The Enki

Chapter 20

We have been on the run for about six hours now. We weren't being followed but Christophe thought it would be safer to keep distance between us.

I had asked him earlier who the man was but he chose to ignore me. I couldn't get over how it was like looking back at myself as if looking in a mirror. It didn't take a scientist to denounce that he must be a relation.

Running was keeping my mind distracted but it couldn't stop all my thoughts. I had been lied to somewhere along the road and i was mad.

Fortunately Christophe was keeping his distance. He was bound to feel my anger. He had to stop at some point and when we did all hell would break loose.

Finally as night began to fall I felt Christophe slow down as we approached a bed and breakfast.

We will stop here . Try and keep calm we cannot attract any attention to ourselves.

He knew i would have questions and reading between the lines he was wanting me to remain calm. I could be calm. If he gave me the answers i wanted.

We made our way into the quaint little house and i noticed there was a rooms available sign. The building was an old thatched cottage with small windows and ivy growing up the walls. If i hadn't been preoccupied i would have taken the time to really appreciate it. Appreciating can happen after my chat with Christophe.

Entering the cottage we were greeted by a sweet lady with a homemade cardigan and long flowing skirt. If i had a gran then I would have wanted her to be like she was.

"Hello dears, welcome to ivy leaf cottage how may I help you?"

Christophe stepped towards the reception desk taking control of the situation.

"Hello, we were looking to see if you have a room available for my girlfriend and I."

Girlfriend? I started to walk forward to protest but one backwards glare from Christophe and i thought against it.

The old lady smiled warmly at both us.

"Young love eh? It's a beautiful thing for beautiful people. We have a room available, it's on the top floor to the right. How long will you be staying?"

She looked at me and i looked back at Christophe.

"Just one night."

"Brilliant well here is the key and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask. Don't get much people round these parts it's nice to have some company!'

Her smile could have lit up a thousand beacons and i couldn't help but beam back at her. Christophe kept his steely composure.

Lighten up a bit your frown will make her suspicious.

I looked towards him and saw his lips curl up into a smile. See that wasn't so hard.

Christophe took the key and headed towards the stairway. I looked back at the woman  and she had concern written all over her face.

"Darling don't you have any bags?"

Oh. Yeah. That would have been odd. Christophe was already halfway up the stairs i had to think fast.

"We have gotten a bit lost whilst travelling back to where we are staying on holiday it is a few miles down the road but we thought it safer to stay here overnight than risk walking blindly through the dark."

I could tell that she wasn't believing us fully but didn't want to protrude any further.

I rushed after Christophe and followed him into our room.

Just like the outside of the house the decor of our room matched the classic country theme. The wall paper had summer flowers and so did the bedspread.  There wasn't a television but there was a bookcase of books and an ensuite bathroom.

I looked at the small double bed and then to Christophe. Surely we weren't going to share a bed?

"I'll take the floor."

Well that was that then. I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked up at Christophe.

"Who was that man?"

Christophe busied himself around the room and avoided eye contact. I spoke louder:

"Christophe who was that man?"

Finally he turned around and looked at me.

"He is your father."

I felt a strange calm come over me. It wasn't Christophe's influence it was mine. I needed the strength to keep talking.

"The man that raised me was who?"

"He is Charles Renoit. He was asked to raise you in secrecy away from your true family."

I took two deep cleansing breaths.

"My mother?"

"She is alive."

That was my undoing. I let myself cry like a wounded animal. At first Christophe regarded me strangely as if unsure what to do. Then as i curled my knees to my chest he enveloped me in a hug. The warmth cradled me like a child and i opened my arms allowing him to hold me tighter.

Whatever was going to happen between us i needed him to just hold me.  For some small brief moment i needed to know that everything was going to be okay.

Christophe leant his cheek against mine and it burned sweetly.

"I've got you Rose be still."