Zelig was right, drat him! I was running late. Of course the fact that it was all his fault never even occurred to Bertie, he just kept yammering on and on about explosions and murals.
Rather than waste more time or risk a brain embolism trying to argue with the demented little dwarf, I smiled sweetly, distracted him with a promise of snickerdoodles and made a mad dash for the elevator.
I skidded into the bathroom 10 minutes behind schedule and rushed through my shower (lather, rinse, no repeat) hoping to make up some lost time. I wrapped my hair in a towel and damply squeezed into clean clothing. Then, barefoot and be-turbaned, dirty clothes in one hand, hairbrush and scrunchie in the other, I trotted towards my bedroom to put on my shoes and grab the book Walter wanted to borrow.
I stopped short in the doorway surprised as my bedroom seemed to be occupied already by a rather odd couple indeed.
The man stood with quiet calm and almost unnatural stillness in front of the clothes chest, arms folded behind his back as he watched the other occupant of the room, who was sitting on the bed yet literally bouncing up and down with excitement, with infinite patience and perhaps just a touch of humour as she pelted him with an endless stream of nervous chatter.
"Oh she's late! {bounce} I can't stand it. {bounce, bounce} Do you think {bounce}she'll like it really? {bounce, ping} I mean it seemed so {bounce} perfect but what if I chose {ka-bounce} the wrong colour {bounce} and I'm still {bounce, squeak} not sure about that one group {bouncety, bounce} I mean really, {bounce} I think that was a {bounce} joke don't you? But still {bounce, squeak} it seems just the {bounce} thing you know? {ka-boing} But I've never been good at picking {bounce} presents and why isn't she here yet! {bounce, bouncety} You did tell her when to come and...Oh {bounce}Walter, she just has to like it. You do think she'll {bounce}like it don't you?"
"Perhaps you should ask her directly Miss Victoria." Said Walter indicating my presence in the doorway with a nod of his head.
"Oh Corrine!" Cried Seras happily. "Your finally here!" She bounced one last time on the mattress and sprang from the bed in a surprisingly graceful movement landing, cat like, on the balls of her feet.
"You're up early." I said smiling.
"We've been waiting." She said, bounding to the doorway and grabbing one of my hands.
"Yes I see." I said as she tugged me into room. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh, well," She said suddenly turning shy and dropping my hand. "we, that is, Walter and I, we sort of that is, I thought you might..."
"Miss Victoria has a gift for you." Said Walter simply.
Seras bit her lip and handed me a small package she had been clutching tightly.
"Why Seras, that's so sweet of you." I said, accepting the beautifully wrapped parcel. "Oh, lovely." I said, stroking the soft velvet bow and tracing the raised pattern on the paper.
"Open it." She said tightly. Having no patience this evening for my quirky tactile tendencies.
"Of course." I said. Gently untying the ribbon and carefully peeling back the the taped edges of the paper.
"Oh, for the love of,...Corrine it's just wrapping paper not the Magna Carta."
"But it's so pretty. " I said.
"Corrine." She said warningly.
I tugged off the remaining paper, wincing at the tearing sound, then opened the little gift box and tugged out something wrapped in a black velvet bag. A warning look from Seras stopped my fondling and I quickly untied the drawstrings.
A shiny red plastic rectangle, about 5 inches long fell into my hand. I flipped it over and smiled at Seras with delight. "An iPod." I squeaked happily. "Oh Seras you got me an iPod, A really nice one too and it's red!" I said stroking the gleaming surface.
"So you like it then?" She asked.
"Like it? I love it Seras. Thank you!" I said hugging her hard. "Now, show me how to use it!" I demanded, switching it on.
"Well," Said Seras. "You can jack your headphones in here, I also got you a splitter or, you can put it in this docking station," She said, sweeping her arm towards Walter. "so we can all listen."
Walter stepped to one side revealing a very high-tech looking piece of electronic equipment that seemed more appropriate for docking the USS Enterprise than an iPod.
"Wow!" I said. "That's really...Wow!"
I gabbed Seras' hand and bounded over to the dresser. "I really should say 'you shouldn't have' and 'it's too much' but I can't because it's so cool and I love it and I want it and need to press all those lovely buttons so very, very much!"
"I know." She said laughing. "We were going to get just a regular one then Walter and I saw this one and we knew we had to get it for you."
