interviewee | INBOX;

M. de Pointe du Lac,

If you are not otherwise engaged on Christmas Eve, my sister is holding a Christmas ball, and it would be lovely to see you again. We have recently obtained a nicer house, and there will be plenty of dancing.

Warmly,
Anthony Bridgerton

Anthony,

I would be delighted to join you on Christmas Eve. If I may be bold to ask, may I bring a plus one? He’s missed dancing a great deal.

Yours,
Louis de Pointe du Lac

M. de Pointe du Lac,

Of course. The Ball is open to everyone. I wrote to ensure you would you would feel personally welcome, but you may bring whoever you wish.

Sincerely,
Anthony

[ look maybe louis needs a personal invitation!!! he doesn't know how vampires work. ]

[It’s cute and Louis loves that he got a personal invitation.]

Anthony,

I thank you for the personal invitation. I am flattered that you would think of me specifically. I hope you might save a dance for me.

Yours,
Louis de Pointe de Lac

M. de Pointe du Lac,

I certainly will, and I look forward to your attendance.

Yours,
Anthony

[Louis receives a present delivered to his room in the Down Public Housing.

The gift contains one of the following (your choice or at random):
• a couple pairs of warm winter socks,
• mittens (fleece-lined wool),
• a knitted bobble hat,
• a small tropical peppermint cake (homemade from a Tyrian recipe--peppermint roll cake with mango compote), or
• some peppermint omnomberry bars (likewise homemade; in the absence of real omnomberries, he's substituted lingonberry and redcurrant).

The hats, mittens, and socks are not homemade but store bought and in a variety of colours and patterns--your choice!

For an optional encounter with the giver, go here.]

[At some point after finding her gifts, Claudia will either flag Louis down or else leave the small wrapped box at his door (assuming he still lives in Public Housing and is easy enough to find that way). Inside is an expensive-looking pocket watch and chain. On the back is engraved a message: For every precious moment. She's also included a note that reads The time that we have here together is all the gift I could ask for, and I cherish it with my whole heart. Love always, Claudia.]

Thank you, Claudia. The gift is beautiful and your wishes are mine as well. Let's have dinner some time, just the two of us.

[ on christmas eve day, daphne has an arrangment of pink roses sent to louis' room, as well as a small wrapped package. inside is a single hand embroidered white handkerchief with a pattern of fleur-de-lis at its corner.

a simple card attached reads, Happy Christmas, Monsieur Louis. I do not know a grand deal about France yet, but I have learned that this symbol is important there? I hope it finds you well. I am glad you have met my family and I. Yours, Daphne Basset ]

Daphne,

You're correct. The Fleur de Lis is important both in France and New Orleans. I deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and considerable craft. The handkerchief is beautiful. And the roses are a welcome spot of color in my room.

Thank you,
Louis

[Louis' has only been gone for a mere few minutes when the first message arrives. It's fairly obvious from Lestat's tone of voice that he's been crying.]

Louis, come home. Please. I did not hide this from you to hurt you. I wanted you to be happy in this place, with a home and a business you wanted.

[The second voicemail comes several minutes later, when it's clear Louis is intending to stay away. Lestat's voice is still ragged.]

Louis, I am sorry that this has distressed you. Truly, I am. I did not wish to cause you upset with this. Please just come home.

[The third comes after about an hour, when it's blatantly apparent Louis is not coming home anytime soon.]

You tell me to share myself with you, Louis, and when I do, you run. You ask for my honesty and then you hate me for what you hear. And you leave me for it, yet again.

Am I truly the only dishonest one of the two of us, mon mari?

[Louis tells himself not to respond. He almost calls back after the second, but he's determined to hold fast.

After the third, he can't help himself.

Ring ring!]

[Lestat’s mind is fuzzy. He doesn’t entirely remember his day before the current moment, and he can see the dried tracks of tears down his face. But he doesn’t recall why he might have wept, and otherwise all seems normal — and then Louis is calling, and he puts those thoughts aside. Best to answer and then figure the rest out.]

Allo?

[Louis is surprised, to say the least, by the casual greeting. Something is off, something is wrong.]

You called. [His voice is stiff.]

[There’s a long beat as Lestat tries to sort out what’s happening. He can tell from Louis’ tone that he is angry, but he remembers nothing and has no context to work with.]

…and what did I say?

Where do I start?

[Louis tries to swallow down some of the anger roiling in his gut.]

That you'd rather whore yourself out? That you bled out in New Orleans for me? That I don't want to hear your honesty?

[Ohhhhh boy. He’d like to say that this is all entirely fresh information, but he can recognize glimmers of thoughts he’s had before. Things he’d certainly never intended to express to Louis but that seem to be fully on display now.]

I don’t remember this.

[Said in a tone that indicates that he believes it happened but that he also suspects city shenanigans have occurred.

Already feeling a simmering tiredness in his tone:]

What happened?

We were talking. I asked a couple of questions and then you got real honest. About a lot of stuff I had no idea about.

[The heat remains in Louis's voice as he talks.]

And then you hit me with this.

[There's a click and then Lestat's voice plays,] You tell me to share myself with you, Louis, and when I do, you run. You ask for my honesty and then you hate me for what you hear. And you leave me for it, yet again.

Am I truly the only dishonest one of the two of us, mon mari?

[He takes a breath.] I don't hate you, Lestat.

[Lestat listens with a slowly sinking sense of understanding. He doesn’t understand why, precisely, he was dropping blunt truths —- or why he’s forgotten it all —- but the rest grows clearer as Louis speaks.

And then, well, he can recognize the tone of his own anger.

After a beat, he answers:]

But you did leave, then?

I'm staying with friends for a day or two. Needed to cool down.

[Louis replies simply, without remorse.]

Then I was not wrong, it seems.

[There’s a terse sound to his own tone then. If Louis thought the voice message would be some grand card to play, it falls flat as Lestat pieces out the rest — Louis hearing him speak and then fleeing, and then feeling injured for being called on it.]

Guess you weren't.

[Louis's irritation continues and he knows he needs to get his head on straight before he returns.]

Seems we're all exactly who we used to be.

We are, I imagine. Except I made the mistake of being honest, it seems, that I had whored myself out for the auditors?

[It’s phrased like a question, but he knows that must have been it. He’s not sure what else he would have described as such.

And the thing that truly grinds him is that, for all his failings, this was one he would defend. He had protected Louis from the city’s humiliations and would do it again in a heartbeat. And yet Louis was furious all the same.]

Never fear. I shall not make such a mistake again.

[Being honest or whoring himself out? He won’t clarify.]

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Christmas Eve Delivery

Christmas Gift

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christmas gifts!

Letter Delivered to Bridgerton-Basset house

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Voicemail (2/3)

Voicemail (3/3)

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