{"id":1163,"date":"2009-02-27T20:38:39","date_gmt":"2009-02-28T01:38:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/\/?p=1163"},"modified":"2009-02-27T20:38:39","modified_gmt":"2009-02-28T01:38:39","slug":"married-strangers-by-dwan-abrams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/?p=1163","title":{"rendered":"Married Strangers by Dwan Abrams"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>\"\"<\/a>It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Today’s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n
Dwan Abrams<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Married Strangers<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Urban Books (December 1, 2008)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dwan Abrams is a full-time novelist, freelance editor, publisher and speaker. She’s the best-selling author of Married Strangers<\/em>, Divorcing the Devil<\/em>, Only True Love Waits<\/em>, The Scream Within<\/em>, and Favor <\/em>(a short story appearing in The Midnight Clear <\/em>anthology). She’s also the founder, publisher and editorial director of Nevaeh Publishing, a small press independent publishing house.<\/p>\n

Visit the author’s website<\/a> and blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Product Details:<\/p>\n

List Price: $14.95
\nPaperback: 288 pages
\nPublisher: Urban Books (December 1, 2008)
\nLanguage: English
\nISBN-10: 1601629753
\nISBN-13: 978-1601629753<\/p>\n

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Rayna<\/p>\n

Rayna\u2019s eyes welled with tears as feelings of loneliness and disappointment overtook her emotions. All of the romance and passion she envisioned would occur during her honeymoon didn\u2019t happen. She imagined that this would have been one of the happiest times of her life. Instead, she was miserable. She had already felt a sense of cognitive dissonance, better known as \u201cbuyer\u2019s remorse,\u201d after her new husband, Bryce, had promised to take her on an exotic vacation in Cancun. Yeah right! she thought. Here they were, two weeks before Christmas, in a log cabin at Forrest Hills Mountain Resort in Dahlonega, Georgia. It was a five day package that Bryce\u2019s best friend, Fox, had given them for a wedding present. A friend whose nickname came as a result of not so savory sales tactics, Fox earned the nickname because, according to Bryce, he was slicker than a snake oil salesman. Rayna found it strange that Bryce would refer to his friend in such a derogatory manner. It vexed her spirit, and she immediately remembered Proverbs 27:19: A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.<\/p>\n

Now Rayna faced a deeper problem, the dislike of her honeymoon location. Besides the fact that Rayna was not the outdoorsy type, hiking and horseback riding never appealed to her. She and Bryce had discussed at length where they would spend their honeymoon\u2026 on the beach. Rayna\u2019s fondest memories are of her vacationing in the Bahamas, Hawaii, and different beaches in Florida. There was something about the tranquil waters that made her feel at peace; almost as if she was communing with God.<\/p>\n

Bryce had promised her they\u2019d go to Mexico. At the last minute, he told her that he was unable to get the time off from work. He worked as a field reporter, and although he could have gotten a few days off, it wouldn\u2019t have been long enough. She was disappointed. Her heart was set on an exotic locale, not somewhere with frost on the trees and snow on the ground. She wondered whether she was catching a glimpse of what her life with Bryce would be like. Broken promises. Even with advance notice, he still wasn\u2019t able to come through for their honeymoon. The only person she blamed was herself for not getting to know her husband better before marrying him. As far as Rayna was concerned, a year of knowing Bryce hadn\u2019t been nearly enough time. Trying to deal with her regret seemed overwhelming at times.<\/p>\n

Rayna considered herself to be spiritually intuitive. But this time, she ignored the signs. A couple of weeks before getting married, Rayna had a disturbing dream about her wedding day. In the dream, her wedding day was a fiasco. She couldn\u2019t remember all of the details, but one thing was clear\u2014her feelings throughout the dream were unpleasant. At one point she said, \u201cI\u2019m marrying the wrong man.\u201d Having awoken with beads of sweat on her forehead, Rayna dismissed the dream as a case of wedding jitters.<\/p>\n

