A short talk under a starry sky.

The rest of the day was relaxingly uneventful. We spent some more time in the pool with the other girls, went back to the cabin to get changed, had dinner in the hotel and went back to the cabin again.

By 9:00 pm it was already dark outside and the girls were scattered around the place. Alice was talking to Diana about a book she had read, only to find out Diana had read it too and the two started discussing it. Sarah was trying to text her family using what little signal she could get, telling them we were all right and that we’d be leaving the next morning. Grace and Noelle were packing their stuff together, making sure they weren’t forgetting anything. As I looked around, though, I didn’t see Mila anywhere. Alice noticed me and pointed me in the right direction.

“I think she’s outside, on the terrace,” she told me.

I smiled at her. “Thanks.”

It’s not like I had anything in particular to talk to her about, but I got curious as to why she would be outside. Nights up here in the mountains could get very cold, even in summer.

I stepped outside and saw Mila leaning on the railing, staring up into the night sky. It made me look up as well. Countless jewels shining bright on us, not a single cloud to hide them, and a perfectly clear moon days away from turning full.

“We don’t get to see these many stars in the city, do we?” I asked her.

“Right? It’s beautiful.” Mila giggled as I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “We’ll probably get to see them more in the new house, though.”

“You’re right. Hadn’t thought about it.” I kissed the top of her head. “And what are you thinking about out here?”

“Something you said earlier today. About how things wouldn’t have started if I hadn’t talked to you at Thomas’ party.”

I nodded. “And?”

“And… I don’t know. I mean, I think you’re right, in a way. But also… It makes me wonder why I didn’t do it earlier. I was aware of you way before then. If I had approached you before… Maybe things would’ve started earlier?”

“No,” I told her, shaking my head. “We’ve talked about this before, I think. You didn’t owe me anything. There was no reason for you to approach me.”

“Wrong,” she said. “You forgot already? That time these girls threw away my backpack and you got it back? I never thanked you for it.”

“That’s such a small thing, though.”

“It showed me the kind of guy you were. I think I just didn’t realize it back then, realized that it meant more than I thought. I guess that’s why I ended up paying attention to you, even if we didn’t talk. It really does make me wonder, you know? What if I had talked to you earlier? Would we still be dating? Just you and me?”

“I doubt it,” I told her. “I told Noelle and Alice the same. None of you would’ve seen much in me back then.”

“You still think too little of yourself.”

“Perhaps, but you’re starting to forget how much of a mess I used to be.”

“...” Mila pouted. “I still think we would’ve ended up dating.”

I chuckled. “You consider that a lot? Just you and me together, no one else?”

“...” Mila swallowed. “Not a lot, but… sometimes. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t worry.”

“Do you… Do you think about only seeing me sometimes?” Mila asked softly.

I nodded. “Yeah. When I’m alone with you, like this, I think that I wouldn’t mind if it was just us.”

Mila giggled. “But?”

I smiled. It was this kind of thing that made our whole relationship work. “But when I’m alone with Sarah, I think the same. When I’m with Grace, Alice, Noelle or Diana, I also think the same. So at the end of the day, I can’t imagine letting go of any of you.”

Mila leaned against me, resting her head on my shoulder. “I like that answer.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah. I want you to like me more than you like the others, but if that was really the case I think I’d get angry at you.”

“Um… What?”

“Exactly.” Mila laughed. “It doesn’t make sense, does it? I want to be your favorite, but I love seeing you treat the others like they’re your favorite.”

“So…”

She leaned in to kiss my cheek. “So keep doing what you’re doing. It’s your duty to love us all equally, and love us so much we all believe we’re your favorite.”

I grumbled. “When you say it’s my duty it makes me not want to do it…”

“Suck it up.”

“Okay, fine.”

We laughed together before Mila turned around to face me. She got her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply, moaning softly into my mouth as I tasted her tongue. After a moment, she broke the kiss but pressed her forehead against mine. We stared into each other’s eyes without saying anything. Until…

“One more thing, Oliver.”

“Hm?”

“When you and I have a baby, do you want it to be a boy or a girl?”

It felt like she had struck my head with a bat and sent it out all the way towards the dead of space. Where the hell did that come from!?

No, given by her giggling, that reaction was exactly what she was aiming for.

“Um… I… I want…” I frowned. “A boy, probably.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because sometimes I put myself in your dad’s shoes and I think I’d strangle this Oliver kid for putting his hands on my little girl.”

Mila laughed even harder. “Oh, you’re so wrong. My dad loves you.”

“I’m not taking chances against a former professional wrestler,” I told her.

But yeah, I think I would rather have a son in the future. At least one. I mean, I’m not fated to live the rest of my life surrounded by only women, am I?

…

Surely not.

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