Chapter 34 Here and There

Julia decided to sleep in her Daddy’s room all of a sudden and Alan received her with great hospitality. As of the moment, the father and daughter duo were watching a late night looney tunes rerun episodes. The light coming from the telly illuminated the bedchambers.

“Daddy?” Julia asked.

“Yes.”  Alan responded propping his head on the pillow with his hand, looking intently at his daughter.

“What do you miss about Mommy?”

Alan was stunned thinking Julia’s on the stage where she longs to hear more stories about Rima. Glancing from the telly to Julia, he repeated Julia’s question. “What do I miss about Mommy?”  he said, looking into his child’s eyes heaving a heavy sigh, he answered, “Everything.”

Julia smiled as her cobalt eyes sparkled, urging her father to continue.

“I miss her laugh and her smile. And I miss her little nose that she gave to you. Luckily you didn’t get mine, you’d look very weird.”

Julia responded with giggles.

“Yeah.” Alan grinned and continued, “I miss every time The Wizard of Oz was on.”

“I love that movie.”

“I know. She would sing all the songs to us. Especially 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'. Alan stops and gazed over the dark room then back to his daughter. “You know what I miss most about her?”

“What?”

“Getting to tell her how much I love her.” His eyes were not on Julia but the latter could feel the longing in his voice.

Julia bit her lower lip and gathering all of her courage she asked, “Are you not allowed to do that with anyone else?”

A wistful smile gazed Alan’s lips. “Am I allowed?” he snickered afterwards then sobered up. “When your mother left, your Aunt Emma, that’s all she would talk about, me finding somebody else. But I would tell her I can’t because she’s my one and only. Julia’s eyes glistened from welled up tears, seeing her Daddy sad.

“What did Aunt Emma say?”

“Emma would say… your wife has a big heart, so big that it has room for two.” Julia finally smiled from ear-to-ear.

“That’s one thing I miss about your mother, she actually thought I was awesome.”

Looking up to her father with love and respect in her eyes, our little missy replied, “I think you’re awesome, Daddy.” They hugged each other as Alan kisses his daughter’s forehead.

“Thank you sweet pea.”

As if on cue a knock suddenly erupted from the opened door. It was Jassy. “Hey there,  uhm… hate to interrupt but it’s way past Julia’s bedtime.” Jasmine sheepishly said, her head’s the only thing visible on the doorway.

Alan wordlessly mouthed ‘I got it covered’ then Jassy made an okay sign, returning to her own bedroom while Alan wondered just how much of a potterhead his employee is [referring to Jasmine’s Slytherin inspired PJs].

It was Monday morning and the entire Rickman Household was in chaotic start. Jasmine for once did not wake up on her alarm and she was getting ready in a flash hoping to catch the train’s hourly trip. Aligning her toiletries in place, she belted Mariah Carey’s ‘Through the Rain’ with no inhibitions at all. Very similar to how she starts her morning routines in her previous apartment. She was singing without care in the world when a sexy chuckle made her stop, her toes curling in the process.

She took a deep breath.

Alan was in the bathtub. Naked. Wet. With one soapy knee showing above the rim. Her tongue cleaved to the roof of her mouth as her eyes bulged out while they took in the magnificent sight of his bare chest. His wet bare chest.

“I didn’t know you could sing?” One glossy eyebrow raked a question. “You have a lovely voice.”

“Um,” Jasmine began; her brain became mushy eventually forcing shutdown.

Alan’s beautiful chest rose as he took a deep breath. Jasmine’s tongue swelled up and filled her mouth as one bead of water broke free from his collarbone, swept down the swell of his pectoral muscle, winding its way through his flawless chest, pausing a moment to cling to the very tip of a little brown nipple before it flung itself off the edge and rolled down his belly, finally merging into the soapy water.

The female lead seriously thought she was going to pass out.

He smells spicy and male. Very very very sexy.

“You okay, Jassy?” he was about to rush to her side seeing the pale and mortified look on her face.

“Alan stay!” she commanded and he halts immediately.

“Do I look like a dog, Jassy?”

“No! Good Lord, no! What in the name of Big Ben are you doing here?”

