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Chapter 20
“Faith, I don’t understand what the big deal is,” Derek argued.
“The big deal is that I DON’T LIKE CHRISTIAN,” she stressed. “I like Brian.”
“He’s ENGAGED, Faith.”
“I know that!” she yelled. “He’s working on it.”
“How do you know that for sure?” he pointed out.
“I don’t know for sure, Derek, I can’t read his mind.”
“Well?”
“Do we really have to argue about this? I just want you to stop forcing Christian on me. You don’t have the spot to do that. I don’t like him.”
“He likes you.”
“Yeah, I know. But I don’t care. I don’t like him at all. He is self absorbed.”
“Self absorbed?” Derek scoffed.
“I’m serious,” Faith insisted. “All he talked about was himself at the play. He didn’t even ask about me.”
“He’s a lot safer for you then Brian is.”
“You like Brian and you know it.”
“Of course I like him, if you do. But I’m just saying, he’s scheduled to get married in four months, and not to you. Christian doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”
“Why are we arguing all of a sudden, Derek?” she asked softly.
“I know,” he agreed. “I’m just looking out for you. You’re my niece, and I love you.”
“You’re daughter’s here, too, and from what I hear, she’s getting really close to Kevin.”
“That’s another thing, Faith. Even if he doesn’t get married, it would be hell trying to keep your relationship strong. He’ll be gone a lot, and you’ll barely see him…”
“I’m am so sick of this. It’s MY life, Derek. Put some thought to that. MY LIFE. Let me learn my own lessons. If things aren’t meant to be with Brian, I’ll get over it in due time. But right now you should really be concentrating on your daughter, not your niece. She needs you. And you’re not really spending any time with her.”
“Faith, I’m sorry, okay? I care about you a lot. You’re dad isn’t around a lot, and I know that every girl needs a father figure.”
“My dad is fine. I’m okay with not seeing him as much as other women get to see their dads. But listen. I’m a woman. After teenage years, women don’t need to rely on their dads anymore. And I’m way past teenage years. I don’t need you.”
“I’m trying not to think about that,” he said quietly. She instantaneously felt horrible.
“I didn’t mean it like that, Derek. I love you and I always will. If I ever need to be with you, I’ll come straight to you, you know that. I just don’t think this is your place to step in.”
“I know,” he groaned.
“I’m not Christian’s type. He likes to talk about himself, and I like to just talk. Someday he’ll find a girl that’s a little bit shyer than I am. One that will listen to him talk and not mind it. But we just don’t mix, Derek. I’m the kind of girl that needs someone to listen to me talk, too. And he just doesn’t seem to be able to talk to you as easily as he does to me.”
“I was looking over that.”
“You can’t.”
“I’m sorry, Faithie.”
“It’s okay.”
The phone in the condo rang, surprising them both. Faith reached for it and answered.
“Is this Promise?”
“This is Faith. Promise isn’t here right now, can I leave her a message?”
It was silent for some time. “No, ah, you can just tell her Jason called.”
“Okay, Jason. I’ll do that.”
“Thanks, Faith.”
“No problem.” She hung up. Jason sounded like he was a teenager. Why did Promise have a teenager calling her?
`*`*`*`*`*`
That night Brian took Faith to dinner on a cruise ship. They dined right
on the deck at a small two-person table set with a lone burning candle. Faith
wore a long, not-fancy-but-not-casual dress, the colors of a sunset. Soft
Hawaiian music played nearby, and hula dancers accompanied the music as
entertainment for the scattered couples. Faith could smell the salty ocean,
and hear the waves lapping against the side of the boat. The candlelight
danced in Brian’s eyes and soft glows on his dark green sweater vest
made it look lighter than it was. His black jeans and white undershirt made
a perfect outfit to accompany the vest. Faith couldn’t take her eyes
off of him, and he seemed to have the same symptoms.
Faith’s hair was done in five or six tiny braids all pulled back into
one small knot, with the rest of her hair falling in waves down her back
and in front of her shoulders. Her eyes were glowing into his, big, deep,
and brown. He was in a trance from the heat her eyes produced. Even if he
wanted to look away, he wouldn’t have been able to. They bore into his
soul, searching and reading his heart. He felt weak under her gaze, and was
thankful he was sitting down, or his knees would have failed him and he would
have collapsed.
