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“We’re almost there,” I tell her as I turn another corner and park on the quiet street before jumping out of the car and jogging around to her side to help her out.
Emerson looks around, her eyes bouncing from building to building as if she’s not sure what she’s looking at, but I remain quiet as I walk her to the corner of the street and turn her slowly to face the entrance to the building.
Chicago Youth Center
“I don’t understand,” Emerson whispers, looking over her shoulder at me and then at the four-story building in front of us.
“When I first started volunteering at the Center, you showed me the folder of all the plans you and your dad had dreamed up over the years, and at the top of that list was opening another site on the other side of the city for the kids that were too far away. That’s what this is.” I gesture toward the building. “It’s an old apartment block so kids can stay if they don’t feel safe to go home. Wynter has been in touch with the Department of Social Services to get a license for the Center to allow that. Renovations will take another month or so, but there’s a gym around back that can be fitted out.”
“Rayne,” she says quietly, her eyes set on the building.
“This is your dream, Emerson.” I tug the keys from my pocket and guide her to the front door, quickly unlocking it to show her the part that we barely managed to get sorted before the wedding.
“Does Dad know?”
“Of course he does. I brought him here the other day to show him the space. He’s really excited.” The hesitance written in her features disarms me a little. I thought she would be over the moon about the space. When it came up a couple of weeks ago, I knew it was perfect, but I didn’t expect for Emerson to be anything but excited.
I guide her to the plaque I had installed yesterday. It almost didn’t go ahead. The guy fucked me around getting it made, but once my sister got on the phone, it was done three hours later.
Dedicated to Emerson Saint James, the bright light in Chicago’s darkness.
Her breath catches in her throat and a sob racks through her body as she reads the words, and a moment later, she throws her arms around me. “Thank you,” she murmurs through her tears. “Thank you for loving me and thank you for helping me follow my dreams. This means everything.”
I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “You’re welcome, sweet girl. I want you to have everything you ever dreamed of.”
“I do. I have you.” She looks up at me through damp lashes, the green on her irises even more vibrant through her tears.
I grin down at her, holding her tight against my chest for long moments. “What do you want to do now, wife?” I ask.
“Well, husband, I can think of a few things.” She smirks and I quickly tug her out of the building, hastily locking the door behind us. The promise of burying myself back inside her was too good to pass up. “I didn’t get you a present. I didn’t know that was a thing.”
“Emerson, you gave me the greatest gift I’ve ever received. You gave me you. Your mind. Your body. Your soul.” She doesn’t realize how true those words are, but she will. We have a lifetime for me to prove just how much worth she has and just how serious I am. Because Emerson is everything. She’s the sun, the moon, and every single star in my sky, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make her happy.
I help her into the passenger seat and clip her seat belt in quickly before jogging around to my side of the car. The moment the engine turns on, my phone starts ringing through the car, and I reach to press the button to answer.
“Hello?” I smile over at Emerson.
“Rayne,” Wynter chokes on a sob.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” Panic floods my senses at the sound of my baby sister’s cries.
“Mom and Dad were in an accident,” she sobs. “They were run off the road on the way to the estate. They’re gone, Rayne.”
THE END