Walter showed us some of it's features and we all basked in the shared warmth of the brotherhood of geeky gadgetry love.
"I'm half expecting Tie fighters to fly out." I said.
"Wouldn't be surprised. And, Walter has modified it so it won't blow up when you start, ahem, your special sing-ey thing."
"You guys are the best!" I said. "Let's try it out shall we?"
I scrolled down the menu and let out a small gasp of surprise. Not only was everything from the CDs I had brought to England with me on there but pretty much every song from every CD, tape, 45 or LP I owned as well as several I didn't. It was like looking at an alphabetical listing of every artist or song I had ever heard and liked from Abba to ZZ Top. From "All that Jazz" to "Yesterday".
"So many." I said with awe. I shuffled through the Stray Cats, Talking Heads and the Ramones. Gazed with amazement as Jim Croce, Pat Benatar, Meatloaf and Janis Joplin flashed across the screen. "B-52s, Big Audio Dynamite, Yardbirds..." I muttered. "Ah, Little Feat, Elton John, Patsy Cline, Violent Femmes..."
"Oh dear, it's not too much is it? I mean we got the extended memory card so there should still be room for more songs but I suppose you could always delete a few."
"No! no, this is amazing you got pretty much everything I would ever want on here. I mean look at this, you got Ray Charles, the Alarm, the Kentucky Headhunters, Buddy Holly....How did you even know I liked the Squirrel Nut Zippers or Screamin' Jay Hawkins?"
"Well, we called a few people..."
"This is beyond amazing you even have my favourite musicals, Chess, The Fantasticks, pretty much all of Andrew Lloyd Webber, original London casts no less."
"Of course." Said Walter.
I twinkled at them. "How did you ever get Clam Chowder?"
"Online. Your sister said she wants that tape back by the way."
"And I don't even think Catholic Boy was ever released on CD."
Walter spread his hands as if to say nothing was beyond his evil butler super powers.
I giggled. "I think every album Air Supply ever made must be on here."
"Yes, about that." Said Seras. "I was pretty sure your friends must have been joking about them but Walter said best to include those too."
"I actually do love Air Supply." I blushed. "My friends just couldn't break me of it, hard as they tried. They're just so..."
"Pedantic." Offered Walter.
"Treacle-ly." Supplied Seras.
"I was going to say romantic you heartless louts but I forgive you because I now own the complete Beatles, Stones, Pink Floyd, Who and Kylie Minogue collec...Kylie Minogue?" I asked holding out the I-pod to Seras. "I don't think I know any of her songs. Who told you I liked her?"
"Well," Said Seras. "Walter mentioned that you liked oldies."
"Hmmm." I said mildly insulted and feeling a bit old. "Well that's very thoughtful of you. I'll have to give her a listen."
I was about to scroll over to the classical folder when an entry caught my eye.
Impossible, I thought, staring at the name of a high school Christian rock group that, as far as knew, hadn't played together in over 20 years. "Malachi" I whispered. "You have Malachi on here."
I looked up at them eyes round with wonder. "How is that even possible? They never made a real album, much less a CD. They just sold tapes at their concerts. There probably aren't more than 10 of those left in existence."
"One of which," Said Seras proudly. "was mixed in among the tapes in your library. Your mother read me all of the titles and your sister said this one was special because you all belonged to this youth group together and were friends with the band so." She shrugged. "She wants that tape back too by the way."
"But how?"
"Oh easy." She said. "I had your mother express ship it here then Walter transferred it onto the computer and converted the songs into mp3 files. He even cleaned up the sound a little...are you all right Corrine?"
"Oh." I said stumbling back a bit. My legs hit the bed and I sat down. "Oh." I was having trouble speaking so many emotions were crowding in on me at once. They had done this for me. They had put their heads together and given me probably the most wonderful and thoughtful gift I had ever received. When I thought about the time and care that had gone into creating it, I felt humbled and awed. I looked up at them, eyes brimming. "Seras honey, you did all this for me?"
"Well yes." She said shyly. "I wanted to find a way to say thank you for everything you've done for me and I know you missed having your music." She blushed and looked down at her hands. "Your the best friend I've ever had Corrine and I," She stopped and bit her lip. "I love you." She whispered.
