Teganjaz Books Presents... Author, Tracy L. Darity

When words fail me in my writing, I look for a song that I can relate to what I am trying to convey in the story.  The following excerpt from Love...Like Snow In Florida on a Hot Summer Day was inspired by the song You Are, by R & B artist, Kem.

Tuesday, after LaDamien returns from New York, we take off to spend the day together. Surprisingly, he is not trying to get me into bed but suggests we do something adventurous like ride the Pinellas Trail.

The trail extends thirty plus miles from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs and is expected to be almost fifty miles in length once completed. It began as the vision of a father who lost his son when he was killed while riding his bicycle. Coupled with the county’s concern over unused railroad tracks from the CSX railway system that stretch from city to city throughout the area, the Pinellas Trail was formed.

We decide to travel to Walsingham Park, some twenty miles, have lunch, and return. After our plans are made, I reluctantly remind LaDamien that he did not buy me a new bike as promised. We have made short bike trips to Fort Desoto Beach, and through downtown, but my bicycle is not for long trips. His deep sigh resonates through the phone line and I regret saying anything. Lately, whenever it comes to spending money on me, LaDamien seems reserved and almost agitated at the notion. I do not know if he thinks I am trying to use him or if things are not going well with the business. If I could handle the trip on my outdated Huffy, I would but it would be torture. LaDamien asks me how much money I have to put towards a new bike. “A hundred at the most,” I replied and he says he will call me back.

An hour later he arrives at my house with a rented bicycle and tells me if I like it and don’t complain too much during the ride, he will buy me one in a few weeks when he has some money. “The funeral and travel expenses have drained me and I really need to cutback on my spending,” he adds. The rented bike will be fine and I will save for my own if we decide to do this more often.

It takes us nearly two hours to make the trek to Walsingham Park. We make stops along the way so I can rest and catch my breath but nothing more than five minutes. Before reaching the park we stop at a Subway sandwich shop and purchase a sandwich and chips. We make another stop at 7-eleven to buy water and sodas. Finally, we reach the park and it is beautiful. LaDamien lets me know he wants to ride the parks trail before settling down, so I follow him as we take in the beauty of our peaceful surroundings. I can’t think of any park in our area that can compare but LaDamien quickly points out Fort Desoto. “But that is the beach.” He chuckles before clarifying that it is still considered a park. So I let him have that one.

We finally park the bikes and settle near the lake. Pulling out a bed sheet from my backpack and spreading it on the ground, we take a seat, unwrap our sub and each take half. Although LaDamien stated he wanted Doritos and not potato chips he has his hand in my bag. We chat as we eat our meal and once done we discard of the trash and head back to the sheet. It is so serene I can feel myself drifting off. LaDamien pats my leg. “Don’t fall asleep on me, we have to get back home remember.” I do remember and I am questioning myself as to why I agreed to this. I say to him, “Why don’t you go back and get the car and come get me,” he laughs.

LaDamien scoots closer to me. He is sitting up and I am stretched out on my stomach. “Do you love me Mya?” he asks.

“Of course.” Then he asks me why I don’t say it often. I tell him I thought I said it all the time and if I say it too much it may begin to lose its meaning. He disagrees letting me know he wants to hear it everyday. When I think about it, LaDamien tells me all the time that he loves me. So much so, that at times I wonder if he’s trying to convince himself.

“I did a lot of thinking in New York,” he begins. “Death can come at any time. We’re living this life right now that isn’t good for me and has to be hell for you. I just don’t know what I would do if I lost you before I had the chance to truly know you in the way I want to get to know you.” He is running his hand down my back.

I turn on my side and look up into his eyes that have started to water. He is in a serious zone. “My life has been so different since I met you Mya. I knew I would love you but never thought it would be so intense. I think of you all the time, when I wake-up I want you next to me; and when I come home in the evenings I want it to be you waiting for me.” He grimaces as if in pain so I reach for him. He takes my hand into his and continues.

“I don’t know how much longer I can stay with Kim knowing how I feel about you. I just wish I knew without a doubt that you felt the same way. All I need to know is that you love me as much as I love you.” He places my open hand to his lips and kisses my palms. I come up and meet his lips. We kiss passionately for minutes, as if we will cease to exist if we let go. I do love LaDamien and how he can question that love is beyond me since I thought I showed him in everything I do.