Even though the log cabin was nice\u2014hot tub, double showers, and fireplace\u2014the problem was Bryce.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning, Mrs. Henderson,\u201d Bryce said as he kissed Rayna on the cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cMorning.\u201d She stretched her arms over her head.<\/p>\n

The way Bryce said, \u201cMrs. Henderson,\u201d sent shivers up her spine. To her, he sounded so macho at times. She found that whole \u201cI\u2019m Tarzan, you Jane\u201d thing sexy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou hungry?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

She looked at the clock sitting on the wooden nightstand next to the canopy bed. The LED display read 9:00 a.m. in red digits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to hurry up before they stop serving breakfast,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Rayna wanted to escape out of bed and get dressed before Bryce touched her, again. His passionate desires seemed to be insatiable. Once, she asked him whether he had an implant or took drugs, because even after making love, Bryce\u2019s physical disposition remained the same. Of course, he denied it. Most women would love to have a man who could last for hours. For Rayna, it didn\u2019t take all that. Not if he knew what he\u2019s doing. Unfortunately, Bryce wouldn\u2019t know how to satisfy her if she were an air traffic controller directing him from the lighthouse. She remembered hearing that sex comprised only two percent of a relationship, if it\u2019s good. But when it\u2019s not-so-good, it\u2019s about ninety-eight percent, she thought. Having an ungratifying sex life made it difficult for her to appreciate the good things about Bryce. Like the way he\u2019d rub her feet whenever they sat next to each other on the couch, or the way he\u2019d give her an all over body massage.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s take communion first,\u201d Bryce suggested, revealing a devilish grin.<\/p>\n

Communion was Bryce\u2019s way of asking for physical intimacy, and she thought it was sweet. He had this good guy, bad boy routine down to a science. Rayna looked over at him and immediately became turned on. Her husband was hot. Brad Pitt and George Clooney had nothing on Bryce. He wasn\u2019t wearing a shirt and his smooth, hairless chest was toned and muscular. She noticed that his abs workout was working, because the lining of a six-pack was visible. She thought he was sexy. Too bad he can\u2019t deliver.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot right now,\u201d she grumbled.<\/p>\n

It amazed Rayna how her husband could have so much going on\u2014good looks, a body like a Greek Adonis, sex appeal, a smile that could light up a room, yet he didn\u2019t know how to straighten her hair and curl her toes, so to speak. It\u2019s not like she hadn\u2019t expressed her dissatisfaction to Bryce. He knew full well that she was frustrated; yet he wouldn\u2019t do anything to change it. Every time she wanted to try something new or different, he called her sadistic. Her feelings were crushed. More than anything, she wanted to please him, and in the process, get pleased. His inflexibility made Rayna feel less desirable and unappreciated.<\/p>\n

She got out of the king-sized bed, walked across the hardwood floor, and went into the double showers. Thankfully, the water running down her face camouflaged the tears streaming down her cheeks. Rayna felt as if she had made a terrible mistake by marrying Bryce. After they consummated their marriage a couple of nights ago, she went into the bathroom and cried. How could two people be so physically incompatible? she thought. She had never heard of such a thing, especially not with married couples. She wondered what she had done to deserve such an unfulfilling union. Silently, she prayed.<\/p>\n

Lord, forgive me for my sins. Please help me deal with this marriage. Whatever sin is blocking me from being a good wife, I ask that you remove it. In Jesus\u2019 name, I pray. Amen.<\/p>\n

As she exited the shower and wrapped her body in a towel, Bryce entered the bathroom. He embraced Rayna, and she melted. Her desire to be close to him was overwhelming; then the thought of being disappointed crept in and immediately turned her off. Not because she didn\u2019t love him, because she did. It was more because of his indifferent attitude. When they made love, she sensed that his thoughts were elsewhere. He wouldn\u2019t look at her, and that bothered her. She wondered whether it was because he was white, and she was black. Then she quickly dismissed that notion because Bryce didn\u2019t seem to have a racist bone in his body. His expectation of going all the way at the slightest hint of affection made her hesitant to hug or kiss him. She couldn\u2019t even rub her hand along her leg without him getting turned on.<\/p>\n

