Love Prevails

Love Prevails

By: Sunnie Lindell

PROLOGUE

This has been the story of my own becoming. I have opened my heart and have healed in so many ways during my time with the women in this story, and still continue to do so when I read it now. Every woman in this story has a part of me in her character. In my time with all of them, I have gone through much heartbreak and have seen how it has deepened me in many ways. Pain and loss teach you about yourself. You find parts of yourself there. In the midst of pain and loss, there is so much strife. I always think of a snake shedding its skin and know how similar it is to this process. One must shed layers and layers so one can be fresh, new, healed and ready for the next lesson.

I have dealt with addiction as well, while writing this story, and still am on that journey. One's path is filled with many opportunities for learning. Nothing is ever good or bad. It is just what it is. Life is life regardless. The less we judge our own path and the paths of others, the more we open up to healing. Love is love as well, and should never be judged. Love is what it is and always prevails. Love is what we need more of in these times of distress and chaos.

I know that in these times for the LGBT community, it is not easy. It is not easy to come out of the closet and to feel different than the majority. It is not easy to face the prejudices of many people. I have written this story in honor of my community and also hope that anyone of any sexual orientation can read this and find something here. I did not write this story to be separate; I wrote this story with love in mind. Love can happen between anyone in this way, and with that in mind, I hope that this story brings people closer together.

My wish is that you, the reader will experience this story as something beautiful, as something that will open your heart as well. Bless you, dear reader, bless your love and bless your precious heart.....

Chapter One

She haunts her, like the lonely cry of autumn birds, saying goodbye to summer dwellings, mournful, yet alive. Memories of a life lived, abundant, now moving on.

Paintings, images, words...She painted, you know, quite incredibly. She liked to walk barefoot around her house and yard, feeling the freedom of a one-ness with the earth. Soil between your toes, you began to see how connected you were, with everything.

Olivia gazed at the magazine article, an interview with the amazing woman she had admired for so long. She had kept it with her, in her escape over a month before, in her moving on. Jemaya Wolf, artist, writer, poet, inspired and passionate human being, a strong woman whom she had always thought highly of.

She came to the area, running from her past, because Jemaya Wolf lived there. If Jemaya lived there, maybe she would love it there too, maybe she could find some peace like the woman whom she admired had. She looked at Jemaya's picture, and felt the tranquility she felt there, soothing to the soul. She smoked a cigarette in the photo, an 'American Spirit.' The young woman lit her last smoke and put the article back in her pocket for safekeeping.

It was about 5:00 in the afternoon and Olivia felt the need for a drink. She put out the cigarette after finishing it and wandered around the tiny town, of about ten or fifteen stores near the ocean, until she found a little cold beer and wine store, with a pub attached to it. She walked in and the door chimes rang, announcing her arrival. It was a rustic little place, with a homey kind of feel to it. She grabbed a bottle of cinzano to drink later, and sat at the bar, feeling so happy to have found the quiet little town. She had no idea where she was going to stay, but she wasn't worried. She knew that Spirit would lead her to her next situation. She felt free and full of a deep, inner trust. She needed to feel safe, and somehow, she already felt safe where she was. A friendly old man with a big white beard came up to her from behind the bar and said,

"Excellent choice! You must be new around here?"

"Yes I am. I have been traveling for a while. I just got here and I'm looking for work and a place to live. I love it here so far, it's a beautiful little town," she said and smiled. She didn't want to share too much about her situation.

"Well then, let me buy you a drink, to welcome you to our fine community. Welcome to Moon Bay! My name is Will, and yours?" he asked cheerfully.

"My name is Olivia Leveau. Could I get 2 packs of yellow American Spirit with this Cinzano?"

"Of course honey! Well, Jemaya Wolf is the only other person here in town that smokes these. I order them just for her. If you stay, I'll have to order more!" he stated and handed them to her, interested in this beautiful stranger's sudden arrival.

"I am an admirer of Ms. Wolf. You mean she comes in here?" she asked, full of excited curiosity, and lit a smoke, looking away nervously.

"Oh yeah, and she's real nice too," he said and brought her the drink, a tequila sunrise. He had his own, and lifted it to toast her.

"Welcome Olivia!" he said happily, and toasted her. He had a good feeling about this new woman. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that she was there for a reason.

