1927: Redemption

Beauty and..the beast!

“I thought about how there are two types of secrets: the kind you want to keep in, and the kind you don't dare to let out.”

2021-DECEMBER-FLORIDA

Adeline probably could have spent a good few more minutes contemplating the workings of the universe like that, but she was already late as it was, so she figured she might as well get moving.

Hurriedly, Adeline too left the secret condo, opened the door to her room and padded her way into the bathroom, yanked on the shower faucet, stripping her shorts off before stepping in the shower.

What a nice problem her parents weaved for her? Thought Adeline. But, at least now she knew the whole crux of the story without reading the unnecessary stuff.

Adeline showered as quickly as possible, washing her hair with her favourite smell and shampoo and scrubbing herself down with her cherry blossom body wash, before yanking off the faucet and wrapping herself up in a fluffy towel to sprint out of the bathroom to the closet.

Of course, she was going to spend a few minutes standing in front of the row of clothes in her closet, wondering what she should wear to Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

This rarely happened, so she was completely baffled as to why she happened to be freaking out like a teenager. A moment later, she chalked it up to William’s fault.

Adeline probably spent a good half hour wondering what to wear and finally getting dressed she decided on wearing a pair of dark jeans and a flattering dark green blouse that she bought a month ago.

Running a brush through her hair she dusted on a light layer of makeup before she grabbed her coat off the back of her computer chair, her cell phone off the bed and her wallet off the desk, and then sprinted from the bedroom.

Before going, her eyes caught the sight of the particular room occupied by William. Adeline, all dressed up, knocked on the door.

The door was unlocked as pushed the door open and walked up to William who wasn’t visible anywhere in the room.

Adeline stood in the empty room, “William…” she called, awaiting him to make an appearance.

She was all too aware of his dominating presence as she felt his eyes roam at her body freely. The silence and the heat of his gaze were too much.

Turning to face him, she nearly jumped back at how close he stood to her.

His dark green gaze roamed her face, glancing down at her attire before he ran his eyes down her body.

“Beautiful.” The word was spoken quietly. His accent curled around the word and made it sound almost exotic.

“T-Thank you,” Adeline replied, breathless as she watched him lift his hand.

An overwhelming urge came through her, one that sent a shiver down her spine, and caused a slight tremor to run through her hands.

Adeline wanted to rip the black mask from his face, anything that separated him from her needed to be removed.

His fingertips were cold against her heated skin, and she stood silently as his finger ran down the length of her face, sending sparks down her entire body.

Her insides were a knot of confusion and desire, she wanted to skip the dinner with Ace altogether and drag William back to her room.

William’s hand fell to his side as Adeline’s eyes were locked on his golden orbs when he stepped back. Tutoring his head, he closed his eyes and when opened they were back to normal forest greens.

“I-” clearing her throat, “I’m going for a Thanksgiving dinner. Look, I know you have told me enough, and well everything. I get it. I get what it’s like to hide out and push people away who cares about you….. you know why I kept asking everything from you? Because I wanted to know about the person who stayed in the dark and took care of me every single second. I want your support in accomplishing what I’m supposed to. If my Dad hadn’t gone in the time for that freaking thing, they would still be here today.”

Breathing out, “But William, you just shared a big part of your life with me putting your existence at risk. You’re not a monster. And I would know. Plenty of guys out there are, but you….. you are like a superhero.”

William chuckled under his mask as his eyes crinkled.

“You are, you saved me, twice.”

“I’m not the only one who took care of you.” Said, William.

Adeline fought back her tears, “And, you have my support.”

They looked at each other, and for the first time, felt understood and seen as she nodded and left the room, walking out of the apartment after grabbing her keys off the coffee table in the living room.

Whoever out there that ruled the universe must have been feeling particularly fond of her today, since there happened to be a train that made a stop two blocks over from Victoria Coffee House that left in three minutes once Adeline made it down into the subway, gingerly.

The subway ride felt as if it lasted a good three hours or so, but in reality, ten minutes had passed before the doors slid open as the train came to a stop. She probably could have afforded to walk the two blocks over to the coffee house, but for some odd reason, she decided to sprint.

