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Vivian's New Start
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Ji Mei , The Meticulous Secretary
(last edited Sep 26, 2013 04:59PM)
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Sep 26, 2013 04:59PM
Looking down at the cover of the book, his shoulders sagged and he shook his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to sound like that," Joeri said, turning to look at her. "I just- I-. I don't know what I'm feeling."
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Vivian's bright red curls hid her face, and she was glad for it because she didn't want him to see whatever pain and guilt was written on it. She knew that Joeri was dealing with enough of his own problems, and she didn't want to add to the emotional burden on his shoulders.Shakespeare pawed gently at Vivian's thigh before jumping off the couch to poke his nose against her face, whining. Then he went over to Joeri and pawed at his boot.
Bending down to rub Shakespeare's ears, Joeri smiled slightly. "Well, I'm glad to have both of you around, no matter what. It certainly would be hard to imagine what it might have been like if I didn't have any of this," he said softly.
Vivian peeked up at Joeri through the curls veiling her face and she nodded quietly. "I'm glad you're home," she said, still curled up in the corner of the couch but speaking with a more open tone.
Straightening up, he joined her on the couch and leaned over to give her a small hug. "Me too," Joeri said, squeezing her gently. "Me too."
Vivian sat up a bit to hug Joeri back, and held him as tightly as she could without causing a twinge of pain in her middle and back. She felt safe in her own home again, and it felt good to be back in his arms. Vivian buried her face in the front of Joeri's shirt and sighed quietly. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" Joeri looked down at her and kissed the top of her curls.
"I'm not making it any easier for you, am I?" Vivian replied, referring to all the changes Joeri was going through just on his own side of things without having to deal with her drama.
"But you could say I'm not making things easier for you as well," he pointed out. Joeri gave a small shrug, and smiled slightly. "There is nothing to be sorry about."
Vivian chuckled dryly. "You're too good to me sometimes," she teased.Shakespeare nosed his way in between them and laid his head on Vivian's lap.
"Too good?" Joeri gave a small laugh. "Well, someone has too fit that role and, sorry Shakespeare, but that someone is me," he joked.
Vivian laughed and gave Joeri a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be too hard on him. He tries his best," she said, stroking Shakespeare's snout. "He's getting awfully big," Vivian remarked.
"Finally growing to match those big paws of his," he commented. "Must be an effort to walk him."
"He learned to walk next to me and to resist the urge to go chasing after things while you were gone this last time," Vivian said, "but he forgets sometimes." Shakespeare put up one of the giant paws in question and Vivian patted it. "Good boy."
Joeri nodded. "I see. Well, that certainly is good, though I haven't had to ever walk with him myself. Maybe he'll just do that with you."
"Maybe," Vivian said, "though Bridget said he behaves with her...well. More so than he used to," she added cheekily. She looked up at Joeri and flashed a small smile. "He did almost pull Bridget into the duck pond once."
He tried to fight off the urge to laugh and it took a moment for him to regain his calm composure again. "Th-That is most unfortunate for Miss Bridget," Joeri said in his most level voice, though he sounded a little strained.
Vivian pursed her lips but her unnaturally green eyes were bright and alive with mirth. "Yes, most unfortunate indeed," she said, and then broke down into laughter.
For a moment, he tried to resist, but hearing her laughter made his own come out. Joeri's face lightened up and it was hard for him to speak. "That sounds exactly like something that happened to me," he said between gasps.
"Oh?" Vivian giggled. "Please, my love, do tell. You know how I like hearing about all the things Samuel and Anne tricked you into doing."
He pretended to look offended, but the smile on his face ruined it. Joeri shrugged and shook his head. "I suppose there's no harm in telling," he sighed. "It was actually something Anne did when we were kids, like when I was around seven or so."
Vivian sat up straight and folded her hands elin her lap, an expectant look on her face. "And?" she prompted.
"Ah, well," he continued, running a hand through his hair, "you see, Anne always get these 'brilliant' ideas. Usually the kind that involves 'I bet Joeri would do this' and suddenly she'd somehow trick me. This time she made up some kind of story about seeing something at the bottom of the duck pond near the banks." He looked embarrassed and happy at the memory at the same time. "I climbed a tree above where she said it should be, when Anne suddenly gave a shout. I lost my concentration and I fell into the pond."
Vivian's bright green eyes went wide and she collapsed into uncontrollable laughter. The image of Joeri falling into a pond from a tree branch was too much and Shakespeare barked, happy to hear sounds of mirth coming from his mummy.
Joeri laughed, glad to see her look so happy and seeing Shakespeare join in. "At first the ducks and I weren't amused, but I eventually couldn't stop laughing either," he commented, grinning over at her.
Vivian shook her head, her flaming curls bouncing around her pale but happy face, and she shook Shakespeare's scruff gently. "That's what childhoods are for, I suppose," she remarked. "I mean, without moments and memories like that it'd be really hard to be an adult sometimes."
"So very true. Who's to say you can't still have those kind of moments?" Joeri's face changed as he realized something. "But don't get any ideas of tricking me further," he added with fake sternness.
Vivian feigned shock. "How could you think such a thing?" she exclaimed with a pout -- but her bright green eyes twinkled affectionately.She settled back against the arm of the sofa again and looked up at the ceiling through her curls, lost in thoughts.
Joeri smiled back at her as he let himself relax next to her. This time a contented sigh escaped him.
