That night, he told me to put on something pretty. So, I put on a dress that fit my body and made me feel soft and grown. I had on a mustard ruffle maxi dress that hugged my waist and hips before it dropped into a long, fitted skirt. The neckline dipped low, held up by thin straps, and the bodice had structured seams that made it look tailored to me. Ruffles ran down the front in a dramatic line, and the thigh-high slit showed just enough leg when I moved. The color looked rich against mybrown skin, and the dress gave expensive without me having to do too much. My locs were pulled up, and my skin glowed from the sun.
He led me down a path that cut through the property and opened onto a private section of the beach. Lanterns lined the walkway and lit up the night without being too bright. A table sat near the water with flowers and chilled champagne. Soft music played from speakers tucked into the scenery, so it felt like the night was singing for us.
I smiled as I walked beside him, already feeling emotional because he always did too much. “Sincere,” I said, laughing. “What is this?”
He squeezed my hand and looked at me like he had been waiting for this moment longer than I realized. “Just keep walking.”
We reached the setup and I turned slowly, taking it all in. Then I looked up.
There were drones in the sky. At first, I thought it was random, like somebody nearby was recording their vacation. Then the drones began to move. Lights flickered on in a pattern, and the sky started changing. Letters formed above the water, bright against the dark sky: RHYTHM, WILL YOU MARRY ME?
My mouth fell open, and my hands flew to my face.
Sincere stepped in front of me and took both my hands, holding them so I couldn’t cover my face again. Looking at his hands, I could see remnants of the scars that hadn’t fully healed, but I loved those scars because they were proof that this man would walk through fire for me and mine.
“Look at me,” he said.
I tried. I really did. But the tears were already blurring my vision.
He smiled, but his eyes were serious as he said, “You’re my peace,” he said. “You’re my motivation. You’re the woman I wantto come home to for the rest of my life. I don’t just love you, Rhythm. I respect you. I admire you.”
My throat burned. I nodded, unable to speak.
Sincere took a breath like he was keeping himself together too. “You came into my life and changed it. You brought love into places in me that I had shut off. You made me want more than money and motion. You made me want peace.”
He dropped down on one knee, and the sight of him there made me feel so lucky and unworthy of such perfection and love.
Sincere looked up at me, eyes locked on mine. “I’m ready to choose you out loud, in front of God and everybody. You’re a creator. You create beauty. You create comfort. You create home. And I want to build a life with you where you never have to question if you’re loved. I want you to know it every day.”
He opened the ring box. The ring was perfect and so big that my heart skipped too many beats, but it was still tasteful, still me, still something I could wear every day and feel proud.
“I want you as my wife,” he said. “I want to take care of you and the kids for the rest of our lives. I want to be the man you can depend on without fear. I want to be the love you will never have to question. You’re my muse, Rhythm, a true work of art. Every part of you carries depth, beauty, and meaning that most people wouldn’t even know how to value, but I do. You move me without trying. You inspire the parts of me I used to keep locked away. Loving you feels like standing in front of something rare and unforgettable, something heaven took its time creating. And I swear, for the rest of my life, I’ll cherish you like the masterpiece you are.”
I couldn’t stop the tears.
“Rhythm, I love you. I’m proud of you. I respect you, and I’m never letting go.” He swallowed once and held my gaze. “Will you marry me?”
I nodded so hard it almost hurt. “Yes,” I sobbed. “Of course.”
He stood up and slipped the ring on my finger with hands that shook just a little. Then he pulled me into him. I held on to him and cried into his shoulder, laughing through it because it felt unreal and it felt right at the same time.
Sincere kissed my face, forehead, cheeks, and then my mouth, deep and slow, like he was sealing it.
Above us, the drones shifted again, and the sky filled with light in a celebratory burst that made me laugh through my tears.
And for the first time in a long time, my life felt like a blank canvas, and I finally had the courage, and the love, to paint it exactly how I wanted.
AVA REYNOLDS
Even after four months, the city of Bangkok still impressed me the second I stepped outside. The air was humid. I had been wearing my natural hair or curly weaves since I’d been there because any other style wouldn’t last. Scooters flew past. Vendors set up carts on corners with fruit stacked high and food already cooking. Tourists walked by slowly with their phones out.
I loved it here. I loved the noise. I loved the heat. I loved how nobody knew my name unless I gave it to them. I loved how I could be Ava without being somebody’s responsibility.
I walked down my usual route toward my favorite place to eat, weaving around people and scooters. A man pushed a cart of coconuts past me. Two schoolgirls laughed as they crossed the street holding hands. A woman stood outside a shop arranging flowers.
And even with all that life around me, I still noticed the Cartier security in the shadows. I peeped him on my third day in Bangkok. His large, black ass stuck out like a sore thumb. He didn’t speak to me. He didn’t follow close. He just stayed in the background, always watching without staring. One day I caughtthe Cartier crest on his bicep when his sleeve shifted, and that confirmed Saint sent him.
He never bothered me, so I never said a word to him. I moved like I didn’t see him at all.
