Stay With Me by Lily Adile Lamb
COVER ARTIST: Melissa Bell
RELEASE DATE: March 02, 2016

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words wants to welcome Lily Adile Lamb here today to share something about herself and her latest story, Stay With Me. Welcome, Lily.

I was born in Turkey and trained to be a nurse in UK. After some years of working as a counsellor and a nurse, one night I saw an advert on the paper seeking nurses to work in Western Australia. Before the paper could disappear, I grabbed the pen and paper that night to prepare my resume for the agency. It was the best decision I ever made because I also met my husband in Perth a few years later. Living in WA is a land of opportunity for me where I work full time as a nurse in day time and commenced writing LGBTQ stories later at night once my husband had retired to bed.

I support Marriage Equality and stand by same sex parents because I believe all a child needs is a loving and protective home. For me, an individual’s gender identity and expression are influenced by many factors including but not limited to, culture, religion, social restrictions, customs and beliefs…this makes one’s gender very diverse and fluid so my main focus in my stories are people who want to express themselves in the way they feel right for them and others.

I love writing multi-cultural stories of people from all backgrounds. The LGBTQ community is universal and exists in all countries and cultures. In some cultures, coming from an LGBTQ background is not easy and they are the people for whom I want to promote.

I decided to write Joseph’s story, following an article in the newspaper, about domestic violence in the home. I wanted to highlight some social issues in my story but also bring some sweetness as well so that readers can smile after reading the final page.

Joseph and Curtis are dear to my heart, partly because their story is my first story. The other reason is because they represent how hard I try to move forward in life. I worked hard and dreamed a dream to make it come true… the result is “Stay With Me”.

It has been weeks since Curtis first saw the young waiter with the haunted eyes. No matter how often he went to the café to find the right opportunity to introduce himself, that moment simply did not come that quickly. Joseph was aware of the gentle giant who quietly came to have his lunch and then left day after day. Fearing his father’s wrath and under his ever watchful eyes, he made no moves nor overtures. Until one day when the other man approaches to him… Hope can turn to love… interracial love.

Joseph did his best to keep a low profile all day. He washed the dishes in the evening, hoping his father would go home on his own and forget all about the gentle giant. But his father was sitting on the sofa, waiting for him. Whenever his father sat stoically without uttering a single word, he knew the man was quietly simmering.

Feeling his heart hammering as he dreaded what was about to come, Joseph took a shower. His feet felt like lead, not wanting to go back to the lounge room, but he knew if he didn’t, his father would soon look for him. As he sighed, Joseph left the security of his bedroom.

Joseph walked towards him to get his punishment over and done with.

“I don’t like how that man looks at you. He makes it obvious that he’s interested in you. Bastard, pervert. I don’t want you to look at him or smile at him anymore! I want him to get fed up coming to our corner, so you make sure you discourage him.”

Joseph stood in front of his father with his hands by his side, doing his best not to trigger the man’s anger any further. Staying silent always worked, unless he was asked to respond.

His father wrinkled his face in distaste. “You have no money, nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Remember that, boy.” Knowing the man was right, Joseph steeled his heart and continued to look at his father. He was startled when his father suddenly stood up.

His father brought his face close to him when he shouted, frightening him and making him shake all over. His father’s jeers made Joseph look down and protectively fold his arms in fear, in case the old man punched him in the stomach.

Humiliated and petrified, Joseph shook. Lifting his head as he was ordered, he bit his lip to control his facial expression. The harder he bit his bottom lip, the more he concentrated on the sting. When his father yelled at him so forcefully that spittle landed on Joseph’s face, Joseph felt too frightened to wipe it away. Hating the man’s sudden silence, Joseph’s insides quivered, not knowing what would come next.

His father snorted and pushed him away as he spoke. “Just go to your room. The sight of your face turns my stomach.” Feeling worthless and ugly, Joseph bowed his head and left the room. He made sure he closed the door softly behind him.

He sat quietly on his bed, trying to swallow his panic and slow down his rapidly beating heart. His stomach ached from stress, and he couldn’t stop shaking. Tensing his body to ward off shaking but failing so miserably, Joseph clenched his fists hard. Years of beatings and punishments had left Joseph scarred deep inside, to the point that he adapted some coping strategies that caused more physical pain to distract him from inner turmoil. Feeling the pain of his nails digging deeper into his palms, he felt breathing was somewhat easier.

After a while, he felt calmer as he reassured himself his father wasn’t coming. Once the house was quiet, Joseph allowed his tears to roll down his face. When his sobs became louder, he quickly bit his hand to dampen the noise.

Once his tears eventually dried, Joseph raked his hands down his face and tried to breathe slowly and deeply to calm himself. Joseph was aware that he’d lost all confidence in himself.

LENGTH: 32,800 words approx

GENRE: Contemporary, M/M, Interracial Romance

Lily Adile works as a nurse by day and writes GLBT Romance by night. Lily’s focus in her GLBT stories are mere mortals because she believes that love is universal. Her mortal heroes and heroines are not rich, famous or incredibly handsome males with six pack bodies or stunning women… rather they are just everyday people who work hard and deal with whatever that life throws at them.

Lily believes that an individual’s gender identity and expression is influenced by many factors including but not limited to culture, religion, social restrictions, custom and beliefs…this makes one’s gender very diverse and fluid.

Lily is actively involved with Marriage Equality and stands by the same sex couples who want to have children.

Lily especially thanks her husband with all her heart for his endless patience, love and support. He is the love of her life and apple of her eye….he is the home she goes to at the end of a hard day at work.

Lily Adile was born in Ankara, Turkey and then worked in other countries. She visits her family in Turkey regularly and travels to Singapore to visit the other family members.

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