New Beginnings
New Beginnings
You had been wandering around the crowded streets of Paris for hours trying to find the man named Aramis. After finally being directed to a small cottage on the edge of town, you let out a sigh and tried to talk yourself into knocking on the door. You didn’t know how this was going to go. Showing up out of the blue probably wasn’t the greatest idea all in itself, but you wanted to see him, you wanted to know what he had been up to all these years.. you wanted to know your father.
Letting out another sigh, you just go for it. Knocking on the door a couple times before taking a step back, you wait to see if the door would open. Hearing some rustling going on inside, you let out a little sigh of relief, at least you knew someone was home. When the door finally opened, you were greeted by a short stocky fellow with long, messy dirty blonde hair. Not knowing if this was the man you were looking for, you let your shoulders fall, having a different picture of what he would look like. ”… Aramis?” You finally spoke, seeing his face go to confusion. “Who me? No..” He gave an awkward smile as he chuckled slightly. ”I’m not Aramis, I’m….” ”Planchet! What the bloody hell are you doing, you’re letting the cold air in.” You heard another voice from behind the door. ”Sorry, sir. We have a visitor.” “Well let them in and shut the damn door.”
You swallow a bit, having second thoughts about this. Maybe now wasn’t a good time. You hesitate a moment as Planchet motions for you to come in. Standing there awkwardly, you look around. The area was small and a little cramped, but strangely it felt cozy and welcoming. Finally your gaze lands on another man. A much taller, thinner one with dark hair that matched yours. He was sitting at the table reading something, his legs propped up on one of the chairs. Looking up through the specks he was wearing, he looked at you for a moment. ”Can I help you with something?” He finally spoke, the look of curiousness and impatience stricken on his face.
"Yes, sorry.. I don’t mean to bother you, I was just hoping I could find an Aramis here. I’ve been looking for him." "I’m Aramis.. do I know you?" You fiddled with the strings on your dress, something you always did when you were nervous. "No, but you know my mother… Clarice. You two met 17 years ago." His facial expression changed to confusion as he tried to pinpoint this woman you were speaking of. "I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific than that, 17 years ago was quite a while ago."
He had a light smirk on his face. Your mother had told you a lot about him, about how he was a big charmer, and how he had probably seen thousands of woman after her, so the chances of him understanding anything you were saying was very unlikely. You looked down at your hands for a second, trying to think of something that would be helpful. ”You two met at a celebration in Dreux and spent a few nights together. You had told her you were going away for some business trip and never came back. She had thought the worst had happened, but a few years later she heard news of you and was relieved to know that you were alright..”
Looking back up at him, you examined his face. You weren’t sure if any of this was helping the case, but it was all you knew what to say. It wasn’t long before his confused expression changed to realization. ”Clarice..” He said gently. His tone was soft. ”Yes, I remember her. I’m still not understanding the connection, though. Why are you seeking me out?” ”Well, nine months later, after you left… she had me. And I was curious to know who my father was.”
You heard a gasp from behind you, forgetting that Planchet was still there. Aramis eyed him and sat up straight, looking at you again. ”You expect me to believe that I have a daughter. In the nine months that I was gone, she couldn’t have slept with anyone else and they could be the father?” He was skeptical, and you understood how crazy it must have sounded. Just showing up, you would have been crazy to think his reaction would be any different.
"I know it’s hard to believe, but I promise you I’m telling you the truth. How else would I know how you two met?" He was quiet for a moment. "I don’t know.." You watched him for a second before looking around again, trying to figure out what to do now. You started to feel like you weren’t being fair to him, dropping in and putting all this information on him. "I don’t mean to bother you with any of this. You should know that we’re not looking for anything, I was just curious about you. I apologize for the inconvenience. I’ll leave you be now." You turned and looked at Planchet, giving him a light nod and a smile before making your way to the door.
"Wait.." You stopped when you heard Aramis’ voice. "Your mother.. she’s doing well?" You paused a second before turning your head to look at him, noticing him standing now. Giving a light smile, you nod. "She’s doing very well." He waited a moment before giving a light smile back. "That’s great.. Did she ever.. marry?" "..No, she never did. Her heart only belonged to one man." You looked at him some more, noticing that knowing that fact meant a lot to him. Perhaps his heart only belonged to one woman. "She’ll be asking a lot about you when I get back. She’ll be pleased to know that you’re still doing well." "Yes, well maybe we can arrange for a meeting one of these days. Planchet can sort you out with a writing address so we can keep in contact." He paused. "It’ll be good to see her again." You smiled, feeling happy at the thought of a new relationship forming, and relieved that it had all turned out as you hoped it would.
