Black Pearl From Prince

Boston, Spring 85.

The neighborhood of Prince Street, Boston, is no friendly to anybody from higher bourgeoisie class than there was there. She just hoped that one day she could strike the fact right on the noses of those bragging lads in her office. She did not mean it to be racist.

People called her Maple around here. Everyday she woke up early at about 5, facing the feature of Friday Foster, her--although imaginary--true, idol. Everyday since she was four, she always dreamt of becoming like her... smart and determined no matter how people prejudice her appearence,still be able to humming happily about what today would bring her, and each new day was an opportunity before her. Carpe diem, she was always going to seize the day!

Now that she was 24, she actually could have her her own place somewhere cozier, somewhere with more prestige... with her current salary. But she just couldn't do it. Aunt Kelly was so stiff she could not let her face each day alone, just like the way she once allocate her time and love to adopt her from the orphanage.

She could have already her master degree in computer science, making her the first and only person, woman, and the Afro-American to handle and use the internet among colleagues from different races in her office. But no matter how busy she was, in the morning, as usual, since she was in the fourth grade, she would prepare Aunt Kelly breakfast with their routine favourites: sunny-side egg and coffee on Monday and Tuesday, waffle and mapple syrup and orange juice in Thursday, fried potatoes and sausages on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday Aunt Kelly loved to cook her sweet porridge or tomato soup.

All in all, life so far was perfect for both of them. Especially for Maple, who had been really pleased with herself for being able to give back to Aunt Kelly, her saviour for at least the last ten years.

***

Maple, you get going now? Aunt Kelly stiffly stepped down the stairs with some little cough. Maple deftly gave her a hand and had her seated. She poured her a cup of her de-caff coffee while biting her first toast. Alan will fetch you again, no?

Maple smiled. Aunt Kelly had always been supportive no matter who she went out with. As this was her first time to be engaged in a relationship with another grown-up, Aunt Kelly seemed fine even though Alan was rarely being mentioned by her in front of Aunt Kelly. The only encounter that Alan would meet her was the brief 15 minutes when she was getting her make-up ready in her bedroom while Alan waited in the lounge. Aunt Kelly would always friendly started a conversation with him. And she thanked God that no matter how sometimes Alan was such a bragging lad either, he seemed to respect Aunt Kelly as she wished.

But today she had been ready earlier and Alan would not have to wait, as she would be attending the welcoming of Spring apprentices in her office in Tremmont Street.

The door bell rang. That's Alan, Aunt Kell... I'd better get going! She kissed the white old lady on the cheek.

She grabbed her beret and put on her shoes. Outside, a tall, shaven dark-skinned man had waited in his car. Many other guys around the neighborhood had actually envied the man. He had been the one who was able to go out with The Black Pearl from Prince.

Morning Dew Outside The Window

Princess Fatima Adara Ash-Shahab opened the broad window of her bedroom, stepping ouside at the balcony. It was a bright, crisp early September in her Father's Mansion in the suburban area of Sacramento. She looked upon the citrus grown near the stools in the balcony; it was as though they greeted her by producing such an abundant, raw, cool dews she could almost wash her hands and face with it. She rubbed off the dew, feeling their coolness.

Far away at the horizon she gazed, her olive-dark eyes shining of welcoming a brand new day. She was the vigorous princess.

Morning dew and a bridge of rainbow at the horizon... she would be encountering something special today.

And her premonition turned usually to be true.

Tia-Zahrra... she winked at her coming maid.

Tia-Zahrra smiled with utter understanding. Well... she didn't mind it to play the role as the princess of the mansion, it was just... quite annoying that she needed to change clothes everytime her miss asked her to.

The 18 years old Joshev Rabin shone among the many porcelain-skinned face strolled along the alley in Arden Fair. All eyes starred upon him(especially the women's), astonished to see such a creature so adorable. As he walked, the wind felt so breezy and the sun seemed to be shining more tenderly. An androginy tried to nudge him. But his body swayed so buoyantly he could not be touched. However, the androginy was a little bit luckier than the staring women due to his previous attempt. He could smell the fragrant musk odour from Joshev's jacket. For the androginy, it was another heaven.

Joshev Rabin walked inside Nordstrom and took a tour in lingerie section. As he was about to climb the stairs up, an abundant volume of clothes fell upon him and he stumbled down. He felt a rather heavy burden impinged him on his chest. He got to his feet and looked upon the culprit. It turned out to be a plump girl(he estimated to be around 20)with a long nose carved upon her Middle-Eastern feature. She looked rather awkward.

But Joshev smiled cheerfully and offered his hand, gently helping the girl got to her feet.

