Chapter 32 Aftermath

Alan's mother always said God watched over fools and children. If that was the case, God must be watching hard this morning because Alan had to have been the biggest fool to ever walk the earth. His head thumped like a demon from the whiskey he'd consumed, and he deserved every nauseating throb. Unfortunately things were going to get worse before they got better.

He had to face Jasmine.

She was in the kitchen, if she hadn't run like hell, and he couldn't blame her if she had. He'd all but ravished her on the kitchen table, and now he had to face her... in front of his daughter... in the kitchen.

Bloody hell.

He looked at his wedding ring. He'd planned to wear it until the day he died, figuring he'd never want another woman, but last night had taught him otherwise. He'd wanted Jasmine. Fiercely, passionately, and shamelessly, he'd wanted her. So what had he done? He took without thoughts of her feelings or desires, he'd taken and would've taken it all if she hadn't gasped in surprise.

Dickheads do that. Rogues, arseholes, rakes, scoundrels, men of little or no morals take from women just because they want to. And he'd wanted to.

Still did.

Fuck.

He headed to the kitchen. If he were an honorable man, he'd allow Jasmine to resign and leave them, but since he'd already established that he had no honor, he didn't think he'd bring up the option of leaving.

The smell of pancakes and waffles rolled his stomach over twice before he entered the kitchen to face her wrath. He deserved no less.

“Morning, Jassy,” he said as soon as he checked to be sure they were alone.

She turned from the stove, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. “Good morning.”

Their gazes locked for a second before she dropped her eyes and turned back toward the stove.

“I... uh...” He took a deep breath and started again. “I need to apologize for last night.”

She kept her back to him, but stopped moving. “No need,” she muttered.

“Yes, there is a need.” This was harder than he'd though it would be. “I acted like an animal, and you don't deserve that. I'm sorry.”

She nodded but kept her back to him and it was killing him. He couldn't blame her for feeling humiliated -  he'd stripped her to the waist – but it wasn't her fault.

Now was the time a decent man would offer to leave.  “I -”“Alan,” she said firmly then finally turned to face him. “It's all right.”

he wanted to believe her. He also wanted to hold her. But before he could voice out his mind the whole motley crew of his household came down for breakfast, an impeccable timing he thought. Breakfast went down smoothly as it did before, thankfully, Meredith stayed at the hotel overnight.

Jasmine felt dazed, flummoxed -  and all from the events of last night. She hadn't expected Alan to kiss her like that. Ever. For any reason. She let him kiss her on the lips. She hardly knew herself. Her fingers brushed her lips. She  could still feel his kiss.

“Miss Matthews! Miss Matthews!”

Jasmine's seatmate nudged her elbow.

“Yes!”

“If you had the leeway to daydream in my class, then maybe you can translate this phrase into English?”

Miss Vernal her german language professor challenge her, gaining her thoughts she translated the said phrase with ease, “Nothing worth having comes easy.” Jasmine confidently replied, though Miss Vernal wasn't impressed a bit, rather she looked unhappy about her feat.

“You may sit down Miss Matthews.” Miss Vernal continued their lecture.

“Additional reminder for out upcoming 2018 Annual Arts & Humanities Festival, kindly submit your final output at Arts & Humanities Research Institute Office. Those of you who are interested in pursuing their careers in the entertainment industry, kindly submit your project output to Mr. Alan Rickman at the Department mof Culture Media & Creative Industries (CMCI). Class dismissed.”

Jasmine is now on her Year 3 [(Level 6) Eight modules (120 credits)] in her course of BA English with Film. She had finished her project for her film studies module weeks ago (before Meredith's appearance). She is also a constant visitor in the Department of Classics as she wishes to take her Dissertation subject, for the next semeter with ease,giving her an upperhand from her classmates. She had chosen life writing, performance & creative writing theme cluster for her research in her dissertation subject, in which English students are required to decide on year one.

Also, being the honored student that she is, Jasmine participated in the Department of Classics' Research Seminar series as a speaker in one of the research seminars organized through the Institute of Classical Studies for Literature just last year. Dean Decker had given her a plaque of recognition, rewarding her the title Neophytum which means young scholar in latin for her two hour lecture entitled: “Histoty of Today”, it was Jasmine's introductory research project for her Literature and Impressionalism subvject field, it was through Professor Dippet's encouragement that she, decided to participate in the seminar in the first place.

Jasmine was on her way to CMCI Department when she notices the long line ahead. Due to Professor Rickman's popularity and intelligence in his craft, many BA English Literature students shifted to BA English with Film. She had recourse to submit her project output to Mr. Rickman's student assistant seeing that the whole lot wanted the famous actor to received their projects, personally. Besides, the kitchen scene has been popping to her mind all day.

To make use of her extra time, Jasmine made her way to the Maughan Library and sitauted herself in the computer area. For her film studies' project Jasmine made an animated episode of Sherlock Holmes  x Original Character (named Russell Jane Crow) pairing. She wrote the script herself and fully handled the animation process, from conceptualization, character sketches until the final run. She had asked Benedict Cumberbatch for Holmes' character voice and his wife, Sophie Hunter Cumberbatch for Russell's.

Flashback

“You want us to voice these characters?” Benedict asked after reading Jasmine's mini-novel.

“Yes.”

“As husband and wife?” Sophie interjected.

“Yes.”

Beamning from ear-to-ear, Mr. and Mrs. Cumberbatch shook hands with our heroine whilst the Missus shrieks in anticipation and delight after seeing the prototype version of the animated short episode.

“Yours is so cute, I can't wait to voice Russell.” Sophie hugs her as she expressed her words, “you really are an interesting individual.”

“Sophie fell in love with you after I told her about our first meeting.” Benedict laughs out loud.

“Can we please not talk about that?” Jasmine groaned in embarrassment. Their eldest son now three years old named Christopher Carlton enjoyed playing with Jasmine's hair and Hal Auden whose asleep soundly on his crib giggled in his sleep. The happy couple had found a new toy in Jasmine's persona.

Jasmine had asked a collegue of hers in the Department of Digital Humanities to help them record the couple's voices in one of their recording studios. Being a powerhouse couple, it took all of Jasmine's camouflage techniques to hide Benedict away from his fangirls. Sophie enjoyed the hiding game as well as her husband's discomfort. Immediately upon arrival, they began the recording process.

The Cumberbatches were enjoying the whole ordeal, in the end, it all turns out fantastically well. Jasmine being satisfied in combining creative writing drama and digital film making. Her digital humanities mates were all happy to help plus getting exclusive selfies and autographs with the famous actor and the equally fantastic avant-garde theatre playwirght and former performer Sophie Irene Hunter – Cumberbatch wasn't a bad compensation at all. Sophie even taught Jasmine few french and italian cusses in which Benedict vehemently opposes stating that Lord Alan of the Rickman will have his head if he knew Benedict let his wife taught Jasmine swearwords.

Sophie knowingly smiled at Jasmine after her husband's whinged remarks. Thank goodness Benedict expresses his thoughts when the three of them are alone in the car.