Epi 4: "Zephyrus: the god of the west wind"

Kisses linger. Kisses from your boyfriend, your mother, your dad, your niece and even from your dog. But eventually and unfortunately, a kiss from a handsome stranger does not just linger, but haunts and bites it's way through your brain and complicates your rather content and very much taken heart. It is a major catastrophe because one, I have been dreaming of Zephyrus whoever he is since that night, which was a good 4 nerve-wrecking nights ago. Reason number two, Midnight is still in Hawaii and will be in Hawaii until next week, which means that third, i won't be kissing him 'til then which leads us to reason number four: that stranger's mouth will continue to make a mess out of my quiet and dark-humored, happy life.

"Something is wrong, I can tell.", Jenine said the moment she settled on the couch Midnight loved to sit on. She was wearing an orange tube sundress and white ballerina flats.

"What brings you to my Midnight-less home?", i asked her.

"That is not the point, you are floating in another world and i can bet Midnight isn't even in it.", she continued, staring into my eyes, "You are painfully distracted since my party, did something happen?". She was worried, but i can see clearly that she is teasing me.

I stood up and started into the balcony where I watched the city from above. I noticed how the temperature has reached drastic changes from negative zero to this nice, cozy warmth. Global warming seems to be working overtime. Jenine followed me there and leaned on the railings, facing the other way, "You met Zephyrus didin't you?", she asked.

I sharply turned my head to face her, "You know him? I mean, of course you do because he gallantly marched all night at your party but,do you know him?". The glint in her eyes as i raised the question meant one thing: she understood what i meant, which is proof that she is indeed my friend.

She gently shook her head. It took me a few seconds to notice that her eyes were dancing, the next thing i knew, she was laughing her head off. "What is so funny?", i asked, my eyebrows raised and my temper slightly flaring.

She stopped laughing and looked at me with a flabbergasted look on her face, "Your temper is actually flaring, you haven't done that human thing for a really long time now," she quipped, "You're losing control.", she concluded.

"I am not!", and i realized too late that i just raised my voice. "Bummer, I am losing control."

"And you're worried?", jenine questioned as she sat on the railings and looked to the same direction as i am. "What happened that night?"

The roads below were busy and people flew from one place to another. I sighed and asked her, "Should i be worried?"

"I don't know.Should you?"

"Are you?", i asked again.

"Honestly, yes." It was at that point that i looked at her.

"Why?"

I watched her take a cigarette from her purse and lit it with the lighter she "stole" from me a few weeks ago, then, she handed me one. I was lighting mine when she spoke, "You know better than I do. And i also know that you're only asking me to be sure which i must say is pretty useless since you have this big brain that just gets to the conclusion before anyone does."

I chuckled and lay my head on the railings, holding my cigarette in my left, outstretched hand. "My big brain says I'm in trouble."

I heard her cough a little, "and you're big brain knows why.", she whispered. I straightened my back and took a puff from my cigar, "Midnight's not coming back in ten days.", i told her, "I miss him."

Jenine's cigar has burned up, she casually threw it on the trash I positioned at the corner of the balcony. "Let's hope Midnight comes back before Zephyrus does," she said as she walked to the door leading to the living room. She stood before the front door, turned her back and reached for the knob. She turned her head enough to meet my eyes, "after all, a perfectly handsome man named after the god of the west wind must not be taken lightly.", then she smiled and left, closing the door behind her.

It is these days off from work that we hold our own little meeting anywhere we choose too. We talk about our lives, about Prada shoes and Gucci bags, Paris and Egypt and yes, we talk about crap and we laugh at shit, we even argue about life and death.

I can bet that this certain meeting: her face, her orange sundress and ballerina flats, the couch, the cigars, the lighter, the balcony, the trash in the balcony, and the dramatic little talk we had before she closed the door, will be one hell of a memory i will never ever forget. Especially because not all meetings can make my instincts spiral into a highway of visions and premonitions. My granny always said there are conversations that will change the course of one's life completely, my mother called it "a historical road-bend". They both said that one day, a single spontaneous spark will trigger an explosion that i will fear and love at the same time. They strongly advised that i do not argue with fate or battle it out with destiny because "my dear, you will be blown away and you must accept that there are things you cannot help or change" and that "the unexpected can make you happy in ways the expected never could."

Sitting here, on the nice warm floor of the balcony, i conclude that Jenine, my mother and my wonderful granny must be one soul divided into three.

As much as i would like to defend and reason against their principle, i know deep inside that there is a "fairytale reality" in what they believed in and that even a dark-humored cinderella would start dancing on those crazy glass shoes.

My boyfriend was named in relation to the sorcerry of the multi-dimensional midnight-- mysterious, deep, enchanted and magical, where beginnings and ends meet.

But to be haunted by the kiss of a stranger named after the god of the west wind?

Jenine was right, Zephyrus must not be taken lightly:

He just might come in his godly breeze,

and blow me away.