Freeing herself from his toned arms, she looked at his disappointed face and said, \u201cI saved you some hot water. I\u2019m going to get dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

She went back into the bedroom. Since it was cold outside, she slipped into a cashmere sweater, jeans and boots. Her hair was styled in a short, curled \u201cdo\u201d like the actress Halle Berry.<\/p>\n

Several minutes later, Bryce came from out of the shower. \u201cYou look nice,\u201d Bryce complimented as he dried off, and changed into a gray mock neck sweater, jeans and Timberlands.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. So do you.\u201d<\/p>\n

They put on their coats and gloves and left the cabin. Rayna noticed there was frost on the surrounding trees. They walked to the couples-only \u201cSecret Garden\u201d dining room, which happened to be a few feet away.<\/p>\n

The hostess, dressed in a sweater and jeans, said, \u201cAre you on your honeymoon?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Bryce replied, smiling. \u201cHow could you tell?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna felt like saying, \u201cBecause we\u2019re in the couples-only dining room,\u201d but she refrained. In Bryce\u2019s defense, they could\u2019ve been dating and vacationing together, she reasoned.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have that glow about you,\u201d the hostess replied.<\/p>\n

Bryce looked at Rayna lovingly, and grabbed her gloved hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a buffet,\u201d the hostess explained, smiling. \u201cSeat yourself wherever you like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thank goodness, Rayna thought. Every time they went out to eat, Bryce always asked the waiter or waitress, \u201cWhat do you recommend?\u201d It used to bother Rayna, so she asked him why he did that. He told her that it eliminated the guesswork. \u201cWho better to tell you about the food than the people who work at the restaurant?\u201d Bryce replied. She understood, but never adopted that philosophy. She enjoyed scanning the selections. When she would narrow her choices down to two entr\u00e9es, then she would ask the waiter or waitress for their opinion. Her indecisiveness tended to bother Bryce, but she didn\u2019t care.<\/p>\n

They sat at a table surrounded by large, panoramic windows. They took off their coats and gloves and placed them on an empty chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I get you something to drink?\u201d the hostess asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo hot teas with sugar and lemon,\u201d Bryce replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd an orange juice,\u201d Rayna added.<\/p>\n

After the hostess took their drink orders, they got up and each fixed themselves a plate. The food looked scrumptious and fresh. Rayna had the cheese grits, scrambled eggs and bacon. Bryce filled his plate with French toast and sausage links.<\/p>\n

They went back to their table, and Bryce led them in prayer.<\/p>\n

\u201cFather, thank you for this food and fellowship. I pray that this meal is nourishing to our minds and bodies. In Jesus\u2019 name, we pray. Amen.<\/p>\n

She mixed her eggs with the grits and crumpled bacon on top. Then she stared out the window. Trees for as far as the eyes could see\u2026 acres and acres of secluded woodlands. Her thoughts drifted to the first time she and Bryce met.<\/p>\n

They were standing in line at the cafe in the Barnes & Noble off Cobb Parkway in Atlanta. After striking up a general conversation, Bryce paid for her latte. He seemed intelligent, not to mention handsome, with that sandy blond hair and green eyes. So when he asked for her phone number, she gave it to him.<\/p>\n

Rayna went home immediately afterward. Within twenty minutes, her phone rang. It was Bryce, asking her to go out with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen can I see you, again?\u201d Bryce asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about tomorrow night?\u201d she responded in a flirtatious tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat.\u201d He sounded excited. \u201cWhere would you like to go?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPizza Hut,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPizza Hut?\u201d She could tell by the influx in his voice that he had expected her to name some fancy restaurant.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides the fact that Pizza Hut was her favorite pizza establishment, she didn\u2019t want Bryce to feel as though she were trying to take advantage of him. When they met, he was dressed in a suit. Not a cheap suit either. Rayna checked his shoes and Bryce wore black Kenneth Cole. He seemed to be doing pretty well. Even still, Rayna had wanted to get to know him personally. At the time, she was not impressed by the fact that by all appearances, he could have taken her to an expensive restaurant.<\/p>\n

