By Chance In Oxford

3. Athena

After unloading the car I made an attempt to get Melody into her stroller without her waking up and throwing a tantrum, I absolutely failed. I settled her down for a few minutes before strapping her in and approaching the huge opening of the gallery. Marble columns, two heavy, dark wooden doors, and a few large men in suits standing before the door, I didn't know art galleries had such amped up security. Walking in was like walking into a portal to heaven, the large domed ceiling, the huge glimmering chandelier, the sheer silence besides the classical music playing from the quartet in the corner. "Hi, welcome, I'm Abby, how can I assist you?", said a tall woman from behind the giant marble desk. "Hi, uhm I have a reservation for the gallery today.", I replied hoping nothing would go wrong. "Of course, what is the name under the reservation?" Pulling my credit card out from my bag I replied, "Athena Carter. What do I owe you?" "A total of zero pounds actually. Someone by the name of Mr. and Ms. Channing paid the fee for today.", she replied, confused. "Oh, really? Ok, well thank you so much. Is there anything I should know before going in?" "No, not really, if you want to put your stroller somewhere we have a closet for it just down the hall." "Oh no, I think I'll keep it with me, thank you so much for your help, Abby." She replied with a smile on her face as if to say no one had ever thanked her before, "You're very welcome." I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Annalise, "Thank you for the reservation fee. I appreciate it but it wasn't necessary. How is your trip going? :)". The first few steps I took in the gallery led me to the recreation section, some of the most famous pieces of artwork recreated by other painters, most of which are not as well known. There was one of the Monalisa, The Starry Night, The last Supper, and Girl with the Pearl Earring. Entering another opening it became very dark with the only substantial light coming from the small spotlights hanging from the ceiling to illuminate each canvas. This room felt different than the one before, it was original paintings from small up in coming artists, every canvas was huge, bigger than the average human huge. Melody started to get fussy so I grabbed her a bottle from the bag and gave it to her, it seemed to calm her down a good fifty percent but it wouldn't be long before she started screaming again. There was one particular painting that caught my eye although there seemed to be a large man towering over it. It was a side view of a butterfly, pressed up against the canvas. It had shades of blue I never knew existed, it made me wonder if it had a story, where it came from, if it ever had a home, parents? After glancing up at it for only a few moments more my brain was no longer housing curiosity and appreciation for this painting but it was now flooded with humiliation, and the one message I couldn't help but replay in my mind, "Holy Shit, I'm going to get fired." In the blink of an eye, Melody's bottle was projected through the air, straight onto the man's back, and onto the floor where it spilled everywhere, her laughter only proved why they called this period the "Terrible Twos' '. I squealed, "Oh my gosh, I AM SO SORRY! I don't know why she's being like this today, I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do?" The man had appeared harmless but it wasn't until he had turned to face me that I realized this was someone I wouldn't want to mess with. His eyes met the floor before picking up the bottle and handing it back to me as I stood in shock. He wore a well trimmed suit, dark gray with a white dress shirt underneath. His hair was longer, but clean and slick. His young face was chiseled, crystals were embedded in his deep blue eyes. He knelt down enough so that his head was at eye level with the innocent child. He stared at her for a pause as his lip began to crease and a subtle smile appeared. He stood and began to remove his suit jacket. His body seemed to be carved by the Gods, seeing every chiseled element of his muscular structure pressed through the thin white shirt. He unbuttoned the top a bit and rolled up the sleeves to reveal a shining watch, a cross hanging around his neck. He was beautiful. "Melody, while I appreciate this gracious offer, I'm afraid I've already had my warm milk before bed last night, and I don't need anymore until tonight, I have to respectfully decline." I let out a laugh, his eyes locked on mine and I was reminded by his gaze that I had completely flushed any and all rules about volume etiquette in an art gallery down the drain. It was hard to keep my cool and not uncontrollable giggle while in the presence of someone of beauty and handsomeness I wasn't sure existed. Melody? How did he know her name? Who was this guy? He stood up and held out his hand, I didn't reciprocate the need to grasp his hand, I needed to know. "Wait... how did you know her name? How do you know her? Who are you?", I shot him a polite, confused look, he pulled his hand away and sighed as if to say "I'm not going to sit here all day! Ooookiee Dokiee I guess shaking hands is not your thing, far enough." "Lorenzo Colombo, I've done some business with Melody's father Henry and I am quite friendly after many years of work. Who are you, may I ask?", I practically live at the estate and you expect me to believe I had been blind by the man standing before me that shone like a blinding light similar to the ones in the movies when characters open those giant chests to find enough jewels and gold coins to last ten lifetimes. "Right, sorry you just startled me. I'm.... uhm... Athena... Athena Carter. I'm uh.. Melody's nanny." "Goddess of wisdom, warfare, beautiful, daughter of Zeus. Makes sense. You must be the nanny the Channing's always talk about!", he replied. His accent was nowhere near that of a English man, rather it sounded like it was straight off the streets of Italy, but it was clean, where only a few words he spoke were heavy enough to give off that English was not his first language, I thought it made him even more attractive, I thought it was beautiful and unique. "Uh... no actually I don't consider myself anywhere near what the real Athena was like but thank you i guess. Yeah, I started working close to two years ago, this job is my everything.", I said, trying not to reveal too much in case this guy turned out to be a serial killer following my every move. He took the suit jacket and folded it so that the milk spill would be on the inside to prevent milk from getting all over everything. He scanned the room for a moment before his eyes caught onto something and he began walking towards it. A trash can, a quite large one next to the entrance of the art gallery with a sign that read "Dispose of all food, drinks, or liquids before entering the gallery". He walked toward it and threw his suit jacket into it. I was shocked by what I was seeing. He walked back and stared back at me as if he was wondering what excuse I had to justify the confused and shocked look I had painted across my face. "Uhm.. if you want.. I can take your jacket and get it cleaned.. I mean if you want.", what did I just do? The man was probably richer than England itself and I was asking if he wanted me to wash the jacket he just threw out, he probably had ten of the same one. "If it means I get to see you again. Now that I think about it I think I have spilled milk on a couple other clothing items.", he winked and let out a soft, whispered laugh as he quickly made it back to the trash can to retrieve his jacket. He placed it into my open hand and I put it in the bottom compartment of Melody's stroller. He turned toward the painting of the beautiful butterfly again and said, "So what do you think about this one?". I replied, "It's beautiful, it's actually my favorite out of the whole gallery. I stare at the butterfly and wonder what you would see if you zoomed out of just its wings and saw the bigger picture, the real story. I just think it has a deeper story than what is on the canvas, I guess." We locked eyes for a moment and I felt that though I just met him I had known him for years, like I saw everything he has ever gone through flash before my eyes. "Well I'm glad you like it, I was planning on buying it, you've just sealed the deal.", he whispered close to my ear with a cheeky smile across his face. "Buy it!! Why would you do that? Then how will anyone ever be able to see it again? If it'll be in one of your five houses!!.", I was bitter, this man could just pick up and buy whatever he wanted, it kinda stung. His reply was shocking, "Something you'll come to learn about me is that when I want something, I'll do everything and anything to get it." Was this supposed to be a hint? No right? I'm thinking too deep into it. "So what do you say you put the kid down and we go get a drink later, so I can uhhh get my uh jacket back?", he smirked as if I didn't know what he was doing. "I can't, I have to practice, and I have to drop Melody back off at the house her parents should be home by now, it's almost almost eight o'clock. If you are free tomorrow however, I am at the manor if you want to stop by at maybe one o'clock I can have it washed by the maids and back to you then.", I wasn't really that busy tonight, but I wouldn't admit to myself or him that I wanted to see him again, at least not yet. "Ah, that's too bad, I'll be there tomorrow anyway for brunch with Henry and I'm sure It'll be quite pleasant to see you again. If you change your mind on that drink, or dinner you can let me know then. Practice? For what if you don't mind me asking?" I replied kindly as I knew his inquiry was innocent, "Cello, I play for my college. I'm just wrapping up my sophomore year here." "Oxford? Like Oxford University? That's incredible, I figured you were not from here, no accent. College was in the plan for me, but plans changed and I decided to jump right to business when I was 18 and now as a 20 year old I have made much success. There is so much to learn about you, you've let me open the book and read one page, and now you're shutting it and placing it back on the shelf. I'd like a rain check on that drink!" I laughed as if to say "In your dreams" although I truly wanted a rain check also. He took a deep breath to signal the end of conversation and said, "Let me walk you to your car." He walked towards the exit pushing Melody in her stroller and tapped the front desk telling the women sitting at, "I'm going to take the butterfly, the painting in the corner, thank you. Have it shipped to me." I still couldn't believe he was doing this. A black SUV with tinted windows which I assumed was his car was pulled to the front with a driver waiting outside with the back seat door open. He asked me, "If you would like, we can take this car and I can drive you home. I'll have one of my guys drive your car home for you?" I didn't know this guy from a hole in the wall and while I would love nothing more than to drive home with a cute guy and a sunset I knew it came with many risks, especially with a child on my hands. "Thank you but I'll have to say no for now.", I smiled and paused so he knew I was guilty that I couldn't drive home with him. Lorenzo strapped Melody into her car seat and packed away everything, including his jacket, into the trunk of the car. As I looked up from my phone after texting, Annalise that Melody and I would be back at the manor soon I found him waiting outside my car with the door open, he's a gentleman too. "Thank you really, I don't know you from anywhere and I'm certainly nowhere near you on a social scale, and yet you're being so kind. Must be the desire to keep business flowing with Henry, or is it just coincidental that I just happen to have his one and only child with me?"I winked but he thought I was serious. "I guess it is a coincidence, fate perhaps? I totally agree. You don't always come across women as pretty as you, so when you do, you must seize the moment. Drive safe Ms. Athena Carter.", He said as he walked backwards swinging the keys to his SUV around his finger, his eyes wouldn't come off of me and his expression claimed he had just embarked on a once in a lifetime journey. I was just shocked that a guy who looked like that wanted to go out with me! ME!!!