Watch the Stars with Me

Chapter 11

As the party continue Gilbert Bougainvillea stayed out of sight of Violet and when she returned from dancing with the girls he watched with a mixed heart as she walked with an injured young man out to the covered garden path and decided he should leave before he was spotted.

"Gilbert!" A woman who looks like an older version of Fern approaches him. "Are you leaving? We are about to do fireworks."

"Thank you Mrs. Appleton for your hospitality, it's always a pleasure to see you and your family. I really should be going though." And with that he left. He didn't look back when he heard the fireworks for fear he would see her again, and that the sight of her would melt his resolve to let her move on with her life without him. He figured her work must be what brought her out this far from the Evergarden estate, it still surprised him that Hodgins didn't give him any heads up that she would be near here.

The further away his car carried him from her now, the more his heart ached. He'd always thought she was a lovely looking young girl, but now, over three years since they parted, she's really become something worthy of her name. He started to think maybe he should turn the car around, maybe he should tell her the truth. As he thought about what it would be like his heart cracked. "She will hate me..." He whispered. His driver looked back to see Gilbert bent over and gripping at his chest as a sob fell from his lips and tears from his eyes.

The driver slowed and pulled the car to the side of the road. "Sir?"

"Please keep driving." Gilbert managers to choke out before coughing into his hand. When he removes his hand and sees the blood he breaths heavily. "Please, take me to the hospital."

Back at the Appleton's manor before the fireworks Violet and Leon walked slowly through the garden, pointing out and identifying the flowers they know. He watched, fascinated, as she found some violets but didn't point them out to him as she stared for a moment. The warm light from the house lighting one half of her face and the cool light from the moon the other, he wished he had his camera to capture how beautiful she looks in this light. 

"Violet—" he waited until her eyes lifted from the flowers to meet his eyes. "Now that my letters are finished, you'll be leaving, is that correct?"

She nodded before speaking. "Yes. I should get back to the C.H. Postal Company."

She's making him nervous again with those deep, night sky, eyes and he finds himself struggling to get the right words out "I was wondering— tomorrow I need to go into town to have my ribs checked and my arm cast removed. Would you— I was thinking while your still here and since we would both in town anyway—"

She smiled watching him fumble over his words and leans closer to him. "I could go with you to your appointment..."

He smiled. She finished his thought. She wanted what he wanted. "And we could grab something to eat." He leans in towards her a little.

She smiles softly as her eyes drift for a moment to his lips and then back up to his eyes and she blushes because she knows he noticed. "I heard that Oscar Webster's new play is showing at the theatre in town, we could catch a matinee."

He leans in just a bit more, his eyes drift momentarily to her pale lips before speaking in a low whisper. "It's starting to sound like we'll be on a —" The bang of the first fireworks surprises both of them and they both jump a little before nervous laughter bubbles out of them.

The bright lights of the fireworks illuminate the garden path that they are standing on, but their eyes haven't left each other to watch the beautiful explosions the sky.

"Leon—" Violet's voice is gentle as she reaches out to grasp his hand.

As she takes his hand a small gasp escapes him and he blushes. "Violet—" He begins to lean towards her again, trying to avoid putting too much pressure on his injured leg, although at this point he did think it would be worth all the pain to kiss her as both of them start to close their eyes.

"There you two are!" Fern bursts into the garden and the pair pull away, still holding hands, just shy of their lips touching.

A/N: 

I have a pretty clear picture where I want this story to end, and some of the obstacles these characters will go through... but I am always willing to hear other ideas!

Creation is hard, comments and votes make it easier!

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