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Caravaggio 1598-1599
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It arrived in a small green package on the next morning. It was tied with some brown strings, but not very crafty, just simple enough. Smelled like wood, but was wrapped in recycling paper.
She carefully brought it in, unwrapping the package, revealing twelve vintage designed recipients with different inks in each one of them. A Winsor & Newton collection. They were quite expensive but distinctive. She lifted her eyebrows surprised, but also delightned to finally have one in her hands.
The gift also followed a small card, the handwritting was messy, and the content was very straightfoward:
"Happy Birthday, Ali. I know you'll make good use of these.
Your Will."
Her heart speeded again. "Stop it, Alice." She told herself. Why did he have to do that? She told him to stay away, and yet he kept coming back. She couldn't do that, couldn't keep that present that would always remind her of him.
Wrapped it all up again in the best way she could, and set her destiny to Virginia.
▫️
It was weird. Perphaps the sensation of going back to his house to meet him after that kiss, or maybe only to push him away, or some hidden wish to see him, leaded everything to summon into a crescent and awkward sensation building up inside her guts.
And the feeling ached sourly as she reached the front door, hesitating to knock as dogs ran torwards her, unable to forget her scent just as their owner.
Alice took a deep breath and faced the door. That's it, she'd open it.
"Oh, hey." Those deep eyes met hers in the middle of the cold, opening the door, like she was about to leave. "What brings you here?" Margot Verger asked curious, buttoning up her beige shirt.
Alice suspended her breath. Only a stupid would ignore the signs, the woman's lack of lipstick unlike she had when she met her, the loosen and largr borrowed shirt, the hair down, a bit messy, as if she had just woken up.
Will had slept with Margot Verger.
"...what are you doing here?" Alice asked in a whisper.
If told Will Graham to forget her, why did she feel this huge black hole inside her chest?
"Meeting a friend. And you?" Margot lifted one of her eyebrows suspicious.
