Lissa's Lover

"You're safe. I got you. I won't let anyone hurt you."  "You're safe. I got you. I won't let anyone hurt you."  Lissa looked into his eyes. Could she believe him? It seemed like all the men in her life, except her dad and Branno, were the same. She was tired of having her trust betrayed; tired of having her heart trampled. Could she trust him? He touched her face then leaned forward and hugged her. His arms around her shoulders made her feel secure. "Thank you," she said. She was grateful he showed up when he did. If he hadn't ... No, she didn't want to think like that. He released her from his embrace and looked at her. "I told you, I'm here if you need me." She felt a little perplexed. Was he following her the whole time? He was very brave. "Surely you being here when I need you has limits, you have your own life and ..." She paused trying to calm the stormy thoughts inside her head. She was very attracted ...

  She turned her upper body towards him. "Wouldn't it be weird for the counselor to seek counsel from the client?" she asked, a slight smile on her lips. He shook his head, a charming smile graced his lips. Lissa was captivated by it. "Not at all," he said, "once the counselor accepts that the client is open to being a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on."   Lissa dreamt that Shane was laying beside her. He circled his arms around her and held her close to his body. She turned around and placed her hand on his chest and felt his heart beat. "Baby, I love you. I will never leave your side again," he said. He touched her face and kissed her lips. Lissa woke up. She felt at peace. The dream felt so real. She turned on her side and went to sleep with a smile on her face.

"We have been friends for nearly forty years. Almost forty long years, good and bad times. I have always been loyal to you. I have covered your tracks and your ass a million times, as you have done mine. But it seems my loyalty almost cost me my zuhūr na'imah (زهور ناعمة - delicate flower). I am your friend but I will choose my family every time."  Zuzu felt weirdly dazed with Branno laying on top of her. She looked up at his face. She saw fear but also something else. She wasn't sure if it was anger or determination or both. Glass shards fell around them. He flinched when they hit him but he didn't move away from her. He held her close to him. She wrestled a little to get her arm out of the sheet wrapped firmly around her.

"There's a traditional saying from my mom's Arabic roots. It's this: a lḥubbu dawāʼu al-qulūb, which in English says 'love is the medicine of hearts'. This means that love is like medicine. It can heal emotional scars; a broken heart. It can soothe any deep spiri tual pain, and bring hope and joy. I want to be that for you Branno, if you will let me." "Mhm… Brandon, aahh, right there! Right there! Mmh ... feels good! Ahh! Deeper! More, give me more! Mmh!" "Right here?" "Mhm, yes. Harder! Branno aah! Oh god please! Deep, go deep! Mmh! Ohh you're so good! Mmh. Haa! You feel so good." "Where else do you want me to massage?" Brandon asked. His hands rested on his best friend's naked back. He swallowed hard. He knew he was slightly turned on by the sounds she was making. He couldn't take her seriously however, she was the true definition of a tease.  They were in her room. She was laying on her tummy and he wa...

 "I am here to see if you are okay," she paused, "but I'm also here because I want you to do something for me." "Anything," he said looking at the love of his life's mother.  "I want you to stop seeing my daughter, please," she said, her eyes boring into him.    Note: Jamaican patois is used heavily in this chapter. Please see translation in brackets beside the characters' dialogue. Shane moved stealthily through the sugarcane. He saw his colleagues move quickly ahead, chasing after one of the perpetrators. There were seventeen officers on the ground in total, but Shane also knew that numbers did not always guarantee individual safety as a police officer.  He looked around him, his eyes carefully scanning the rows of cane plants. He had his gun ready. He chose to breathe in calmly through his nose and breathe out through his mouth. This was to help him keep his heart rate steady and his anxiety as minimal as possible.  As he moved for...