I pulled out the rose and handed it to her. My heart wanted them to be from Dex, but I wasn’t sure. Although he was in Florida for business, he could’ve executed all this online. Yet, we’d talked several times today, via text, on the phone. We’d even video chatted for a couple of minutes during lunch. He hadn’t mentioned it.
After Naija’s birthday party, Dex had made it very clear that he wanted to do this the right way. And I loved that he was sorta old-fashioned in that he wanted to date me. Yet, the business of life had prevented us from going out.
Mom and I just returned from Atlanta last night. While we were in Hawaii, we’d decided to fly back with my siblings. The spur-of-the-moment trip worked because it gave me a chance to handle some business, grab more clothes, and talk to my boss about extending my leave. My mother just wanted to spend more time with my siblings and Ellis. Now that Julia was gone, she’d admitted that she felt a little useless, like she had nothing to do.
“The better question,” Mom said, “is who do youwantthem to be from?” I looked up in time to catch the smirk on my mother’s face and it dawned on me that she’d been playing me.
“Mom!” I laughed. “This whole time you’ve known, and you’ve been acting like you didn’t?”
The coy smile on her lips confirmed everything I already knew. She shrugged. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
“Why can’t you tell me who it is?”
“It’s not my news to tell, sweetie.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So, what is your role in this exactly? Are you reporting back all of my reactions or something?”
She burst out in a fit of giggles. “No. I’m just here to give my stamp of approval. And because I love to see you smile.”
I hugged my mother. “I love you.”
Mom placed a kiss to my forehead. Leaning back, she met my gaze. I noticed the tears swimming in her eyes immediately. “You’ve been such a blessing to me. From the moment I saw your beautiful face, you’ve brought me nothing but joy. I’ve watched you put yourself last to support the people you love. I’ve watched you struggle to find the value in yourself that we already know is there. I’ve watched you excel in a male-dominated field. I’ve watched you work through unimaginable odds to carve out a life for yourself. You are everything that those cards said and more. You should be proud of the woman you’ve become because I am. I love you. I want you to embrace happiness.”
With one speech, my mother had spoken to the ten-year-old me who felt unpretty, unwanted, unloved. She’d just encouraged the fourteen-year-old me who felt so lonely, so alone. All my life I’d struggled with my self-image, with my self-worth. For so long, I saw the beauty in everyone around me, but couldn’t find it in myself. Even though I had an awesome family, a mother who championed me, siblings who protected me, I still didn’t quite feel like I belonged. Listening to my mother’s words, remembering my last conversation with Julia, hearing Dex say he was proud of me… I’d never felt so loved. And Iwantedto embrace it.
My chin trembled. “Mom, you’re not supposed to make me cry. Not with all these beautiful flowers here.”
She brushed my cheeks, wiping away the evidence. “You’re not crying. It’s the onion we just cut up.”
I chuckled. “Right.”
Mom kissed my brow again. “You need to get yourself together, though. You have another surprise coming.”
I frowned. “What surprise? What do you know?”
“I know that you have plans for the afternoon. Get dressed.”
I stood there, staring at my mom as she shifted a vase to another spot on the island and finished cutting the onion for the fried potatoes she’d decided to cook for an afternoon snack.
She lifted her eyes and arched a brow. “Yes?” I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. “Sweetie?”
“I… um.” I pointed toward the hallway. “I’m just gonna go upstairs and get dressed.”
“That’s my girl. Go on now.” As I walked up the stairs, my mind running in all directions, I heard my mom call after me, “Pack an overnight bag.”
I paused and headed back downstairs. “Can you give me a little more? A hint on how I should dress?”
“For now, just something comfortable,” she told me. “Don’t forget your lip gloss.”
I spent at least twenty minutes in front of the closet, staring at my limited wardrobe options. Under normal situations, not knowing details would have stressed me the fuck out. But all I felt was giddy excitement at what’s to come. Finally, I settled on a knitted lounge set I’d recently purchased online. It took a little while longer to pack a bag because I had no idea where I was going. Ultimately, I decided on jeans and a sweater. My go-to look.
When I’d finally finished, I carried my bag downstairs. Mom had already started frying the potatoes. It smelled like heaven doused in sautéed onions and garlic. “I’m all…” I gasped.
In the center of the island was a new bouquet of flowers, this one filled with lavender roses, purple and green orchids, and green mums mixed with calathea leaves, lily grass and other greens.So beautiful.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Mom said.
“It is.” I approached the island and studied the bouquet. “I can’t believe it.” When I spotted the card, I pulled it out and opened it.