You gave him a light nod, getting one last look at him before you turned to face Planchet again. He smiled warmly at you as he took you to the side to get you what you needed. When all was done, you said your goodbyes and ventured back home, looking forward to what the future might bring.
Letting out another sigh, you just go for it. Knocking on the door a couple times before taking a step back, you wait to see if the door would open. Hearing some rustling going on inside, you let out a little sigh of relief, at least you knew someone was home. When the door finally opened, you were greeted by a short stocky fellow with long, messy dirty blonde hair. Not knowing if this was the man you were looking for, you let your shoulders fall, having a different picture of what he would look like. ”… Aramis?” You finally spoke, seeing his face go to confusion. “Who me? No..” He gave an awkward smile as he chuckled slightly. ”I’m not Aramis, I’m….” ”Planchet! What the bloody hell are you doing, you’re letting the cold air in.” You heard another voice from behind the door. ”Sorry, sir. We have a visitor.” “Well let them in and shut the damn door.”
You swallow a bit, having second thoughts about this. Maybe now wasn’t a good time. You hesitate a moment as Planchet motions for you to come in. Standing there awkwardly, you look around. The area was small and a little cramped, but strangely it felt cozy and welcoming. Finally your gaze lands on another man. A much taller, thinner one with dark hair that matched yours. He was sitting at the table reading something, his legs propped up on one of the chairs. Looking up through the specks he was wearing, he looked at you for a moment. ”Can I help you with something?” He finally spoke, the look of curiousness and impatience stricken on his face.
"Yes, sorry.. I don’t mean to bother you, I was just hoping I could find an Aramis here. I’ve been looking for him." "I’m Aramis.. do I know you?" You fiddled with the strings on your dress, something you always did when you were nervous. "No, but you know my mother… Clarice. You two met 17 years ago." His facial expression changed to confusion as he tried to pinpoint this woman you were speaking of. "I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific than that, 17 years ago was quite a while ago."
He had a light smirk on his face. Your mother had told you a lot about him, about how he was a big charmer, and how he had probably seen thousands of woman after her, so the chances of him understanding anything you were saying was very unlikely. You looked down at your hands for a second, trying to think of something that would be helpful. ”You two met at a celebration in Dreux and spent a few nights together. You had told her you were going away for some business trip and never came back. She had thought the worst had happened, but a few years later she heard news of you and was relieved to know that you were alright..”
Looking back up at him, you examined his face. You weren’t sure if any of this was helping the case, but it was all you knew what to say. It wasn’t long before his confused expression changed to realization. ”Clarice..” He said gently. His tone was soft. ”Yes, I remember her. I’m still not understanding the connection, though. Why are you seeking me out?” ”Well, nine months later, after you left… she had me. And I was curious to know who my father was.”
You heard a gasp from behind you, forgetting that Planchet was still there. Aramis eyed him and sat up straight, looking at you again. ”You expect me to believe that I have a daughter. In the nine months that I was gone, she couldn’t have slept with anyone else and they could be the father?” He was skeptical, and you understood how crazy it must have sounded. Just showing up, you would have been crazy to think his reaction would be any different.
"I know it’s hard to believe, but I promise you I’m telling you the truth. How else would I know how you two met?" He was quiet for a moment. "I don’t know.." You watched him for a second before looking around again, trying to figure out what to do now. You started to feel like you weren’t being fair to him, dropping in and putting all this information on him. "I don’t mean to bother you with any of this. You should know that we’re not looking for anything, I was just curious about you. I apologize for the inconvenience. I’ll leave you be now." You turned and looked at Planchet, giving him a light nod and a smile before making your way to the door.
"Wait.." You stopped when you heard Aramis’ voice. "Your mother.. she’s doing well?" You paused a second before turning your head to look at him, noticing him standing now. Giving a light smile, you nod. "She’s doing very well." He waited a moment before giving a light smile back. "That’s great.. Did she ever.. marry?" "..No, she never did. Her heart only belonged to one man." You looked at him some more, noticing that knowing that fact meant a lot to him. Perhaps his heart only belonged to one woman. "She’ll be asking a lot about you when I get back. She’ll be pleased to know that you’re still doing well." "Yes, well maybe we can arrange for a meeting one of these days. Planchet can sort you out with a writing address so we can keep in contact." He paused. "It’ll be good to see her again." You smiled, feeling happy at the thought of a new relationship forming, and relieved that it had all turned out as you hoped it would.
You gave him a light nod, getting one last look at him before you turned to face Planchet again. He smiled warmly at you as he took you to the side to get you what you needed. When all was done, you said your goodbyes and ventured back home, looking forward to what the future might bring.