A Study in Blue By LoobyLoo
NC17 (eventually)
Disclaimer: No infringement of copyright intended, characters belong to Joss Whedon, Kazui bros etc
And there she was! At 12.10 exactly, the beautiful blonde girl sat on the bench opposite and opened her lunch box. She ate delicately, dipping back into the box, occasionally throwing a morsel to the pigeons that gathered around her feet, pecking away at the ground demanding you feel sorry for them and share your lunch.
William picked up his A3 sketch pad, sat sideways on one of the leather chairs in the gallery window and with a few deft strokes of his pencil he began to capture the scene opposite, as he’d done dozens of times before this last few months. He wondered now the cooler weather was coming how much longer she would be eating outside. He felt at peace when he saw her, when she was there, like he could breathe, the anticipation, the almost knotting in his stomach that she might not turn up, or meet somebody or have somebody sit with her – it was almost unbearable………
“Hmm, sorry, what?” he was aware that Xander, the gallery assistant had spoken, but not what he said.
“I said, she’s there again” Xander said, standing behind the reception desk of the gallery looking at the scene that William was sketching.
“Hmm” Was the only response he got from his boss. Xander smiled to himself, his boss had really got it bad for the girl, and he didn’t even know her name.
She’d finished eating a little while ago and had sat nursing a can of soda, which she raised to her lips for the final time, draining the last few dregs left, then she stood, brushed the crumbs from her front, placed the empty wrappers and can in the waste bin and she turned to walk back up the alleyway between the National Bank and Southerby’s Auction House.
William sighed and flipped the cover of the sketch pad, he then slotted it in his leather portfolio case and shoved the pencil behind his ear.
The telephone rang and Xander answered it. It was obviously a personal call for him as after the formal,’ Good Afternoon, Giles’ Fine Art Gallery’, he then continued, oh hi honey……………just a minute, I’ll ask…’Xander then held the receiver to his chest and called out to William
“Any idea what time we will be finishing tonight?”
“Finishing? – Why - what? Five thir – oh yes, um, no, I mean, oh sorry! Of course, (he rubbed his face with his hand) we’re displaying the Mayan Art Collection aren’t we – um…eight-ish do you need to get away earlier?”
Xander reiterated the information to his wife and listened for a few seconds, then asked William
“If I could get away for a quarter to eight, it’s parent’s evening at Hailey’s school” William nodded and Xander smiled
“Sure honey, I’ll see you there then, ‘bout eight, okay bye”.
“Look, it’s Wednesday afternoon and quiet, shall I go downstairs and start unpacking the collection?” Xander suggested
William sat in the chair behind the reception desk moodily swaying slowly from left to right, his mind wandering……
“Er no…we can’t really, we need some pillars up here to put the glass cases on, and I don’t want anything broken.
We need to remove the Bryson collection and wrap it for storage until he comes for it next week”
“Well, I could start that now if you like, we’ve only sold three pictures from the whole collection, they’re all numbered on the back, I’ll wrap and store them on the trolly rack in numerical order just in case somebody comes in wanting to look at one, but I doubt it very much”
William nodded in agreement and Xander went to fetch a huge roll of industrial strength bubble-wrap and some sticky tape.
They shut after a very quiet afternoon at 5.30pm, a few telephone enquiries and two customers, one to buy a catalogue of up and coming exhibitions, and one to buy a small watercolour.
By twenty past seven, William carefully placed the last glass case over a Mayan Sun God, and locked it into place. He looked at his watch, aware that Xander had been mindful of the time.
“You get going if you like, I know you’ve got your parents evening at the school”
“Thanks Will…see you in the morning”
William turned the lights off and set the alarm and went home himself, after stopping off for take-away Chinese.
ooOOoo
He woke with a start, his foot catching the coffee table. He leant forward quickly and grabbed a bottle to prevent it tipping over onto the left-over Chinese food. The television was ‘snow’ – long finished and he looked at his watch, 1.53am. Sitting up properly, he rubbed his face, yawned and stretched, he then pointed the remote at the TV to shut it off. He’d been dreaming of the blonde girl, again. She’d begun to invade his dreams three nights ago, so now not only were most of his waking thoughts of her, but he was now dreaming of her too! They were playing Frisbee on the beach, she was laughing, her head thrown back, even white teeth on display, her legs tanned golden………
“Oh for goodness sake William me old lad…get a grip!” William muttered to himself and stood up, then going to bed.
The alarm went off and William smacked the top of the clock into silence. He bounded out of bed, pleased to see the bright sunshine. He quickly showered and rummaged through his wardrobe to find a clean shirt. He dressed went into the lounge. He put the leftover take away in the fridge and put the two beer bottles for recycling. He decided to get breakfast on the way in to work, he’d got a plan.
William drew up in the underground parking lot and clutching a box with two lattes and two apricot Danish, he went to the elevator that opened up to the back of the gallery.
He let himself in, sorted the alarm code and went into the little kitchenette and put his purchases down. He was just reaching for a plate when the door opened and Xander walked in.
“Bought you breakfast” Will said with a grin
“Thanks! I missed it at home today, Hailey got into a panic about something her teacher said to us, and didn’t want to go to school today – so I had to take her!” William nodded towards the latte and the paper bag
“Help yourself, I’ll be in the office making some calls”
“Sure thing boss!” Xander fell on the Danish and bit deeply, savouring the rich sweet confection.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!