The Time Between

CHAPTER THREE

                                                               -    SEBASTIAN   -

"Mrs. Ayla," she looked up at him and admired how much respect he had for her.

“What is it, my son?“ she smiled and asked.

“I was just wondering if you had any big dream you want to achieve?"

She stopped in the middle of the chore and was startled by how much he looked genuine. She was taken aback by his question. But she recovered soon and assumed that maybe he realized the importance of life.

“Yes I wanted to become a nurse in a major health center in the country."

“What happened? I am sure you would have become an excellent nurse.” He told convincingly.

She had a faraway look in her eyes. “A little late for that. Isn’t it?” Mrs. Ayla says uncertainly.

“Are you sure? Don’t you think you should try and achieve it now?” He asked.

“I won’t be able to,” She said sadly and continues. “Even if I can afford it, I will have to move out of town and that will take me away from my family. My old man and my son needs me you know.”

“But wouldn’t it be worth it?” Sebastian asks a bit quickly.

“No, it wouldn’t.” She replies assertively.

“Are you sure?” He presses.” There’s nothing at stake. You could do it.” 

“Yes... I’m sure.” She says her assertiveness wavering. 

Sebastian gives her a twisted smile. 

“Which means you’ll have to live with that regret for the rest of your life.” He says beyond doubt and leaves the room.

And Mrs. Ayla Duncan never hummed to herself ever again.

*****

Sebastian Stephen, Prince of Astrelia, has been anticipating this day for a long time. He had done the preparations of everything down to the very last details. It’s been a long time since anything this exciting and thrilling had happened. He had forgotten how futile everything had been with his brother withdrawing to his room for three months continuously.

Sebastian is standing behind his rich teak desk with hands crossed across his chest. He is facing the wall where his favorite painting is hanging. It is a long painting bursting with colorful flames. He had bought this painting without giving a second thought for millions of euros. The first time he had a glimpse of it, there was a sense of fulfillment inside him.

Sometimes Sebastian would stare at it for hours at a time, or he would see it only for a few minutes. He’d look at it when he needs time to think when he needs to make a decision. Sometimes, Sebastian would view it with his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration or see it with his face expressionless. At times, he would scan the painting with sudden interest or study at it like everything in the world is confusing. He will observe it when he’s angry, happy, sad, or sober but, mostly Sabastian would gaze at it when he is excited with a glint of malice in his eyes or when he is empty with a shade of yearning and exhaustion in his eyes.

Sebastian imagines the beautiful colors in the painting fill him with what he needs the most. The canvas is like one whole madness. The tinge of blazing orange, together with the unforgiving, deep violet, makes it look stormy. The opal white and the electric bluish flame at the core illuminates the whole fire. The greenish glow flickers at random places like it are ashamed to expose itself. And the evil red is everywhere. The inferno in the painting is uncanny.

He continues to stare at it. He doesn’t know how long when the clock tower in the town strikes thrice. He recovers back to reality and heads for the bathroom to have a shower. With his blond hair dripping, he goes to his dressing room. The wooden dresser with the mirror and spotlights are surrounding all four sides placed on the wall. The cushioned chair and the curtains are deep burgundies colored. There are three sets of dresses prepped for him. A waistcoat, and a suit, and a tuxedo are there for him. He glances at them distastefully and reaches for the waistcoat to wears it on.

Tonight he will attract every woman in the town. Every one of them will want to talk to him, touch him, and flirt with him. Every one of them wants him to notice them. And he will do that. When some girls declared love to him, he knew they loved him, but he didn’t accept them. He has to resist the urge to use them for his selfish schemes.

He had one of them and their love to last a lifetime.

He sees the time and panic. What if his brother doesn’t show up? He quickly pushes that thought away from his mind. If James doesn’t show up, it will be the last straw for Sebastian. For a while, he has to use innocent people, but that he wouldn’t do. He can’t afford to. Sebastian decides to go and check on his brother, crossing the plush chairs to the giant brown doors when it was open from the other side.

Sebastian had to hide his astonishment before the other person could see it. James stood in the doorway, his hand deep inside the pockets with a smile on his face so handsome that will make all the ladies dizzy.

‘Well, thank you for the pleasant surprise.’ Sebastian comments with a smug smile on his face.

James didn’t take it to his heart. Sometimes, his brother hurts a person in a way no one could imagine. He had got so much used to that, that sometimes it’s like second nature to him. And now he thought he would receive a little bit of sympathy from him in return that it hurts. As if he didn’t have enough things to get hurt. But, how can he expect any sympathy from his brother when he was the one who had shut himself in his room for three months without any explanation?

James steps into the room and walks to the mini bar in the corner of the room to pours champagne for two glasses. For a moment, Sebastian’s eyes had a hint of grief for their past, present, and future, but it passed as soon as it came. He couldn’t help it. Even though Sebastian knows everything about James- locking in the room, he couldn’t shake off the fact that it wasn’t James who had revealed it to him. James and Sebastian shared everything, and it was difficult for him to see past that.

‘Care to give some company until its time?’ James asks Sebastian with a mocked authority that surprised Sebastian because James had never played the Crown Prince card with his brother. But Sebastian didn’t miss a beat.

‘Of course, Your Highness,’ he says with a mocked small bow.

Sebastian takes a seat on his couch, and James sits in one of the plush chairs opposite him. Sebastian was busy studying his favorite painting when James disrupted the silence.

‘Aren’t you going to ask me?’

‘No.’

‘Why?’

‘Because if you had wanted to tell, you would have without shutting yourself away for three months.’

They sat in silence for a few minutes when Sebastian spoke up.

‘Aren’t you going to say it?’

‘Say what?’ James asks, feigning innocence.

‘You know what.’ replies with a grin on his face.

‘I thought I don’t have to say it, for you to know how much thankful I am. So I am not going to spell it out for you.’ James says, meaning it.

He came to Sebastian’s room as soon as possible to say how much grateful he was. For not pestering him with questions. For offering him space. And for once, acting like a big brother and giving James a chance to be immature for some time.

‘It is alright. You already thanked me.’ Sebastian says with a smile.

Simultaneously, they raised their glasses and clinked them. And in unison, they toasted to each other.

‘To you.’