, I work nights, but any day is good for me. I am usually available during the days, unless I am running errands. So whenever the best time for you is, we can go. I could even contact my friend to let him know we're coming, so we can be sure he'll be there, too."
Aurelia wasn't entirely sure how she was going to explain all this to Kieran. Rita knew most of her story, but Kieran didn't really know most of it. He knew about Pavel, and how she and Danica had run away from him, but she had never told him about Henri.
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 1, 2009 9:58:37 GMT -5
"I usually work every other night at the school, and then sometimes every other day during the day. So, I can make it flexible. May be we could make it Friday? I have a three day weekend this week." Every once in a while there were days that he didn't have to work. Most of the time, he worked overtime for those days he could take off. Usually he would spend them with his mother, helping her, but she would understand that he couldn't do it, at least on Friday, right?
"Doesn't matter what time it is."
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 1, 2009 15:42:50 GMT -5
Aurelia thought for a minute. She usually worked late on Fridays. It was jazz night at Ambrosia, and she often worked with a full jazz band. But because of that, she usually didn’t start until 8:00, which would give her plenty of time to visit the hospital. And if they waited until Friday, she could give Kieran a little heads-up about what was going on.
“Friday is perfect,” she said. “How about around 2:00? I will check with my friend to make sure he is working then.”
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 1, 2009 15:55:58 GMT -5
"Friday, deux heures, perfect." Henri gave her a light smile. He remembered when she said she worked, and he thought that may be he would even go see her on Friday night. He wanted to hear her perform, or may be he would go before that. He worked Thursday morning, so he didn't see why he couldn't. It could be a surprise if he happened to show up, after all, he was willing to try to start over with Aurelia.
"When I come to see you play," he started almost shyly, "could you play my favorite?"
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 1, 2009 16:48:52 GMT -5
His accent had always made her melt. His accent was still thick, and she could just sit and listen to him talk for hours. But she didn't want to push things with him; after all, he was the one who had to rediscover her and get to know her all over again. Going too fast might just overwhelm him.
She smiled. "We could meet here, if you want. It is a place that is easy for both of us to get to."
When he asked for his favorite, Aurelia's smile broadened. "Of course I will play it. It's still the Fairy Garden by Ravel, right? That is Danica's favorite."
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 1, 2009 17:12:32 GMT -5
"That sounds good to me. I'll be here."
Aurelia's broadened smile made Henri's widen and his dimples deepen. "Oui, it's still the same." Hearing that it was Danica's favorite, he gave a small laugh. "Really? I found out that macaroni and cheese was her favorite aussi. The look on her face was priceless. It looked sort of like I told her that Santa was coming early this year."
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 1, 2009 23:00:58 GMT -5
Aurelia couldn't help but smile. The similarities between Henri and Danica could have been coincidences, but she wanted to believe otherwise. She loved him so much... it was only natural that she would want to believe that he was the father of her child. She honestly wasn't sure, but it was easier to believe that he was. There was a part of her that never really wanted to know for sure, so that she could always believe that he was.
"It's so wonderful that you found each other... that she found you for me," she said. "She told me about you the other day, but I didn't really dare think that it could be you. I'm glad it was."
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 2, 2009 7:21:01 GMT -5
Hearing that Danica talked about him, made him smile again. "The world has an interesting way of making things happen. Sometimes, its bad, sometimes good, but everything happens for a reason." Henri strongly believed in what he said. After all, it was why he was sitting at the table right now. He wanted to see the reason why they were brought back together. It could have been for some small reason, or maybe it was something bigger. Who knew?
"I'm glad too," said Henri with a light smile.
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 2, 2009 15:40:01 GMT -5
Aurelia always thought that she could lose herself in that smile. Just like Danica, his smile could chase the clouds away. Even the smallest smile from him made her heart feel lighter.
“I really should be getting back to work,” she said reluctantly. “I’ve been away too long already. I don’t apparate very well, so I always take the floo from my apartment. It’s not far from here… Would you mind walking with me?”
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 2, 2009 15:54:31 GMT -5
Henri was feeling reluctant to leave. He wanted to see if he could get to know her better but he wasn't going to keep her away from work since she needed to get back. Plus, he wanted to see if he could just let everything sink in because he knew that they were going to end up meeting again on Friday, and he didn't want to be completely overwhelmed when he started to get to know her again. Within a day, hopefully the news would actually be sunken in more than it was at the moment.
"I was going to ask if you wanted me to," he replied with another smile. "Of course I'll walk with you back to work." Henri finished off his tea and slowly stood up. "That's not a problem."
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 2, 2009 22:14:48 GMT -5
It was almost absurd how shy she felt with him. But to him, she was a stranger. Starting over... it was such an overwhelming concept. "OK," she said, standing up. "I live in the Black Cat apartments. We can walk there, and I'll take the floo to Ambrosia."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and gave him a sideways look. "Perhaps maybe.... we could have a date? After Friday, that is. If you wanted."
