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As night fell, Juliette lit a single white candle in the darkness. The flickering flame cast shadows on the walls, and the scent of rosemary and sage filled the room. She sat cross-legged on the floor, holding the gris-gris in her trembling hands. Closing her eyes, she focused her thoughts on the pain she had carried for so long, visualizing it leaving her body and dissipating into the ether.
Whispering the incantations her mother had taught her, Juliette poured her heart into the ritual, feeling the power of the gris-gris pulsing between her fingertips. As she chanted, she could sense the presence of her ancestors, their strength and wisdom flowing through her. The energy in the room swelled, and for a brief moment, she felt a sense of peace wash over her.
The candle’s flame flickered and went out, leaving her in darkness. Juliette opened her eyes, the weight of the past feeling a little lighter than before. Though the journey to heal her soul was far from over, she hoped that with the power of the gris-gris and the guidance of her ancestors, she would find her way to wholeness.
As she carefully returned the pouch to the drawer, gentle words whispered softly in her mind.
“Chère Juliette, l’obscurité est pas une fin, mais un passage. Ta maman, elle est toujours avec toi, dans ton coeur, dans ton âme. Le gris-gris, il t’aide pas à oublier, mais à se souvenir de son amour, de sa force. Laisse cette mémoire te guider hors de l’obscurité, ma nièce.”
“Dear Juliette, the darkness is not an end, but a passage. Your mother, she is always with you, in your heart, in your soul. The gris-gris, it does not help you to forget, but to remember her love, her strength. Let this memory guide you out of the darkness.”
* * *
Now, as Juliette lay in Chains’arms, a wave of warmth and security washed over her. It felt as if an angel had wrapped its wings around her, shielding her from the pain and loss she had endured. A happiness she hadn’t experienced in what felt like an eternity blossomed within her chest, making her heart swell with gratitude.
She couldn’t help but wonder what she had done to deserve such a man entering her life, a beacon of hope in her darkest times. Deep within her soul, she sensed that someone was still watching over her, guiding her through the storm. She believed it was her mother, whose loving embrace had always been her ultimate refuge.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she clung to him, the bond between them growing stronger with every heartbeat. In that moment, she felt truly connected to something greater than herself, and she knew she was no longer alone.
She shifted her position, and he lifted his arm, allowing her to roll over and face him. He smiled a heartwarming smile that seemed almost out of place on a rough, tough biker. His whole face lit up, his steel-blue eyes sparkling in the early morning light. His hair lay tousled on the pillow. He brushed a few strands of Juliette’s soft chestnut hair off her face so he could gaze into her beautiful deep green eyes.
She couldn’t help but smile at him and playfully waggle her eyebrows, prompting a mischievous smirk from him in return.
He lifted his muscular body off the mattress, propping himself up on one arm.
Then Juliette asked, “Hey, why were you here anyway?”
Since his arrival yesterday, he hadn’t spoken about why he had been standing there when he discovered her in the bath. “I wanted to know if you’d like a ride.” She laughed, and he did too. “On my bike,” he added.
“Well, I don’t think it could ever top the ride you gave me yesterday, but that sounds like fun. I haven’t even seen your bike. I didn’t even hear you arrive.”
“You didn’t hear a hot Harley with straight pipes pull up outside your house when the rest of the neighborhood seemed somewhat quiet?”
“I had other things on my mind, I guess,” she said with a coy smile.
“Did you ever,” he replied, grinning. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. It certainly straightened my pipe in a hurry.”
“I did notice,” she said as she let her hand slide under the covers and grab a handful of his manhood.
* * *
Juliette suddenly rememberedthe need for a morning-after pill. She hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic with Chains. With a deep breath, she opted for a different approach, avoiding any awkward conversations. “Hey, if you don’t mind, can I drive into town first? I’ve got to get something before the ride.”
Chains offered, “I can drive you in.”
“No, that’s okay. I won’t be long. You can rustle up a breakfast for me... maybe?” She tried to sound casual.
“Sure.” Chains reached over, grabbing his cellphone from his jeans pocket. He started tapping the screen, his eyes flicking between the phone and Juliette’s curious gaze. “What?”
“Are you going to call someone?”
“Doordash,” he replied with a grin.
Juliette rolled her eyes playfully. “Really? Can you cook?”
“Sure... where’s the kitchen?” His words hung in the air, and Juliette’s smile faded. Chains immediately regretted his thoughtless comment. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. It’s just...”
They had spent the night inside the main house, in a bedroom that was relatively clutter-free. Juliette hadn’t wanted him in her special place…the shed. But Chains didn’t know where anything else was in the house apart from where he had placed the chest and where the bathroom was. He hadn’t seen in the shed yet.
