WHAT WOULD I GIVE JUST FOR ONE OF YOUR SMILES   by Enola

James was in Martin’s office looking out the window whilst having a cigarette. It was raining, so before leaving, he asked one of Martin’s collaborators to call him a cab. Some minutes later, he said bye to everyone and left the building, the cab was waiting for him. Not much later, he realised that the driver kept on glancing at the rear-view mirror and watched making him feel not at ease.
“Pardon me,” said the taxi driver, “but aren’t you that singer—my daughter’s got your posters everywhere in her room! Walls, door, wardrobe”
James couldn’t help but smile. That wasn’t the first time someone recognised him, but every time that this happened made him feel in the same way: he was terribly embarrassed and could hardly speak. On the contrary, the taxi driver couldn’t control his excitement wondering what his daughter would say once she knew he had had her idol in his cab. The taxi driver went on telling James that his daughter, who was sixteen, couldn’t stop listening to their CD’s and watching their DVD’s. He also said that before going to her first gig she had bought herself a feather boa and a sparkling tiara since all her friends had them. James wasn’t any surprised by that, he had got used to seeing tons of girls wearing them but just the thought of them made him laugh. As the taxi driver turned and handed him a notebook so that he could sign an autograph for his daughter, James noticed that the traffic light had turned red and some people were crossing the road.
“Watch out!” screamed James. The taxi driver braked immediately. They heard a dog whining and a woman shouting:
“Toby! Toby!” James rushed out of the cab and saw a woman bent down over a bleeding yellow Labrador. As he went closer he realised he was a guide dog.
“Are you alright?” asked James clearly shaken up. The woman was stroking her dog whilst crying copiously.
“Please, help my dog! Please!” she sobbed out. James took the dog in his arms as gently as possible while the taxi driver took a blanket out of the bonnet and put it over the backseat. James asked the taxi driver to help the woman getting into the cab as he laid down the dog on the backseat and sat next to him. The woman, who was sitting on the passenger seat, kept on stroking him whilst speaking to him sweetly.
“Toby, I’m here. Please, don’t leave me.”

The woman gave the taxi driver Toby’s vet address and a quarter later they arrived there. James wrapped the blanket around the dog and took him in his arms again. As soon as they entered the surgery the woman called the vet’s name.
“Chloe? What happened?” said the vet when he saw her and going closer took her hand.
“Toby’s been knocked down by a cab,” she said in a state of grate agitation.
“Calm down now! You’re okay?” She reassured him, so the vet asked James to carry Toby in the other room and told his assistant to lead her to the ladies so that she could wash her hands which were covered in blood.

Having paid the taxi driver, James sat down in the waiting room and a moment later he saw the two women returning. He got up as they came closer and sat down again next to the dog’s owner. She still was upset so James took her hands in his and comforted her.
“I’m sure it’s nothing serious.”
“Thank you. It’s very kind of you. You don’t need to stay here with me.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t mind.” James explained that he was in that cab and even though he wasn’t driving he felt a bit responsible since he was talking with the taxi driver.
She was a very pretty woman around 30 with long dark brown straight hair which fell over her back. Her eyes where green and James thought it was a crying shame that such beautiful eyes couldn’t see.
Some minutes later the vet went and told her that one of Toby’s front paws was broken and that he wanted the dog to stay there for a couple of days at least, so he suggested going home. She asked to see her dog first and James went with her. As she called his name, the dog wagged his tail and gave a weak bark. James was relieved to see a tender smile lighting up her face when Toby licked her hands.
“Hey sweetie! It’s alright, I’m coming again tomorrow, okay? You have some rest.”

“Come,” said James, “I’ll bring you home.”
“Don’t bother. I can call a friend.”
“Why call somebody else when I’m here already?”
Although she couldn’t see him, she knew he was smiling at her. She perceived it thanks to the sound of his voice so calm and soft. He was a nice and kind guy, so why shouldn’t have her accepted his courtesy? She grasped his arm and they left.

