Shooting Stars Don't Say Goodbye

by Marcos, J. A.

  After lunch I went back to my soft bed. I was completely satisfied. Mom had made steak with fries, and mashed potatoes that I just love. Nobody could make mashed like her. It was divine!

  Around 14h, when I was completely immersed in my thoughts, taking a nap to speak the truth, I heard, as it always happened, my mother screaming that I had visitors. I needed to teach good manners my mother. This costume of screaming every time someone came was very ugly. I think about the visitor’s face, getting scared and having to do the friendly face while having the eardrums busted. I've thought quite seriously about buying a first aid kit, especially for visitors who came looking for me, so I could take care of the bleeding from the ears of all.

  With a monumental laziness, it's been part of me since I was born, I stood up taking the head of Adolfo from my belly, and went towards the door to see who had taken me from my Cleopatra moment. Yes, that's how I call the nap time, that's when I retreat to my pyramid and will rest to take care of my beauty.

  - Hi Ems – Talked to me a voice that seemed familiar. It was a female voice. I was looking for in my mind the exact moment that I had heard.

  - Hello. Are you all right? - I said, trying to show that I had remembered who it was. If I forced a little more I would easily remember. - I hope you're already sitting. - I smiled.

  - Yes, I am. I came here to make you an invitation, and we hope you accept.

  Now that was officially a problem. She not only knows me as have intimacy with me to make me an invitation, moreover, she says "we". Who is this “we”? I didn’t realize the presence of anyone else in the room. There was no new perfume or a noise beyond breathing, there was nothing that represented two visits. I tried to use the tactic of "move on and see what happens."

  - Invitation? I love invitations. What would it be?

  - Well, it's simple. Tomorrow is the wedding anniversary of our parents, but we will not make any party for personal reasons, but my mom wants to make a family dinner.

  As she spoke, I was looking at my catalog of voices where it would fit. It should not be someone I had so much friendship, because I memorized everybody very easily. And I didn’t recall having met anyone different lately.

  - Yes - I just replied, hoping she would talk more and say who her parents were.

  - Since you are dating Matt, you are already family. My parents would like to know you better. Mat is here all the time, but never took you to meet us, even though we’re neighbors. We would like to strengthen the links and get to know you better.

  That voice so sweet was Mat's sister, Suzan, so I was having trouble connecting to the person's voice, because I had only spoken to her once, but it was a turbulent moment and I ended up not giving as much attention to my dear little sister-in-law.

  - Of course I will. - I said smiling and relieved. - But why Matt didn’t come with you?

  - He was doing some shopping for my mother, and also he is not very happy with this dinner. Dad goes through some problems and usually he and Mat fight. You are doing very well to Mat, and we only have to thank you.

  I did not understand what she meant by that. It’s Mat that is doing very well for me. He had brought a light to my life that I had never imagined that existed. We talked for a while. Suzan seemed to be a very beautiful girl. Her hair had curls that reached below her shoulders. They were gorgeous curls, smooth. She had a thin face, but at the same time, well-designed. A nose like a doll and should have about 1,70m. Was 19, but she’d be 20 in the following month. I was glad she didn’t care that I was touching her face.

  That would be a good time to meet the family of Matthew. Although we were actually dating for few time. We were getting to know each other, there was no need to hurry to make presentations, but I could not refuse a request from my mom-in-law, I only had contact once, and my friendly sister-in-law.

  At night Matt came to see me and the first time I realized he was not with the same joy as always. He seemed sad about something, his voice was different, as someone who hides something.

  - What is happening, Mat? - I asked, after realizing that actually existed something very strange in the air. - You got a problem?

  - No, Ems. Near you I have no problem. I'm glad, glad to have you.

  - Why are you like this so strange? Did something happen?

  - No, nothing happened. Only I fear that this is all a dream and suddenly I can wake up and see that I no longer have you by my side.

  - It won’t happen, Mat. Because this is our reality. Yes it is a dream but a real dream, since, as incredible as it may seem, being with you makes it uniquely magical.

  He just hugged me and kissed me. We were in the room, alone, and my back sank into the cushion when his face buried in my hair, giving a light kiss on my neck and hugging me tight. I didn’t understand what was happening, we were fine, there were no grounds for insecurity. He was afraid of something, and I was not able to understand what it was.

  - Did Suzan come to invite you to dinner? - He asked, taking the face of my hair and stroking my cheek with one hand.

  - Yes, she came early. I loved my sister-in-law, she is beautiful and friendly. Why didn’t you come yourself to invite me?

  - Because I was thinking about not going - he said with a sad voice.

  - Problems with your father, isn’t it? - I asked, but without wanting to seem inconvenient. - Suzan told me something superficially.

  - It is difficult to handle it. However he is my father. But we talk about it later, now I want to be able to enjoy my girlfriend – and I felt his nose going down my neck.

  Each time he kissed me, or passed that beard on my skin, I got delirious. He was too perfect to be all mine. Of course he had his flaws, which were many by the way and I don’t need to repeat. I believe that one day I still need therapy to accept the fact that I’m dating someone so different from me, moreover, as younger. Two years may not seem like much, but it is a lot of difference when you're the oldest.

