“I left my enemy buried in the cellar,” I corrected. “And to my knowledge, the man I walked out of there with lived a long, full, happy life.”
“So, he never found out what you did to him?”
I smirked. “And he never will.”
“Mother!” my daughter’s voice pierced through the house as she came looking for me.
“We’re coming, we’re coming,” I said as Lauren and I walked out of the bedroom.
Taking my time going down the steps, I entered the living room and circled around until I made it out the back door. My backyard was full of people. The music was louder than I liked and more current than I preferred, but my attention was focused on one person in particular.
“Grandma, you got it?” Lauren asked as I stepped down to the deck.
“You trip over one step two years ago and your family won’t let you live it down,” I joked.
She laughed but still held my elbow and escorted me to the table under an elaborate arch. The words happy fiftieth anniversary dangled along the top, but it was the man smiling at me that made me light up.
Telling Lauren that story brought back memories, but the truth of the matter was that I had never in my life loved a man like I loved my husband.
“Hey Grandpa!” Lauren exclaimed merrily. “I brought your wife.”
His eyes never left mine. “My treasure.”
I took his extended hand and sat next to him under the arch. Our fingers intertwined and our family celebrating our fifty years of marital bliss.
My grandson Marquis was the DJ for the evening and the music came to an abrupt halt. “Raise your glasses for the couple that inspires us all. Celebrating fifty years today, let’s wish my grandparents a happy anniversary. Thank you for showing us all what love looks like. This is for you!” He started playing a song we enjoyed when we were his age. “To Mr. and Mrs. Omari and Ebony Fortune! Cheers!”
The End
