Angel Face

Now What?

XXVI

"Are you sure?" I asked wide eyed. "You know you don't have to."

He shot me an unimpressed look. "No need to keep up fronts. We both know, at this very moment, you're dying of curiosity." He humored.

"No, I'm not." I lied, feigning offense. Yes, I wanted to know but that doesn't mean that I'm going to force it out of him. He can always choose to give me a rain check. He just rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine. So--"

"Your food is here." William's arrival cut Duncan off as he placed two plates in front of both of us. He then went on to explain what the dishes were, listening to which I only understood that they were french and one dish was of scallops, another of some fish and another of duck with some salad on the side. Once William departed, Duncan claimed the fish preparation, saying that it was his favorite. While I just shrugged since I wasn't that big on fish.

"You said the restaraunt didn't specialize in french cuisine. Yet, I find myself enjoying an amazing french-only dinner." I commented while basking in the subtle yet strong bursts of flavours. "I said that the restaraunt didn't specialise in french. I never said that the head chef doesn't." I watched with amusement as he slowly ate his food, enjoying it as if this was going to be the last time, he was going to taste it.

A soft chuckle escaped me even after my desperate attempt to suppress it. He just looked so cute! He paused as he looked up at me with a questioning look. I shook my head which had a huge smile on it before going back to my food. Soon enough, the desert arrived. There was everything, from truffles to crème brûlée, just the sight of which made me drool.

After finishing our food, we just sat there enjoying the silence with a glass of wine while we watched the lights from cars fade when the passed. The restaraunt too was now nearly vacant with only a few late diners enjoying their meals. "It feels so good to not be cooped up at home, and actually enjoy each other's company, outside." I sighed, placing my now empty glass back on the table.

"I'm sure there have been better dinners with your friends or dates, before this. Where you all talked right into the dead of night." I watched him through the corner of my eyes when I heard a hint of sadness in his voice. I noticed that he was staring outside but he wasn't really seeing anything. Lifting my hand from my lap, I slipped it under his palm that was resting on the table and intertwined our fingers. The touch, made him blink his eyes back to focus before they flickred down to our joint hand and then to my eyes. I could see the curiosity shine in his eyes as he gave my hand a small squeeze.

"Believe me when I say this. That, this silence is more welcoming and special  to me, than any useless chatter that I ever did in the past" I smiled softly which he returned with a sad smile. "It has been just so long, that I don't even remember what the serenity in silence feels like." The intensity with which he looked at me, made my heart clench. "Until this moment, silence has always been deafening to me. Filled with shouts, screams, cries and pants." My smile dropped at that. What did he mean by that?

"What happened to you, Duncan?" I whispered, placing my other hand over our joint hands. "Nothing happened to me." He tried to smile but failed. "It's just that I can't seem to be able to get over what I've seen, experienced and known my entire life." He paused, his eyes not meeting mine. "Things that I won't ever be able to tell you."

"Ever?"

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Duncan..."

"But." He started abruptly. "But, I want to tell you this because Helena already told you about it." His family's death... "They didn't die in a road accident. Hell, they weren't even in a car or on the road when it happened."