I am sorry... the plump girl blushed.

That's allright, replied Joshev friendly. Such an enourmous shop you have today. Well... I'd better get going.

He nodded and waved. And walked away outside the store.

The plump girl went stunned, astounded by him. What a polite gentleman!Never did it occur in her present appearance that such a fine looking guy treated her as such...

Tanja! she waved at her hastely coming shopping maid, holding more bunches of outfit.

I know, I know, she winked at her lady.Tanja had witnessed the previous occasion, too. So shame that you didn't ask him his name!

The plump girl smiled while gazing at the direction Joshev Rabin went to. She could still smell the musk odour...

She did not know what made her so sure to meet the gentleman again.

But her premonition usually turned out correct.

The Kiss

Lady Yelena Agnessa Fedorova had for so many years fallen in love with her distant cousin, Dmitri Mikhailov. She was captured by his calm, poise manner and thin smile, his cold blue eyes, his dialectic proficiency, his beautiful violin playing, his waltz dancing, his horse riding... his everything. The fragile princess was actually the one true heir of her Father's weavery business around Kudryashovskiy. If only she had not been that fragile, his father would be really pleased to introduce her to the whole detail of the job... but he just couldn't.

The fragile lady did not excel at school; Master Fedorov just reckoned it as another misfortune of his, that the only child he got from his beloved late wife inherited the 'slow brain gene' (he called it) of the whole family. She could not play good piano but one two songs, her body was quite weak she could move no gracefully nor merrily in the kitchen. The Father has run out his wit; he was even fullheartedly willing to 'sell' his daughter's body, the only possession he thought the lady has left, to any gentleman he thought would be prominent enough to be his son-in-law. No, he doesn't have to be really rich, just steady job would do just fine. He has to be caring enough or else, pity his daughter enough to take care of Yelena at least Mr. Fedorov would not feel really guilty towards his wife.

(Being an Orthodox Catholics, quite a pious man, but not really into the church, he did not remarry and concentrate some of his time to manage some private schools for disabled children)

However so, he never let his daughter knew what he really thought about her. For Lady Yelena, their relationship remained just fine... and she really wished she could make her father proud. In her opinion, she could not excel at academic life because she was sick so often she could not catch up with the materials. She did not really like to play music, just to listen to anybody else playing it would be enough for her.

But however hard it was for her memory to keep up wih her biology recitation, sequences of mathematics formula and algorithm she must cope up with, she memorized it so well all the details of her first encounter with cousin Dmitri.

It was March 9, 1884. A spring celebration was held among the Braunsimovas(family from her Mother side)in the family Grand Citadel in Novosibirsk's country side. And she saw the cold blue eyes as innocent as Siberian cat... at that moment she knew why The Braunsimovs were called The Russian Sky Blue. His mother, Lady Antonina, introduced him to her. She smelled the fragrance of masculine lavender the time the boy kissed her hand.

She was about 4, and the boy was about 9. But until the next 23 years, never did the fragile lady stop dreaming to be his bride.

During those times, Dmitri Mikhailov maintained such a cordial cousinship between them. He was, as usual, loving and caring for his families, of course including her. But however there exist already many tease and gossips towards both the Lady and the Gentleman to be wedded, since many other family member noticed how Dmitri concerned a lot about Yelena...

Dmitri married another lady. Who bore him a son, Ricardovich.

Yelena was sad. She locked herself in her room for so many nights as she managed to keep nobody noticed.

She maintained good relationship with Duscha, Ricardovich's mother, and became one of the persons the boy loved most. She did not marry anybody else. She just could not stop praising Dmitri.

Until one night, that very night that gave Lady Yelena a chill to the history of her heart. She was in Dmitri's citadel for her usual visit.

She usually wandered around at the northern tower to observe the sky with her little telescope. When her step died suddenly as she passed Dmitri by. He was sweating, and his eyes looked so sad. Yelena knew something has strucked him so bad. Only once did she ever observe his eyes looking as such...

And suddenly, tenderly.. Dmitri held her tight in his chest. And kissed her.

That night would never be forgotten by Yelena. It was the night when Dmitri Mikhailov proposed her, made her Madame Yelena Agnessa Braunsimova.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fedorov could not believe the fact. Yelena gained such a strong position before him. He became to love his daughter very much for obtaining such a fine husband. And he could no longer stare towards Dmitri's eyes. He inherited his business to Dmitri who then manage it on behalf of Yelena.

And so the kiss... became such a local legend the society around loved to speak about. About a girl who finally reached her desired love after a long wait. After a long submission.