Fifteen
925 Words
At the same time in the restaurant.
Mark was observing her drinking her wine. Oh my God, he thought. She is so damn beautiful, like a goddess the same annoying voice came into his mind.
“What?” she asked
He smiled.
“Nothing, he said, I just like observing you.”
Nora smiled.
“Don’t you like your wine?”
“Is very good. Have you always liked white wine?” he asked
“No she replied. I also like red but now I wanted white.”
“I see. I prefer red.” He said and took a sip of his wine.
Nora smiled at him.
“So, how do you know Phil?” He asked
“Long story” she replied.
“Well, I have time” he said.
Nora took a deep breath
“OK, she said, long story short, we met in a gallery. I was accompanied my previous boss and he was friends with one of the gallery's owners and we met.”
“I see, he said. And there is nothing going on between you guys right?”
Nora looked at him.
“Why you ask?”
“Just curious” he said.
“A-ha” Nora said but didn't answer. “So, who is Anna?”
Mark blushed. Oh no, he thought.
“Actually, she is my girlfriend.”
“I see” she said.
“Look, I know what you will think, and I am not blaming you, but I like you, I really do and I would like to know you better.”
“I like you too” she just said.
Mark took her hand and brought it in front of his lips. He kissed it softly and hold it with his both hands.
At the same time his phone rung. He took a look and saw Anna’s name.
“Excuse me, he said, I really need to answer this.”
“Of course” Nora said and took her hand away.
“Hi Anna”
“Mark! Where on earth are you? I've been calling you for the last 3 hours”
“Apologies, I went to the museum and..”
“Wait, what? You went to a museum?” She interrupted.
“Yes I went to the museum and I had to mute my phone”.
“With whom were you there?” she asked.
“With a friend” he said.
“Do I know this friend?”
“No you don’t. I’ve been knowing him for ages and it happened to be in town so we met”
“OK” Anna said relieved. “I just wanted to tell you that I’ll be back on Monday, I will take a day off as my mother is not feeling well and I would like to stay a bit more to take care of her.
“OK, Mark said. Thank you for letting me know. I am sure that she will be back on her feet at no time”.
“Thanks, she said. Mark?”
“Yes?”
“I love you”
“Me too” he said and hung up his phone.
“Your girlfriend?” Nora asked.
“Yes” Mark replied.
Nora was observing him.
“I really want to know more about you” he said.
“What do you want to know?”
Mark was thinking. He held her hand with his both hands.
“Everything” he whispered.
Nora got chills.
“Well, she said, there is not much to say. I just moved here as you know. Both parents died in a car accident few years back.”
“I am sorry to hear that” Mark said.
“Thank you” she said.
“Any siblings?”
“No, only child”.
“Me too” he said.
Nora smiled.
“As I said, not much to tell. Your turn”
Mark gave her his sweetest smile.
“Mark White, he said. I live here for the last 5 years, my parents live in a city 3 hours from here and I am only child”.
“Are you visiting your parents frequently?”
“Not really, he said thinking. We are not that close. They never complained and I guess they haven’t really cared about me. I was a troubled child.”
“Why you say that?” Nora asked.
“I was not an easy child. Got into troubles a lot. But besides this, there was a time, that I had awful nightmares. They stopped for years, and kind of restarted now. But now, are more like a vivid memory. Is very weird.”
“What kind of nightmares?” Nora asked.
Mark kissed her hand.
“This is a second date story” he said smiling.
“There’s going to be a second date?” she asked.
“Of course” he replied.
“And what about Anna?”
Mark took a deep breath.
“Look, he said, I won’t lie. You know that I am with Anna. But since the moment I saw you, I can’t stop thinking of you. I want to get to know you and yes from my side there’s going to be a second date. Anna is my problem, so I will need to take care of that. So, what do you say? Will you go on a second date with me?”
Nora’s eyes were sparkling. Mark felt dizzy, a Goddess the voice said in his head, your Goddess. He held his head.
“Is everything OK?” Nora asked him.
“What was that?”
“What was what?
“Your eyes…they sparkled like they had stars around them, like they were surrounded by white light”
Nora smiled.
“I think you need to check up your eyes, she said. I haven’t done anything”.
Mark was confused. “My goddess” he whispered.
Nora was observing him.
Mark shook his head.
“So, is there going to be another date?”
Nora nodded. He placed a soft kiss on her hand and they stood up. Once they got out of the restaurant, Nora looked at him.
“I have parked in the next street. Was nice today, thank you” she said and gave him a hug.
Mark hugged her back and felt warmth and safety. My goddess he thought. Nora tried to get away of his arms but he tightened his hold.
“Mark?” Nora said.
“Mhm?”
“I really need to go”
“Yes I am sorry” he said and pulled himself away. He looked deeply in her eyes.
“Thank you for showing me a piece of your world.”
Nora smiled.
“Thank you for being willing to see it” she said and they split.
On the way to her car, she took her phone. She had 20 unread messages but she ignored all. She started typing: “It started. He saw the sparkles in my eyes. Zeus is coming back to us”.
- Writer
