ADAM & EVE

It is as fresh in my mind as the corns in the cornfield back home. The day we met was nothing short of the most beautiful day of my life. It was June and my beloved sister Sheryl had just come home from college after a year of studies. She would be returning in a few months, so I was going to enjoy every moment she was home.

Sheryl loved chicken soup, especially when I made it, so I decided to stop by the market to get a few ingredients and, there he was, standing over a stall nearby.

Honestly, he wasn't my type, but I wanted him. His charm was effortless; as he made the exchange with the vendor, he smiled as they spoke. I had no clue what they were saying, all I knew was, he had the most gorgeous smile I had ever seen. His smiles complemented his bright blue eyes. His blonde hair was raised from his head - short, but long for a guy, he was neatly shaved and ... WHITE.

I'd never imagined myself loving a white man, and nobody else would either, so I tried not to fall for him. Of course, I was unsuccessful. I stared at him uncontrollably until I became lost in the fantasy of there being a 'me and him'. He must have sensed it, his expression changed as if he felt something was wrong. He looked up and our eyes became intertwined, that's when I got to my senses. How stupid was I? Crap! He saw me looking, I quickly looked away, and from the corner of my eye, I saw him shaking his head and smiling. I smiled too.

I had moved on and quickly forgotten him - well I tried, but as I was standing at a stall, I heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Carrots, garlic and pumpkin? Huh? Making soup?"

I looked around to see the guy I had been admiring earlier looking at me. I stared tongue-tied for a quick moment before I regained my composure.

"Well, yes I am," I replied.

"So you're a good cook?"

"I don't know, maybe one day you'll try my cooking."

"I hope that I will," he replied charmingly, "I am Adam, by the way."

I held his hand to shake it in greeting.

"Well it's nice to meet you Adam, I'm Eve."

We chuckled at the irony.

"So, Eve, being that I am Adam, I don't think God will be too pleased at me not seeing you again."

"It's a small town, if you hang around, I am sure you will."

"That's true, but I was seeking an excuse for you to give me your number. I really suck at it."

"You could have just asked, because I'd be more than happy to give you my number."

I smiled almost seductively. It was official. I was a flirt, but I didn't care, I wanted him and I wasn't going to make anything stop me.

I heard the conventional attitude of a woman crying to me to stop seeming so easy and I heard society screaming at me that it wouldn't be a good look for me as a black woman to be chasing a white man. However, I pretended not to care and sucked it up. I answered every time he called and I went on the dates he invited me on.

One evening after we went to have ice cream at a local café, he walked me home. We never spoke much that evening, maybe he felt how I felt, and maybe the chemistry was so overwhelming it made us unable to speak. As we reached my gate, I turned to look at him.

"Well, this is it," I said nervously, "maybe we can do this a another time."

"I would love that," he replied, "You know what else I'd love?"

"What?"

He held both my hands while he held his head down to look at them. He brought me closer to him and looked into my eyes. He made the first move, I think, or was it made by me, maybe I just helped him to make the move, I don't know, all I know is, we kissed and it was magical. I was mesmerised by his mouth gracing mine, a kiss that made it impossible to open my eyes. I drew myself closer and closer to him, we kissed deeper and deeper, wanting more and more of each other, but we were getting too much of each other in my walkway.

It was hard to let go, but when we did, he left. It bothered me when I saw a curtain dropping at the window, I knew someone was looking. I was afraid of the stigma, but this couldn't be hidden forever, could it? I walked in boldly and waited for the response I expected.

As I lay on my bed, my sister came and sat beside me.

"So, a white dude, huh?"

"Isn't he still a man?"

"Yes, Sis, but what will Mom and Dad say? He's ..."

"White?... gorgeous? Handsome? Sweet? Romantic? All I ever wanted and all I ever will?" I replied, "Sheryl, I think that I might love this guy and, unless he's thinking otherwise, I expect to have a long relationship with him, and you are the last person I want to judge me."

I felt as if I wanted to cry. I loved this guy, and what? We're going to be judged because of the colour of his skin! No, I didn't want this; I wanted him, but not this.

I decided to do something brave. With the encouragement of my sister, I invited him to dinner. I gave my parents a heads-up on our relationship and when I saw the looks on their faces when he walked in, I knew I was in for a real treat.

He was a total gentleman at dinner, he answered all their questions perfectly, but still there were the dirty looks, the "he's white, he isn't good enough" looks.

I walked into the kitchen for some water and time to breathe, followed by my mother.

"He seems real nice," she said, "but he's, you know, well, white!"

"So what? I love him."

"Love?" she replied stunned, "Eve, you need to think about this."

"I have thought about it, can't you see that? Or is the slave mentality blinding you?"

She slapped me in the face just in time to welcome Adam.

"Oh, I am sorry, I was just telling you guys that I am sorry, but I have to leave because I told someone that I'd drop them at the airport," he said, "So that's it, bye."

As he walked out that door, I was compelled to go after him.

"Adam!" I called out to him.

"What's wrong?"

"I came to apologise for what happened in there," I replied, still surprised at him asking me what's wrong.

"It's OK, Babe," he replied with a counterfeit smile. "I will call you tomorrow."

"OK," I replied softly.

"Come here," he summoned.

When I was close to him, actually leaning on his chest, he leaned his head down and kissed me on my forehead slowly.

"I love you, Eve."

"I love you too, Adam."

After such a sentimental goodbye, you'd believe he'd actually call me, but he didn't. I called him and he never answered. I tried visiting him, that never did much either. Every time I realised that I'd gone another hour without hearing him, I felt a black hole beginning to grow inside my heart.

It wasn't until two weeks after dinner when I heard that he and my brother were in a fight that I decided to make a third visit to his house. After a few knocks without a reply, I decided to let myself in. What a surprise! There he was lying on the couch.

"You said you'd call."

"I was busy."

"You weren't busy before."

"I just thought that maybe I should get busy, so I don't have to think about you, because it's not going to work. Your family hates me."

"But I love you!" I said sternly.

"What's love? When I can't have a decent meal with my girl's family, when her brother is going to get into a fight when with me, when I can't change that I am white? What is love when it makes no sense to be with the one I love?"

He came closer and held me, removing one hand to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"You're so beautiful" he said looking into my hazel eyes. "When I heard your name, I knew you were the one."

I had enough strength to smile, and I did. He ran his fingers through my hair and I began to melt in his arms. He must have seen how vulnerable I was, so he kissed me.

"Babe, I forget to tell you, I got a job in Barbados. What do you think about long-distance relationships?"

"I don't like them, I don't think they work."

"Oh," he said disappointedly.

"Especially since I want to come with you," I said smiling.

He smiled too.

So we left, no one knew except Sheryl. She was also the only person from my family who was invited to our wedding a year later. I have not regretted it, as I stare into his eyes, waiting for him to plant another kiss like the one he gave a second ago. I thank God for the decision I made. I don't care what my family thinks, he's ivory and I'm ebony, I'm yin and he's yang. I'm black and he's white. He's Adam and I'm Eve, and all that means is that we belong together.