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 2, 2009 22:43:09 GMT -5
Henri nodded. "I can walk you there." He would have taken her to work if she had wanted him to.
At her question, he couldn't help but give a laugh. "You're beating me to everything, you know that?" Henri smiled, just as he ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up in some places. His plan was to ask her for a date whenever they had reached their destination, but Aurelia had beaten him to it.
He led them both out of the shop and started in the direction of the Black Cat Apartments. "After Friday sounds bien. Whenever it is best for you, we'll go." Henri took small steps, not wanting to rush there.
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 2, 2009 23:06:40 GMT -5
Who could blame her for being impatient? She had waited 11 years, only to have to start all over again. It was difficult, to say the least. She didn't know how to do it.
"I am sorry," she said. "I don't want to rush things. We can talk about it on Friday. I'll have my schedule for next week by then, so I'll know for sure which days are best."
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 2, 2009 23:34:04 GMT -5
"Don't apologize," he said waving off her apology. "I was going to ask you before you left for work." Henri gave her an almost sheepish smile. He didn't want to rush into something either because what if something was different? What if he had changed a little from the Henri she knew? Going on a date wouldn't hurt anything. After all, they took one step today by going out for coffee. Things wouldn't be overwhelming the next time, right?
"I'll make a few things whenever I make Danica's things. Do you have anything special that you want me to make," he asked putting his hands in his pockets.
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 3, 2009 14:42:31 GMT -5
Maybe he hadn’t changed that much. He had always offered to make her things and bring her things. Sometimes he brought things without asking first. He seldom had arrived for a date without a gift of some kind.
She shook her head. “No, that isn’t necessary,” she assured him. “But thank you for the offer.”
The mention of Danica made her smile again. “She certainly seems taken with you. She adores everyone, really, especially grown-ups. But she was quite fascinated with you. She wanted to know all about the French language and French food.”
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 3, 2009 15:53:24 GMT -5
Aurelia didn't say that she didn't want anything. She only said that it wasn't necessary. Henri gave her a sideways glance as she talked about Danica. A light smile appeared on his face as he saw hers.
"I know," he said with a light laugh. "She had me teach her a few words, and she also told me that she liked eclairs." Danica seemed to more mature for a girl for her age, but then again Henri didn't really know that much about children. "J'aime Danica," he said. "She acts like she is sure of herself, and her curiosity, it's all very adorable. I like talking to her."
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 3, 2009 16:58:16 GMT -5
Aurelia felt warmth spreading through her. However confusing and complicated things were right now, there was a definite sign of hope. It meant so much to her that Henri and Danica liked each other. If, for some reason, they didn’t get along, she would have had to give up on him, because Danica would have to come first. Even if he was Dani’s father.
But they did get along. And fate had somehow brought them together. She wasn’t sure how it happened, but she wasn’t going to question it. What she had to focus on now was how to move forward, instead of looking back.
“When she was growing up, it was just the two of us. We also have another family that we are friends with… A woman I work with, and her adult son. Her husband and daughter were killed in the Hogsmeade attack. But she was always a little isolated, I think. She spent more time with adults and older children than with children her own age.”
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 3, 2009 17:57:48 GMT -5
Henri frowned at the news about the other family. He knew how bad the attack on Hogsmeade was. After all, he had to help clean up and it made him madder than fire while he did it. Henri didn't let his thoughts linger on the topic for too long.
"Either way, she has been raised perfectly, I think." Henri turned his head to look at Aurelia as they walked. "She has people that care about her around her, and that's the best thing anyone could ask for."
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Post by Aurelia Krizova on Dec 3, 2009 23:51:07 GMT -5
Aurelia smiled and felt a hint of warmth on her cheeks. She hadn't blushed in a long time. All the men at the club who flirted with her never came close to making her feel the way Henri did.
"Thank you," she said. "I don't know what I would have done without her all these years. She was the motivation I needed to keep going sometimes. In fact, if not for her, I might never have had the courage to leave him."
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Post by Henri Gillet on Dec 4, 2009 8:38:35 GMT -5
His dimples deepened as he noticed a light pink color on her cheeks. "Danica seems to bring out the best in people." And Danica was also good about bringing people together even if it was unintentional. Henri couldn't remember the last time he went out on a date, but now, he was planning on one one day after Friday.
"Je suis heureux qu'elle vous ait reçus loin de là," he said not bothering to translate. He was glad that they got away from Aurelia's husband. One reason was sort of selfish, and that was so he had the chance to run into Aurelia again, even if he didn't remember the first time, and the other was they were no longer in immediate danger of him.
The Black Cat Apartments was drawing closer, faster than Henri would have liked, but he knew that he was going to have to let her go back to work.
"Je suis heureux que nous nous soyons heurtés aujourd'hui," he said with his smile returning again. Henri wasn't sure if she needed a translation or not, but he gave one anyway. "I'm glad that we ran into each other today." His voice was lowered and it was almost shy.
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