  - How can you let that beard so perfect? - I asked, rubbing his face on mine.

  - Not so hard. I just keep the same size. - He spoke softly, whispering in my ear – Do you like it?

  - Yes - I replied, this time grabbing his hair and pulling him to kiss me. I think any woman can have a hair as beautiful and as smooth as his. I think this must be one of the reasons of Mat’s pride, that beard and hair so perfect.

  - Have you ever thought about taking a shave, change your hair? - I was curious to know. He should be some kind of metrosexual to be so well maintained and so perfect.

  - No, never. My beard and my hair are my charm. My postcard. My image says a lot about me, and that's how I want to be remembered forever, the hunk with the beard. - He gave a laugh that proved to me how much he was convinced.

  We spent some time kissing on the couch, since my parents were not home and my brother, as always, as running around some girl. I decided to satisfy my curiosity. I already knew that Mat is the kind of man who can be called a “fake skinny”. He appears to be skinny, but if you touch properly and pay attention will find out that he is the type that does not harm your health. Zero percent cholesterol, lean beef, but with muscles. Toned shoulders and a belly that wasn’t marked as of those bodybuilding practitioners, but it was a six pack. My hands were now curious to find out his body, as an old saying goes, if love is blind business the solution is to touch, and more than anyone I have every right to make use of this piece of wisdom. I didn’t think twice and started the evaluation.

  - You're a fake. - I said taking a bite lightly on his ear.

  - Why are you saying this? - He asked, seeming not to understand what I meant.

  - A Fake skinny. - I said, slowly. – You look thin, but hide a surprise underneath your clothes.

  - And why are you saying this and grabbing my...

  - Your ass? - I said with a big laugh - Because you do have something to be grabbed. You have a good voluminous ass, Mathew.

  - Look, doing this you give me the freedom to do the same t
hing. And here in the room is no place for it.

  - And where would it be? - I already wanted something more. Even dating Mat recently I couldn’t deny that when I was near him the desire came over me and I felt my body dominated.

  - Don’t play with something serious, Ems - He spoke with such a sensual voice next to my ear that I wished to give myself to him right there.

  - Of what are you playing? - Said my father coming to the room, having just closed the door of the house without we’ve heard it being open or closed.

  We jumped on the couch, which seemed a little suspect, but somehow we were not doing anything too, unfortunately.

  - No, Mr. Eric - said Mat inventing an excuse all of a sudden - Ems is saying that she would accept to marry me and I said that she can’t play with those things, I can believe and take it seriously.

  I became white in a second. My blood ran cold, warmed up, and ran fast, paralyzed. I don’t know what happened. Of all the possible excuses to give, he came over with “marriage”? He actually manages to surprise me. The only thing missing now is that he starts to think we're getting married and getting harassing me with this idea. We are still so young to think about that. Well, at least he is so young.

  It seems that my father swallowed what he said, followed by my mother who came alongside and gave me a kiss on the head after making a compliment, as always, to Matthew. Flatterer mother-in-law.

  Mat got up soon after and said he was already going. He was a little embarrassed by that scene. I was glad I still had time to take the hand of his ass before my dad noticed something, at least I think, but now I had one more memory to store.

  CHAPTER 12

  That was the last day of the semester. Classes ended early and I decided to go home walking, since it would still take some time for my mother to leave work and pass to get me.

  It had been some time since I walked that way. Lately I always got back by car. The first problem I noticed was that the traffic signal that stayed practically around the corner from the school, at a busy intersection, was damaged, now a beep that didn’t emit sounds. As the number of visually impaired is relative small to the general population using the service, the government ends up not paying attention to minority and does not solve the problem.

  I stand still for a while, waiting for someone to decide to help me. I was on a sign, holding a cane, still. It would not be difficult for anyone to realize that I was blind. As my other senses are keener I decided to focus, even among all the noise, to realize the people who were close to me, they would cross the street, I could pull over, almost unintentionally, in one of them and go in the exact moment.

  I spent about 10 minutes waiting for have security to do this until I heard the voice of someone who should be an elder talking to me.

  - Do you want help, sweetie? - Said a sweet old lady. The softness of her voice was one of those that made you want to call her Grandma.

  - I would, yes. - I replied smiling. - For some time now I don’t walk around here and didn’t know that the beep was broken.

  - Yes, it is - she said, already picking up on my arm, holding it like who holds a sick person - a month ago, more or less, that it is so. You're not the first person I see go through difficulties to cross here.

  I was glad she appeared to help, but I also lived one of those moments that we, the blind, fell a little irritated at having to go through. Regardless of how independent we may be, normally come and go without someone to guide us as if we were unable, we are aware that we need the help of people for certain activities. I was living one of these situations, having to cross the street when the beep showed defective. However, people don’t know how to help a blind.

  That lady took me by the arm and directed me, when in fact, the most right thing to do was her to offer me her arm so I could have a support, and not otherwise. The impression it gave was that I was taking the old lady, and not otherwise. Moreover, we feel safer when we hold the person who guides us.

