"I miss my lover."
Anise Harding was the most passionate and hardworking woman anyone could meet. She had an innocence that attracted Mr.March. They were the exact opposites of each other. But they made it work for a little bit. But it wasn't enoug...
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James
Christmas time. The worst time of year for me. Memories of my father and mother come about. The abuse my father made my mother and I endure. The old bastard is still around and I have to visit him every Christmas and Christmas eve.
I don't want to bring Anise into the family drama. I might send her to New York City to go see a play and lie saying I can't go due to work-related reasons. She knows your lying. She knows you don't have any work-related reasons.
Anise and I walked around the cold street. She looked into all the little stores. "Darling why don't we get a tree." Anise smiles looking like a child who just saw a toy store.
"Well, I never thought about it. But if you want one we will get one?" Anise stops and turns around and looks at my face.
"Something is bothering you." She cups my cheek.
"Nothing is. It's just that I don't have any decorations for the tree and well I don't feel in the mood to pay someone to bring it up to our apartment." Anise looks in my eyes and gives me an eye roll.
"We can get a small one. The big ones they have over the city are so unfitting anyway. Also, we can make ornaments out of random little things. But I suppose we could wait." She sighs.
"No, we won't wait. We will get it now. They are selling trees in the market. We might as well so they don't run out." We continue walking back toward home.
"James let's do it tomorrow. I think there will be enough small trees tomorrow besides I have a surprise." She bites her lip. We have been trying to get it on for the past few weeks. We were either interrupted by my new assistant, Brenda or one of us would be tired.
Luckily I took the day off. I give a wolfish grin as we walk to the complex. We were walking until I saw a man stop us. He was old and look like he should retire. He wore glasses and a fresh suit. I see Anise's grin wipe away. She hides behind my shoulder. "Anise. I was told about the news you are courting someone I just came to see who it was?" The man smiles at Anise.
She smiles and nods. "I'm James Patrick March and you?" I shake the man's hand.
"I'm Henry Hord the lawyer for the Harding Family."
"Would you like to come in? I think it would be a more appropriate place to talk about." I motion my hand to the complex. Anise glares at me.
We walk into the apartment. I see Anise pick up some newspapers off the coffee table. I see a tear in her eye. "I will get a kettle ready." She clears up her eyes. Then walks into the kitchen.
"So you are new money." Henry put his feet on my coffee table.
"Well yes, I am-"
"Anise is going to leave you when she gets her money. She doesn't love you." Henry sighs.
"She is a pretty homely girl. She definitely will leave you within the first months of the marriage. So I do suggest having a successful honeymoon. Did you propose?"
"Yes, what do you mean by successful honey-"
Anise walked in with a kettle and shortbread cookies. She gives a cheerful grin. "The tea is ready."
Anise pours the kettle. She looks down at the tea and looks at me. She doesn't pour me a cup. Yet I don't want any to begin with. Henry gulps down the cup and pours himself another and eats the shortbread. I notice his face turns a light shade of red and his cheeks were swelling. On his third cup of tea, he puts his hand on his chest and coughs.
His face was even more swollen. "W-What is the tea?"
"Rosehip with a mix of Peppermint." Anise answers. I see a tear dribble down her cheek.
Henry coughs and chokes. He falls off the couch and onto the floor. He continues to cough when it stops. I stand there in shock and I see Anise stand there in shock. She snaps out of it and drops to the man.
"Oh my god... I killed him." She whispers.
"How."
"I knew as a kid he was allergic to Rosehip tea. I heard him in the kitchen and I lost it. I-I can't go to prison James. Oh my god. Are you gonna turn me in! You must think I'm a monster! James!" She shouts as she cries.
I roughly hoist her making her yelp. I grab her face. "You didn't know he was allergic to that tea. You won't go to prison. Darling what happened was that We invited Mr.Hord into our house for tea. You made rosehip tea, not knowing about his allergy. You served him the tea but you went to go reach for some more shortbread and needed help reaching it. So you asked me to help you. I go to help you and when we walk back Mr.Hord was on the floor. Now go call the police and call tell them that story and say I'm giving him chest compressions."
I take off my jacket and Anise goes to the phone. I give chest compressions to the man. Anise tells them the story on the phone.
"They are coming." She wipes a tear from her eye. "How are you so calm."
"I'll tell you later. Annie, Darling it will be okay."
I kiss her cheek. A bang on the door making Anise jump. I open the door. Two cops and a nurse with a stretcher come walking in.
They take Mr.Hord out of the room on it. The cops look at Anise and I. "Bring the lady to another room. Let the men talk." He barks at Anise and me. I lead her to our bedroom. I close the door.
"Your wife-"
"Fiancé." The man looks down at the notes.
"Fiancé called saying Mr.Hord had an allergic reaction to the tea. Did your wife know that?" The man starts to write in a notebook.
"No, she didn't."
"Your fiancé a month ago went to Boston Hospital for depressive reasons. The doctor signed you out to your care but you never made any appointments after. Mr.March, you know what this looks like." The man closes his notes and looks at me.
"What?"
"This is looking like your wife had an episode and killed Mr.Hord. Now I'm not saying it's true but Mr.March what I'm saying what you should do is either medicate her or well..."
"Well, what. Are you saying to institutionalize her, I will not be doing that!" I shout at the men.
"Well, I'll let you off with a warning." The cops walk out of the house.
I let Anise out of the room. She didn't ask what did they say because from what I could tell she already heard. She changed outfits from the Lavender dress and black fur coat to a Satin royal blue slip with white lace. Her red hair was down and curled.
"Annie..." I took the outfit I bought her a week ago. She scoffed at the thought of wearing that a week ago. Now it was weird but thrilling to see that she was wearing it.
"James. I know you have been waiting for me to wear this." Anise steps closer to me. She grabs my tie. I was amazed at her. Her smile.
I kiss her rose lips violently. She kisses me back. "Are you ready for this?" I ask.
