WHEN YOU HEAL

TENDER

Sana met different Lees.

There was Lee, the supposed misogynist, the regional, the cusser, the father, the divorcee, and now she met Lee, the boyfriend.

Of all the personas, this particular one left Sana speechless. The woman discovered the raging Leo was actually tender at heart. For Sana, who knew how the lion roared, finding the Simba in him made the woman's heart wobble like jelly.

"Good morning."

They faced each other in Lee's bed, they cuddled up all night, but the man didn't try anything. Not even an innocent titty or buttocks grabbing incident was to decline.

Had the man even thought of it? For she did.

Yes, Sana had sex on her mind ever since the man kissed her. Both frightened and excited, Sana was willing, but the men held back.

The reason was evident. Camille still rented some space in the man's mind Sana thought. Not one minute did Sana imagine Lee could have an actual apprehension of having sex with another woman. Sana left behind, and she forgot the difficulties she had to date after her breakup. The two sexual episodes she attempted were such a fiasco that Sana decided to abstain herself from such gymnastics.

Yet with Lee, Sana wanted to try even if she was afraid of the deception.

Why? Because this was what the men Sana dated had her used to having. A platonic, even affectionate, was a new realm for the woman. Though she understood the man, Lee's attitude raised some doubts, and Sana wondered if he found her desirable.

"What are you thinking of?" Lee asked as he saw her frown.

"I was just thinking how weird it is to be in the same bed."

"As you mentioned, it's not the first time," the man answered as he recalled the wedding.

"The circumstances are quite different."

"I know, everything a wee surrealistic, but I like it, "Lee said as he sat up, followed by Sana.

"You do?"

Lee took and caressed her hand, "I like it a lot, just being with you means so much to me. I don't want to rush anything; I wish for us to be comfortable with one another."

Slow love, the man was very old school.

Lee wanted to take the time he skipped with Camille; with her, things went fast. Dylan came very quickly. The couple didn't have a spare moment to appreciate the honeymoon phase of their relationship. Their love apprenticeship truly began once they were married.

It was their first error for Lee as they discovered things about the other they didn't appreciate but learned to bear. Camille saw Lee's temper and passions, which were obsessions. The man unveiled the woman's aversion to the fast and loud life.

Camille appreciated the quiet suburbs of London while the man loved the city's hectic nights.

She preferred refined wine, and Lee loved a chilled beer.

The man loved rough sex at any hour, while the woman scheduled their intimate moments on her Google calendar.

Even the morning sex Lee found reinvigorating was banned by the woman who hated starting the day with an activity too emotionally charged.

With time sex became a weekend gig because the week was too tiresome to slot in some bumper car and riding sessions. For Camille, her home was a haven of peace, whereas it was a creative workshop for Lee.

Lee finally bent, adjusted, and made the delicate woman his whole world.

The man should have been more attentive. Perhaps he would have sensed the moment where their relationship made a u-turn.

Lee told the truth when he proclaimed sex was too intimate to sleep with someone without engaging his feelings. It was the other reason why he preferred to take his time. Everything was easy as long as he kept his genitals in place, but Sana was sexy. Her larger-than-life assets made the task difficult.

The man wished to make sure he was not led by hunger but real emotions that could fuel the relationship for a lifetime.

Sana gazed into his eyes. She let her hand glide from his hairline to his beard, he was older, and at that instant, the woman realized perhaps there was a slight gap in the way they saw things. And maybe there was a little immaturity on her side.

"I want this to work."

"So do I," the man said, pulling her head closer to kiss her on the forehead.

"What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know what is there to do in April in London?" Sana returned.

Lee wondered; it wasn't like the woman didn't know the city. Still visiting was never like living there.

"Let's spend the day out like tourists."

Sana frowned tourists?"

"Yeah."

They got ready and left without the car.

They kicked off with a double-decker tour of London before having lunch at Camden. They visited the various vintage stores and competed to see who could come up with the kitschiest look. Lee won with the look Freddy Mercury wore in the Queen's I Want To Break Free song.

"Stop taking pics."

"No, Lee, this is priceless."

People were mistaken concerning the man's views. No misogynist or transphobic wore a skirt even for the sake of laughter.

"Do you know what's missing?" Sana said as they viewed the pics.

"What?"

"Lipstick," before the man could react, Sana grabbed, squeezed his cheeks, and kissed him, "there you go, now I can take the pics."

Lee changed, and Sana purchased a purse and a few tee-shirts.

They ended the day with a stroll along Regents canal, which led to Kings Cross and Lee's apartment.

This time Lee didn't hesitate to hold her hand, "so what you think of London now?"

"Okay, I admit it. You appreciate the city more when you visit same goes for Paris and anywhere else, I guess."

"Yes, people always think the grass is greener elsewhere, but there are places where you just can't.

Sana sighed, "we do forget how fortunate we are. I have to admit I feel lucky right now."

Lee let go of her hand and stepped in front of her, "you do?"

"Don't you?" Sana replied as she stepped up to him to earn a predictable kiss Lee gave by grasping her face before passing an arm around her shoulder.

Sana's morning doubts dissipated. There was nothing wrong with taking time to love as long as they took and appreciated the moment together.