Epilogue
Janelle
One year later
“Stop, stop, you’re gonna mess up my outfit,” I whine but it turns into a whimper when Rome bites down on my shoulder blade.
“Mhm, I see no problem with that,” he mumbles, his tongue flicking across the top of my breasts.
“Romeeee, I’m gonna be late!” I shout. Maybe being a little later won’t be too bad. Being on time can’t be better than the feeling of Rome’s lips on me.No. Get your ass moving.I wiggle in his hold a bit more, groaning with displeasure.
He releases me with a groan, putting my blazer back in place. “Fine, I guess I’ll be supportive of your dreams and shit and let you go,” he teases.
I wipe the lipstick that I got on his lips off as I chuckle. “Your kindness will be rewarded later, I promise.”
He kisses me again, getting more of my lipstick on him. “You got this.”
“I love you,” I say.
“I love you, too.”
How surreal is it that I freely exchange I love you’s with this man? The first time we said it was so unceremonious. He’d said it while walking me to my car after I’d spent the night at his place, as if we had been saying it for years. When I looked at him like he’d lost it, he just said he was tired of not speaking what was in his heart. He leapt. Because that’s what he does. Rome is a leaper and that used to terrify me. But after finding my parachute, I’ve discovered that I’m a leaper too.
He hands me a cup of coffee and I walk out to my car.
It’s been a little over a year since that trip to Tulum and Rome and I have made the most of it.
When we came back to Baltimore, he delivered on that first date taking me to an A.R. Washington book signing at Bookmarked and Busy and he’s delivered countless dates since then.
I thought that we would struggle to make time for each other with our busy careers, but it’s truly been an easy adjustment. Rome sets his own schedule so he’s able to make time. I’ve even been able to travel with him a few times for conferences and interviews. I still work long hours at the private practice, but I’ve learned to use my time off appropriately. Also, once I transition to the health center full time, I’ll have even more time.
Labor of Love is official. I was shocked to learn that the building I wanted for it, Rome already owned, so after a hard-fought battle with him to actually let me pay for it we got to work on the necessary renovations. Today, I’m using my day off to have a meeting at the building with my new office manager, Tamara, and the board of doctors I personally chose to work with me. In one month, we’ll be open for business.
Six months after we started dating, Rome and I moved in together. Evie has a key to our place, but she’s taken to calling first because she said a girl can only see her best friend’s ass but so many times before she’s permanently traumatized.
When I get to the Labor of Love building, I see that I have a text from Amerie.
Ri: Want to get lunch tomorrow?
Honestly, the hardest part about being with Rome is navigating our relationship with Amerie and Arnold.
Rome and Arnold are still best friends and they’re back to spending a lot of time together. Rome is once again a regular attendee of Arnold’s game nights. Amerie and I aren’t there in our relationship, but she’s trying.
We’re taking baby steps in mending what was broken. I’ve gone with her to a few of her therapy sessions, which have been a big help, but I’m still not in a place where I can say I fully trust her. I could see us getting there one day, though.
My mom and I have settled into a new normal. We see each other on holidays and birthdays and that’s about it. I know it pains my dad to have us be so distant with each other, but I’ve accepted that sometimes being selfish is a good thing. I love my mom but she’s not good for me and I’m not willing to give her access to my life anymore; not after she refused to change her ways once we came home. I can’t force her to change. I can only change the way I deal with her. Ri still wants a relationship with her, and I don’t begrudge her that. All I ask is that if she wants to maintain a relationship with me that she respects my boundaries when it comes to Mom. So far, she’s done that.
I text her back that I’m not sure about lunch just yet and then I pocket my phone and head inside.
Later, Rome and I cook dinner together and when we’re done eating we get a FaceTime call from Jalen and Kam.
“Killa Kam! What’s up, my guy?” Rome answers.
“Hi, Uncle Rome! Hi, Janelle!”He waves excitedly into the camera, and I return it tenfold.
“Hey, Kam, how are you? Watch any new movies lately?”
“There’s this new indie slasher movie I wanna see. You wanna watch it with me?”
