The Voices You Hear

...when the lights dance

"I think you're gorgeous, Maine..."

She was inching towards him, and as she closed her eyes anticipating the feel of his lips, she felt the brush of his fingers.

"...but you got some bacon bit on your lip."

She quickly opened her eyes and saw the piece of bacon on his finger tip, and ate it, making a popping sound as he took out his finger.

Why was that so hot? Maine thought as she unconsciously swallowed, distracted by what Richard just did. She moved away from him, feeling her face getting warm, from embarrassment or from his touch, she didn't know anymore. She just knew that her armpits were getting sticky because of sweat, and an unsettling feeling down her core. And Richard was still looking at her intensely.

She stood up and went to the banister of the balcony, and looked out into the city lights. She forgot that they were way up on the 24th floor of his condominium building, so when she stood on tiptoe to look down she got dizzy and made a wrong step backwards, twisting her ankle and almost fell.

"Maine!"

Richard was quick to catch her, his arms going around and pulling her to him, embracing her in effect. She had her eyes closed for she felt like everything was spinning and the lights were blinking around her insanely.

"Maine? Are you ok?"

"Hmm. Give me a sec. Everything's spinning. Whoa! What are you doing?"

Richard lifted her up and went back in, bringing her to the couch so she can lie down.

"Oh dearie, what happened?! Richard, she looks pale!"

"Goodness golly! Did she faint? Is she breathing? Oh my, oh my! Maine! Please say something!"

"Relax guys, she got dizzy and almost fell."

"Richard make sure her head is elevated. Get the pillow. Remy, stop bouncing about! You'll only make her dizzier!"

"I'm fine Bel, Remy, don't worry. It's my fault, I looked over the balcony edge and got dizzy. And I think I've had my fill of wine already."

"Enough wine for you then. Just stay there, I think I have some aromatic oil in my room, it might help you with the spinning feeling."

Richard stood up and went to his room. Maine still had her eyes closed, but the spinning has lessened. She attempted to lift her head up but immediately hit the pillow back again.

"Whoops, not good. Ugh."

"Oooh Maine, please stay down. Goodness, Richard will be back. Oh my, you look whiter than white. Oh my oh my. Please lie back down, please, please..."

"Dearie, what do you feel?"

"Uhm, my head feels heavy but things don't feel spinning anymore. Well, still spinning but not as fast as earlier."

"Hey, don't stand yet."

"I told her that! I told her that! Oooh, Richard is she going to be ok? Is she? Is she?"

"I'll be fine, Remy, please don't worry."

"Remy, stop bouncing please. She might get dizzy again."

"Oops, ok ok. I'll stop. Sorry. Oh dear me, please be ok, pretty Maine."

She swore she heard a sob from Remy, making her open one eye. She saw Richard hovering above her, a bottle of oil on one hand and a cotton ball on the other.

"Did Remy just... sob?"

"Yeah. He gets that way, but no tears."

"I do cry! I cry inside!"

Maine laughed at what the remote said, slightly throwing her head back and immediately regretting doing so for she was hit with another bout of dizziness.

"Ugh."

"Lie still. Hold this, there, and just sniff. It'll help you calm your senses. I'll get you some cold water."

She heard the opening of the refrigerator, and faint whispers between Bel and Richard. She could still sense Remy by her side, and a slight touch to her arm. She opened her eyes and saw Remy leaning on her.

"Aww, Remy. I'm fine. Please don't worry."

"Really? Like really, really? I won't bounce anymore, I promise. I really won't. Promise."

Richard was back by her side after a few minutes, and held out a glass of cold water to her.

"Here, drink this. Have you had these spells before?"

"Hmm. I think this is the third time. It happens usually when I've had a late night. I guess what made it worse now is the wine."

"And leaning over the balcony edge all of a sudden."

"Well, yeah. That, too. Haha."

Richard reached out and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. And let his hand linger by the side of her face. She looked at him and felt breathless again.

"I think I better get home."

"Huh?"

Maine slowly sat up, and drank the water that Richard offered. She still felt a little groggy, but she can handle her balance better.

"Don't force it yet, Maine. Please, lie down for a while."

"I feel better, Richard, I'm ok."

"Maine."

She looked at him and saw that he had this stern look again. She felt a little intimidated at first, but she breathed deeply and sat up straight.

"Richard, I said I'm fine."

"Look, I feel bad that we've only met less than 24 hours ago and I've already given you a nasty scar on your chin and now you got dizzy here in my house. I'm afraid of what might happen if I just let you leave like this."

Richard's eyes were pleading and it melted her heart. She held his hand (damn, they're soft!) and looked at him fondly.

"I'm not blaming you for what happened. But ok, so that you won't feel this way, I'll stay awhile. But promise to bring me home in an hour, Bic won't let me hear the end of it if I get home later than 11. And Binky will be in fits if she learns that I got dizzy again."

"Ok. An hour. Enough time for me to do the dishes, and for you to just relax. Uhm, do you want to watch TV?"

"Oooh, yes! Do you? Do you? I'll only show the good channels, the good ones! Do you like
movies? Talk shows? Sports? You don't have to lift a finger! Oooh, goodness golly! Maine's going to watch TV!"

Maine lifted Remy up and smiled at the remote.

"Well, Remy, show me your stuff."

Remy did another backflip and turned the TV on. A flat screen TV was mounted on the wall of Richard's receiving area that Maine didn't notice earlier. As Remy surfed through the channels, giving Maine a 'tour', Richard called out from the kitchen where he was already doing the dishes.

"Uhm, Maine? If you don't mind me asking, who's Binky?"