What Dreams Are Made Of – Episode 15

 

Episode_15

 

 

Chrissy continued to help Mrs Clark in her mission of finding Brassy in spite of Nikloi Swaroski warning that dreadful night when she met him at his home. His palace, actually. Another one of his palatial abode, to be precise. He seems to be having multiple of them. But Chrissy was not to be intimated by him or his homes or his words. She decided she had to help Mrs. Clark as she had already promised her and she was not going to break her promise just because a man thinks too little of her.

 

But she did decide to stay clear of his plans. She was already giving most of the situations of their meeting each other, a miss. She was hopeful that if she stayed away from him, he would also forget about her.

 

While she managed to avoid Nikloi but it was not easy to avoid Henry. Meeting Mrs. Clark meant she would end up spending time with Henry quite often. The moment he had realized Chrissy was helping in Mission Finding Brassy, he had appointed himself as a permanent member of the team. He would accompany them in most of their meetings with curators, art galleries visits, etc. His deep knowledge in the subject also helped in narrowing down their search to lesser possibilities much faster than their earlier progress.

 

But Chrissy could also feel his interest in her was little more than just a friend. He used to spend much more time with them than she had earlier seen between the

 

 

mother and the son. She would sometimes catch him staring at her when she was busy with some other thing. She wanted to tell him to cool off but didn’t know how to say so when he had not expressed anything openly to her. So she tried to maintain a safe distance from him appearing indifferent to his feelings or having any personal interest in him.

 

Working together they got leads of Brass antique being with one of a retired businessman living in the city of Leicester. Mrs Clark was very keen on checking with the businessman at the earliest. So it was decided that the three of them together would visit the guy at his place on the Saturday when Chrissy had her off from the shop.

 

But on Friday night, Mrs Clark developed sickness. Chrissy wanted to cancel the meeting but Mrs Clark requested her not to. Mr. Burge, was to be going for a long holiday out of UK by next week. If they missed this meeting, next meeting would be arranged only after couple of months. Chrissy was drawn in opposite directions. She knew she really wanted to close this meeting as she had a strong inclination that their search would come to an end with this meeting. Though she was equally concerned that travelling with Henry alone may not be the best idea. She was not worried about Henry himself but more that agreeing to this solo trip should not give wrong impression to others. Nikloi Swaroski’s allegations about her efforts to influence Henry and his warning to stay away from Henry had not fully deserted her mind.

 

But Mrs. Clark convinced her not to give up at this last stage and so it was Henry and Chrissy who set out for their Mission on Saturday morning. Henry picked her up from his home in the morning and before long they were on their way. By noon they had reached the city and with some search were able to find the address they were looking for.

 

Mr. Burge was an elderly man with a stout built. He was polite but not very encouraging. His house was equipped with all the modern facilities of the world and he was really proud of his house. The house was also decorated beautiful artifacts which confirmed his good taste. After sharing the purpose of their visit, they came to know that their information was correct. Mr. Burge was indeed the proud owner of the Egyptian brass statue, Mrs Clark so desperately wanted to own!

 

 

Chrissy was glad to finally see the statue herself in the glass showcase at the end of the large drawing room. It seem to be holding the place of honour in the showcase. It was beautiful and Chrissy could see why Mrs. Clark was so keen to have it as her own. It was

 

that of an Egyptian queen standing elegantly in a dancing pose.

 

It was a delight that their search had finally yielded result for them to enjoy but the mission was far from over. Mr. Burge was in no mood of partying with the dancing queen. On Chrissy’s insistence, he shared his story of how he found the statue himself. It was his dead wife’s wish to have her and he had kept it as a memento of his wife loving memories. In spite of all their efforts, he was not willing to sell it to Mrs. Clark.

 

Chrissy was disappointed but knowing his affections for the statue, she didn’t know what else to do. She felt probably the right place for the statue to be was with Mr. Burge in the house he shared with his wife. She had decided that their visit was through and they should go back.

 

But Henry had not yet given up. He told her to wait and took Mr. Burge with him for some discussion. Chrissy smiled at his perseverance but knowing it was next to impossible to make the old man change his mind, she decided to leave them alone and went to beautiful garden in front of the house. She was sure henry would join her soon, empty handed.

 

He walked out half an hour later, empty handed as predicted, still had a broad smile. Coming close to her, he said in her ear softly, “He has agreed”. Chrissy was not sure she heard him correctly. She looked up to him questioningly when his smile turned into a massive ear to ear grin. More interesting stories for free @ generalloaded.com.

 

“Let us go and give the good news to Mom. But before that I am starving. Let us celebrate with a nice lunch. I know a place here you will love” he said cheeringly. Chrissy was looking at him with bewilderment with raised eyebrows but he put a hand on her back and escorted her towards the car, opening the passenger door for her.

 

 

Chrissy turned back to look at the house she was leaving behind and saw Mr. Burge standing on the door way. When she looked up at him, he smiled affectionately. Chrissy realized that she didn’t even greeted him while leaving and wanted to go back but Henry ushered her inside the car, “He will understand”, Henry said, adding, “A person deserves food after so much of hard work. With that he closed her door and quickly got in the car behind her.