He walked her to the door. He had made her burst into laughs when leaving the vet’s surgery he had said he would take the place of Toby for that day even though he was aware that he wouldn’t be as good as her doggie. He assured her he would do his best and promised not to make her fall down.
“Here we are. You’ve reached home safe and well!”
She gave a short laugh as she opened the door and said, “ You just deserve a cup of tea!”
As they stepped in she left go her grip on his arm and invited him to follow her into the kitchen. She took the kettle and filled it with water before putting it over the cooker, the she took two mugs from the cupboard. James was looking at her in silence with an astonished expression in his face.
“Don’t look at me like that now!” she protested jokingly. “I know I can’t see you but I do know how you’re looking at me.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just that you move as if you weren’t…ehm”
“The word is blind. Don’t be scared of using it.” She smiled pouring the water into the mugs.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” said James clearly perplexed.
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ve learnt how to do it without burning my hands. Now they are much more sensitive. When I touch something it is as if I can see it. For instance, before when you grasped my hands I felt yours are big, strong but also gentle…and that you wear a ring, is it an engagement ring perhaps?”
“I’m speechless,” he laughed. “Anyway, it’s not an engagement ring.”

She had had a dreadful car accident seven years earlier. The airbag had saved her life but the violent impact made her lose her sight. She considered herself lucky since her life hadn’t changed that much. She had been forced to drop her job as paintings restorer and gave up painting. The pictures James could see up on the walls had been made by herself. The one behind him was the last one; she had started it a week before the accident and couldn’t finish it. Apart from that, she did the same things she did before the accident: she cooked, went to the gym, swimming, gigs—and even went for a bicycle ride every now and then.
“You bike?” asked James incredulous,
“Yes. I ride tandem, but always behind somebody else!”
Despite her handicap, she hadn’t lost her sense of humour and James was more and more amazed by her attitude. He was filled with admiration for the way she faced her condition.

The next day James went to her again. He got surprised when, having pressed the entryphone, a male voice answered. James said who he was and asked for Chloe and the man invited him to enter.
“So you are James!” said the man smiling widely as he let James step in. He stretched out his hand and introduced himself, “I’m Walt and I’m so pleased to meet you. Chloe told me everything about yesterday and I wanted to thank you.” He was still shaking James’s hand and was patting him on the other arm. “Hey darling, you’ve got a visit.” He said aloud, then he went on speaking to James. “Fancy a drink?”
James was about to say he didn’t mean to bother them, he had just dropped in on Chloe to know how she was when she exited her room.
“Hi Chloe,” said James warmly.
She smiled broadly when she heard his voice, “James! What a nice surprise!”
“Well guys,” said Walt, “now I leave you alone.” He wrapped his arm around Chloe and kissed her on the forehead, “Honey, see you later,” then he turned towards James and went on, “James thanks again for taking care of my little sister!” they shook hands again and he eventually left.

“So that was your brother,” said James trying to hide his relief,
“Yes, who did you think he were?”
He shrugged and giggled, “Um, I don’t know!”
Chloe explained they went to the vet’s and that Toby was fine. The vet said she could bring him home the next day and she was very happy about that since she missed him to death. In seven years they had never parted and now she felt a bit lonely even though her brother and sister-in-law lived next door. She missed her dog deeply because he was a part of her and her most faithful friend. She loved to talk to him and she was sure he loved listening to her.
“You can talk to me,” said James grasping her hand, “I’d love to listen to you too.”
“Aww! You’re so sweet!”
“Now take your jacket, I’ve got a surprise for you!”

