“N-no. They’re just joking around in the WhatsApp group,” Kendra answered nervously.
“Oh. Are you getting sleepy? Come to bed!”
“In a little while, Honey. You go ahead,” I replied, my eyes still glued to the screen of my phone.
“Hmm, okay.” Maura looked disappointed. This was the first time Kendra had asked her to go to bed alone.
Kendra and Alissa had been texting back and forth for more than an hour. The one ex who got away didn’t want to end the fun tonight. Even though Kendra had said goodbye several times.
[It’s late. Let’s continue tomorrow, okay?]
Instead, Alissa started a new topic, forcing Kendra to keep replying. What they were talking about wasn’t actually important. Alissa only wanted to drag Kendra back into the feelings they’d once shared. Unfortunately, the man was enjoying it.
[Want to have lunch together tomorrow?]
Meet again? As long as they only traded messages, Kendra could still hold himself back. Even if Johny suddenly started stirring, he could calm him down under the shower. But if he met Alissa in person ... Kendra wasn’t sure he could subdue Johny so easily. Even this afternoon, he’d had to endure considerable pain when his pants suddenly became painfully tight.
Their relationship had gone far too far back then. They hadn’t crossed the final line, but kissing, embracing, and touching each other had become perfectly normal. They were young and full of desire. Johny had even gotten acquainted with Alissa’s hands. Maybe that was why he kept stirring now, even when Kendra and Alissa were only texting like this. Apparently, Johny wanted to relive the past too.
[It’s dangerous for us to keep seeing each other, Al. Things we want to happen might happen.]
Kendra tried to soften his rejection with a little humor. Truly, he was afraid he would lose control if he kept meeting Alissa.
[You want that, don’t you? Then let’s do it! Remember when we stopped at that old house? We got all romantic while being scared out of our minds.]
Damn it! Kendra grumbled inwardly.
The memory had resurfaced. Caught in a downpour and having forgotten to bring a raincoat, they had taken shelter in an abandoned house. The circumstances had been perfect. The road was deserted, the air was cold, and there was an empty building. Whispers of demons turned into screams. They were only ordinary human beings, incapable of resisting. They got goosebumps, but that didn’t lessen their desire to make out there.
[Ugh, now I’m getting ignored. I’m going to turn into a martabak if you keep ignoring me!]
Kendra giggled when he saw that Alissa was annoyed because he hadn’t replied right away.
Damn, her lips are adorable when she’s annoyed, Kendra thought. Naturally red, always moist, and begging to be kissed.
[I’m serious, Al. We really shouldn’t see each other anymore.]
Kendra didn’t want to turn Alissa into a homewrecker. That label was far too ugly for a creature as beautiful as her. He had to keep things under control.
[I can’t, Ken. I’m going to miss you!]
[Me too, Al. But I’ve managed so far. You can do it too.]
Longing. Longing never made a sound, but it kept calling you to seek it out. The harder you tried to kill it, the more viciously it would pounce and devour your entire heart, even swallowing all reason and logic so they would no longer dare speak. So it was better to ignore the longing altogether. Don’t fight it—just try to forget it.
That was what Kendra had guarded all this time. He couldn’t let this forbidden longing shatter the defenses of his faith.
We’re the same, Al. We both miss each other! Kendra lamented inwardly.
[Teach me how to miss you without having to meet.]
Kendra’s heart ached when he read Alissa’s reply. It seemed he would have to share the trick he had been using all this time.
[Find another man to keep you company right away.]
Love needed a diversion. When two hearts could no longer unite, a substitute player had to be sent onto the field immediately. He would help us forget, even if not forever.
[What if I can’t?] Alissa kept sending messages.
Kendra couldn’t reply anymore because that really was the only way he knew. His eyes remained fixed on the screen. For nearly ten minutes, they were both silent, neither typing a thing, until Alissa sent another message.
[I’ll convert to Islam and become your wife.]