Fireworks - Part 1

Three…two…one…

“Ladies and gentlemen we have lift-off.” I murmured with a grin, holding my glass of wine to my lips. I watched happily as the string of gold soared up into the night sky and exploded into bursts of colour that danced amongst the stars. Though some may argue that I was too old for this, the sound of fireworks could still get me running to the closest window. I didn’t particularly have much time anymore to relax much given my deadline, but I always managed to find time for my old pal Guy Fawkes. It was the only day no one could get hold of me, and people close to me knew that I was not be disturbed while the fireworks were on.

Not many people on my street celebrated Guy Fawkes anymore, but there was always one person that satisfied my craving for colourful sky explosions. Every year, like clockwork, their firework show began. Six o’clock sharp. I could time the first firework to the second s it burst in the sky. It had become a yearly ritual for me to watch their firework display from my balcony, though the wine hadn’t been able to become a part of it until two years ago.

I watched with childish delight, though as always I wondered in the back of my mind what this person was like. I should have met them by now, but I wasn’t a hugely social person and my job took up a lot of my time.

The closest I had gotten to seeing anyone connected to that house had been a couple of years ago, when the owner of the house and thrown a party on Guy Fawkes.

I watched eagerly from the balcony, hoping that the party wouldn’t deter my firework magician from lighting up the sky like they did every year. As I glanced down at the house I could see the hustle and bustle of people and hear the gentle hum of talking and laughter, often interspersed with a cheer or an exclamation. A group of men stood on the balcony holding bottles of alcohol.

I didn’t really pay much attention to them and looked back at the sky, wondering where the fireworks -my fireworks as I’d come to think of them- were. I glanced down at my watch and blinked. Oh of course. 6:30. Time for the usual fifteen minute break. I sighed and smiled content to just wait in the cool night air for the next batch. They had been particularly good this year, probably due to the party my magician was hosting.

My gaze happened again on the group of men and this time one of them noticed me, waving with a cheery grin. My eyes widened and I blushed, waving back as my heart fluttered against my ribs like a butterfly. I waved back and his grin got wider. He motioned for me to come over. I blushed harder, flattered, but not particularly tempted by the idea of being around a large, noisy group of people, especially ones I didn’t know. I shook my head with a shy smile.

He pouted, making me giggle. By this point his friends began to notice and were beckoning me over with cheerful grins and waves. I laughed and continued to shake my head until with a final wave they went back inside.

I wondered idly as I watched the beautiful dance of colours, if my mysterious firework magician had been in that group of people.  I probably should have gone over the next day but I wasn’t quite able to bring myself to do it. Maybe I’d seen this person walking down the street or at the grocery store, but even after all these years I still didn’t know who they were. With a sigh and a resolute promise to myself that I would go over tomorrow and finally find out (a promise I seemed to make every year), I took another sip of my wine and enjoyed the bursts of beautiful colour as they attempted to compete with the stars.

~~~~~~ ♥ ~~~~~~~~

I grinned to myself when I saw she was there, as she was every year. She had been pointed out to be four years ago by my brother at a party I’d held. I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, but then I’d noticed her the next year. I’d been curious and had peered out before I went to the back yard to begin letting off the fireworks. The sight of her slight form looking eagerly at the sky had made me laugh, and I’d taken care that year to ensure the fireworks were extra impressive. The next year she’d been there again, looking a little more mature and also a little more tired. There seemed to be bags under her eyes that I couldn’t remember from the year before.

Over the years it had become a little ritual for me to see if she were there before starting the fireworks and she always was, without fail. I didn’t usually see her any other time; she seemed to be away from home a lot. It made me feel a little special that she was always there for my fireworks and I knew it was for mine because I was the only one on the street that put them on anymore.

I lingered a little as I looked at her, noting how she’d tied her thick, wavy dark hair back and that she’d also acquired a pair of glasses. They complemented her face, making her look more mature and elegant. She was delicately holding a glass of wine to her lips, alluring and mysterious in the moonlight.

I shook my head a little and went down to begin the fireworks. I’d gotten a little more than usual this year, hoping to give her a good show. It had seemed to become a little game of ours, though I doubted she knew who I was.

 Three…two…one…

The first colours exploded into the air and I grinned. Right on time. As I watched I suddenly wished I could see her face, see her reaction as she watched.

~~~~~~ ♥ ~~~~~~~~

Despite a slight chill in the air I was having quite a night as I enjoyed my magician’s firework show and listened to the melody of whistles and bangs that were customary this time of year. I took another sip of my wine as the last cluster of colours faded into the inky blanket that was the sky and waited eagerly for the next one.

And I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I frowned, looking at my watch. The next batch of fireworks was at least five minutes late. This had never happened before. Usually this person kept to a tight schedule and every year each batch of fireworks had never been late. I bit my lip. Had something happened to my magician? Or had they simply run out of fireworks?

I looked back at their house.  I could see lights through the windows and I didn’t see any smoke or tongues of flame that would indicate that their back yard was on fire. Sighing sadly I gulped down the rest of my wine and straightened up. They must have finished early this year.

I probably felt a little more upset than I should have, but it had become such a constant part of my life, something that was planned, precise, perfect and consistent. Not matter what happened I could always count on the lovely firework show I would get every year.  Biting my lip I took one more hopeful look at the sky, but it was empty save for the usual silver shimmers that graced it every night.

“Damn,” I mumbled, turning to go inside.

Ding-dong.

I paused, scowling a little. Everyone knew I was unavailable tonight and there was no one else likely to visit that didn’t know that one, very specific, very unbreakable rule. I considered not answering the door in the hopes that they would leave, but then I heard series of soft knocks and I sighed, walking into the kitchen first to dump my glass. If it was someone selling something maybe I could give them a false name or something so they could leave quicker.

However it was not a suave salesperson at the door but a young man with shining green eyes and a cheeky smile.

I blinked in surprise and adjusted my glasses. “Hi. Um…can I help you?”

He grinned. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

I blinked again, looking over him carefully. Was I supposed to know him? He looked around my age, maybe a few years older. His eyes were large and expressive, his pale face dotted with a multitude of freckles, so many that a little part of me wanted to take a pen and play connect the dots. He was broad shouldered and well -built, strong and probably a big softie beneath the hard exterior.  His thick wavy blonde hair was pulled up in a bun and his fresh, open face somehow made me feel completely at ease.

I started, ripping myself from my thoughts as I realised that I had been staring at him for longer than what was necessary. I felt my face flush. “Sh-should I know you?”

I’d like to.

He chuckled, as if he’d heard what I was thinking. I blushed harder. “Well, you’ve been watching my fireworks for so long that I figured I should come over and see what you thought about them.”

My heart stopped. I was finally meeting my magician.

Guess he did the work for you.