We've been here for an hour now. We have potatoes and vegetables cooking in the kilns, while we munched on bread and butter, talking amicably. It was apparent that Doctor Eli had no idea we were doing something illegal under his nose. He merely thought that me and my 'father', Leo, came to enjoy a simple meal with Derek. The doctor is under the impression that I am willing to forgive his son for kissing me the other night, that he ended up getting slapped for. Leo, who just found out about the slap, was a little upset, so his genuine shocked reaction made the whole situation more believable.
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Leo exclaims, getting red in the face. "I agreed you could take her to dinner, not molest her."
Doctor Eli, witnessing Leo's outrage, tried to calm him down. "My apologies, I thought I had raised my boy better than that. At least you can be proud of the fact that your daughter has a strong arm and put him in his place. When he came home with the mark and told me.... Well, serves him right. If he even attempts to do something like that again, Clara, feel free to even out his cheeks."
"Oh... Well... I.." Stuttering at this awkward conversation circling around me, I turn to Derek. "Shall we check the potatoes and vegetables?"
"Yes, we do not wish them to burn." Derek puts his hand out to help me from my seat.
Once in the other room, I apologize for Leo's obvious unsatisfactory reaction.
Derek waves it off, pulling the crucible with the ore out first, skimming the slag off into a bucket of water, making it hiss and steam. Using his long tongs he quickly carries the purified ore to the ingot maker and pours it into the mold. The crucible is stuck into the large kiln, on the inside lip out of sight. Derek rushes to the water bucket that the slag was put into and scoops the pieces out handing them over to me.
I stuff them, into my boning pocket as Derek places the ingot mold into the bucket. More steam and bubbles violently spew from the buckets rapid cooling. Derek then grabs the potatoes and vegetables from the little pan used to warm up his food, taking them out to check.
"They look good." Derek nods in approval as I gaze over at the bucket of water where our tungsten is. Derek sees where my focus is and sighs as he sets the food down. He picks up the bucket and carefully pours in out into the drain spout, opens the mold and hands me the still warm ingot.
I'm putting the ingot away in my boning pocket as Derek puts the mold away.
Leo rushes in, "Some one is here!" He turns and rushes out as me and Derek look at each other, panic filling our bones.
"Forgive me." Is all he whispers as he yanks my arm towards him, picking me up against the wall and lifts my mask up to place his lips on mine. They're soft, but it's not Bav. I know, I can't push him away in order for this to look convincing, so I just merely stay still with my arms around his shoulders.
"What in the Elements! DEREK! OH MY, EXCUSE ME." An older man who seems to be Derek's boss walks into the room, when our lips part looking like we've been caught doing something more than would seem decent. His eyes look away, but he doesn't leave the room.
Derek takes a step back from me and lets me step away from the wall. I pull my mask back down, just as Doctor Eli and Leo come in the room as well.
"Mr. Grandstien, I uh um, this is Clara. You know my father, and this is Clara's father, Mr. Steel. They were kind enough to offer to bring me something to eat and my father has been wishing to meet Clara, so I suggested they join me." Derek rubs his head, guilt obviously flooding his demeanor. Even I, look down and fiddle with my hands. Tears actually were forming in my eyes from the embarrassment from being caught kissing so intimately, even though it was all a charade.
"Derek, Clara. Ech hm.. Please follow me to my office." Is all Mr. Grandstien says as he walks out. Derek, grabbing my hand, tugs me out to follow, only stopping to grab the hot pan and places it on the table.
"Eat, Dad, Mr. Steel." Derek sounds so defeated as he continues to gently pull me with him to go up another flight of stairs.
Mr. Grandstien stands outside of an open door, that has a modest but comfortable office inside. We enter into the room as Mr. Grandstien closes the door.
"Have a seat, you two love birds." He suggests as he takes his behind the desk. Looking at my mask, he sighs, projecting that he is wrestling with his thoughts.
"Ms. Clara. I need you to remove your mask while I speak to the two of you, please."
I hesitate, "I must inform you, Mr. Grandstien, I have scars. You may find my face unpleasant."
He nods, "I understand, I still need you to remove it, so I know who I am speaking with."
I nod, slipping the mask off of my face, dipping my gaze to the floor, attempting to portray a burn victim with confidence issues.
Mr. Grandstien's sudden intake of breath at my face has me lifting my hand to shield my 'scars' and I force tears to fall from my eyes.
Seeing this, Mr. Grandstien is quick to reply, "My apologies, Ms. Clara. I did not mean to cause you grief."
