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“That’s not romantic, Turtle Mocha, proposing with a bloody knife in your hand. You’re doing it again.” I was laughing. He was too. “Didn’t you learn from the past mistake?”
He raised a finger.
“Give me a minute.”
He washed his hands and looked around the small trailer and found a pack of cigarettes.
“This will do.”
He placed the lit cigarette between his father’s fingers. He baptized his father with a bottle of rum, and poured the can of gasoline under the trailer sink all over.
We walked outside. Ryden closed his eyes for a moment.
“Whenever you are ready.” I placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Goodbye, Reginald,” Ryden whispered. He lit a match and threw it inside the trailer. Reginald caught fire like he was begging to be burned. The metal melted as fire ate at it with hungry gulps.
Ryden went to his knees as the flame sizzled.
“Fireworks,” he whispered. “Night sky and stars. What else did you want? A ring?” He opened his palm, and there it was. A ring with the most beautiful ruby I have ever seen, surrounded by little diamonds. “It reminded me of your hair. Red as blood. Will you marry me now?”
“Yes and yes and yes. I’ll take you as my husband, Ryden, because there’s no one else like you in this world. Not for me.”
“Can I kiss you now?”
The fire had almost become a soft sizzle now.
“What the hell are you waiting for?” I pulled him and slammed my lips against him. His moan broke the night as his fingers found my flesh. When we pulled away, we were panting and smiling and laughing.
It was as if the tilted, crooked world had righted itself for a second.
“I had been so lost. Thank you for finding me, Ryden.” He took my hand in his and walked me to the car.
“You found me, love. You found me first.”
“I did.”
Goodbye, Yara. He will take care of you now. It is my time to go.
I will miss you, Kat.
I closed the car door with a smile.
“Red…”
“Yes?”
“I’m the happiest man in the world right now.”
“And I’m the happiest woman.” I turned to look at the trailer. “Let’s go take that vacation now, Ryden. A month. You and me and no clothes in between.”
“Hell, yes!”
43
EPILOGUE
YARA
