The night had taken its toll on Zina and she lay in bed, unable to move or think.
She struggled against the oppressive stillness of the night, lying completely motionless in her bed.
A million racing thoughts tumbled through her head, threatening to unhinge her mind. Everything that had happened… every thought that had filled her mind before felt like a distant dream and she was still trying to make sense of it all. Instead, in its place, was the sickening realization of what she had done. It all happened like a whirlpool of chaos and confusion.
It felt like her entire world had been turned upside down in the span of a few hours. The deep guilt and shame she felt for what she had done felt chocking and overwhelming. Yet, beneath the terror and regret was something else – an exhilarating spark of joy that refused to be extinguished.
She was aware that their forbidden affair could not stand the test of time; would eventually come crashing down around them, they would be uncovered and their lives ruined, yet in that moment… it was enough.
Sleep slowly dragged her away, the abyss swallowing her consciousness.
All the family of Marcus had all gathered that night with Zina briefly going home before returning to join them.
But Derick would arrive early in the morning, having to attend to his business.
She knew that this night was only a brief reprieve from the storm they had set in motion; they could only hope it would be enough to sate their forbidden desires.
When dawn’s light streamed through the window, the full gravity of her reality crashed into her like a thunderbolt. Panic overwhelmed her as she scrambled to get dressed before rushing downstairs to face Derick. With each step, dread grew in her stomach and fear built around her heart. But she hoped against hope that he wouldn’t be angry or disappointed. What would his reaction be? Anger? Disappointment? Or worse – indifference? She steeled her resolve and prepared for the worst, yet deep down she was comforted by the knowledge that Derick would never judge her or let his love waver – he would always understand.
And when his gaze met hers, sheer love radiated from his eyes like a balm to her soul. He always understood her, always loved her in a way that never ceased to amaze her.
But Zina was tongue-tied and she bit her lip, refraining from saying anything about her and his father. She decided to keep whatever had transpired a secret for now. She could feel the words stuck in her throat as if she were choking on them. Instead, she looked at Derick and began to talk about the future, how they could make it something to look forward to.
“What do you think about our future together?” Derick asked, cutting through the awkward silence.
“It would certainly be a beautiful one. But what about if we kept our marriage plans a secret for now?” She asked tentatively, her voice shaking ever so slightly. She watched his face closely, wondering how he would react.
Derick raised an eyebrow in surprise, “a secret, huh? What kind of fun would that be?”
Zina gave him a sly smile. “You’ll just have to find out,” she teased. “But I think it could bring us closer together. “We could make it exciting by having more dates and spending more time together,” she added.
Derick nodded thoughtfully. “That sounds like a great idea.”
As their discussion reached its end, suddenly, Derick cleared his throat and announced to everyone,
“Zina, I can’t think of any better way of honoring you before my family and relatives present here than this. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Zina’s eyes widened and her heart raced. She tried to make sense of what was happening. “What! Derick, are you sure of what you’re doing?”
Derick nodded and looked around the room. “It is the only way I can show you my deepest appreciation and gratitude for everything you have done for me and for my family, especially my dad.”
She was elated beyond words and shouted, “Yes!”
The room erupted into cheers and congratulations for the happy couple. Zina felt overwhelmed with joy as her family and friends showered blessings on them. Amidst the loud claps and cheers of the crowd, her eyes locked in an intimate gaze with Marcus, Derick’s dad.
She could feel the guilt bubbling within her for cheating on her boyfriend with his father, but she was too excited to care. She was going to be married to Derick! And she’d finally found the man who appreciated her and loved her unconditionally.
Derick took out a ring from his pocket and put it on Zina’s finger, sealing their union. Everyone applauded again as they embraced each other tightly before pulling back to take in the moment. Everyone gathered around them to congratulate them both once more before dispersing.
Zina couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she thought about what lay ahead for them both. She was excited for their future together and looked forward to seeing how much happier their lives would become with each other by their side.
As soon as everyone had left, Derick took Zina’s hand into his own and said;
“Let’s go upstairs,” he said with a mischievous grin on his face which caused Zina to blush furiously in response.
They headed up to Derick’s bedroom where they sat down at the edge of the bed, still holding hands as they stared into each other’s eyes lovingly, admiring every detail of each other’s treasured faces. The intensity between them grew until Derick leaned forward and kissed Zina passionately, taking away any lingering doubts or worries that either of them might have had about their relationship or future together because this was real love.
Derick wrapped his arms around Zina tightly, and without saying a word, they both knew what they were about to do. They embraced passionately, their lovemaking echoing all around the room, setting their souls on fire.