James’s surprise was a ride on a tandem he hired at Battersea Park. She jumped up and down with excitement like a child and he looked at her amused, glad he was making her content.
They were cycling happily when they found themselves on the ground all of a sudden. James fell down on his side and Chloe over him. James’s first worry was Chloe’s safety. She spluttered and burst into a convulsive laughter which prevented her from speaking. She buried her face in his chest and laughed so heavily her eyes filled with tears.
“What the hell happened?” she eventually managed to say still laughing. James, relieved by her laughter, laughed as well and said,
“A kid running after a ball crossed my way.”
She spluttered again and pulled back a bit, “Oh boy! You’re a danger to the public! Two accidents in two days—don’t you have anything to say?”
Although the tone of her voice was playful, he felt guilty, “I’m so sorry, really!”
“Hey? I was only joking!” she smiled, then her hand searched for his face and she planted a friendly kiss on his cheek.
“Oh! What was that kiss for?”
“To thank you ‘cos you’re making me have fun like mad.”
They both rose to a sitting position and James said, “Happy to do that babe! Sure you’re not hurt?”
“Yes, I fell over you, remember? Did I hurt you?”
“No,” he laughed quietly, then he went on in a playful complaining tone, “but I hit half bum on the fucking ground!”
“Aww! Fancy a massage?”
“Ahem,” he giggled looking down,
“Hey? Don’t tell me you turned red?”
“Um, I think so!”
She started hitting him on the arm with her elbow urging him in a joking way, “C’mon, you know you want it!”

Chloe invited James to have dinner with her at her place. Just when they got there she remembered she was out of wine so James offered to go and buy a couple of bottles. When he returned he put one of the bottles in the refrigerator and the other in the freezer so that it could have cooled before consuming their meal. Chloe had already peeled and cut some different kinds of fruit and now was cutting an apple into small cubs to make some fruit salad.
“Why don’t you leave it with me? I wouldn’t like to eat bit of your fingers too.”
“Ah ah! How funny! You’re a fucking pain in the arse!” she laughed, “I won’t cut myself. You know why I miss Toby? ‘Cos he can’t speak!”
“But I can bark if you like. By the way, I rented some DVD’s so we might watch” the tone of his voice was calm but he stopped when he realized he had said something stupid. “Fuck! I’m sorry, I’m just an idiot!”
She gave a short laugh, “Know what’s your problem? You worry too much. I’ve got plenty of DVD’s but I put them on when I’m not alone so the others can tell me what happens during the scenes without any dialogues. If you don’t mind doing the sa…”
“Not at all,” he hastened to say before she could finish, “it’s not a problem.”

Having eaten, James went to the lounge to set the DVD player while Chloe served up the fruit salad onto two goblets. James gave Chloe a detailed description of every single scene depicting characters physically and the clothes they were wearing. As the film finished they kept talking about it. They both enjoyed it but James felt sorry she couldn’t watch it. Actually, he felt miserable. She was forced to live in the darkness and the only thing James could think was that it wasn’t fair.
“It’s getting late,” said James looking at his watch, “guess you’re exhausted.”
“Um, not much actually. I think that’s ‘cos it’s been such a nice day and I’ve had so much fun I still am too excited for feeling tiredness.”
James took her hands in his and moved a tuft of hair from her face brushing her cheeks, “I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed yourself. I’ve had fun too.” His voice had sunk to a whisper and he was stroking her hair, “Shame the day’s already finished.”
She smiled and after some moments of silence she breathed, “It’s up to us. It won’t finish if we don’t want it to.”
James went closer and put his lips over hers kissing her softly. She cupped his face in her hands and returned the kiss. She brushed his lips and chin with her fingers. She hadn’t touched his face yet and she was dying to know what he was like.
“Do you mind if I”
“No.” James didn’t let her finish. He knew she needed to feel him with her hands. She explored his face in an extreme careful way without leaving out any detail. She started from his hair, then her hands went down to his forehead, his eyebrows, his nose, his ears, his jaw and stopped over his cheeks again.
“You’re a very handsome man James,” smiled she sweetly.
He giggled, “You’re too kind and far more beautiful.” His lips captured hers again and he pulled her towards him gently, so they kissed passionately.

