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“Well, that’s comforting.”
“We’re almost there. Luis is pulling up right now.”
Luis parked the car, and I hopped out quickly then guided Aaliyah out of the vehicle, with only a few fumbles and hiccups. The whole time she laughed, making me chuckle, too.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she said, standing straight as we stepped onto the sidewalk. “Now, do I get to take it off or…?”
“Wait. Let me set the scene. I thought this would be great for the article. You remember how you said you wanted to showcase the past, present, and future of who I am?”
“Yes.”
“Well, we’ve only covered the present day. You’ve seen me in my work element, but I wanted to share the next chapter with you for myself. The future of Roe Real Estate is here.” I moved behind her and began untying the blindfold. The second it fell, Aaliyah looked at the run-down building in front of her.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the building, then at me. “Is this it? Is this your location for your low-income luxury apartments?”
I nodded.
Her face filled with a level of excitement as she began jumping up and down, grabbing my arms and forcing me into her leaps, too. “Oh my God, Connor! Oh, my God! You did it! It’s happening!Ohmygoodness!” she screeched, her excitement level rocketing from the sidewalk and straight to Mars. The way she celebrated my dream made me almost choke up. The only other person who’d ever shown so much excitement for me was my mother.
“Shit, Red, you’re gonna make me cry,” I semi-joked.
When I looked at her, my heart, which already beat faster whenever she was near me almost exploded. The tears I felt were falling from her eyes.
She blushed as she wiped them away. “Sorry, but Connor…you did it.” She stopped her quick movements and placed her hands on her hips, looking up at the building, the broken windows, the graffitied walls. It looked like a disaster, but somehow, she was able to see past its current brokenness and focus on its potential.
She turned to me, and her smile felt so warm. “You did it, Connor. You did this, and I’m so proud of you.”
Cue the fucking tears.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and cleared my throat. The tears were on the brink of falling. Something about her saying she was proud of me struck a chord I hadn’t even known could be reached.
“Thanks, Red. That means a lot to me. Now, off the record, I got the seller to loan me the keys for three hours.”
She held her hand out toward me and smiled. “Come on, then,” she urged. “Show me.”
The skies of the city were dark, a clear sign that a storm was going to be moving in soon. Even still, I swore I could feel the sun when I looked at Aaliyah.
I took her through the seven-story building, stopping on each floor to explore. Each level had ten apartments, so we’d be able to house seventy families. We stopped in every unit of the building, too, because Aaliyah wouldn’t allow us to do anything else. Even when she seemed short of breath, she kept a smile plastered on her face.
Her happiness made me happier.
“Do you see it, Captain?” she asked as we stood in the final apartment on the seventh floor. “Right over here, the family can put their entertainment center. That over there will be little Timmy’s bedroom, and over there is Sara’s. The parents’ bedroom suite will have a soaking tub with all the luxury amenities, with locks on the door so Mama can get a few moments to herself. They’ll make memories over here,” she said, dancing on her tiptoes to the dining room area. She pretend-sat as if she were at a table. “They’ll laugh here, over dinners. They’ll discuss life, do homework, and love one another right here.” She stood and walked over to me. “All because of you.”
“This world doesn’t deserve you, Red,” I confessed. I didn’t deserve her, but each day I wanted her a little more than the last. I hadn’t really faced the fact that my feelings for and connection to her were growing more and more each day.
“Come on,” she said. “Show me more.”
I took her to the rooftop. The clouds were darker than when we’d first arrived. The thunder roared throughout the sky, signaling that the storm was moving in.
She moved around the space with her arms wide open. “Is this where the community garden will go?”
“Yes. It will be over here, and there will be gas grills and seating throughout the area. The families will be able to pick up the fresh vegetables as they please, and there will be a worker to help tend to it at all times.”
I felt the first raindrop fall against my face, and Aaliyah must’ve felt one, too, as she looked up at the sky. Her brown eyes moved to me, and she shook her head. “Your dreams are coming true.”
I bit my bottom lip and nodded. “They are.” I moved in toward her and took her hands in mine. “Dance with me?”
