For Centuries - Season 1 [Completed]

Episode 9

"Youth", Glass Animals

That night, Aidan had left not much later. He did not want to tell us what happened with James, even if I insisted upon the fact that I was unwillingly involved in that story and that I needed to know. He ignored my point and left in a hurry.

I was angry because our ignorance could put us in danger. I thought he would have trusted me and opened up to me. But his face had closed the minute he had said the words "best friend" and there was a harshness mixed with pain in his eyes. A few moments before I had felt that intimate connection with him, but now it was gone. Anna could see my frustration and before I left she told me: "I'm sorry it went this way, Boss."

The day after, I could not think about anything else. I had flashes of us dancing together and then of his face before he had left. I was pacing my living room and I finally decided that I needed some distraction.

There was a Lubitsch retrospective at one of the movie theaters of the Champollion Street in the Quartier Latin. This was exactly what I needed. I chose The Shop Around The Corner, which I had already seen at least forty times. As always, it warmed my heart and I felt at peace, thanks to the film in itself but also to the comforting experience of the red chairs and the darkness of the room. There were only five other people with me in the theater and I almost had the feeling of having the room to myself. It was like a bubble of time, of story, and of emotions.

During the screening, I had received some text messages from Ethan, saying that his friend Carol had invited him to join her in the preparation of an exhibition in New York and that he would leave Greece two days later.

Again I hesitated to talk to him about the situation in Paris, but I did not want him to worry about me. My son had terrible encounters with vampires in his past and it was a very sensitive topic to deal with. I chose to wait a little more before telling him about Aidan. Besides I was not exactly sure about what I would have told him.

So I just answered: "Great for New York! I may come to visit you for a weekend. I miss the city. I am answering only now because I was at the movie theater to see The Shop Around The Corner again."

"Jimmy Stewart forever. Did you cry ?" He answered.

I smiled and texted: "Of course. Every time."

He sent me a laughing emoji. We had seen this movie together for the first time in 1940. It was a vivid memory in my mind. And I remembered we both had cried.

I walked to my oldest property in the city, a mansion on l'Île Saint-Louis. I had planned to meet Anna and Lucas there for a training session. I thought that, after the events of the week before, it could be useful for both of them to learn how to defend themselves and that it would be an opportunity for Lucas to accompany his sister in her new life as he had wished. I had a dance studio there with mirrors and some gear that we could use.

They rang at the door a few minutes after my arrival. Anna had already been there a few times but Lucas discovered the place with his eyes wide open. "How loaded are you, exactly?" He said. "That's crazy. You could have insane parties here."

"That, I had," I answered with a smile. He nodded with enthusiasm.

We put ourselves to work and I started to explain to them some basics of boxing. They were passionate about it and, even if they did not have the slightest experience in fighting, they understood how they should approach this learning path. It was obvious that they appreciated being in this together. We decided to make this a regular appointment. Instead of training alone, I would henceforth work with them.

When they left, they were exhausted but it was the first time I had seen Lucas that cheerful. I also promised him that he could DJ a private party at the mansion someday and he was over the moon.