Something within my chest broke loose and came bursting out of me until I was laughing and crying at the same time. Right there, right then, in that room with these people I was, for the first time in a long time, well and truly happy. I launched myself off the bed and into her arms, tears of joy steaming down my face.
"Oh Seras, I love you too!" I cried, squeezing her tight. "And this is the best present ever! Thank you both so..."
Suddenly the world turned upside down. One moment I was bending to kiss Seras' cheek, the next, Seras was shrieking with pain, her sharp nails clawing at me like a wounded animal.
Before I could react, she lifted me from the ground by my upper arms and flung me across the room like so much garbage.
Rather than waste more time or risk a brain embolism trying to argue with the demented little dwarf, I smiled sweetly, distracted him with a promise of snickerdoodles and made a mad dash for the elevator.
I skidded into the bathroom 10 minutes behind schedule and rushed through my shower (lather, rinse, no repeat) hoping to make up some lost time. I wrapped my hair in a towel and damply squeezed into clean clothing. Then, barefoot and be-turbaned, dirty clothes in one hand, hairbrush and scrunchie in the other, I trotted towards my bedroom to put on my shoes and grab the book Walter wanted to borrow.
I stopped short in the doorway surprised as my bedroom seemed to be occupied already by a rather odd couple indeed.
The man stood with quiet calm and almost unnatural stillness in front of the clothes chest, arms folded behind his back as he watched the other occupant of the room, who was sitting on the bed yet literally bouncing up and down with excitement, with infinite patience and perhaps just a touch of humour as she pelted him with an endless stream of nervous chatter.
"Oh she's late! {bounce}
"Perhaps you should ask her directly Miss Victoria." Said Walter indicating my presence in the doorway with a nod of his head.
"Oh
"Yes I see." I said as she tugged me into room. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Oh, well," She said suddenly turning shy and dropping my hand. "we, that is, Walter and I, we sort of that is, I thought you might..."
"Miss Victoria has a gift for you." Said Walter simply.
Seras bit her lip and handed me a small package she had been clutching tightly.
"Why Seras, that's so sweet of you." I said, accepting the beautifully wrapped parcel. "Oh, lovely." I said, stroking the soft velvet bow and tracing the raised pattern on the paper.
"Open it." She said tightly. Having no patience this evening for my quirky tactile tendencies.
"Of course." I said. Gently untying the ribbon and carefully peeling back the the taped edges of the paper.
"Oh, for the love of,...Corrine it's just wrapping paper not the Magna Carta."
"But it's so pretty. " I said.
"Corrine." She said warningly.
I tugged off the remaining paper, wincing at the tearing sound, then opened the little gift box and tugged out something wrapped in a black velvet bag. A warning look from Seras stopped my fondling and I quickly untied the drawstrings.
A shiny red plastic rectangle, about 5 inches long fell into my hand. I flipped it over and smiled at Seras with delight. "An iPod." I squeaked happily. "Oh Seras you got me an iPod, A really nice one too and it's red!" I said stroking the gleaming surface.
"So you like it then?" She asked.
"Like it? I love it Seras. Thank you!" I said hugging her hard. "Now, show me how to use it!" I demanded, switching it on.
"Well," Said Seras. "You can jack your headphones in here, I also got you a splitter or, you can put it in this docking station," She said, sweeping her arm towards Walter. "so we can all listen."
Walter stepped to one side revealing a very high-tech looking piece of electronic equipment that seemed more appropriate for docking the USS Enterprise than an iPod.
"Wow!" I said. "That's really...Wow!"
I gabbed Seras' hand and bounded over to the dresser. "I really should say 'you shouldn't have' and 'it's too much' but I can't because it's so cool and I love it and I want it and need to press all those lovely buttons so very, very much!"
"I know." She said laughing. "We were going to get just a regular one then Walter and I saw this one and we knew we had to get it for you."
Walter showed us some of it's features and we all basked in the shared warmth of the brotherhood of geeky gadgetry love.
"I'm half expecting Tie fighters to fly out." I said.
"Wouldn't be surprised. And, Walter has modified it so it won't blow up when you start, ahem, your special sing-ey thing."
"You guys are the best!" I said. "Let's try it out shall we?"
I scrolled down the menu and let out a small gasp of surprise. Not only was everything from the CDs I had brought to England with me on there but pretty much every song from every CD, tape, 45 or LP I owned as well as several I didn't. It was like looking at an alphabetical listing of every artist or song I had ever heard and liked from Abba to ZZ Top. From "All that Jazz" to "Yesterday".
