Night Conversation

She returned shortly, balancing a tray with two mugs and a small pot of honey. "Thank you, Emilia," Christopher said gratefully.

"No worries, Mr Hayden." Emilia passed him his mug which she learnt about when shadowing Bernie one morning.

"I am sorry if I woke you up, too."

"I've always been a light sleeper. I wake up at the hum of the wind," Emilia reassured him, moving closer to stroke the dog, who had comfortably settled between them on the sofa. "Besides, I don't have any lectures over the weekend so I don't mind being up. I don't want Barky to be left alone on his first night in the manor. It's a big new place for him. If I couldn't sleep when I first moved here, imagine an animal that doesn't understand what is happening."

Her words struck a chord within Christopher. He became suddenly aware that he didn't know of her perspective and life all that much.

He had never considered the possibility that Emilia might feel lonely in the manor. He should have been more thoughtful, more aware of her emotional needs. He wondered if she was happy at all. He should have been more mindful of her state.

They sat in silence as they sipped on the tea. The warm liquid invoked a sense of comfort within Christopher, stirring something new and profound, but also nostalgic. He hasn't felt this at ease in a very long time.

"I heard that you withdrew from your work with Earthly," Christopher attempted to spark a conversation. Emilia's gaze shifted from her cup of tea to him. The depth of her hazel eyes drowning him.

"I wouldn't phrase it like that," Emilia looked surprised. She was unaware that he knew about her decision. "My work with Earthly was on a consultation basis from the start, and it was dependent on my availability. As my coursework became more demanding recently, I had to prioritise it over my other activities. By the way, where did you hear about it?"

"I was at a business summit a couple of days ago where I spoke with Mr Bleam. The topic of your work came up in conversation as many people were looking forward to seeing you again."

"Oh, I wasn't even aware the business summit was happening. Mr Cosby assigned me elsewhere that evening."

"What did you do instead?" Christopher inquired, genuinely interested.

"I attended a musical at the Royal Theatre."

"Sounds like a far more enjoyable option. I'm glad you didn't have to endure the business summit. It was as dull as can be. How did you like the show?"

"It was truly amazing. And I had a chance to meet to cast afterwards. It was definitely a wonderful experience." Emilia shared, her excitement shining through.

"What was it about?"

"It was a modern retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in an industrial hell."

"That sounds intriguing."

"I loved it. It had Greek mythology, obviously. But with a touch of something new. It was refreshing. Although, as you'd expect, it lacked a happy ending."

"Are you a huge mythology fan?"

"I wouldn't call myself a fan, as frankly, most of the mythology is gruesome and full of gore, but I have had a keen interest in it in the past. Yourself?"

"A vague awareness at best." Christopher smiled again. "How is your course going?" Christopher redirected the conversation, wanting to know more about Emilia's current pursuits.

"I'm already three months in and have completed two assignments. But I must admit that the subject matter isn't always as engaging as I'd like," Emilia confessed, her tone tinged with a hint of disappointment.

"You don't enjoy business management?" Christopher asked.

"I understand its importance, which is why I'm pursuing it. But my background lies in sciences and engineering. I thrive on creating, innovating, making breakthroughs. I don't feel like the course offers me the opportunity to truly make something, to make a difference, to see the practical applications," Emilia explained, her passion evident in her voice.

"I know that you wanted to make a change when we spoke after your conference presentation. Would it reassure you to know that I'm aware of several companies that are starting new sustainability departments because of your work?" Christopher revealed, hoping to lift Emilia's spirits, but failing to reveal that Crimson Tech was one of them.

"Really?" Emilia's eyes sparkled with excitement, a renewed sense of purpose igniting within her.

"You made a tremendous impact that day," Christopher affirmed.

"Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Hayden," Emilia said, studying Christopher's weary face.

"If you're ever interested in applying your knowledge from the course, you're more than welcome to visit Crimson Tech. We've purchased your conference video and will be using it for training within our company. But if you ever have the time and the inclination, it would be amazing to have you come in person and speak on the topic."

"That's such an incredible offer, MrHayden. I might just hold you to it!" Emilia exclaimed, her gratitude evident.

"If you want to use any of our projects or departments as guinea pigs for your coursework, let me know," Christopher added.

"I wouldn't dare. I don't have nearly enough skills to do that without facing negative repercussions,"Emilia responded modestly, her humility evident.

"You did a better job than my entire accounting department,"Christopher admitted, surprising Emilia with the reminder of her long forgotten involvement. Emilia looked at Christopher, speechless, and slightly embarrassed.

"I hope I didn't cause any trouble for your staff," Emilia voiced her worries.

Christopher's surprise was evident as he gazed back at her. He hadn't expected her to worry about his staff at all. "You saved their asses," Christopher replied bluntly. "I did suspend the head of accounting for two weeks once he resolved the issue, and he was satisfied with that outcome. He returned to work promptly and became much more diligent. And frankly, you saved us from significant trouble. The Home Office accepted our apology and allowed us to rectify our error without any fines or punishment."

