What Dreams Are Made Of – Episode 23

#Episode_23

 

Chrissy needed a minute to calm herself.

 

She turned away from the group bracing herself in her own arms. But no matter what she did she was still close to them in the small room. Taking a seat in the corner, she watched them chatting happily. Her mother looked very pleased. Alice was smiling shyly and Betty Granny was loading Nikloi’s plate with second helpings.

 

He didn’t seem to be having any of the discomfort she was going through. Just when she thought she had gained her composure again, she heard her name in the discussion. She was so lost in her own thoughts, she had no clue what they were talking about.

 

 

Mrs. Smith was saying, “That is a wonderful idea. Chrissy was always fascinated by the Stonehenge. We had gone there once many years ago when Chrissy was a young girl. She never wanted to leave the place and come back to civilization.” She was smiling sweetly at her.

 

Chrissy looked at them questioningly. She was aware of that intense gaze back of her face. She wondered why they were discussing her and what was it about Stonehenge.

 

“What are you discussing, Mom?”, she asked.

 

“Oh, Mr. Swaroski asked if you could accompany him to Salisbury for his hotel work. It won’t take more than couple of hours and then you would also get the time to visit the Stonehenge. You always wanted to go back there, didn’t you?”, said Mrs. Smith, cheerfully. She said it more as a statement than a question.

 

“But Mom.. no, I can’t go”, Chrissy had to stop this immediately.

 

“Why?”

 

The question was asked by Nikloi.

 

She knew he was staring at her but she didn’t trust herself to be able to speak if she looked at him. She decided to talk to her mother instead.

 

“Mom, I cannot go. I need to be here with you”, she said. She was surprised her mother was even suggesting her to go with him.

 

“Oh dear, but I am absolutely fine now. You shouldn’t worry about me. And I am sure Mr. Swaroski must be really needing your help else he wouldn’t have asked you to join him”, Mrs. Smith said motherly.

 

“Mr. Swaroski has a team working with him, Mom. He will manage with someone else. We had come here to spend time together as a family. And in any case, I can’t leave you alone”, she said quickly, desperately hoping her mother would drop this discussion.

 

 

But her mother thought otherwise.

 

“Chrissy, it is only for few hours. Mr. Swaroski said you guys will be back by evening. And I am not alone here. Aunt Betty and Alice are there with me. I will be fine, sweetheart”, she said lovingly to her daughter. She had decided to ensure her hard working daughter takes a real break from all her family issues and enjoys her trip. Even though it meant going with Mr. Swaroski. She had seen the world enough to know that he may be tough on the front but her daughter was safe with him.

 

Chrissy, on other hand, was not so sure. In fact she was worried about the opposite

 

keeping her sanity in his company. She wanted to go with him as much she wanted to stand in a snow storm. Both were sure to blow her away to destruction.

 

She stood up from her seat and fidgeted with her hands. She would NOT go. But how she should tell this to him without appearing rude to her mother, she wondered.

 

He was still seating in his seat as if he didn’t care about her answer. She saw he was now talking to Alice, saying something softly, to which Alice responded by blushing deeply. Her sweet sister was also falling to his charms as if it was fate accompli.

 

She was annoyed with the ease with which he had impressed all the ladies in her family. They were just waiting to say yes to whatever he demanded. But there had to be a way out, she thought.

 

She went to the door and her mother followed her. She asked her in a low voice, “Is there a problem, Chrissy?”

 

“Huh.. no.. I mean I don’t understand what you mean”, Chrissy replied hesitatingly.

 

“I mean I thought you are so passionate and dedicated about your work. You work so hard because it means so much to you. So when he asked you to help him, I assumed you would want to. But if there is something wrong.

 

..”

 

 

“Nothing is wrong, Mom”, Chrissy quickly answered. She didn’t want to worry her mother about these issues she didn’t understand herself. Her mother was so happy few minutes back but now there was a frown on her face.

 

Chrissy gave her a big smile to dissuade any of the doubts that may have crept in her mind. Taking her hands in her hands, she said, “I am just not okay leaving you all behind like this, especially after yesterday”.

 

“Don’t think anything of it. I wouldn’t have asked you to go if I wasn’t sure about this. You complete this work and come back quickly. We’ll chat together later”, she said hugging Chrissy tightly.

 

Chrissy embraced her back. While hugging her mother, her eyes met with the blue one watching the mother daughter keenly. She quickly lowered hers. She couldn’t risk her mother’s peace. She wanted to keep her mother away from her mess.

 

She told her mother that she would get ready and went to her room. Closing the door of the room, it took her several minutes to calm her racing heart. She was stuck in an unavoidable situation and she knew it was all because of Nikloi Swaroski. He had intentionally asked her to join him in front of her family because she wouldn’t be able to say no without telling them the reason for her refusal.

 

She picked out a blue skirt and while full sleeved blouse. She got ready as formally as she could, given that she hadn’t carried much of her formal dresses for this trip. Taking her handbag, she went back to the living room.

 

Seeing her walk in, Nikloi Swaroski stood up from his sofa. His eyes quickly ran across her body, from head to toe, but he didn’t comment anything, for which she was thankful. More interesting stories for free @ generalloaded.com.

