Page 105 of Lost In London

“Ask Serenity out on a date in the next hour.” You had to be specific with him. He’d mess around and not do it claiming I never gave him a time frame.

“Mannn.” He brushed his hand over his head, trying to stop his pretty boy smile. “Why you wanna play these games?”

“Are you a chicken?”

He frowned down at me. “Girl, ain’t no hoe in my blood.” His eyes found Serenity’s and he became transfixed on the ebony beauty. “I’ll do it.”

“Yayy.” I started clapping. “And my reward to you is having you as my man of honor.” His head snapped around so fast. “Will you be my man of honor, Cassian Kalmin? Can Tai and Melly be my flower girls and Cashton be my ring security?”

“I’m honored. Anything for you, Lo.” He kissed my cheek as Serenity called my name.

“London Nicole, your man is waiting on you, Love.”

Spotlights shifted from the stage to the makeshift dance floor where my love stood with a single rose. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Everyone parted out of the way creating a path leading me to him. Quincey looked like royalty in his beige suit, custom colored dark brown rose in his breast pocket. Right before I took a step a figure stepped up next to me offering his arm.

“Can I escort you, Lolo?” My sweet Cashton.

My heart squeezed in love. All I could do was nod and try to breathe as Serenity started singing the song that India Arie had to create from my diary of words trying to put a full sentence together to explain what Quincey Reid is to me.

He’s my Sacred Space.

By the time Cashton got me to him, I was a sobbing mess. “Do you know who you are to me, London Nicole?” Quincey wiped as much of my tears as he could.

I nodded, wrapping myself in the safety of his body. “Flesh of your flesh. Bones of your bones.”

Cupping my face with his thumbs gliding back and forth along my chin, his piercing brown eyes sang me a song. A chorus of vows and promises. His devotion and charm built a strong bridge of a lifetime of hope and sacrifice. A verse sword armored for battle to slaughter every attack and kneel in prayer to protect and cover.

It was our song.

Our melody.

“I love you.” He breathed against my lips.

“I love you too.”

We danced. We took that ballroom over for the 99 and the 2000. And the food… it was so delicious. So damn good. Ox-tails, macaroni and cheese, yams, lemon pepper wings, collard greens, cornbread, corn on the cob, and my favorite key lime cake from Yummy’s Bakery. Cassian knew all of my favorites and he made sure I had them all. It was so nice to see our worlds colliding. I felt bad that Quincey’s parents weren’t here though. When I asked if he invited them, he said that he didn’t. He wanted to have a drama free day and I respected that.

“Are you ready?” He tapped my thigh so I could stand. We had thirty minutes before the cleaning crew was coming in and I wanted to give an announcement.

“I’m nervous.” My hands started to shake taking the four gift bags from him.

One kiss on my forehead and he calmed my nerves just that quick. “I’ll be right here with you.”

Looking out on the dance floor, I caught Massey’s eye and she nodded. Quincey and I moved near the stage but not in the middle where she’d just gather her Papa and siblings to take a picture. He looked so happy smiling bright and wide with his kids. They looked so happy smiling from ear to ear.

Serenity handed me her mic and got everyone’s attention. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming tonight to celebrate me and my lover’s new journey. To be surrounded by so much love is truly a blessing that I don’t take lightly.” Near the door, Atlas was moving as quiet as he could rolling in the cake.

Clearing my throat, I squeezed Quincey’s hand and looked at the man who had the other piece of my heart. “Cass, can you come up here, please?” Sure enough, his smile dropped.

“Nah, Lo. You ain’t about to have me boohooing like I wear tampons.” This damn fool.

Caressing his cheek, Melly tried to persuade him. “Papa, don’t be shy. You wore your lucky shoes, remember?” We all laughed at her cuteness.

Putting her down, he grudgingly walked over to me shaking his head. I reached out a hand for him, already turning into a baby. “Come on, London.” His face softened. “You know I don’t like when you cry.” My gentle beast wiped my tears.

“These are happy tears.” I smiled hugging him around the waist with one arm, staring up at him. “I know tonight is you celebrating us but I want to celebrate you.” Everyone held up their champagne flutes that had been given out. “Your love and selflessness were my life support.” My poor guy turned beet red trying to keep himself together. “You watched over me, protected me, prayed over me, nurtured me to this new version of self. You’ve been in my corner watching me evolve and transform. Shielding me every step of the way. It’s because of you that I’m able to stand here in confidence to not only love this man but to marry him.

“Because of you, I learned how to trust again. Because of you, I learned the true meaning of family. Because of you, I learned that it’s okay to be selfish with myself. Every day I learned something from you because you were constantly teaching me. Constantly being a loving constant being my life. You sacrificed a lot for me like today.” I motioned for Atlas to come forward. “Today is your birthday yet you’d rather celebrate me than yourself.” Everyone moved in to circle him.

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