She took a sip, and said 'thank you.' They sat there chatting for a while, enjoying the company of each other. Behind them, an hour or so later, the door chimes rang announcing the presence of someone new. Olivia took a drag of her cigarette, and sat more comfortably on a stool, looking at nothing in particular. Will said, 'hey,' under his breath, looked at her smiling greatly, and whispered,

"It's your lucky day, that's Jemaya, over there, in the wine section! You'll get to meet her! How perfect!"

Olivia was instantly nervous, and didn't know what to do with herself. It felt as if her heart would beat right out of her chest. She could not believe that Jemaya Wolf was there; the woman she had admired so much and for so long. Her footsteps walked nearer, until she was standing right beside Olivia. Jemaya Wolf's, familiar, raspy, velvet-like voice spoke,

"Hi Will, how's it goin'?"

Jemaya sat on the stool beside Olivia putting a couple of wine bottles on the counter, and the young woman tried to remember to breathe. Amber wafted around them, comforting her, calming her. She loved that Jemaya wore her favourite scent.

"Oh Jemaya, how 'bout a drink on me? Your name just came up, between this woman and I. How coincidental!" Will said, while making another tequila sunrise with a big smile on his face.

"Oh really, my name? And who is this woman? Are you going to introduce us?" she asked, quite interested, looking in Olivia's direction. She was instantly amazed at the young woman's beauty. She was immediately drawn to her for some strange, unknown reason.

Will handed her the drink and said,

"Jemaya, this beautiful young woman here, is Olivia Leveau. She's new in town, and is looking for some work and a place to live."

Olivia finally turned and looked at her shyly. Jemaya was gorgeous; blondish-grey straight shoulder length hair, tanned skin, and intense blue eyes, that stared at Olivia deeply. She wore black, striped suit pants with a sea green shirt and suit jacket. She was more beautiful than Olivia had previously thought. Her lips were full, her cheekbones were high, her body was slender, yet shapely and she looked to be in her early fifties. Jemaya smiled at her, and took Olivia into her arms for a hug.

"Welcome to Moon Bay, Olivia! I see that you smoke the same brand," she said as she let go of her embrace and giggled. She lit a smoke, not once letting go of her eye contact with the younger woman. She could see that her eyes were filled with intense pain. For some reason, Jemaya wanted to know why. Why would a young, beautiful woman have such a fearful demeanor and such deeply sorrowful eyes?

"Yes, I guess I do," Olivia said nervously, playing with her cigarette pack. She couldn't believe that Jemaya had hugged her and was so friendly and warm. There was silence for a few moments. Jemaya's presence took Olivia's breath away, and made her heart feel strange. She wondered how this had all come about after going through so much stress and strain. She was amazed to be sitting next to Jemaya Wolf!

Jemaya had an interesting feeling that she was meant to meet this lovely younger woman, and wanted to know why. She looked at her, and was mesmerized by her beauty. She was so exotic looking, and so very shy. She could tell that Olivia was nervous, and she wanted to make her feel better. The pain in her eyes pulled her in.

"You are incredibly beautiful, Olivia. I would love to paint you sometime," she said, and averted her eyes to sip her drink again. She didn't want Olivia to feel intimidated or uncomfortable.

Olivia sipped her drink as well, and lit another smoke. Her nervousness was a bit overwhelming, and she needed something to do with her shaking hands.

"Well, I would love to be painted by you Jemaya. It would be an honour. I'm available whenever you would like to do so," she said, and smiled shyly at her. Jemaya held her hand then, and gazed at her. Her fingers were long and slender; her hands were warm, and comforting. There was some sort of quick, magical force happening between them. It made Olivia nervous, but she allowed her hand to be held. Jemaya gazed into her eyes, for hours it seemed, then smiled and sipped her drink again. The younger woman finished hers and enjoyed her cigarette. She realized Jemaya was still holding a part of her hand. Jemaya looked into her eyes again and smiled.

"Who are you, Olivia?" she asked Olivia softly. Will was at the other end of the bar talking to someone else, and smiled at the two women. Olivia wondered what Jemaya had meant by her question, and looked at her, curiously. She could definitely feel something very mysterious going on. Jemaya smiled at her again, and Olivia felt a deep connection with her brewing. Jemaya was intense, but Olivia craved this intensity, this love filled, positive and passionate feeling. She secretly hoped that she would see her again, and soon.

