Page 46 of The Fool

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Bea

Helena’s house is beautiful - plain and simple! There are handmade decorations everywhere, all created by Helena and Jess. In addition to these gorgeous personal touches, there are family photographs adorning virtually every wall. Someone definitely has a passion for photography in this house, if not, both of them. There are multiple artistic shots of people and landscapes that wouldn’t look out of place in a professional art gallery. It couldn’t contrast more with Nathaniel’s impersonal show home. He should definitely ask his sister to help him decorate. Though, from the look of the garden, she’s already lent some of her artistic skills to him.

Of course, Helena doesn’t let us in herself, she’s still really sick with her migraine. Nathaniel told us they can be known to last for days, so she takes medication that will literally knock her out. However, her daughter, Jess, is more than eager to welcome us in with a huge grin on her face. From the moment we step inside, she begins explaining that her grandmother had left about half an hour ago, but not to worry for she’s already set out some nibbles, as well as some glasses to serve us drinks. Bless her, I don’t think she draws breath until we’re all safely inside their quaint cottage-style kitchen.

“So, what do you wanna do tonight?” Nathaniel just about manages to ask when she finally puts a glass of lemonade to her lips.

“Well, there’re some movies over here and Nanny got us some pizzas,” she says, gesturing to all her listed forms of entertainment. “But I really want to show Callie and Bea my newly- decorated bedroom.”

“Hey, why can’t I see it?” Nathaniel gasps while feigning offense.

“Because you’re a boy and Mom always says, ‘Jess, you cannot positively, absolutely not have boys in your room yet!’” she parrot fashions her mother’s words, making me giggle. She’s cute and gorgeous, so Helena is totally right to say this to her. We’re all forced to grow up much too soon. Some of us survive it, some of us come out bruised and battered, whereas some of us barely make it out alive.

“That’s very good advice,” Callie chimes in, sounding matter of fact, “boysaretrouble! Fun, but definitely trouble.”

Nathaniel glares at her for a moment or two before turning back to offer Jess a smile of understanding.

“That’s fair enough. Why don’t you take Callie upstairs now? I just want to talk to Bea for a minute.”

As soon as Jess leads Callie into the living room, walking in the direction of the staircase, I turn around to question him with a furrowing of my brow.

“Nathaniel?” I ask, finally finding the words when he says nothing. “Is everything ok?”

“No, actually, it’s not,” he says, walking toward me with such a serious expression, my hands begin to feel clammy. Eventually, when he reaches me, he places a hand on either side of the sink where I’m standing, caging me in once again. He moves in close, so close I can feel the breath from his parted lips, and a buzz of something inexplicable running between us.

“What’s it going to take, Bea? What’s it going to take to let me kiss you? I’m going out of my fucking mind here. Do you know how crazy I am about you? How long I’ve literally been going insane for you?”

I grin, biting my lip, trying to lighten the atmosphere, though the intensity is much too much for me to break through.

“Er, well, not really, you’ve been kind of an ass for so long,” I tease, “how was I supposed to know when you started thinking naughty things about me?”

“Are you flirting with me, Bea?” he says, quirking up his lips into a breath-taking smile. I breathe in and out for a few moments, trying to consider what answer to give. Should I give this a go, or should I keep my distance? Why am I so damn indecisive?

“Maybe,” I reply with a long breath.

His eyes immediately turn darker, and I suddenly see his desperation for this to go further, which I have apparently given him the green light to do. He leans in closer and our lips just about touch when Jess suddenly bursts into the room, prompting us both to jump apart. Nathaniel steps back and scratches the back of his neck, all the while I try to cover my smile from behind my hand.

“Come on, Bea,” Jess says impatiently, “Nate can smooch with you later.”

Nathaniel gasps, but we both smile at each other before following the little passion killer up to her bedroom. We find Callie looking through some of Jess’ schoolbooks at the end of her bed.

“Were they?” Callie asks, not even bothering to look up from Jess’ exercise book.

“About to,” Jess replies nonchalantly, and with a shrug of her shoulders. “I got bored of waiting so interrupted before the real show began.”

“Oh, my God! You two, nosey much?” I laugh.

“It really is like a soap opera,” Callie comments, completely ignoring me.

“Well, I made them end on a thoroughly frustrating cliffhanger,” Jess giggles, then gestures all around her room. “Anyway, what do you think? I want to get some lights to go around the mirror and some wall stickers to break up the color, but this is basically it.”

“Wow, you are one lucky lady,” I tell her. “I never would have been allowed to decorate like this, it’s so…so grown up. You have a walk-in wardrobe for goodness sake!”

“You know, you could do with some throws for over here, maybe?” Callie suggests, gesturing to her mini sofa that sits along the end of her bed.

“I love all of your photographs,” I add, looking carefully along each one.

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