Coreopsis 6-d

   Orion was lying on his side, staring at her. She had the most adorable round face, with a playful little chin.

   “What?” She asked with her nose still buried in her book. When he didn’t answer, she looked up. He was breathing heavily, “Orion?”

   “Nothing,” he thought for a moment. “What color is your hair?”

   “I call it dishwater blonde.”

   “May I see?”

   She looked at him almost confused. But she did take her hair down. To Orion when she shook her head, it was in slow motion. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders resting on her breasts.

   “It’s beautiful.” He panted.

   “Thank you. I don’t like it because it’s not a color.” She ran her fingers through it. “When I look in the mirror I see strands of white, blonde, gold, and light brown.”

   “That is why I like it; it suits you. Hair as complex as the personality wearing it.”

   “What would you know about the complexity of my personality?”

  He moaned, “Based on the women I know. You are the most complex.” 

   “Would you care to explain?” She closed her book staring at him with utmost curiosity both professionally and personally. She put her book on the seat beside of her then went over kneeling in front of Orion. He was sweating profusely. She wiped his face with her hand, “Orion.”

   “My mother is a loyal devoted loving woman.” He panted, “My sister would have been better suited to meet you. She is in it for the now.”

   “Instant gratification?” she got up to get some water from the bathroom.

   He reached for her, “no, don’t.”

   She held his hand as he struggled, “then keep talking to me.”

   “Not instant gratification,” he continued his conversation about his sister. “She’s willing to wait on something’s. I call it the ‘Now Factor’ it’s whatever gives her the quickest greatest amount of pleasure.”

   “Why would she have been better suited to accompany me?”

   “This train makes five stops before we get to our destination. She would have enjoyed the shopping.” He groaned in pain.

   “Then why are you with me?”

   “Honestly. My parents are worried to death. I think they thought it might help me.”

   “I can understand that.” He gripped her hand with amazing strength as he continued to breathe heavily. “What is wrong with shopping?”

   “Nothing, it just isn’t something I enjoy.”

   “You don’t strike me as a man’s man?”

   “Why is that such a bad thing?” He hissed.

   “I never said it was.”

   There was a long period of silence; he was trying to breathe; trying to keep some of his self-composure. “The other woman in my life is my wife. She’s just, for lack of a better word, cruel.”

   “I thought you said you ‘was’ married once? I took that the mean that you used to be married.”

   “I did.” 

   Sarah could see that keeping him talking was actually helping him through this. She was confused as to how to keep it rolling. She wanted to call him a big freak and a weirdo but she didn’t. Instead she asked, “Then why marry her?”

   “I didn’t”, he gagged, “have a choice.”

   “Dr. Carter asked me if I would come to visit him. He told me he worked for the House of Morian. Am I to assume you are the Crown Prince? With the people that I’ve met on this adventure calling you Lord and sir”

   “I am.” His chest was on fire. His lungs burned and his ribs ached.

   “I’ve read reports that you are ill. It always did amaze me that the press makes so light of it. And Jack is an excellent doctor, for him not to be able to help you is dumbfounding.”

  “Why are you here?”

   “Jack only told me he needed some advice.”

   “Jack?” He scoffed. “He has worked at the palace for 12 years; I never knew his first name was Jack.” He gagged, “Oh dear God make it stop.”

    “You really should let me go so I can go to the bathroom. Water and a towel would be really helpful right now. Or I can call the porter.”

     “Keep talking to me.”

  He squeezed out, “are you married? You never did answer me.”