My Fair Ladies

Dreams

As Marjorie drifted off to sleep, the weight of Autumn brought her a calm and warmth she had become accustomed to but felt oddly strange tonight. Her mind began to wander. Moments from the past year flashing in and out of her mind triggering memories and emotions she couldn't quite hold on to. Falling. She was falling. She gripped on to Autumn to still herself as she found herself back in the halls of Roger's home.

She watched as Siobhan and Vivian drove off; a broad smile spread across her face. "What now my love?" She turned and her mind fogged with confusion. "Reece? Where's ..." She trailed off. She had just been standing here. Hadn't she? "Where's Autumn? The blond raised his eyebrow. "How should I know, gorgeous? Let's go tell the old bastard his bride-to-be has left him."

As they entered the main ballroom, she got an overwhelming sense of Déjà vu. They searched hand in hand for any sign of Roger. His hand felt like home and felt foreign all at the same time. "Reece is that Sorscha? What is she doing here?" He looked at her with kind eyes, but she could see the worry. "Gorgeous I told you. I got my dad to invite everyone. What is going on with you? You keep looking at me like your expecting someone else. Autumn. I was expecting Autumn.

She cautiously took his hand as he led her down the corridor. I've been here before. I've done this all before with ...Autumn. As they came to the first door, the billiards room,  she got a sinking feeling. "Reece don't..." He swung the door open revealing Mia's naked body on her knees with Charlotte holding her arms across her breasts. "Reece for fucks sake shut the fucking door!"  He shouted back at the redhead as he slammed the door closed. "Mia have you ever heard of a lock?"

From behind him he heard her burst out laughing. "Reece what is happening here? Why aren't you? How are you?" He raked his hands through his hair. "Jesus! Marjorie that was not what I needed tonight, and it isn't funny." Why did she laugh? She was dreaming. She had to be. There was no other explanation .

He approached the next door and she could smell the tones of violet, jasmine, coco musk and ...sandalwood. Autumn. Autumn is in there. It's just a dream.  She couldn't. It's just a dream, Marjorie. She wouldn't. As he turned the handle nothing happened. Locked. The blond turned back just as they heard the familiar voice. "Um we're busy. Come back later."

"Winter? Are you two... oh my god don't you have a home for that?" Laughter came from some distance behind the door and her chest tightened. She was in there. She'd know that laugh anywhere. She had spent the last year living for and loving that laugh. Is this a dream or is it a memory? Her mind couldn't quite settle on an answer. She knew she had been here before and  done all of this with Autumn. Her mind just couldn't seem to settle on what was real and her eyes began to sting.

Hot tears streamed down her face as she followed him up the stairs. She knew he wouldn't find him in his bedroom but couldn't say. She couldn't speak at all as the sobs rose and fell in her chest silently. As he led her to the furthest room down the hallway, her chest tightened but she couldn't put her finger on why. Her mind had gone fuzzy. She ran her hand over her face and stared puzzled at the wetness on her finger tips.

"Reece?" He turned and looked at her puzzled. Squeezing her hand he wiped the tears from her cheeks with the other. "Gorgeous you alright?" She leaned into his touch feeling a sense of calm come over her. As he pulled her into his arms, her senses dulled and everything went black, but she was ... home.