Prologue
. . .
Fermena
Fermena is a girl of many mysteries; shy and timid, yet a force to be reckoned with.
She’s on a long journey to self-love after experiencing the deep loss of her lover in a car crash years ago.
Although getting used to her own company and healing her broken heart, she still finds loneliness knocking at her door every night.
Was it being tucked away in a little cottage in the middle of the woods with no one around but the open sky and the moon?
Or was it the empty bed she slept in every night, wishing someone was there to hold her?
As she lay still, staring up at the ceiling, the bed remained cold, darkness filling the room.
Thoughts flood her mind of what life with Gemini used to be: running barefoot through the fields that surrounded their home, and lying on the hills watching the stars fill the night sky.
They spent hours daydreaming about the places they would travel and the family they would soon build.
Moments before Gemini left this realm, they were both happy and limitless.
She and Fermena had plans to live many lifetimes together and vowed to choose each other again, no matter what the circumstances.
“You have to promise me that you’ll never leave me,” Gemini whispered as she gazed over at Fermena.
She lay on her side, taking in the beauty of Fermena, watching her gaze up at the stars.
Each twinkle in her eye reflected the essence of the dark sky.
The white full moon reflected on her deep plum skin as Gemini brushed a piece of her curly tresses behind her ears.
“What?” Fermena giggled as her eyes met Gemini’s. She could feel her staring, taking in every ounce of her.
“You’re so beautiful, Mena,” Gemini responded, voice husky with emotion.
Fermena smiled, that smile that made Gemini’s stomach do back flips every time. She leaned in and placed a kiss on Gemini’s lips. “Don’t ever leave me.”
“I promise.” Gemini interlaced their fingers and placed a gentle, sweet kiss on the back of Fermena’s hand.
Since the loss of Gemini, Fermena has been lost in life.
The one thing Gemini promised didn’t remain; it just became a memory etched in her heart.
She craves to love again—to be loved, for that matter.
A love so true that it allows her heart to unravel and open up again.
A love so deep that safety comes naturally without second thought.
A love so pure that she can get lost in her lover’s eyes for days on end, like floating in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight.
Though she finds love within herself, having the companionship of another does not compare.
Tears slowly roll down her face as visions of Gemini remain forever etched in her mind.
Gemini’s soul is imprinted on hers, and Fermena doesn’t know if she can ever love like that again.
She turns on her side, feeling the cool night breeze from the window brush against her skin.
She stares out of the cracked window as the sheer white curtains blow in the wind.
Darkness swallows the sky with only a waxing gibbous moon on full display.
Crickets chirp and locusts echo into her dark room as she anticipates the possibilities of what new love can be. Will she ever feel like that again?
Fermena wipes the tears from her eyes and snuggles under her fluffy weighted blanket, reminding her of what it feels like to be held.
She closes her eyes, trying to hold on to that feeling—the feeling of finding her one true love, the one whom her heart yearns for.
As she closes her eyes, she can feel the embrace of arms wrapping around her, and a warm sensation fills her heart.
“Gemini,” she whispers.
Fermena smiles, remembering the feeling of her presence.
As her eyes remain closed, Gemini’s heartbeat fills her ears; the one sound that puts her to sleep every night without warning.
A sweet smell of cocoa butter and vanilla creeps up her nose, reminding her of Gemini’s signature fragrance. Her baby is in the room with her.
“I’m always with you.” Gemini’s voice can be heard with the wind, so loud that her presence can be felt in the room.
Fermena wraps her arms around herself as she feels Gemini's spirit comfort her into an embrace. She has no words as sobs leave her mouth and tears flood her cheeks. Her heart speaks what words couldn’t say.
“I can’t do this without you,” Fermena whispers in between each sob. She feels airbrush across her cheeks as if her tears are being dried away.
“Always find me in your heart. You will love again,” Gemini’s low voice flows in the wind.
Fermena holds her chest as a warm sensation pulsates through her heart. She smiles, holding on to every word. Gemini will always be with her and never leave. Hearing her voice eases her mind just enough to carry her into slumber.