Into the Light

13. Some Enchanted Evening

I'm pretty proud of myself. Not a single wince, even though I'm walking down the stairs after Chaim and Kim. Okay, so their backs are turned, but there still might be people in the hotel lobby to see any suspicious expressions. I can only hope that I'm not walking in some funny way; there's only so much I can do about that.

Sure Rashim warned me that my muscles would get sore at first. But fuck it, I had no idea that I have so goddamn many muscles that can get sore, let alone in so many weird places. It's a good thing that nobody was around to listen to me three days ago, when I woke up in the morning after the first training session which I had carried out slowly and methodically under Rashim's alert eye. The steady stream of curses that was required to fortify my resolve to get my protesting body moving once more didn't sound too good even in my own ears.

However, I'm pretty proud of myself now. Rashim told me that the best cure for stiff muscles is to gently keep working them, and that's exactly what I've done. I have now done the warm-up and stretch routine every single day since. And I'm still alive. Well, okay, four days, but anyway!

So, even though my legs are a bit tottery, and every muscle in my thighs threatens to just give in any moment, and I can't understand how even my buttocks can be aching like this - I'm descending the stairs gracefully enough. It may be a far cry from my usual smoothness, but this is the best I can muster right now, and it's pretty good in my own estimation. Besides, even at my absolute best I still pale next to Rashim who, even at his most careless and casual, still is that old cliché come to life: poetry in motion...

Hmm, too bad that Rashim is working tonight. Pity, really. On the other hand, now I have an opportunity to spend an evening with Chaim and Kim. It's been a while, there have been days when we've hardly seen each other, and that really is a shame. My fault, of course, I've been pretty preoccupied... but tonight I'll get up to date with what they've been doing in the meantime.

Chaim glances at me and slows down, or rather shortens his step a little. With those legs he can look like he's ambling even though a medium-height person such as me has to trot to keep abreast. He doesn't say anything, but the delicate twitch of his lips rather makes me think that he's noticed something amiss but doesn't want to comment. Tactful.

Only several minutes later it occurs to me that he might be suspecting something that's very very far from the truth.

Oh well. If only. I try to stretch my step, to find the optimum pace where I appear to be walking in a cool and casual fashion, not like my ankles were tied together with a very short rope, and yet without yelping at every step. Luckily we're really not in a hurry, and the air around is so soft and wonderful that it's practically begging us to idle. I'm grateful for the small blessings today.

"Let's turn left there." Kim points towards the next crossing of sandy park walks. I'm surprised; I usually walk straight ahead from there.

"Where are we going?"

"To a club," Chaim says. "We'll dine there, and enjoy some good music."

Ahh, highly promising. No dancing tonight, if you please.

"It's called 'The Black Cat'," Kim adds. "We both really like the place."

So at least they've found a favorite club. However, lounging in clubs is only one thing they've been doing recently. Like me, they both have changed color considerably over the past few weeks, and the rolled-up sleeve of Chaim's off-white linen suit reveals that it's not just their faces. Against his tanned skin the plain, simple ring on my friend's finger gleams dully, catching my eye. I blink. A ring? Chaim doesn't wear jewelry, ever...

"Toni?"

I spin around at the questioning voice. Oh gods, it is him! "Rashim!"

He's standing a few yards behind us, hair tousled, looking flustered. "Sorry." He smiles a bit. "I, uh... I'll be off."

"Don't be silly!" Oh, how good that body feels against me. He tastes salty-sweet. "You didn't have to work so late after all?"

"Nobody wanted to stay all night in that warehouse, so we skipped all breaks and really went for it." Rashim sighs, content, then his gaze flickers uncertainly towards my waiting friends. "But hey, you're going out so I won't be keeping you - just thought I'd drop by."

"You're going nowhere!" I squeeze him tighter. "You have the rest of the night off, so you'll come with us to - what did you say that place is called?"

"The Black Cat," Chaim supplies helpfully.

"The Cat?" Rashim's eyes go wide. "No way, Toni, I'm not dressed for that!"

"Rubbish." I kiss him once more. "You look gorgeous enough for any place, and no wiggling loose now! We'll go back to get you one of my jackets, that's all you need. Come on!"

Rashim is protesting all the way back to the hotel, but he doesn't sound altogether too convincing and so I simply drag him along. Now I even have someone to moan to as I climb the stairs up to my room... Better not give him too much time to think, so I just push him into the bathroom to have a quick wash while I rummage in my wardrobe. A fresh shirt and my dark green jacket fit him well enough and look really good on him, he accepts them with only minimum coaxing, and less than fifteen minutes later we're back in the small park.

