Page 61 of One Hotlanta Night
My woman. My forever. The love of my life.
She still doesn’t say a word, but when we sit down to start eating, I pull her chair closer to mine so that our legs are touching. My hand goes to her thigh, squeezing gently and breaking her out of her reverie.
“Vivian,” I murmur. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” She exhales on a shaky breath. “I’m okay.” Her voice betrays her nerves, but she plasters on a tight smile. Did my grandfather’s words unsettle her that much? Does shenotfeel the same way I do? My chest tenses at the thought.No.No way have I been reading this—us—all wrong. Maybe she’s just taken aback.
“Are you sure? We can go outside for a minute if this is all getting to be too much.”
“No, I’m fine, really,” she says, looking directly at me. This time, her smile, although small, is real. It meets her beautiful eyes now. “I was just a little shocked, that's all. Notquitewhat I expected when you asked me to come with you.” Her lips turn up in a lopsided grin. And I remember how to breathe again.
“I swear I didn’t know he was going to say that.” My grin matches hers and she laughs softly. She lightly brings her hand to mine, and I flip my palm so I can lace our fingers together. Always need to be with her, touching her. Her presence calms me. “He’s a sly one. Just don’t ask him about working for theCuban government. Or fish tales. He has fish tales to rival his own fish tales.” I snort.
A devious glimmer sparks in Vivian’s eyes as she looks across to my grandfather. “Mr. Rivera, Michael says you have some great stories about Cuba.” Isabella and Paquita groan, my uncle rolls his eyes, and Connor and Sebastian egg him on.
“Yes! Tell us the one about when you were about to take out that general,” Sebastian says, and of course hehadto pick the one that’s a doozie. We’ll be here til dessert time.
My grandpa’s face lights up as he begins his story. I squeeze Vivian’s hand under the table, giving her a pained look when she looks my way, and the little minxwinksat me before resuming her enraptured expression at my grandfather’s words. Oh, my woman is going to get it tonight. I settle in to hear the story we’ve all heard a hundred times before, passing the food as it comes our way.
Vivian’s completely focused on my grandfather’s tale, so I heap her plate full of a little of everything. When she glances down at it in surprise, I nudge her plate closer. “Come, mi amor.” I’m rewarded with a small kiss on my cheek.Progress, I congratulate myself. After her reprimand earlier, I didn’t think she’d be comfortable enough to initiate PDA around my family. But maybe seeing how affectionate we all are is helping her relax. My dad always chased my mom around the kitchen grabbing her butt when we were younger, and I always planned to do that with my wife as well. Hope Vivan’s okay with that.
Speaking of, the doorbell rings. Good. Time for my parents to meet the new addition to the family. I hop up from the table so I can help my dad wheel my mom in, if she’s chosen to take the chair today. He’s already got the door pushed open wide, assisting her with the walker instead. Although she still grunts in pain, I’m glad to see her on her feet. “Hola, mijo!” she greets me in a chipper tone. Even a little out of breath, she pauses,presenting her cheek to me and refusing to move farther until I’ve kissed her.
“Hola, mama,” I tell her softy. “Now let me help you to your seat.”
“Ya se!” she protests, but I still help her along as she slowly makes her way to the chair at the end of the table that’s reserved just for her, so she doesn’t have to navigate the tight spaces. Once she’s comfortably settled, her sharp eyes zero in on Vivian. “Ven aqui, cariño,” my mother says in a gentle tone, motioning my lady to come over.
“She wants you to come over to her,” Isabella starts to tell Vivian, but she’s already out of her seat. Vivian nods as she slides behind the high-backed chairs. I seem to recall her saying that she took a lot of French; maybe there are more similarities than differences.Kinda like us, I smile to myself.
My mom’s got Vivian’s hands clasped in hers, oohing and aahing over my woman. “Oh, que bonita!”
