BEAUTY MARKS

21. SAFE ROOM

Kaede was a miracle.

 Dominque grabbed her in a suffocating hug to comfort but also, the man wished to hide the few tears threatening to fall in front of the woman. At this instant, the man realized how lonely he was with his secret.

The roles were reversed, Kaede was the one to liberate the man from his dungeon, "tú eres valioso ante mis ojos, tengo necesidad de ti."

"Dominque, what did you say? Dom-."

Kaede didn't know what he said, but she held on to him as tight as he did.

Marco was right Dominque wasn't perfect, but neither was she. Her Ex was wrong to believe she sought perfection, just as he was wrong to think his money solved everything.

The exchange she had with Dominque where expressing one's fears without having the impression of being a dead weight, but feeling supported was what Kaede needed when she was in an abyss of depression. Kaede knew Dominque needed that level of understanding right then.

They fell asleep around 3 am. Kaede woke up first. She crept out of bed with her phone in hand and went to the kitchen. She began to do some diabetes research.

Dominque entered the kitchen a few minutes after, "hey."

"Goodmorning," Kaede blacked out the screen of her phone, which she posed face down on the counter.

She smiled, and Dominque's angst faded. How Kaede would be when they woke was something that stressed him. The man wondered if her behavior would change. Would she treat him as though he had some disability? Would she stare at him with pity or be her usual radiant self just as she was then.

The woman didn't know how she impacted Dominque's emotions. His feelings for her already streamed in high definition, attained an immersive HD level where the colors were larger than life. It was one of those moments where the man wished the doctor would announce the power of love cured him just like they did in movies.

"Why did you wake up so early?"

"I wanted to take down my braids. So I'llㅡ.

"I'll help you,

"Dominque."

"Remember what Dyan said?"

"Dominque, it will mess up the place, and I'll look like Medusa on the loose."

"What I know what Kanekalon hair looks like when you chop it. Hey, I grew up in Saint-Denis, the place with a hair store every three meters on Republic high street."

"Oh my God, you even know the braid type."

"Of courses I do, one of my childhood friends, Aarav parent's, owned four stores. My mom would send me to buy things for Dyan all the time. Come on; I won't do a Simione on you."

"What's that?"

"My friend Simione wanted to help his wife take out her sew-in, and he chopped the cornrows as he took out the weft. She had to shave all her head."

Kaede laughed, "oh, my."

"Relax, Kaede, you cut the ends, and I'll unbraid."

Half an hour later, Kaede sat on a chair. Dominque undid the back while she took off the braids at the front.

"Your hair is pretty long."

"You mean for a black woman?"

"No, I mean for a black woman in France. The quality of the water here is bad. A lot of women have a tough time growing their hair."