An Attic filled with Birds [Completed]

13. Just ask

Felix
'What are these?' I ask Damien.

He's sitting on the couch behind me as I'm walking towards a cabinet with glass doors hanging on the wall. Different colored stones are in it on the shelves.

'They're Nora's mother's. Pieces of glass.'

'They're really pretty. Do you know what that reminds me of?'

'What?'

'The smashed gem.'

'Well, they're not.'

I don't respond. Instead, I take my phone out of my pocket and go to the National Treasure Museum's website. I quickly find a picture of the piece they have on display, and compare it to the pieces of glass in front of me.

'Look at this,' I say.

I walk to Damien and show him the picture of my phone.

'Doesn't the piece look exactly like the piece of glass on the far right?'

'What are you getting at?'

'If we steal the piece from the museum, we can replace it with that one right there! It'll take them, ideally, a few more days to have figured it out. By then, we're long gone.'

'It's not right to take those. They're Nora's mother's. They mean a lot to her.'

'We can always ask.'

Damien lets out a small chuckle, and he looks me in the eyes.

'What?' I say.

'We shouldn't ask.'

'Why not?'

'Because she'll feel obligated to say yes. Definitely if the second prince asks her. And even more when Nora does.'

'Maybe you should ask her then.'

'I will not.'

'Why?'

'I'd like to sleep peacefully, knowing I haven't used an elderly woman for my own advantages in a journey - epic quest, sorry - that will most likely fail.'

I sit down next to him.

'Is that really how you feel about it?'

'Feel about what?'

'Do you really think this epic quest will fail?'

He smiles nervously.

'Well,' he starts.

'Well?'

'I don't think the chances of succeeding are very high.'

'Then why did you join me?'

Before he can say anything, I change my mind. I already know the answer

'Never mind. I don't want to hear it. The important thing is that you're here. With me. And Nora, of course. You're here to help me. And you will. You promised.'

'Right. I promised.'

We sit in silence next to each other for a while. Nora has been at work since early morning, and her mother is asleep. It's a little weird being at someone's house while those someones aren't there. Or they are, but they're not available to talk to.

'I can ask,' Damien says.

'What?'

'I can ask Nora's mother if we can borrow a piece from the cabinet.'

'I thought you said you didn't want to.'

'I'm still not thrilled about the idea,' he admits. 'But I'm here to help you. Like you said.'

I'm looking in front of me, and smile to nothing in particular.

Neither of us say anything as we both look in front of us.

'Thank you,' I eventually say to break the silence.

'You're welcome.'

Even though he's doing it for the money, he's still doing it. Perhaps he does care enough about me to do stuff like this.

I've been trying to convince myself he's in it for me, but that's obviously not the case. His first reaction to the epic quest was 'no'. He only joined after I agreed to giving him triple his usual salary. I don't even know what his salary is.

It's nice to think he's doing it for me, though. It's nice to pretend he cares.