AC Syndicate: Isolated Files [OS]

A Perfect Day [Alternative]

[Short story inspired by "C'est bientôt la fin" from Mozart l'Opéra Rock // Chapter image by me]

By the time most of London had gone to bed - or had just gone to bed after supper - the day began to disappear in favour of that umpteenth quiet, balmy night in July. In the Westminster district, the lamplighters finished their work. Not far away, posted at the window of a well-known manor house in the city, a woman stood straight as a post, arms crossed. She was still in her evening dress, indicating that sleep was not about to take her. If only it was an inability to sleep. Indeed, the brunette watching the street was not a victim of insomnia, although she would have liked to be still up at this hour for that reason. For the time being, she envied her sleeping husband. He was forgetting for a night the sad and hard reality of life in London, of their marriage. The wife had to endure his impatience and anguish.

Once again she turned backwards with a simple rotation of her chest, her arms still folded. She looked at the back of the room, then looked at the desk, barely lit by a small candle, which showed a letter folded over itself under its halo of light. It was a letter of apology and farewell in her own handwriting. She let out a sigh, reflecting her tension and sadness. She feared the consequences of what she was about to do tonight despite the relief she felt at the thought of the happiness that awaited her afterwards. As for her sadness, mixed with nostalgia and regret, it came from her conscience and her memories. She was angry at herself for doing such a thing to a man who was far from being a bad person, and for whom she had a certain attachment, as she had known him since childhood. Unfortunately, she didn't love him as much as he did... and should have.

Facing the window again, she tried to calm herself. She closed her eyes, her head tilted back slightly and took a deep breath. She slowly blew out the air that had swollen her lungs before opening her eyelids. Her dark brown eyes rested on the night-darkened sky. Despite the light from the nearby gaslights, she could see the brightest stars. This relieved her heart of the weight of her apprehensions.

Indeed, seeing those little sparks glow in the darkness brought back pleasant memories. Her memory replayed those moments of contemplation with a man of pleasant company, for whom she had fallen under the spell. A secret lover. He was the one she was waiting for tonight. She sighed again, this time dreamily and wistfully. Her impatience intensified a bit more. For her, it was soon the end of this life she did not like. Tonight was the night. A smile appeared on her face, she was happy to feel the time of departure approaching. Everything was ready, there was nothing left to do but to leave, almost hand in hand, without any luggage. Thanks to the help of Sophie March, a few Rooks, there had been no need to worry about the heiress's belongings, everything was in the two lovers' hiding place.

Then the brunette's smile widened when she felt a familiar presence in the darkness at the back of the room where she was. She finally turned to make out the figure of the hidden shadow, far from being threatening. She heard his boots treading very slowly on the large carpet so that the candle on the desk could barely illuminate the clothes of the individual who had just arrived, barely revealing the colours and patterns. She walked towards him, without having lost her smile. The shadow removed the hood from its head, revealing the face of the lover, which the candle could not really illuminate. In a soft voice, and not without a touch of irony, he asked her:

"Ready for this night?"

Knowing that he was here made her forget her anxiety. Excited and impatient, she walked towards him and faced him, showing almost all her teeth in a smile. She stopped as soon as she was close enough to him, and put her hands in the hollow of his shoulder. She stood on tiptoe and allowed herself to tenderly kiss her lover, whom she was so happy to find. He was surprised by the young woman's enthusiasm. He wanted to respond to the kiss with the same tenderness, but she didn't give him the time. She lifted her lips from his, still wearing her big smile. Then she whispered, quite moved: