Revolving Doors
Page 30
“You better not have any regrets,” he mumbled before pulling the pillow over his face to shield the sun.
~*~*~
Kenny had already alerted his parents to a meeting so they were onboard and ready. I called my parents and finalized the plans as well.
We decided to choose a restaurant we knew both sets mutually liked on the water.
My parents were ecstatic because it was our first sit-down since I’d returned from my trip, three days earlier. They just didn’t know we would have company, and I was hoping that the calm of the bay would keep things at a level of serenity that we needed for the talk.
Nerves were abound.
We arrived before our parents and were seated next to each other when they walked in almost simultaneously and leaving me to wonder if they’d arrived together.
I didn’t know about Kenny, but my palms were moistened with sweat. I was terrified of the unknown.
The last my parents knew, which was a short two and a half weeks ago, I was dating Robert.
I was sure they wouldn’t have been bent out of shape that the two of us were no longer an item (well, my mother maybe), but because of what happened in the past, neither of them cared for Kenny.
My mother knew all the details of the breakup. My father didn’t, but always suspected there was something.
My hope for that day as we waited to get the ball rolling was that they could see my happiness, realize that I’d forgiven, and being open to doing the same.
When they realized what they’d walked into, the looks on their faces were worthy of a Kodak moment. There was some confusion present but I was sure the desire to strangle me was present as well.
Once the final seat was taken, I rubbed my hands together underneath the table to clear the moisture formed in my palms.
Kenny looked at me, and when I didn’t budge, he decided to initiate opening statements.
Good luck, baby. I got your back…way back.
I was anxious, but laughing inside at the same time watching it all play out.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval. It’s been a long time.”
My father gave a half smile, while my mother picked up one of the glasses of water brought to the table; my guess was to avoid a gesture that might be expected of her. I was slightly disappointed in the way they acted. I knew what our past held, but I wanted them to at least see how things played out during the course of the conversation before taking issue, prematurely.
Kenny, sensing the tension, then turned to his parents to address them.
“Mom…Dad…I’ll just go straight to the point of why you all are here.”
Uh-oh, I was thinking to myself and trying to avoid eye contact with both my parents. I felt like a little kid! The games were about to begin.
“Gabriella and I asked the four of you here so that we could tell you that we are a couple – again.” He stated that sentence without missing a beat. “I love her. As you both know,” he said gesturing toward his parents, “I never stopped loving her, and recently we found each other again, and decided that we wanted to give us a second shot.”
He purposely left out the where because that was a situation in and of itself that nobody needed to know about. For all my parents knew, I could have run into him on the streets of Brazil, or when I got back. The possibilities were many, and we agreed to leave them to their imagination.
“Mr. and Mrs. Sandoval…” he re-addressed. “I am very much in love with your daughter. I know that I hurt her in the past---”
Oh brother…it was coming.
“Hurt her how?” my dad cut in, with his arms across his chest.
“Oh!” Kenny threw up air palms, “Mr. Sandoval…not in a physical way at all,” Kenny stammered. “I would never. It’s an emotional hurt that I’m acknowledging – an emotional hurt for both of us.”
“Okay…go on,” my father authorized.
He turned to look at me. “I’ve repeatedly told her how sorry I am, and how much I would love the opportunity to spend as much time as she’ll let me, making it up to her.”
Turning back to my parents, he continued, “I know you can’t forgive me right away, but I would like the chance to prove my loyalty to Gabriella – with your blessing.”
When he was done with the commentary, the table was quiet, and I deliberately remained so.
“Son, your happiness is our happiness,” Ken’s father contributed, his mother nodding in agreement.
I was surprised when Mrs. Augustine reached across the table to touch my hand.
“Gabriella…” she said offering a warm smile, “you are even more beautiful than I remember.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Augustine,” I said blushing.
“Mom…Dad…” I treaded lightly. “How are you feeling?”
“Kenneth…” my mother began. “As long as your intentions toward my baby are good, I don’t have a problem. Her happiness is what’s important to me, and if that’s with you, then the relationship has my blessing.”
My dad kept it simple. I already knew his stance. He had every intention on watching Kenny’s actions closely.
“As long as my daughter doesn’t end up hurt…again,” my father emphasized, “I’m good with the union.”
“Whew!” I let out. I hadn’t realized my breathing was strained until I exhaled. When everyone laughed, it was the lightest the mood had been since we arrived.
Before long, conversations flowed around the table between Kenny and me, our mothers, and our fathers – who had managed to sneak off to the bar for drinks, and to have man convo.
