Black Keys (The Colorblind Trilogy #1)

  I met people I liked, and people I loved. I met people I disliked, and peopled I hated.

  I met people that made me laugh, and met others that made me cry.

  I met people that made me feel safe, and met ones who threatened my life.

  All of them were people. They were Christians, Jews, atheists and they were Muslims. But eventually, and before anything, they were people. And we were all alike.

  All of my thoughts were about Mazen. What I felt about him, and what I wanted with him. How I missed him and how I ached for him. How my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about him for a second, and how my hands ached to touch his.

  I knew in my heart that I wanted him, forever.

  I loved him. I loved him so much. I had to be with him.

  Our relationship wasn’t normal. But–who cares? That was what made it unique.

  We got married then we fell in love.

  We got divorced and then he told me he was falling for me.

  Lovers kissed at sunset and we shared out first kiss as the sun was about to rise.

  Lovers kissed facing each other and we kissed upside down.

  People ate pancakes for breakfast and we had them for dinner.

  He was a Muslim and I was Christian.

  He was an Arab and I was American.

  We were different. Very different. But in the end, we were a man and a woman. We were people. People with hearts. And all people were equal. God said that the heart is all that matters. And I loved his heart. With every sense in me. If there was one right thing I needed to do for myself, it was to be with him again. And if people around us made our lives hard, I didn’t care. I’d fight. He was worth it.

  I got up, smiling as broadly as I could make my lips smile, brought my ring finger to my mouth and kissed my wedding rings that I had never been able to take off.

  I’d found my black keys.

  I knew what I wanted to do. I knew what I needed to do. I was never so sure about anything in my whole life as I was about being with Mazen.

  Maybe it took Salma two months to get back to him, but it took me only two weeks, because her heart was much stronger than mine, and she couldn’t possibly love him more than I did. Nobody could.

  One day, I told my grandmother that I didn’t belong in the world of the one I loved, and she told me, “But, sweetie...it’s not lands and buildings that make a home; it’s people who do.”

  And I believed her. Lands and buildings didn’t make a home. It was people who did. And he was my people. He was my home. I belonged to him. With him. And I had to be with him, near him. I needed to take a plane to get me there. To my home. Him.

  Mazen.

  White Locks

  The Colorblind Trilogy Book 2

  “Mazen is not in the kingdom?” I gasped.

  Rose is a loved mother, wife, and a stay at home lawyer. Writing is her passion, and reading is her obsession. Music is her best friend and sarcasm is her speaking trend. One of her joys is bringing happiness to others and her biggest wish is that they stay true to one another. Through her stories, she wants to spread nothing except understanding, peace and love.

  Additional Works

  Pretty Faces and Dark Places by Rose B. Mashal Coming October 2015

  The Colorblind Trilogy Book #2 White Locks by Rose B. Mashal Coming 2016

  Thank you to the following individuals who, without their contributions and support, this book could not have been written:

  To Sandra, for being the best friend and the best sister, I love you more than love. Thank you for making me laugh even when smiling was not so easy to do.

  To Ann May, the other part of my soul.

  To Wendy Mathew, for always being there when I needed you the most. I would've been a mess without you.

  To Michelle, my baby sister.

  To Adriana, for all the late night talks and early morning wishes.

  To Widad, Zeinab, Maheen, Susan, Terri, Sahar, Joan, Carol, Isherna, Leah, Kholoud, Sheri, Kara, Sabina, Allie, Tanvi, for listening to all of my rants, and assuring me that 'It's going to be okay'. I love you girls more than I can explain, and I wouldn't know what I would've done without your constant help.

  To Amber L. Johnson, for always telling me what to do and where to go when I was lost and had no idea what I was doing.

  To SJ Hooks, for saving my heart.

  To my parents, my kids and my husband, for being my reasons for living.

  To the Fandom, for teaching me lots of what I know and helping me through rough times.

  Table of Contents

  Title

  Copyright

  Summary

  Preface

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments