Palvine Part 7

by Mitzi Danielson-Kaslik 

strawberry port

As I listened to the footsteps rambling up the hallway and the happy chatter growing louder and felt more alone than ever; Sylvester and I had never talked like that or been together so cheerfully. The footsteps grew ever closer up the steps and a few seconds later in through the door stepped a young man. He was a little taller than Sylvester with noticeably shorter wavy curls spiraling softly from his scalp down to his ears. His eyes were a little larger than Sylvester’s and he seemed a little happier than I had ever seen Sylvester yet he seemed to radiate happiness himself like some bright light in melancholy darkness that was this strange, unfamiliar city. I blinked. “Good Morning, Miss” he smiled at me with a smile I had never before seen from a person, a smile who’s potency I had never before felt either as a person or in the room for Marius was a man of such charisma that others in the world seemed almost obsolete in comparison to the smile of this man. “I hear you’ve travelled a long way, did you have a good trip?” he continued. 

“Yes.” I regained myself “We left last night” 

“By sea?” he asked. “With the storm clouds that had been gathering I’m surprised the ships were going, thought the captains were too wimpy.” He laughed with a soft happy laugh that somehow reminded me of being a child, feeling you knew everything and yet knowing you know nothing. 

“Well at least the storm clouds have cleared up now.” I smiled to Marius. It was then that I saw something very unfamiliar creep over Sylvester’s face; could it be jealousy? Was he jealous of Marius? 

Marius continued to talk and I began to get lost in his words as I had the first time I met Sylvester, many months ago. He was so interesting, though he was saying nothing at all. I could feel Sylvester was longing to speak and he did eventually “Well anyway, will you be seeing Camille later?” he asked Marius “Maybe, maybe, a gentleman never tells, have you met Camille yet?” he asked me “No I haven’t.” I said rather bluntly. Was Sylvester trying to make me jealous by reminding me one of his friends was not only a woman but a woman of the night?

Drink - Strawberry port

By Mitzi Danielson-Kaslik