Page 12 of Be My Summer

“You should inform your crew out here,” Saul suggested as he backed out of the door.

Others filed out of the establishment slowly. Noses covered as they made their way toward their cars.

“Yes. Of course.”

As the words left her mouth, she headed toward us. We successfully exited, unharmed and unable to comprehend why the staff didn’t know what was happening inside their facility. Everyone was standing around making light of the work ahead with jokes and storytelling.

“Art SoloHouse another time,” Saul tittered, peering in my direction.

I lifted my head and then allowed it to fall. Aimlessly, I followed behind the man swimming in chocolate. A gold chain complemented the deep hue of his skin. His hairline had been freshly trimmed. His teeth were crisp and white. All except his canines. They were dipped in gold, enhancing his beauty.

My mind wandered. Suddenly there were precious brown babies with heads full of thick, coarse coils bouncing with each step they took as they ran toward the door to greet their favorite person after a long day of work. I blinked away the vision as we approached the Ford truck.

The passenger door opened with a tug from Saul. He grabbed a hand to assist me onto the step. I climbed inside and settled in the passenger seat, flowers in tow. It wasn’t until he was in his seat that I had a revelation.

Wait. Where are we headed, and how did I end up in this man’s truck?

“Seatbelt, Miss Summer.”

“Where are we headed?”

“To hell if we don’t pray,” he joked. “Sit back. You’re safe with me. Today… all days.”

His eyes stuck to me like glue. Quietness coated the space between us. No words were exchanged. Only his intense, yet loving gaze. I melted under the pressure his presence presented. It was the best and worst kind, simultaneously.

He had my head in a frenzy. So many thoughts. So many possibilities. So many plans. So many scenarios were birthed in my brain.

Ugh. He’s next to perfect.

Shamefully, Saul was reeling me into his web. Helplessly, I had fallen victim to his charm and potential.

Potential is not enough, Summer. The reminder should’ve snapped me back into reality, but I was already there. So was he. And, my thoughts remained.

Finding comfort in his words, I obliged. My eyes wandered around the vehicle as I slid the seatbelt over my body and prepared for the journey ahead. I didn’t know where we were headed, but I knew I was safe, and I knew that I would return home in one piece.

Saul wouldn’t break my father’s heart in a trillion tiny, irreparable pieces. He wouldn’t do that to him. He couldn’t.

Something soft and unrecognizable crooned in the background as the city’s lights served as the perfect backdrop. Hyper-sensitivity filled me with gratitude beyond words. Suddenly, I could feel everything.

The subtle breeze against my skin.

The small imperfections in the road.

The soft leather underneath my bottom.

The stems of the tulips on my lap.

Saul’s gentleness.

His eyes against my cheek with each glance.

And, the underside of his hand as it slipped around mine.

I’m just a girl. My thoughts reminded me to give grace when needed, especially today.

Feeling is okay. Feeling is natural.

Somehow, since knowing the person who pushed me from their womb terminated her rights to me the day I entered the world, I’d been blaming myself for that tragedy. And, one birthday after another I’d been suffering in silence, determined to honor the person who decided to stay.