No Sin in Paradise by Dijorn Moss Page B

last night to ensure her safety.
    Of course, I can always return Pastor Bryant’s money and spend the rest of my time here with Victory.
    We ate a nice breakfast and made small talk. After breakfast, Victory and I decide to help Adele by doing the dishes together.
    â€œI want to take you somewhere,” I say.
    â€œReally? You sure you want me to tag along?”
    I feel the sting of that dig. I deserve it, and in all honesty, I deserve way worse than what Victory is giving me.
    â€œYes, you and only you, but it’s a little bit of a hike.”
    Victory flashes a smile, and it’s a pleasant one. “You’re tired of getting whooped in swimming, I see.”
    I throw my hands up in mock surrender. “You got me there. I am tired.”
    â€œOkay. I’ll go easy on you and give you a break from the butt-whooping,” she says.
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    Behind Adele’s home is not only a road, but on the other side of the road there is a narrow trail. A trail the tropical trees overlap and provide shade for, but there is still enough space where the sun can break through. Victory and I walk side by side along this narrow trail. The path is so narrow that sometimes I would walk in front of Victory.
    â€œHas Adele taken you along this trail?”
    â€œNo, Sammy told me about this trail, and I decided to walk it one day. I thought about you when I arrived at this one spot.”
    â€œReally?”
    â€œReally,” I say.
    â€œWell, that makes a girl feel special.”
    I look back, and there is Victory’s smile again. Her smile is a gift to me, and I would give anything for that smile to remain permanently on her face, maybe even a million dollars. She takes out her cell phone and starts to snap pictures. Then she catches me looking at her with one raised eyebrow.
    â€œWhat? This is proof that I was here.”
    â€œYou haven’t seen nothing yet. You may want to save those pictures for later.”
    We keep on walking until the road widens and we’re able to walk side by side. Victory takes my hand and walks with me. She seems to have forgiven me for my transgressions, which is amazing in itself. I don’t know any women who can handle being invited to paradise by a man, and that man being gone half the time. Of course, Victory is unlike any woman I’ve ever met.
    I came to a sudden stop and motioned for Victory to stop as well.
    â€œWhat is it?” she asks.
    I don’t respond to her verbally, I just signal for her to listen with her ears.
    I point up, and at the very top of the tropical tree, we can hear the sound of birds as they race from one tree to the next. It’s a beautiful sound, one that I can’t put into words; I can only show it to Victory. We are only halfway to our destination, but when Mother Nature is putting on such a wonderful display, we can’t help but to sit and listen. Victory lets out a playful laugh.
    â€œI love Sac, but this is breathtaking.”
    Victory takes another picture on her cell phone.
    â€œYou still haven’t seen nothing yet.” I extend my hand, and Victory takes it, and we continue our journey.
    â€œYou keep saying that. I hope I’m not being built up for a disappointment,” she says.
    â€œNo, you’re not. Believe me, it will be worth it.”
    We continue walking, and the road narrows, and Victory starts to walk behind me once again.
    â€œWhere did you go last night?”
    It’s naïve for me to think that a long walk in paradise would avoid Victory’s obvious question.
    â€œI had a meeting with someone that I couldn’t miss.”
    â€œAt ten o’clock at night? What kind of meeting?”
    â€œI can’t really get into it.”
    â€œThere are a lot of things that you don’t talk about and I wonder why.”
    I don’t want to lie to Victory, but can she really handle me telling her that I spent last night with a drug lord who threatened me and those