The cool evening breeze swept across the porch, carrying the soft hues of dusk as Jamal ushered Medusa to join him. He settled into one of the cushioned chairs, a pair of glasses and a full bottle of amber whiskey in hand.
"Come, sit with me for a while," Jamal said, his weathered features lit by the warm glow of the porch light. "Let's enjoy the night and share a drink, if you don't mind."
Medusa moved gracefully, lowering herself into the chair beside him. She knew this moment would come—a chance for Jamal, the father figure she had grown to cherish, to speak openly with her. For years after Aleysia had lost her sight, it was Jamal and his wife, Yolanda, who had been their pillars of strength, their guiding lights in the darkest of times.
