It was almost night when Maria put the book on the table and closing her eyes, moved her neck from side to side and massaged her left shoulder with a hand then. She had stayed on the bed until Altair had gone to sleep, but soon after got up and resolved to look at the books to find out more where they were.
Now, it didn't take long for her to hear footsteps behind her.
"Did you sleep well, habib?" She asked without turning.
"Yes…" Altair said. "I really needed that…"
Maria nodded.
"I could give you a massage, but I only have one good hand right now…" He said.
Maria smiled.
"Don't worry…" she said.
"Changing the subject, I have a surprise for you…" He said.
Maria turned to him.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"You'll see…" Altair said. "I have to see if Connor brought what I asked…"
"I'll get ready, then…" Maria said.
He nodded and kissed her before going down the hall.
X ~ X ~ X
As soon as Altair finished getting downstairs, Connor entered the house.
"Where's Maria?" Connor asked.
"Changing…" Altair answered.
"We'll put the things on the kitchen…" Connor said.
Altair nodded.
"What did you bring?" He asked.
"Anne did some fish we caught on the river today and my mother send other things too…" Connor explained as two other men entered the house and went to the kitchen.
Altair nodded
"Achilles said he would eat with us…" Connor said.
"Thanks, Connor…." Altair said.
Connor nodded.
"By the way, Dobby send this…" Connor said, giving him the flowers.
Altair raised his eyebrows,
"White flowers?" he asked.
"Women need a little romance…" Connor said. "Besides, she wanted to apologize for earlier…"
"I know… my sisters always say this to me…" Altair said, picking the flowers from Connor's hand. "But it's not wise to say Dobby's name… they argued earlier…"
"Ok…" Connor said. "Let me put this into the kitchen…"
Altair nodded.
X ~ X ~ X
Maria finished getting ready. She could hear the voices of Altair and Connor down the corridor. Sighing, she decided to leave the room.
When she appeared, the voices stopped. She looked at her side and they were standing there, looking at her.
Maria smiled.
"What are you doing?" She asked
"We were waiting for you…" Altair said.
Maria walked to them.
"Do you want to give your present first?" Connor asked.
Altair denied.
"Go ahead…"
"My mother sent you a present…" Connor said, giving her a collar with a small carved wooden animal
"An Eagle…" She said, putting the collar on. "My favorite animal…"
She looked at him and hugged him quickly.
"Thanks…" She said. "And thanks your mother for me…"
Connor nodded and said:
"Well, I'll let you alone now…"
They said goodbye and Connor left, letting the alone.
"So…" Altair said, turning to look at her.
Maria looked at him and noticed he was hiding something.
"What do you have there?" She asked.
"A simple present… certainly not so elaborated like your collar…" He said. "I don't think you'll like it…"
"Coming from you?" Maria said. "Even if you give me a stone, I would love…"
"Even if it last a few days?" Altair asked.
Maria nodded.
Altair then gave her the white flowers. Maria picked it and smelled. Then she looked at him and kissed him.
"Thanks, habib…" She said.
Altair hugged her for a few seconds. When they separated, he asked:
"Shall we go to eat?"
Maria raised an eyebrow.
"So, that's what you were doing with Connor?" She asked.
"And with Achilles…" He confessed.
She nodded and they walked into the kitchen. Anne was still there, preparing the table and their place.
"Thanks, Anne…" Altair said.
"I hope everything is good…" Anne said. "Well, let me go see if Achilles needs something… happy birthday, Maria…"
"Thanks…" Maria said.
Anne left, letting them alone. Maria then turned to Altair and said:
"You always surprise me, you know?"
She kissed his cheek and that sat on their places.
X ~ X ~ X
After dinner, Maria got up, cleaned everything and put the plates on the sink. Then she picked up a wooden glass and put some water for the flowers she had won. When she turned, Altair was looking at her, with a grin on his face.
"What do you have in that mind of yours?" She asked.
He sighed and asked:
"Do you know how much I want to marry you?"
"I know…" Maria said, approaching. "And I with you…"
"What do you think if we marry here?" He asked again.
Maria raised her eyebrows.
"Here?" She asked. "With what is happening here? And our friends? Malik, Aisha and Laila?
"We don't know when we're going to return home, Maria…" Altair said. "And if we're going to see them again…"
Maria nodded.
"So, what do you think?" Altair asked again. "There are people who can do this for us…"
Maria approached him and nodded:
"I accept…" She said. "When do you want to do this?"
"If I could, I would do it tomorrow…" Altair said. "But with this thing with George Washington happening this week…"
Maria nodded.
"After this, then…"
She kissed him.
"I wanted to give you more today, but I had to be hurt…"
Maria laughed.
"We have time later…" She said. "Come on, let's go to our room…"