"That's fantastic," Emilia exclaimed, relieved by the outcome.

"It would have been an entirely different story if you hadn't caught it. So, thank you. I don't think I've fully expressed my gratitude yet. If there's anything I can do to reward you for it, please let me know," Christopher expressed sincerely, his voice filled with appreciation.

"Let me see the Crimson Tech through the inside lens and I will be forever grateful, Mr Hayden."

"Of course, Emilia. Consider it done." Christopher didn't even notice as his body relaxed as he leaned back and moulded into the cushions. He didn't notice that his face naturally twisted into a charming smile. He didn't notice what his body was telling him. And he didn't have to. It was a long time that he spoke with someone so casually, without worry for the topic, without a hidden agenda such as a need for contract and wanting to please someone. Of course, he wanted to please Emilia, but it was different.

Emilia made him feel that it was okay for him to be truly himself. She was honest and open. She didn't mince her words or play pretend. And Christopher admired that.

The more he thought of her, the more he fell in love with her.

"I-… I was curious about your PhD." Christopher braved a much more personal question at last, or at least, very personal to Emilia. Emilia looked over at him, blushing.

"What would you like to know?"

"What was it about?"

"I hate this question." Emilia answered with yet another bout of honesty. "Mostly because, yes, I can give you a two sentence overview, but there so much depth into the topic and I always wish I could go on for hours."

"Go on then." Christopher replied which made Emilia go silent at first, then she chuckled nervously. She looked at Christopher without a word until she realised that he was serious.

"Are you certain, Mr Hayden? Because there is no backing out!"

"Yes."

"Well, at the very least, it might get you to sleep." Emilia shifted on the sofa, straightening up, her face becoming animated as she slowly started explaining the topic of years of her work. Christopher had little background in the materials science but Emilia was able to break down the concept enough that he followed her with an ease.

He was gleaming as he watched her. She was in her element as she spoke, and he came to realise that this is what he loved the most about her - he adored her and he wanted to see her excitement which was mostly when she spoke of something she was passionate about. It was as if he pulled on a thread and unraveled the nuggets of mystery that opened up the doors to her soul, or most importantly, to her brain.

Emilia didn't lie. She could speak for hours on the topic. But he didn't mind. That night, he listened to every word with true intent. And he didn't phase out as most did when they were unfamiliar with the topic. He was actively listening, nodding, asking questions, keeping the eye contact. He shifted so that he could face her, Bark Twain laying his head on Christopher's lap. And Emilia faced him, the tail of the dog tickling her legs. It was a long while that she spoke to anyone on her previous work. And it was a long while since anyone genuinely listened to her.

Christopher's questions seemed to further excite her, evoking the passion for a subject that she almost forgot.

And neither realised the night has passed until the bright first rays of shine flared into their eyes.

Emilia stopped talking as she looked at the stunning sunrise behind the tall panoramic windows, over the crowns of the trees at the edge of the courtyard.

"I am very sorry, Mr Hayden. I haven't realised the time." Emilia blushed as she looked back, only to be met by Christopher's face in a soft simper. She couldn't explain, but in this moment everything seemed to be still. The world has stopped around them, leaving them in a bubble of enchantment. Her eyes locked on his face. He was the kind of handsome you only see in men's perfume ads.

"Do not apologise as I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you, Emilia, for your time and this conversation. Do not feel uneasy if you wish to shut your eyes for a bit. Bark has settled much more now, too."

Emilia's smile rested on her face as she leaned back more peacefully.

"Mr Hayden, I have spoken so much of my work. Do you wish to tell me a bit more about your work?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Everything."

"You may have to narrow it down as I do have to get up in an hour or so."

"Tell me about your day-to-day job. Or… what do you like to do the most?"

"I love change. One of the things I like the most is going through transformations, designing new product, or developing new concepts. The world is moving and we need to move with it. I enjoy navigating those changes and the challenges it brings. Many people, by nature, build habits and dislike change. My job is to motivate them to be onboard with whatever is coming. As a CEO I set an example and lead."

"What do you like the least?"

"Anything that I cannot see a benefit of, but mostly, I dislike the theatrics, the games of pretends, the idea that you should lie your way through the politics."

"That makes sense."

"I thought you might agree. You have said something similar yourself after the conference. You have said that it felt artificial, like an act or a performance. I can relate to it a lot."

"What was your favourite project?"

Christopher started telling Emilia of a concept that he worked on a few years earlier, at first cautiously, but Emilia's eagerness and questions unravelled him, like he unravelled her.

It was so long since Emilia found someone who showed equal enthusiasm, and Christopher found someone so likeminded.

It was like a dance of ideas and perceptions.

Around 8am, Emilia got up to make them coffee, whilst Christopher went to get himself ready for work.