Haeven (21 page)

Herrik was beaming, “Oh! That was wonderful!
Just like I remember!”

“It worked?!”

“Here try this,” he reached for something
else and broke off a small piece, “Mmm,” he sighed as I let it
linger and smiling he closed his eyes.

I tried everything he suggested but only a
taste of each. After about a half an hour or so I started to feel
queasy from having eaten so much and so many different things.
Herrik felt it too as he was sifting through the remnants of the
things I hadn’t yet tried.

“Eww,” we both groaned at the same time.

Then laughing he added, “I guess we’ve had
enough.”

“Yeah,” I readily agreed.

It was getting chilly and I involuntarily
shivered as we gathered up the leftovers and tried to decide what
to do with them. While we discussed our options Herrik shrugged out
of his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders. I felt a little
guilty but we both agreed that none of it was really worth saving
and we ended up tucking it all into a nearby wastebasket before
heading back to the car.

“Is there anything else you would like to
do?” he asked and when he looked at me I was mid-yawn and could
only manage to shake my head no in response.

I was sure that he understood especially
after all the indulgent foods I had just eaten. As I settled into
the passenger’s seat I sighed and smiled contentedly. Herrik got us
on our way and since I had gotten so very little sleep I only made
it a mile or so before I nodded off. I slept nearly the entire ride
home and when we got there he had to nudge me more than once to get
me to wake.

“Oh, are we here already?”

“Soon,” Herrik said, “the gate is just
around the corner.”

“Is there something wrong?” I asked when I
realized that he had stopped the car.

“No. I just wanted to say thank you, Emily.
I haven’t had such a memorable night since…since…well,” he gave a
little laugh, “I can’t remember when.” He was quiet for a minute or
so as he considered all that we had done, “We will have to try it
again sometime.”

“We will!”

Smiling Herrik leaned over and brushed my
cheek with a kiss. I felt a little light-headed, foggy and
unfocused but it quickly passed and the next thing I knew we were
on the elevator and chatting animatedly about what we would like to
do next.

My outings with Herrik were something I
always looked forward to and the world seemed a much brighter place
to me once I started counting him among my closest of friends.
Since having had a chance to spend some time with him I realized
that Herrik wasn’t as imposing and intimidating as I originally
thought him to be. I stopped feeling the need to avoid him and
whenever we happened to meet made sure to strike up a conversation.
Usually our run-ins took place in the garden as I made my way home
from either a lesson with Artur or a session with Avery. Herrik
would fall in with me and while we walked together we would spend a
few minutes catching up on all the little things that had happened
in our daily lives and that seemed worth sharing.

One evening I was heading home later than
usual and almost didn’t notice Herrik as I hurried along the path
knowing Penny would have dinner ready and waiting by the time I got
there. I slung my bag over my shoulder and was trying to zip it up
as I walked. I wasn’t watching where I was going and didn’t even
realize that I had passed right by him.

“Emily?”

I whirled around, “Oh, Herrik!” I said
surprised and delighted by his sudden appearance. “I walked right
by didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did!” he came to where I was
standing.

“I’m sorry. My zipper was jammed and I
wasn’t looking where I was going. I didn’t even see you!” I
chuckled. Then I realized that he might have been waiting for me. I
glanced over my shoulder towards my apartment. “Is there something
you needed to talk to me about?”

I was obviously in a hurry so he shook his
head, “No, it can wait,” he assured me.

“Are you sure? I was just trying to get home
in time for din…” I quickly remembered our first night out
together, “why don’t you come in and keep us company while we eat?”
He looked uncomfortable but enticed by the idea. “I’ll make it
worth your while,” I smiled suggestively. I thought I saw him blush
and realized how provocative it sounded. “I mean…oh…ugh!”

Herrik laughed, “I know what you meant,” his
apprehension was quickly swept away. “I’d love to join you,” he
said.

When we got to the door I let us in and
called out to Penny, “Sorry I’m late! We’ll be right there.”

