London Bridges

Chapter 24: Beginning of the End

Louis wakes up the next morning to a grumbling stomach.  He rolls over, still half asleep and expecting to be in London, but is met with the cold, hard reality of the marble floor.  Recognition comes rushing back, giving him a migraine.  He's in Wolverhampton, he slept on the sofa in one of the many random, first floor rooms of the Paynes' mansion, and Liam is probably already off at work.

"Are you alright, sir?"

Louis finds the voice vaguely familiar.

"It's Louis, remember?" Louis answers, opening his eyes as he struggles to push himself up into a sitting position.

"Of course," Edward says, his tone somewhere between concerned and amused.  "Do you need help, Louis?"

Louis stretches, his back and shoulders aching from sleeping in the same position all night.

"I'm fine, thanks."

He regrets sleeping with his contacts in.  His eyes burn and he has to keep blinking to moisten them.  Edward must think he's absolutely mental.

"Master Liam is gone for the day," the butler informs him.  "He requested I let you sleep, and that I deliver this note to you upon your awakening."

Louis takes the white envelope Edward holds out to him.  His name is printed on top in Liam's familiar scrawl.  He stuffs it into the pocket of his joggers without reading it.

"Where's my dog?" Louis asks, distinctly remembering falling asleep with Silver curled next to him.

"Right, my apologies, but he is out with Charles again.  Master Liam's orders, I'm afraid." 

Louis' jaw clenches in irritation.  "Thats fine," he says.  "Master Liam gets what Master Liam wants."

An awkward silence fills the room.  Edward, of course, unwilling to get involved in what appears to be a lover's quarrel.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Edward asks, the old man finally breaking the tension.  "I could bring you some.  Or perhaps, if you'd prefer, I could show you to the kitchen."

Louis stands up, stretching one more time.    He brings his hands up in what he's sure is a futile attempt to flatten his disheveled hair.

"That would be great, thanks," he says, offering a small smile to the butler.  "Lead the way."

Edward leaves him outside the kitchen, and Louis thanks him again.  He runs his hands through his hair one more time, and then pushes his way through the double doors.  He doesn't expect to see a pretty, brunette staring back at him.

"Sorry," Louis says, his words stumbling out.  "I just wanted some tea."

"How do you like it?"

Louis clears his throat awkwardly.  Sure that sounded sexual, but theres no way he's getting hit on by someone thats easily twenty years older than him.  Besides, he looks like absolute shit right now.

"I could get it myself, thanks," Louis says.  "If you would just point me in the right direction."

The brunette laughs.  "What do you do for a living, Louis?"

"I work in an auto shop in London."  He doesn't ask how she knows his name, clearly Liam has told every living soul in Wolverhampton about him.

"How many people come into your shop and just asks you to point them in the right direction so that they can fix their own car?"

Louis doesn't answer, getting increasingly confused by the second.  Thankfully the brunette takes pity on him.

"I'm the chef," she says, laughing again.  "I'm Gloria, and I won't have you barging in here the next sixth months making a mess of my kitchen.  How do you like your tea?"