Palvine Part 13

by Mitzi Danielson-Kaslik

cinnamon hot chocolate

I did. We both leaned forward and our lips met in the passionate embrace of adultery. It was heaven for me and to this day I wonder if it was heaven for him. Our lips locked in a kiss that seemed to last for longer than time itself and yet somehow at the same time no time at all. He kissed me so deeply and it did not once cross my mind how Sylvester would feel if he was to walk in on this scene. Why should it? This was what I wanted and Sylvester would never find out. Would it even hurt him if he did find out? All these thoughts returned to my head as I broke away from the kiss and came back to reality. 

I closed my eyes for a moment before removing my gaze from Marius and returning it to Paris. I shook my head thinking about what had just happened between us and yet, I didn’t actually feel bad, I didn’t actually feel like I’d done anything wrong in giving in to what I wanted. What was what Sylvester did at my age wasn’t it? What could possibly be wrong with trying something? Marius smiled at me and passed me one more glass of the strange blush pink liquid that I would blame this night for and I drank from it gladly and deeply. Now, dear reader, I would like to tell you that I didn’t do anything more that evening - morning rather – but that wouldn’t be entirely true for I cannot remember that happened that night any more than I can remember my first birthday. 

The next day I awoke in a bed with clean sheets and my first thought was that I was back in my house. My old house. But a quick glance up with my sleepy eyes told me that I was actually in Sylvester’s apartment. In Paris. I smiled at the thought that I had just woken up in Paris. “My dear, are you okay?” Sylvester leaned over me tentatively and gently touched my face. I softly rubbed my head into his hand and he continued “You had quite the night last night.”. Then it all came flooding back to me; I had spent last night in the Land of Gods and Monsters. All that I had remembered had really taken place. I had not dreamed away my first night in Paris and Sylvester had known everything that had happened – perhaps he knew what had happened between Marius and me? 

I suddenly felt a very nauseous feeling rising in my stomach which could have been from the alcohol or could have been from something else entirely. I blinked a little and sat up carefully, leaning against the headboard to see Sylvester seated at the end of the bed. He was beautiful. He always was. I slipped my hand out from under the covers and it was deftly met with Sylvester’s larger hand. “I love you” I whispered, he put his head against my chest and told me he could hear my heartbeat.