“Water. Now.”
The grumpy dwarf stomps to the kitchen and returns with a glass of water. Doc takes it from him and holds it out to me.
“I’ll need to test their authenticity under UV light, but for now, let’s see if they’re minerals or not.”
The sparkling gemstones fall into the water and hit the bottom of the glass with a thud. A smile creeps across Doc’s face, his spine straightening as the Hoffmann future shines a hell of a lot brighter.
“You’ve got yourself a deal.” Shaking his head with a laugh, Doc tucks the glass close to his chest and wanders back over to the basement steps, “Boys, get washing! We’re having gooseberry pie tonight.”
Cheers rumble throughout the cottage as four men covered in soot stomp their way up the stairs. The living room becomes a cluster of colourful hats and yodeling as a small family trades in their years of misfortune for a single stroke of good luck.
A tug on my hand drags my direction to a purple beanie sliding off Dorian’s head. He’s clutching his hat, staring at me with wide, hopeful eyes that punches a hole right through my chest.
“Mr. Wolf, would you do me a favour?”
A soft chuckle escapes my throat, “It’s Christopher. Sorry if I scared you earlier.”
“Oh, you didn’t scare me.” Motioning for me to bend down, he whispers in my ear, “Wolves are my favourite, but Doc says I’m not allowed to pet them.”
“Probably for the best.”
He giggles softly, looking down at where our hands are touching, “But I’m petting you.”
God. This kid.
“What can I do for you, Dorian?”
A nervous expression crosses his face, his eyes darting around his family celebrating around us. Everyone is too busy singing to notice us, rejoicing with a song and a dance that seems to have no rhyme or reason.
“Can you pass this along to Evie?”
A rumpled piece of paper gets pressed into my palm. I take it from him, carefully unfolding the homemade piece of art.
“We kissed, you know.” A blush stains the boy’s cheeks, “Threetimes.”
My heart fucking breaks as I look at the pencil drawing he drew.
A wonky apple-shaped heart lies between the two stick figures, one with blonde hair and one with dark. Massive smiles take over their faces, their hands clenched together as though they never want to let go.
The lump in my throat has me unable to respond, the simple drawing so painfully similar to the one I tried to hang on my mother’s fridge many years ago.
“Just make sure Evie gets it, okay?” Dorian gives me a shy smile, his eyes brimming with love and devotion, “I don’t want our time together to be forgotten.”
“I’ll try and pass it along.”
The lie slips off my tongue, the words just about choking me from the inside out. I watch the elation take over Dorian’s face, the happiness that would only dwindle if I told him the truth.
Evelyn White isn’t the kind of person who would remember him. I’ve read the reports and seen the images, I know exactly the kind of person she is.
Fame. Money. Glamour.
It’s like looking into a time capsule and seeing the past so much clearer. The silly drawing being ripped from the fridge before my mother’s boyfriends could see it. The ridiculous notion of thinking a woman like that could ever change.
My own mother couldn’t be bothered to remember me.
Dorian and his adorable picture don’t stand a chance.
Evie & Dorian 4ever <3
