Lover's eyes

Kirk Coningham

It wasn't something of which he was particularly proud.

David told himself it was just a bar, but when the beautiful girl smiled and started walking his way, he new it wasn't. He could feel himself blushing and wished he wouldn't.

David Majors was married to his work. He was in Jakarta for a month to arrange a venture between an Indonesian factory and an Australian car manufacturer. He had been celebrating the first milestone with his Indonesian partners, but by 10 p.m. the party was over and he was not ready for bed.

He heard good music coming from the bar and promised himself he would drop in for "just one beer". He wished he had kept the promise, for he had kept very few since that night.

Her name was Ani. She breathed her name into his ear like it was a secret.

"Hi", he said, while trying not to notice how close she was, "I'm David".

"Why are you so nervous Dave?"

The question made him blush harder and he stammered as he tried to explain.

"I ... I'm only here for one quick beer."

"If I promise not to bite, I could have one quick beer with you." She imitated his Australian accent when she said "one quick beer."

David laughed and signaled the barman for another.

Ani was propped on the bar stool next to his. She kept turning her seat to look at the band, and turning back to the bar, making electric contact with his knee each time she spun.

She was beautiful. Her black eyes sparkled with amusement as she flicked her shoulder length hair, displaying a delicate profile encased in coffee colored skin. Her nose was slightly wide but symmetrical. Its tip cast a shadow over full inviting lips, made pink and shiny by a carefully applied sheen of lipstick. She sat on the stool like it was a pedestal and she was a goddess.

Her smile flashed around the room as she acknowledged the regulars with warmth and familiarity. The band finished the set and the decibels dropped so he could almost communicate without shouting.

David took his handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"I make you nervous don't I, Dave?" she said, with laughter in her eyes as she watched his obvious discomfort.

She finished her beer and signaled for another. David finished the last of his in one nervous gulp.

"Yes," he answered honestly, wiping beer of his chin with the back of his hand. She put her hand gently on his knee and lent into him.

"It's OK Dave. I'm not what you think. I'm a student and I come in here every now and then to practice my English.

"Another thing I do is see into people. I see you are lonely and nervous and I think you might have come here tonight for more than beer."

David tried to stammer a denial but she cut him off.

"So let me guess your story. About 36, attractive, in good shape, not married, plenty of money, and sitting in a bar at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday drinking beer. Am I right so far?"

She didn't wait for the answer.

"I can tell you aren't gay and you are certainly not a bar fly. So," she put her index finger on her cheek, paused, and looked upwards, "You are a workaholic."

He smiled to tell her she was right. He told her everything else as well. How lonely he had become, how he had allowed his work to dictate the beat of his life.

She fixed her sleepy eyes on him and listened, really listened, as he downloaded his troubles.

The band had started again long before he had finished.

"Dave, your only problem is that you don't have any fun. Let's dance," she said, dragging him protesting off the stool to the dance floor.

They danced and laughed until the band finished. He corrected her English while she drank beer and filled his darkness with light. They went arm-in-arm back to his room with their ears ringing from the amplifiers, tipsy from beer and sweaty from the dancing.

They did not step out of the room for three days.

By the end of his month-long contract David had spent 10 days "sick". It was the first time he had ever lied to his employer. He had an excuse, he was desperately in love. He understood, fundamentally, that he couldn't live without her.

He asked her to marry him and she crushed his lips with her own in passionate acceptance.

She told him he was her knight in shining armor -- every girl's dream. She would have his children, build a home for him, build a life for him. One look in her eyes and he could see it was the truth.

David packed to go back to Australia. He had already been to the Embassy to start the long process of getting Ani a visa.

"Love was not enough," the embassy had said. They arranged to meet again in a month. David would return on holidays and they would go to Bali.

"Oh David, I love you so much I think a month will kill me, but Bali will be such fun, and then it won't be that long until we can be together always."

The delight never left her eyes as she said it. They said a tearful goodbye in their room, but neither could stop the tears starting again as David got into his cab.

That night Ani talked to David for two hours on the phone before wishing him good night.

"Hi Ani," the barman smiled, genuinely happy to see her as she came through the. "Where've you been?"

"Working, Eddy. Just working."