Wedding Date, Part Two

Kento Parsons

Thursday, May 30

Talking to God is something I’m still getting used to.  My family and I didn’t attend church on a regular basis when I was growing up, and that’s played a role in my limited interaction with the man upstairs.  Vanessa, on the other hand, grew up in church, but went her own way when she went to college. For the past few years she’s been making strides in getting her faith back on track, which, of course, means I’m trying to do the same.

It’s not that I didn’t believe.  I just didn’t know how much I needed God in my life.  My relationship with Vanessa requires His presence. There’s no way we can do this on our own.  Hence the reason why I’m on my knees at the foot of the bed praying today will go smoothly and our marriage can survive whatever challenges we’ll face.

I’m about to finish my prayer when someone pounds on the hotel room door.  Whoever it is will have to wait a few seconds. I can’t afford any distractions.  My lips move as I pray to myself. I’m almost done when another knock invades my space.  

“Kento?” Taro calls calmly.  “Are you up?”

After I close out my prayer, I stand to my feet and walk over to let my brother in.  I find Katsuo peering around Taro’s shoulder.

“What are you guys doing here?” I ask, stepping out of their way as they enter.  “I thought we were meeting downstairs in the groom’s suite?”

Both of them have garment bags slung over their shoulders and shoes in their hands.  I could’ve sworn I told them what the plan was for this morning.

“You did,” Katsuo says after he drapes the bag over the chair, “but we wanted to catch you before you went downstairs.”

“Yeah,” Taro begins, “we’d like to talk to you privately.”

“About what?” I ask, sitting on the bed.

“Today, obviously,” Katsuo smirks.

I love my little brother, but sometimes he can be a prick.  Rolling my eyes, I turn my attention to Taro, relying on him to be the mature one.

“We know your relationship with Dad is a bit strained,” Taro says.

“Strained isn’t the word I’d use,” Katsuo interjects.

“What would you use?” I ask, clasping my hands together.  “Please, enlighten us because this day is certainly about you.”

Katsuo clamps his mouth shut and looks at the floor.  His neck is flushed, almost matching Vanessa’s favorite color.

Taro sighs, “We can’t say we understand what you’re going through, but we need you to know you’re not alone.”

“You know my wife and I love you and Vanessa,” Katsuo says, his face regaining its natural hue.  “Regardless of what Dad says or does, that won’t change our relationship with you.”

Taro clears his throat, then says, “I know our schedules have been hectic and neither of us has really made an effort to see each other.  That needs to change.”

“I agree,” I smile.

“My wife and I have already made plans to come out here a couple of times this year,” Katsuo adds.  “I think I’ve grown so accustomed to having Taro around that I haven’t really considered what it’s like for you not to have any family nearby.”

“It’s a little lonely, but I knew what I was getting into when I came out to LA,” I admit.  

“But still, we should’ve done a better job of staying in contact with you,” Taro states.  “I don’t know if Dad will ever come around, but you have us and Mom.”

After what happened with my dad, Vanessa and I decided to respect his wishes, but we won’t allow him to dictate our interactions with the rest of the family.  My mom and sisters-in-law adore Vanessa. They call her all the time. Every time my mom calls me, she asks about Vanessa. If we’re together, she rushes me off the phone so she can talk to her.  It’s like I don’t even exist.

 

Saturday, March 10

We tread slowly through the crowded terminal.  The flight to Des Moines started off smooth with Vanessa and I chatting about our week.  As the plane flew closer to Des Moines, anxiety started creeping in. Vanessa sensed my uneasiness.  I tried reassuring her by talking about random things, like an article I read online about an upcoming art exhibit, but she wasn’t buying it.

Now that we’ve arrived, my emotions are a bit mixed.  I’m excited to see my family, whom I haven’t seen in over a year, but there will be a large elephant named Henry Parsons looming over us.  My mother assured me that he was going to be out of town today. We won’t run into him, which is a relief; but there’s always a possibility that things might not go according to plan.  If that happens, how will I protect Vanessa?

As we draw near the exit, I feel a cold breeze waft through the airport as travelers enter and exit.  I don’t miss the cold or the snow, and I’m not exactly thrilled about the flurries that were predicted, but I can’t complain too much.  

Vanessa’s arm brushes against mine as she moves her carry-on bag over to her right shoulder.  She’s wearing a pair of dark blue stretch jeans that hug every curve, black knee length boots, and a long, cream turtleneck sweater.  Her hair is pulled into a high bun, and long gold earrings hang from her small earlobes. She looks warm and sexy. I’d rather snuggle up to her in our hotel room instead of doing this.

No, I can’t complain at all.  I take her hand in mine, pulling her a little closer to me.  I notice a few guys checking her out. I smile to myself because I know exactly what they’re thinking.  Fortunately, she’s all mine. We reach the car rental kiosk where a husky middle-age man named Herb stands at the counter.

“Good afternoon,” he greets with a wide, toothy grin.  “Welcome to Des Moines. Is this your first time traveling to our beautiful city?”

“Hello Herb,” I say, reaching in my back pocket for my wallet.  “Uh, not for me, but this is her first time.”

“Oh really?” His murky brown eyes widen.

He glances at Vanessa and does a double-take as if this is the first time he’s noticed her.  Within an instant, Herb’s attention shifts from me over to Vanessa. She bites her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

“Miss with the beautiful eyes, where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?” Herb wonders as he folds his thick, dark brown arms on the counter.

“LA,” Vanessa smiles.

“Ah, I was gonna guess LA,” he chuckles.  “or New York City. You’re definitely not from around here.  They don’t make ’em like that -”

“Herb,” I interject, hoping to get his lingering eyes off of Vanessa.  “We’d like to rent a car. I called in a reservation a month ago.”

Herb struggles to pull his gaze away.  I understand how hard it can be to look away from those mesmerizing eyes.  I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard. Almost. I step closer to the counter, putting myself between Herb’s lusty eyes and my girlfriend.  Vanessa rubs by back in an attempt to settle me down. I can hear her giggling under her breath.

“I’m going to the restroom,” she whispers.

I don’t turn around to look at her.  My eyes watch Herb trying to get a peek of Vanessa walking away.  His head leans to one side then the other, but my height and broad shoulders block his view.  After a few failed attempts, he gives up.

“Now that you’re no longer distracted, can I get the rental car I reserved?” I ask, leaning closer to him.

Herb blinks rapidly.  “Uh, yes sir. Sorry, sir.”

His short, stubby fingers type in the information from my driver’s license.  My stare burrows into the side of his face. He’s careful not to take his eyes off the computer monitor.  He slides the rental authorization form toward me and I sign it, never taking my eyes off him.

“All right, Mr. Parsons,” he grabs a set of keys from a cabinet under the counter.  “You’re all set.”

He jumps when I snatch the keys and paperwork out of his hands.  I head over to the women’s restroom where I see Vanessa leaning against the wall.  I glance over my shoulder to see Herb busy, thankfully, with another customer.

“The people here are really friendly,” she grins at me.

“Mmhmm,” I grumble.  “If that’s what you want to call it.”

Vanessa laughs as I bend down for a kiss.  Her giggles tickle my lips. She takes my face in her warm hands, and  I stare into her sparkling eyes. The eyes that need a man mature enough to appreciate their beauty while being aware of the vulnerability lurking behind them.

“Was that kiss for me or for your ego?” she asks.

“Both,” I confess.

We drive down the interstate toward our hotel.  Not much has changed since the last time I was here.  Even though I miss my family, I don’t miss Des Moines.  It’s not that I dislike being here, I just feel stifled when I’m here – like I can’t be myself.

“What’s the game plan?” Vanessa’s voice interrupts my thoughts.

“We’re meeting my mom at the house, then we’re getting together with my brothers and their family at Paolo’s Italiana for dinner.”

“And your dad won’t be at home?” she asks, peeking over at me.

“That’s what Mom said,” I reply.  “She doesn’t expect him home until tomorrow.  I know you’re worried, but don’t be. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“I’m not worried for myself as much as I’m worried for you,” she says softly.  “No offense, but men like your dad don’t scare me. They irritate the hell out of me, but I’m not intimidated by them.  I’m more concerned about how this will effect your relationship with him.”

“We haven’t spoken since January,” I remind her as I signal to change lanes, “and he doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.  I’d say it can’t get much worse than that.”

 

“She has legs for days,” Aaron grins, shaking his head.

“Man, you’ve been obsessed with her for how long now?” Mateo teases.

“Too long,” I laugh.  “Ask her out already.”

“I’m working on it,” Aaron says, reclining back so Antoine, Zeke’s barber, can apply shaving cream to his face.

“You keep working on it,” Zeke adds, “and some other dude’s going to sweep her off her feet.”

“Yeah, Aaron, you don’t want to wait too long,” Taro says.  “She’s gorgeous and she doesn’t seem like the type to wait for a man to grow a pair.”

Antoine guffaws at Taro’s dig.  His shoulders shake with each chuckle.  He lifts the razor blade from Aaron’s jaw to keep from cutting him.  Aaron raises his arm with his middle finger extended at Taro. Right before Taro has a chance to respond, a soft knock comes from the door.  Taro hops up to answer it. The door opens revealing my mother standing in the hallway. Taro towers over her petite frame.

“Mom?” Taro frowns.

The air in the room changes with her presence.  Antoine and his assistant are quiet as they shave Aaron and Katsuo.  We’re all serious, not wanting to sully my mother with our prior conversation. 

“I came by to see Kento,” my mother ambles into the suite.  “Good morning, boys. I don’t mean to disturb your man time.”

“It’s no problem, Mrs. Parsons,” Mateo says, pecking my mother on the cheek.

Zeke bends down to hug her.  When he lets go, she cups his face and smiles up at him.  My mother has grown to love Zeke. She won’t admit it, but out of all my friends, she likes him the most.

“Is everything all right?” I ask, taking her by the hand.

“Can we speak privately?”

There’s a room I used to change into my suit.  I lead her inside before shutting the door. My mother sits on the settee, then pats the empty space beside her.  I take my cue and ease down next to her.

“Mom,” my voice is low, “are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Oh, son,” she smiles.  “You’re getting married.  Nothing’s wrong. I wanted to see how you’re holding up.”

“It seems like that’s all anyone has been asking me since we got here.”

“I can believe it, but I’m your mother,” she states.  “You can’t hide anything from me, no matter how much you act like nothing’s wrong.”

Her hand rests on my cheek.  I stare into the brown eyes that are mirror images of my own.  I’m so glad she’s here. Even when things seem a little shaky, her presence manages to provide a solid foundation.

“I’m fine, Mom,” I assure her.  “Honest.”

“Mmm.  Well, I also wanted to give you these,” smiling, she opens her hand revealing a pair of white pearl sterling silver Japanese cufflinks.  “They belonged to my father. He wore them on his wedding day. When he passed away, he left them to me.”

Inspecting them, I turn them over in my hands.  I run my thumb over the smooth surface, tracing the pearl.  They appear to be mid-century Old Art Deco.

“Out of all his children, our bond was the strongest,” she informs me while she helps me put them on.  “Even though my parents didn’t approve of my marriage to your father, they still remained a part of my life.  There was no way he was going to disown me for falling in love.”

“I don’t know what to say,” I admit.  I wasn’t expecting anything, especially something from my grandfather.

“You don’t have to say anything,” she says.  “I’m passing these down to you. It’s no secret our relationship is different than what I have with your brothers.”

“Yeah, I’m your favorite,” I laugh, blinking back tears.

She laughs, but doesn’t deny it.  

“I love you too much to let anything get between us, especially over something that’s really not an issue,” she says.

Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I hug her close to me.  She smells of chamomile and lavender. I kiss the top of her head.  Her soft salt and pepper hair tickles my nose.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I whisper.

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world,” she beams.  “Make sure you take good care of my daughter-in-law.”

“Vanessa hasn’t said yes yet,” I remind her.

“Oh, she will,” she laughs under here breath, “and I want grandchildren.  Don’t wait too long. I’m still cute, but I’m not getting any younger.”

Since when did her age have anything to do with Vanessa and I having children?  All I can do is laugh. My mother really enjoys being a grandmother. I know she’d spoil our kids even more.

“I’m serious,” she responds.  “My body isn’t what it used to be.  I want to be able to pick them up and play with my little ones.”

“Okay, Mom,” I relent.  “I promise we won’t wait too long.”

“Good.”  She gets up to leave.  “I’m going to let you get back to whatever it is you were doing.”

Before she opens the door, she stares at me like she wants to commit this memory to heart.  She reaches up, straightening my burgundy tie. A single tear rolls down her cheek as I stare down at her.  She removes a tissue from her purse and dabs at her eyes.  

 

“Kento? Kento?” Vanessa says.

“Huh?  What?” I ask.

“I asked if you miss being here,” she stares at me, “but it looks like your mind is elsewhere.”

We left our hotel twenty minutes ago after dropping off our bags.  We’re on our way to my childhood home. The drive shouldn’t be more than thirty minutes, but I’m doing just under the speed limit.  Not to mention I’m taking the longest route there.

Even though it’s just going to be my mom, I’m still nervous.  Vanessa is meeting my family for the first time. She’s going to see where I grew up and how my parents live.  I know she won’t judge me, however I can’t help but feel exposed.

“Hey,” Vanessa squeezes my forearm.  “Do you want to talk about it? You’re distracted and driving like an old man with cataracts. ”

“I’m not driving that slow,” I roll my eyes.  Just then an SUV, a hatchback, and a minivan pass by and signal to get in front of us.

“Okay,” Vanessa smirks.

“I’m more nervous than worried,” I sigh.  “I hope you and my mom will get along.”

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” she smiles. 

“This whole thing with my dad is a mess,” I say.  “I was hoping to avoid the same thing my parents went through with my dad’s parents, but it looks like some people haven’t learned from the past.”

“What do you mean?” she frowns.

“My dad’s parents had nothing to do with him and my mom when they got married,” I relay.  “My maternal grandparents weren’t exactly thrilled to have a white man in the family, but they tolerated him for my mom’s sake.”

“Hmm,” she purses her lips.

“The Parsons, on the other hand, disowned my dad,” I continue.

“I can’t believe someone can cut ties with their family over something like that,” she states.  “But it was a different time.”

“Exactly,” I agree.  “That was then. What’s my dad’s excuse now?  I don’t get why he’d do the same thing to me. It’s not like he can’t understand what it’s like.”

“Did your father and his parents ever reconcile?” she asks.

“Yeah, but it took several years,” I begin.  “I was ten years old the first time I met them.  It was obvious they missed my dad, but they still didn’t have much interest in the rest of us.”

“How so?” she asks.

“Well, one Christmas, for example,” I recall, “we visited my grandparents.  All our aunts, uncles, and cousins were there as well. When it came time to open our presents, my brothers and I noticed that our cousins had at least three presents each.  However, we only received one.”

“Well -” she begins.

Shaking my head, I say, “No, not one each.  One, like one gift for us to share.”

She raises her eyebrows.  “Wow.”

I smirk, “It was a Vietnamese doll.”

“Vietnamese?” she says, her eyes searching my face.  “Aren’t you -”

“Half Japanese, not to mention we didn’t play with dolls,” I say, frustration seeping through my tone at the memory.  “My mom put on a brave face and tried to explain their shitty actions, but we were old enough to know what they were doing.”  

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” she says softly, resting her hand on my thigh.

“It’s okay,” I say.  “It took some time, but they eventually warmed up to us.”

“Warmed up to you,” she frowns.  “No child should endure something like that.  Especially by the ones who are supposed to care for them.”

I look over at her.  I don’t think I could love her any more than I do right now.  The woman with the hazel eyes who’s never rejected me.

She smiles, “If you keep your eyes on me any longer we’re going to run into the back of someone.”

I chuckle, turning my attention back to the road.  The familiar street name posted on the sign ahead grabs my attention.  The nerves I felt earlier have subsided. Even though it seems like history is repeating itself, I wouldn’t do anything differently.  Vanessa’s the one for me.

I pull the car into the paved driveway, then turn off the engine.

“No matter what happens,” I say, turning to face her, “it’s you and me.”

She gives me a quick peck on the lips, “Just you and me.”

 

My jawline is smooth to the touch.  The three-day stubble look I’d been rocking no longer exists thanks to Antoine.  He even gave me a quick fade haircut. I’m so used to doing my own shave and cuts that I forget what it’s like relaxing and letting someone else take care of it.  Maybe I should start going to Antoine.

I’m glad I rented a suite.  Even though I’m in the back bathroom, I can still hear the guys.  Muffled voices are followed by thunderous laughter. It’s like they’re still celebrating from last night.  

In spite of the groomsmen line up, I’m glad everyone is getting along.  When Vanessa said she was only having a maid of honor and two bridesmaids, it made things a little difficult on my end.  I had to choose between my brothers and my friends. Whenever I suggested she add more bridesmaids, Vanessa would just shake her head and roll her eyes.  

My hopes of having a best man and four groomsmen were dashed.  I had to decide who knew me and Vanessa the most and who has been the most supportive from day one.  The only choice I had were my friends. To be fair, had I told my brothers about Vanessa early on, they would’ve had my back no matter what.  However, my boys know me better than my brothers. Thankfully Taro and Katsuo understood my reasons for not choosing them. With everything that had been going on, they were willing to do whatever I needed for this day to go well.  

More laughter comes from the other room.  I overhear Mateo giving Aaron a hard time.  It sounds like they’ve gone back to the subject of our discussion before my mother came by.  Zeke’s right. If Aaron doesn’t step up, someone else will sweep Tabitha off her feet.

I pull on the charcoal gray suit jacket and button it over the burgundy vest.  Light reflects off my grandfather’s cufflinks. I chuckle to myself as I replay my mother’s words to me.  Out of all his children, our bond was the strongest.  Passing down cufflinks is something a father would do with his son.  My mother had to be more than just a daddy’s girl for my grandfather to choose her over my uncles.  Just like I’m more than my mother’s favorite son.

Not that I don’t appreciate that my mother understands me, but I don’t want to be her favorite or my father’s.  I just want them to accept me for me and respect my decisions. For years I wished my father and I clicked the way he did with my brothers, but I could never live up to his expectations.  Now that I’ve committed the ultimate betrayal, I have to go through the rest of my life without him.

I step into the frigid air, walking to the other side of the car to let Vanessa out.  Taking her gloved hand, I lead her down the sidewalk to the front of the two-story beige house.  When we reach the forest green door, I ring the bell. Vanessa smiles up at me while we wait for my mother to answer.  Soft footsteps can be heard through the door just before it swings open. My mother looks up at me with a huge grin across her round face.

“Oh, Kento!” she reaches up for a hug, tears rolling down her face.

“Hi, Mom,” I kiss her cheek.  I go to stand up, but her arms are still wrapped around me.  I let her hug me a little longer before letting her go.

“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Vanessa.”  I suck in a breath, waiting for some kind of response.

The tiny woman smiles at Vanessa before hugging her tight.  Their bodies sway back and forth under my mother’s grip. Vanessa’s wide eyes peek over at me.  I’m just as surprised as her. I knew my mother was excited to meet her, but I wasn’t expecting this.

“It’s so nice to finally meet a nice girl,” she says.  

We step inside the house and shrug off our coats.  After hanging them in the closet, my mother leads us into the modest living room.  Not much has changed since I left home. Pictures chronicling our lives hang on the walls.  The portrait I painted of my parents when I was in the eleventh grade is still above the fireplace.  I used an old photo that captured my mother sitting on my father’s lap, smiling down at him as he gazes into her eyes.  It was one of the rare times their love was captured on film, and now in my artwork.

Vanessa’s eyes gloss over the photos of my brothers before landing on the ones of me.  A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she walks up to my ninth grade school picture.  Of all the photos to notice, it’s that one – the most embarrassing of them all.

“What did you do to your hair?” she wonders.

Feeling self-conscious, I run my hand over it and say, “That was my attempt at going blond.”

Platinum hair sticks out from my head like I stuck my finger in the electric socket.  It looks greasy and unkept. Tiny pimples splash across my round, prepubescent face. My paint-stained Nirvana shirt hangs loose off my bony frame.  My nonchalant stare gives the impression I didn’t care, but I did. I cared that I was a late bloomer while my brothers had hit puberty way before me.  I was trying to figure out who I was and navigate high school. I was also scared shitless of how my parents were going to react to my weak attempt at rebellion.   

“Wow,” Vanessa says, tilting her head to the side to get a better look.

My mother walks up and stands next to Vanessa.  “Ah, Kento’s faux pas,” she chuckles.

I glance over at her as Vanessa giggles.  She had a similar response when I came home from school that day.

“What?” she shrugs.  “You begged us to let you color your hair like that friend of yours who acted like he was in a grunge band.  Your father and I warned you that it wouldn’t turn out the way you thought. As usual, you did your own thing and dyed it without our permission.”

Vanessa bites her lip, trying not to laugh.  She glances in my direction and sees the look on my face, then bursts out laughing.

“We haven’t been here for five minutes and already you’re embarrassing me,” I grimace.  “Thanks a lot, Mom.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” she pats my arm before disappearing into the kitchen.

Vanessa’s still laughing when I ask, “You find this amusing?”

“You have no idea,” she giggles.

I pull her against me, wrapping my arms around her waist.  My lips meet hers in a slow, soft kiss, silencing her giggles.  Her fingers run through my hair and tickle my neck. If my mother weren’t here I’d peel off every piece of clothing and make love to Vanessa right here and now.

“A-hem,” my mother interrupts.  She’s carrying a tray with a tea pot and tea cups.

Vanessa jumps, covering her mouth with her hand.  Slowly she turns around and smiles at my mother. Heat rises up my neck.  My mother looks at Vanessa then over to me. A knowing smile spreads across her face.  She takes the tray that’s holding the tea pot and cups and sets it on the coffee table, then she sits in the middle of the yellow sofa.  Vanessa settles down next to her. Her light brown cheeks grow pinker under my mother’s stare.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she assures Vanessa.  “It’s not every day I get to see my son happy and in love.”  

My mother’s kind eyes meet mine.  She doesn’t say it, but I know she’s happy for me.  I walk toward them and pour tea in each cup. The familiar refreshing aroma of Sencha tea fills the room.

“I remember your father and I sneaking around so our parents wouldn’t find out,” she recalls, sipping the hot liquid.  “Kento always went against the grain. Whatever his father demanded of him, he either found a loophole or did just the opposite of what Henry wanted.”

“Neither of you left me much choice,” I mumble.  It’s a low blow, but it’s true.

My mother turns her attention away from Vanessa.  Her warm hand squeezes mine. “Son, I’m sorry for not defending you when you needed me to.”

I stare at the steam rising from my cup.  This is supposed to be a happy occasion. My mother admitted she was wrong and has apologized.  She’s been kind to Vanessa, and I can see she’s truly happy for me. There’s no sense in taking my frustrations out on her when the one I’m really pissed with isn’t here.

“It’s okay.  You were doing what you thought was best,” I smile weakly.  “I’m going to get us some napkins.”

I leave the room in a daze, trying to process what’s happening.  The sky blue cloth napkins rest on the kitchen table. My mother’s soft voice followed by Vanessa’s sweet laughter makes its way into the room.  Is this how it could’ve always been? Had my mother revealed this to me sooner, I wouldn’t have believed what I was taught. There would’ve been no compulsion to try to please them.

I’m lost in thought when the tone from the living room changes.  A harsh, deep voice overtakes the soft, sweet voices that were there a moment ago.  The napkins fall to the floor when I realize what’s going on.

“Who are you?!” my father’s gruff voice booms.  

“I’m Vanessa.”

I rush into the living room in time to see my father standing in front of Vanessa.  He’s not supposed to be here. Why is he back so soon?

Vanessa’s on her feet, refusing to be bullied.  I knew there was a reason why I love her. My father is taken aback at Vanessa’s audacity.  I walk toward her when my father shouts, “Get this nigger out of my house!”

Vanessa doesn’t even flinch, but I know the word stung like a slap in the face.  Anger boils over as I step between her and my father.

“Don’t you ever call her that again!”  I’ve never shouted at my father before, but he’s never been this bold.  “Have you lost your mind?!”

I think the only person whose lost their mind is me.  I’m about to lose my shit and this isn’t just anybody.  This is my father. I’ve never disrespected him before, but I won’t let him hurt Vanessa because he’s pissed at me.

“I told you to never bring one of them to my house!  As a matter of fact, I told you not to come back here!” he points his stubby finger in my face.

