"Eyes can't
shine,
unless there's something
burning
bright
behind.
~ One Direction
At exactly ten, Scarlett halted outside the door to Ace's office holding a bouquet of dahlias, her fingers poised to turn the knob and walk in. She turned her head to look at Gretchen, who was watching her.
"Power," Gretchen mouthed, exaggeratedly.
Scarlett rolled her eyes and knocked twice, huffing.
"Yes?" she heard Ace call.
She opened the door and stepped inside.
Ace looked up and an expression of confusion overtook his face when he saw her. "Since when do you knock?" he asked.
Her mouth dropped open as she walked towards him. "I knock," she said.
"Things off my desk before you sit on it, sure," Ace said, leaning back in his chair.
Scarlett groaned. "I got the flowers," she said, holding the bouquet out to him.
"Good," Ace said, logging off of his laptop, shutting it and getting up, "You can hold on to it."
He closed the files on his desk and began walking towards the door. "Come on," he told her, "We haven't got all day."
Scarlett stood, rooted to the spot. "You want me to come with you?"
Ace put his hand on the door knob and turned to her. "I think I explicitly said just that," he said. He opened the door, "Shall we?" he asked, gesturing to the outside.
Scarlett walked across the office and towards Ace slowly, surveying his expression.
It was unreadable as usual.
"Where are we going?" she asked, softly.
Ace's eyes looked like they were reading her thoughts. "Somewhere important, Sky," he said, in a whisper.
Scarlett's heart raced.
She knew he would take her to where he goes every month with his bouquet of dahlias, but she didn't know where that was.
Throughout the drive, the destination of which Scarlett did not know, she tried to figure out what it was.
Ace looked over at her and smiled. "You'll hurt yourself," he said, looking at the expression of concentration on her face. "Just relax."
Scarlett made a face at him, but was quiet as they drove away from the city.
On the outskirts of town, when building became shorter and wider and gardens became bigger, they pulled in through large, majestic wrought iron gates, over which stood a happy sign: 'Shady Oaks Nursing and Retirement Home'.
Knowing that both of Ace's parents were no more, Scarlett wondered whom he could possibly be coming to see.
He helped her out of the car wordlessly.
She held out the bouquet to him.
He shook his head. "You can give it to her," was all he said.
The staff at the home seemed very accustomed to Ace, but very unaccustomed to him bringing a guest with him.
The lady in charge of the place led them down a long corridor. "She's been well and she just got back from her morning walk," she told Ace.
"No health issues?" Ace asked.
"None other than the occasional high blood pressure. That's hereditary, of course. She doesn't complain about her medicine, though. We make sure that she has regulated sugar intake and monitor her meals as usual," the lady said.
They stopped outside a door.
"Thank you, Mrs. Finch," Ace nodded, approvingly.
Mrs. Finch smiled. She knocked on the door and opened it slowly. "Francine, I've got some visitors for you," she called, sweetly into the room.
She stepped aside, letting Ace and Scarlett walk into the room.
The room was painted in a light, sky blue, with edging in the same colour, making it look bright and cheerful. There was a small seating area, a desk, a bed, a TV and an en-suite bathroom. The bedspread was white, speckled with small blue flowers, carrying the theme of blue throughout the room.
In a corner, sat a rocking chair, atop which sat one of the sweetest looking old ladies that Scarlett had ever seen. She was tiny old lady, with her white hair pulled back into a neat bun, embroidery glasses over her dark, shining eyes, with a bright smile on her face. She held a long, cloth in her hand, which had a rich shine to it.
"Oh, Ace," she said, her smiled widening as she looked up at him, "I just finished my walk and came in."
"How are you, Fran?" he asked, sweetly, gently, kindly, walking up to her before he bent and kissed her cheek.
"Oh, I've been grand," she answered, patting his cheek.
"Well, I'll leave you three to have a nice time," Mrs. Finch said, before leaving.
Francine turned to look at Scarlett, who smiled back at her.
"Fran, I'd like you to meet someone," Ace said, straightening and nodding to Scarlett.
Scarlett stepped forward. "Hi, Francine, I'm Scarlett. These are for you," she said, holding out the bouquet to her.