Adeline was sure pedestrians on the sidewalks didn’t particularly appreciate her barrelling her day down the streets, occasionally bumping into people, but she didn’t want to be any later to Thanksgiving dinner than she already was.

It was not exactly the way to make the best first impression, but it was not the first time this had ever happened, either.

The drapes were drawn over the windows of Victoria Coffee House when she came to a gasping halt in front of the place, gripping the handle of the door tightly to keep from falling over.

Twinkling lights, flowers. Adeline was about to enter the coffee house, alone. Just to Add to her luck, too, the door swung open a second letter and she promptly fell over into the doorway, her face nearly hitting the hardwood floor.

Oh, God, this couldn’t get any more embarrassing, could it?

“Do you like to make entrances like that? Or is it just for this holiday?”

Letting out a disgusting half of air, she scrambled to her feet, expecting to see Ace standing there, but much to her horror, it was someone she never had the pleasure of meeting before.

The guy was probably only an inch or two taller than her, but he had the same dark hair and dark eyes that she expected was Jonathan family trait. He looked a little like Ace, but his face was rounder and more childlike, and he looked like he pranked people for fun.

“Uh… and you are?” Adeline asked awkwardly, going hands on hips.

“Mason,” the guy said with a smirk.

“Oh…”

So the first time she happened to meet one of Talia’s family members and her face was so red it looked like she was sunburnt.

Yay for Adeline.

“Mason, what the hell are you doing?”

Ah, there was that familiar condescending tone she had missed so much.

Ace appeared by the guy called Mason with a scowl in place and then shoved the guy out of the way before he reached out and yanked Adeline into the coffee house, slamming the door shut behind her.

“And, uh, who is this, Arris?” Mason asked, tossing an arm around his shoulders.

Adeline had to fight back a laugh at the fact that Mason had to reach up on his tiptoes to do it.

“Piss off, Mason,” Ace snapped, jabbing an elbow into his side. “And, don’t call me that.”

“I’m Adeline Martinez.” She said, stepping forward with a polite smile.

“Oh, Aunt Rose’s kid,” Mason mumbled to himself, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. “I thought-”

“Mason, go bother someone else and leave her alone,” Ace cut him off, giving his cousin a murderous glare.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mason said before slipping away.

Adeline had a hard time believing that they both were even related.

“Sorry about him,” Ace muttered, blowing out a sigh. “He is an idiot.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Adeline said airily, waving a hand. “I have never seen any cousins, so I’m totally cool with it, even if you say he is an idiot.”

“Well…” Ace trailed off with a sigh, he stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, saying, “James kept you away for a reason, and get ready for a whole lot of family on your mother’s side and you are going to be sick by the end of tonight.”

Adeline felt warmth fluttered in her heart as Ace said those words about her mother’s side family. Also, she had a feeling he was going to be wrong about that one, but it didn’t hurt to wait and see, right?

Almost as if the rest of the family crowded around in the coffee house had heard the two of them talking, there was a loud shout of: “Welcome Adeline!” By a bunch of people, she didn’t even know.

Adeline was happy, but in her happiness, William was not involved. He was still hiding in the dark corners of this world.

How much longer does he have to hide? Thought Adeline.

‘Sometimes it feels like everyone’s moved on, but they all miss you in their own way, and there is not a day that goes by when I don’t think about you, grandpa,’ thought Adeline.

She let Ace lead her toward the dining area, thinking, ‘The good news is, I know I’m not crazy.’ Adeline settled down in the chair, but as she glanced out the window because of her distraction, thinking of William.

‘I was saved by a Beast…. I just wish he had gotten there in time to save you, Grandpa. But he is still out there, and I have a feeling that now, we are going to have to save each other.’ Thought Adeline.

In the coffee house, she turned to the crowd, who was her family too, waiting for the answers thrown at her as there in the building across the way was her saviour, the beast, watching her, protecting her. Eyes glowing in the dark…..

Will the beast be Adeline’s support?

What universe has kept for Adeline’s future?