by Iris Deorre
‘Hey, how did it go?’ asked Alice. ‘Or shouldn’t I ask.’
‘Ask away, it was okay. Doc sent me for some bloods. He’s certain it’s not cancer, but also not a hundred percent certain.’
‘Well that’s good news. Isn’t it?’
‘It calmed my nerves, but I still get the feeling that something’s wrong.’
‘Don’t you think you’re just paranoid? You’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. It could be the reason you feel the way you do.’
‘True, the Doc suggested the same thing. I think things were moving too fast for me.’
‘Maybe you should join me in one of my meditation sessions.’
‘Thanks for the offer, but that really isn’t me. I’m not into that sort of thing.’
‘Okay, that’s fine. Just thought it would help. Perhaps a massage would do.’
‘Yeah that could help.’ She scanned through the diary. ‘Where are you up to on orders?’
Alice had done the first two orders of the day, there were still a few she had to do before two o’clock that had come through.
‘I guess I’ll start from the third order.’
‘Yes, that would be great. It’s been a busy week.’
‘I’m just grateful we have something to do. I’m glad people still find the joy in sending flowers. Although some flowers aren’t for joyous situations.’
‘But they still manage to brighten up the day.
‘Yes that’s true. Flowers will always remind me of how beautiful the world is. No matter what is going on around us, if we focus back on that beauty, you’ll feel that peace, that joy and that beauty.’ As she started to work, her words began to ring true. She got lost in her love for life, she became engrossed in her passion.
The day hurried along, by the time she’d gazed at her watch, it was already time to go. That moment, the moment she looked at the watch was the moment she was sucked back into reality.
‘I wish there was no time,’ she said suddenly.
‘There isn’t.’ Alice pulled on her jacket, ready to leave. ‘Time is an illusion created by us to mean something that really doesn’t have a meaning.’
Sahara looked at her a little confused. She didn’t know how to react to that.
‘You can’t step in to tomorrow, because it doesn’t exist. Life is just one big event that happens from moment to moment. Time was created by us to give us some sense of control, but the truth is, we have no control over what happens from moment to moment, things just unfold like the flower in the soil. It just is.’
Sahara smiled. Alice was certainly a gift, she hadn’t realised how much of a gift until she worked with her each day.
‘Thanks for that Alice, it has made my life feel a little bit easier.’
‘I know you’re worried about the results, and even if I tell you not to worry, you probably can’t help it.’ She stepped forward towards Sahara and took her hand. ‘But use your love for your work, your love for Eugene, to carry you forward. Spend time here, appreciate what you have, because if you spend time worrying about something you have no control over, it’s wasted time. You will miss the beauty of it all, the reason for living.’
‘And what’s that, what’s the reason for living?’
‘Whatever you choose it to be.’
‘What’s yours?’ Sahara was curious.
Alice smiled. ‘To do whatever makes me the most excited. To do what makes me feel good, regardless of what’s going on in my life.’
‘But how can you do that? Surely there are times when you just want to let it all out, get angry.’
‘True, and that’s healthy because when you’re feeling out of sync with yourself, it’s a clear sign something is going on inside you that needs to be addressed. It’s your fear, your anger, your pain, and as long as you remember that, you’ll always find you’re always in control of things that exist inside you.’
Sahara was silent for a moment. Alice had taken her through many rocky roads and she was doing just that again.
‘Thanks, I needed to hear that.’
‘You’re welcome honey. See you tomorrow.’
‘Yes, see you tomorrow.’
Chapter Five
A few days later, Sahara found herself putting to practice Alice’s words. She tightened the belt to the trench coat she’d bought at Harvey Nichols and shook her head. She still wasn’t comfortable wearing a coat that had cost a grand and a half, but it had been a living in the moment thing. Five million pounds? One and a half thousand pounds was a drop in the ocean.
‘It’s okay, it’s only money.’ She put on the red lipstick and pouted. ‘Just for today, you’re going to live out your wildest fantasy.’ She giggled. ‘Tonight you become, S.’ She was tickled by just how silly that sounded. ‘The moment.’ She was serious again.
Lawrence had left for the night, but not without making a delicious dinner for two. Sahara had instructed him that she wanted to make it a special night for Eugene’s return. Lawrence had taken it upon himself to make sure that would play out in the food.
She went downstairs. Lit the ruby candles and then switched off the main lights. Everything about the whole scenario felt strange but exciting at the same time. Sahara was stepping out of her comfort zone for the first time, to surprise the man she truly did love. She put on a Barry White CD, on a low level that just made the atmosphere a lot more tempting.
Fifteen minutes she heard the keys to the door. She took her position in the passage and tried not to laugh. He opened the door to find her standing with one hand up against the wall and the other on her hip. His lips curled into a cheeky smile, as he kicked the door shut.
‘Well, look at you.’ He put down his belongings. ‘If I knew this was what I was coming home to, I would’ve been home sooner.’ He took bold steps towards her.
Their lips met immediately. The moment he touched her, she knew just how much she’d missed him. As he reached for the belt of the trench coat she stepped back.
‘Ahaha,’ she whispered. ‘Not yet. You’re going to have to be a lot more patient than that.