Francine looked at her, brightly. "Oh, that's very sweet of you. There's a vase in that cabinet for when this boy brings me flowers."
"I'll get it," Ace said, walking over to the cabinet atop which sat the TV.
Francine looked at Scarlett. "Sit down here, baby," she said, patting the small couch near her.
Scarlett crossed the room and sat.
"My, my, you smell like vanilla shea butter," Francine said, inhaling.
Scarlett giggled. "That's exactly what it is. My friend gave it to me."
Fran nodded, approvingly as Ace set the vase down on the table and sat next to Scarlett.
"Now, tell me why you've sprung an extra guest on me without telling me about it, but at all beforehand, child," Francine told Ace, in a reprimanding tone.
Ace shrugged. "I just figured last night that you two should meet each other."
Scarlett's heart that had been racing since she walked into the room, skipped a beat as she looked at Ace, tears pricking in the back of her eyes. He looked back at her for a moment, like it wasn't anything special. Scarlett wanted to burst out into tears at how special she felt that he was introducing her to someone in his life that no one seemed to know about.
"Well, I don't have a thing to give her and it's your fault," she told him.
Scarlett turned to Francine. "Oh, you don't need to give me anything."
Francine waved the long thing in her hand. "I make this boy ties and he doesn't tell me that I should make, maybe a scarf or a headband for you. This is unacceptable, Ace."
Ace smiled. "I believe that's a new one," he said, pointing to the one in her hand.
Francine raised an eyebrow. "I have half a mind not to give it to you."
"You make all of Ace's ties?" Scarlett asked, looking from the tie that Ace was wearing, to the one in Francine's hand and to Francine, herself.
"I haven't bought a tie in seven years," he said.
"I've wondered how they all seem to perfectly match your shirts," Scarlett nodded.
"He picks the fabric and gives it to me. Gives me something to keep my fingers occupied with," Francine said and patted Scarlett's hand, "Don't worry. Next time, I'll have something for you."
Scarlett smiled.
"Francine was my neighbour when I was a kid," Ace explained, seeing the question in Scarlett's mind, "She helped me out a lot when I needed it. She looked after me a lot."
"And now, he looks after me," she said.
Ace didn't seem to want to take any credit.
"Now, Scarlett, how do you know the boy?" she asked.
"I work for him," Scarlett answered.
Francine's eyebrows raised and her dark eyes twinkled as she looked from Scarlett to Ace. She took Scarlett's chin in her fingers. "Your eyes are the colour of my walls."
Scarlett laughed.
"So, you've known Ace practically his whole life?" she asked.
"Ever since he was a wee boy climbing the tree in my garden, pretending to be a fireman saving a cat from a tree," said Francine, "And now, look at him. He's bigger than me, running a big corporation."
She spoke with a lot of pride in her voice.
"Francine used to look after me whenever my Dad was, you know, not very nice to me," Ace said, quietly.
Scarlett nodded, knowingly, thankful that there had been someone to take care of him.
"And she used to make the best fried chicken and cornbread," he added, louder, with a smile.
Francine shook a finger at him. "This boy got so big because of my chicken, beans and cornbread."
Scarlett looked at him. "Amazing that he isn't bigger if that's all he ate."
Francine laughed while Ace gave Scarlett a look. "I like this one, Ace. How long did you keep her from me?"
Ace looked at Scarlett. "Not too long."
The silence was filled with the ringtone of Ace's phone. He stood up. "Excuse me," he said, before pulling it out of his pocket and stepping outside.
Scarlett turned to Francine. "Are dahlias your favorite flowers?" she asked.
"No. Orchids are," Francine replied, cheerily.
Scarlett's shoulders sagged looking at the bouquet of dahlias on the table. "Oh."
Francine laughed and patted her hand. "Don't worry, baby. I love the dahlias that he brings me. When he was young, there was a field near where we lived. There were so many dahlias that grew there. Whenever he'd have some trouble with his father, I would go get him and try patch him up and feed him. He was always such a strong boy. He never wanted to ask for help, but he needed it. He was a wee thing. Bright eyed, but scared of his Dad. That man was never good to him. Every single time I take care of him, the next day, the boy would go into that field, pick all the dahlias he could carry and bring them to me. It's how he showed me that he was grateful. He didn't have any other way back then."
