Page 74 of His Noble Heart
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” he said, then waited for everyone to be quiet. “Please close your eyes and bow your heads while I bless the food.”
I did as my father requested and listened while he thanked God for family and friends who were like family. He asked that God bless the food, the hands that prepared it, and that everyone get home safely when they left.
I opened my eyes and immediately began looking around for Rowdy. He’d come to the deck with me to cut the cake and talked with Shyne and Breeze while he waited. I looked around the yard, and he was nowhere to be found.
“Daddy, did you see where Rowdy went?”
My father smiled and said, “He’s right behind you.”
I turned around, and Rowdy was on bended knee, holding a ring box. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Baby, the past five months have been the most exciting of my life. When I saw you on the side of the road, I drove past. I had no intention of stopping, but this little voice in my head told me to turn around. I’m so glad I listened because you’re everything I didn’t know I needed. Being in your presence makes me feel things I didn’t know were possible, and when we’re apart, I can’t wait to be with you again. Noelani Coryn Townsend, will you marry me?”
“Oh my God! Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Our family cheered and applauded as Rowdy slowly removed the ring from the box with his free hand, since the other was in a sling. I held out my hand, and he gently slipped the beautiful pear-shaped diamond ring with a diamond-encrusted band onto my finger. He then stood and cupped my chin between his index finger and thumb.
“You really wanna marry a nigga?”
I smiled from ear to ear because my man was a little rough around the edges.
“I do, more than anything.”
“I’m ready whenever you are. I love you, Noelani Noble.”
“Ooh, I like the sound of that. I love you too.”
We kissed as if no one was watching while my family took pictures and recorded our special moment. If life didn’t do anything, it would keep moving, and mine had been on fast forward since Rowdy stepped out of that tow truck. My early birthday celebration had turned into our engagement party, and we celebrated well into the evening.
Before I could blink, my month off was over. I enjoyed being home, but I missed my students. I prayed that the students and staff would respect my boundaries and not ask about the situation with Kenai.
“You sure you ready to go back?” Rowdy asked as he got ready for physical therapy and work.
His recovery was progressing well, but he still had a long way to go. He couldn’t do much at the shop with only one working arm, but he’d been going regularly for the past few weeks.
“I’m ready. Before, I expected my students to ask questions because they’re teenagers and don’t know any better. The staff bombarding me was too much. Even with the principal having a staff meeting and explaining the situation to them, they still wouldn’t let up. I’m hoping things are different now that it’s died down.”
“If not, you know what to do.”
“I have plenty of sick days, but I want to save them for my maternity leave.”
“I understand, baby, but your mental health is important. If those muthafuckas don’t understand boundaries, I can come up there and make them understand, or you can bring your ass home.”
“I’ll be fine, Rowdy. I need to go. I love you.”
He wrapped his arm around me from behind and kissed my neck.
“I love you too. I’ll see you later.”
I turned around, wrapped my arms around his neck, and gave him a proper goodbye kiss. When I pulled away, he smacked my ass.
“Always trying to get something started. That’s why you’re pregnant now.”
“Whatever. I’m gone.”
Thirty minutes later, I was in my office, sitting at my desk, taking deep breaths. I didn’t lie to Rowdy. I was ready to come back to work, but I was also nervous about how everyone would treat me. Some of my co-workers were friends with Kenai, and I was a little concerned about how they’d feel about me killing him.
It’s still hard to believe I took someone’s life.