Yes, she was beautiful. That was what he thought the next morning when he opened his eyes and saw her sleeping peacefully close to him. He fondled her arm whilst unforgettable memories of the previous night ran through his head unceasingly. The thought of her hands exploring his body inch by inch still sent shivers down his spine.
“Mornin’ honey!” He kissed her on the forehead as she opened her eyes and she greeted him back yawning with her hand before her mouth. “Slept well?”
“Mmm—yes, definitely!” She smiled at him wrapping her arm around him, so he stroke her long dark brown hair and they cuddled and kissed.
“What time do you have to go to the vet’s?”
“Whenever I like. Why?”
“I was thinking we may go to my place first so I can have a shower and shave.”
Chloe cupped his face in her hands and breathed, “I like your stubble. As for the shower,” she paused and got out of bed, then standing completely naked in front of him, she went on, “we might share it!”
James watched her leaving the room with a lustful look in his eyes. She was beautiful, intelligent and extremely agreeable. They had only known for two days but he was already mad about her. He joined her under the shower and they made love.

During the following couple of weeks James spent a great deal of time at her place. He went to pick her up at work and went with her to do the shopping. When she was at work he enjoyed looking after Toby. He took the dog out for a short walk so that he could empty his bowels and keep him fit. James looked at Toby with tenderness as he walked on three paws and when they got back home he loved to cuddle him and play with him. He knew that Labradors are among the most playful and quietest breeds since Molly, Nicky’s black Labrador, was extremely kind to his friend’s little girl Clara. Chloe had told James that they were the most used as guide dogs just thanks to their good nature.

“We’ve never talked about this properly,” said James one evening lying over the sofa close to Chloe, “is it permanent? I mean your blindness. Is there noth…”
“I don’t really understand why you come out with this now.” Her voice sounded clearly annoyed.
“I was just wondering if you’ve ever thought about seeing some specialists”
She stood up immediately and put her hands to her face before speaking angrily, “You don’t have the least idea of how many oculists I consulted after the accident.”
“That was seven years ago,” he said quietly, “science progresses day after day, perhaps nowadays”
“James stop it!” she said aloud, “I am blind. I’ve accepted that. If you can’t, we’ve got no reason to stay together.”
James got up and went closer, “Chloe I’m just”
“Please, leave me alone!”
He took his jacket and went away.

The next day James bought a huge bunch of tulips and went back to her flat. He met Walt who was taking Toby out, so he could enter the building without pressing the entryphone button. He knocked at Chloe’s door and she opened it once he said his name. She smelt the tulips and thanked him letting him step in. She walked to the kitchen and put the flowers into a vase with some water, so he hugged her apologizing.
“You know what I can’t accept?” he said in her ear holding her tight, “I can’t accept you can’t see my face when you open your eyes in the morning as I see yours ‘cos, believe me, there’s nothing so wonderful.”
Her eyes filled with tears and she said softly, “You don’t know what I’d give to see your sweet smile. You don’t know what I’d give to look you in the eye and say what you mean to me.” James was rubbing her back and fought back the tears as she spoke. On the contrary, she began to cry and went on, “But I don’t want to delude myself once again.”

Three weeks later.

Chloe was in her hospital room waiting for her doctor to remove the bandage from her left eye. James had convinced her to consult a specialist, one of those who had examined her eyes after the accident. She had nothing to lose and James told her that nothing would have changed between the two of them if the outcome had been negative since he loved her the way she was. The doctor remembered Chloe and was glad to inform her that there was a good probability to regain sight in her left eye. She had lied to James and her family saying her doctor would remove the bandage the next day because she didn’t want them there.
About one hour later James entered her room and got surprised when he saw her bed empty. She was standing by the window wearing a pair of sunglasses and she smiled at him going closer. James kept still and silent completely astonished. She took the shades off and looked at him.
“I was right. You’re a very handsome man. I’m sorry. I lied to you ‘cos I wanted to take you by surprise.”
He smiled at her so Chloe shed tears of happiness because from that day forth she would see his sweet smile when she woke up every morning.


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