Ahe'ey

Children of the Moon

CHILDREN OF THE MOON

James appeared with their changes of clothes. “The offices on the top floor are available for you to change in. The party will start upstairs in the roof garden in half an hour, and the canapés will be served at seven in the Sackler Wing, where the Egyptian Temple of Dendur is located.”

“Thank you, James,” Gabriel said as James gave them the bags and took the basket away.

Soon, she came out wearing a figure-hugging royal blue dress and a pair of high-heeled shoes. It was the best dress she’d ever worn. It perfectly suited the curves of her body and it worked well with her pale skin. She wore her hair down and held a small silver purse.

“You look stunning,” Gabriel said softly. His eyes set on her, pupils dilated. She cringed with embarrassment.

“Thank you. Love your suit,” she replied casually as she walked towards him admiring his steel-blue fitted suit. He offered her his left arm and placed his right hand over hers. As they walked to the roof garden, they enjoyed fairy lights that were positioned on the stairs and the light sculptures that illuminated the way. She suddenly realised this was a special party. The women were all dressed in the most exquisite gowns, and she recognised many famous faces, including movie actors and politicians.

“I wish I had known how fancy this party was. I would have made more of an effort,” she said, a little intimidated as she thought of her pale, makeup-free complexion and absence of jewellery.

“You are absolutely beautiful, Morgan,” he spoke in an encouraging tone. He stopped for a second, observing her discomfort. “Will you mind if I leave you for just a few minutes?”

She was puzzled but nodded.

He took a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray, handed it to her and said, “I’ll be right back.” Gabriel headed in the direction of the two security guards that had been following them all day, exchanged a few words with them, and then he disappeared amongst the crowd.

As she stood on the rooftop looking over Central Park and the city skyline in the distance, she felt quite special. There she was at the centre of the world on a clear winter night with the sky illuminated by a full moon. The outside heaters made the environment welcoming, and although she usually paid no attention to fashion or celebrity, she couldn’t help but enjoy a moment in awe of the way the beautiful dresses integrated perfectly with the design of the building and the vivacious light art installations that surrounded her. The vibrant and sparkling environment made her feel alive and grateful—she always remembered her humble beginnings and her journey through life. Morgan never took anything for granted, and today she wanted to experience this moment as if she were Alice in Wonderland.

She saw Gabriel walking towards her. He was stopped several times. Apparently, he was well known and respected by many of the guests. He was perfectly polite and charming. He always wore his cuffs unbuttoned, allowing his sleeves to cover most of his hands. He had the habit of gently squeezing the tips of his thumbs as he spoke, alternating one to the other. A nervous gesture. Perhaps he is by nature quite shy. And yet, shy or not, it seemed that the entire world was in line to greet him. He excused himself as he tried to make his way towards her.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he finally reached her.

“You’re clearly popular, Gabriel.”

“It’s just another cheap privilege that took zero effort to attain,” he repeated her words.

She couldn’t detect any hint of sarcasm in his tone. She was about to interject, but he lowered his eyes and took a blue silk box out of his pocket.

“I thought you may like to wear this tonight,” he said, his voice trembling.

She panicked, hoping there were no precious stones in the box. She refused to wear diamonds or other precious stones that likely came from places where people were exploited. But why would I ever doubt his impeccable ability to read my mind? In the box, she found a necklace and a bracelet made of turquoise, her favourite crystal. They were beautiful, the exact tone she liked, the place where the blue sky met the green sea, the same place that lived in his eyes. The necklace was quite long and the stones small. She could also see some chartreuse glass beads. Precious.

“I thought it would complement that wonderful dress well.”

“Thank you, it’s stunning.” Her eyes shined and expressed happiness. She felt spoiled. Everything was perfect. “I’m honoured. But where did you find these?”

“We are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Everything is possible.” He smiled. He took the necklace from the box and helped her put it around her neck. The necklace was designed so that most of its length would hang at the back; he touched her body as he positioned it at the middle of her spine. He was right; both pieces matched perfectly with the rest of her ensemble.

He looked at her face, which was lit by the full moon. “Are you a child of the moon, Morgan?”

She looked at him, surprised and confused. “Yes. Yes, I guess I am. The full moon fills me with energy and a sense of well-being. It’s usually when I’m at my best. It’s like magic.”

He became lost in her eyes for a second and then lowered his eyes. She felt he was fighting something. He nodded his head and eyes. “We should find our way downstairs and get some food.”

The roof garden was now filled with people. Gabriel held Morgan’s hand as he made his way through the crowd. He had strong hands and long fingers. Like the rest of his body, his hands walked the tightrope between elegance and strength. He seemed to be overprotective of her, not allowing any man close to her. His possessiveness unsettled her. It seemed contrary to his gentle nature. He used his body and arms as a barrier; she was so small compared to him that she felt engulfed by his body. Morgan was having a difficult time trying to ignore the sense of well-being, peace, and desire she experienced every time she came close to him. His glow, that glow he had, seemed to have an effect on her. In any other situation, with any other person, she would have kept her guard up and fought the feeling of wanting to surrender to her desire for him. After all, she barely knew him. But it just felt so right. Everything felt so right. It was as if she’d always known him.