"So many." I said with awe. I shuffled through the Stray Cats, Talking Heads and the Ramones. Gazed with amazement as Jim Croce, Pat Benatar, Meatloaf and Janis Joplin flashed across the screen. "B-52s, Big Audio Dynamite, Yardbirds..." I muttered. "Ah, Little Feat, Elton John, Patsy Cline, Violent Femmes..."
"Oh dear, it's not too much is it? I mean we got the extended memory card so there should still be room for more songs but I suppose you could always delete a few."
"No! no, this is amazing you got pretty much everything I would ever want on here. I mean look at this, you got Ray Charles, the Alarm, the Kentucky Headhunters, Buddy Holly....How did you even know I liked the Squirrel Nut Zippers or Screamin' Jay Hawkins?"
"Well, we called a few people..."
"This is beyond amazing you even have my favourite musicals, Chess, The Fantasticks, pretty much all of Andrew Lloyd Webber, original London casts no less."
"Of course." Said Walter.
I twinkled at them. "How did you ever get Clam Chowder?"
"Online. Your sister said she wants that tape back by the way."
"And I don't even think Catholic Boy was ever released on CD."
Walter spread his hands as if to say nothing was beyond his evil butler super powers.
I giggled. "I think every album Air Supply ever made must be on here."
"Yes, about that." Said Seras. "I was pretty sure your friends must have been joking about them but Walter said best to include those too."
"I actually do love Air Supply." I blushed. "My friends just couldn't break me of it, hard as they tried. They're just so..."
"Pedantic." Offered Walter.
"Treacle-ly." Supplied Seras.
"I was going to say romantic you heartless louts but I forgive you because I now own the complete Beatles, Stones, Pink Floyd, Who and Kylie Minogue collec...Kylie Minogue?" I asked holding out the I-pod to Seras. "I don't think I know any of her songs. Who told you I liked her?"
"Well," Said Seras. "Walter mentioned that you liked oldies."
"Hmmm." I said mildly insulted and feeling a bit old. "Well that's very thoughtful of you. I'll have to give her a listen."
I was about to scroll over to the classical folder when an entry caught my eye.
Impossible, I thought, staring at the name of a high school Christian rock group that, as far as knew, hadn't played together in over 20 years. "Malachi" I whispered. "You have Malachi on here."
I looked up at them eyes round with wonder. "How is that even possible? They never made a real album, much less a CD. They just sold tapes at their concerts. There probably aren't more than 10 of those left in existence."
"One of which," Said Seras proudly. "was mixed in among the tapes in your library. Your mother read me all of the titles and your sister said this one was special because you all belonged to this youth group together and were friends with the band so." She shrugged. "She wants that tape back too by the way."
"But how?"
"Oh easy." She said. "I had your mother express ship it here then Walter transferred it onto the computer and converted the songs into mp3 files. He even cleaned up the sound a little...are you all right Corrine?"
"Oh." I said stumbling back a bit. My legs hit the bed and I sat down. "Oh." I was having trouble speaking so many emotions were crowding in on me at once. They had done this for me. They had put their heads together and given me probably the most wonderful and thoughtful gift I had ever received. When I thought about the time and care that had gone into creating it, I felt humbled and awed. I looked up at them, eyes brimming. "Seras honey, you did all this for me?"
"Well yes." She said shyly. "I wanted to find a way to say thank you for everything you've done for me and I know you missed having your music." She blushed and looked down at her hands. "Your the best friend I've ever had Corrine and I," She stopped and bit her lip. "I love you." She whispered.
Something within my chest broke loose and came bursting out of me until I was laughing and crying at the same time. Right there, right then, in that room with these people I was, for the first time in a long time, well and truly happy. I launched myself off the bed and into her arms, tears of joy steaming down my face.
"Oh Seras, I love you too!" I cried, squeezing her tight. "And this is the best present ever! Thank you both so..."
Suddenly the world turned upside down. One moment I was bending to kiss Seras' cheek, the next, Seras was shrieking with pain, her sharp nails clawing at me like a wounded animal.
Before I could react, she lifted me from the ground by my upper arms and flung me across the room like so much garbage.
