**
Hugo was having trouble breathing, and as much as he wanted to attribute it to the tie, he was just incredibly nervous. What if she hadn’t gotten the note? Or hadn’t had enough time to find a dress? Shit! He should have given her more time. What if she wasn’t hungry yet? His hand hovered at the door as he tried to force himself to knock, but his heart was already thumping hard in his chest and that seemed enough. Just do it and get it over with! She’s going to laugh at you, you look ridiculous and you still need a haircut.
The door opened on its own, and he took a couple steps back, hands going into his pockets where the small velvet box was.
She looked gorgeous. She was wearing an emerald dress that flowed out at the waist in darkening layers, her black hair down in little curls. The dress had a floral pattern along the curve of her hip in delicate silver stitching. Say something, Stupid, “You…you look beautiful,” he breathed the words out.
For a moment he thought she hadn’t heard them, but then she smiled, her eyes bright. “You look good too,” she responded with a small blush, ducking her head for just a moment.
Hugo shifted, resisting the urge to tug at his tie, “Are you ready?” She nodded, so he slipped his hand in hers and lead her towards the portal to Morocco. He’d found the restaurant online, it was apparently one of the most romantic restaurants in the world, but it just looked neat and fancy to him. He just hoped they didn’t have too many forks and he embarrassed himself in front of her.
They walked into the restaurant and were quickly seated on a balcony overlooking a creek. The water’s surface shimmered in the light from the paper lanterns that lined the deck.
“This is beautiful, Hugo.” Crysta looked up at the bright points of light in the black sky, her eyes wide to take it all in.
“You like it?” He asked chewing on his lip. Ok, that was a dumb question, she’d just said she did.
“Yes. This place is wonderful. How did you find it?”
His face turned red and he gave his attention to the water. It sounded so lame just to say online. “I…found it,” vague but true.
“Well, it’s just…” She punctuated the unfinished sentence with a smile.
“Good.”
The waiter came by and they realized they hadn’t even picked up their menus. The menu was in Moroccan-Arabic, so Hugo explained what everything was, pointing, probably unhelpfully, at the menu. She just smiled and listened until she heard something that interested her. Finally he ordered for them, adding a bottle of wine the house recommended. He had no idea how it would taste, or even what it would look like, but it was expensive so it was probably good.
He absently pushed strands of hair out of his eyes, trying to think of something funny to say, but he couldn’t think of anything, so he asked the question he really wanted the answer to, “What are you going to do now?”
She blushed, and then consulted the sky for a moment. She smiled, “Today, or in general?”
“In general.”
“I’m going to stay at the Phoenix Foundation; continue looking for a cure for MS.” The disease her mother had died of when she was 21. Shit. He shouldn’t have asked, now she was going to be upset.
“Can I help? I mean, I could read some more medical journals and maybe…”
She reached across the table, taking his hand, “There is nothing I would like more.”
Hugo smiled, his face feeling very hot, “Good. I’ve got some ideas. I want to help you… everybody. But I don’t want to do it the way I’ve been…I want…” Hugo grumbled at himself. He sounded stupid. “I’m sorry, let’s talk about something else.” She was just smiling at him with her crystal blue eyes.
Oh! He’d almost forgotten! Hugo fished around clumsily in his pocket to remove the rectangular box he’d hidden there. He slid it across the table towards her, trying to keep breathing, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” he said quietly, staring at the tablecloth.
Crysta looked surprised, and then opened the small box to reveal the necklace he’d found for her; a gold chain supporting a star as clear and blue as her eyes. “Oh, Hugo,” she said breathlessly, taking the thin chain carefully out of the box to fasten around her neck. She ran her hand along the gold to rest on the light star now hanging just below her collarbone, “It’s beautiful. I love it.” She just gazed down at it for several seconds, and then slowly returned her attention to him, “Your present is a bit bigger. So you’ll have to wait till we get home for it.”
“What is it?”
Crysta giggled, “You’ll see.” She touched his hand again and he was watching her, perched on the edge of a couch, bounce her knees to the entertainment of a small baby in her arms. A little girl, who looked to be about three, dark hair done up with little pink barrettes, jumped off the couch as a breeze swept through the room.
“Daddy’s home!” The little girl exclaimed, throwing up her arms.
He stepped through the portal into the living room, bending down to scoop the girl into his arms, “Hello, Princess.”
“What are you smiling about?” Crysta asked from across the table at the restaurant.
Hugo squeezed her hand, “You’ll see.”
The Sound of Wind Page 117
