SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

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francis
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SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Thank you to Eris for creating Karl, Josef's bodyguard. I borrowed him from her, but will return him unscathed.


I dropped Mick’s car keys into his Benz and then ran three blocks until I was well out of sight. Then I called a cab to drive me to the airport, which unfortunately brought us back to drive alongside Kostan Industries.

This would be the last time I saw the building that I had acquired two decades ago to house my staff and my office. I had put some thought into what went where while enhancing security, demanding a private elevator, making someone trustworthy build a hidden staircase to the upper floor where I had a nice little apartment that I used if I didn’t want to drive home.

Home surely wasn’t mine anymore now. The house I had bought from a production company that used it only as a backdrop and set for B-movies. It was stylish, it was expensive, it was spacious, but now it would be sold. Karl had a periodically updated list of what would go to storage, what would be sold, what I wanted to give to people and what he had to send to whatever my new location would be. The Renoir of course, a few antiques, private pictures of Sara and a few knickknacks that reminded me of something important. When I thought about it, there weren’t many movable goods that I considered essentials. Almost everything could be replaced, granted you had the money. I would inherit a lot of money from my deceased self, and the rest would go to divers charities that I had found worthy.

On the way to the airport I asked the driver for a short stop at a phone shop to acquire a nondescript prepaid cellphone. I then called Karl and asked him to bring my fake IDs to LAX and to prepare everything for relocation. He sounded even more gruff than usual. Maybe he wasn’t looking forward to the amount of extra work this would cost him. I didn’t care. This was what I employed him for. When he was done here, I could probably ask him if he wanted to relocate to my place, get a new contract. I would surely miss my dependable taciturn bodyguard. He was more bite than bark, if you get my drift.

When I got to the airport I walked to the counter and asked for the next flight to Philadelphia. It was two hours. But there was a flight to New York going in 40 minutes. I spontaneously decided to visit Sara first. I only got a business class ticket but I didn’t care. I couldn’t take my private jet, so I could as well enjoy the experience of sardines in a can.

I met Karl on the parking lot. Like drug dealers we shielded ourselves from the sun while he gave me a thermos of blood and a small suitcase. I gratefully took the blood and immediately sipped some (it was Mira’s farewell present), but refused the suitcase. I didn’t need to take anything with me. There would be a house fully stocked waiting for Dr. Lewis Clark, the brilliant historician who would take the place of Professor White that had been vacant for years now. Noone needed to know that it was me who paid for it to be vacant, just in case I needed a refuge.

I needed to go. Karl took the thermos and the suitcase, but then he dropped both and took my comparatively frail frame into a bear hug. I was surprised, patted him on the shoulder as far as I could reach, then turned around and jogged into the terminal to catch my flight.

When I had settled down in my seat I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. Thus I would avoid to be pestered with meals and newspapers by the flight attendants. Next to me sat a sweaty and overweight man in a business suit. He was listening to something on his ipod, and sadly I would have to listen in. But I soon discovered that his choice of music wasn’t so bad, it actually distracted me from the dozens of heartbeats around.

I thought about Philly. I had never lived there for an extended time, but I had of course visited the city several times. It was nice, easygoing, not as hectic as Manhattan. The climate was gentle, the history interesting, nice buildings, nice parks, nice museums. I liked their Philharmonic Orchestra. I had been part of founding the Philadelphia Eagles, had lost some money on them in the first decade or so, but now they were doing okay. When I had settled down I would start lecturing at the Wharton School of Business. I could see myself enjoying this. After all, this is what I had prepared for myself.

„Mr. Clark?“ a flight attendant ripped me out of my thoughts. „Would you like some breakfast?“
I declined, telling her I already ate.
Now that I was „awake“, my neighbor tried to make conversation, but I wasn’t in the mood and grunted something unintellegible to make him shut up. I went back to feigned sleep.

But of course I didn’t. Besides being way too warm, I couldn’t block the annoying smells and sounds of the surrounding passengers out, and there was too much on my mind to sleep.
Unbidden images floated across my inner eyes. The skyline of LA as I could see it from my office. Mick and myself at a party in the 80s, when he still liked debauchery and a drink fresh from a vein. The view from my office to the outdoor pool, some of my beautiful freshies lounging around in the setting sun. Night golf with Mick. Poker games. Moonbathing at a private beach with one of my protegées. I thought it was Lana, but they all blurred into each other by now. Undersigning the contract for the new sports arena at Hearst College – damn, it was only a few weeks now, they would hold the opening reception without me now. Shame.

Then my thoughts went back to New York. Memories of Sara flooded my brain, and I stopped fidgeting and almost felt at ease again.

At the airport I phoned a company for a limo. The cab drivers in New York were ruthless, I would never climb into one of those yellow accidents waiting to happen if I could prevent it. I made the mistake of using my old name and credit number. It’s hard to break a habit, I had that identity for almost fifty years now, only changing into Josef Kostan II. and III. every 20 years or so. Damn, you would have thought I never relocated before. Maybe it was good that this forced me, I would have gotten stuck in L.A. forever. Not good, Josef, I mean Lewis. Get used to it, man!

I got out at Waverly Place, shielding my face against the sun. Polly opened immediately, I called her. She was almost like Karl, didn’t talk much, very dependable though. I walked through the corridor to Sara’s room. I asked Polly to leave us alone. I was hungry, but that could wait. I closed the door, I took off my shoes and sank down on the bed next to Sara. I stroked my fingers along her arm softly, kissing her forehead. When I lay down I fell asleep immediately.
Last edited by francis on Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by mitzie »

Wonderful chapter!

Off to read more!

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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by Fleur de Lisa »

How sweet Karl was. That was a nice touch, francis, and I love the filling in of his time between the burnt office and the arrival in New York.
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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by moonshine »

Nice chapter (again!). The end is quite sad but I'm jumping to the next chapter! :thumbs:
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francis
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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by francis »

Thank you, mitzie, Fleur and moonshine.
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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by bluedahlia3 »

Francis this is beautiful. Very nicely done. Very touching. I'm on to read more. :rose:
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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by jen »

Amazing, but entirely logical. Josef was already in full relocation mode at this point. If this were a chess game, and in a way it is, he has been thinking several moves ahead.

Love the intense connection to Sara. She still grounds him.

Thank you, Francis! Off to read more!

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Re: SB 10 - Travelling (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

Post by maggatha3 »

:hearts: Beautiful! Simply beautiful! I love how his closeness to Mick and his love for Sarah are pointed out in his thoughts..And it was finally great, to give the vampire some rest on Sarah's bed after so long! :phew: In a way, he was home.. :hearts:
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