After their dinners were gone, elegantly dressed waiters took the dishes
away and replaced them with two flowered necklaces. Faith’s eyes danced
as she leaned across the table and slipped Brian’s around his neck.
She was close enough to kiss, so Brian took the opportunity and pressed his
lips to hers gently.
Afterwards, they danced, or rather swayed, near the edge of the ship. The
sky was a beautiful combination of purples and pinks and blues and oranges,
and the sun was a deep pink, slowly slipping behind the horizon. There were
tall torches barely burning every few feet or so on the deck, and the flames
lit Faith’s hair and made it look gold. Brian couldn’t help but
run his hand through it.
Faith’s eyes misted from happiness. The sudden realization that she
was dancing with the object of her love for almost three years finally hit
her hard at that exact moment. She moved closer to Brian, and in response,
he pulled her tightly against his chest. She closed her eyes tightly and
forced her brain to commit this moment to her memory.
Brian suddenly noticed the massive vise Faith held him in, and he almost
winced. She was squeezing him so tightly, he knew that when they pulled apart,
he wouldn’t feel whole. He leaned his neck against her hair, smiling
when it tickled his neck. “Are you okay?” he whispered in her ear.
She barely nodded, and her arm on the back of his neck tightened. His eyes
bugged, but he didn’t pull back.
I hope he never lets me go, Faith thought vaguely. Brian’s body against
hers left her feeling light headed, and she could feel his heart beating
against her chest. The steady thump comforted her and she relaxed somewhat.
“Brian?” she whispered.
Brian shook himself out of his daydream when he heard her soft whisper.
“Yeah,” he whispered back.
“I never want this moment to end,” she whispered dreamily. He smiled
and pulled her back into his grip.
“I know how you feel,” he said softly.
“And-and I’m afraid someday this feeling might end,” she
continued. Her breath against his neck made him shiver.
“Why?” he whispered.
“I don’t know. I’m afraid you’ll break my heart.”
“I won’t,” he declared firmly.
“Promise you won’t leave me?” Her voice was so open and trusting;
vulnerable in a way he wouldn’t forget. At that moment he vowed to always
protect her.
He would watch out for her, whether or not she was in danger.
“I’ll always be with you, Faith,” he swore. She pulled back
and looked into his piercing eyes. They were warm with sincerity and honesty.
She knew he was telling the truth. Tears shone in her eyes and she smiled,
elated.
Later as the boat docked, Brian and Faith made their way down the ramp hand
in hand. It was eleven o’clock, and most of the passengers headed straight
off the beach to go back to their condo or hotel room. Brian led Faith to
an area of sand that was farther down the beach. They sat closely together,
Brian’s arm around her waist and Faith’s head on his shoulder.
They were quiet, staring at the ocean in its glory. Faith found it so beautiful
at night especially when the moon reflected on the surface of the water and
the stars were suddenly just…there.
After a while, Brian noticed that Faith had dozed off. He moved his shoulder
slightly, and she stirred.
“Did I…?” She shook her head, dazed. Brian smiled fondly and
helped her sit up.
“You fell asleep on me,” he said softly.
She blinked up at him, and he smiled again and tucked a strand of her hair
behind her ear. She was so irresistible when she was half asleep. He shook
his head slightly, amazed at how his thinking had changed since he had met
Faith. He noticed everything; every move she made, every smile, the way her
eyes looked, or her facial expressions…he didn’t remember ever
being this alert before. But he liked it. A lot.
After Brian dropped her off, Faith found Grace asleep on the sofa in the
living room. She leaned over her twin and gently shook her shoulders.
“Gracie,” she whispered. “Wake up. You have to go to your
bed now.”
Grace opened her eyes and stared at Faith. She mumbled something incoherently,
and all Faith could pick up was the word, ‘AJ.’
Faith pulled her sister up and support her under her armpits. “I don’t
know what’s wrong with you tonight, sister of mine, but for some reason
your motor skills are shot.”
Faith successfully managed to get her twin in her own bed, and then she peeked
her head in Destiny’s room.
“Des?” she whisper-yelled across the room.
“Girl, get in here,” came the unexpected response. Faith smiled
and joined her friend under the covers.
“What’s up?”
And thus began the longest chat of their sleepover days.
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