  But she had no obligation to know that. Surely she should not have a closer contact with any visually impaired person, so I could not recriminate the way she helped me, quite the contrary, I should thank for her good heart to be willing to collaborate with a person she didn’t even know.

  - Thank you! - I thanked her once we got to the other side and she let go my arm. - May God bless and protect you.

  - You're welcome, darling - she said, with a voice soft and cozy. - Go with God.

  To get to my house I didn’t have any big problems, obstacles in the path remained basically the same. I passed them as an athlete who wins an Olympic event and get the gold medal.

  At home I decided to rest a bit, until my mother came and started that old ritual of trying to make me like a doll, since she already knew the invitation to dinner at Mat’s and would make what was possible for me to be the most beautiful as possible.

  On the afternoon she did my nails, combed my hair, and used a few creams and shampoos that I had never felt the scent on my life and forced me to get some sleep, so such a mask of cucumber could have an effect on my face and left the skin silkier. How so? Silkier? I could be smuggled to a European country and be forced to work as a model for advertisement of cream against wrinkles, because I was a real princess with all this beauty treatment. That's because it was just a family dinner.

  My mother is very exaggerated. I wonder if one day I decide to get married... How will it be? She will begin preparations a year in advance, and if I don’t die of tiredness with the preparations, I die with the excess of ingestion of so many creams on my skin.

  When the clock struck 19:10 Mat's sister came to my house. Actually I hoped that he would come and get me, since that afternoon he had not appeared.

  - Wow, how beautiful you are! - She said, her voice so beautiful that I've wondered if she was out of a fairy tale. - I see you're ready.

  - Yes - I replied smiling, but unable to disguise his disappointment of not being Mat, the family member who crossed the street and came to get me.

  - I see you expected Mat to come, didn’t you? - She asked, and I realized that I couldn’t fake that well.

  - No, it’s not this. - I answered, kind of stuttering – it’s because we haven’t seen each other today. I thought he might be missing me. - I laughed embarrassed. It was more than clear that now I was so in love with him as he was for me. I counted the seconds for him to appear again on my way.

  - Come on. He will be happy to have you near him tonight - She gave me her arm so I could hold it. Surely Mat had given this instruction to her, otherwise she would not know that this is the best way to help a blind person to be guided.

  I said goodbye to my mother, who hugged me tight and whispered a few words wishing that I “rocked”. Sometimes I scared myself with the modernity of the slangs that she used. As soon as she heard the voice of Suzan, Jason came running from his room and stopped at the door of the house, when we were already leaving.

  - You are gorgeous, girl! - He said, in the direction of Suzan, wanting to be friendly and gentleman.

  - I also told her that. - She answered, pretending not to understand and directing the compliment to me.

  - She is too, but I was talking about you. - He said, in a voice that seemed to be too sexy for his age.

  - Thank you, boy. - She said, mocking him slightly, like someone who just call him a child and say he has no chance.

  He just laughed awkwardly. I realized that he was annoyed at being called a ”boy”. We walked away slowly, crossing the street and heading toward Matthew’s house.

  - I think he likes you. - I said laughing.

  - He's cool, but he still very young. He has to find a girlfriend of his own age.

  - I tried to tell this to your brother, but it didn’t work. - I replied laughing. Of course I was not trying to push her to my brother, just wanted to talk a little.

  - But is not the same thing - she said with a big laugh - the age difference is very little between you. 23 and 21. I'm 19, yo
ur brother is 15. He is a fox for his age, but I'm a woman now, he’s really that young, deserves someone of the same age, living the same experiences as him.

  - I know, I also think he’s very young. But don’t worry, soon enough he will leave you alone and falls in love with someone else. It is normal for him to have these crushes by cool and pretty girls like you - I took the opportunity to praise her.

  We arrived at Matt’s house and Suzan helped me to get in. Mrs. Peterson greeted me at the entrance with a big hug and led me to the room, while Suzan went to the room to tell his brother that I had arrived.

  - Welcome to our home, Emily! - My mother-in-law was saying, with an air of who really want me to feel cuddled in her home. - Mathew will be down. I am very happy to have you with us.

  - I thank you, Mrs. Julia. It is a pleasure to get to know your family.

  - I want you to feel part of it. Feel like a member of our family. You are doing very well to Mathew, and if you make well for him, you make well for all of us.

  I still didn’t understand why everyone was insisting that I had been so good to Mathew, when in fact everything indicated otherwise. He was the one who made me feel good, made me happy and made me smile.

  - Is Mathew okay? - I asked looking formal, without much intimacy.

  - Yes, he is. And I know he will be getting better now that he is with you.

  Soon I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. As far as I knew, the home of Mathew seemed to be great. As I entered the front door I was practically in the room, and by the sound I noticed it had a ladder coming from upstairs. I noticed by the noise of footsteps descending.

  - Good night, my love! - Mat hugged me tight, so strong that it scared me imagining that something very wrong was happening. - I was missing you a lot. - He said, kissing my neck.

  I hugged him as hard as he did. I wanted him to feel that whatever was happening I would be with him at every moment.