The following day, he picked Rayna up at her apartment in a rental car and took her to Pizza Hut. While at the restaurant, he explained to her that he actually lived in Chicago and was in Atlanta on business. He worked as a field reporter and was chronicling a news story. He also wrote a newspaper column. His profession seemed exciting to Rayna, because she had written numerous poems and short stories. One day, she planned to write a full-length book. Speaking with a real life reporter\/writer fascinated her. As he told Rayna about his travels and how he became a writer, she hung on his every word.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have always been fascinated by the written word,\u201d Bryce explained. \u201cYou know, it\u2019s funny how I became a columnist,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cA friend of mine used to write a column for Chicago Tribune. She got a promotion and recommended me for her old job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWow! That was a major blessing.\u201d Rayna smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d he laughed. \u201cEspecially since I had just graduated from college.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna was not surprised to hear about Bryce\u2019s accomplishments. He seemed so eloquent, well- spoken, cultured, and poised. When they arrived at the restaurant, they talked incessantly. She felt as though she were in a therapy session, because he was so easy to talk to.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you from?\u201d Bryce asked, looking at her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Orlando, but my parents and I moved to Georgia about\u2026\u201d she rolled her eyes upward, \u201cten years ago.\u201d She took a bite of pepperoni pizza.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell me about your family.\u201d<\/p>\n

She held up her index finger while she chewed the pizza. After she swallowed, she said, \u201cI\u2019m an only child. My mom\u2019s a pharmacist, and my dad\u2019s a neurologist. What about your family?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have two older brothers and two younger sisters. I\u2019m the middle child. I spent a great deal of my childhood being raised by my grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened to your parents?\u201d<\/p>\n

He sipped a glass of soda, or \u201cpop\u201d as he called it. \u201cMy dad died of a heart-attack when I was five, and I don\u2019t have a good relationship with my mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

Curious. Rayna was taken aback. What kind of guy doesn\u2019t get along with his mother? she wondered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brothers and sisters have the same father, and I have my own father,\u201d he explained. \u201cAs you can imagine, I was the black sheep.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re the middle child, yet you have a different dad?\u201d she said more of a statement than a question, trying to make sure she understood him correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. My mom was married, but she had an affair. I\u2019m the result.\u201d He stared at a scratch in the wooden table before taking a sip of his sparkly drink.<\/p>\n

Rayna cleared her throat, not really knowing what to say. His candor surprised her.<\/p>\n

He looked at her and sucked in his cheeks as if he were sucking a lemon. \u201cMy mom\u2019s marriage suffered because of it, but they stayed together and had my twin sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why did you have to stay with your grandmother?\u201d She tilted her head to the side.<\/p>\n

He looked her in the eye and said seriously, \u201cBecause my stepdad didn\u2019t treat me the same as the other kids. He was harder on me. My mom figured that with me out of the house, the family could be put back together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s terrible.\u201d She furrowed her brow.<\/p>\n

She felt sorry for him. Rayna hadn\u2019t expected to learn such personal information about him on their first date. In a strange way, seeing him in such a vulnerable state attracted her to Bryce. She had finally met a man who was in touch with his feelings and knew how to convey them. Something in his almond shaped eyes expressed sadness. She could tell that his hurt ran deep. He was so nice that she wanted to help him.<\/p>\n

