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He smiled. “I guess it’s the universal birthday song for black people.”
One crew member brought out a small round cake with sparklers for candles and a bottle of champagne. I picked up Bakari’s hand and squeezed it. “You did all of this for me?”
Bakari bowed playfully. “I figure it’s somebody’s birthday somewhere. And something tells me you haven’t celebrated your birthday in the past two years.”
“I haven’t. Feeling too sorry for myself to celebrate.” I slipped my arms under his and softly kissed his lips. “Thank you.”
He tilted his head to see my face. “It’s all a part of the experience. Hold nothing back, Nikki.”
“I won’t,” I promised as I released him to blow out the candles to a round of applause.
I shared my yummy chocolate cake and champagne with the other revelers, and we all danced during the rest of the three-hour cruise. My hair and dress probably looked a mess from the humidity and the sweating I did because of my wild dancing. It really did feel like my birthday, my very own special day. All because of a stranger who happened to see my tears by the ocean.
Night had fallen, and an orange moon graced the sky. I looked out over the water, relishing in the air, cooling off my feverish skin. I thought about the handsome man who danced behind me with two gray-haired women who’d been friends since grade school. When I glanced over my shoulder, Bakari had both women by their hands twirling around him. They were all laughing and enjoying his charm. He must have sensed my attention because we locked eyes and his smile brightened. I quickly averted my gaze when my gut tightened. I had to stare out over the water to process my feelings. It was way too soon to fall in love, right? Imagine telling other people I fell in love after two days. What if I really did, and he broke my heart because he returned home to his woman? Nope. Stop damn overthinking. I refused to let my mind rule my heart this time. I would continue listening to my brother, Kendra, and, more importantly, myself. This time was just about being. It was about living for the moment since tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