Chaim and Kim have sat down on a bench, I can see the dull glow of a cigarette in the dusk. Rashim's hand slips into mine. Heavens, surely the divine creature beside me isn't feeling shy? He shifts a little closer, I sense slight hesitation in his step and let my arm wrap around his waist. He lets out a small, grateful sigh. Adorable.

"Well, that was quick!" Chaim straightens himself to his full height and smiles. "So nice to get to know you, Rashim. I'm Chaim, and this is Kim."

Rashim relaxes a little, he and Kim look at each other with clear interest, but proper talking can wait until we get to sit down. Rashim seems to know where the place is, he suggests a shortcut through an alley, and Chaim hums in surprised pleasure as we turn a corner and see the shape of a huge cat against the darkening sky.

The figure has been cut out of a thick plate of black iron, a couple of lamps illuminate it so that eerie light seems to shine out of its eyes. The door is below it, and we hear music even it opens.

There are a lot of people, and quite a few of them - including the dashing bartender - greet us as we step in. But despite the crowd, we find an empty table waiting. Rashim is looking around in interest as he settles in one of the luxurious armchair-like contraptions surrounding the table.

"Ever been here before?"

"Once," he says. "This is so classy..."

I must agree with him. At first glance the place looks slightly odd, but it oozes a peculiar, laid-back style of its own. It's fascinating.

I cock an eyebrow as a waiter appears and greets my friends like long lost relatives. "Regular customers, hmm?"

"You could say so... we've been here a lot since we first found the place," Chaim grins.

"The things I don't know!" I shake my head, but he just chuckles.

"Likewise, Toni dear, likewise! For instance, why do we meet Rashim only now?"

It doesn't take long before Rashim is completely at ease, chatting easily with all of us as we wait for our meals. Kim is interested in Rashim's dancing and bombards him with questions - good going, Kim, no better way to make Rashim unwind as getting him talk about his favorite topic. We talk, we laugh, and when our dinner arrives, all tension has vanished.

I must concede that Chaim was right in praising the kitchen here. Rashim is savoring his giant prawns, I nearly forget my fillets as I watch him suck the thick sauce from them before he sinks his teeth into them. But only nearly, the food is too delicious to miss.

After dinner I'm ready for a few cigs and perhaps a round of billiards, but my friends have another surprise up their sleeve. A darkly tanned man of about fifty has been hovering somewhere in my peripheral vision for a while, and finally he stops to stand next to Chaim. I grant him a suspicious glance but Kim raises his glass of cider in greeting as Chaim glances up with a grin.

"Hi there, Doy," he says. "What, is our period of grace over?"

"Sorry to disturb," the dark man says, "but I noticed you've finished your dinner, and some of the guys are getting fidgety."

"Okay, Doy, in a second." Chaim chuckles. "Just let me introduce a couple of friends. These are Toni and Rashim - guys, meet Doy, the owner of this place."

"King's friends are my friends," the man says generously, and I nearly choke. King? King? "The next round is on the house, gentlemen. But really, how about...?"

"Sure, sure!" Chaim stands up. Kim waggles his fingers.

"Enjoy," he says quizzically. "I'll be over in a moment."

I don't understand a thing, so I just watch while Chaim picks his way through the crowded place, climbs on the low stage and sits by the piano. Looks like he's been expected; the band welcomes him enthusiastically as he pushes his sleeves up higher and lowers his hands on the keys.

Oh gods. Chaim sometimes played for me, years ago. He loved it, I loved it. And he sure is loving every minute now as he lets his big elegant hands caress the instrument. But this music is different from what I remember. This is Dirna.

There's so much going on all the time, and yet he and the others seem to understand each other flawlessly. He's smiling softly. It makes my heart constrict in awe and envy. It's like the understanding flowing through Rith's group of dancers in motion. Like the band we saw, in the park. No words are needed, it's on a higher plane, and I long to some day reach something like that, if only for a moment, somehow, with someone.

The music goes on and on, and at some point a voice joins the harmony. I have no idea when Kim has slipped away, but the fact is that he's now sitting on a bar stool next to the piano and singing his heart out. His voice is surprisingly dark and mellow, it carries the melody effortlessly, drops to coo with the guitar, only to challenge the horns into a duel a moment later. It's spectacular. It takes my breath away.

Beside me, Rashim just stares, swaying a little, and sighs incredulously. I touch his shoulder and he smiles, squeezes into the same chair with me and simply melts against me. We kiss, and I'm ready to officially declare this night absolutely perfect. Never mind that right now about half a dozen muscles are emphatically telling me that it's not such a perfect world after all.