In the Heat of The Night Ch. 03

"Yasmine, all I am implying is get some dick and nothing serious. Have fun girl, you are young."

"Lily, I can't deal with you."

"I can't with you, and anyway, did you also invite Gio to the cabin?"

"Umm, yeah, he's meeting me there later."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy for you! I knew he would come around."

"Yeah," Yasmine said, as she put on a fake smile and said nothing after that.

"Why are you not more excited?"

"It's because I have a long drive, and I need to get on the road, and I'm sorry, Lily, we will talk later."

"Okay, Yasmine, drive safe. There is supposed to be a heavy rainstorm. Text me when you get there, please, or I'll worry."

"I will, bye."

The rain poured relentlessly from the ominous gray sky, as Yasmine drove along the winding road toward the remote cabin she had rented for a peaceful getaway. The soothing sound of the raindrops hitting the roof of her car was quickly drowned out by the growing intensity of the storm. The windshield wipers struggled to keep up, but their rhythmic movement seemed to taunt her, as the visibility diminished.

As she navigated the unfamiliar roads, anxiety crept up within her. Doubt began to mingle with her excitement, casting shadows of uncertainty on her decision. Despite the weather's relentless assault, Yasmine persevered, determined to find solace in her envisioned refuge. Suddenly, a loud thud shook the car, and the engine sputtered to a halt. Panic coursed through her veins, as she realized her car had become stuck in the mud. Unable to see through her window, Yasmine hit the steering wheel.

"Ughh!" Yasmine shouted, "How can this get any worse?" Yasmine looked around the car and grabbed her phone. It had no signal. She rolled her eyes and tossed the phone back in the passenger seat.

"Fuck," Yasmine mouthed. She would leave her stuff and return for the car once she made it to the cabin. Grabbing just only her emergency bag, Yasmine stepped out into the torrential downpour, her heart sinking with every step she took away from her only shelter.

Rainwater seeped through her clothes, clinging to her skin like an icy embrace. Each gust of wind threatened to topple her fragile resolve. Struggling to find her way through the dense rain pour, she shuffled forward, guided only by her instincts and the faint flickering of lights in the distance. Finally, after an eternity, Yasmine stumbled upon the cabin she had rented. She saw a car parked up front, but she could not see what kind of car it was, due to the heavy rain. Yasmine figured it was the owner, Mr. Goodwin waiting for her, and she was happy he stayed behind and waited for her. Maybe Mr. Goodwin could help her with the car.

With a deep breath, she pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit interior. To her surprise, Gio stood before her, his eyes widening in astonishment as they met hers. Memories of their painful tug-of-war flooded her mind.

"What are you doing here?"

"Yasmine, I...I, you didn't answer the phone," Gio stammered,

"I had no signal. Is that why you are here?

"Umm, Mrs. Johnson called me. She told me she was trying to reach you and couldn't get a hold of you. She was worried you might have gotten caught in the flash flood warning."

"Oh, I must have missed the flood, but my car is stuck in the mud." Yasmine's lips curled into an awkward smile, as she spoke. "You can see that I'm fine. You can go now."

Gio rubbed his forehead in frustration and stared at Yasmine. "Didn't you say that your car was stuck?"

"Yes, but that's none of your concern."

"Yasmine, then tell me, how will you get the car out of the ditch?"

Yasmine continued to stand there, lost in her thoughts. Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, a mix of sadness flickering between them. Yasmine's heart pounded within her chest, caught between the past and the present. But before she could say a word, a lightning bolt illuminated the sky, followed by a deafening thunderclap. Without hesitation, Gio strode towards her, determination etched on his face. He reached out and handed her a warm towel, their fingers brushing for a brief, electric moment.

"Take it," he said, his voice barely audible above the storm. "You must be freezing."

Yasmine accepted the towel, her fingers trembling, as she clutched it. She felt its comforting warmth seep into her bones, thawing the iciness that had settled within her. In that instant, the barriers she had built around her heart began to crumble, as she walked over to the crackling fire. The chimney cast a warm, flickering glow across the room, filling the air with the scent of burning wood.

"I thought you never wanted to see me again," Yasmine whispered, her voice choked with emotion, as she sat before the fireplace.

Gio's gaze softened, "I came here hoping to find you, to apologize for everything." Gio's voice was a mixture of surprise and regret. "I guess I was still hurting and felt you shouldn't be happy. Only to realize that I would come to enjoy those drop-offs."

"I'm sorry, too, Gio, and I can apologize as often as you want."

"You're fine, but why didn't you tell me about the ash burial?"

"I don't know why I didn't invite you." Yasmine couldn't imagine going through the burial ceremony without Gio by her side, despite their estrangement. But the fear of being rejected kept her from extending an invitation.

"I couldn't miss this, Yasmine," Gio whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Not even if we stopped talking for years. King was like a brother to me."

Yasmine's heart skipped a beat, as she looked at Gio. His eyes were filled with empathy and understanding. Tears streamed down Yasmine's face, as she faced Gio, who wiped away her tears. The rain continued to pour, its rhythmic pattern on the cabin roof, the only sound that dared to interrupt their reunion. As the fire crackled, their conversation ebbed and flowed like the shifting patterns in the hearth. They spoke of dreams and aspirations, of adventures they wished to embark on together.

Outside, the storm roared, seemingly jealous of the tranquility and happiness within the cabin. It rattled the windows and pelted the roof with rain, but Gio and Yasmine remained blissfully unaware, lost in the cocoon of understanding.

In the midst of their conversation, Yasmine turned to Gio, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. "I have an idea," she said, her voice filled with excitement. "Let's write down our wildest dreams and toss them into the fire to symbolize our commitment to making them come true."

Gio's eyes widened, his heart brimming with curiosity. "That sounds amazing! I'd love to see our dreams soar and take shape."

They rummaged through a drawer, searching for a pen and paper inside the cabin.

Each scribble and stroke of the pen captured their deepest desires, their wildest ambitions, and their shared aspirations. Once finished, they folded their dreams into tiny paper airplanes, ready to be released into the dancing inferno.

With a flick of their wrists, they sent the tiny vessels of hope soaring into the air. The flames eagerly embraced their dreams, consuming the paper and carrying their desires into the universe. Gio and Yasmine watched, as their dreams turned to ash, knowing that the journey toward their fulfillment had just begun.

As the fire continued to burn, their gazes locked once more, and they found themselves lost in the depths of each other's eyes. The cabin seemed to shrink, as if they were the only two souls left.

"What did you wish for?"

"I can't tell you. What happens if it doesn't come true," Yasmine said, pouting a bit. Gio laughed, as he stared at Yasmine, who had a mischievous smile. She had a beautiful smile, Gio thought, and knew she would look after him moving forward.