SIERRA'S LEONE

FIRST TOUCH

Sierra mentally slapped herself as the glasses fetishism she had in high-school surfaced.

"Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" She asked as she put Leone down.

Jonas scratched his neck, "I'm okay, Sierra."

"No, you're not, Jonas. Please let me do something for you for once. And stop scratching yourself that way; you're only making things worse."

"I can't help it. This is soㅡ," Jonas paused, "I just want to sleep," said the man sinking under the covers.

Leone crawled to the couch and used the armrest as support before tapping on the sofa to wake the man.

Sierra took a few steps and retrieved him, "Leone, leave Jonas. He's, he's sick; he needs rest."

They left the living room. Under the covers, the man fumed. He did not wish for Sierra to see him this way.

While Jonas lamented on his predicament, Sierra prepared Leone's meal that Jonas cooked the day before. Jacob did not provide him with meals for the last week as Jonas made dinner for the three.

The routine already settled in Sierra's mind, and she found the table she set for Leone and her lacked life.

Sierra enjoyed the meals where Jonas's conversations gave the tempo.

Leone, too, seemed to feel the gloom. He took his spoons full and mashed without the gleeful smile. The infant's sense of empathy was strong. His mood was disturbed as soon as either one of the adults around him emotions plummeted.

Jonas's state filled Sierra's thoughts. The man needed to eat; even though her culinary skills were weak, Sierra sought to make something. She had a chicken noodle instant soup. How hard could it be?

In the first attempt, the noddles drowned in tasteless water.

In the second, the noddles wiggled on dry land.

It was only on the third that the dosage seemed right. Sierra bought the bowl for Jonas.

"Jonas, I made some soup. I promise it's edible; please try some. It's on the table, and I also bought you an A-Derma soothing cream."

Without waiting for a response, Sierra left.

Sierra and Leone spent the evening in her room to give Jonas space. The boy was fast asleep when Jonas got up to shower.

The woman waited for the sounds in the bath to stop before getting up. She found the man in front of the mirror holding the ointment she bought.

"Do you need some help?"

It took Jonas a second to understand what assistance Sierra offered. Without a word, he handed her the ointment and took off his t-shirt.

"I guess it's a yes," Sierra approached and attempted to keep an unfazed expression at the sight of the man's body until he turned.

"Wow, that's one massive tattoo you have there."

"It's the Sak Yant; it's Buddㅡ."

The man stopped as Sierra's finger swept the scriptures on his back, "It's amazing; it must have hurt."

Jonas bit his inner lip and cleared his throat before replying, "yes. Eh, as I was saying, it's a Sak Yant."

"What's that?"

"It's a tattoo that offers protection to its wearer, and it serves as a talisman creating a change in life."

Sierra stared at what was mere geometrical designs, "do you know the meaning of each symbol."