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He smiled, his cheeks flushing pink. “You’re really going to make me ask again?”
Her eyes studied him carefully as if trying to decide if he was serious. He set his coffee cup down on the counter, then got down on one knee. “Stella Lively,” he said, “Would you honor me by becoming my…
“Yes!” she squealed. She hugged him roughly, wrapping her arms around his neck and nearly knocking him to the floor. “A million times yes!”
They made passionate love in the kitchen then and afterward, they sat together on the tile floor, naked and eating pieces of mango they’d just bought from the market that day. Stella started the conversation by saying, “I’ll have to get Stoney here.”
He nodded but said nothing in response. She tilted her head. “Is there anyone you want to invite?” she asked.
He shook his head. His father had been his only family and as he understood it, Rebecca was too busy running his father’s company in the ground to attend even if he were insane enough to invite her.
As if reading his mind, she asked, “Not even Rebecca? Just to rub it in her face?”
He chuckled. “No. The further away from her I am, the happier I’ll be. Besides, I don’t think I want a big wedding anyway,” he said and she smiled.
“Neither do I.”
And so it was that they were married under the moonlight a week later. She was in a simple white linen dress, he in a matching suit, and the both of them barefoot. Under the moonlight, they exchanged their vows and for what was probably the first time in his entire life, Richard finally felt complete.
Stoney stayed with them for a week after, which was a welcome addition to their life in paradise. One morning, Stoney came downstairs from his room and found Richard sitting by himself on the lanai, looking out over the ocean and towards the horizon at an orange sun as it was rising.
“Hey,” he said as he joined him. Richard smiled, a steaming cup of coffee sitting next to the wicker end table next to him.
“Morning,” he said.
Stoney sat down in the chair next to him, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “What are you doing up so early?”
“Wanted to watch the sunrise,” he said, sipping from his coffee cup. “What areyoudoing up?”
Stoney chuckled. “I guess I’m still having trouble sleeping in a strange bed.”
Richard nodded. “That was me my first week out here. Imagine being so out of your element that the sun and sand keep you up every night.”
“Yeah.” Stoney looked out at the sunrise and shook his head. “Man, you guys really have the life out here, huh?”
“Yeah. it’s great. Nothing to think about except what we’re having for dinner tonight.”
Stoney fell silent, then, “You ever miss the city life?”
Richard shrugged. “Sometimes. I mean, it was the only life I ever knew. But this is good. I think I can make a good life here with Stella.”
Stoney smiled and said, “Yeah. I think so, too. I guess I’m going to have to move to Ocho Rios. Think I can get work out here selling mangos?”
Richard chuckled. “Sure.”
They sat at watched the sunrise and talked and when the sun was midway up in the sky, they started to smell breakfast cooking. Stoney looked back through the glass doors and saw Stella milling around in the kitchen, cooking bacon and eggs.
“Come on,” said Richard. “Let’s get some of whatever Stella’s making.”
And it was all good. Over breakfast, they talked and laughed and life was good. Richard looked across the table at Stella, her dark hair a little longer from the month they’d been abroad and her olive skin darker from the tropical sun. This life looked good on her.
They heard a bell somewhere outside the house and Stella said, “Oh, that’s the mail. I’ll get it.”
After she was gone, Stoney leaned in and said, “So what happens next?”
“What do you mean?”
Stoney chuckled. “Look, I know you two are living well right now and everything, but we both know it’s not going to last forever. Your reserves are going to run out eventually.”