He stepped back and smiled eagerly, there was a light in his eye, like he’d just seen her for the first time.
‘Lawrence was kind enough to make us a romantic meal.’
‘It does smell delicious.’
‘Let me take your jacket.’ She helped him out of his suit jacket and he loosened his tie.
Her heart leapt, it was so nice to see him, she hadn’t realised how much she’d missed him. She led him into the living-room towards the dinning table that was behind the couch.
‘This certainly looks romantic.’ He took in the surroundings and pulled her to him.
‘You need to be patient.’
‘How can I? I’ve missed you so much. All I want to do is take you to bed.’
She laughed.
‘Why don’t you make yourself comfortable and I’ll get the starters.’
He pulled out a chair and sat. His heart swelled with both pride and emotion. Sahara was really the woman he wanted to come home to everyday. He watched her as she made her way to the kitchen. Lawrence had left instructions of what to do and it had been that simple. She brought out a bottle of wine and two glasses.
‘You’re drinking?’ he asked amused.
‘Nope, this is alcohol free wine. I’m not sure how it will compare to real wine, but I just thought it would be nice to share the moment.
He pulled her playfully towards him before she could disappear back into the kitchen. She fell onto his lap and he kissed her playfully.
‘Let’s skip dinner, all I want is to be with you.’
‘Nope, this is the best part.’ She kissed him back and then pulled away.
‘Not fair.’ He laughed as she slipped away from him.
‘Patience my love, patience.’ She walked back to the kitchen.
She walked back in with oysters with burnt butter.
‘That smells divine.’ He let out. ‘I love oyste
rs.’
‘Lawrence told me they’re your favourite, and he went into town to get the best.’
‘Thank you honey, thank you for caring, for making the effort and for making me feel welcome.’
‘You’ve done the same for me, when things weren’t looking rosy, you were there for me.’
‘And I will always be.’
The thought of her blood test drifted through for a moment. The ‘what if’ panic set in, but she quickly brought herself back to the moment. Right then, she was with the man she loved, savouring food she rarely ate. Sahara took time to appreciate that, through that process, the fear seeped away.
‘So tell me, what was Dubai like?’ she could only imagine.
From the pictures she’d seen on the internet it looked like an amazing place to visit.
‘I’ll take you there so you can experience it yourself.’
‘But in the meantime, let me imagine it, tell me what it was like, the views, the sounds, the noises.’ She remembered Justin and their days of daydreaming.
He sat back a moment and thought. It made him realise just how much he’d missed while he was there. Somehow Sahara always managed to bring him back down to earth.
‘I have to admit,’ he said as he reached for the serviette and dabbed his mouth. ‘I hardly saw any of it. I saw the airport, then I was in the car, next I was at the office and it was meeting after meeting.’
She watched him.
‘I was so tired that all I wanted to do was to go back to the hotel to sleep.’
Her lips curled into a smile. ‘Okay then, let’s start with that, let’s start with where you are.’
He didn’t really understand what she was saying, but she’d done it so many times with Justin, she knew exactly what she wanted from him.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I used to tell Felicity to accept where she was in any point of her life.’ Sahara had started to do that again with her life, starting with the romantic meal. ‘In life we think we don’t have time, we don’t have enough money, we don’t have this or that, but I do know one thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘We all have something. We can all start from where we are. And that’s all I’m asking you to do.’
‘You’re going to have to help me with that one honey.’
‘Okay. When you stepped out of the plane, what was the first thing you did?’
‘I headed straight for the waiting car.’
‘Do you remember what you were doing?’
‘I was on my phone.’
‘Do you remember the first thing that came to your mind, or the first thing you felt, even though you were on the phone?’
‘Urm…’ He thought back to his trip and then as if suddenly realising what she was getting at, he said, ‘Yes, I remember thinking, feeling…hot. I was hot.’
‘You see, we’re getting somewhere.’ She giggled. ‘You got to feel the warmth on your skin.’ She tried to imagine just how hot it was.
‘I remember a soft rose scent in the car and it reminded me of you.’
‘Ah, you smelt something nice that gave you a great memory.’ She laughed.
‘While I spoke on the phone, there were times that I looked outside and noticed the most beautiful buildings.’
He tried to go into detail of what he now realised he’d seen, but hadn’t been conscious of it.
‘Isn’t it amazing?’ she asked. ‘Being able to appreciate exactly where you are regardless of what you’re doing.’
‘It is, now that you’ve brought it to my attention, it’s brought up the most amazing feelings.’ He had to admit that he suddenly felt calm, as if he was seeing Dubai for the first time.
‘Justin taught me that. He said that just because he wasn’t able to go out and do things, didn’t mean he couldn’t imagine them. He could start with where he was. He could look out of a window, notice a shopping bag, notice a great pair of shoes and use his imagination to take him on a journey most people think impossible.’
‘I love you.’ He winked. ‘You make me happy.’
‘I love you too.’ She pushed back the chair and cleared the plates. ‘When I get back, I want you to continue to tell me about this amazing country.’