 

She said bye to her family and both of them stepped out of the house. She was surprised when he opened the front passenger seat door for her to sit.

 

Where was Steven?, she wondered. But knowing her mother could see them from the door, she got into the car without saying anything.

 

 

He went around and got inside the driver’s seat. Starting the engine he said, “I have asked Steven to stay back. Just in case your family needs anything”, as if answering her unspoken question.

 

Chrissy was again amazed by his uncanny ability to read her mind. She was even grateful to him for being so thoughtful, at the same time, she prayed there wouldn’t be any need.

 

But she didn’t want him to know that she liked his gesture. Instead she commented icily, “It wouldn’t have been required in the first place, if you hadn’t dragged me on this trip”.

 

When he didn’t respond, she went on, “You didn’t even know till yesterday that I was here and now suddenly you have a work that you cannot manage without me”. Her bad mood was quickly getting better of her.

 

She turned to look at his face but he kept his eyes trained on the road with a serious look on his face. “Great, don’t talk to me. We shall get this done faster this way”, she gibed, sarcasm dropping from her every word.

 

“You didn’t want to come?”

 

He asked in a no-nonsense tone, instead of answering her question.

 

“Do you see me happy?” she also counter-questioned him.

 

His hands tighten on the steering wheel, turning almost white. Straining for few minutes, as if mentally evaluating what to say, he finally said, “That is not the answer to my question. But, fine. I will drop you back at your place”.

 

Of all the things, this was the last thing she expected to hear from him. Instead of being happy, her blood boiled.

 

“Do you think this is some kind of a joke? She yelled.

 

“No, I don’t. But you certainly seem to be treating it like one”, he answered back.

 

“I didn’t force you to come with me. I didn’t lie or cheat or blackmail you to come. I thought you were an adult but you are clearly acting like a child who didn’t get its

 

 

wish and crying foul now. If you have so many issues coming with me, it is better you go back home”, he stated in an icy cold voice.

 

Chrissy was left speechless at his backlash. She never expected to be called immature. His comm

 

ents were too harsh and too sudden.

 

“I.. I just don’t understand why you need me on this trip”, she answered in low voice, feeling really admonished like a child.

 

“You would have known if you had been listening when I was speaking”, he continued in his reproachful tone.

 

Chrissy lowered her head, not knowing what to say. Nikloi Swaroski had twisted her arm to get her to come with him and she hated him for that. Yet when he criticized her for her behaviour she didn’t know how to contest back.

 

Nikloi turned towards to face her. She still had her head lowered. His eyes moved back on the road and after a brief pause, he explained.

 

“I am looking a new property in Salisbury. The place is known for its strong historical connections. A sole city in the beautiful county. It has lot of tourist attraction with high number of people visiting because of Stonehenge. I want to have my own hotel there and there is a place shortlisted by my team. It’s supposed to be different from my other properties but I need to ensure it is of certain standard to be part of Swaroski chain”, he explained.

 

Chrissy was listening to him but she was still trying to figure out how she fits into all this.

 

He continued, “Now this place in Salisbury is supposed to be one of its oldest establishments. The plan is to project it as luxury hotel while retaining its heritage and cultural identity”.

 

Nikloi paused to give her a brief glance before turning back to the road. “Considering your knowledge of the dated things because of your business, I thought you will be able to give some suggestions to establish the genuineness of the place as well as its possible market evaluation”, he said while continuing to be watching the road.

 

 

Chrissy heard him but she also continued to focus on her hands in her lap. So he did seem to be having a reason for asking her to join this visit. It was not for the reason that she thought. But what was she thinking?

 

Suddenly she felt thoroughly chastised. It’s true she didn’t want to come because of her mother but in her heart she knew she had also been worried about his intentions. She wasn’t sure why he has asked her to join. He had always kept himself at a distance and treated her as an unwanted addition to his business.

 

But in Bath he had appeared completely different. Not only had he helped her with her mother’s sudden illness but there was also more to his behaviour than just helping someone he knew. When he had said, he will visit them again, she had never expected to see him at her place the next day. But he had come and for those few moments when they were alone in the room, she had again experienced that unfathomable attraction.

 

The idea of this visit had also seemed to have stemmed from that mystery but hearing his business needs she realized she was being stupid. He was Nikloi Swaroski and nothing had changed. For him, his business came first. In fact, his business was the only thing he care about. It was she who was reading things where there were none.

 

Feeling the need to say something to dissuade the tension in the car, and also to remind herself of the reason for being here, Chrissy said, “uh.. I.. I am not sure if I will be of much help. I haven’t had any experience of this sort”.

 

This time he didn’t even glance at her. Continuing to drive with his full concentration on the road, he said, “I have seen your work. I know you have good knowledge of this subject. And I need someone who can give me an unbiased opinion. I think you will manage”.

 

So that was it. He considered her to have good knowledge of her work and that is why he needed her today. There was nothing more nor less. She should not think about anything else. Hopefully the trip would be over without any more events.

 

 

 

 

▶To_be_Continued