When Samuel arrived at the house late in the afternoon, Kali was holed up in the kitchen preparing the meal she wanted to serve that evening. She was used to cooking by herself, and Samuel couldn't deny that she was an exemplary cook. The house smelt savoury, even from the door. The rich aroma of spices saturated every crevice of the room. He liked everything she made and was even getting used to her more spicy numbers. He watched for some time, and she didn't notice. She was intensely focused on her work, chopping and sorting the things she needed. Her hair was tied up with a multi-coloured scrunchy, but a good amount still swayed around as she moved. She arranged small bowls on the counter, pouring the ingredients she needed into them while checking in on what was already boiling on the electric cooker. "Hey." He greeted from the door. His voice scared her, but she quickly recovered when she turned to see him. "Hey!" She stretched on her toes, leaning away from the pot to hug and

Kali looked at her phone as she stood by the door of the car, waiting for Samuel to bring down the last of their boxes. She had received a message from Ysabel which, in no small words, demanded that she come to the mansion as soon as possible because they had something important to discuss. The message was curt and straightforward, as all her messages were, but Kali sensed something more brewing.  After a beautiful morning with her sister, Samuel and his siblings, she didn’t want to sour the mood by arguing with Ysabel. But unfortunately, the woman still had a hold on her. She still needed to comply with most of her wishes. Even more so now that her sister was in town. It wasn’t past Ysabel to play dirty, and now that she had something to risk, she needed to play smarter.  “The last of your boxes.” Samuel said as he dropped some into the ca

“You,” Kali swallowed nervously, unfurling her fingers from Samuel’s arm and wrist. “You can let go of me.”He stood behind her, his head resting on the top of her head and his arms tight across her chest and stomach. She felt him move, but he didn’t loosen his grip. His breath fanned over her neck as he bent to look at her. She turned her head, allowing him to see her face and offering a thin smile. “Are you sure?”She nodded, patting his hand. “I am.”Carefully, he withdrew his hand, stroking the back of her head as he turned her to face him. Dutifully he looked her over, worry etched on his face. “You scared me for a moment there.”“I am sorry.” She muttered, slightly embarrassed. Before she could say anything else, Samuel drew her back into his arms, her face pressed into the neck of his iron-pressed shirt. She could smell a hint of the starch

Kali swam back to shore after enjoying a swim in the warm ocean water. Ember had invited them to a day at one of their family's favourite resorts in the city. She had also invited Giovanna to join them, and Kali spent most of her time ignoring the girl's presence. Ember wanted to mend some bridges, but Kali knew it was better to keep those bridges broken. Although Giovanna was on her best behaviour, Kali didn't doubt that she had something up her sleeve. "Samuel," He peeked at her as she stood over him. "I am going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?" "June is already getting us some drinks." Samuel pointed at the bar, and Kali spotted her sister talking to one of the bartenders. "Hey. You are ordering drinks?" She asked when she met June at the bar. "Yes." June thanked the bartender as he placed a tray of drinks down. "I got mango for you." "Thanks." She picked the drink June indicated and took a long, savoury drag. "Come

Kali woke up, sluggishly reaching over to stop her alarm clock before it rang. Well-rested and recovered from the previous day, she sat up, stretching her limbs leisurely. As she usually did, she took some time to pray before slipping her rings on and shuffling into her sandals. When she turned, she was surprised to find Samuel sitting at the foot of the balcony doors. Unsure, she looked to the bed to confirm his side was empty before looking back at him. It was the first time she had seen him awake so early in the morning, sitting where she usually stood to watch the night sky fade as the day broke through. &ldq