We finally separate and he looks to me for my reassurance so I pull out my MP3 player and search for a song. He is growing impatient. The song I am looking for comes up and I hand him the earphones. “I listened to this song a hundred times last night. This has to be the most beautiful love song I have ever heard. If a man ever felt this way about me I would feel so special, so loved, and I would know without a doubt that our love would be forever.” I say this as he adjusts the earphones and I press play. He listens intently as Kem crone’s the words to You Are. When the song ends he hands me the earphones. “Kem, huh, so you’re hooked now? I never paid much attention to this track. What does it mean to you?” he asks.

“It means that I love you. That you are so much a part of me that I no longer know how to exist without you.”

The intensity of his stare continues and he responds, “If I died today my body wouldn’t be cold before you found someone else.” He chuckles half-heartedly his eyes begging for me to counter this thought.

“That’s not true,” I say in a defensive tone. “If you were to die I would want to lie down and die too. Why do you question my love for you this way?” I hear the words I have just said but I don’t know where they came from. Nor have I ever said anything like this to anyone before. But then again, I have never loved anyone as much as I love LaDamien and hope I never will again.

He looks pleased with my admission but still his eyes hold a hint of unbelief. We stare into each others eyes for what feels like minutes. LaDamien blinks first, and smiles that brilliant smile I love so much. I reach for the MP3 player at the same time he reaches for the earplugs. “Put it on repeat,” he says. “I want to hear this song over and over again, and Mya, you are everything in this song and more. If something happened to you, I would die too.” He kisses my forehead and pulls me closer as he lays back and props his head on his bag. We lay in each others arms, LaDamien listening to Kem’s definition of a love so intense, yet innocent and pure; and I am enjoying the sounds of the park and flow of the lake. We drift off into a melancholy sleep but are awaken by the presence of someone standing over us.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the white woman, in hippie gear begins. “My name is Agnes, and my hobby is taking pictures of people in their natural state.” She hands us her card along with a small form. I look at the form and it is quite simple, it has a place for the date, location, and time, which have been completed already, and a place to write-in an email address where she can send us the photo’s she has taken. LaDamien looks scared, maybe even terrified. He is not buying her story but I believe she is sincere. I jot down my email address and give it back to her. Agnes sees the concern on LaDamien’s face and ensures him she is not a private eye or some other sinister character. She just loves seeing people in love and does her best to capture the moment. “You two are a beautiful couple. I hope the pictures turn out great and you can one day share them with your grandchildren.” She checks the paper I have handed to her and places it in a small pouch. Agnes says goodbye and moves on to a mother and child further down who are poking a stick in the water as if examining some creature for signs of life.

When Agnes is out of hearing distance, LaDamien asks if I believe her. I ask why not. He reminds me that he is married and it would not be beneath Kim to hire a private investigator to catch us together. “She has been so suspicious lately, always questioning my every move.” Nothing I say will reassure him. I believe Agnes was doing just what she said she was. We look down at the mother and child and just as she had done with us, she hands her a card and a small form. The mother fills in the email address and hands the paper back to Agnes. She then moves on to an elderly couple sitting on a bench.

LaDamien relaxes a bit then tells me it is time to head back. While he goes to relieve himself, I gather our things placing them in their respective backpacks. As I reach the bikes LaDamien returns and lures me into a fervent kiss. “You are the air that I breathe, the half that makes me whole. I love you Mya. I know you probably get tired of me saying it but it is the truth. I love you and I don’t know what to do about it.”

When he is so passionate about his love for me I am honored but hesitant at the same time. Like any woman I want to be loved by my man and adored, but on the other side of things I do not want to be idolized. LaDamien surprises me when he hands me a bunch of flowers that resemble Marigolds. They could have come from the Botanical Garden on-site, or he may have pulled them up from somewhere in the park. I laugh as I rub his arm and tell him that he can never tell me he loves me enough. I reach up and kiss him again. “Marigolds in bloom, huh, you are so amazing.” I say, thinking of the lyrics from You Are. We eventually mount the bikes and begin our long trek back.

For more information and to purchase your copy of Love...Like Snow In Florida on a Hot Summer Day visit www.TracyLDarity.com/Books.htm. Also available on Kindle and Nook.

Also, don't forget to check-out the Love Series, a collection of blogs, relating to the book.