“Oh.” He said, combing his hair in a slick back way, showing his forehead.” Julia’s been taking forever in my bathroom and usually at this time you’re already in the uni so I thought it’ll be okay if I borrow the tub in here.”

“Right.” She bit her lower lip. “I can come back once you’ve finished. Goodbye!”

Lucifer Morningstar excitedly waits for Jasmine to show up in the west side gate of KCL’s Strand Campus. He perfectly concealed his identity by the set of clothes he wears at the moment. Completely different from the ones he used to wear plus UV sunglasses adorn his seductive eyes. Checking his watch for the nth time and he could deduce that Jasmine’s running awfully late for today. He was never a patient man but he guesses that wooing the girl he genuinely likes, can make him do crazy things. The object of his desire came walking in, looking like a dejected puppy as if being abandoned by her owner.

Berating herself from the way she acted  in front of a bathing Alan Rickman, her eyes again fixated on the solid ground, what kind of face will she have if she sees him again? She comb her hair in frustration slapping her cheeks moments later… unaware of the fact that a certain devil was amusedly gazing at her intently, giving her his undivided attention.

As if on a teenage chick flick, their eyes properly met. One with surprise and the other shines with mischief, Lucifer grins at her while she smiled at him idiotically as she was still in the process of assessing the situation. He is already used to Jasmine’s many faces especially the dork one. He decided to approach her so as not to make her look silly. He only manages to take three steps when a professor blocked his way.

“Excuse me, are you Mr. Morningstar?”

Jasmine saw the professor from one of the business courses hinder Lucifer’s way.

“Today’s leading business tycoon. It’s correct, right? Are you planning on dominating  Asian countries as well?” the professor continued asking him questions. It didn’t turn out a surprise when students, interns and such came rushing to the scene. Even journalism students began swarming around Lucifer. A lot of them bumped into Jasmine‘s frail body offering the latter quick apologies. Her thin frame could not handle the crowd that after a few bumps, Jasmine nearly kissed the cemented floor.

Seeing the whole ordeal, Lucifer felt his heart squeeze seeing Jasmine’s pitiable state, large men colliding with her, her head and shoulders must be bruise from the constant hits she received from other people's bags... sounds from the cameras can be heard out of the blue. Questions like “Mr. Morningstar is it true you broke up with your female actress girlfriend? Is she one of your flings?” or “Lucifer, you'll be opening a new branch of Lux in Korea this weekend, will you be there for the event?” Lucifer's ears began ringing, questions after questions are being thrown out at him, annoying him from beyond. But, one thing is for sure, of all the things that are happening at the very moment he's sure as hell he didn't like his little mouse getting hurt. He disperse the crowd with one hand and one-by-one the mob miraculously cleared a  path for him, Jasmine's brows were knitted from the pain she suffered with the constant bumping when she saw Lucifer walking towards her.

Jasmine did not know if it's the morning heat or the dizzying sensation she suddenly feels but as Lucifer made his way towards her, it felt like she was in a romantic movie where everything began moving in a slow motion and how did Satan incarnate looked so dashing and regal and knightly in her eyes. She even fantasize that a background music is currently playing as he approach her with lithe steps, stopping a few inches in front of her.

She looks up.

Lucifer smirks at her and the way he looks at Jasmine, the crowd around them began speculating that even the ruthless tycoon can make a serene expression which exudes 'finally scored a date with my girl' aura.

He took a glance at his expensive [don't know how many thousands of pounds] watch. “You've kept me waiting, little mouse. Why don't we runaway right now?” His voice rich and velvety.

Jasmine was still looking at him with awe, their height difference being emphasize. Lucifer smiled, “Seeing you're in shock of my  unworldly appearance, I will then take the  initiative to take you away.”

“Huh?”

“It's my turn to protect you.” his words feels like a promise of forever. Fishing his sunglasses out from one of his overcoat pockets, he brought it to her eyes, hiding Jasmine's identity from the prying eyes of the crowd. His left arm on her back, guiding her away from the masses. They both walked out of the scene not looking back nor caring about how the uproar will affect each of their lives or how the rumors had reached a certain someone's ears who became extremely agitated.