All I Want Is You

Trigger Point

Taylor

God it was all go at the moment, my work load had quadrupled as there were a lot of famous special guests coming to the Palace, as the yearly ritual of the Nocturne Live concerts had come round surprisingly quickly and apparently a group called Phenomenon were one of the main acts.

I had heard people talk about them, especially since they knew they were coming and tickets had sold out in minutes, the lead singer was suppose to be a good looking guy and all the female workers at the Palace made lurid suggestions amongst themselves about what they would do with him and to him alone in his or their bedrooms.

Ugh, how gross I thought.

Anyway I was kept busy preparing the rooms and certainly couldn't afford a ticket even if I wanted to and as for the promiscuous wants that were touted by all females in and around the Palace, they were welcome to him.

When my shift finished and I able to walk free of the incesent chatter and excitement over the impending visit of a rock group, I wandered down from the Palace towards the grand bridge humming to myself, this was what I loved about my life.

The afternoon sun was slowly starting to sink behind the Palace, but the day still held some warmth as I continued my slow pace over the bridge, veering off to the left through the darkened tunnel created by the tall trees either side of the road away from the monument and towards home.

Usually I would walk along the edge of the lake and stop at fair Rosamund's well to watch the small stream trickle down to the lake and then get lost in my world of noisey ducks and their ducklings, the proud swans and the signets who trailed in their fathers wake, the silent and stealthy grebe ready to dive under and snatch a fish for tea and wondering where it would come up and had it been successful.

Such was my life, after the hectic day I had this was pure bliss a moment in time to be savoured, alone yet not alone if you see what I mean, not a human soul for miles but so much wildlife to keep me company.

And then as I reached the brow of the small hill there was home nestled below, the small copse to one side and the stream meandering behind our cottage seeking to join with the lake, a smile crept over my face as I raced down the hill to the rickety back gate and bowled into the kitchen trying to regain my breath.

"Woah! Steady Taylor you nearly didn't have any dinner then" scolded my mother, though I knew she wasn't angry as she couldn't keep the smile from her face for long.

"You seem in good spirits, I take it you've had a good day"

"Well mother, it's been exhausting I can tell you, what with all the extra rooms to make up because of this festival and all the important guests who will be staying at the palace"

"Well never mind that dear, dinners nearly ready, go shout you're father, he's out the back with those blasted geese and tell him to finish up as it's time he came and cut up the meat"

"Yes mother" I replied, skipping out the backdoor to find my father and relay the message.

Dinner was a noisy affair as we each regaled the ups and downs of our day, we laughed as mother explained fathers antics chasing an escaped goose that turned into the goose chasing him, we had sorrow as Jemima the female mallard duck was pronounced fit and was returned to the wilds.

I talked about the concert as that was all anybody talked about at the Palace and of course the extra work load, and as we retired to the lounge to drink our tea and feel the warmth of the fire the conversation turned predictably to me and my life.

The fact that I apparently used to be a positive and out going person and since the incident, as it was now referred to, I had not gone out, met any girls and more to the point any nice boys.

This was met with my stock answer that I was happy as I was and didn't need another man or woman in my life, I had my parents, who I knew would never let me down, but that didn't seem to satisfy them anymore and I always ended up promising I would try, even though I had no intention of doing it.

After a few more hints at my non existent love life, we adjourned to do the washing up and I could make a strategic withdrawal upstairs to my room and dive into my favourite romance novels.

Okay so I didn't have a love life and couldn't see me getting one anytime soon, but it didn't stop the dreams.

Reaching a suitable place to bookmark, I glanced at the clock to see it was already way past ten, so I busied myself getting ready for sleep before plopping into my nice soft, warm bed and before long I drifted off to sleep in the arms of Prince Rupert of Laconia the jaw dropping adonis hero of my latest romantic novel.

The morning alarm was always a little to early for my taste, but you can't programme a pair of cockerels to crow on demand, so a little after five thirty I was back in Laconia with my Prince.

And that's how I stayed until my mother bellowed up the stairs that I had better hurry or I would be late, so with a moan and a groan, I begrudgingly said goodbye to my Prince and slipped out of bed to start the day.

Thirty minutes later washed and dressed, I presented myself to my parents in the kitchen, with just enough time for a quick bowl of cereals and to gulp down a cup of tea, before trudging up the hill towards the Palace.

As the sun rose and chased away the ground mist, spreading it's light and warmth it just encouraged me to smile that little bit wider, today was going to be a good day, I told myself as I marched up towards the Palace the view as you drew closer always took my breath away, it didn't matter how many time in my life I made that journey over the grand bridge and up the slope to the magnificence that was Blenheim Palace.

Scooting around the back to avoid any of the potential guests arriving for the concert, I slipped in the small side door and across the inner courtyard to my locker room.

Grabbing my cart and equipment I set off to start another day of cleaning and tidying up after the guests.

The day rolled by, busy yet again but with out any major incidents, storing my cart away after I had refilled with the things I would need for the next day, putting away my uniform in the locker with a mental note to myself to take it home tomorrow evening for a wash I headed back down the narrow corridor towards the inner courtyard.

As I turned a sharp right hand turn, I bumped into a tall guy, who shot out of a door on my left and knocked me against the adjacent door on the right, as I crashed against the solid wood it flew open and I toppled inside landing in a heap on the floor, the guy hadn't even stopped to apologise or check on me, jerk.

Then I felt a pair of male hand slip under my arms and pull me up, I turned and stared at the gorgeous specimen standing smirking in front of me and as our eyes met, his mouth widened in shock as did his eyes.

I stood staring at this man, thinking do I know this guy he seems familiar yet I can't place him, then he spoke and my day fell apart.

"Hello Taz long time no see"

Then came my apocalypse or as the good doctor Talbot called it my ultimate trigger point, as memories came galloping back climbing over each other to assault my brain first.

It's him this guy who was my first kiss, who stole my virginity, the guy I though I loved, the guy who stole my money and lost me two years of my life and ruined me.

I staggered back out of his reach and put my hand over my wide open mouth trying to deal with everything that was happening to me at this present time, I could feel tears falling down my cheeks and anger and fear and shock invading my face.

"Look Taz, I just....." Stepping forward that was enough to encourage me to scream, shout and run out the door down the corridor, past a group of people, whom I recognised and hightail it out the side door and towards home.

Shit that was him, what the hell was he doing here!

I ran as fast as I could home, charging into the lounge whereupon I collapsed on the floor in front of my astonished parents and my world went black.