My dad is about five inches shorter than me with a stocky build.  His gray hair is thinning at the top. His cold gray eyes glare at me with hatred.  I look and act like my mother, but I can be a shitty person like my father. It’s time I resolve this so I can move on.

Out of the corner of my eye I see my mother leading Vanessa out the kitchen door.  I have no idea where they’re going, but I’m glad she’s getting Vanessa out of here.

“I know what you said,” I step toward him, forcing him back.  “I also know you’re a hypocrite.”

His thin lips twist in a rye grin.  “Humph, I see. You mess with one of them and you finally grow a pair.”  

“I guess so.”

The muscles in his jaw flex like he’s chewing on his next insult to see how it’ll taste.  It doesn’t matter what he says now. He’s already called Vanessa the worst thing you could ever call someone.  If he were anyone else, I’d break his neck. He blinks under my stare then stomps away from me. My eyes follow him as he goes toward the kitchen, then stops abruptly.

“I told you what would happen if you pulled a stunt like this,” he glares at me.

“Dad, I love you.”  He grunts, but I continue, “But I have to live my own life.  You spewed so much bullshit about blacks and Latinos. Part of me believed they weren’t good enough.”

“Because they’re not.” 

I give him a once over.  I used to look up to him, but now I feel sorry for him.  If I hadn’t met Vanessa, there’s a good chance I would’ve ended up like him.  I’m not here to argue with him or plead my case. It’s not worth it. I don’t know if I’ll ever see my father again, but I know I’ll survive if I don’t.

I sigh, “I didn’t come here for your approval.  Shit, you weren’t even supposed to be here. I wanted to introduce mom to the woman I plan on settling down with.”

“What?!” he puts his hands on his waist.  “Is she knocked up?”

“No, she’s not,” I shake my head, growing tired from the weight of this conversation.  “Vanessa is actually a nice woman. You and mom drilled in my head how much I needed a nice girl.  Well, I have one and I have no intentions on letting her go.”

 

Traffic moves slower than I’d like.  We’re only fifteen minutes away from the church, but at the rate we’re going, it’ll take us at least half an hour.  The whole purpose of staying in a nearby hotel was to avoid any unnecessary delays. I glance at my watch, but my eyes don’t focus on the time.  The limo creeps a few more yards then stops. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.

The guys are still giving Aaron a hard time, but not about Tabitha.  I try to focus on something else, but my brain has only one thing on its mind:  Vanessa. I haven’t seen or spoken to her in over twelve hours. I wonder if she’s as nervous as I am.  I know I told everyone I was fine, and I was, but now… Swallowing hard, I check my watch again.

Mateo leans over and whispers, “How many times are you going to do that?”

“That obvious?” I shake my arm, adjusting the sleeve of my jacket.

“We’ll get there in time,” he assures me.  “Don’t worry.”

I nod and smile.  That’s easy for him to say.  He’s not the one getting married.  I haven’t been this nervous since the last time Vanessa and I went rock climbing.

 

Sunday, July 8

I’m playing catch with Cairo while Vanessa gets ready for our rock climbing excursion.  I arrived at her place an hour early. My neighbors woke me up with another one of their arguments, and I couldn’t get back to sleep.  At least that’s what I told Vanessa.

She had just gotten out of the shower.  She opened the door wearing just her robe.  When I explained why I was early all she did was roll her eyes and shake her head.  She probably thinks I’m going to try something, but I’m not. I mean, I’ve tried, and every time she stops me from going too far.  I throw the ball to the left. Cairo jumps and catches it before it hits the ground.

“Good boy,” I encourage him.

He bounds toward me and jumps on me, licking my hands.  It took awhile, but Cairo finally warmed up to me.

“Okay,” Vanessa steps outside breathless.  “I’m ready.”

Since our first rock climb, she feels compelled to wear yoga pants every time.  She seems to have one in every color and design. She knows what they do to me. One of these days she’s going to bounce outside with those damn things on and I’m taking her straight to her bedroom.

She steps up to kiss me as I wrap my arm around her.  I nibble on her bottom lip as her tongue slides in my mouth.  I lift her off the ground and she wraps her legs around me. Her hands run through my hair as I caress back.

