time, she could see the sensibility of what her mother had spoken. But now, in this moment, she felt that to not go through with these plans to become Mrs. Stevens would be the worse disservice to Rafael. That’s it. I’ve got to do it. Princess reached over and grabbed Rafael’s hand. He glanced over, gave her hand a gentle squeeze. In just a few short moments, she’d take his last name.
Because today was Sunday, parking downtown was easy. Rafael found a spot near the entrance to City Hall, then walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Princess. As beautiful as she’d looked yesterday, he almost preferred the understated elegance of what she wore today: a floral dress made of material silky soft to the touch, and sandals that added three inches to her height. Today, she wore her hair down, the way he liked it. Her jewelry was understated, makeup minimal. He felt his attire equally casual: tan slacks, a striped button-down shirt, and loafers. He planned to change into jeans for their flight to Montego Bay.
“You ready?” he asked Princess, as he pointed his key chain toward the car and locked it.
“Yes,” she answered, not daring to look Rafael in the eye, lest he see her true feelings. “Oh, wait. I forgot my phone. Unlock the door, baby.”
“Leave it in there. We won’t be long.”
“You know I’ve been waiting on word about Uncle Derrick. Just let me get it, okay?”
Rafael acquiesced and unlocked the door. Princess had just retrieved the phone when it rang in her hand. She gave Rafael a look. “Told you.” Linking her arm through his, she answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Princess, it’s your mom. I’ve got good news.”
Princess stopped. “What is it?”
“Derrick woke up.”
“Praise God!” She told Rafael what her mom said.
“Yes, we are thankful and the doctors are cautiously optimistic.”
“Why cautiously?”
“Because, baby, he’s awake and seems to be lucid enough but the doctors have still not been able to pinpoint what happened. They’re running additional tests, but Viv wants him transferred to Cedars-Sinai. They’ll likely be moving him in the next few hours.”
“I want to see him.”
“The doctor is allowing only a few minutes per visit, but he’s letting all of us go in. Your father is with him now.” Tai’s conversation was interrupted by the drone of a low-flying plane. “What’s that sound? Where are you?”
“At the courthouse. A friend of Rafael’s, who is also a justice of the peace, is going to complete our ceremony.”
“Oh, baby, that’s wonderful! Your father and I are so sorry about what happened yesterday. If it had been anyone other than Derrick—”
“It’s okay, Mama.” The droning sound got louder. “Geez, where is that plane?” As if to answer her specific question, the noisy biplane came into view. “Look, Mom, I’ll call you later. Rafael and I will stop by real quick on our way to the airport.” Princess hung up the phone and looked up, shading her eyes against the bright sun. “Can you see what the banner says?” she asked Rafael.
“I couldn’t care less,” Rafael said, reaching for Princess’s arm and pulling her toward the concrete steps. “If we’re going to stop by and see your uncle, we need to do this.”
“Wait!” Princess said, having caught part of the message on the widely circling plane. “Is that my name?” She linked her arm with Rafael’s, sure that this was his doing.
It was not. He looked up with as much curiosity as Princess. Ironically, they ended up reading the message at practically the exact same time:
P RINCESS , IT’S YOU AND ME FOREVER, BABY . L OVE, KP
For a moment, both Rafael and Princess were stunned into immobility. Rafael recovered first. “Come on.” Again, he reached for Princess and headed toward the steps.
But Princess couldn’t move, only stare.
“Baby, come on!”
Baby, I’m so glad you’re here.
“Rafael, wait.”
Don’t do it,
Because today was Sunday, parking downtown was easy. Rafael found a spot near the entrance to City Hall, then walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Princess. As beautiful as she’d looked yesterday, he almost preferred the understated elegance of what she wore today: a floral dress made of material silky soft to the touch, and sandals that added three inches to her height. Today, she wore her hair down, the way he liked it. Her jewelry was understated, makeup minimal. He felt his attire equally casual: tan slacks, a striped button-down shirt, and loafers. He planned to change into jeans for their flight to Montego Bay.
“You ready?” he asked Princess, as he pointed his key chain toward the car and locked it.
“Yes,” she answered, not daring to look Rafael in the eye, lest he see her true feelings. “Oh, wait. I forgot my phone. Unlock the door, baby.”
“Leave it in there. We won’t be long.”
“You know I’ve been waiting on word about Uncle Derrick. Just let me get it, okay?”
Rafael acquiesced and unlocked the door. Princess had just retrieved the phone when it rang in her hand. She gave Rafael a look. “Told you.” Linking her arm through his, she answered the phone. “Hello?”
“Princess, it’s your mom. I’ve got good news.”
Princess stopped. “What is it?”
“Derrick woke up.”
“Praise God!” She told Rafael what her mom said.
“Yes, we are thankful and the doctors are cautiously optimistic.”
“Why cautiously?”
“Because, baby, he’s awake and seems to be lucid enough but the doctors have still not been able to pinpoint what happened. They’re running additional tests, but Viv wants him transferred to Cedars-Sinai. They’ll likely be moving him in the next few hours.”
“I want to see him.”
“The doctor is allowing only a few minutes per visit, but he’s letting all of us go in. Your father is with him now.” Tai’s conversation was interrupted by the drone of a low-flying plane. “What’s that sound? Where are you?”
“At the courthouse. A friend of Rafael’s, who is also a justice of the peace, is going to complete our ceremony.”
“Oh, baby, that’s wonderful! Your father and I are so sorry about what happened yesterday. If it had been anyone other than Derrick—”
“It’s okay, Mama.” The droning sound got louder. “Geez, where is that plane?” As if to answer her specific question, the noisy biplane came into view. “Look, Mom, I’ll call you later. Rafael and I will stop by real quick on our way to the airport.” Princess hung up the phone and looked up, shading her eyes against the bright sun. “Can you see what the banner says?” she asked Rafael.
“I couldn’t care less,” Rafael said, reaching for Princess’s arm and pulling her toward the concrete steps. “If we’re going to stop by and see your uncle, we need to do this.”
“Wait!” Princess said, having caught part of the message on the widely circling plane. “Is that my name?” She linked her arm with Rafael’s, sure that this was his doing.
It was not. He looked up with as much curiosity as Princess. Ironically, they ended up reading the message at practically the exact same time:
P RINCESS , IT’S YOU AND ME FOREVER, BABY . L OVE, KP
For a moment, both Rafael and Princess were stunned into immobility. Rafael recovered first. “Come on.” Again, he reached for Princess and headed toward the steps.
But Princess couldn’t move, only stare.
“Baby, come on!”
Baby, I’m so glad you’re here.
“Rafael, wait.”
Don’t do it,
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