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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Jan 30, 2011 16:51:29 GMT -5
The carriage ride over was fairly quiet, I think, mainly because I didn't feel the need to talk and.. Well I didn't know Naia's reason. There was no point in filling empty air with empty words, and nothing I could have said then would have done anything anyway. I merely sat across from her, feeling rather pleased with myself for how events had gone tonight. Unexpected events, surely, but that didn't derive any pleasure I received from them.
Once we reached my townhome, I exited the carriage and held my hand out to assist her for the second time that night.. surely a record. I hadn't always been so jaded.. but then, Naia had never known that me. Looping her arm over mine, I led her into my home, still wearing a pleased-with-myself smile.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Jan 30, 2011 20:00:20 GMT -5
It was so strange, the way he helped me into the carriage, the companionable silence on the ride back... I was afraid to speak, to be honest, because I knew it was likely I'd say something to break the mood, and I didn't want it to snap, not yet. Instead I surreptitiously watched Kendrick from beneath my lashes, marveling at how different he looked when he wasn't angry, or sulking, or even laughing in that self-mocking way that I easily recognized. Something about our son had softened him, and it became him in a way that I knew I could never tell him. I realized on that ride home that I knew next to nothing about him. Who was his family? Had he ever been married? Loved a woman? A man? I had no idea who Kendrick really was, and the idea made me sad for our child, to have parents that were virtual strangers.
But maybe it didn't have to be that way ... maybe tonight was the start of something that could last - Kendrick and I actually being friends. I took his hand and let him help me out of the carriage, surprised when he took my arm and led me into the house, a smile on his face that was so different from any I'd seen before. I was actually starting to get worried, what if he was doing all of this so that I would let me guard down and then when we got in the house, he would have some kind of awful surprise planned?
My steps slowed on the way up the walkway, my imagination beginning to come up with different scenarios, each worse than the last.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Jan 30, 2011 21:53:06 GMT -5
Just inside the house, I paused and took her cloak from her, tossing it to a nearby maid that had popped 'round the corner. Her eyes went wide as she caught the garment by reflex, but I had already stopped paying attention to her, taking Naias hand and wrapping it around my arm again.
"You know, I've found a great deal of things in life ironic," I said suddenly as I led her through the dim house. Lamps had been left lit, but on low, anticipating my return but not knowing when exactly it might come. "Life, though, has a way of throwing things at me that I never see coming, and never think I can properly deal with. Like you," I tacked on, glancing at her as I led her towards the stairs, though oddly there was no sarcasm in my voice. "Ironic as it was, I was already planning on doing this tonight, but I hadn't expected the issue of the babes last name to come about.. not this early." The top of the stairs rounded, I led her towards a little room that until now had been the guest quarters; my old room as it was, til I took over the title and moved into the largest room.
Pausing outside of it, I looked at her, quite serious, but with no hint of apology in my eyes. "I know I haven't been the most... excited... about your pregnancy," I started reluctantly, unsure of how to say it. "Eluas balls, but I never thought I'd be a father. At one time mayhap, but that died a long time ago. I'm.." I paused again, unsure of how to say it, my eyes just staring at her... And abruptly I moved, turning the door handle and leading her into a room.
Baby items were grouped; a crib, a rocking cradle, rattles and finely sanded wooden toys lacquered in different colors. Blankets, a dresser and an changing table that matched the crib, little shelves that were worked in scrolls... "I didn't get any clothes," I said, suddenly awkward. "I'm not much for fashion.. and I figured you might like doing that better anyway."
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Jan 30, 2011 22:32:24 GMT -5
I knew without thought that it was difficult for him to speak to me so openly, especially considering that I was the same type of person. I was beginning to sense that we were alike in more ways than simply a fondness for drinking away our problems and being somewhat antisocial. Not to mention devastatingly attractive.
I followed him with a more sure step, believing for the moment that he meant no harm, and I let him speak his piece, until we stood upstairs in front of a room where his hand rested on the handle as he finished speaking.
"I know," I said in response, giving his arm a squeeze. "I know this wasn't a part of your plan, or mine, believe it or not, but I'm glad you want to be a part of the baby's life. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, but it means a lot to me that you do." I smiled, though I wondered about what had happened in his past to wound him so. It made me feel a bit better that I wasn't the only one scarred by the past, and who knew, maybe this child would help both of us to heal.
He opened the door then and I peered around him cautiously. So help me, if it was some kind of creepy dungeon, I was going to beat him within an inch of his life. I was shocked by what I saw then, as shocked as if it had been something creepy. Instead, it was something beautiful, something touching. My hand went to my mouth as I took a step inside of the room, marveling at the beautiful furniture and toys ... I could hardly believe he'd done this.
