“You ain’t going to win, man,” Shadow snickers, shaking his head.
“That’s a fact,” I say.
“I’m seeing that. You two are dangerous together. Speaking of, can I steal her away?” he asks.
“Can’t wait to be alone together? So sweet,” Blue teases.
Echo’s jaw tenses. “Yeah, you got me.”
I laugh.
“Go do your thing, guys. I appreciate you coming and hanging out,” Blue says.
“Any time,” I reply.
“Later, guys, congrats again. Good looking family you got, Shadow,” Echo says.
“Thanks, brother.” Shadow nods as they do a manly hug.
My brain is filling with possibilities as Echo guides me away and out of the club. “Are you going to give me a hint?” I ask.
He climbs onto his bike. “Nope.”
I follow and wrap my arms around his waist, still at a loss.
He weaves his way through traffic and down a number of vaguely familiar streets. When we pass a large park, I realize we’re in the neighborhood we viewed homes in. Maybe there’s a new one available. He parks in front of the two story home with white shutters I’d fallen in love with earlier.
“What are we doing here?” I asked.
“The people who bid on it before us had their finances fall through. This is our home.”
“Don’t kid,” I whisper.
“I’m not, D’Rose. This is our new home.”
I squeeze him hard. He turns and our lips crash together. This was the last piece of our puzzle. Our picture is complete, and our life together is ready to launch. He pulls back. We get off the bike and walk up the path to our porch. Our porch. We sit on the swing, holding hands.
“You happy?” he asks after a moment.
“God, more than I can describe with words.”
He nods.
“Are you?”
“Don’t you know by now, all I need to be happy is you at my side? This right here, is all I’ve wanted from the minute I realized I wanted you for myself. I know we’ve been through some ups and downs, but that’s over. Now is our time to live the way we want. I promised you I’d handle the situation in the club. Today, they changed…the by-laws.”
Tears form, and I do nothing to prevent them from rolling down my face. “They did?”
“Stone is actively recruiting African Americans. You and our children will never go through that bullshit. KOC is moving in a better direction.”
Sobs slip from my lips.
“Don’t you know when I promise you something, I’ll make it happen?”
I nod my head, burying my face in his neck as I release the pain from the past and prepare to step forward into a life I could never allow myself to imagine before. My baby just handed me the world on a platter, and I’m going to eat my fill. Coming out into the light after the darkness of a long journey down a tunnel I once thought I would perish in, makes me feel triumphant. I’ve found more than love, I’ve found my soulmate. True love can’t be destroyed by time, distance, or interference from others. “I would go through everything again, to end up right here.”
“Me too, girl. Me too.”