“We?” she came to the hallway and saw Herrik
standing there while I wiggled out of my shoes. “Oh, hello,
Herrik,” she frowned wonderingly.

“Maybe I should come back some other time,”
he looked away awkwardly.

“No!” I tossed a look of helplessness to
Penny so she would know to make him feel welcome.

“Yes, I mean, no. Don’t go. We would enjoy
the company,” Penny pleaded.

He took a breath but before Herrik could say
anything else or excuse himself I started down the hallway and he
reluctantly followed. Penny and I ate most of our meals in the
kitchen since it was just the two of us but there was room enough
for four at the island. She and Herrik took seats across from one
another while I washed up and when I was done I sat down to the
right of Herrik.

Penny seemed hesitant to begin but I had no
reservations. It had been a long day and I was very hungry. I took
up my fork and knife and started eating while my mind raced for a
topic of conversation to put us all at ease.

“Artur was telling me about some rare flower
that only blooms once every seven to ten years.” I took a sip of my
water.

Penny brightened, knowing exactly which one
I was referring to. “The corpse flower.”

I nodded and took another bite while she
went on to explain everything she knew about the strange plant. As
she spoke I reached over with the tip of my toe and slipped it
under Herrik’s pant cuff. I glanced up and smiled while I continued
to eat. He looked flustered and it took a moment but then he
realized what I was doing and Herrik casually kicked off his shoes
then eased his sock down so that we were touching.

From there the rest of the meal flew by.
Penny exhausted her information and once she had Herrik found a new
topic and took charge of the conversation. He carried us all
through dinner and we were all so animated by what he had to say
that we lingered long after we had finished eating. Eventually he
glanced at his watch and said that he needed to say goodnight. He
offered to help clean up to which Penny and I both refused.

“Thank you so much for having me,” he said
to Penny as she stacked our dishes. “I’d forgotten how enjoyable it
is to sit and talk over a meal.”

“Having you here made it all that much
better,” she replied. “You’re welcome to join us any time.”

I nodded agreement and followed Herrik to
the front door where we said goodbye.

“Oh, you never told me why you wanted to see
me.”

“Ah, yes, the concert. There’s a violinist
playing this weekend and it’s been a while…”

“I’d love to!” I said before he could
finish.

Smiling, “I’ll make our plans.” Herrik
shifted awkwardly, “Goodnight,” he kissed my cheek.

“Goodnight,” I held the door a moment and
watched him leave.

From there it became a regular thing, Herrik
stopping by to chat with us through our dinner. He would also show
up at my lessons from time to time and offer his insights for Artur
and I to consider against our own often getting us both to look at
things from a perspective we might not otherwise have
considered.  Other times he would find Avery and I in the gym
and genially beg to be my adversary for however many minutes he
could spare.

Those bouts with Herrik were always my
favorites because he fought gently and with a great deal of care
not to hurt or intimidate me in any way.  He would still
correct me or adjust my positioning if necessary so I learned and
practiced as well as I would with anyone else.  I also enjoyed
them because once the lesson was nearly over he would inevitably
let me take him down and good naturedly congratulate me on my
prowess and ability to protect myself against even the most
formidable of adversaries.

It meant the world to me, Herrik taking such
an active interest in everything I did. He always made me feel
proud of my accomplishments and offered encouragement whenever I
struggled making it all worthwhile.

Carah still got under my skin whenever we
were obligated to share each other’s company but she was the only
real blight on the time I spent living in the compound. Even Avery
came around after a while. For the most part he treated me with
indifference but somehow I knew that he respected me and that it
was just his nature to keep his distance. He always treated me
civilly and whenever we were together I never felt threatened or
wary the way I did whenever Carah was nearby.

The time went by fast, a year, another
eventually I stopped keeping track. It hardly seemed necessary
because for the most part time was completely irrelevant to the
society in which I lived. I did, however, start thinking more and
more about the future though and began to wonder if I would ever
have the chance to live a normal life. I knew I wasn’t a prisoner
but no one ever mentioned whether or not I would ever be allowed to
leave so I often wondered why and how much longer l would be kept
there.