“We should go.  We don’t want to be stuck in traffic,” she says as if she didn’t just start something I’m dying to finish.

I kiss her once more before setting her on the ground.  I swat her on the ass as she follows Cairo into the house.  She smiles over her shoulder before winking at me. God I’m in love with this woman.  What I wouldn’t give to wake up to those beautiful hazel eyes every morning. If today goes well, I’ll be one step closer to making that dream a reality.

“I bought a new harness,” she says, unzipping her duffel bag.  “Take a look at it and let me know if it’s a good one.”

Her back is to me as she searches for the harness.  She says something else, but I have no idea what. The thought of being with Vanessa every day for the rest of our lives excites the hell out of me.  I’ll have daily access to her luscious lips and sexy ass. No more celibacy.

Vanessa holds the harness up in front of me, but I’m too busy staring at her mouth.  I think she says my name, although Cairo and Kento sound almost the same. My eyes follow her hands to her hips.  She usually does that when she doesn’t think I’m listening to her, which I’m not. Without warning I seal her lips with a kiss.  My fingers get tangled in her braids as I pull her closer to me. She moans as I nibble on her lip.

“You know I love you, right?” I ask, gazing into her eyes.

“Yes,” she nods.  “I love you too.

Her eyebrows draw together as she searches my face, trying to catch her breath.  “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I reply as I caress her cheek.  “I just wanted to make sure you knew how I felt about you.”

“There was never a doubt in my mind,” she says.  “Are you sure you’re good?”

I dip my head, “Let’s go.  We don’t want to be late.”

I scoop up her duffle bag and head for the door.  Vanessa locks up behind me and follows me to her SUV.  She’s quiet while I back out of the driveway and begin our journey, but I feel her eyes on me.  Her scrutinizing stare is making me nervous. I can’t afford any mistakes.

Today is exactly one year from our second date.  I thought rock climbing would be a great starter for what I have planned afterwards.  If everything goes well, we’ll be celebrating much more than our anniversary.

We finally arrive at Arcadia Rock Canyon.  We head over to our favorite crag with it’s high slopes and rugged angles.  This one is more difficult than when Vanessa first started, but it’s not overwhelming.  After we put on our gear, I lead us up the reddish-brown rock, hoping I don’t lose my cool.   As we near the top, my nerves start getting the better of me. I slow my pace in order to collect my thoughts.

“Are you okay?” she shouts.  “Why did you slow down?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” I breathe heavily.  “I’m just trying to savor the moment. This is our one year anniversary.”

She smiles over at me, “You’re right.  We should take our time and enjoy it.”

We don’t count our first date as an actual date since it didn’t go so well.  We’ll never forget it, but we don’t want to dwell on it too much. We make it to the top of the crag.  The blazing sun beats down on us. I stare out at the scenic view of huge trees and clear blue sky. This is the perfect place to do this.

Vanessa’s back is to me as she takes pictures.  I unzip my chalk bag to find the small, black box.  I hope she likes it. I looked for weeks and couldn’t find anything good enough.  I had to enlist Tabitha’s help and finally found the right one.

“Every time we climb this rock, I find something I haven’t seen before,” she says as she scrolls through the photos on her cell phone.  “How many times have we been up here?”

“Five times, I think,” I answer as I kneel down.

“How many?” she asks as she faces me.

Vanessa’s jaw drops as she stares down at me.  Her eyes begin to well up with tears before she blinks them away.  She opens her mouth, but she’s unable to speak.

“Vanessa,” I take her trembling hand.  “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, you took my breath away.  I had to know the gorgeous woman with the hazel eyes. You’re the most forgiving, patient woman I know.”

She laughs as tears spill down her face.  She wipes them away and gazes at me. I kiss the back of her hand.

“My life was stagnant until you walked into it.  My heart is full because of you, and I want to spend forever with you.  You’re my beautiful muse, my soulmate. Vanessa, will you marry me?”    

Her eyes twinkle in the sunlight as she nods her head, “Yes.”

I place the platinum two-and-a-half-carat diamond ring with its twisting and flowing split plank channel on Vanessa’s slender finger.  The design of the ring is a representation of a soulmate. It’s unique and classy, like my fiancée.

 

~To be continued~