He realised what was important to her, and it was becoming important to him. She didn’t want to know what business deal he’d just struck or how much money he’d just made. She wanted to know about the sounds and smells of the country he’d visited. Even though he didn’t realise just how important it was to her, it certainly made him look at life through a different lens.
Sahara returned with seared scallops with creamy mash potato. He grinned from ear to ear.
‘I know, your favourite.’ She giggled. ‘All your secrets are out. You do love your potatoes.’
‘Hmmm, I do, you bring out the schoolboy in me.’ He laughed. ‘Here,’ he poured the non alcoholic wine into the glasses. ‘Let’s toast.’
She took a glass.
‘To being you.’
‘To being you! I like that.’
Their glasses clanged and each one took a sip of the wine. Their conversation flowed, Sahara was able to bring out parts of him he didn’t even know existed. He felt relaxed and not rushed for anything and the food tasted divine. He took time to taste it as she’d pointed out in conversation, to savour the tastes and to appreciate all that had been done and given.
‘This is the best welcome home I’ve ever had!’
‘Well, I’m glad you liked it, but it isn’t over yet.’ She collected the plates.
‘It isn’t?’ he asked with a sneaky grin.
‘Of course not, there’s still dessert.’ She played along.
Sahara disappeared into the kitchen and this time returned with a bowl of strawberries and chocolate sauce. Eugene grinned, and she took the goodies to the other half of the living-room.
‘Why don’t you take a seat.’ she said.
He sat down. Sahara put the bowl of strawberries and the chocolate sauce to the side of him.
‘I’m your dessert, in case you were wondering.’
His eyes lit up. Sahara pulled the belt to the coat loose.
‘I’ve been wondering what you were hiding under there.’
‘Well, now you don’t have to.’ She opened the jacket and revealed her naked body.
He bit back his lip and watched her intensely. There was a slight rise beneath his trousers, and it got harder the moment she stepped towards him and climbed onto his lap. He gasped as he felt her swirl her hips over his rock hard member.
She leaned forward, her lips almost touching his ear, she whispered, ‘Do you like that?’
‘I love it. I love it very much.’
She flicked his ear lobe with her tongue gently. He let out a soft sigh as he enjoyed her bold moves. She bit on the tip gently and then moved down to his neck. Eugene allowed all the sensations to tickle and tease him. Sahara took his hand and directed it to her chest. He took the initiative and played with her breast.
‘I always thought that having one breast would turn a man off, but…’ she gasped as he squeezed her nipple between his fingers.
‘But what?’ he whispered.
‘You make one breast feel like the new sexy.’ She laughed gently.
‘That’s because it is, only you can pull off sexy.’ He grasped her breast fully into his hand.
It wasn’t just her body that turned him on, it was her way of thinking, the way she saw the world that added his attraction to her. She wasn’t like any woman he’d met before. Her optimism had begun to rub off on him and every morning he was always grateful he was alive.
‘You are the sexiest woman I’ve ever met. You turn me on in every way.’ He lifted her chin and kissed her passionately.
He wanted her so badly; he’d wanted her the moment he’d landed. She was like a magnet, a strong pull that kept him coming back for more and more.
‘You have charmed me, hypnotised me or cast some sort o
f love spell on me,’ he mouthed against her. ‘Whatever it is, I’m bound to you forever.’
Her lips curled into a smile as he continued to kiss her. A moment later she pulled away, to his disappointment.
‘I was enjoying that.’
‘I know, so was I.’ She picked a large strawberry from the bowl and squirted chocolate sauce over it. ‘But I still want us to have dessert.’ She let the chocolate covered strawberry linger close to his mouth.
She placed it gently on his lips, and a bit of chocolate drizzled down the side of his lips. Sahara quickly lapped it up and again they were kissing like new romantic lovers. She pulled away and fed him the strawberry. He smiled as he savoured the delight.
‘I love you,’ he said.
‘I love you too. Now cover me with that chocolate.’
It had always been one of her fantasies, to be covered in chocolate.
‘I’d love nothing more than to honour that request.
She moved off him and lay down on the carpet. Her body was all his to do with as he pleased. There was not a single self conscious moment. The way he looked at her was enough to make her know that she was the most attractive woman to him.
‘You’re gorgeous,’ he said as he got onto his knees with the squirt bottle of chocolate in his hand. ‘You are the most magnificent woman I’ve ever met and right now, you’ve made me as hard as a rock.’
She laughed at the latter. He began to squirt the chocolate sauce all over her body. He was like a little boy with a new toy. She watched him, the expressions on his face, and took joy in it all. Her heart raced, her middle clenched, she felt so high just being in the moment with him. Everything else that had seemed like a big deal, wasn’t anymore. The only thing that mattered was what was happening to her in that moment.
He leaned forward and started from the top. His lips took in the sweet syrup and touched her skin at the same time. He licked his lips as he savoured her, as he licked up ever bit of chocolate on her. Sahara shut her eyes and took in the touch of his soft lips and his warm tongue against her skin. He travelled down her chest, over the scarred part of her breast. He lingered there, showed appreciation and acceptance. Each kiss made her aware of how comfortable he was with her. He moved across to her breast, licked off the chocolate from her nipple and sucked it hard.