"Oh, Kendrick..." I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "Did you do this yourself?" I turned to look at him, hoping that he had indeed, rather than have had a servant do it. "It's perfect, just perfect..."
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Feb 1, 2011 17:35:05 GMT -5
I figured she'd like it; she was Naia after all, and gifts were always a good way to go with her, but I hadn't anticipated her liking it this much. The awkwardness grew in me and I shifted, incredibly unaccustomed to the feeling, and I reached a hand up to rub the short hair that covered my head.
"Well, sort of," I said, hanging in the doorway as she walked forward. Part of me wished I'd just had it delivered to her, but the other part of me wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it here. Imagine - a baby in my house. What in Eluas balls would I do if it started crying? Just the thought made me jittery.
"I took Seraphina out with me.. she's had three children apparently, though I didn't know before I started asking my staff." I took Seraphina, sure, but what I didn't mention was the way she kept cutting looks at me, plain as day on her face that she'd wondered if I'd completely lost my mind. It didn't stop when we'd actually gone out either - if anything, it just intensified til I wanted to wrap my hands around her throat and throttle her. "She suggested, but I chose. I'd have bought all sharp-cornered things if not for her," I tacked on, a lopsided grin on my mouth at remembering how horrified she'd been when I'd chosen the first crib. The crib I'd chosen in the end was round, mostly to soothe her nattering chatter than anything else. "There's a rug on order to go under it," I added, gesturing to the crib. "You just have to send a missive and let them know what color you want it to be. Speaking of which, that makes me think; we have a house to buy now. There's one around the block, " -thank gods, I didn't think I could live with her just down the street, or her me- "that is rumored to be going up for sale.. I'll go over on the morrow and speak to the Comte d'Éiron."
Much easier to speak of business deals. I still stood in the doorway, feeling as awkward as a naked virgin, but somewhere deep inside of me I was pleased that she liked it.
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Post by Naia Shahrizai on Feb 2, 2011 23:22:35 GMT -5
"Well, she gave you some wonderful suggestions," I said, stepping further into the room and over the crib, running my hands along the rails. It struck me that this was becoming more real by the moment. Soon this crib would have a baby in it, our son, and I would be responsible for him. It would be up to Kendrick and I to make sure not only that he was safe, but that he was happy, that he was loved. With the father that I had, it was more important to me than anything that my son have a good father, and I was determined not to alienate Kendrick, even if it killed me.
"What color would you like?" I asked him, being partial to blues myself but not wanting to leave him out of the decision-making process. When he brought up the house, I smiled, excited at the prospect. I felt a little bad about it though, that I had extracted it from him in the way I had, but not bad enough to take it back. This room was lovely, but I needed my own space, the baby needed a home, not to be bounced around in the storm of my life.
"That would be lovely, Kendrick. Perhaps I can come along and take a look at it?" Not that I would turn it down, and being in the West Borough, it was sure to be lovely. On impulse, I turned to face him, smiling more genuinely than I ever had with him. "Thank you, Kendrick, for all of this... it's beautiful, and I know our son is going to love it here."
I wondered, then, if it would be best for Kendrick and I to live together, since we would be raising this child together, but all I could see down that path was misery and heartache - for both of us - and so I did not suggest it.
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Post by Kendrick Deveroix on Feb 7, 2011 11:49:29 GMT -5
She asked me which color I'd prefer and for a moment it surprised me. Mayhap it shouldn't have with the current air between us, but given our relationship it was hard for me to relax completely. "Whatever you'd like," I said as I leaned on the doorframe, stuffing my hands into the pockets of my breeches as I watched her. "These things, they're for you.. Originally I was going to send them to wherever you'd be staying, but with the need for a new house, they can go there."
Should I get something for my house too? Oddly, the thought hadn't occurred to me before now, but I supposed I'd have to set something up. The child would stay with me at times, I knew, but he'd be in Naia's care most of the time and I was content with it. The older he was, the more demanding I'd be in having time with me, grooming him to take over the title, teaching him the savvy ways of being a businessman and handling the estates affairs, increasing wealth. Buying Naia's house would hurt me financially coupled with my recent acquisition of a neighboring orchard estate in the country, but I'd increased affairs enough on my own to know I'd be able to handle things smoothly.
"I'll send over decorators once things are settled as well, for wallpapers freshening the babes room up. Just tell them what you want."
The awkwardness was growing, and I scratched the back of my head again as I watched her, not knowing what else to do with my hands. My other remained in my pocket. "Let me know too when you want to go clothes shopping for him; I'll send my man around to drive and assist you."
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