Derek takes my hand in his, offering support, just like a couple in love should. Derek whispers, "I still think you're beautiful, Clara." All of this affection is on display boldly in front of Mr. Grandstien. I admit my blush is genuine at this point. Derek smiles seeing the reaction his words caused in me.
"Ech hmm..." Mr. Grandstien clears his throat, bringing our attention back to him. "Derek, Clara. I do not have an issue with you bringing him supper and eating with him, but Derek, you know the rules here. No one except employees are allowed in the smelting room."
I start to jump to Derek's defense, "The fault is mine, sir, I was trying to help bring..." I'm silenced by Mr. Grandstiens hand.
"I get it. I was young once too. You helped him get the food and stole that moment of privacy for an intimate moment. Am I correct?" Mr. Grandstien is unable to prevent himself from curling his lips up into a knowing smile.
Derek and I are crimson with how flushed we are, sweating from guilt more than embarrassment.
Mr. Grandstien seems relieved and satisfied with our silence, continuing on, "Derek, you are an excellent employee, so I will only reprimand you as this is the first offense. So, please don't make a habit of this behavior and Derek... No visitors in the smelting room. The governing departments are going to start cracking down on us metal smiths from the organized crime some how getting access to tungsten. In fact, Ms. Clara, I suggest meeting up and giving him supper before he starts his shift. The guards who end up searching these places are not gentle and will not think twice before throwing you in the prison for just being here when you are not an employee."
I nod, understanding his warning. "Yes, sir."
Derek sits up straight and bobs his head deeply, "Thank you, Mr. Grandstien, I will not repeat my mistakes, sir."
Mr. Grandstien grabs a stack of paperwork and a pen and nonchalantly dismisses us, "You may go, enjoy your supper. I have my own work I need to finish."
We stand and gesture our farewells, before heading out the door. I slide my mask back on and stay close to Derek, only whispering when we were halfway down the stairs. "Do you think we're alright?"
Derek places a hand on my arm, interlocked with his, "Yes. Let's go enjoy the food before it gets cold, then I will have to bid you goodnight."
We walk downstairs and come to sit at the table where Leo, Doctor Eli and now their guard stands. "I was told to enter, Mr. Chambers." The guard informs him.
Derek shrugs, "It's alright. Take a potato and there are some vegetables and butter to stick into it. Come, sit, and eat with us."
Leo looks at us questions in his eyes. I gaze down at the food, we'll talk later when it's safe.
Doctor Eli, sensing the guilty aura, leans forward to attract our attention. "Derek, is Mr. Grandstien furious with you? Were you reprimanded?"
Derek nods, "I was corrected, but he's not furious, just disappointed. I will not repeat my mistakes."
Doctor Eli sits back up, smacking his lips, his white wispy mustache and beard flopping as he did, "Well then, I guess next time we should just invite you to dinner at our place! How does that sound?" His eyes twinkle from his elderly face, the only feature visible through his white beard and giant smile that fills his face.
"We look forward to it, Mr. Chambers." I accept his invitation, even though I know I will never take the offer in the way he is offering it.
We eat most of the food, before Leo suggests us taking our leave so Derek can continue with his work. Doctor Eli has the guard take him downstairs, pulling Leo with him. Suggesting that Derek and I, could use a few minutes of privacy.
Derek and I look at each other, in an odd calculating manner. Things could have become disastrous if we had slipped on so many instances. I was also putting together a puzzle of Derek Chambers that was helping me see the bigger picture of who he was as a person. If I was not already smitten with Bav, I may have given Derek Chambers an opportunity to court me. I will not ever tell him that though.
Derek eyes have a haunted predatory appeal as he takes a few steps towards me, eating up the space between us. I reflectively take a step back and my back hits the wall as his hands come up to either side of head, channeling me in between them. My heart is starting to race, and my breath catches in my chest. His low, breathy whispers caress my ears as he makes sure only I can hear his message.
"Thank you, ... Rakara. I do not know how I will break the bad news to my father later that we were not meant to be. However, I must say, he's quite enchanted by you. I will collect from Leo, you should not see me again, as I can not do further business for you all. My warning in the office is my sign to stop while I am ahead. I shall miss you." He takes his right hand and gently holds my masked cheek, before sighing. "Good night." He releases me, dropping his hands to his sides.
My first thought comes pouring out of my mouth. "You can still come by and enjoy some tea, when you're free. A friend is still a good thing to have. Goodnight." I turn on my toe, and scamper down the stairs to join Leo, the doctor, and the guard, leaving Derek frozen.