"My name is Skyler," he smiled again, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Hmm, good," I said, looking away.
"Uresa," he called my name, and I looked at him immediately.
"Hun."
"That's your name, right?" he said, smiling again.
"What? He knows my name already. What's the use of asking," I told myself.
"It's time to go home, it's getting late," I said and left the office.
We both entered the car, and it drove off.
"Hmm hmm," I cleared my throat to get his attention.
"What?" he said.
"How's your eyes, are they back to normal?" I asked.
He removed the glass and looked at me, "Is it?" he asked me.
"No, it's still glowing," I said and watched him put the glass on.
He sighed, "It only glows in the dark, I don't know what's happening?" he said.
We got home and entered only to see the whole family in the living room.
"Awwn, why is my son-in-law putting on shades in the house?" my mom said.
"Mom, you are here. I miss you," I said, kissing her on her cheek.
"I miss you too, dear," my mum said.
The stranger, I mean, Skyler just stood there looking at us. My sister-in-law suddenly snuck up behind him and removed the glass. As soon as the glass came off, Skyler turned his back to the family to hide those glowing eyes.
"What's wrong? Are you shy or what?" my sister-in-law said teasingly.
She moved close to him and tried to make him turn, but before she could do so, I screamed, "Ahh..."
Everyone looked at me, "What's wrong?" Finally getting their attention, I suddenly ran towards Skyler and used my hands to cover his eyes.
"Silly me, I forgot I have a surprise for my dear husband," I said, laughing hysterically.
"We will be right back for dinner," I said as I ushered Skyler to the room upstairs.
"Aw, I thought Andrew was the only one who loves being childish," my mom said.
OUR ROOM
I let go of my hands from his eyes and sat on the bed while he sat on the stool. I looked at him, and those eyes of his were still glowing.
"Still glowing?"
"Yes."
"Why are you helping me?" he said out of the blue.
"I don't understand?" I said.
"You could have used this opportunity to expose me in front of the whole family," he said.
"He's right, why didn't I think of this, if I had done that, the police would have arrested him." Different thoughts were running through my mind.
"Uresa!" he called.
"Hun?" I said.
"You did not answer my question?"
"I ... Wanted to..." Suddenly, the telephone rang.
"What's that?" he said startled.
"It is the telephone, I'll answer it." I stood up and picked up the call.
"Dinner is ready," my mother-in-law said over the phone.
"Yes, Mum."
"Pass the phone to Andrew, dear."
I passed the telephone to him. "Mother-in-law wants to speak with you," I said, giving him the telephone. I turned around and was about to leave the bedroom when I suddenly heard him drop it.
"What's wrong?" I said.
"Someone is inside that thing," he said, pointing to the telephone.
"What?" I picked the telephone up and placed it back. I looked at him, he looked startled. "Have you never seen anything like this before?" I said, pointing to the telephone. "No," he answered.
"You don't know what a telephone is?" I said, almost smiling.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It is used to receive a call from a distance without seeing the person," I answered.
"I have never heard of anything like that," he said, staring at the telephone.
I couldn't help but laugh, "here I was scared of this strange creature that had suddenly appeared one night, but it was not as scary as it seemed."
"Are you smiling?" he said, looking at me. The smile on my face quickly vanished, "No, am not," I said.
"This is the first time, am seeing a smile on your face. You cry most of the time when am around," he said.
He didn't stop looking at me; I felt uncomfortable and decided to change the topic when I suddenly noticed that his eyes were not glowing anymore.
"Hun, your eyes are normal now," I said.
"Really?" he said.
"Yes, they are not glowing anymore," I said.
He sighed and stood up, "let's go and have dinner, am sure they are waiting," he said lastly.
After having dinner, we both went back to the room; my mom was spending the night here, so we would have to share the room as a married couple. I don't want her coming in and seeing one of us sleeping on the cold floor.
I noticed Skyler was ready to leave the room, so I stopped him, "You are sleeping here tonight," I said. "You and I both know I don't sleep at night and I don't want to disturb you, so..." Before he could finish what he was saying, we both had a knock on the door.
"Uresa dear, are you asleep?" That's my voice.
"No, Mom, do you need something?" I asked.
"You and Andrew should come downstairs then, let's play a family game," she said.
"A family game?" I said to myself.
I looked at Skyler, "Change into your pajamas before going downstairs," I said to him.
We both went downstairs; he was wearing his pajamas, and I was wearing a nightgown.
"Awwn, the couples are here," my mom said. Looking at the situation on the ground, I immediately remembered that the night was a couple of nights.
"Come dear, you and your husband should sit next to each other," my mother-in-law said. The whole family was seated in two groups, but they all seemed to be looking at us.
"Well, let me do the introduction as the oldest member in this group," my mom said. She cleared her throat and began, "Welcome to couples night. This meeting is held every last night of each month. Now, the rules are very simple.
1. honesty," my mom said.
"Is that it?" I asked.
"You will get the other rules later in the game," my sister-in-law smiled mischievously.
"I recognized that smile anywhere," I said as I looked at her.
"Ok then, let's start. Each couple should pick a piece of paper from the box. Whatever question you find in the box is what you should ask your partner," my father-in-law said.
We all did as he said and picked one paper each. The way the rest of the family was staring at me and Skyler, I could tell something was wrong somewhere.
I opened my paper first and it said, "Tell me five important words that best describe me." I sighed after reading the paper.
"Tell us what's written in your paper, Uresa," my sister-in-law said.
I read it out to everyone and they all smiled. "I'm sure they planned this."
"What about you, Andrew? What's in your paper?" my mother asked him.
"List five things you believed I cherished most," he said.
"Great! Ok, who's going first?" father-in-law asked.
"Ladies first..." Skyler said.
I cleared my throat properly before speaking, "Family."
"Yes....." the family echoed.
"Friendship."
"Yes...."
"Me."
"Awwwn..."
"Your job."
"And...."
"Peace!"
They all clapped their hands, "now it's your turn," I said to him. "Don't you dare mess up," I whispered in his ear.
He also cleared his throat. I figured out he must have just copied me.
"The five important words that best describe you are...." He paused and took his time to look into my eyes as if he was searching for something.
Then suddenly he spoke, "Love, patience, cute, brilliant, and confidence."
The whole family applauded again. "That was fast," my mother-in-law said.
"I told you he knows her, didn't I," my mom said. And both of them laughed.
"Let's move to the next step then," my sister-in-law said.
"No!" I screamed.
"What's wrong?" the whole family asked.
"Mom, I'm tired. I didn't plan for this game. Can I please go to bed," I said with those cute eyes of mine.
"We are almost done, just..." Suddenly Skyler interrupted.
"Why didn't you tell me you were tired? Let me take you to your room," he stood up and carried me in his arms, leaving both me and my family stunned.