Between her lips 👄 & Lies
Domo stood there in the doorway, jaw tight and eyes full of frustration.
“Switching up?” Lashae laughed humorlessly. “You call it switching up. I call it finally being honest.”
Domo rubbed the back of her neck. “So that’s it? You go to Jamaica for a few days and suddenly everything we built don’t matter?”
Lashae folded her arms.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Try to make it sound like this happened overnight. We’ve been struggling for months, Domo.”
Domo looked away because she knew Lashae was right.
“You ain’t even trying no more,” Domo muttered.
Lashae stared at her.
“I was trying when you stopped calling me back. I was trying when I kept begging you to communicate. I was trying when I felt lonely sitting right beside you.”
The words hit Domo harder than she wanted to admit.
“So what? This about that girl?”
The room instantly became tense.
Lashae sighed.
“Quinn ain’t got nothing to do with this.”
“That’s a lie.”
“No. What’s a lie is pretending you and I were good before I even got on that plane.”
Domo’s eyes watered.
“You like her.”
Lashae paused.
For the first time, she didn’t immediately deny it.
And that silence told Domo everything.
“Wow.”
“Domo—”
“Nah. Don’t.”
Domo shook her head and laughed bitterly.
“I knew it. I knew somebody else had your attention.”
“It wasn’t planned.”
“But it happened.”
Lashae looked down at the floor.
The truth was she couldn’t stop thinking about Quinn.
The way Quinn made her laugh.
The way Quinn listened.
The way Quinn’s family welcomed her like she had known them forever.
For the first time in a long time, Lashae had felt wanted.
Seen.
Safe.
Domo wiped at her eyes angrily.
“So what now? You moving to Jamaica?”
Lashae almost smiled.
“If I could afford it, I’d probably be there right now.”
Domo’s face fell.
The answer hurt more than any argument ever could.
After a long silence, Domo nodded slowly.
“Aight.”
“Domo…”
“Nah. I get it now.”
She stepped backward off the porch.
“I’ve been fighting for somebody that already left.”
Lashae’s chest tightened.
Because in a way, Domo was right.
Part of her was still sitting on Quinn’s grandmother’s porch in Jamaica, listening to laughter echo through the yard while Quinn sat beside her.
Domo shook her head.
“I hope she gives you everything you looking for, Lashae.”
Before Lashae could respond, Domo turned and walked away.
Lashae stood in the doorway watching her disappear down the sidewalk.
Then she closed the door.
The house became quiet again.
Too quiet.
Without even thinking, she picked up her phone.
Her thumb hovered over Quinn’s contact.
A few seconds later, the screen lit up.
Incoming Video Call: Quinn ❤️
Lashae froze.
Then a smile spread across her face.
“Now how the hell…” she whispered before answering.
Lashae stood with her back against the door for a moment after closing it.
Through the window, she watched Domo walk down the sidewalk without looking back.
Part of her felt guilty.
Another part of her felt relieved.
There was nothing left to say.
No more arguments.
No more going in circles.
No more forcing something that had been falling apart for a long time.
“I am sorry,” she whispered to herself.
Then she pushed away from the door and headed back to the couch.
Her phone was still in her hand.
Without hesitation, she tapped Quinn’s name and started a video call.
The phone rang twice before Quinn answered.
Immediately, Lashae saw the familiar smile she had been missing.
“Well look who finally decided fi call me,” Quinn teased.
Lashae laughed softly.
“Girl, shut up.”
“Nuh uh. Yuh left Jamaica and now yuh acting brand new.”
Lashae rolled her eyes.
“I literally just got home.”
“And?”
“And what?”
Quinn grinned.
“I miss yuh.”
The confession caught Lashae off guard.
Her smile grew.
“I miss you too.”
Quinn adjusted her phone and settled deeper into her bed.
The sound of crickets could be heard outside her window.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
They simply looked at each other.
The distance suddenly felt unfair.
“How things go?” Quinn finally asked.
Lashae knew exactly what she meant.
“Domo came by.”
The smile faded from Quinn’s face.
“Oh.”
“She wanted to talk.”