Other than Herrik I didn’t know who else or
how to ask. I wouldn’t have had the courage to bring the subject up
with him or Penny or anyone else so I tried not to dwell on the
subject as much as possible. Herrik must have been aware of, or at
the very least suspected, whenever this emotional topic was
threatening to overwhelm me though. Somehow he would always manage
to show up when I was feeling particularly low and he would
approach me with some invitation or other that would give us a
chance to escape the compound and send my spirits off into a more
positive and upward swing.

One day all these thoughts were particularly
plaguing me and adding to my misery I found myself bobbing and
dodging Carah’s jabs and blows at the end of a tedious mental
workout with Artur.  She caught me more than once and unlike
Herrik or Avery she left me a livid bruise whenever my guard
slipped or I missed countering her strikes with a strike of my
own. 

I never let her know how badly she hurt me
though perhaps I should have. Sometimes I thought she was just
menacing me on purpose to try and find my breaking point.  I
didn’t dare let her think of me as weak but I couldn’t help feeling
that if I gave her the satisfaction of knowing how much pain she
inflicted that it would lessen her resolve to continually punish
me. 

As the thought crossed my mind she swept my
legs out from under me and I fell firmly on my backside.  She
loomed over me scowling and scolding while I looked up at her with
a vague and uninterested expression which only intensified her
anger. 

“Get up!” she shouted as I sat there in
defiance.  When I ignored her demand she bent down to forcibly
wrench me to standing but as she grasped my elbow Avery called to
her from across the gym.  She quickly checked her anger and as
he drew near offered me her hand instead.

“Penny sent me for you, Emily,” he watched
as Carah helped me to my feet.  “Did you have a good
workout?”

“Yes,” I nodded, “Carah always keeps me on
my toes, except when she manages to knock them out from under me!”
I chuckled good-naturedly.  “Thank you for working with me,” I
smiled and said a cheerful goodbye before I gathered my things and
headed to the locker room.  I hated treating her with such
delicacy but I truly feared her at times and whatever she might be
capable of.

“Is Penny alright?  Do you know why she
wants to see me?” I asked Avery as he led me back to the
apartment.

He shrugged, “She didn’t say why she needed
you home but as far as I know everything is fine.”

Once we arrived Avery took his usual
position outside my door and I went in by myself. 

Penny softly called to me from the living
room as soon as she heard my steps in the hallway, “We’re in here,”
she said and I immediately thought of Herrik.

I caught Penny’s eye as I rounded the corner
and flashed a cheerful smiled to her before turning, anxious to
greet Herrik but the visitor I was expecting was not the one that
was there.  A gentleman stood up as I approached and looked me
over appraisingly.  It made me blush, not just the way he was
studying me but I felt the full embarrassment of my mistaking him
for Herrik even though I was sure he had no idea that it had
happened.  The man hurried towards me and after taking my
shoulders in both his hands he brushed my cheeks with two quick
pecks.

“Ah, Emily,” he grinned, “I did not think I
would ever have a chance to meet you!  I am happy to say that
your friends have not exaggerated in the least,” he said
breathlessly.  “My but you are a pretty little thing!”

I glanced at Penny completely flabbergasted
and unable to come up with a suitable response but she just smiled
and watched in anticipation as our introduction unfolded.

“Oh, forgive me,” the man said, “I am
Gianni,” he bowed.

“Gianni,” I said, “it is very nice to meet
you; è molto bello conoscerti!”

“Buono, buono!  You have been studying
with Artur, I see.”  I smiled proudly.  “Well, you are
probably wondering why I am here and why I am so excited to meet
you.”

“Indeed!”

“Come…come this way,” and Gianni began
ushering me towards my bedroom.

I glanced over my shoulder at Penny as we
left but she just shrugged and helplessly smiled as Gianni pushed
me down the hallway.  When we got to my room he carefully
closed the door and pointed to the corner, “Put it on and we will
hurry and get started.”