"Olivia, this may be a bit forward, but that's the way that I am. I have many spare rooms and need help around the house and garden. I would also love to paint you, and would love the company. I have been living alone for too long. Maybe we have met for a reason?" She waited patiently for Olivia's answer. She wasn't sure why she was so drawn to Olivia, but she wanted to know what it was about. She hoped that she would agree to her spontaneous idea, and not feel too weird about it.

The younger woman put her cigarette out, and felt into the situation. It felt strangely right to her, and she knew that she had nowhere else to go. It felt unbelievable, amazing, and so very right.

"That sounds great, and feels right, Jemaya!" she said, and smiled.

Jemaya looked at her calmly and said, smiling,

"It does feel right. I don't know why, but it does feel right."

They called Will over, paid for their cigarettes and bottles of alcohol, and then Jemaya led her to her car. It was a black mustang, well taken care of, probably a '67. Olivia put her things in the back seat while admiring Jemaya's car, and they got into it. Jemaya started the car and Ike and Tina Turner blasted through the stereo speakers, music that Olivia had always loved.

"I hope this doesn't seem weird to you, Olivia. It's not normal for me to take strangers home. But, I had a feeling about you. I almost didn't come into town today. I am so glad that I did and that we met," Jemaya said, driving fast, but controlled. She herself had begun to get a bit nervous. She had not acted so hastily in such a long time. She felt a bit wild and more alive than she had felt in years. She in fact, had been going through a bit of a breakdown for the last couple of years. She wasn't sure if she could handle having someone in her home again. Yet, she suddenly craved the presence of another.

Olivia could feel Jemaya's wildness, and knew it would be interesting to stay with her. She still felt quite nervous, not sure of what to say. It all felt like a dream. She had been traveling aimlessly for over a month, not really knowing where to go. She had remembered about this town, because of the magazine article about Jemaya. She wondered if indeed she had fallen asleep and that this truly was a dream.

"I'm amazed that I'm here sitting with you Jemaya. I have admired you for years, thank you so much for your kindness," she finally managed to say, quietly.

"No problem sister, it will be nice to have someone around for a change. I've been pretty reclusive for a while. Plus, like I said, I need a little help around the house," she said, smiling at the young woman.

Olivia's heart opened and warmed a bit. She knew that she needed to feel that feeling within her. She smiled back, and watched the trees going by. They were in the Canadian coastal rain forest, full of big cedars, arbutus trees, Douglas firs, and ferns abundant, lush and green. There was a dampness to everything that brought a lovely, sweet scent. She knew that being there would bring some magic and some joy into her life. She breathed in the scent of the air deeply and smiled to herself, feeling relaxed and at peace. This was a feeling that she had not felt since she was a child.

Jemaya was curious about this new situation. She truly was not going to go into town that day, but something had pulled her there. She always listened to those inner inklings, knowing there was always something deep and magical that would happen when she did.

She turned down a driveway, covered in a canopy of various trees. Finally, her house appeared, lights glowing through the twilight, in an open area. It was a large farmhouse, beautiful and comforting. It had a large porch, wrapping around most of the house, to sit on during rainy days. Olivia looked at the house, feeling a very welcoming vibe. Trees surrounded the area, and it was well cared for, yet still had a bit of wildness to it. Many ferns and native plants hugged the sides of the house. She could tell that Jemaya loved being surrounded by nature.

"Here's home," Jemaya said cheerfully, and parked the car. They got out of the car with Olivia's belongings, and walked to the house. Jemaya unlocked and opened the door, and they walked in, putting Olivia's stuff down by the door.

"Your home is so beautiful Jemaya," she said, taking everything in. She had always imagined that Jemaya would have a beautiful, art filled home, and she certainly did.

"Thank you sweetie, I sure love it here," Jemaya replied and stood there, in front of her, looking deeply into the young woman's eyes for a moment. She looked into those sad, and tired eyes and felt so much compassion for Olivia.

Olivia realized that she would have to get used to Jemaya's intensity, and her almost constant eye contact. She was not used to such positive concentrated energy focused on her.

"So, do you want to have a drink?" Jemaya said and smiled at her sweetly. Olivia's heart was warmed again, taking some of her nervousness away, and she returned the smile.

"That would be nice. Mine or yours?" Olivia said and held her bottle up.

