by Rulon, Genna
“Whoa, love,” he said while steadying me. “In a rush?”
“Like you’re not? Please.”
With a laugh, he opened the door to Hunter and Everleigh’s smiling faces.
“Hi guys, we were driving by on our way home and decided to say ‘hi,’” Ev said.
Griffin invited them in and we all exchanged hugs and greetings. I hoped they weren’t expecting us to hang around for long…it wasn’t gonna happen.
“Did you two have plans for the evening?” Ev asked, while toying with her hair in a very un-Ev-like fashion.
“Actually, we were just headed out. Date night,” Griffin replied.
“Babe, we’re interrupting their plans,” Ev said to Hunter, stroking his chest.
“That’s okay, we can hang out for a few minutes,” I replied.
What was with her? She was acting like a complete spaz. Beside me, Griffin chuckled. Okay, I was clearly missing something.
“Oh my, I’m so tired,” Ev said, covering her mouth for a dramatic yawn.
Holy mother of all that is sparkly! There on her left hand was a gorgeous rock. And not just any rock…an elegant emerald-cut diamond with a simple baguette on each side of the delicate white gold band. It had to be at least two carats—Hunter did me proud.
“Ohmygod!” I squealed.
“I wanna see, too. Don’t make the invalid get up…bring the party to me,” Meg called from the great room.
I turned to Hunter, grabbing Ev’s hand and holding it in front of his face. “This is a job well done,” I said, shaking Ev’s hand for emphasis. “I’ll even forgive you for not asking my permission first.”
“Uh, Sam, it’s attached and I’m rather fond of my hand,” Ev said in defense of the limb I had claimed.
“Sorry, I would have asked your blessing, but you would have blown the surprise,” Hunter said apologetically.
“I would not!”
“Lo-baby, you would have,” Griffin said as he pried Ev’s hand from my clutches.
“Wait a freaking minute…you knew?” I said, turning to Griffin, shocked he’d withheld such huge news from me. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“Couldn’t break the guy code on this one, love. Besides, you would have slipped and never forgiven yourself for ruining the surprise.”
“How did he ask…tell me everything.”
Ev opened her mouth to speak when we heard a grunt from the other room.
“One sec, Meg will want to hear, too,” I said.
When we entered the great room, we found Meg standing next to the couch, looking breathless and pained.
“Told you it was too soon to stop taking the pain medication,” I told her.
“Thanks, Nurse Ratchet,” Meg replied testily.
“See what a difficult patient she is…such a grump,” I teased. In reality, any display of grumpiness was a rarity with Meg.
A pillow came whizzing toward my face but was snatched from the air seconds before impact. I leaned over and pulled Griffin’s mouth to mine, rewarding his heroics with a kiss.
“Okay, spill it,” I prompted Ev.
“We found a house we both loved and made an offer a few days ago—which was rejected. I was bummed because the place was perfect…for several reasons. Hunter didn’t feel we should increase our offer, so we walked away from it,” Ev said, sticking out her lip in a pout. “We agreed only to buy if we both loved it and were comfortable with the price. I was bummed—that house was freakin’ perfect—so Hunter took me to dinner last night to cheer me up. Maroni’s was incredible, by the way. After dinner, he drove to the house and made me follow him to the porch.”
“She kept arguing with me that I was going to get us arrested. I had to remind her that the house was vacant, and I’m an FBI agent,” Hunter said, clearly entertained by Ev’s concern.
“Anyway…he said he just wanted to look in the window. I thought he was reconsidering our offer. Next thing I know he’s carrying me through the front door. There were candles and flowers everywhere, and ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ was playing…the Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina version, my favorite. He got down on one knee and took my hands. Then he promised to help fill the house with a lifetime of memories, children, and love if I would agree be his wife.”
Tears gathered in my eyes as I pictured the scene. It was the proposal, life, and happily-ever-after she deserved.
“I said yes, of course. Then he explained that our offer was accepted and we were officially in contract. He lied to me so he could propose in our future home. He’s lucky the realtor and current owners are romantics and accommodated his grand plan.”
“This is amazing. You are engaged and found the house of your dreams! Griff, grab a bottle of champagne. We have to toast!” I said. “Now, tell me about the house.”
Ev and Hunter exchanged a secretive smile.
“It’s a colonial, four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths. The backyard is perfect for kids,” Ev said.
“And it’s very close to Higher Yearning, which will make it easy for Ev,” Hunter added.
“The best part is the neighborhood. All the neighbors seem amazing. We saw a ton of young families when we were there. There’s only one house a few doors down from us that seems questionable,” Ev added.
Griffin’s laughter filtered in from the kitchen.
“What am I missing?” Meg and I asked in unison.
“We’re going to be Griffin’s neighbors…well, a block away, but still pretty close,” Ev said.
