| "In Between The Lines" 'The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn' Part 3 Chapter 2 |
| Christian opened the door to his garret, to the sight of sawdust falling to the ground, and the sound of sawing and hammering. The particles stopped falling and Christian walked to the middle of the room where an old wooden ladder had been placed, stretching from the dusty floor to where a hole was once in his ceiling. He put Satine�s gift on the nearby table and threw his hat on the bed. Christian looked up to the studio above and again sawdust began falling, this time directly on top of him. �Toulouse!� he shouted and then spluttered as the substance entered his mouth. A piece of wood that was covering the hole, made during Audrey�s rehearsal several days ago was removed and Toulouse�s head popped through the vacant space. �Cwistian!� Toulouse exclaimed. �What�s going on here? Look at this, this mess!� Christian said. �I�ve just finished. I had the best idea when you weft this afternoon!� Toulouse began, obviously excited. Christian stood looking at him, waiting for an explanation. �...Well, you know how you were running up and down those stairs every ten minutes with ideas for �Spectacular! Spectacular!� I have invented a sowution to your pwoblem, whilst at the same time repairwing the hole made by Rico!� �What?� Christian asked, confused, which seemed to happen to him frequently when Toulouse was nearby. �That old wug was not going to do forwever, and I figured you�d appweciate the pwivacy and then you could come upstairs when you needed me, without having to dwag your typewyter too and fwo by just using this ladder.� Toulouse explained, and finished by demonstrating the opening and closing of the door, obviously proud of yet another ingenious invention. Christian laughed, Toulouse certainly was a character; you couldn�t help but like him. �Excellent!� Christian said, by way of giving his approval, and this clearly pleased Toulouse. �Well, I have to finish my colwage,� Toulouse said, then his head disappeared and the �door� closed. Christian stood shaking his head, and looked around. He�d have to clean up, but the mess could wait. Right now he wanted to see Satine. A minute later Christian�s attention was drawn to a knocking on his front door. He briskly walked over, expecting Toulouse, again, he opened it abruptly and asked, �Now what!?� However it was not Toulouse at the door. He drew his gaze up, from where it was fixed at Toulouse�s height, over a long pair of shapely legs, the owner of which he knew only too well and came face to face with Satine. Satine stepped back, bemused by his abrupt reception. �Oh, oh, sorry, sorry. I thought you were Toulouse...I mean I didn�t think you were Toulouse, but I was expecting...� Christian rambled obviously a little embarrassed. Satine stood, watching her man of words fail to construct a viable sentence. �...would you like to come in?� he finally asked. �That would be nice� she said sarcastically, alluding to the fact that she was still waiting outside. Christian closed the door behind Satine and she immediately drew her attention to the ladder in the middle of the room. She looked quizzically at Christian. �Toulouse�s idea,� he said, knowing that would be all the explanation anyone who knew Toulouse would need. Satine laughed and gave Christian the black cardigan she had brought with her. �From the other night,� she reminded him, �I thought you were going to come and get if from me...something about not being able to keep your eyes off of me� she teased. This sent Christian into another brief panic, Satine loved to mess with him, he was just so sweet and trusting, that she couldn�t resist. But she never let him fret for long; besides, she noticed he was already wising up to her ways. Swiftly, Christian pulled Satine to him, wrapped his hands around her, and yet another waist diminishing corset, bringing them face to face. �Well,� he began in a teasing tone; �If you must know I was on my way to see you just now, and I couldn�t come earlier, because I was out buying a present, for you.� he said pleased with his response to her playful game. �Is that right?� she asked, wriggling in his grasp, �So what is this �present�?� she probed. �Would you like it now?� he asked, wanting to give it to her straight away. Satine�s eyes sparkled at the prospect of receiving something from Christian; she couldn�t wait to see what it was. �Oh yes!� she said excited. He picked up the brown package off his desk and held it in his hands, Satine went to take it from him and he pulled it away. �Uh-uh, you have to say �please� first� he said with a grin. �So he want�s to play, does he?� Satine thought. Satine stepped closer to Christian, clasped her hands around the back of his neck and took him in for a long passionate kiss, her hands moving from the base of his neck down his arms to the present held behind him. By this stage the present was the last thing on Christian�s mind and Satine was easily able to remove it from his hands. Once she had possession of the gift she reluctantly parted contact with Christian. She began to remove the brown paper, and Christian slowly, waking back to reality realized what had just happened. �Hey, you didn�t say �please�!� he said. �And that bothers you?� she said with a sly smile. Christian thought for a moment, his body still buzzing from their encounter, �No, actually, I guess I like your way much better� he said grinning. �I thought you might,� she responded still removing the paper. She dropped the paper to the floor and unfolded the garment inside, holding it out in front of her so she could take in all of its beauty. �Oh, it�s just beautiful Christian!� she exclaimed and hugged Christian, �but you didn�t have to do that,� she said stepping back, �you know you don�t have to buy things for me.� �I wanted to,� he said, �after last night I thought that perhaps, perhaps you could keep it in the garret, so you�d have something comfortable to relax in while you�re here, with me� he said warmly, and shyly. Satine gave him an elated kiss and hugged him once more, not wanting to let go. He was so thoughtful, he truly loved her and she couldn�t believe she even considered not seeing him again. �It was a wonderful idea,� she said, �I love it� and showed him how much with a kiss. �Cwistian, Cwistian!?� Toulouse called from above as he opened the door. The two quietly groaned at their interruption, pulled apart, but stayed in each other�s arms and directed their attention upward to the small man peering at them through the door...in the roof. �Yes Toulouse?� Christian asked firmly. �Oh, good Satine is here too!� he said, oblivious to what he was interrupting. �I was hoping you would bowth join me for dinner this evening and then Chwistian could show us his outwine for the play.� Toulouse finished. Christian turned to Satine and asked, �What do you think?� She responded by shrugging her shoulders and smiling in response. �We�ll be there,� Christian replied. �Spectacuwar!� Toulouse exclaimed, pun intended. He closed the �door� and left the pair alone. Christian rest his forehead against Satine�s. They both giggled, and he nuzzled her nose. �Please tell me there�s a lock on that thing� Satine joked. �There will be when I�m done with it!� said Christian, in all seriousness. |