sigh of regret. Before him 2
The Man In The Mirror
sat a woman who should not be alone. She had so much life in her, and so very much to give. If only he could do something to ease her pain, to help her find someone to care for as she once cared for the man she’d cried so many tears over.
The telephone rang and she hesitated before answering.
“Hello,” she said.
Her face brightened for a moment. “I’m fine, Nana. Yes, I’ll be by tomorrow for lunch. I didn’t forget.” She listened for several minutes, then said goodbye.
So, she had an outing to visit her grandmother. It would do her good, as she always returned with a brilliant smile and her spirits lifted. But over the course of the late night hours, he could see her earlier pain returning as she finished a full bottle of wine.
Drowsy from drink, she laid her head against a pillow and gazed at the shifting images on the screen.
“Why didn’t he just love me? Why was that so hard?” she muttered.
“Because he is a fool,” Connor grumbled.
She snorted softly as she tucked the cushion beneath her cheek. “And I was a fool to love him.”
Connor sucked in his breath. Had she heard him? After two hundred years, had someone finally heard him? The first decade had passed painfully as he’d shouted, screamed, slammed his fists against the glass only to be ignored by the world outside. Had the sea witch who’d cursed him decided he’d learned his lesson?
“He did not deserve you, sweetness,” he said, and held his breath.
“But I loved him so much,” she said, her voice breaking. “Don’t I deserve someone?”
3
Jo Barrett
He swallowed hard, wanting to shout out with joy, but with a steadying breath he chose his words with care. “You deserve everything, and it will come to you, I vow it. But you must be patient.”
“I’m so tired of waiting. I hate being alone.”
“I am here for you, sweetness.” Yes, he would remain in her mirror for all eternity. He would watch over her, be there for her, he would—his heart stuttered in his chest.
Good Lord . I’m in love with her . He’d watched her for months, observed and enjoyed her many conversations with herself, but this was something he’d not been prepared for.
“So cruel,” he whispered, knowing the sea witch listened. He was her prisoner, and her joy lay in his torment. Why not grant him the pleasure of finding his one true love, only to never be able to touch her? To love and yet never be loved, to see and yet never be seen?
Although he now had a voice, he realized his exile to the mirror for his avarice and conceit had not been thorough enough. She’d tortured him with a half-life for centuries, simply to bestow upon him the most brutal penance of all.
“Yes, he was cruel,” Tori murmured. “But I let him do it to me.”
“You did nothing but love him, and in return he broke your heart,” he said, his temper rising.
He’d like nothing more than to take the man who’d done this to her and break his neck.
“I should’ve known. All the signs were there.
Date me—dump me—date me. It was a long, bizarre roller coaster ride.” She climbed to her feet, her body swaying from too much drink.
“Perhaps you should rest now, love. Things will be much improved in the morning,” he lied.
Her head would no doubt pound, as if a volley of 4
The Man In The Mirror
cannon fire had crossed her prow for hours.
She sighed and took a tentative step forward. “I’ll feel like crud in the morning, and you know it, but you’re right. I may as well go to sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open as it is anyway.”
Teetering toward her room, she paused and glanced back over her shoulder. She looked about the space, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed, then shook her head and went to bed.
No doubt she realizes she’s been conversing with no one , he thought with a chuckle. At least no one she could see. Perhaps he could manage this life the witch had given him after
The Man In The Mirror
sat a woman who should not be alone. She had so much life in her, and so very much to give. If only he could do something to ease her pain, to help her find someone to care for as she once cared for the man she’d cried so many tears over.
The telephone rang and she hesitated before answering.
“Hello,” she said.
Her face brightened for a moment. “I’m fine, Nana. Yes, I’ll be by tomorrow for lunch. I didn’t forget.” She listened for several minutes, then said goodbye.
So, she had an outing to visit her grandmother. It would do her good, as she always returned with a brilliant smile and her spirits lifted. But over the course of the late night hours, he could see her earlier pain returning as she finished a full bottle of wine.
Drowsy from drink, she laid her head against a pillow and gazed at the shifting images on the screen.
“Why didn’t he just love me? Why was that so hard?” she muttered.
“Because he is a fool,” Connor grumbled.
She snorted softly as she tucked the cushion beneath her cheek. “And I was a fool to love him.”
Connor sucked in his breath. Had she heard him? After two hundred years, had someone finally heard him? The first decade had passed painfully as he’d shouted, screamed, slammed his fists against the glass only to be ignored by the world outside. Had the sea witch who’d cursed him decided he’d learned his lesson?
“He did not deserve you, sweetness,” he said, and held his breath.
“But I loved him so much,” she said, her voice breaking. “Don’t I deserve someone?”
3
Jo Barrett
He swallowed hard, wanting to shout out with joy, but with a steadying breath he chose his words with care. “You deserve everything, and it will come to you, I vow it. But you must be patient.”
“I’m so tired of waiting. I hate being alone.”
“I am here for you, sweetness.” Yes, he would remain in her mirror for all eternity. He would watch over her, be there for her, he would—his heart stuttered in his chest.
Good Lord . I’m in love with her . He’d watched her for months, observed and enjoyed her many conversations with herself, but this was something he’d not been prepared for.
“So cruel,” he whispered, knowing the sea witch listened. He was her prisoner, and her joy lay in his torment. Why not grant him the pleasure of finding his one true love, only to never be able to touch her? To love and yet never be loved, to see and yet never be seen?
Although he now had a voice, he realized his exile to the mirror for his avarice and conceit had not been thorough enough. She’d tortured him with a half-life for centuries, simply to bestow upon him the most brutal penance of all.
“Yes, he was cruel,” Tori murmured. “But I let him do it to me.”
“You did nothing but love him, and in return he broke your heart,” he said, his temper rising.
He’d like nothing more than to take the man who’d done this to her and break his neck.
“I should’ve known. All the signs were there.
Date me—dump me—date me. It was a long, bizarre roller coaster ride.” She climbed to her feet, her body swaying from too much drink.
“Perhaps you should rest now, love. Things will be much improved in the morning,” he lied.
Her head would no doubt pound, as if a volley of 4
The Man In The Mirror
cannon fire had crossed her prow for hours.
She sighed and took a tentative step forward. “I’ll feel like crud in the morning, and you know it, but you’re right. I may as well go to sleep. I can barely keep my eyes open as it is anyway.”
Teetering toward her room, she paused and glanced back over her shoulder. She looked about the space, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed, then shook her head and went to bed.
No doubt she realizes she’s been conversing with no one , he thought with a chuckle. At least no one she could see. Perhaps he could manage this life the witch had given him after
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