"Yours looks beautiful. I haven't had Cinzano in years," Jemaya said, grabbed her hand, and led her to the kitchen. It was a big, beautiful room, with lots of windows, tiled floors, a huge cooking area, and a large dining room table. It was painted saffron, which made it feel cheerful. There were plants and art everywhere, making it feel like a bit of a jungle. It was a well used room, and had a nice ambiance.

Jemaya got out two glasses, pulled out two chairs, and sat down in one of them. She was beginning to feel happy to have someone new in her space. Not to mention, an unbelievably gorgeous woman.

Olivia sat down in the other chair, beside Jemaya, and opened the Cinzano. She poured the sweet, dark liquid into their glasses, and they held them up for a toast.

"To a new friendship, may it be a beautiful one," Jemaya said and they sipped their drinks, looking into each other's eyes. She lit a cigarette, looked away, and opened a tin of marijuana. She always smoked it at this time of the day to open herself up to her inner creativity. It was also a way to escape the outside world, and she preferred it that way.

"Do you smoke weed, Olivia?" she asked, and began to roll a joint.

"Sometimes I do," she said and lit a cigarette, watching Jemaya. She was amazed that Jemaya smoked marijuana.

"It helps me to open up to my creative flow, and relaxes me. I usually smoke before I paint at night," she said, and finished the rolling of the joint, licking the glue on the paper. Then, she lit it, inhaled and passed it to her new friend. Olivia breathed in the lovely tasting joint, and passed it back to her. She began to notice Jemaya's beauty even more as the high set in. Her blue eyes seemed radiant, her skin had more vibrance, and her hair seemed to shine golden, with silver threads glowing through here and there. She wore her suit well, perfect for her body, accentuating her curves in a wonderful way. Their eyes met, and her heart filled with that luscious warmth again. She had never felt that particular feeling before. She was fascinated by how she felt in Jemaya's presence, and wondered what it all meant. She was deeply intrigued by her, even more so than before. She smoked more of the joint, and passed it back to her.

"Where do your ancestors come from, Olivia? You are so exotic looking, so beautiful," Jemaya asked, gazing at her and finished the joint. She wanted to know everything about this interesting and mysterious woman.

"Well, Lakota, African American and Swedish. Marie Leveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, was an ancestor of mine," she said, and sipped her drink, averting her eyes from her gaze.

"Wow! What an interesting mix! That would explain your caramel coloured skin, your raven black hair, and your intriguing golden eyes, your lips....," she said, running her hands through Olivia's long black hair, and then brushed her fingers past her lips gently.

Olivia's face flushed, and she felt strangely warm all over. She was a bit unsure about Jemaya's affectionate nature. In her experience, touch had always been a negative thing.

"Sorry Olivia. I didn't mean to...," Jemaya said, blushing and feeling quite embarrassed about her own behavior. She couldn't believe what she had done. The young woman made her feel wonderful, something that she had not felt in a long time. She would have to hold herself back, and try to behave. She had definitely been alone for far too long.

"It's okay, Jemaya. Don't worry about it," Olivia replied, still unsure of what had just happened. She finished her drink, and poured more Cinzano into both of their glasses. The energy was a little awkward between them, and her nervousness had returned again, fully.

"You are a Pisces, aren't you, Olivia?" Jemaya asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes! How did you know?" she replied, quite surprised.

"Just a guess. I find astrology fascinating," Jemaya said, lighting another cigarette. "How old are you?"

"I turned 30 over a month ago, the day I started my journey...and you are a Scorpio," Olivia replied, sipping more of her drink. She hated talking about age, people made so many assumptions according to numbers. It was never an important thing to her. Love, and the soul were really all that mattered to her.

"And how did you know?" she asked, intrigued.

Olivia pulled out the article written about Jemaya, that she had been carrying around with her, and handed it to her. It was a very in-depth interview about the famous painter and writer she was now sitting next to.

"I read about you," she said simply.

"Wow, nice looking article, I didn't see this one." She said, and looked over it. She thought it was interesting that Olivia had it with her. Jemaya sipped her drink, and handed the article back to her after a few moments. They both lit another cigarette, and sat back in their chairs. Moments went by, quiet, warm, nervousness subsiding. The cinzano was kicking in, warm in their bellies, making them both feel more at home, and more comfortable with their new situation.