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My mom instantly jumped in, “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? You can’t just come walking into Edward’s office, even as his assistant. Can’t you see we’re discussing something privately?”
Selena turned to leave, but I quickly stood up, “Please stay. I want you here for this.”
She looked almost as uncertain as my mother as she timidly walked up to join me. It must have suddenly dawned on my mother as she stood by my side. I watched as fury flared on my mother’s features, and I knew that the peaceful conversation I had been hoping for was all but a dream. It was time to face the raging reality.
“Her?” she spat as she stood up from her chair, “Tell me it’s not her.”
Reaching down, I grabbed Selena’s hand in mine, giving it a little squeeze before replying, “Yes. It’s Selena. I love her.”
When Selena leaned into me, my mom bristled with rage. The display of affection with my girlfriend clearly wasn’t winning her over.
“I told you to stay away from her. She’s only after your money. The gold-digging whore.”
I was silenced by the sudden obscenity spewing from my mother’s mouth. Selena looked equally shocked as we stood there staring at the angry woman screeching at us.
“You’re going to regret it, mark my words. I’m begging you now not to ask her to marry you. Anyone but her.”
I winced as my mother intentionally revealed my surprise. I had everything set up for the perfect proposal, and she had just bulldozed through it. It was now or never. Turning to Selena, I dropped down to one knee, completely ignoring my mother’s banshee wailing.
“This isn’t the way I wanted to ask you,” I admitted, opening the box, “But it doesn’t matter where I am or who’s watching. It will always be you. I’ve waited almost five years to ask you this question, and I don’t want to waste another second. Selena Ramirez, will you make me the luckiest man alive by becoming my wife?”
The squeal from Selena momentarily drowned out my mother as she tearfully nodded. I could feel my heart exploding with happiness as I stood up and placed the ring on her finger. As I kissed her, it was like the whole world faded around us. Just for that moment, it was her and me in our own little bubble. The only bubble that mattered. When I finally returned to reality, my mother had stopped squawking and was staring at us with pure hatred.
“I’ll never share the same name as her,” she seethed.
This time it was Selena’s turn to shock me as she took a step forward, “Then change it because nothing is going to stop me from marrying your son. Whether you like it or not, Audrey, I love him, and we’re going to be together.”
It was the first time she had spoken out against my mother’s abusive nature, and it must have surprised her. Silently, I watched as my mom gathered her things, turned, and left, leaving Selena and me to celebrate our happiness. The next time I would see her was at the wedding.
We’re now married and enjoying life. Selena has shown me there’s more to life than work and that it’s okay to take time off for myself. In fact, we’re thinking it would be good if we took a substantial amount of time off. Maybe to start a family? I know that I’d be leaving the office in good hands, especially after Selena helped me see where the office’s issues lay. I had never paid much attention to recruitment or promotions, but I could see the apparent misrepresentation of women in our headquarters when she presented the figures to me. A plan was put in place with lots of training to amend the errors of our ways. Selena introduced me to her friend Anaya, and she’s now second-in-command. I was shocked that one of our most talented architects had been buried at the bottom for so long. With her fresh views and insane skills, she’s brought a new life to Huntington Designs, and with it, we’re doing better than ever. Over time, my mother started to come around to Selena, although I doubt they’ll ever be best friends. I’m hoping the sounds of her grandchildren’s footsteps will warm her cold heart. Selena and I continue to work together, and although we sometimes clash in the office, our marriage is full of happiness.
It’s not always about finding something new. Sometimes it’s about discovering what you already have.
~Edward Huntington & Selena Ramirez
EPILOGUE
~ Amanda ~
After editing and submitting the letter, I was exhausted. I had made sure to meet my deadline despite having to push an all-nighter at the office. By some small miracle, I managed to get to the meeting with my editor in time. After being congratulated on yet another successful month, it was time I went home. I was glad that I could start my weekend.
“See you next week,” I called out to the receptionist as I walked out of the building.
It seemed weird that an office I had revered for so long had become a second home to me in such a short time. However, the walls were starting to remind me of a cage. I had poured the last twenty-seven years of my life working my way up as a writer and yet ignored my personal life. After reading the Huntington’s letter, I had looked around me and knew there was no chance of me finding love in the office. Sure, there were lots of hot single guys, but I didn’t mesh with any of them. I didn’t want to settle down just for the sake of it. I wanted to find true love like Eddie and Selena.
March was slowly coming to an end, and warm airs were drifting through Cherrywood Falls. The commute was hot and sticky no matter the weather, so I was glad to get off at my stop and head into the suburbs on my way home. Barely able to keep my eyes open, the night had come to greet me, and the sky darkened. That’s why, as the stars started to twinkle in the inky blue of the sky, I was surprised to hear laughter from the nearby playground. But it wasn’t a child’s laughter. It was adults. The sound of their merriment woke me up enough to take a peep. I edged around the perimeter, keeping to the shadows so as not to disturb them. As I got closer, I could make out two figures playing about on the swings. It was too dark to distinguish their features but I gathered they must have been around the same age as I was. Keeping low, I watched them for a bit longer, listened as they chatted about their past, and laughed. It made me happy to see them so obviously connected to one another. Something I could only hope to have myself one day.
Standing up, I quickly moved away, glad that they hadn’t spotted me. It would be somewhat awkward to explain why I was crouching in the dirt to watch them. Even after explaining my profession, I knew they would just find it creepy. And yet, as I continued to walk home, I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I wanted that. That carefree joy in another person’s presence. That ability to be myself and be accepted by someone I loved. Would I ever be able to find that? Even as I stumbled into my house and got ready for bed, the question was still nagging me. It wasn’t until I was tucked under the blankets that I realized that it had given me the theme for next month’s column.
Perseverance.
