FINDING ROOTS - A NOVELLA

Me

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You shift, I adjust.
I bend, you twist.
We will always fit,
So long as we remain pliable.
~ Alisha E.
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They went on that date. Then he asked her for a second and she asked him for a third. Suddenly, they had a routine.

It was Zachari's turn to take her out. Tonight, her auburn hair fell on top of her exposed shoulder since her current black dress was off-shoulder. He frowned.

"Where are they?" He asked, expecting her to understand. She did, "Underneath the dress. I never take them off, darling."

He was still frowning. It was his first time seeing her without the beads in a while. Without his noticing, they had become her signature. He loved playing with them as his hands caressed the pouch of fat at her stomach.

Ruelle kindly pointed to his hand, quietly asking if she could touch him. He didn't like random contact and Ruelle was always respectful of that boundary.

When he nodded, she lifted his hand and pressed it against the ridges the beads created. "See? They're always there."

Finally, he relaxed. He wasn't really sure why he had such a strong reaction. It's just that the beads were an extension of Ruelle. So without them, it would be like she was incomplete.

To Ruelle, that was the most heartwarming thing. Born to a Nigerian mother, she understood the deeper meaning behind the beads she wore. Her mother had even taken her to Nigeria to get her beads blessed. They were important to her and although Zachari didn't know of their importance, he still valued them as much as she did.

Somehow, they never failed to understand each other.

Ruelle adjusted her shades as they slipped inside the elevator. She lifted her hand and Zachari intertwined their fingers. The woman smiled. She was very fond of him.

He took her to a cafe. She rose a brow at the entrance. "Shifter, babes?" He smirked but simply opened the door for her.

The scent of lavender and vanilla caught her attention first. Then, she noticed the dark interior and the crystals hanging above her head.

Gripping the amethyst necklace around her neck, she looked at Zachari. The bigger man gently turned her away, encouraging her to look around some more.

It reminded her of something she might've seen in New Orleans. The witchy vibes were overwhelming but Ruelle knew there was more to it. There was always more to spirituality.

They lost themselves within that dark cafe, the therapeutic candles around them helping them relax. As usual, after a few minutes of Ruelle breaking the ice, Zachari allowed himself to open up.

It was marvelous. Zachari evolved before her eyes every few minutes and she took all of it in. Soon, he was making jokes, his hands moving as he spoke.

Every time Ruelle thought he couldn't get any more beautiful, he proved her wrong. His was a never-ending beauty. His mind carried the fountain of life and the longer Ruelle knew him, the more knowledge he would fill her in on.

—
"Did you know that your light dims at times?"

Zachari stayed quiet but he turned to her. She hummed, "You've got secrets and you've got pain. That's perfectly fine — I have more than a few of my own. But I had a thought yesterday."