The Blue Of Your Eyes

by Jamila Mafra

  He approached the computer and stared at the screen.

  “What a beautiful picture! It really looks like the head of a horse. That's really something wonderful! It even seems that the universe was painted, designed by someone.” He commented smiling after glimpsing the beautiful image.

  “Yes you are right. I do not know if we'll ever find out the truth, but it does look like the universe was designed by someone.”

  “Not just anyone, but a great artist. Explain me better, what exactly is a Nebula?”

  “Nebula is a cloud of interstellar dust, hydrogen, helium and plasma.”

  “I understand a little bit. They’re beautiful! And I even find this nebula to be so much like the head of a horse. If you will allow me, I would like to lay here for a moment and admire the stars, and this wonderful sky that I only now realized existed.”

  “Yes, of course, the hill is yours. Make yourself comfortable.” she consented, trying to disguise her embarrassment.

  “If I’m not asking too much, I'd like you to keep me company and explain more about the universe. If you do not mind, could you lie down here by my side?” He asked, already settled into one of the mattresses.

  "If you think it’s okay, I'm glad to have that moment. Few people like to hear about astronomy.” Her heart pounded with anxiety.

  “Then come, Ana Lucia. I long for your words. Lie down, "he begged, smiling.

  “That's right. I'll keep talking about the Horsehead Nebula.” She lay down next to him. "Well, it's a dark nebula, located in the constellation of Orion, and it's far from us 1,500 light-years away.”

  “Light-years? Sorry, I'm used to distances in miles.” He took her hand, which made her nervous and trembling.

  “The light year is the distance traveled by light in a year. That distance is 9.5 trillion miles,” she replied, her nervousness tightening with difficulty.

  “That means that this value multiplied by 1500 is very large. It hurts me to the head just thinking of calculating.”

  He went on:

  “Another thing that fascinates me is how your telescope managed to capture the image of something that is so far away!”

  “Optics really seems like something magical, hard to understand.”

  “Suddenly, I even have the will to study astronomy like you,” he confessed.

  “And why not? I'm sure you will not regret it.” she assured him.

  Albert remained holding Ana Lucia's hand for as long as he admired the stellar blue.

  “Ana Lucia.”

  “Yes.”

  “Could you put on some special music to listen to as we admire the sky?”

  “What music?”

  “‘Miss You Love’ by Silverchair.”

  “I'm going to take my smartphone out of my pocket and I'll put on some music. I love that song! It's one of my favorite bands.”

  She felt as if she were floating in the immensity of space.

  ***

  Everyone gathered around the coffee table. Matthew comes from vacation an hour earlier. Meg smiled and said good morning to her parents. Albert was the last to sit down.

  “Albert, you look so excited today. Did something special happen that you have not told us yet?” Matthew questioned his son for an atypical joy.

  “My love, our son is always excited, especially when he has a company with his obligations as an administrator.”

  “Mom, this time daddy's right. I'm happy for another reason. Yesterday I finally decided to go to college.”

  “What good news, Albert! And where do you intend to study Business Administration, Economics or International Relations?”

  “Tell me, son, where will you go to college?”

  “I do not intend to do any of these courses, Father.”

  “No? And what is left to study?”

  “Last night, after looking in a unique way at the night sky and the beautiful images of space, I decided to study Astronomy. I want to be a scientist. I even ordered a computerized telescope. It will start to observe the cosmos in the hills.

  “Cosmos? What are you talking about?” Matthew was startled by an answer from his son.

  “Yesterday Albert spent the night looking at the sky with Ana Lucia.” Meg betrayed his brother.

  “What is this astronomy story? Who is Ana Lucia? But what is going on here?”

  “Honey, Ana Lucia is one of our maids. She worked here a few months ago. She is a student of astronomy at Weber University, and is a very good employee, an extremely intelligent girl. I offered a hill from our farm so that she can make her observations on the telescope. Isn’t it amazing?” Annette tried to soften a disappointment from her husband.

  “But what do you, Albert, have to do with all this? Are you a friend of the maid?”

  “Yes, I am. Any problem with that?”

  “Of course not. I just understand that the faculty of Astronomy is neither useful nor appropriate for a man who will be the future president of a company. I would be proud if you graduated first in Economics or Business Administration, then you could do this astronomy as a hobby.”

  “I do not want it to be just a hobby. I want it to be my profession. As for the company, I already manage it. The high school vocational course was enough. I understand everything about business.”

  “I confess that I am disappointed in you, my son. And your bride, what does she think about it?”

  “I have not even spoken to Brianna yet. I have not even seen her in days. As a matter of fact she went to New York for master's classes in business administration. No need to worry, Dad. My future wife will be an excellent administrator of our business.”

  “I hope so. At least your fiancée is a real woman.” Matthew demonstrated conformation.

  “Excuse me, I'm going to town. I have something important to do.” Albert left.

  ***

  “Ana Lucia! Ana Lucia!” Her colleague almost screamed in the university library.

  “Shelly! I'm sorry; I was distracted in my thoughts.”

