Page 34 of Love’s Decree

When we reached the table, he pulled my chair out so I could sit. He then walked over to the opposite side of the table and sat down. The sound of the waves crashing was music to my ears. A slight breeze was just enough to keep me from sweating. The sun set, giving off an orange glare that made everything about this evening perfect.

The chef walked out, then went over tonight’s menu with us.

“Good evening. We’re starting out the evening with a Mediterranean mezze spread. For the main course, there will be a grilled seafood platter with several options that include red snapper, shrimp, scallops, and calamari. To accompany the seafood, a garlic butter pasta and mixed green salad. The appetizer will be out shortly. Enjoy,” she said as she left the table.

The butler came over next with a bottle of champagne. He popped the bottle open, then filled each of our chilled glasses. When we were alone, Aasim raised his glass.

“A toast to our future. I see a lot more trips with white sandy beaches in it,” he said.

I smiled as we lifted our glasses.

“Toast to our love. I want many more days under the sunny blue skies with you.” We clinked our glasses.

“Being here has allowed me to think. Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about my future. I’ve officially resigned from the firm. Our time at the community center solidified what I’d been feeling. I want to help the people in our community. Everything that’s happened since we met has changed my view of life and my career. I’m ready to start my own practice and see where that leads me.”

“I’ll support anything you decide to do. I’m happy you’re not giving up on practicing. Whatever you need for the business I got you.”

“Thank you, baby.”

The rest of the dinner we sat and talked some more about what our future would look like. We discussed his exit plan from the club. He asked for three months to complete his club affairs. Now that I no longer worked for a firm, his club business wasn’t such a pressing issue for me. After seeing him at the community center, I saw why he needed to keep his promise to Mr. Jacob. The same smile he had around Gavin and Jaxx was the same way he looked at those kids.

The club gave him a family outside of Yaya. He would always have that bond with his crew. The community center would mold him into the man he needed to be. I couldn’t wait to be by his side as helped shape the lives of those kids. He had so many plans for the center and other ways to improve the community. I couldn’t wait to be there for it all.

After dinner, we took a stroll on the beach. A little further down from where we had dinner, there was a band playing live music. I snapped my fingers as the singer belted the words to Anita Baker’s “Angel.” Nostalgia hit me as I reminisced about my childhood. Anit Baker was one of my mother’s favorite singers, so her music stayed on rotation in our home.

When we reached the area near the band, I noticed there was no one else on the beach. Aasim took my hand, and we slow danced under the stars. The band switched to Beyonce’s “1+1,” which was one of my favorite songs of all time. This playlist felt personal, like Aasim gave the band my favorite love songs.

“I told Yaya the day after we met you made me feel things. Those feelings have only grown more and more with each day. I realize now that I knew I would fall in love with you. Now, I can say that I’m in love with you. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to prove my love to you. I promise to keep your heart, body, and mind safe from anything that takes away your smile. Rory Towns, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Aasim said as he fell down to one knee. He pulled out a blue velvet box that held a five-carat, halo engagement ring.

I became inconsolable once I realized what was happening. The man I loved just asked me to be his wife. Aasim was down on one knee, holding the most beautiful ring I ever laid eyes on. I cried ugly tears as I looked into his handsome face. He stood up to wipe my tears and pulled me in for an embrace. When my body calmed under his touch, I gathered myself.

“I’ve trusted you with my life, and you’ve protected me. I know you’ll protect my heart the same way. Aasim, I love you. Yes! I’ll marry you. Nothing would make me happier than being your wife,” I expressed.

Aasim shouted to the band, “She said yes! The love of my life agreed to marry me!”

The band clapped for us. They played their next song, which was Ashanti’s “Sweet Baby.”

“Let me find out you gave these people my playlist,” I said.

“If I’m paying someone to play music, it better be what I know you like.”

He pulled me closer as I whispered the words to the song in his ear. We stayed on the beach for hours, dancing and holding each other close. This feeling was one I could only dream of. Everything since arriving in Aruba had been perfect. I never dreamed I would come here and leave an engaged woman.

EPILOGUE

Rory

Five Years Later

Complete—The only word to describe how my life felt now. Before meeting Aasim, I thought career advancement was all I needed. To think that climbing some imaginary corporate ladder was all I wanted was laughable. Now, I wake up to Aasim and our baby boy, Aasim Jr., and suddenly nothing else matters.

I would often smile at myself when I thought of how far we had come since meeting at the bar. Aasim was a man of his word with leaving the Sons of Destruction. While he gave up his seat as the president, he never gave up his brothers. His path just led to him going legit in his business dealings, a move I appreciated more than he could ever know.

He took over for Mr. Jacobs at the community center. Mr. Jacobs passed away a year after Aasim took over. The loss was unbearable for him. I watched Aasim become a shell of himself for ninety days. Those ninety days tested us in ways I could never imagine. He was in a dark place, but I never left his side.

After Mr. Jacob’s death, he started meeting with the local politicians to advocate for changes in the community. Aasim spoke on different panels, did fundraisers, anything and everything he could think of to get people to invest. His contributions spread throughout New York. He didn’t limit himself to Harlem. My man went all the way to the governor’s office to advocate for after-school programs to keep kids off the streets. With all he did for the community, he never stopped catering to AJ and me.

Before I gave birth to AJ, Aasim surprised me by purchasing the building next door to the community center. By the time we brought AJ home from the hospital, he took me for a tour. Aasim used the building to create a gym and daycare center. The real surprise was finding out about the office space he created for me. I cried, walking into the building because I wouldn’t have to be away from them while I worked.