Bryce squeezed Rayna\u2019s hand, which was resting on top of the table, and said, \u201cWhat were you thinking about?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna had been so deep in thought that she hadn\u2019t even realized that the hostess had placed their drinks on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do you know I was thinking?\u201d she answered, smiling. \u201cI could\u2019ve been admiring the scenery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might\u2019ve started out doing that, but I can tell by the way your eyes shifted downward and to the right that you were remembering something.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s so analytical, she thought. He pays attention to everything. That\u2019s what she gets for hooking up with a brain-iac.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about us,\u201d she admitted. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that after six months of being engaged, we\u2019re finally married.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna\u2019s decision to marry Bryce was an easy one. He proposed to her three months after they met. They had been talking on the phone every day, several times per day. Maintaining a long distance relationship wasn\u2019t easy. She missed him terribly and wanted companionship. She was twenty years old and a sophomore at Mercer University. Bryce was three years her senior. They were deeply in love.<\/p>\n

\u201cRayna,\u201d he said, interrupting her thoughts once again. \u201cI love you so much,\u201d he grinned sheepishly, licking his pink lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love you, too.\u201d She gave a faint smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t understand. I love you more than I\u2019ve ever loved anybody, including my own mother. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d ever do without you, Rayna,\u201d Bryce declared.<\/p>\n

Somehow, hearing Bryce say he loved her more than his mother disturbed her, because although she loved him, she didn\u2019t think it could be compared to the love she has for her parents. Never had she met anyone who could make her remotely think that she loved them more than either one of her parents. She couldn\u2019t even imagine. Then again, she thought, Bryce\u2019s relationship with his mother was strained. So was it really far-fetched for him to love someone more than her?<\/p>\n

Even though she believed him wholeheartedly, Rayna wasn\u2019t sure how to respond to his statement. The first time Bryce ever told Rayna that he loved her was one week after they met. It caught her completely off guard. She found it peculiar, because she thought it was too soon for them to exchange those three little words that carry a whole lot of weight. She didn\u2019t say it back to him, because she didn\u2019t take saying, \u201cI love you\u201d lightly.<\/p>\n

Marrying Bryce seemed to make logical sense to Rayna. He was an avid reader, had an incredible vocabulary, and was well-versed in many different things. And she couldn\u2019t deny the obvious. Bryce was fine and saved. And in Rayna\u2019s opinion, that was definitely a plus. Not to mention that he\u2019s a visionary and ambitious. One of the things Rayna admired about him was the fact that he knew a little about a wide array of subjects. He was able to discuss anything with anyone ranging from jazz music to the Greek classics to the Bible. And her parents loved him. Before deciding to commit, Rayna had a conversation with her Aunt Sylvia, which persuaded Rayna to marry Bryce.<\/p>\n

Aunt Sylvia and Rayna had a close-knit relationship. She was Rayna\u2019s mother\u2019s younger sister, in her forties, and has never been married. Based on what she had told her aunt, like the way Bryce would call throughout the day, or send flowers, or take Rayna to nice restaurants, Sylvia was convinced that Bryce loved Rayna. What tilted the scale in Bryce\u2019s favor was when Aunt Sylvia said, \u201cGirl, what are you dragging your feet for? Do you know how hard it is to find a man who wants to get married?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna was glad when the hostess returned and asked, \u201cHow\u2019s the food?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d she replied. That way, she didn\u2019t have to acknowledge Bryce\u2019s declaration.<\/p>\n

He bit into his French toast. \u201cDelicious.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rayna picked up her cloth napkin and wiped the powdered sugar off Bryce\u2019s full lips. His lips don\u2019t look like the average white boy. Not Mick Jagger, but luscious and sexy. He smiled a dimpled smile. She could tell he appreciated the gesture. They finished their breakfast and walked back to their cabin, glove in glove. As they breathed the cold, crisp air, smoke formed every time they exhaled.<\/p>\n

Back in the cabin, Bryce started a fire in the gas log fireplace. They took off their shoes, wrapped themselves in a colorful quilt, and cuddled in front of the blazing fire. It was quite romantic. Rayna closed her eyes, listened to the crackling noises being emitted from the fireplace, and imagined that Bryce would ravish her body and leave her feeling satisfied. Fantasizing and praying helped her get through the remaining three days of her honeymoon. Thankfully, she had her fantasies.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1163"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1166,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1163\/revisions\/1166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.daysongreflections.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}