  “I noticed. We are doing important work now on the Theory of the Inflationary Universe and you need to pay attention. It is not such a simple matter.”

  “I’m sorry, my friend. I promise I'll be careful.”

  “And your distraction has a name? Is it a young farmer by the name of Albert?”

  “It is him. You won’t believe what happened last night.”

  “I really do want to know, but only in a moment, after we finish the job and go back to the lodge.”

  “All right, let's go back to the Inflationary Universe Theory.”

  ***

  The friends were already in the lodge. Shelly lay on the bed. She hoped Ana Lucia would make lunch.

  “Friend, I can’t take it anymore. I need to tell you what happened last night on the farm hill.”

  “I know you can’t take it any longer, you're in love with Albert. I already know. Tell me what happened! I'm crazy to know!”

  “Yesterday he went up the hill.”

  “And?

  “And he was fascinated by the explanations I gave about the nebulae, light years... And there's more.”

  “Say it then, bluntly.”

  “He asked me to lie down next to him so we could admire the stars together. He held my hand.”

  “Are you kidding!”

  “I'm not joking, I'm telling the truth! I did not say anything, I just did his bidding. I'm very much in love. I do not stop thinking about Albert and what happened yesterday.”

  “Girl, this is not going to work, it's crazy! You hold hands with him on the hill! Admiring the stars with the boss' son. And he's engaged! Oh my God! This will not end well. Sorry, but it's not correct. If his fiancée saw this scene, she would have killed you.”

  “But nothing happened. I just wanted to please him. I do not know I just fell in love with the moment. It was awesome. If I could go back in time, I would live that moment again, se
veral times. He even asked me to play a song on my smartphone.”

  “And what was the soundtrack of your great moment with him?”

  “‘Miss You Love’"

  “Look, I'm very much a fan of the Silverchair band, but something tells me this is all crazy! Stop it, he's committed to another woman and does not want anything serious with you. You're going to get hurt. Stop making observations on that hill. Here at the university we have an open field with a wonderful view.”

  “On second thought, I think you're right. At the end of this story I'm going to suffer. I'm not going to the hill anymore. I will follow your advice and begin today to make my observations in the open field of the university.”

  “That's better, do not risk it.”

  “And there's more: Albert told me he decided to study astronomy. He is enchanted with the mysteries of the universe.”

  “Oh! Ana Lucia. Strong emotions.” Shelly sighed as if all this confusion of feelings was happening to her.

  “I've never been lucky in love, my friend. I already told you that I was deceived in Brazil. A few days before coming to the United States, I discovered that my boyfriend already had another girlfriend; he was engaged to another woman. And I did not know anything, it was horrible.”

  “Well... Do you want to be just the mistress again? The difference is that now you know very well that he has a bride.”

  “Yes, I know that perfectly. How unlucky I am ... I have no luck with anyone.”

  Someone knocked on the door.

  “Are you expecting a visit, Shelly?”

  “I'm not. I have no idea who it is.”

  “Let me open the door.”

  Ana got up and headed for the door. She was surprised to see that Albert was standing there in front of her with a beautiful smile.

  “Albert! What a surprise!”

  “I am here to know information about the admission process in the astronomy course.”

  “Great! C’mon in! Meet my roommate, Shelly.”

  “Nice to meet you Shelly.” He held out his hand to greet her.

  “The pleasure is mine. Ana Lucia talks a lot about you, Albert.”

  “I hope she speaks well.”

  “Oh, yes, of course. Very well.”

  “Shelly, I'm going for a walk with Albert, I want to show him the university and the community observatory. I'll be back later.”

  “Do not worry, my friend. You can go easy; I guess I'll leave later too.”

  “See you later.”

  “See you later. Be wise. That may not end well.” Shelly whispered softly at her ear. She was more nervous than her friend.

  Albert and Ana Lucia were breaking into Weber's campus as two excited teenagers on the first day of class.

  “Why did your friend tell you to be wise?" I heard her whisper at your ear.

  “Don’t worry about what Shelly says, she's exaggerated. Come here, tell me one thing: what was your dad's reaction when you said you decided to be the next Stephen Hawking of Physics?” She stared at him, her face close at hand.

  Albert smiled before replying.

  “My father was disappointed. I promised him that I would be a great scientist, but I did not convince him. At the end of it all he had to be content with the fact that I will not be a graduate in business administration nor a great economist. But I comforted him by reminding me that my future wife, Brianna, is a graduate in finance and will masterfully manage the family business.”

  “Your bride?”

  “Yeah, she's amazing.”

  “Sorry for the comment, but you two seem so distant to two people who intend to get married.”

  “Imagine! Turns out she's a very busy woman; she's taking her Master's degree in New York. Speaking of which, tomorrow I'm traveling to meet her there. I am sure she will support my decision to study astronomy.”

  “Yes, she'll definitely support you. If she really loves you, she will not be against you.”

  “I've changed a lot for months. I just wanted to know about parties and fun, I was confused about a professional path, nothing interested me. And then I met you, astronomy, and the wonders of life.”

