"Hello?" Pt. 2

October 2nd 2016

"I bet. Did your mother's presentation happen tonight?"

"Don't!"

"Um..."

"The presentation was held at our appartement and now we have to stay at a hotel."

"The horror!"

"I know, right?! I want my bed, Daniel."

"You could always jump on a train and come and join me in mine."

"It's a bit late at night for that. It was such an imposition of my mother to do this to us. Charlotte, Emma and I have been left destitute."

"Destitute? You're in a hotel, Soph. And I bet it's a five star one, too."

"That is not the point, Daniel. I am not sleeping in my bed."

"Get a grip, Soph."

"..."

"Oh, guess what happened today?"

"What?"

"Nola, Alfie and I were playing at the house- your house- and Alfie decided he wanted to jump from the sofa to the armchair without touching the ground. He used the length of the sofa as a run and then, whoosh! he flew through the air and knocked your vase."

"Why do I feel like this was a setup and not an accident?"

"Because you're paranoid. It was an accident. If it weren't, I wouldn't have lunged and saved the vase from certain destruction."

"My hero."

"You'd think. Hey, when did you say that this vase came into your family?"

"Years ago."

"You said that it had survived the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, right?2

"So the story goes. Why?"

"Evie- you know, my sister with a History of Art degree and a business partner in Courtenay Galleries- was here earlier to help me unpack and guess what she said?"

"That the vase was worth millions and that it's a good thing you haven't destroyed it yet?"

"Not quite. She says that it is most likely an Art Nouveau vase from the turn of the century. You know, like the early nineteen hundreds."

"Quite possibly."

"What do you mean, 'quite possibly'? You've been banging on and on about this fucking thing for days and now it's like, 'quite possibly' it isn't was priceless as I was led to believe it was."

"Ok, first of all, you know that lecture you gave Nola about swearing? Go stand in front of a mirror and give yourself the same lecture. Secondly, most of the folklore in my family is just that- lore. There's hardly any truth in any of it. The vase was probably a wedding gift to my great-grandparents and they fought over it in the divorce."

"If that's the case, then why can't I hide it?"

"Because I've gotten quite used to having it around."

"Sophie?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"Compromise."

"..."

"..."

"Was this your master plan all along? Compromise with me about moving to Paris while knowing full well that by next week I wouldn't want to move there just so you could force my hand and make me put that vase in the bottom cupboard in the kitchen and 'accidentally' leave it there once I've sold the house?"

"I wish I were that cunning."

"You are that cunning."

"So, can I hide the ugly thing?"

"No!"

"But-"

"Wrap it in some bubble wrap and Fed Ex it to New York."

"New York?"

"We can give it to Emma and Adam. The first born is usually the one to inherit it, but I'm pretty sure there's a clause that says the first to marry gets to have it."

"You're making that up, aren't you?"

"Perhaps. Emma won't know the difference, though."

"I'm going to keep it here until you're back. I don't want to get the blame for losing it."

"Damn it, I was hoping that I could pin all the blame on you."

"I bet. So, you're back soon, right?"

"A few days and then I won't be leaving again for a really long time."

"I can't wait."

"Me either."

"What time is it with you? Almost midnight, right?"

"A minute shy."

"Well, off you go to bed and have some sleep."

"Not likely. I'm in a hotel."

"Oh, shut up with your first world problems, Soph."

"I am so placing the blame on you if anything should happen tot hat vase. Even if you're not responsible."

"I'd love to see you try. Night, Sophie."

"Night, Daniel."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

CatastrophicAura This is the vase...