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"And what's that one?"
"That's Orion, the hunter. See those three stars in a row? That's his belt."
"How do you know all this?" she asks.
I smile. "My mother used to love the stars. She believed in destiny, but I think that the idea of destiny and written in the stars helped her deal with her harsh reality. It helped her accept the truth, if that makes sense?"
"What happened to her?" asks Diana.
I frown. "I'd rather not get into it," I say.
"Let's just say she's no longer with us."
Diana nods, and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "I understand," she says, hugging herself tight.
"I too believe in destiny."
I look at her with wonder.
The truth can't be denied.
My mother and Diana would have had a lot in common, if my mom was still alive.
Both are women born to play a role in a family led by a man they have no influence over.
I shudder at the thought of walking in their shoes.
"Diana," I say, at last, hoping that I'm not crossing a boundary.
"Please just know that when it comes to you and I, you always have a choice. You're free to carve your destiny if you like."
She looks at me wistfully and smiles.
"If only that was true, Anthony," she mutters.
"You can only give freedom when you have it. Tell me, do you have it? Freedom from your father?"
I shake my head reluctantly. "Someday, I will," I say.
"And someday, I'll be free to carve my own path then," she says.
We sit in silence for a long time, lost in our own thoughts.
The night begins to turn cold, as mist from our heated breath fogs our eyes.
"Looks like it's time for bed," I say, putting out the fire.
"And it's cold out here."
"Yeah, I'm exhausted," Diana agrees, stretching her arms.
"Thank you for tonight, it was... nice."
I can't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at her choice of words. "Just nice?"
She looks at me, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Fine, it was more than nice. It was... unexpectedly enjoyable. To be honest, I was dreading being stuck out here in the wilderness with someone I didn't know or like, but you made it bearable. Thank you for that."