Vivian blushes under the praise that needs no translation. “Thank you, Mrs. Stromberg. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her response is genuine and tender as she takes in the woman who raised me and who shares the same chronic illness as her. I wonder what she’s thinking. We haven’t talked much about Vivian’s fibro besides that first date, and I didn’t think to mention that my mom has to use a walker or a wheelchair at times. Does Vivian worry that might be in her future too? I hope not, but if it comes to that, it won’t make a difference. I will always love and cherish her regardless of if we’re walking together or I’m wheeling her in a chair. Just as long as I can continue to have her in my life, be in her presence, loving her and feeling her love in return.
Apparently I’ve zoned out again, because it takes my mom repeating my name to bring me back to the present. “Miguel!” she says sharply. “We’ll talk more later. Go feed your woman,”she reprimands, but there’s no heat behind her words, only teasing.
“Si, mama, lo se,” I tell her as I lead Vivian back to her chair. I don’t sit down, but instead grab my mom’s plate to fill it with all the delicious items on the table so she doesn’t have to wait. My dad’s got his own taken care of and won’t be much fun to talk to until his stomach’s full, so I don’t bother with that introduction til later. The room quickly fills with loud voices and laughter, and when I turn to look at Vivian, her eyes and mouth are both smiling, sparking a smile on my face in return. My heart and belly are satisfied as we both enjoy the good food and good conversation.
Later that evening, after everything has been put away, Paquita scolding and pushing anyone who dares try to help out of her kitchen (Vivian included), we all settle into the living room to catch up some more. Dad and Vivian find common ground talking about unreasonable customers in the service industry and trading stories back and forth, so I leave her to it, seizing a chance to talk to Connor one-on-one. “So how’s it going with you? Like, really?” I ask him.
Connor is one of five brothers, and there’s always drama going on at his house, but the good kind. Like me, he has loving, if sometimes—overbearing—parents, and siblings that are trying to find their way in the world. “Same ole, same ole,” he tells me, leaning back against the stone fireplace. “The two youngest are constantly pushing boundaries and getting into trouble, and the two oldest are trying to make sure those boys don’t get anyone arrested or pregnant.”
“Okay, that’s them, but what aboutyou, really? I miss ya, man.”
“I’m… all right, I guess,” he says after a pause. “Work is fine, everything’s fine on the surface. But I’m ready formyone, you know?” I wait for him to continue. “Like Sebastian and Amanda.They’ve been a done deal since the get-go. And I never really expected you to find someone in Charlotte. You outgrew this place a long time ago. And stupid people hold grudges, and I know that was holding you back.” I nod, appreciating that he’s not going into how my history of fighting and fucking people up royally screwed me over when it came to jobs and dating.
“I knew Atlanta was for more than just work. And it looks like you’ve found her.” He tilts his head in Vivian’s direction. She’s seated on the couch with my mother and sister on either side, my dad having wandered off. All are fascinated by something on Vivian’s lap, but now is not the time to figure out what it is just yet. She seems content so I’ll enjoy my time with my best friend.
“You’re right, man. I have.” As if Vivian can feel the same pull that tethers us together, she looks up just then. Her eyes radiate warmth and love as she meets my gaze. I want to drown in them forever.
This is what real, true love feels like. Not just electrifying lust—as good as that can be—but solid, certain. It’s a richness and depth that can’t be described, only felt; it’s been carved into my body and soul. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for this woman. She’s my person, my other half, the one I’ve been looking for. The one I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with. Her slow smile pours over me like warm honey, lighting me up inside. It’s a wonder my heart doesn’t burst out of my chest right here and now.
“See? That’s what I’m talking about.” Connor nudges my shoulder as I come back down to earth. “That’s what I’m missing in my life. I want what you and Seb have. The love of a woman that I can see myself settling down with. I’m ready, you know? I have been for a while now.” It’s the quiet yearning in his voice that gets to me. He’s one of the best men I know, and he deserves the love of a good woman. He’s been more than patient.
“It’ll happen, man, I promise. It’ll come at you right when you least expect it.” I clap him on his shoulder. “I never would have thought just a couple weeks ago that Vivian would walk into my life—”
“It’s only been a couple of weeks?” he asks, his eyes wide.
“Yeah, I met her just before my birthday,” I confide.