She nodded to the bouquet.
"He still does that now, but he also takes care of me, now. I never had kids and my husband died a long time ago. Ace has always taken care of me. When he moved here, he found this place and brought me with him. He comes to visit me every month. The boy keeps me happy, so I make his ties for him."
Scarlett's eyes were shining with tears.
"Wipe those eyes, baby," Francine said, shaking Scarlett's hand, "Things are good now. Not only for me, but even for him. He does well. He's a good boy, isn't he?"
Scarlett smiled and nodded. "He's wonderful. He's so nice to me. Not many people in my life have been nice to me."
Francine smiled knowingly. "Oh, you're sweet on him."
Scarlett blushed, profusely.
"Don't worry, he's sweet on you, too. I can see it in his eyes."
Scarlett looked up as Francine leaned in.
"The eyes always give it away, don't they? The boy's eyes are shining. He has always had those pretty green eyes, but they're shining now. Eyes don't shine like that without a reason," she said, knowingly, "Under those tears, your eyes shine, too, you know?" She nodded her head in the direction that Ace had gone, "The boy has had a tough life. He's overworked and underappreciated. He deserves some happiness."
Scarlett's heart twisted in pain and the idea that had solidified in her mind was brewing in full force.
"He does," she told Francine, truthfully, more tears threatening to fall, "More than anyone else I know."
Francine looked at the new girl that she had been introduced to. With the way that she looked in the direction that Ace had gone, the older woman knew that Scarlett was something good in his life.
"How long have you and the boy been together?" she asked.
Scarlett looked at her, thinking and shrugged. "I don't really know how to answer that."
"How long has it been since he told you about his father?" Francine asked, "That's when he really started trusting you."
Scarlett's insides contracted.
"You really know him, don't you?" she asked.
Francine sighed. "The boy didn't have anyone. His sister was away, his mother was sick and his father was a bastard. He lived in my house as much as he could. I probably am the only one who's known the boy this long and this well. He's always been such a good boy. Works so hard. When he was in school, he was bright and intelligent. Kids in school picked on him for being so good at everything. No one really likes someone who wins all the time, now, do they, baby?"
Scarlett bit down on her lip. "I guess not. If he was so smart, why did his Dad keep saying that he wouldn't amount to anything?"
"The old man was a drunkard. Ace's mother fell sick about two years after he was born. That bastard father of his blamed the poor boy for it. Never let him get away with anything. I've lost count of the times I cared for his back after his father thrashed him. I even took him to the hospital to get stitches for his forehead," Francine said, joining the dots that had formed in Scarlett's mind.
"The boy left as soon as he could," Francine went on, "Before he left, he came and said to me 'Franny, one day I'm going to come and get you. I'm going to take care of you for the rest of your life the way you've always taken care of me. You're the only one in my life who's always been there. I will always be there for you'. True to his word, two years later, he came and told me to gather everything I needed and that he was bringing me here. My husband had died. I didn't have much tying me there, so I came. He's looked after me ever since. He kept his promise. He always keeps his promises."
Scarlett's fingers tightened around Francine's. "I don't know what to say," she sighed.
"Tell me, does the boy still overwork himself?"
Scarlett laughed. "I don't think he knows any other way of operating. He was awake till almost two in the morning after a long day yesterday, working. I had to coax him to go to bed."
"You're good for him," Francine nodded, approvingly, patting Scarlett's hand, "He needs someone to tell him to stop working. Promise me something, Scarlett."
"Anything."
"I can't really watch over him all the time," she said, "Promise me that you'll take care of the boy. Give him the love and the happiness that he deserves."
Scarlett's heart fluttered at the sound of her words.
She nodded.
"I promise."
The door opened and Ace walked back in, stuffing his phone into his pocket. "Sorry about that. I had to take it. Now, Fran," he said, sitting down, "You're taking all your medicine?"
"Yes, doctor," Francine replied, rolling her eyes.
Scarlett laughed. "I think you and Grace would get along very well."
Ace explained, "Grace is one of Scarlett's good friends. You and she are about the same age."
