He Calls Forth the Better Feelings of my Heart

Chapter 4: Packing

Sat at the same oak desk I had scribed my own letter at, I read the words that my dear Elizabeth had written on the parchment. Her handwriting, I noticed, had been rather shaky towards the beginning of the short letter. Though, by its conclusion, it seemed to have stilled quite a bit. Despite my own small worries, my dear cousin seemed to be quite accepting of the news I had delivered to her. And, as I concluded from her response, Elizabeth felt quite similarly about the situation as I.

As I placed the piece of parchment back onto the scratched, worn surface of the oak desk, a very gentle sort of rapping came upon my door. Standing from the chair at my desk, an instant smile stretched across my tired face. Clerval, my dearest friend. He had been boarding in my quite recently acquired home for a little over a week. Although, I certainly did not charge Henry a single franc for his visit. The simple companionship that my dear friend gave me was worth far more than anything mere money could ever possibly purchase.

It had been that way nearly the entirety of my life. Even in the time when we were nothing but mere children, Henry's presence had always had a certain air of calm and assurance that lifted my spirits. The scenario was no different now, as I felt an immediate sense of relief washing over me as the door opened. Clerval's stocky frame stepped inside as he stared me down with a nervous gaze. My dear friend's eyes traveled across my face to Elizabeth's letter laying peacefully on my desk. The few silent seconds seemed to drag on for hours before my dear friend finally let out a few words. "I certainly do not mean to intrude, Victor. However.. I am inclined to ask about Elizabeth's response."

Henry's worried tone of voice was an unusual one. Certainly, there had been times where I had seen my friend in a nervous or scared state, but it certainly was not a normal occurrence. Clerval was surely far more acquainted with my anxieties than I was of his. Though, it seemed that my delighted expression had a calming effect on Henry, just as his presence calmed me. "You were, as you so often are, entirely correct. Elizabeth has no desire to marry me either!" My hands clapped together in front of my slim frame as I stepped toward my friend. Looking up to him, I observed as his own handsome expression changed to match my own.

"Oh, joyous day, Frankenstein!" Clerval reached out, unexpectedly to me, and grasped both of my shoulders in a firm hold. His face, as attractive as ever, was stretched into the widest of grins. "Is it not a weight removed from your shoulders, to know that she is as happy in her freedom as you are in yours? This certainly feels like a weight removed from my shoulders, and I am not even one whom the decision affects!" My dear friend gave the most wonderful, joyous of laughs.

It was a contagious thing, and soon I was laughing happily as well, my own hands still clasped tightly in front of my frame. In this position, my hands tangled over my chest, each beat of my heart rang through my ribs and resonated in the palms of my weary hands. My heart, it seemed, was beating a significant deal faster than it usually did. For a moment, I was concerned that I may have fallen ill suddenly. Though, aside from my rapidly beating heart, I did not bear any other side effects of illness. The reason unbeknownst to me, I often had issue with gaining a fever at the slightest bit of anxiety, and they often lasted for weeks. Luckily, this did not seem to be one of those wretched circumstances.

Dropping his hands from my body, Clerval met my gaze with a cocked head and a curious sort of facial expression. "Well, dear Victor, have you begun packing? I am aware that we will not leave for Geneva for a few more weeks, but I certainly prefer being prepared." My friend laughed again, a sound that rang pleasantly in my ears. Though, it was uncommon for any noise or word that he uttered to sound anything near unpleasant.

Smiling, and feeling quite brighter than I had in the longest of times, I responded to Clerval with a nod of the head. "Of course, Henry. I pack my things as I think of them; I have been slowly building up my luggage." My dear friend's insistence about being packed for our trip was one of the many endearing things about him. He was someone who cared extremely deeply for everyone, even a wretch as pathetic as myself. I was scarcely aware of what made myself so worthy of friendship from such a wondrous person.

My dearest friend exited my bedchamber after a few more moments of socialization, leaving me alone with his comforting scent for a brief few moments. It dissipated all too quickly, and I was suddenly alone with nothing but my thoughts and memories of the previous interaction. Mindlessly, I turned toward the closet in order to pack a few extra clothing pieces. My heart still pounded in an odd sort of fashion as I placed a suit jacket into the luggage.