The Make-Up Artist

Chapter Eighteen: Another Drunken Night

You're not sure where you are, but you know it's somewhat familiar. You have a vague recollection of sitting in a car with Taron. He was asking you something over and over. What was he asking? You don't exactly know, but what you do know is that this is definitely not the B&B. First of all, the smell is not right. It's a clean, new modern type of smell. Second, you're pretty sure you're in an elevator because you can hear dinging, and you recognize the sensation of descending upward. You know the B&B most definitely does not have an elevator, or lift as they call them here. You can feel the cold, hard surface of the elevator wall behind your back, but you can't see anything. Why can't you see anything?? Oh right, because your eyes are closed. You peak out from under your heavy lids to see numbers lighting up on the wall; and mirrored doors where you can see your reflection, as well as Taron's, there beside you. It's at this moment that you realize you can feel him holding you up against him. He's got his right arm slung around your waist and his other arm is hooked around your left arm. A very loud ding interrupts your thought process and you jump slightly.

"Ok, here we are love", you hear Taron say near your ear. Something about hearing him call you "love" triggers something in your subconscious; but you are suddenly propelled forward, so now all you can think about is how you're moving because you can't feel your legs. Looking down, you do in fact see your feet somehow moving one in front of the other. Taron is still supporting the majority of your weight with his body, which you are thankful for, otherwise you'd be a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Wh, where am I?" You manage to mumble out.

"My flat", Taron responds as he removes something, a key, from his pocket and slips it into the lock.

"But...why?" you ask lazily.

"Because you're too wasted to go home", he responds dryly pushing against the door and dragging you inside. Odd, you think, although you have no idea why. He swiftly closes the door behind you and ushers you through the darkened apartment to a room with a bed against one wall. He lowers you down onto it and you slump against the pillows. You feel him untying and removing your shoes and it somehow seems familiar. Then he's gone and you feel yourself drifting off into unconsciousness. Suddenly, he's back by your side and setting something down beside you. He says your name firmly and your eyes pop open. You can see the blurry outline of him in the darkness hovering over you and his worried eyes searching your face. "I'm leaving some aspirin and water here next to you in case you need it", you hear him explain in a slow drawn-out way. "The bathroom is over there", and he points somewhere beyond the bed to your right but you don't look. "I'm going to be on the couch in the living room if you need me", he says stepping away. This all seems VERY familiar and you are suddenly alert.

"No... Taron, wait, stay with me", you plead as you reach your arms out to him. He leans over you again and gazes into your eyes, and the look of concern is back. He is just out of your reach and you suddenly feel desperate to touch him. It takes everything in you, but you lean further over so that your fingertips are just brushing his forearms.

"What's wrong?" He says with a look of confusion on his face. You finally grasp a fistful of his shirt at the hem and feebly pull him toward you. He sits on the edge of the bed next to you, scanning your eyes and lightly brushing your hair away from your face.

"I just need you here Taron", you say softly and you're not sure why but your eyes fill with tears. He must see this because his eyebrows pull together as he studies you closely. You are still clinging to him, and he puts an arm around your shoulder and pulls you into him.

"It's ok, I'm here", he says softly. He begins to untie his shoes and remove them one-handed so you relax and close your eyes. You are just dozing off into a peaceful state resting against his warm chest, when you hear him say your name almost in a whisper.