SHINING LIKE THE STARS

       Faith had gone to the bathroom to catch her breath and reapply her lipstick. When she got back, Ethan was not there, she sat down and waited for him, her nerves all calm now. She wondered where Ethan went off to and she looked around to be sure he wasn't anywhere around the restaurant. She decided to call him, but she saw his wallet and phone on the table and she decided to eat. 

       A few minutes later, Ethan walked into the restaurant and she took the time to look at him. He was extremely handsome in his black tuxedo, with well-shaved stubble, well-combed hair, thick lashes that fanned across his face and he had a lopsided smile on his face.  Suddenly, every other thing stopped, except for Ethan, who was coming in slow motion. His smile widened into a grin and she watched him without being able to remove her eyes. 

       He walked up to the table and removed his jacket, still smiling at her and draping the jacket on the backrest of the chair.  Her brain was telling her to remove her eyes from him, but her head and eyes refused to move. 

       "I love you, I love you so much," she heard him say and his voice echoed in her ears. 

      Then everything became normal again. Ethan was standing there, in a white vest, smiling at her but not as much as he had smiled in her imagination. 

      "Sorry, did you say something?" she asked. 

     "I did." He sat down facing her.  

     "What did you say?" 

   He leaned forward and looked into her eyes and searched them for a while, she leaned forward too and decided to stare back, unblinking. 

       "I asked if you were going to sit here and drool over me all night?" His eyes gleamed with a new emotion. 

      She raised her chin and tilted her head.  "Ain't you drooling over me right now?" 

     He stared her in the eyes for a while without saying anything, then he sniffed.  "Of course, I am. I drool over you every freaking opportunity I get, you choose not to see it." 

      Her heart started to pound and pound harder. She heard her heartbeat, it was so loud, she wondered if he was hearing it too. Held spellbound, she watched his face come closer and closer and she closed her eyes waiting for his soft lips to touch hers. When she didn't feel his lips on hers, she slowly opened her eyes and found him looking at her and smiling. 

      "We've got time," he said. 

   A little embarrassed, she sat back in her seat and chuckled lightly. "Do I feel you don't want to kiss me where people are looking? Are you embarrassed by me? Or wait, do you have any other woman in this restaurant you are also drooling over?" 

      His eyes were still on her with that gleam she then realised was admiration and a smile played by the side of his lips.  "I can't deny that. I'm a man, I'm impressed by what I see." 

      She smiled.  "Where did you go to?" 

      "I went to take care of some business, please don't ask what it is." 

      "Alright, let's eat, the food is getting cold." She started spooning her food, looking at him. 

       They ate dinner without saying much but only stared at each other over and over. After dinner, Ethan suggested they take a walk since the night was still young, Faith welcomed the idea since she wanted to breathe in the fresh air. They held hands and left the restaurant together. 

       "So, what is your biggest wish in life," he asked after they have walked a few miles away from the restaurant. 

       "My biggest wish in life? My biggest wish is to have a mother." 

       He looked at her and his countenance became sombre.   "I am sorry, I didn't mean..." 

        "No, it's fine. We made a new rule tonight, remember? We are getting to know each other." 

        He smiled and nodded and squeezed her hand and she felt that in her heart.  "So...you want to see your mom?" 

       "That's if she is still alive," she said and huffed.  "I badly needed a mommy figure in my life that I kind of gets jealous of people who have moms. Don't get it twisted. I just wished my own mother was there to give me hugs, advice and consolation." 

       "I see." 

       "That was why when your mom came, I always craved for her hug, I find any opportunity to hug her." She chuckled.   "Back in our college days, when I follow Nora back home, I always peek in on her and her mother having a mother and daughter time. You know that time mothers call their daughters aside and give them all the hugs and advice they need. That's when daughters often open up to their mothers about whatever is going on in their lives. "

      "I know that time. My sisters do it every time they come to visit my mother." He chuckled.  "Funny, I used to call it women gossip time and here you are here cherishing it." 

      The smile still on her face, she said,  "Well, isn't true what they said? One man's food is another man's poison." 

     Ethan looked at her. He didn't know if he was imagining her voice to be extremely sexy that night or if she was actually talking in a sexy voice.  "Why don't you try to find your mother?" 

     The smile vanished from her face.  "No, I can't!" she said quickly. 

      "Why not?" 

    She looked up at him.  "I don't have the time, I'm very busy and I don't even know where to start from." She chuckled. "The world is so large, you know." 

       He stopped abruptly and stood in front of her.  "Why do I feel you are lying?" 

She avoided his gaze.  "What do you mean by that?" 

       "Okay, if you are not, look into my eyes and say those." 

        "Say what?" she asked looking up at him. 

        "You know that the reason you are not searching for your mom is not that the world is so large or because you don't have time." 

       "What do you think?" she asked, trying to hold his gaze but broke off almost immediately.  "Shit! Alright, I guess I can't hide it from you. I'm scared." 

        "You are scared that you might finally lose her by finding her. You are scared that she might be dead a long time ago." 

      She nodded and blinked away the tears that have welled in her eyes.  "It's...it's my biggest fear. I'm better off not knowing if she is dead or alive, that way I feel I still have a mother. I'm better off not knowing." 

      He enveloped her in his embrace and she circled her arms around him and sobbed quietly. His heart swore with emotion and he wished he could just step in and take all her fears away. He hugged her tighter, consoling her. After a while, he pulled away, held her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. 

       "Faith, stop crying, please." 

  She blinked, his voice was caressing and she wanted to stop the tears from running down. Then she managed a smile and sniffed.  "I will stop, I will stop." 

      He hugged her again and stroked her hair.  "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up that topic, I didn't know it gets you this emotional." 

      She hugged him tighter, wiped her tears and pulled away with a broad smile.  "No, no, I'm fine," she chuckled.  "I got emotional because no one has suggested I look for her before, so I have not gotten to tell anyone about my fears." 

        "Do you know the first step of conquering fear? It's by saying out your fear." 

      She nodded still smiling.  "Sorry, I didn't want to ruin the night. It's so beautiful." She looked up at the star splattered sky. 

     Ethan looked up at the star with her.  "They are beautiful indeed." 

      She started walking again, taking the lead this time, Ethan followed her behind.  She stuck her hands into her coat pockets and inhaled deeply.  "I was always fascinated by the stars when I was younger, tiny little lights hanging in the sky, looking so beautiful." 

     He said nothing, he just walked behind her, glancing up at the sky as they walked.  She was suddenly excited and he sensed that she had just let out one heavy burden in her life. It made him happy to see her happy. 

     "Do you think it was fascinating too?" she turned and asked him. 

     "Well." He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked up at the starry sky.  "I was quite curious about what they were. My dad got me a telescope to see them better." 

      "I had always wanted to be like the stars, twinkling so beautifully." 

      He looked at her.  "I think your wish came true. You are twinkling so beautifully." 

     She chuckled and blushed.  "Stop flattering me."  She went under a lamppost and circled it.   "I also want to be free." 

        He came and stood in front of the lamppost watching. She clutched her hand on the pole and spun around, when she came forward, he kissed her. She was surprised for a while and then pulled away. 

       "We made rules..." He kissed her again, shutting her up with it.  She pulled away again.  "I... We are outside..." He kissed her again, this time wrapping his arms around her waist. After a while, she pulled away again.  "Uhm... I think..." He k issed her again, this time more fiercely that she couldn't pull away nor resist him. She followed his lead.