VINCENZO
“Isn’t it perfect?” Jess is looking at me with doe-eyed innocence, blinking for my approval. I can’t say yes to a home that isn’t right for us. There’s much to consider— location, safety, size, features. Nothing is quite right, so that’s what I tell her. She doesn’t need to know that the moment I knew she wanted to have a place to ourselves, I messaged one of the boys to scout out some land. If we’re getting a house, we’ll be building it together.
It's been months since my accident, and every day I see Jess in a different light. Like turning a diamond and catching something new every time you look. Jessica Lee is flawless for me, and with each growing day, I’m more aware of it. That's why when Marty messages me that he found the perfect spot and sends me pictures and a Google map image, I know what needs to happen.
I don’t worry about the cost or really even think about much else besides the ring practically burning a hole in my pocket and the perfect place to begin our new chapter together.
“I’ll buy it. Send me the paperwork.” I message him as Jess is sleeping on the couch next to me. I strategically turned on a Sci-Fi movie because she often says she’ll watch them with me but ends up falling asleep every time.
When I get the paperwork, I quickly flip through it on my phone, sign every section, and then promptly send it back to him. Within thirty minutes, the land is ours, and I want to wake Jess to tell her, but instead, I remain composed. I slowly get up off the couch, tuck her in with the blanket we were sharing and kiss her forehead before going to our room. Quickly, I change into my favorite outfit of all time, a midnight black Armani suit, black Versace leather boots, and push back my hair a bit to tame the front.
I’m careful with the little box that I slip into the inside pocket of my suit, and I message Marty to pick me up when he arrives.
“On it.” He sends back, and I slip my phone into my pants pocket before going to the back of my closet and pulling out a large cardboard box hidden under piles of clothes. I’m honestly surprised that Jess hasn’t snooped and seen it before I was ready to show her. I never pile clothes in the closet, so it may have been a dead giveaway. But even if she had seen its contents, she wouldn’t know what they were for.
Hopefully, I can surprise her. I love nothing more than seeing the look of delight in her eyes when I give her something she didn’t expect to get. It’s probably the best fucking thing to ever exist, that smile of hers. I’ll do anything and everything for the rest of my life to ensure I keep seeing it.
I bring the box to the lift and head back across the penthouse, then down the hall to my office. There’s a pen still on my desk, so I pick it up on my way to the printer, where I grab a piece of paper from the tray and write down the coordinates for our future home. I make sure to instruct her, “When you’re ready, meet me at the X.” and then I fold it up, slip it into my pocket as I open the extra closet in the office, and pull out a dress.
Jess had seen it the other week at one of those boutiques near our office. I had to pretend that I was concerned about her baby bump showing— given that we haven’t announced it yet— so she wouldn’t try to buy it herself. She’s still stubborn as hell, but I’m glad that deterred her.
I smile as I carry it to the kitchen and drape it over a chair, taking the piece of paper from my pocket and placing it on the counter. Just as I turn back to the lift, Marty messages me and says he’s out front. I jog quietly to the door, take one last look at Jess sleeping peacefully on the couch, and head down to ground level with my giant box.
The ding alerts me I’ve stopped in the lobby, and I continue my jog through it, all the way to the car. It’s sitting right out front, and I quickly open the backdoor, sliding the box across the seats before sitting in the front next to Marty. I don’t normally do this. I prefer to sit in the back, but I want to express my gratitude for all he’s done for me today. It’s nice to know I can trust my boys, and when they do nice shit like this, it makes me more confident in their reliability.
“You’re gonna love the land, Vince.” (He calls me Vince now. Another reason he’s grown on me.)
“I’m already blown away by the pictures. It’s like a fucking movie or something.” I pull out my phone and look through them a little more as we drive, planning out what we can build and what would suit us best. It's surreal and nerve-racking to know that Jess has a choice tonight. If she says no, and I don’t know why she would, but if she does, I’m uncertain if my heart can take it.
I push away the abysmal thought and try to focus on the excitement of what’s about to transpire.
We pull up to the land and walk through a long pathway to the clearing. It’s surrounded by dense forest that looks manicured, perfect, not a dead leaf in sight. When we reach the clearing where the land rests, the plateau overlooks mountains so incredible, I would swear we were in Montana or some shit. In broad daylight, it’s so spectacular, though I’m sure in every light it would be breathtaking. It’s so ridiculously beautiful that Jess would be crazy not to fall in love with it.
I begin to set up the hundreds of candles that were stuffed in my box and line them in a pathway, extending them to the center of the clearing where they form a heart. Some are on retractable poles, others are on the lush grass. I haven’t lit them yet, but I know they’ll look good when they are. If there’s one thing I know about design, and I don't know much, it’s that getting a broader view can help ensure cohesiveness. So, I went back to get a better look, but something still isn’t quite right.
I stare at the display a moment longer, Marty not saying a word, just watching the woods while I work. The significance of flowers to our relationship is undeniable. I’ve always gotten her flowers, even before we really knew how we felt for one another. And a flower that means more to me since I know her past, is the lily. It’s one of the reasons I bought her the dress with lilies on it, besides the obvious fact that she loved it.
“Marty, I need you to take me to the nearest flower shop.” He turns on his heel and gives me a nod. We make our way back to the car and drive down the mountain a bit until we find a flower shop tucked away on the corner of a winding road. Thankfully they have lilies, but when I ask to buy every lily they have, and their stunned faces bring them to the counter, it still doesn’t seem to be enough.
I purchase them all, of course, but we end up traveling to three other flower shops before I’m satisfied. When I’ve filled the entire car, except for the front two seats, I figure we’ve maxed out, so we travel back up the mountain.
Getting them to the field is a multiple journey process, but Marty helps me, so it goes by quickly. When they’re all at the edge of the clearing, I begin arranging them along with the candles— practically making the entire pathway leading to the heart and center of the clearing look like a field of lilies.
Just as I begin to light the candles, Lee sends me a message to let me know he and Jess are on the way. I quickly finish my work, even though I know it will take them a while to get here, and I collect the last lilies into a bouquet.
I’m getting increasingly nervous now. My heart’s in my head, pounding a beat that only reminds me of how much I love her. God, I love her. Time seems to speed by, like the sun is fast-forwarding to the backs of us, making the illumination from the candles show even brighter.
The sound of a car pulling up, followed by the sound of footsteps through the tree line, alerts my eyes to expectantly watch for her. After a moment, she breaks through, practically glowing with beauty in her new dress. With every step she takes towards me, I begin to feel more out of body, watching from beyond myself. Her teary eyes glisten in the light of the candles and what remains of the sun setting from behind me.
She is the most beautiful woman, strong, fierce, flawless in every respect. I can’t imagine doing life without her by my side, and if she says yes to me, we’ll never have to. She steps in front of me, a foot away now, and I have never wanted anything more than her.
“Hi.” She smiles, furrowing her brows as if to ask me what the hell is happening. I breathe out a laugh from my nose and hand her the bouquet of lilies.
“This is beautiful.” She whispers, tears in her eyes as she stares into my soul. I stare into hers and whisper back, “Not as beautiful as you.” Her cheeks grow pink, and I take her free hand in both of mine.
“Ms. Lee, Jessica Lee, Jess, Lilly Haan… every side of you is endlessly perfect. Being with you is like walking perfectly in step with my destiny. I can’t imagine a world where we aren’t side by side.” I take a deep breath and wipe a tear that’s rolled down her cheek.
“On this land… our new land… I want to build a home where we can grow our family and grow old together. I’ve never wanted you to have anything less than perfection, and I hope that this allows us to create something perfect for us.”