Wow, I thought to myself as I felt Kenny’s hand rest on my thigh.
It sunk in…We were really happening.
We had found our way back and it was a beautiful feeling.
EPILOGUE
~*~*~
“Venha, Natalia! The car service is here! We can’t miss this flight!”
Valentina would kill us if we dared get there on a delay; she was already nervous wreck. Even though Alexio had hired a very capable wedding planner, Valentine still managed to overindulge in details better handled by others. I was just happy she finally gave in to her feelings for this wonderful man that had been a constant figure in her life.
As the driver loaded our bags into the trunk of the car, Natalia came flying down the stairs.
“Coming!” she yelled. “I was ending a phone call discussing logistics for the office while I’m gone.”
“Look at you getting all acclimated in your new position and all. I knew you would thrive in the business and absolutely love it. This has been a long time coming, girl.”
“I know,” she said earnestly, “I’m beyond happy to be here. Now you can spend as much time jetting back and forth to New York, as you want to.”
I couldn’t help but blush at the mere mention of the relationship.
“Speaking of which, when is your next visit?”
“It’s supposed to be on this trip to Brazil, but he needs to take an expansion meeting and doesn’t know if he will make it. If he doesn’t, we’ll plan something in the next few weeks, I guess.”
Kenny and I had been going strong for close to a year. It was growing into something more beautiful than I could have ever imagined, and I loved every minute of it. I didn’t know how the long distance relationship situation would work for me initially, but it seemed everything was fine. We talked all the time, we visited when we could, and we put a healthy amount of energy into our relationship to keep it solid.
Surprisingly, our parents hit it off and were hanging out regularly – Di, and Joseph in tow. It was the most adorable thing ever to see the three couples hanging out all the time and growing in friendship.
A few weeks after Kenny returned to New York, after that first visit, my mother confessed to destroying the unopened letters he had sent all those years earlier.
She was protecting her baby girl. She did what she thought was best and I knew that I could never be angry with her for th
at. In her position, I’m sure I would have done the same.
“With all we have to do in Valentina’s absence…and there’s a lot…you may not have the time to spend with Ken, if he does come, at least quality time.”
She was right. We had six newcomers this year and hadn’t completed research on any of them. They’d already gone through initial screening, but Natalia and I didn’t know their full stories. Married, single, it’s complicated, we didn’t know. So, we had to get in and study the files, and make contact. Ensuring success was essential.
In addition, we would be participating in a panel screening with two new girls that Valentina brought onboard to backfill during Carnival season.
Valentina wanted to make sure we felt a connection to them as well since we were her veterans.
I had also signed on as co-partner of Paraiso Belo, overseeing business issues when she took much-deserved time away, with Alexio.
I thought Natalia would continue going to the resort, just for fun, but she decided to leave it all behind when moved to California, and assumed her new role as VP of Marketing, at Goodie Bagg.
Valentina never expected her to make it her life’s work, for the rest of her life, so she fully supported her decision to leave that world behind.
When Natalia signed on for Goodie Bagg, she delved into business naturally. I was proud watching her, and feeling complete, that I had someone close to me helping to actively run my business.
“Talia, can you believe that our Valentina is getting married? It’s sinking in for me! I’m so excited for her.”
“I saw it coming,” she confessed. I knew as soon as she allowed herself to see how much he loved her, it would be a matter of time. I watched their exchange over the years, and watched the way he looks at her and the way he caters to her every need. There is mutual love and respect there. He’ll honor her in a way that will make Dionisio smile. I’m sure of that.”
“Well it sure seems like everything is in alignment for all of us.”
~*~*~
High above the clouds as I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts were of Ken – him holding me, looking into my eyes as he tells me how much he loves me, and his lips touching places screaming for attention, along with hopes that he’d be able to get away in time to love me into the night…
~Revolving Doors~
by Kween
i tried to forget you
in foreign arms
and scripted kisses
i tried unsuccessfully,
to 'x' out your impression
with penciled happiness
weakly scribbled over
pen-stained love
i sought comfort
in purpose and drive
and still my eyes were not dried
in every move away
i drew closer to closure
closer to the thing
i chased like butterflies
against zephyrs of denial...
i was searching for redemption
and what i found...
was solely searchable
...in you
hidden in muffled breaths
found in limbo
upon your lips i found you...
in suppressed memories
resurfaced from corked springs
of past summers...
and now, i am redeemed
as i come full circle
spun through a revolving door
bringing me home
...to you