*WARNING: This blog is intended for a mature audience. Its contents may include adult situations, violence and sensitive issues that some people might find disturbing. Please read at your own discretion.

8 November 2014

A Pair of Brown Eyes: Chapter 25


Williams' music school was the last place where Andrew expected to see Claire. What could she possibly be doing in this part of town? He sighed, debating whether he should approach her and greet her. And to think that, but until a few days before, he would never have hesitated!


In any case, acknowledging her presence seemed like the proper thing to do, so he finally decided to walk towards her, even against his will. "Claire? I mean— Mrs. Parker." It had been his own idea to call her back by her last name: why was it so hard? "You're far from your home. May I ask what has brought you to this neighbourhood?"


"I– I'm come to– I've come–", she stuttered in her usual way, which was by turns endearing and exasperating. But it was the shock on her face at looking at him that almost undid Andrew. He should stop letting this woman affect him in so many ways!


He was wondering if he would ever get Claire to finish one of her sentences when Williams himself made his appearance across the street, distracting Andrew from the conversation at hand. His greatest surprise came when his friend approached them and addressed Claire directly. "Ah, you're right on time, Mrs. Parker."

"'On time?'" Andrew was dumbfounded. "Did you two have an appointment?"


"Why, yes, I thought you knew. This charming woman," Williams said, while giving Claire's hand a gentle stroke, "has given me the great honour of accepting my job offer."

"Is that so?" Andrew wrapped his arms across his chest, and turned to Claire, meaning to speak. Presently, however, he was at a loss for words.

"Come on, Stuart," Williams chimed in. "Don't look so surprised. You surely wouldn't want such talent to be wasted on bandages and stitches forever, would you? Look, I've had an idea. Why don't you join us to tea, so we can talk the matter over and come up with an arrangement that's suitable for the three of us? If the lady agrees to it, of course."

Angry as he was, Andrew couldn't offer any sound objection to that proposition, and seeing that... the charming woman herself had given none of her own, consented to it in the end.


Williams led them to the interior of the building, and asked them to wait for him while he went to see about making the tea ready.


"Why, Claire, why?" Andrew snapped at her as soon as they were left alone. "Damn it, you're so difficult to understand. So unpalatable is your present situation now, Mrs. Parker, that you want to leave it? And you weren't even going to tell me, as usual."

"It's not that. I like my job," she said in as flat a voice as Andrew had ever heard.

"Then it's because of me that you're quitting, isn't it? Because you have decided you won't have me and therefore you can't even tolerate to be in my company? Is that so? And why won't you have me, anyway? Is it because I'm too old for you? Too far beneath you?"


"What?" Claire raised his eyes at him; the paleness of her face didn't prepare Andrew for the composed yet angry tone in which she spoke next. "Your manly pride is not the only thing at stake here! First you push me away, making both of us uncomfortable, and now you get shocked that I can't bear the situation any longer!?"

"I? *I* have pushed *you* away?" Andrew tried not to think of how gorgeous she looked, heaving in anger, a noticeable sparkle enhancing the intensity of her sight. "I'm not the one who said she could never love me! And most particularly after having kissed me so warmly the minute before!"

She looked away. And when she talked again, her tone was considerably subdued. "I've been confusing you–," her voice trembled. "–haven't I?" Was that a question? Andrew had the feeling she was no longer talking to him.

He didn't bother to find out; he was growing tired of this conversation. As if she was the only one who could leave the other talking to thin air. Turning on his heels, he aimed for the exit, not minding his manners. His friend would excuse him, he was sure of it –neither he nor Claire seemed to be in any need of his presence, anyway. And at present, Andrew was done with human society.


The things Claire had accused him of! And that after having failed at offering any satisfactory explanation of her refusal a few days before...

********************


What was about this woman that made him so crazy? How was it he could not get her out of his mind even when she had rejected him so coldly? I could never love you... That was the only explanation he was to get? After all they had shared together? She could never love him? What did that mean, anyway? He grabbed his coat and ventured outdoors. For once, he did not mind the rain, since it would appease his anger and deception.

But Andrew only went as far as the outer gates of his home. His wandering thoughts prevented him from going any farther. He could think of nothing but her, and at one point he found himself remembering how they had met... How he had thought that employing a woman in his service was the craziest thing to do. And how she had changed his mind so quickly. How she had captured his attention from the very beginning by her alluring eyes, and her quiet charm, and her varied talents, and that compelling mystery that surrounded her...

Compelling mystery! He sneered. Claire remained a mystery to him, indeed, but that had ceased to entice him a long while ago. Her evasiveness –which he had mistakenly thought to have conquered– had become a nuisance, one more proof of how little trust she bestowed upon him. Why, oh why did he have to be so utterly in love with someone who wouldn't share any important matters with him?


He had overcome one breakup before; he was not sure he could do it this time. Claire meant much more for him than Olivia ever did, but she... She could never love him!

********************


His pride! That was all she could think of? She had spoken as if she imagined him to be the kind of man who would value a woman as a prize to be won over, or would treat her as his possession! Surely his pride had been hurt –and he was by no means the first jilted man in history– but that wasn't the reason why he felt so miserable. Oh, no! So many more things tormented his soul. Why couldn't the woman understand it? Why couldn't Claire understand that if she would just let him pour out his feelings for her, perhaps then she would be willing to give him a chance? Why couldn't she understand that without her, life was meaningless?

His pride? His former fiancée accused him of not having enough pride and ambition, and now this! He had never thought Olivia and Claire were at all alike but perhaps they were, even in their antagonism; perhaps he had been deluding himself into believing the contrary. Perhaps all women were alike, after all, always ready to chastise men and make them act like fools!

