The Grand Mistress

"Please Cat, it's not every night we are together," Hawk insisted. He was so desperate to know her, especially her likes and dislikes and so he wanted to know then. "As much as possible I want to know even the food you like,"

Simione  laughed about his insistence. If only Hawk Monsanto knew what he was asking her, he would never be that desperate. In the middle of her laugh, she saw how his expression faltered and knowing that she might have acted rude about the man's pleas, she apologized and explained, "I'm sorry I didn't intend to laugh about it. It's just that, the food I'm craving...it isn't something you guys would like.."

"You guys?" He repeated her words in a form of question wondering what she meant by it. "You mean.."

"I mean you and your circle. Your type of man," She clarified, referring to Hawk status. Simione lived once as an elite and she knew very well the kind of food they served and what they did not. Right then she was certain, Hawk Monsanto didn't know what he was asking her about.

"Businessmen?" Hawk confirmed.

"Wealthy businessmen to be precise," She answered. "It's not the kind of food your kind of person would prefer,"

Simione's statement got Hawk intrigued. He wasn't a bit insulted by the fact that the girl assumed he was not different from all the businessmen around the city but he was somehow challenged to show her she was wrong. What type of food could she be referring to? Certainly it wasn't the type he eats everyday.

"That definitely got me," He flashed a hurt face. "I mean Cat…"

"I didn't intend it as an insult," She immediately apologized. "It's just that I'm sure you wouldn't like it,"

"Well then...why don't you try me," Hawk challenged her. In case she doesn't know, he was already so into her that he wanted to impress her somehow and all the more erase all the prejudices she had with "men like him". 

"Oh no," Simione refused to take his challenge. She didn't really mean to hurt his feelings but she also knew it was a waste of time to let him prove it. It doesn't really matter to her, especially that he wasn't really what she was after but rather his beloved Feather. "You won't like it,"

"Cat please. Really I want to try it," Hawk convinced her and his expression then tells Simione he was serious about it. For a moment she hesitated but as she considered it again, she thought there was really nothing wrong with it. Besides, she really craved it, wouldn't it be nice to eat it with Hawk's company? There's really nothing wrong if they would try it.

"Are you sure?" Simione for some reason adored Hawk's confidence. She wondered then what his reaction would be if he found out the food she was all craving about.

"Yes please. I insist," He pressed on, delighted that Simione gave it another thought.

"Okay," Simione concluded. She then dragged her head to a wall clock displayed in the restaurant to check the time. It was past ten thirty. "I think the store that sells it is still open by this time,"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go," Hawk initiated and stood. He went to Simione's side and escorted her out. 

"And the bill?" Simione reminded him as she didn't see him pay anything. Hawk sure ordered a lot of food and Simione was afraid the restaurant wouldn't get any profit for everything they ordered.

"I'm a regular here," Hawk revealed. "They know where to get payment for every meal I orders"

"Oh I see," Simione silently gasped at the thought.Not many elites in the country can walk out of a restaurant by not paying the bill like Hawk Monsanto can. He certainly wasn't an ordinary businessman and the girl somehow felt proud of his achievement although it wasn't her concern anymore.

When they walked out of the restaurant, as usual, a car was already waiting for them. Hawk opened the door for her but for some reason, Simione hesitated.

"I don't think the store I'm referring to is far from here," She said, looking through his grey eyes. She looked up at the night sky and saw how beautiful it was. It's a shame not to enjoy walking beneath it. "I'd like to take a walk instead, if that's okay with you,"

"Okay. That would be a very good idea" Hawk immediately shut the car's door. He certainly didn't expect that request from her but he was glad. It had been a long time since he had strolled around the city and since it was a beautiful humid night, he might as well enjoy it since it's not everyday he had the time.

Simione led the way and as they were walking and Hawk walked beside her with the same pace. Few steps more and the girl felt her feet sore a bit and so out of instinct, she halted and took off her heels. Those heels came with the bag that Hawk gave her earlier and because they were new, her feet weren't used to it yet.

"Let me bring it for you," Hawk offered, referring to her heels and only did Simione realize she did a very awkward thing. Sh*t! Didn't Lucy warn her never to display such an unpleasant character to Hawk? How could she ever forget that?

When Simione had been training under Lucy's supervision, she had made sure to pinpoint all the do's and don'ts and wearing barefoot was one of the don'ts. Lucy told her that for the elites, such a habit was a turn off. Shoes were an extension of your pride, Lucy emphasized and without it, people in the upper echelon of the society wouldn't give you much of a respect.

"Oh no! I'm sorry I should have not taken it off," Simione cursed herself, feeling like a fool. It was just that, after those few good laughs she had with Hawk earlier, she somehow became comfortable with him; she kind of forgot her goal. 

"No it's okay," Hawk noticed the blushes that came pronouncing at her face and he realized she felt some shame for what she thought was a discouraging habit. Luckily for him, it wasn't. Instead he liked it, "Actually I wanted to take off mine too, it's hard to walk with these shoes especially in the sand,"

Truth was, only did Hawk notice that the road they were following suddenly became sandy. Luckily it had been a good excuse for him to also follow her lead of taking off their shoes so as not to make the girl ashamed of it. 

"Seemed like we're headed to a beach," Hawk said, finally barefoot like her. He felt his big feet buried in the smooth sand and enjoyed the cold feeling they brought to his skin. "This is nice,"

"Yes. Old folks say that everything in the earth is interconnected and so once in  a while, I walked barefoot to connect with the earth, " The girl was pleased with it. She was a bit surprised that Hawk Monsanto had this side of him—considerate, gentle, very gallant and most all calm. Just tonight he had blown her away with his character, something Lucy hadn't told her nor she even expected. But here she was, walking side by side with what seemed another version of the man everyone in the country loathingly feared.

"I see," He accepted her explanation without protest. It seemed like this woman, like her old Cat, had some fondness of old folk tales. 

"Would you like to hold hands with me?" Hawk felt the change of ambiance as the road they were taking seemed to have breathed another type of breeze, this time colder than before. He was afraid that his Cat was already freezing and he intended to keep her warm. "You know since everything on earth is interconnected, we should also…"

"Hahahah" Simione chuckled and  was utterly surprised at his offer, nevertheless, she agreed to such an idea. She offered him her hand with a smile "Why not?" 

Hawk glided his fingers to Simione's small ones. It was warm, very soft and comforting. It was the first time he held hands with her and the feeling was a bit refreshing as if he was once a teenage boy who had finally been noticed by her crush after a very long time.

Simione herself didn't understand what made her agree to hold hands with Hawk. However the feeling was so satisfying, that for once after a long time she found warmth and security. It took her back to the memory of her when she was very little, when she knew nothing but innocence and was surrounded by love. Gone were the days, she had long forgotten them and only Hawk had managed to bring her to such a memory of who she previously was.

The night sky was so beautiful that night and under it, two love birds strolled along the shore. It was such a romantic night. Their fingers intertwined and their hearts full of hope. They came from a separate long journey and yet they had found  their ways to each other again.