Eclipse (part 32 of 32)
Back to Part 31I sit at the table in absolute misery. Uncle is staring at me, but I
can't look at him.
"You haven't touched your breakfast, Kirika." He gently urges me.
"Is it true?" I ask dully, not interested in food.
"Is what true? Kirika, please, eat some toast or something." Uncle
sounds worried.
I push my toast with my knife. "Is it true about Mireille and Droger?"
A silence fills the room. Henry holds his fork in mid-air. I look at
Uncle. He wads up his napkin as if he's suddenly angry and throws it on
the floor.
"Damn him. Damn him to hell." He shakes his head in disgust. "Playing
that card like this."
I lay the knife down. I feel numb.
"Roland Bouquet was a smart businessman, but he made two poor decisions
in his life."
Uncle grunts as he reaches down and retrieves his napkin.
"Granting Droger a privilege he did not deserve; and denying Noir to
Soldats." He looks at me and I see something in his eyes that makes me
nervous.
"He paid with his life for his second mistake; I hope his daughter does
not pay with hers for his first."
A door slams and we all fall quiet as Mireille enters the room. She says
nothing to acknowledge Uncle, instead marching to the end of the table
and seating herself.
"And a good morning to you, Lady Bouquet." Uncle is displeased, I can
tell by his tone.
"Good morning, everyone." Mireille studiously helps herself to some tea.
"Would you care to discuss what you and Kirika were yelling about this
morning? She's so upset she can't even eat." Uncle looks pointedly at
Mireille. She glances over at my plate and frowns.
"Would you care to discuss why you lied to us about Droger?" she arches
her eyebrows as she looks back at Uncle. "Maybe it's you that's sickened
her to her stomach."
"Mirielle!" I gasp out, shocked.
"Droger manipulated your father. I would advise you not to let him do
the same to you." Uncle's voice is tense. I can tell Mireille is getting
to him.
"Mirelle, please- please stop. I'll eat." I pick up the toast and bite
into it. It's tasteless and I feel like gagging.
"The past needs to stay in the past. We must focus on the problem here
and now. All of us." Uncle nods his head at me. He wads up his napkin
again. I watch him, feeling nervous.
"He's right, you know." Henry interjects. "Everyone should just calm
down and focus."
"We need to plan our next course of action." Uncle reaches down and rubs
his knee.
"Better plan well. Droger's outsmarted you at every turn so far."
Mireille snorts in disdain.
"Mireille! How can you say such a thing?" my mouth falls open.
"It's true. He's blocked their every move." she snaps out. "No wonder
Soldats hates him!"
"That wouldn't be because someone has told him what our plans are, is
it?" Uncle retorts, standing up so quickly that his chair falls over.
The fury in his face frightens me; Mireille has pushed him too far this
time, I can tell.
She stands up, her face darkened with anger. I see her reach for her
purse.
"Mireille, no!" I cry out. She slams her purse down on the table and
points at Uncle.
"Get out."
"No, Mireille! No!" I jump over to her and grab her arm.
"Droger is using you! Come to your senses now!" Uncle takes his cane and
points over the table at Mireille.
"Soldats is using me- using us- just to get back the book! Get out of
both our lives! Now!" she twists away from me, throwing me back onto the
floor.
Uncle slams his cane down on the table, sending the dishes crashing to
the floor.
"That's enough!" he thunders. "I will not tolerate this insolence
another moment!" he whirls and stabs his cane down to the floor, heading
towards the door. Henry, eyes wide, follows him silently.
"What you can't tolerate is the truth!" Mireille shouts after him.
Uncle takes a few more steps and stops. He turns slowly and looks at
Mireille. The look in his eyes frightens me.
"The truth... is that you've chosen the same path as your father.
Goodbye, Mireille Bouquet."
A sense of dread washes over me as he speaks. This must not happen- I
cannot let it happen.
"Uncle, please come back!" I call out to him, scrambling to get to my
feet. He ignores me, continuing his path to the door.
"Kirika- let him go." Mireille orders.
"No!" I brush past her, running after him. "We cannot let him go!"
Uncle doesn't look back at me. Henry clicks the door quickly behind
them.
"Wait, please!" I stumble around the corner of the sofa. I run panting
to the door, and reach for the handle.
"Kirika!" Mireille's voice stops me. I turn and face her. She's got her
gun with the silencer on it, pointed at my head.
"Let go of the doorknob. Now." She growls out.
"But Mireille, you don't understand! You-" I jump as a bullet breaks the
molding next to my head.
"I said now." She takes another step forward, aiming between my eyes. My
breathing is shallow, unsure. We stare at each other, her eyes
glistening in that frightful way that I cannot bear to see. I have to
save her from herself, from this madness.
"You must trust them! Mireille- we have to- " I start to stutter out,
but she interrupts me.
"How dare you betray me now!" her voice is shaking with anger. Her chest
is heaving with emotion; I see her face twist as she tries to bring
herself under control. She takes a few more steps towards me. Her face
hardens and her eyes...I am afraid. I've never been afraid of Mireille
before. She clears her throat to speak.
"If you choose to go out that door- you will not come back in alive."
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