Vanessa

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            "Are you going to be on that Facebook mess all day?" Quinn asks and tries to snatch my Smartphone from my hands. He is the only person I know that doesn't use social media. Quinn is super old-fashion but really sweet. We're at one of our favorite lunch spots, PF Chang’s, an upscale Chinese Bistro with an American taste. 

            “No baby, stop trying to take my phone away from me,” I giggle in response like the lovesick girl that I am. Quinn and I have been dating for eight months now and everything is perfect. “Baby, just let me add this one post to Jenna’s page and I’m all yours.”

            Quinn sticks out his lip playfully. I smile and caress his face. A man should not look this fine. Chiseled face, perfect white teeth, and smooth chocolate sun kissed skin. He makes my inside sing songs, radio stations won't play over the air. Today he's dressed in a navy blue shirt that fits snugly across his broad muscular chest and tattered jeans that outline the taut muscles in his thighs.  

            “Okay, go ahead and do your thing, Vanessa Patel. Aka Facebook junky, I swear that phone of yours get more play than me.”

            Our server approaches our table which stops me from responding. I forgot her name. I steal a glance at her nametag. Amy, she’s a pretty brunette with a bubbly personality. “Here is your order of ‘Dynamite Shrimp.’ Your meal will be out shortly. Can I get you anything else?”

            Quinn throws me a questioning stare then says. “Vanessa?” I shake my head from side to side. He says, “Think we’re good, thanks.”

Starving and unable to contain myself, I dive into the appetizers without even praying. Feeling self-conscious, I look up to catch Quinn staring at me, shaking his head smiling.

            "You're the only woman I know that makes eating look sexy. I could watch you eat all day. Now would you please put your food down so we can bless it?" he asks as he extends his hand. I blush and place my hand in his. It's warm. As innocent as our touch is, it sends electricity up my arms. He feels it too and squeezes my hand.  "Close your eyes. Let us pray. Father, thank you for another day among the living because of your grace and mercy we are able to put praise on our lips once more. Please forgive us Father of our sins. You know what they are. We thank you for this food because somewhere Lord someone does not have anything to eat. We thank you for the hands that prepared this meal. I hope they were clean. In Jesus name amen."

            "Amen. Can I eat now boss?" I ask teasingly. "I can't believe add that you hope whoever cooked our meal hands were clean in your prayer."

            "What... well yes, I hope they were." Quinn smile and then adds cockily. "And that's right woman, you better ask. You eat when I say you can eat." We both laugh because we both know that he's a big lovable teddy bear.

What I love about Quinn the most is that he loves the Lord. He's not perfect and he doesn't pretend to be perfect. One of the things I hate about Quinn is that he is abstaining from sex until marriage. Ugh! I've tried everything short of stripping and the man hasn't budged. I have never seen self-control like this. I know he's not gay and I'm not bragging although I have braggadocious rights but men usually don't resist me.

            Mixed with Indian and Creole, I'm average height, big busted, small waist, and big-bottomed. I'm stunning. I can say that because I hear it a lot. This has been a blessing and a curse for me because I've had my share of toxic relationships and that is why dating a man like Quinn is welcoming change. Men love me quickly and just as quickly as they love me, they hurt me. The last relationship was so volatile I ended up in the hospital with broken bones.

In the summer of ‘2005', Adam Jackson stole my heart the moment our eyes connected. He was an all-American football star with a promising future. That was until he tore his ACL a year later. I think the Adam I met the summer prior to the incident died that year when the doctors told him he couldn't play football anymore. The abuse started shortly after that too. He didn't physically abuse me right away. It started out with him doing little things that pushes my buttons or he will say things to put me down and from there it escalated into something ugly.

            Quinn snaps his fingers and drags me from my past. “Where did you go?” He sounds worried.         

            "I'm right here babe," I reassure and quickly add because he seems unconvinced. “I’m just a little tired today.” I haven’t told Quinn about my last relationships and I don’t want him to know about them because I don’t want him to look at me as if I’m damaged goods.

            “We can skip the movies after our meal and I can take you home so you can rest.”

            I shake my head in protest. “No, no we’re still going. I want to spend the entire day with you.”

            “Vanessa, there is something I have to tell you."