  “I'm glad to know I made a difference in a friend's life.”

  “I will forever be grateful to you for opening my eyes to something as beautiful as the universe. I discovered what I love.”

  “Discovered?”

  “Yes.” He brought his face to her lips.

  “And what do you love?”

  “I love...” Albert stammered, almost kissing her.

  Ana Lucia turned her face to the side and coughed to disguise what almost happened.

  “Albert, make yourself at home on campus. I gotta go.” She left.

  In the lodge she threw herself on the bed to reflect on the course of that passion and cried, as was usual at all times when she felt the burden of disillusionment invade her soul.

  Shelly came in. Seeing her disconsolate friend, she soon deduced the cause of such sadness.

  “Ana, get up from this bed because today is Saturday and let's have fun!”

  “I'm not in the mood.”

  “How long are you going to whine about your aspiring Stephen Hawking?" Stop this!”

  “He talked about his fiancée. Tomorrow Albert will go to New York to see her. Brianna is an administrator. But what upset me was the fact that he almost kissed me after thanking my friendship and swears love for the bride. I do not understand men.”

  “Ah, my friend, this is the dilemma of every woman in the world. This is a problem that even science can’t solve.” Shelly tried to comfort her by stroking Ana's shoulders.

  “I would rather spend days in a row locked in a room by solving the more difficult calculation of Schrödinger's Equation than having that feeling inside me. I will not go up the hill anymore. I'll make my observations right here on campus, as you advised me.”

  “You are doing very well. Be cold with it from now on, nothing to admire the stars hand in hand with Albert.”

  “I assure you this will never happen again, Shelly.”

  “Get up out of this bed and let's have some fun! My head needs to relax a bit; I'm dizzy from all the calculations and theories we studied during the week.”

  “I'm really not in the mood to leave today, but you go, I know you have a special company. Besides, I do not want to disturb your flirtation.” Ana Lucia tried to convince her.

  TRIBUTE

  Albert noticed that Ana was not going to the hill after work and understood that she wanted distance. Out of dignity, he restrained himself, but he did not know until when she could stay away from her best friend. He enrolled in the faculty of astronomy and his classes would begin in two months. He purposely chose the morning, for he knew she would be around.

  The new astronomy student's birthday was approaching; the party would take place that weekend. Annette approached Ana Lucia as she left the mansion at the end of the file:

  “Ana Lucia,” he called to her.

  “Yes, Mrs. Annette. Do you need anything else? I am already going home.”

  “I realize you're not on the hill anymore.”

  “Yes, I decided to leave the hill for Albert, since now he will start to study and need a space to make the observations. I'm using the open field there at the university. The night sky view of the campus is also wonderful. Besides, it was too tiring and dangerous for me to be late for home. Now I'm near the lodge and everything is fine.”

  “I understand.” And she went on. "I mean, you're invited to Albert's party tomorrow evening.”

  “I do not know if it's a good idea for me to come to this party. It's only for his friends. I honestly do not know if I should.”

  “But you and he are friends, are not you?”

  Ana was nervous, almost choked, felt a lump in her throat. She replied bitterly:

  “Yes, we are friends, but I am also employed in this mansion and will not be nice
to the other guests.”

  “You're the one who knows, but you're invited."

  “Thank you for the invitation, but I can’t guarantee my presence.” she said, smiling and retreating.

  Deep in the soul Ana Lucia loved the invitation to the party, only feared to hurt her heart even more. The man she was passionate about would complete another year of life and she did not want to regret not taking part in that moment. Lying in her bed she ventured with Shelly:

  “Tomorrow's Albert's birthday, I was invited to the party. He's so handsome, so kind, and so generous. How can he date a person as arrogant as Brianna? She looks at me in disgust, that's when she looks at me, most of the time she ignores me. I do not know if I should go to this party.”

  “I'm not going to say anything this time; you're old enough to make your own decisions. Just be strong. Do what your heart desires. You have to do what will make you happy. Good night, I'm very tired.”

  “I'll keep that in mind, Shelly.”

  There was a war inside Ana Lucia, a disturbing indecision. At the same time that she wanted to be close to Albert, she was afraid she would get hurt even more. Gently decided to invite Shelly to accompany her.

  “I'd better regret something I did than I did not do. I’ll go. We will.”

  "I'm only going because you're my friend and to stop you from messing around at that party.”

  “Thank you, Shelly.”

  ***

  Ana Lucia looked beautiful. It was necessary for that special occasion.

  “You look beautiful, Ana. I'd say too pretty for someone going to a simple birthday party.”

  “Come on, I'm anxious. I bought him a special gift. I hope he enjoys it.”

  The party started at eight o'clock. When Shelly and Ana Lucia arrived, they were not even noticed by the other young guests. There were many, the mansion was crowded.

  From a distance, Albert noticed the presence of the friends and approached them to welcome them:

  “Ana Lucia, Shelly, how nice of you to come.”

  “Albert, I brought your gift. Here it is, I hope you enjoy it.”