Besides them never being around long enough for me to know them on a personal level, I didn’t have any major issues with my parents. I’d also been learning to give people the grace they needed to be themselves. It was important to try to see things from your parents’ point of view because raising children never came with an instruction manual. It was one of the only things you had to learn on the fly.
“What do you think about this one?”
My mother stepped out of the dressing room, wearing the third trench coat she’d tried on. Thrifting in Paris had quickly become our new favorite thing to do together. This was the third thrift store we had been to in three days. That wouldn’t have been bad if we hadn’t spent most of the day in each one.
“I love that one, too.”
“Well, I better get it before someone else does.”
It didn’t matter how much money my mother was worth; she loved her a good thrift-store run. Some of my favorite memories as a little girl were of us going to a thrift shop and getting ice cream right after. Those were the days I felt like I was born into a normal family. Although they were few and far between, I still cherished them.
“Is Daddy going to meet us at the restaurant?” I asked as a way to remind her we had somewhere else to be.
“Um, I may let the two of you go ahead without me tonight. All this shopping has worn me out.” She rubbed the back of her neck like she was tired. I knew she wasn’t. My mother was a machine.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems like you and Daddy make it a point not to be in the same place at the same time unless it’s for work. Are you getting a divorce?”
“Gina, of course not. Why would you ask me something like that?”
“Mama, I have been here for three days, and I can count on one finger how many minutes you two have spent together. You’ve even been sleeping in my room.”
“Lord forbid a mother wants to spend more time with her daughter. I’ve missed a lot of your life, Gina. I am just trying to make up for lost time.”
“You would tell me if there was more to it?”
“I would.” My mother opened her arms for me to fall into them, and I did. “Your father and I have our differences, but we love each other, Gina. That is stronger than any disagreement.”
“And when Ifall in love, I’ll find my way home, because falling in love means I’ve found my home. My heart has found its home.”
I sang the final lyrics to my viral hit, and the crowd went wild. Now that I was the one performing in front of thousands of people, I understood the high my mother got from being on stage. The more I sang, the more I felt like the stage was a part of me.
“Y’all give it up for Ms. Gina May.”
A voice I hadn’t heard in days came from behind me, and I instantly turned to meet his eyes. I’d been calling and texting Ramel since I landed in Paris and hadn’t gotten an answer. The only reason I wasn’t extremely worried was that I’d been keeping busy with my parents and trying to stay focused on the show. Now that he was walking toward me, I wanted answers.
“What are you doing here? Why haven’t you answered any of my calls?” I whispered away from the mic.
“I had a few things I needed to put together,” he whispered back before kissing me on the forehead and putting the mic back to his mouth.
“Gina, baby, remember when you asked me if there was anything I hadn’t thought about? Well, actually, there was. I hadn’t thought about how much I needed you to be my wife sooner rather than later.”
Ramel dropped to one knee in front of me, and I almost lost it. The crowd erupted with screams, just as surprised as I was. Unable to stop the tears that were already forming behind my lids, I waited for my man to finish.
“Gina, I’ve spent the last few months getting to know everything about you, and here’s what I know. I know you cry during rom-coms. I know you value everyone in your life, and it hurts your heart to not be around them as much as you want to be. I know you work hard, and you dedicate yourself to the music you produce. I know you snore in your sleep, and although it’s kind of loud, I can’t fall asleep without it in the background. I know you’re patient. The way you’ve handled my heart with care has made me want to protect yours for the rest of your life. And I know you love me, so I’m asking, do you love me enough to marry me?”
“Yes.” My reply was barely audible, but Ramel heard me and jumped to his feet to scoop me up in his arms.
“Thank you for loving me,” he whispered before kissing me and carrying me offstage.
Chapter
Thirty
Ramel