"If this girl likes her, I'm sure I will, too," Francine said, patting Scarlett's hand.
Ace shook his head. "Unbelievable. Everyone likes her more than me."
The women laughed.
They sat there, speaking to Francine, taking her to lunch and playing games with her for almost four hours before finally getting up to leave.
Francine made Ace promise to bring Scarlett the next time he visited before handing him his new tie.
Outside the closed door to Francine's room, Scarlett held Ace's hand without letting him walk away. He looked at her.
"Thank you," Scarlett said, softly, "For bringing me here. For brining me to meet someone who is obviously important to you."
Ace smiled and squeezed her hand. "You both are."
Tears fell from Scarlett's eyes, unable to stop herself.
"Oh, Ace," she gasped, stepping closer to him, "You don't know what this means to me. That you think I'm important enough to be a part of your life; all the parts of your life. Enough to show who you are to."
Ace raised one hand to tangle into her hair at the base of her neck. "You are enough, Sky. It's ridiculous how enough you are."
Scarlett pressed a salty kiss to Ace's lips on account of how many tears were falling.
Her heart was full to the brim and she knew exactly what she needed to do when she left the place.
First, before anything, she needed to tell him something.
She pulled away, but the look in Ace's eyes made her falter.
The intensity in his eyes were almost too much to bear.
He held her face close, his deep, bright green eyes focusing on her like she was the only person in the world; like looking at her was the only thing that was keeping him tethered to the ground; like holding her gaze was the only thing that managed to keep him alive.
"Scarlett," he said, in a soft, hopeful, lilting tone, making her savour the sound of her name coming from his mouth, "I'm in love with you, Scarlett."
Scarlett exhaled audibly, unable to believe what she had heard.
Her heart soared, like it had never been happier.
She gasped out a laugh.
She pressed herself into him.
"Say it again," she pleaded, holding him.
Ace smiled, putting his arms around her waist.
"I'm in love with you, Sky," he said, slowly, for her to grasp what he had said.
Scarlett inhaled sharply. "No one has ever told me that they love me. Not the way you do, Aeson." More tears fell from her eyes, making Ace reach into his pocket and hand her his handkerchief. "No one has ever loved me."
Ace angled his head and smoothed her hair back. Standing in that deserted corridor of the retirement home, he gave her his understated smile. "It seems I do."
He held her close. "And Sky, I don't need to hear it back. I know how life has been for you –"
"You're cute when you're babbling," she said, interrupting him with a laugh, wiping her face with his handkerchief.
Ace raised his eyebrows.
Scarlett smiled.
"I'm in love with you, Aeson."
Ace pulled her closer.
"Say it again."
"I'm in love with you, Aeson."
He held her tighter.
"One more time."
Scarlett giggled.
Slowly, in a soft, sultry tone, she told him, "I'm in love with you."
Ace pressed a soft, loving kiss to her forehead. "And I'm in love with you."
"Seems we've got quite a situation on our hands," Scarlett commented.
"It seems as though we do," Ace agreed, "What can we do about it?"
Scarlett's eyes sparkled, just like Ace's. "Are you saying we're going to play hookie?"
Ace's brows knitted together. "I have a meeting."
Scarlett laughed. "Of course, you do. Maybe we can do something after your meeting."
Ace nodded, taking her hand and beginning to walk towards the exit. "Yeah, maybe we can pick up where we left off last night."
Scarlett bit down on her lip and giggled. "That sounds like a plan."
"Shall we go back to the office?"
Scarlett halted on the porch. "Actually, there's something I need to do first. I'll meet you back at the office, alright?"
Ace didn't bat an eye. "Alright," he said. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you soon."
Scarlett knew exactly where she would go.
She had decided what she was going to do the previous night and there was nothing that could have stopped her.
After she did what she decided, she would come clean.
Ace began to walk away, but Scarlett held his hand and pulled him back, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"I love you, Aeson."
"I love you, Sky."
How's your heart? Mine was fluttering while writing this.
Scarlett is finally going to do it. You know where she's going, right?
Aren't you just so ready for it?
My babies.
Stay tuned for Scarlett's confrontation!
Much love!