Man of Veracity- Finished

30 Juliette

I didn't think it'd be this lonely eating a turkey dinner by myself. It's my first. The last turkey dinner I had was when mamma and Papa were still alive; I never had another after them. I thought it'd be ok tonight because I was having my favorite food again. But it's not. I set my spoon down now losing my appetite. It doesn't taste that good anyways. It all tastes like cardboard. I look out the window and hear laughter from below. I toss back the rest of my water and grab the bowl of cranberry sauce heading to the trashcan to throw all of the food out. 

"Don't"

I immediately turn to find an Alexander out of breath at the front door. His hair looks like he's been pulling at it and his clothes look disheveled. Very unlike my Alexander. My?

"Don't toss it. I'm starving. Let's eat, angel." he says breathlessly.

I thought he was out of town? How is he back so suddenly?

"I already ate"

"Keep me company then."

Alexander and I are lying on my bed after cleaning the table off from his late dinner. I listen to the slow beat of his heart under my ear.

"Thank you for cooking."

"I haven't done it in a long time. I hope it was good."

"It was delicious, angel." he says landing a kiss on my forehead.

"Who taught you how to cook?"

"We had a cook, her name was Mrs. Rozetti. Dad never let me out of the house to do much so after school, she would have me help her in the kitchen."

"School?"

"I was homeschooled."

"Did you like being homeschooled?"

"Absolutely not. But papa always said it was better."

Alexanders arm tightens around my waist.

"Will you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me what you did on a normal day at home."

I hesitate. It's been so long since those normal days of being at home I'm afraid I've forgotten what they were like. I haven't thought about anything before the fire in years; It reminded me of everyone I lost. 

"You don't have to if you don't want to, angel."

Just this one sliver of you Juliette. You can share this little bit.

"I would wake up at 7am for Ms. Thorton's class. She would come to the estate everyday from 7-3pm. Then, I would help Mrs. Rozetti in the kitchen for dinner, and after dinner, papa would always allow me to tend to my vegetables in the garden." I smile as I remember papa always telling me I wasn't showing them enough love, or I was talking too much. "Juliette, that's too much water." "Juliette, you'll smother them with all of the talking you do." "Juliette, don't be too rough with your dainty flowers." I feel my eyes water. God, what I would do to hear him yell at me one more time.

"Then on the weekends, papa would have me practice piano for hours and hours. He would sit in  his favorite leather armchair and listen to me play. I hated it. Then mama would yell and say that was enough playing because my fingers would fall off." I smile.

"I love that."

"What?"

"Your smile, Juliette. That smile is mine."

I lift my head up to face Alexander surprised by his admission.

"I haven't done it in forever. I don't have much in life to smile about." I whisper caressing his face.

"Now you do, angel. I promise, you'll smile everyday from here on out. Even if it's only for me."

I draw my hand back. No ones ever been the source of my happiness; not in a long time at least. It felt weird having someone responsible for any of it let alone all of my happiness. But I think i felt something else. Excitement. That must be what the tingling in my stomach is.