Pardon Me Book 2: Excuse Moi (A Benedict Cumberbatch Story)

Questions

Maggie, Ollie and Chris stayed for a further month before I started to sense they were hiding something.

It wasn't until Chris took me aside one day while we were out food shopping that I worked out the thing Maggie and Ollie was hiding was very seperate to Chris's.

"When was the last time you skyped Benedict?" he asked.

"Ummm, last weekend. He said he'd be busy with stunts this week." I told him, and he gave me a knowing look.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Why wouldn't I be?" I cried, "Benedict's devoted to his work. And he wouldn't lie to me."

"Ok, if you are sure." Chris shrugged, and I shoved him.

"Why are you always asking questions about him? You're always trying to make me doubt him."

"No I'm not." he said immediately; I pointed at him in defiance.

"Yes you are!" I said, my voice getting higher and higher.

"What's going on?" Maggie came over and Chris and I stepped apart.

"Nothing. Do you want to get a cake or something for pudding tonight?" I cleared my face of it's aggravated expression and linked arms with her, walking to the bakery aisle.

I couldn't get the look in Chris's eyes out of my mind. He'd seemed suspicious of Benedict and had been acting really protective over me. I ran over all the awkward moments he'd unknowingly created between us:

Walking in on me crying over Benedict and, like Benedict, kissing the top of my head.

Chuckling at my singing along to most of the songs then holding my hand when we went to see Wicked.

Jumping in to volunteer to accompany me to an arts university and look at the photography gallery.

A worrying question was starting to form itself in the back of my mind and I was trying to push it away; it kept creeping back. Did Chris still have a crush on me?

**

Maggie and Ollie's secret came out that weekend, when Benedict skyped again and was telling us about his stunts. I went to get a cardigan to put on over my pajamas and was coming back when I heard them all whispering. Ollie asked,

"So when does your flight land?"

"About 1 o'clock in the morning, so I'll make my own way home, don't worry." Benedict replied, and then Maggie squealed,

"I'm so excited! Evie has no idea!" to which both the men shushed her.

Benedict was coming home early! When? Why? My mind was whirring, but I had to calm down and collect myself. They couldn't know that I knew. So I went to the toilet to give myself more time and to fool them further.

When I ventured back into the living room, Benedict gave me his sweet smile, and looked at me with those eyes as if to say, "You ok?"

I smiled back, "I hope this new knowledge of stunts won't lead to you jumping off a building or leaping ontop of trains in real life. It would be a huge embarassment, not to mention you injuring yourself." He giggled and it sent my stomach doing flips.

"Well, I guess you guys have to make dinner now right?" he said, and Ollie nodded,

"Yup, I am making sole meuniere." we all "mmm"d in appreciation at his choice, and ended the skype call promptly to await the meal.

After the dinner of delicious fish and white wine, we were watching QI when I realised Chris wasn't home.

"Where did Chris go today?" I asked Ollie, and he shrugged.

"He said something about Trafalgar Square."

"Did he say when he'd be back?" I pressed him but he shook his head.

Another hour passed and I started to get worried. Then we heard a fumbling from outside and then a tentative knock on the door. Looking throught the spyhole, I saw it was Chris, looking a little unsteady on his feet.

"Evie! There she is!" he sang, and fell through the doorway into my arms. I stood there, undecided as to where to go with this.

"Um... Ollie? A little help here?" I called, and he quickly relieved me of Chris's heavy body and tainted breath. I threw myself back down on the sofa while Ollie delt with him. Maggie and I could hear him mumbling random words from the bathroom and we giggled.

"He's still like a teenager!" she said, and I remembered my worrying question.

"Yeah, about that. You remember how he used to have a cr-"

"-crush on you? Yep." Maggie grinned, and I gave her a withering look.

"Seriously," I said, "I think it might still be there. He's always putting himself too close to me or doing awkward things, and blushing when we make eye contact."

Maggie was stifling a smile, and I pushed her, throwing a cushion too for good measure.

"What?" I demanded, and she said with a grin,

"He told me just before we arrived. On the train."

"And you told him...?" I asked.

"That you're with someone, but he said he'd try to win you over." she started properly laughing; I was fuming. So he knew, and I'd told him no once before when he asked me out as a teenager.

"I'm going to talk to him." I said, and stood up to see if he was sober enough, but Maggie pulled me straight back down again.

"No no no, wait a few days, until - " 

"Until what?" I asked, knowing the reason for her stopping. She sighed, and I could tell she was going to come out with it.

"Alright. We were going to keep it as a surprise, but since you feel so worried about Chris I might as well tell you now. Benedict's coming home to visit for a week." 

Even though I already knew, the smile that appeared on my face was not at all forced. I pictured him standing in the hallway, hair slightly blonde and skin browned from the sun and a light in his eyes. 

She saw the look in mine and shook her head at my imagination - Maggie knew me so well.

"So just wait until Benedict is here and see if Chris tries anything. If he does you can really tell him to back off. Ok?" she suggested. I agreed. 

Chris and Ollie came back in the room, Chris looking rather sheepish. Pale, but more composed. 

He sat down next to me, moving a cushion out of the way. I didn't want to seem rude by immediately getting up and moving into my armchair; luckily Ollie came over and said to budge up, so I managed to escape to the comfort of my green cushions anyway. Chris was sliding glances at me, making me fidget a bit. Maggie noticed and raised an eyebrow, but turned the TV on for a chat show. We watched in silence, the laughs that did happen seeming slightly forced and shortened too soon. 

Chris got up for a glass of water and I went too.

"Where is the ice?" he said, his head in the freezer, and I went to help, just as he turned around, his arms out. I bumped into his chest and his hands found a home on my upper arms. We stood still for a moment, and then I jumped back.

"What was that for?" I asked, trying to say it jokingly. He shrugged, apologising. 

We got the drinks and sat down again, the warmth of his fingers lingering on my skin.