 

Once seated inside a posh restaurant and having ordered their food, Chrissy waited for him to share his success story but he didn’t seem to be in no hurry. He was keener on the menu and all that he could order, having not eaten anything since morning. That he was very happy was evident from the amount of food he ordered and cleared off the table.

 

It was only after the lunch was through and they had eaten the desert, did he finally her efid anything about the statue. “It was possible only because of you, Chrissy”, he said appreciating.

 

“Me? What did I do? The guy was just not willing to give up no matter what price we offered. How did he agree to you?” Chrissy asked full of wonder in her voice.

 

“Oh but it was indeed you who could make him change his mind”, Henry said proudly. And immediately started grinning sheepishly. When Chrissy almost gave an exasperated sigh at his confusing statements, he said, “You are so naïve, Chrissy. Promise me, you won’t get upset at what I am about to tell you?”

 

Chrissy couldn’t respond. She didn’t know what to expect so she kept quiet waiting for him to go on.

 

Henry continued, “You saw how attached Mr. Burge was to that statue. I figured out it was because of his emotional involvement with it and his loving memory. The only way he could have been persuaded to sell the statue to us was if he saw a similar emotional bond again.” He paused to look to Chrissy’s face but she was still clueless to where this was going.

 

Taking a deep breath, he continued. “I told Mr. Burge that I wanted to buy the statue from him so that I can gift it you… while proposing to you”.

 

“You told him what??, Chrissy screamed but all that came out of her mouth was a muffled whisper.

 

 

“I told him that you had been looking for this statue for months, whi

 

ch you had been, and that I really had to make sure you get it since it was so special to you. So I was planning to give it you when I ask for your hand for marriage”, Henry elaborated on her question but there was a glimmer of worry in his eyes now

 

“But that’s a lie, Henry. You cheated him!”, Chrissy snapped standing up from her seat.

 

“I did not cheat him. I really want to turn it into a reality” Henry said in a soft voice looking deeply into her eyes.

 

Chrissy was flabbergasted. She was shocked at his admission. She had a suspicion of him being interested in her but she was definitely not expecting a marriage proposal from him. Certainly not like this. She didn’t know how to react. He was still looking at her face expectantly.

 

“Henry.. but.. we..” Chrissy struggled to say anything. This was so sudden and so unexpected.

 

Henry wanted to marry her???

 

“I know this is too sudden for you. This is not the place but I couldn’t hold back my feelings. I have fallen for you from the moment I saw for the first time.”

 

 

She was suddenly too shy to continue looking up at his face while he expressed his romantic feelings. All this was too much for her to absorb. She wanted to go out of the restaurant, away from him, away from everyone and think and breathe. She looked around but realized there was nowhere to go. He was holding he was holding her hand in his hands and still speaking.

 

 

“Henry please.. this is…. I am not..” words were failing her and she was irritated

 

with herself.

 

“You are so pure. I love your simplicity and that’s what make you unique.”

 

 

Chrissy was turning red all over her face. She tried to free her hands from his hold turning slightly away from his direct gaze.

 

“I can see this kind of talk is new to you”, he said while still holding her hands. “I understand. You don’t have to respond to my request. Just don’t get upset about Mr. Burge. And promise me you will think about what I said today”.

 

Chrissy was already too embarrassed by his words and actions. She could feel some of the eyes in the restaurant watching the two of them together with her hands still held in his hands. But Henry was not willing to let her go before she acknowledged his feelings.

 

Struggling with the flutter in her own heart, she finally managed to say, “I.. I need time think.”

 

“Oh take all the time you want, sweet. I am just happy to be with you till decide”, he said extremely happy with her response.

 

They moved out of the restaurant and took the car. The drive back to London was a silent one. Henry was too happy with the turn of events and satisfied with watching her face intently every now and then. She on the other hand was too occupied with all that had happened that day. She was not able to accept that Henry was really serious about her . When did that happen?

 

Chrissy didn’t have any inferiority complex but she was fully aware of her not being especially beautiful or good looking. She had no qualms with that as having relationships with boys was never her priority. And so when they ignored her for other beautiful girls in her class, she never bothered. Later life had far more important priorities than worrying about her looks or its impact on anyone.

 

So this proposal from Henry was unimaginable for her. But to say that the proposal had not affected her wouldn’t have been the truth.

 

A part of her was already flattered that a man like Henry had proposed to her. But she wasn’t able to decipher if he was actually serious about her.

 

She had no experience of any relationship with men, except just one man, her heart said to her. He was the only man with whom she had any kind of relationship, if it could be called a relationship. Oh whom was she fooling? There was nothing between them. And why was she even thinking about Nikloi right now. It was about Henry and his proposal! But close on the heels of remembering

 

 

Nikloi, came the thought of what would he make of all this. He is surely going to blame her for seducing Henry!

 

 

 

 

Story_Continues