nlyshesmiledasshethoughtofhowMaureenwouldreactwhehrgetigersahuimeshissize.Thedogwouldprobablytrembleinfear.Ifheheardtheirloud,ferociousroarshewouldreallybeterror-stri.Iwouldhavetotakehimintomyarms,holdhimtightlyandforthimtogivehimasenseofsafetyagain.Suddenlyastrahoughtoccurredtoher.“WhatifIsetupatenthere?Whoistosayitisnotlikeahome?ThereissomutheseruinsthatbydiggingcarefullyandsalvagingwhatIfind,Isurelyprocureallthatisnecessarytomakeawarm,fortablehomehere.Ofcoursethatwilltakealotoftimeandeffort.”CharinawassuddenlystruckwiththethoughtthatsomehowatthebackofhermindtherealwayswasalongingtomakeahomeforDimitri,willingtojoinherlifetohis,alwaysthinkingofthetwoofthemasbelongingtogether.WhatmysteriousmagismdoesDimitrihavethatheisstantlyinhermind?Uptoafewdaysago,hewasonlyastranger,ahomelesspersonwhosometimesappearedinherneighborhood.Theywouldnodtoeachotherorexgeafewcasualwordsbutthatwastheextentoftheirretionship.Thenifewdaystheygottoknoweachbetter.ShediscoveredthatthishomelessbeggarhadaKingdomofDreamsinhisheartandthathewasitssnruleranda,firmingthesayiojudgeabookbyitscover.Oneshouldneverlookdownuponlowlyhomelessbeggarslyingdrunkbythewayside,fortheymayhaveKingdomofDreamsintheirheartsandaresnkingsas.Charinasmiledwrylyatherselfinself-mockery,wifherimaginationwasgettingfancifulmosttothepointofabsurd.Thesunwassettingonthehorizon.Themoonwasrisingi.Afewstarsbegantotwiheblueskies.Soonherprincewouldflydownonhiswhitehorseandtakeherbacktothefamiliarmundaneworld.

    Thepalecrestmoonwastravelingslowlytowardstheterofthesky,andwillgraduallygrowtobeafullmoon.Uheluminousmoonlight,theseawascalmwithpilyagainstthebeaapathbythewhitesand,amanandawomarollingalongtalkingandughing.Salinaworearemelywelldesignedbluesilkdressasblueasthebluesea.Infactshelookedlikeanymphwhojustroseoutofthedeepsea.Hersilkdressreflectedluminousmoonlight,givingforthafaintgleam.Herpanion,whoofcoursewasEmmanuel,wasinabeigesuit.Hedidnotuseatieahecolrofhisbrightredshirtopen,emanatinganairofurained,brawnymasecharmandfasation.Thefawn-coloredsafaristrawhatonhisheadaddedtohisattra.

    “Youmeanyoureallydrive?”askedSalinawithasmile.

    “What’sthebigdeal?OfcourseIdrive”repliedEmmanuelgestigwildly.“WhenmyoldfriendRichardwasdriving,Ipokemyheadoutofhisbreastpocketandwatchwhathewasdoistepsonthegas,tureerihiswayandthat.Heusesbothhishandsandhisfeetandlookseverywherewithhiseyes.It’ssimple.Iknowhowtodrivejustby.Pieceofcake.Sawyouhadyoureyesobcksportscarparkedoutsidethesteakhouse.Yah,thecarisstreamlinedanditsshapeisunique…OhesedayswebuyoneandpywithitandIshowoffmyexcellentdrivingskills.It’sapitycarsdon’tflyintheair;otherwiseIflyitlikeanairpneandyouwillknowhowaplishedIam.”ThetwoofthemdidnotmakeuseoftheluxuriouslimousineprovidedbythehotelforitsVIPersbutchosetowalktothefamoussteakhouseafewblocksdownandenjoyedasumptuousmeal.EmmanuendSalinahadheirwholelivestastednewYorksteakasgoodasthoseservedtothem.Theyaskedthewell-knowndessertcheftheretomakeabananacakeforthem.Heusedbutter,cheeseandredientsandintheendpouredrumoveritandli