No! It couldn't be that! Claire's refusal simply made no sense! That's what was bothering him! He couldn't have been so blind as to imagine an emotional attachment on her part where there was none. She must feel something for him! He had seen it in the way she looked at him of late. And her kisses... She gave them too keenly for them to have been fake.

Claire, oh Claire! He couldn't deny the strong feelings she elicited in him, even if she had so blatantly refused him. What was he going to do?




A Pair of Brown Eyes; Chapter 24



********************

Author's note.- Soooo, we're moving forward... at long last! Phew! I thought I'd never get up to this point... I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing as to what is present and what is past, but since Andrew's train of thought is like a continuum, I guess time really doesn't matter much... 

Oh, and one more thing... In case you don't completely hate me yet, I'm telling you now you are not going to– like– next chapter. There! Don't say you haven't been warned! :-P ;-).

23 comments:

  1. Damn it!!!! UGH this is so frustrating. Claire you can't leave him, you have to work with him, see him every day and finally admit to yourself you love him. You do you love him and he needs to know that!!! Aww poor Andrew, I feel so bad for him. Rejected by Olivia and now Claire, yes his pride is hurt.

    Claire has no clue what to do and what she's done or what she's doing. This is going from bad to worse. I'm sad now. So very, very sad. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I meant to ask you in the last chapter. The pose you used, with Andrew and Claire kissing on the couch do you remember who made that? I was needing something like that, sweet, but couldn't find it.

      thanks

      Delete
    2. Frustrating, isn't it? Claire can be really frustrating to people who don't know what's the matter with her :-(. And, no, she has no idea of how her behaviour affects others... So sorry to make you sad :-(... This was never a happy story...

      Thanks for reading, anyway :-).


      PS: If I remember correctly, I used poses from these two packs: "I Love You", by Sea and "Couple Pose 042", by Tamamaro. I uploaded the second one to Dropbox, because the link I originally took it from doesn't seem to work. Hope this helps :-).

      Delete
    3. Thank you for the poses.

      I'm still holding out hope that they will get their happily ever after. :)

      Delete
  2. Things are worsening. Love is a mistery. Kisses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a mystery, indeed: some cases are worse than others, though ;-).

      Thank you for reading :-).

      Delete
  3. So sad. I had tears in my eyes as I read this. I know you said we won't like the next chapter. I'll deal with that, but I'm going to need some happiness soon because watching them both in pain is getting to be too much to bear. You know how much I love Andrew, and I want Claire to face her demons and be rid of them ... so badly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, don't me tell me so, now you're making *me* sad... :-(. I do hope you can bear it for a while, because... hmmm... Well, I'll only ask for a little patience, that's all! ;-)

      Thank you for reading, I really appreciate it :-).

      Delete
  4. Well I do hope that Claire can tell him she loves him and accept him before her husband comes back to get her. Even if she doesn't tell him the truth but at least half of it, because that would give Andrew more strength to fight for her later.
    I do have a strong feeling he is still alive otherwise Claire wouldn't feel so bad about being with him.
    And I have not said this as of late, but I do love Andrew so very much!!! He so handsome and wonderful all together. Hahaha.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not much I can reply without giving things away too soon. I'll just say this: you have a keen eye ;-). And I'm glad Andrew gets so much love :-D.

      Thanks for reading :-).

      Delete
  5. Poor Andrew. I like how part of him is certain that she actually has feelings for him. Looking forward to the next chapter.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He does know (in a way) that she has feelings for him, and that is what's frustrating and puzzling him the most.

      Thank you for reading :-).

      Delete
  6. So much emotion! I hope Claire and Andrew resolve their communication issues soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, there are many feelings at stake here...

      Thanks for reading :-).

      Delete
  7. Wow, poor Andrew, he's floundering...like a - err, fish?

    Great Chapter. I think it makes sense that Claire would want to look for employment elsewhere if her current employer was giving her the cold shoulder - I know I would! Who in their right mind would put themselves through that?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, like a fish, right!

      We can't blame Claire for wanting to change jobs, given her present circumstances...

      Thank you for reading :-).

      Delete
  8. Ugh these two!
    It is always easier when looking from the outside. Maybe Clare and Andrew should do that. I think Andrew could, but Claire seems to be a bottled bomb really. Not sure if she will explode in anger or fizzle. It's good she's pursuing her music, but I think that may not be a smart thing right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Claire seems ready to explode at any moment –she nearly did just that ;-)...

      Thanks for reading :-).

      Delete
  9. Just caught up! Oh man things are building up! I really though everything was gonna come out when Claire went to speak with him and he had also resolved to make his feelings clear. Poor dear Andrew just always knows the perfect words to completely and unintentionally horrify her though.
    Out with it!! The both of you!! XD Easier said than done, though, I know. :)
    I shall be eagerly awaiting the next chapter!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Andrew's "talent" for saying the wrong thing at the worst possible moment is unsurpassed ;-).

      Thank you for reading! :-)

      Delete
  10. O_O The key! Andrew figured out the key! He noticed that thing about "men treating women as possessions," which is exactly what Claire thinks men do. Now if the two of them could somehow figure out how to have a long talk, like Andrew said, if she would let him tell her his feelings, and if she would tell him about her unfortunate experience, there could be hope for them yet. :D
    Aww she got a new job? Sadness, it feels like she's just giving up on Andrew, which is quite depressing, since he's the best man she has ever met. Perhaps her hanging out with William at work will make her realize she misses Andrew, or maybe William can talk some sense into her. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The key, right! *nods emphatically* Andrew has collected plenty of "clues" by now, he just needs to figure out the whole puzzle.

      And, does Claire have a new job? Well... yes! But... things are going to happen, I can tell you... ;-).

      Thank you for reading :-).

      Delete