“And?”
Lashae sighed.
“There wasn’t much to talk about.”
Quinn listened quietly.
“I told her the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That it wasn’t working.”
Quinn nodded slowly.
“And how she take it?”
“About as well as you’d expect.”
A small laugh escaped Quinn.
“Which means not well.”
“Exactly.”
The conversation fell quiet again.
Lashae looked around her apartment.
Everything was exactly how she had left it.
The same couch.
The same walls.
The same pictures.
Yet somehow it all felt different.
Empty.
Quinn noticed the expression on her face.
“What yuh thinking about?”
Lashae smiled sadly.
“Honestly?”
“Hm?”
“I wish I was back there.”
Quinn’s eyes softened immediately.
“With me?”
“With you. With your family. With all of y’all.”
A grin spread across Quinn’s face.
“Mi granny ask about yuh today.”
Lashae laughed.
“Stop lying.”
“I swear.”
“What she say?”
Quinn deepened her voice dramatically.
“‘Where mi little American daughter gone?’”
Lashae burst out laughing.
“No she did not.”
“She really did.”
The laughter eased something inside her chest.
For the first time since landing back home, she felt relaxed.
Quinn smiled as she watched her.
“There yuh go.”
“There I go what?”
“That smile.”
Lashae felt heat rise to her cheeks.
Quinn always seemed to notice everything.
“You know,” Quinn continued, “if yuh missing Jamaica that much, planes do fly both ways.”
Lashae raised an eyebrow.
“Is that an invitation?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
Quinn smirked.
“Or maybe mi just want yuh here.”
The words hung between them.
Neither woman looked away.
For a moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world.
Then Quinn’s grandmother’s voice echoed from somewhere in the house.
“Quinn!”
“Yes, Granny!”
“Who yuh smiling at this late?”
Quinn immediately started laughing.
Lashae covered her face.
A second later, Quinn’s grandmother appeared in the background.
The older woman squinted at the screen before gasping dramatically.
“Miss Lashae!”
Lashae laughed.
“Hey, Miss Ruby.”
“Yuh coming back or what?”
Quinn nearly dropped her phone laughing.
And for the first time all day, Lashae didn’t have to think about Domo.
All she could think about was Jamaica. And Quinn.
#lesbianvisibility #lesbiancommunity #apowellbooks #lesbianbooks #lesbiana🌈
Reading "Between Her Lips & Lies" resonated deeply with me because it beautifully captures the complexity of interpersonal relationships, especially those filled with unspoken truths and emotional growth. From my own experience, I have found that moments of confrontation, like the one Lashae and Domo share, often serve as pivotal turning points that force us to reevaluate what we truly want and need from our connections. What stood out to me was the raw honesty Lashae expresses—the pain of feeling invisible even when physically close to someone. This is a feeling many can relate to, whether in romantic relationships or friendships, where communication breaks down and loneliness takes root. The story also highlights the courage required to admit one's feelings, such as Lashae's realization of her affection for Quinn and the fulfillment she finds in that new connection. The setting of Jamaica played a significant emotional role, symbolizing not only a physical place but also a space of acceptance, warmth, and genuine connection. Lashae’s longing to return to Jamaica and the welcoming embrace of Quinn’s family reminds me how vital community and belonging are in our personal journeys. It’s a poignant reminder that sometimes, we must leave familiar places or relationships behind to find where we truly feel safe and seen. Moreover, the narrative touches on the impact of timing and circumstance in relationships. The breakup between Lashae and Domo wasn’t sudden but a culmination of ongoing struggles—something I’ve witnessed firsthand in my life. The way Lashae steps into a relationship where she feels understood, appreciated, and loved is inspiring and reinforces the importance of self-respect and pursuing happiness. Finally, the story’s closure, with Lashae choosing to embrace new beginnings despite guilt or doubt, is empowering. It reminds readers that endings, while painful, open doors to fresh opportunities and healing. This narrative not only tells a story but validates the feelings of those experiencing similar dilemmas, offering hope that honesty, even when hard, will lead to a more authentic and fulfilling life.