nlyshesmiledasshethoughtofhowMaureenwouldreactwhehrgetigersahuimeshissize.Thedogwouldprobablytrembleinfear.Ifheheardtheirloud,ferociousroarshewouldreallybeterror-stri.Iwouldhavetotakehimintomyarms,holdhimtightlyandforthimtogivehimasenseofsafetyagain.Suddenlyastrahoughtoccurredtoher.“WhatifIsetupatenthere?Whoistosayitisnotlikeahome?ThereissomutheseruinsthatbydiggingcarefullyandsalvagingwhatIfind,Isurelyprocureallthatisnecessarytomakeawarm,fortablehomehere.Ofcoursethatwilltakealotoftimeandeffort.”CharinawassuddenlystruckwiththethoughtthatsomehowatthebackofhermindtherealwayswasalongingtomakeahomeforDimitri,willingtojoinherlifetohis,alwaysthinkingofthetwoofthemasbelongingtogether.WhatmysteriousmagismdoesDimitrihavethatheisstantlyinhermind?Uptoafewdaysago,hewasonlyastranger,ahomelesspersonwhosometimesappearedinherneighborhood.Theywouldnodtoeachotherorexgeafewcasualwordsbutthatwastheextentoftheirretionship.Thenifewdaystheygottoknoweachbetter.ShediscoveredthatthishomelessbeggarhadaKingdomofDreamsinhisheartandthathewasitssnruleranda,firmingthesayiojudgeabookbyitscover.Oneshouldneverlookdownuponlowlyhomelessbeggarslyingdrunkbythewayside,fortheymayhaveKingdomofDreamsintheirheartsandaresnkingsas.Charinasmiledwrylyatherselfinself-mockery,wifherimaginationwasgettingfancifulmosttothepointofabsurd.Thesunwassettingonthehorizon.Themoonwasrisingi.Afewstarsbegantotwiheblueskies.Soonherprincewouldflydownonhiswhitehorseandtakeherbacktothefamiliarmundaneworld.

    Thepalecrestmoonwastravelingslowlytowardstheterofthesky,andwillgraduallygrowtobeafullmoon.Uheluminousmoonlight,theseawascalmwithpilyagainstthebeaapathbythewhitesand,amanandawomarollingalongtalkingandughing.Salinaworearemelywelldesignedbluesilkdressasblueasthebluesea.Infactshelookedlikeanymphwhojustroseoutofthedeepsea.Hersilkdressreflectedluminousmoonlight,givingforthafaintgleam.Herpanion,whoofcoursewasEmmanuel,wasinabeigesuit.Hedidnotuseatieahecolrofhisbrightredshirtopen,emanatinganairofurained,brawnymasecharmandfasation.Thefawn-coloredsafaristrawhatonhisheadaddedtohisattra.

    “Youmeanyoureallydrive?”askedSalinawithasmile.

    “What’sthebigdeal?OfcourseIdrive”repliedEmmanuelgestigwildly.“WhenmyoldfriendRichardwasdriving,Ipokemyheadoutofhisbreastpocketandwatchwhathewasdoistepsonthegas,tureerihiswayandthat.Heusesbothhishandsandhisfeetandlookseverywherewithhiseyes.It’ssimple.Iknowhowtodrivejustby.Pieceofcake.Sawyouhadyoureyesobcksportscarparkedoutsidethesteakhouse.Yah,thecarisstreamlinedanditsshapeisunique…OhesedayswebuyoneandpywithitandIshowoffmyexcellentdrivingskills.It’sapitycarsdon’tflyintheair;otherwiseIflyitlikeanairpneandyouwillknowhowaplishedIam.”ThetwoofthemdidnotmakeuseoftheluxuriouslimousineprovidedbythehotelforitsVIPersbutchosetowalktothefamoussteakhouseafewblocksdownandenjoyedasumptuousmeal.EmmanuendSalinahadheirwholelivestastednewYorksteakasgoodasthoseservedtothem.Theyaskedthewell-knowndessertcheftheretomakeabananacakeforthem.Heusedbutter,cheeseandredientsandintheendpouredrumoveritandli