“A gift. You’ll have to open it to see what’s inside.”
She looked at me shyly and then back at the box before she reached for it. I watched as her fingers trembled when she tried untying the ribbon on the box.
“Why am I so nervous?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a box,” I stated with a shrug.
When she finally opened it, her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped. “Naijhel!” she shrieked.
“I’ll take that to mean you like it,” I teased with a chuckle.
“It’s beautiful. Where did you get it? I’ve looked all over for this.”
“I had to do a lot of research, pull a few strings, and pay a pretty penny, but it was worth it to see this smile on your face, lovely.”
She traced the elegant, rustic Acadia finish of the clock with its beautiful patinas, burnished details, and distinctive columns. The Ava Maria chimes struck, causing me to smile. It was seven on the hour.
“Naijhel, it sounds so beautiful.”
“I was hoping that you would make it in time to hear this with me. I was nervous waiting for you to arrive on time. I calculated how long it would take for the tour, and we had just enough time for me to present it to you before it chimed and gave it away.”
She laughed and wiped the tears that fell from her eyes. “It’s beautiful. Thank you so much!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around my neck. She kissed me and then pulled back and stared into my eyes. “How could I have ever doubted you? You get me.”
“I accept your apology, ma’am. Can you show your appreciation by giving me this dance?” I asked.
She rolled her eyes as I set my cane aside and took her hands in mine.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Trying to win back the heart of the only woman I’ve ever loved.”
“You don’t have to win something you haven’t lost, baby.”
“You’ve been upset with me.”
“I had every right to be.”
“So, what made you start speaking to me again?”
“It wasn’t that I was no longer speaking to you. I was just extremely upset, and I needed time to work through that. Besides, I called you last night, and you didn’t answer my calls. In fact, I called repeatedly, and after the first time, my calls went to voicemail.”
“I was caught up in something, and my phone died. I’ll bet you thought that I blocked you.”
“It occurred to me,” she answered just as Bleu Harmony stepped out onto the stage.
Delaney gasped and pointed at the stage. “Do you know who that is?” she whispered and stopped moving.
Chuckling, I replied, “I do.”
“She’s my favorite singer.”
“I’m aware.”
“You really do pay attention, don’t you?”
“I told you that you mean the world to me, Delaney.”
I stared into her beautiful face as we danced in silence until she rested her head on my chest. I knew that I hadn’t made a mistake as it related to Clayton. There were no regrets within me.
