The Sun, The Moon, and Their Stars

37 : Date

Benjamin

I'm ready.

I push the stop button, eject the Pinkerton CD, place it back on the case, and return it to the stack beside the player.

I approach the door, open it, and walk out.

I see my sisters in the living room on my way down the stairs. Jessy is holding a thick book, those with fairy tales, and reading them for Althea, or helping her read them.

"You look extra nice today," Jessy says as I pass them on my way to the kitchen.

"Of course. I have a date."

"Wait!"

"What?" I stop and face her.

"Nothing. Go on," she says with a wave. "I just checked if the buttons on your shirt are properly aligned."

I look down on my shirt, and nothing's wrong with it. So, I continue going to the refrigerator and take out the flowers that I bought this morning. Then I start heading for the front door.

"Hey, did the shop run out of flowers?" Jessy asks as I pass by them again. "Why do you only have two?"

I smile at her first. "Figure it out," I tell her as I walk out.

And I know my sister, she won't rest until she does.

*

I ring the doorbell and take one step back. I only wait for a few seconds before I hear the screen door opening and closing.

Kim opens the gate and mouths, 'hi.' She's wearing a black-and-white striped shirt and black jeans.

I step forward and try my best to hold a serious face. "You're under arrest, miss," I say.

She lets go of the gate and turns serious as well. "For what offense, sir?"

"Theft."

"Uh-huh," she nods. "But what did I steal?"

"You know what."

"And how should I pay for that crime?"

"Well, the judge usually decides. But something tells me it's going to be a life sentence."

I can no longer contain my facial muscles, and I don't have anything else in mind to go on with the joke, so I just smile at her and give her the flowers.

She smiles back. "Lucky me," she says and takes them.

And I can say so myself.

She steps to the side and goes back to their veranda. "I'll just hydrate these," she says, raising the flowers. Then she bends down and grabs a small vase resting on the small round table on a corner.

I reluctantly look away and notice the front door closed behind the screen. "Kelvin's not around?" I ask.

"He just left with some of his old friends."

I breathe out. At least I won't have to deal with him today, so that's one less thing to be anxious about.

Kim goes to the garage and fills the vase with water from the faucet by the wall. Then she goes back, puts the flowers in it, and lets the vase rest in the middle of the round table. She grabs the small bag on one of the chairs and steps down.

Now she's standing right in front of me, and so close that I can see her eyes seem brighter against the natural afternoon light.

"Where are we going?" she asks.