Thousand Years

CHAPTER 8 - Movournin

Year 1920, Dublin, Ireland

Dareanna was excited for Sunday. She wanted to see Aiden after the mass. She was rarely excited at anything. She knew this was wrong and she was a married woman. She had responsibilities. She was married off to the mayor just after she turned twenty-three. She did not know why she was feeling on edge like a school girl about to see her crush.

She thought how silly she was to be acting like this. It had only been two days since she last saw him, but she already longed for his company. She thought maybe she was excited because she had made a new friend. All her friends were girls except for Bill, whom she had known since she was a kid.

She was deep in thought when the mayor entered the room that she was working on. He seemed to be in a good mood since he was not yelling at her for not noticing his presence. Dareanna was in the process of checking finances of some documents.

"Darling, are you worried about the accounts? Are there any mistakes?" the mayor asked as he reached her. After six months of being married to this man, she couldn't stand being close to him. She had given herself to this man because she had no other choice, because it was what was expected of her in turn of saving her father from bankruptcy. This was the price she had to pay for her family to live without having to go a begging. She had two beautiful sisters and a younger brother. And she thought, she had done them right.

Dareanna quickly replied saying there were no mistakes and left the study. She knew that would make the mayor mad and she would have to pay for that later today.

Her life was miserable in a way but she did not show that to the world. The mayor was a greedy old man. The life she led with him was hell. And she needed an escape from this reality. She went out the balcony of her room and lit a cigarette. She was not a smoker, but sometimes she just had to. It would calm her and make her think clearly.  This was another thing she had kept a secret from the mayor. He was a traditional man. He would hate it if he knew, and would probably say horrible things to her about her upbringing.

She thought about how she had almost given up on her life. It was three months ago. As she was about to jump over the bridge into the deep, ice cold lake, the thought that crossed her mind. 'There is something else waiting for you. Please wait for a while and you will see'. She thought that might have been her will to live despite what she had to go through. But now she was beginning to wonder if that was Aiden.

She woke up early the next day. She always went to the church alone. So she got dressed in a maroon suit and a hat that matched the outfit.

She got into the car that the mayor has arranged for her and left to go to the church. At the church while everyone recited their prayers, she could only think about Aiden and what to say to him when she sees him.

As the mass ended, she headed towards downtown. She had asked the driver not to come to pick her up as usual. She was anxious. 'He might not even show up',she thought.

She went to the market where merchants from many different countries came. This was their central place in all of Dublin. A place where they were allowed to sell their goods without a hassle. 

It was 11 o'clock and it was not that of a dreary day as usual. She walked through the streets as she stopped to look at ornaments and other goods form the East. She found them fascinating. She stopped by a flower shop. The vendor was a pleasant old lady with white hair. "Hello my dear, what would you like" she asked Dareanna.

As she was about to answer, a voice next to her answered for her. A voice that she wanted to hear very much. "She would have these Lilies". Aidan was paying for the flowers before she even registered his presence next to her.

"Lovely flowers for the lovely lady", the old woman said while she gave the flowers to Aidan who was now smiling. He took the flowers and gave them to her with small bow. She laughed at his gesture and took the flowers.

"So you actually showed up" she said while looking at the flowers and smelling them. " I said I would" Aidan replied.

They walked down the streets that were busy with people. She was curious about his life. She had been asking so many questions, he almost blurted out his parents were in heaven. But then again, she would think that they have passed away. Aidan felt at ease in her presence. So much at ease, that it scared him. 

It was almost noon and Aidan asked if she would like to have lunch with him. He quickly added that he could drop her home if she wanted to. Dareanna wanted to have lunch with him. She wanted to feel like she was on a real date for once in her life. But she politely declined his offer.

"Thank you. Perhaps some other time." she said. He did not press on it further, he knew she was a married woman and word traveled fast in this part of Dublin. They walked to the place where his car was parked. As she had expected, he did not have a chauffeur waiting for him. He had driven himself.

He opened the door for her and gave her a hand helping her get in. She couldn't help but notice the sparks that flew as they touched. She quickly got in as he closed the door. He got in from the other side and started the car.

As they drove, he couldn't help look at her from time to time. "Eyes on the road mister, I don't want to get into an accident today" she said smiling at him. Aidan smirked and looked back at the road.

"So when will I see you again?" he asked. She was so close to him. And yet there was nothing he could do. She looked pretty in a maroon suit. Then again, he thought she looked good in everything.

He could not believe what he was thinking right now. He was used to have any woman he wanted, the moment he wanted them. They always threw themselves at him whether they were married or not. But this woman was not like that and he was surprised. He knew she found him attractive. But he thought maybe that was not enough. 

She did not answer for a while. He almost though that she had no idea of meeting him again. "Would you be attending the musical this Friday?" she asked as she looked at him expectantly. He had received an invitation but he was not planning to go.

Aidan thought she might be coming with the mayor. But this was a chance to see her again and he did not want to miss it.

"I might" he replied. They have reached the gate to the manor by now and she asked him to stop the car at the gate. She said she would walk to the house alone. He stopped the car and turned to look at her.

Her green orbs were watching him with an expression that he could not comprehend.

She looked into those pools of blue and she thought she might get lost in them. As they kept looking at each other, his hand slowly reached hers. As their fingers made contact, she could feel the tingles. She did not look at their entwined hands, rather she was mesmerized by his eyes.

He slowly took her hand up to his lips and  gently kissed it while still looking at her eyes. She felt warm all over. "I will see you on Friday". He let go of her hand and got out of the car so that he can could open the door for her. He was there in a second and was opening the door for her.

She was a confused and she almost forgot to tell him to pick her up. "Um.. can you pick me up at 7 on Friday?".

He looked at her with a raised brow, "I thought you were going with the mayor".

"Oh no, he has a another party to attend, so I am going to the musical to represent him", she uttered. Now the smile he gave her was priceless.

"Sure thing, will see you right here on Friday. It's a date movournin" he said and winked at her.

He then drove away leaving her feeling like a school girl who has just been asked for a date with her crush.