Lover's eyes<\/p>\n
Kirk Coningham<\/p>\n
It wasn't something of which he was particularly proud.<\/p>\n
David told himself it was just a bar, but when the beautiful
\ngirl smiled and started walking his way, he new it wasn't. He
\ncould feel himself blushing and wished he wouldn't.<\/p>\n
David Majors was married to his work. He was in Jakarta for a
\nmonth to arrange a venture between an Indonesian factory and an
\nAustralian car manufacturer. He had been celebrating the first
\nmilestone with his Indonesian partners, but by 10 p.m. the party
\nwas over and he was not ready for bed.<\/p>\n
He heard good music coming from the bar and promised himself
\nhe would drop in for \"just one beer\". He wished he had kept the
\npromise, for he had kept very few since that night.<\/p>\n
Her name was Ani. She breathed her name into his ear like it
\nwas a secret.<\/p>\n
\"Hi\", he said, while trying not to notice how close she was,
\n\"I'm David\".<\/p>\n
\"Why are you so nervous Dave?\"<\/p>\n
The question made him blush harder and he stammered as he
\ntried to explain.<\/p>\n
\"I ... I'm only here for one quick beer.\"<\/p>\n
\"If I promise not to bite, I could have one quick beer with
\nyou.\" She imitated his Australian accent when she said \"one quick
\nbeer.\"<\/p>\n
David laughed and signaled the barman for another.<\/p>\n
Ani was propped on the bar stool next to his. She kept turning
\nher seat to look at the band, and turning back to the bar, making
\nelectric contact with his knee each time she spun.<\/p>\n
She was beautiful. Her black eyes sparkled with amusement as
\nshe flicked her shoulder length hair, displaying a delicate
\nprofile encased in coffee colored skin. Her nose was slightly
\nwide but symmetrical. Its tip cast a shadow over full inviting
\nlips, made pink and shiny by a carefully applied sheen of
\nlipstick. She sat on the stool like it was a pedestal and she was
\na goddess.<\/p>\n
Her smile flashed around the room as she acknowledged the
\nregulars with warmth and familiarity. The band finished the set
\nand the decibels dropped so he could almost communicate without
\nshouting.<\/p>\n
David took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped a bead
\nof sweat from his forehead.<\/p>\n
\"I make you nervous don't I, Dave?\" she said, with laughter in
\nher eyes as she watched his obvious discomfort.<\/p>\n
She finished her beer and signaled for another. David finished
\nthe last of his in one nervous gulp.<\/p>\n
\"Yes,\" he answered honestly, wiping beer of his chin with the
\nback of his hand. She put her hand gently on his knee and lent
\ninto him.<\/p>\n
\"It's OK Dave. I'm not what you think. I'm a student and I
\ncome in here every now and then to practice my English.<\/p>\n
\"Another thing I do is see into people. I see you are lonely
\nand nervous and I think you might have come here tonight for more
\nthan beer.\"<\/p>\n
David tried to stammer a denial but she cut him off.<\/p>\n
\"So let me guess your story. About 36, attractive, in good
\nshape, not married, plenty of money, and sitting in a bar at 11
\np.m. on a Tuesday drinking beer. Am I right so far?\"<\/p>\n
She didn't wait for the answer.<\/p>\n
\"I can tell you aren't gay and you are certainly not a bar
\nfly. So,\" she put her index finger on her cheek, paused, and
\nlooked upwards, \"You are a workaholic.\"<\/p>\n
He smiled to tell her she was right. He told her everything
\nelse as well. How lonely he had become, how he had allowed his
\nwork to dictate the beat of his life.<\/p>\n
She fixed her sleepy eyes on him and listened, really
\nlistened, as he downloaded his troubles.<\/p>\n
The band had started again long before he had finished.<\/p>\n
\"Dave, your only problem is that you don't have any fun. Let's
\ndance,\" she said, dragging him protesting off the stool to the
\ndance floor.<\/p>\n
They danced and laughed until the band finished. He corrected
\nher English while she drank beer and filled his darkness with
\nlight. They went arm-in-arm back to his room with their ears
\nringing from the amplifiers, tipsy from beer and sweaty from the
\ndancing.<\/p>\n
They did not step out of the room for three days.<\/p>\n
By the end of his month-long contract David had spent 10 days
\n\"sick\". It was the first time he had ever lied to his employer.
\nHe had an excuse, he was desperately in love. He understood,
\nfundamentally, that he couldn't live without her.<\/p>\n
He asked her to marry him and she crushed his lips with her
\nown in passionate acceptance.<\/p>\n
She told him he was her knight in shining armor -- every
\ngirl's dream. She would have his children, build a home for him,
\nbuild a life for him. One look in her eyes and he could see it
\nwas the truth.<\/p>\n
David packed to go back to Australia. He had already been to
\nthe Embassy to start the long process of getting Ani a visa.<\/p>\n
\"Love was not enough,\" the embassy had said. They arranged to
\nmeet again in a month. David would return on holidays and they
\nwould go to Bali.<\/p>\n
\"Oh David, I love you so much I think a month will kill me,
\nbut Bali will be such fun, and then it won't be that long until
\nwe can be together always.\"<\/p>\n
The delight never left her eyes as she said it. They said a
\ntearful goodbye in their room, but neither could stop the tears
\nstarting again as David got into his cab.<\/p>\n
That night Ani talked to David for two hours on the phone
\nbefore wishing him good night.<\/p>\n
\"Hi Ani,\" the barman smiled, genuinely happy to see her as she
\ncame through the. \"Where've you been?\"<\/p>\n
\"Working, Eddy. Just working.\"<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lovers-eyes-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }