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I cuddled deeper into my favorite fluffy blanket on the couch and pressed the fast-forward button on the TV remote as I reviewed the stages of my plan in my head. I pressed play and set the remote down when I felt my phone vibrating. I smiled when I saw who it was.

“Hey baby.”

“Hey,” my boyfriend’s voice answered. “I just got off from work, I’m on my way over right now.”

“Awesome.” My smile widened a little. “I’ll be here.”

“Alright, bet. Love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

I got up and rushed to the bathroom to check my hair, fix my makeup and spritz on a little perfume. Twirling my hair and practicing different facial expressions in the mirror, I leaned forward and stared into my dark hazel eyes and breathed deeply.

“Alright, Delilah,” I gazed at my reflection and exhaled. “You got this.”

When a staccato rang playfully from my doorbell, I was ready. Grasping the doorknob, I swung the front door to my apartment open wide and smiled up at Samson.

“Hey, you,” Samson smiled just as widely down at me and put his huge, muscular arms around my waist. I giggled a little bit and twined my own arms around his neck as he closed the door behind him with his foot.

“Hey,” I answered, unable to stop smiling.

A few hours later we were on the couch together, having binge-watched seemingly every new fall show under the sun. The TV was now at a much lower volume level and flashed light softly about the otherwise dark room. Changing my position, I sat up against the cushions and laid Samson’s head in my lap and began to massage his head, to which he murmured appreciatively. Continuing with one hand, I gently ran the other one over his handsome face and chin. Here was where my plan began.

“Samson, baby,” I whispered, “do you love me?”

“Of course I do,” he murmured. He opened his eyes and looked directly into mine. “I told you, you’re my world.”

“But how can you say that when you don’t trust me?” I bit my lip and gazed down into his eyes.

He stared up at me, silent for a few moments. Then he closed his eyes again. “Delilah, babe, come on, we’ve been over this a million times now. You know I love you… I can’t live without you. Can’t we just let this go?”

It was my turn for silence. Finally I blinked and let my voice crack the tiniest bit. “I should have known this was all a game to you. You’re lying to my face.”

He opened his eyes again. “What are you talking about?”

I seized the opportunity to let the tears well up. “You’re lying, lying… always lying! You don’t love me, you don’t trust me, you’ve been playing me all along.”

“Playing you?! Delilah, I swear—”

“Don’t!” Tears flowed freely down my cheeks. “Just don’t. You don’t love me, you don’t want to love me. You’re making a fool out of me. I’m just your pawn.” I spat out the last sentence with as much anger as I could find within me. “I should have known your love was a game.” I closed my eyes and put my hand to my face as I sobbed quietly.

“Baby, I promise, I have never, ever, EVER played you.” Samson sat up and took my hands down from my face and held them in his own, giving me a pleading look. “Please believe me. I love you more than anything else in the whole world.”

I sniffed. “Then trust me. Don’t hold anything back from me, or I’ll just keep secrets of my own.” I paused for a few moments, then spoke again, quieter: “It’s you and me against the world, Samson. Remember? We’re a team. My heart is your heart. Your secret is my secret.” I pleaded with teary eyes. “Aren’t we in this together?”

He stared at me for a long time. I saw his face change. He took a long sigh, then gathered me into a hug. I sniffled as he tightened his grip and kissed the top of my head.

“Yes,” I heard him answer. “Yes, we are.” He took a deep breath again and stroked my hair. “I love you so much. You make me go crazy when I’m around you.” His voice lowered. “Alright, alright. I’ll tell you this time.”

I pulled away and looked up into his face. “For real this time?” I felt my heart begin to thud. “No games?”

“No games.” He gently wiped my wet cheeks.

I wrapped the blanket closer around me and looked up at him. On the outside I appeared expectant, but inside I hardly dared to breathe, and I hoped he couldn’t hear or feel my heart racing. I could hear the serious tone in his voice. Something told me he was about to tell the actual truth.

“The truth is,” Samson began, looking down, “No razor has ever been used on my head. I’ve never cut my hair in my life.” At this, my eyes darted to his waist-length dreadlocks that complimented his unbelievable muscles. “I’ve been dedicated to God as a Nazirite since before I was born.” I looked back at his face, and he returned my gaze.

“If my hair were to be cut, my strength would leave me. I would be as weak as any other man.”

I took a deep breath and collected my thoughts. I threw my arms around Samson’s neck, and he held me tightly.

After a few minutes, I got him to put his head in my lap again, and it wasn’t long before he fell asleep. Heart still pounding, I waved a hand over his face to check. I then cautiously reached for my phone, unlocked it and dialed the number with trembling hands.

“Hello?” A gruff voice answered.

“Send someone over here,” I breathed into the phone and realized how sweaty I was. “He told me everything.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” I replied. Biting my nails, I swallowed and surveyed the unconscious Samson in my lap and the seven thick dreadlocks.

“I need a barber.”