Honeymoon Baby

Chapter 5; Getting To Know You

Clink.

The sound of our glasses echoed throughout the now-empty bar.

The bartender looked at us, shook his head, and began filling up two more cups as I gestured for another two drinks.

"So we're getting to know each other now, huh? No more of that . . . "Stranger-Danger" stuff and now more like . . . friends?" Blake asked.

"Exactly!" I confirmed. "So who are you and what's your story?" I began first.

"Okay, well, the name's Blake Yao. I was born twenty-five years ago on January 6. Uh." Blake scratched his head. "I'm not really good at this stuff -"

"As I can clearly see." I said as laughed at him. "I can start first, if you want." I offered.

"No! I can . . . finish. Um, my story, huh? No one really asks about that. But anyway, I was adopted." I looked him in the eyes and listened. The bottle of liquor we ordered was only at about the half-way point. I poured a cup for both of us and we drank it together.

Blake continued, "I found my real parents, though. I mean, well - they found me. When I was about twelve years old, I went to live with them. They were amazing people! I couldn't believe that I had missed out on them. They treated me as if I had lived with them my entire life. Like I was raised by them. Meghan and Adam - the names of my parents - taught me so many things." Blake looked peaceful, talking about his parents.

"I moved out when I went to college. That was where I met Lillian. 'Most . . . amazing woman I had ever seen. I fell in love with her at first sight. I mean, I couldn't stop thinking about her, you know? You know that feeling? Like in those movies - I felt as if it were all a dream. Lillian was smart, beautiful, everything you could imagine in a woman. But like a dream, it did shatter. Lillian's past caught up with her and she chose her past over me - her future. We came here together, you know. To see if we could work things out. But she still left." Blake poured a drink for me then himself and we drank another cup together.

"Your turn." Blake smiled everything off and he had that carefree look again.

"I'm . . . " I sighed, "I don't think I'm really good at this stuff, either." We both laughed. My vision blurred here and there. "Okay!" I said, cutting off our laughter. "I'm Sage - Sage K- Sage Lee. I'm twenty-four. My birthday's August 14. I had a "normal" family life, I suppose. Well, for people like me, it's normal. I don't see my parents every day. I eat dinner alone sometimes - except when my older brother comes home. Let's see: I went to a private school most of my life. Then I went to a public college. My parents were furious - but they still supported me. I moved out a couple years back, after I finished college. I fell in love with a man named Daniel the following year. We've had rough patches every now and then, but I thought that was normal. Too bad he was in love with me." Blake looked at me, confused.

"And an old acquaintance of mine." Blake nodded while pouring a cup for both of us again. We drank again.

"I finally married him. A quickie in Las Vegas. My brother hated him. But my brother, Kyle, being my brother, said that if I was happy, he was happy. I came here. To this gorgeous, beautiful, amazing - place for my honeymoon." Blake was taken aback, but he listened as I continued.

"Don't worry, Blake of twenty-five years." I explained. "We broke up." He looked surprised again.

"Today, actually. Well - technically yesterday. But it's all good." I tried to coolly say as my eyes teared up. "He left me for a beautiful woman. More beautiful than me." I said, putting my hand to my chest. Blake grabbed my hand from my chest and held it in both of his hands and said, "No, Sage of twenty-four years. You're beautiful. Gorgeous! I don't know what kind of guy this Daniel guy was, but I'm pretty sure he was secretly blind!" Trying to cheer me up.

I could barely see or think straight anymore. I felt like giving my entire life story, every detail of every precious moment in my memory to him.

I was in the midst of pouring Blake and I a drink when the bartender interrupted.

"Excuse me, miss." I looked up to the bartender.

"It's getting late. Would you like me to call you an escort to your room?" I still looked blankly at him.

"No. I have him." I thought for a bit, then pointed to Blake. The bartender just nodded and looked away.

I finished pouring the drinks for the both of us and we drank it together after another clink.

"I think we should go now, before Mr. Grumpy over here turns to Mr. Angry." I whispered to Blake.

We both laughed and ran out of the bar, bringing the bottle of liquor and the two little glass cups. We went straight up to the elevator and pressed the button, laughing until we were both red and got the stares of the front-desk employees.

I held the liquor bottle tight in my right hand and Blake held the two cups together in his right hand. The doors opened and we entered. I pressed the button with the "23" on it. As the doors closed, our laughter calmed as Blake and I met each others' eyes.

Time slowed and everything seemed to go in slow motion. The alcohol was definitely taking its effect on me.

My grip tightened around the liquor bottle as Blake leaned in to kiss me. I didn't move back. I wasn't uncomfortable and I trusted that I was safe with him. Without thinking, I leaned in, too.