Shining My Love on You - Bob Marley One Shot

Shining My Love on You

Monday morning

The sun shines over the city of Kingston, giving each of its inhabitants a sweet sting upon their skin. The wind blows tenderly, cooling an otherwise hot day.

Bell bottoms cover the scraping of a young man's shoes against the sand and rubble as he passes through town. The breeze catches beneath his unbuttoned jean jacket, causing it to flair gently behind him. As he walks, he catches glimpse of a rusted, teal pick up truck parked outside one of the shops, bags of green, yellow, and red mangoes piling out of the back. A woman takes four bags into her hands, lifting them from the truck with a bit of a struggle.

With a smile, he jogs over. As he approaches, his ears pick up on the faint static of a radio coming through the front door and pouring out onto the streets. "Here, let me help ya with that."

The woman looks up in surprise, but smiles back nonetheless. "That's very kind of you. Thank you."

He takes in her face. Her bright eyes, her braided hair, her youthful spirit. Not the first time he's seen her around, he realizes. "Ah, that's no problem." He says, following her into the shop with bags of the fruit in his hands. It is a small building, but its authenticity shines through down to the freshness of every seed and the care behind every wipe of the windows. "This yours?" He asks as he looks around after placing the bags on the front counter near the register.

"My mother's" She answers, taking fruit by fruit from the bags and placing them on a nearby cart. "She's with child, so I'm in charge for now."

"Ah, I see." He nods out. "You live in that yellow house on Hope?"

Her eyes contort in confusion from his sudden personal question and her movement stops, looking at the seeming stranger with a more cautious approach now. "How'd you know?" She asks slowly.

He chuckles at her expression. "I live near. I seen you pass by."

As she takes him in her face begins to soften, a feeling of ease settling in her stomach as she remembers his long hair and slender build playing football around the neighborhood from time to time. "Thought I recognized you. I've heard my cousins speak of you. Bob, is it?"

He can't help but grin when he hears his name come from her lips. "Me that is." She tries to hide her blush when she notices the softness in his voice and the savor in his eyes as he looks at her. He chuckles at her shyness, finding it endearing how she's trying her best to focus on the fruit in front of her. "I'ma head back home," He says softly once more. "But when you need help with your mangoes again, you know where to look for me." He smirks as he backs slowly towards the entrance, still taking in her aura.

She shakes her head with a chuckle before an offering comes to her mind for the kind man. "Before you go." She stops him suddenly, grabbing a ripe fruit from the top of one of the bags. She tosses it his way, where he catches it with ease. "On the house." She says as she resumes unpacking the bags.

His grin widens, thumbing the smooth skin of the mango as if in hope to find the subtle heat of her fingertips that were once on it. "I appreciate it." His eyes glance up thankfully.

She lets her gaze wander over her shoulder where she makes contact with him one last time. A small smirk appears on her cocoa lips as she gives him a quick once over before turning back with a satisfied hum.

Wednesday morning

Palm trees stand still above the streets, no breeze to be felt. The rising sun already blazes, peeking out from behind the mountain tops with readiness. Rooftops glisten with heat, the usual busy streets not quite as busy today.

Despite this, the man decides to go for a jog, making sure to accidentally pass by one shop in particular on his way through the city. His green running shorts bounce with each of step, his shirt already gathering the moisture rising from his brown skin.