I stare at the ring on my finger in awe as my eyes get teary. The diamond catches the light like it’s showing off, a heart-shaped stone, big enough to silence a room, sitting in a rich 24 karat gold band that hugs my finger like it was made just for me.
“So you did expect this?” he asks, leaning back in the chair, watching me.
I stare at him like he’s lost his mind. “Nooo,” I say, dragging it out. He bursts into laughter.
“Good,” he chuckles, lifting his glass. It’s Cîroc, of course. “Never wah yuh expect it.”
I smile, cheeks still warm. “Today at Nature, I thought you would, enuh.”
I start laughing again. Look how mi gwan with miself in the car.
“I was disappointed when I saw that it was just a watch, and then mi a seh, ‘Nickoi would never marry me,’ and now…”
My voice cracks as I look down at the ring. “You proposed.” The tears come again, soft and grateful.
He smiles gently. “Mi know you would be disappointed. One thing mi always do a plan tings. Mi did a seh mi wah she lose hope.”
I laugh, wiping a tear. “I did lose it,” I say, rolling my eyes playfully. I can’t even explain this feeling.
I’m so happy. Like, deeply happy.
Everyone’s gone back to their meals now, but I still catch people glancing over with warm smiles. This whole thing feels like a movie I’m somehow starring in.
Mi know say Nick and Zara a keep.
He chuckles, but then his smile fades a little, just enough for me to know he’s about to get serious. “Mi know say you probably think this too early, but mi just feel seh a the right time. Mi feel like yuh deserve more than just being my girlfriend. Mi wahyuh know say we nah rush nothing we just know say we have something real. We waiting on the right time fi get the wedding thing started… preferably when wi yute born,” he says.
I nod. “Yes, that make sense.” I glance down at the ring again, still stunned that it’s even mine.
“And money’s never an issue,” he adds, licking his lips, distracting me completely.Jesus.
Wah mi did go seh again? I smile, looking around, trying to remember.
“And likewise though?” he asks, watching me closely.
I nod, snapping back into the moment. “Mi forget wah mi did go say,” I frown.
Wah mi did a seh?
“That natural man,” he says with a little smirk.
You wah ask if him did a plan fi get a baby wid yuh,my subconscious says, finally doing her job.
“Mi memba now, it’s a question,” I say, laughing nervously.
He leans in a little, waiting. Curious. “Hope this nuh come off wrong,” I start slowly, “but even though my pregnancy was, y’know… kinda an accident, not something we planned, by the way, I love my baby. And I don’t think he or she is a mistake, at all. But yeah… yuh get wah mi mean. Were you ever planning to start a family with me before this happen?”
Whew. Even I’m anxious to hear his answer.
He goes quiet, eyes searching the space around him like he’s digging for the right words.
“From mi realize say mi have strong feelings fi yuh, mi did already start prepare miself fi certain things, even though a youth never once inna mi meds, yuh zimi. And mi nah go lie mi nuh usually love the idea of having kids. But mi excited fi know say mi a get mi own youth. Especially with you.” Chro man.
“Awww. I understand,” I say, and I really do. “And I’m super excited too.”
I smile, heart full. Ring still shining.
He starts smiling, eyes crinkling with that smug charm. “Yow… the way yuh did hate mi at first, and now look, baby mother and all.” He laughs, shaking his head. “Who knew it woulda come to this? Right now mi would tell any youth out deh weh a pursue a sophisticated woman fi just stay consistent, learn how fi tek shame, and never give up.”