Meg, Griffin, and I spent the next hour celebrating with the happy couple, but we eventually made our previously planned escape. Griffin pointed out Huntleigh’s new house when we drove past, and I was pleased to see it was as perfect as they had described. We spent the rest of the night privately celebrating all of the joys and blessings life had provided us. We didn’t accomplish my goal of destroying every room in the house that night, but we certainly made a good effort.
The next three months passed in a whirlwind of activity—my graduation from Hensley, planning Ev’s wedding (a traditional affair at the insistence of Hunter’s family), helping Huntleigh move, and my enrollment in culinary school…it’s been one event or project after another. Griffin and I stole as many moments as possible, greedy for one another’s undivided attention. Without the distraction of serial killers, threats, and hit men, we were able to focus on our relationship, learning all the pieces of one another and how they fit together. I fell deeper in love with Griffin every single day. He never failed to prove his love and commitment to me in both action and words. Each time I swore I couldn’t fall any further, a new piece of him would be revealed and I’d plummet deeper, welcoming every second of the free-fall. Our bond, the blend of commitment, respect, and love, was the epoxy Griff had likened us to months ago.
I only saw Thia once a month and most of our sessions were spent catching up and addressing minor issues that arose between sessions.
Meg made a full recovery and became a fully integrated member of our clan. She came to The Stop every Thursday and was always around to grab coffee or dinner. She was not only my roommate, but a dear friend. She made every effort to show her appreciation, despite my assurances that she was not a burden. She never offered an explanation for the hovel she had been living in or her financial difficulties, and I didn’t push—she would tell me when she was ready. She was usually so happy and carefree, it was easy to forget the secret we had witnessed.
Hunter came over one day to warn me that the SEC was preparing to announce Mr. Whitney’s arrest and forthcoming indictment. It wasn’t a surprise; we all knew the time was coming, but I was apprehensive of the media firestorm. I knew I wouldn’t escape their attention completely, no matter what precautions I took. Thankfully, my procedural hearing to legally change my name was scheduled for the next week. My lawyer was confident the judge would waive the requirement to publish the name change prior to it becoming official, in light of the circumstances. This time next week, I w
ould be Samantha Melany Carsen. I decided to also forgo my middle names, which were traditional Whitney names, and take Meme’s first name instead. Ev was incredibly supportive when I told her about my selected names, reminding me that we had always been sisters and the name change was only an outward symbol of what we already knew. The irony was that we would only share the last name for a few months before Ev became Everleigh Rose Charles.
The media coverage of the-jackass-formerly-known-as-my-father’s Ponzi scheme was out of control. For months, I couldn’t turn on the TV without seeing his face. Any interest in me faded quickly, until news of his attempt to kill me was leaked. Once again I was thrust into the spotlight and, while it was a nuisance, the coverage provided a platform for me to advocate for reform to protect women on college campuses and increase university accountability. Griffin supported me every step of the way without complaining about the circus my life had become. Eventually, after he was sentenced to life without parole, public interest died down.
Through it all, I never heard from my mother. Not. A. Word. There was a small part of me that had hoped she would approach me to make amends once she was free of my father’s influence, but that never occurred. I couldn’t bring myself to contact her. While she was innocent of the attempt on my life, her years of abandonment were impossible for me to forget. Maybe one day I would be ready to speak with her, but I was not there yet.
We were lying in bed early one morning, my body draped across Griffin’s as usual, when his sexy voice interrupted my silent enjoyment of his company.
“You know what I was thinking the other day?” Griffin asked.
“What?” I mumbled into his chest, too relaxed to engage in guessing games.
“We never made it to Turks and Caicos.”
That’s right, he had mentioned us taking a vacation months ago, after I had received the last threat. So much had happened since then, I’d completely forgotten.
“It’s been a crazy six months…we’ll get there someday,” I said, glad to be reminded of the dream vacation as something to look forward to.
“Isn’t the Culinary Institute on break next week?” he asked, trying to sound casual. As if he didn’t know my schedule as well as I did.
“You know it is, but there is no way were are going to find a decent place to rent this late…it’s peak season and last-minute airline tickets will be through the roof. Why don’t we plan something for after I graduate? We’ll have time to make the arrangements, and it’s only five months away.”
His body shifted and a paper appeared in front of my face. I focused on the page; it was an airline e-ticket confirmation in our names from New York to Turks and Caicos booked for next week.
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“When did you book these?”
“When you enrolled. Life was so crazy and I knew school would be an extra stress, no matter how much you loved it. I checked the dates and saw you had a break, so I made the reservations. I figured you were bound to need a vacation by now.”
“This is freaking awesome!” I shouted. “We are going on vacation!”
He squeezed me tighter, appreciating my enthusiasm.
“You are the best boyfriend ever,” I said, raising my head to kiss him.
“I’m not completely selfless. I get to enjoy white sandy beaches, drinks, and, most importantly, you in a bikini.”
“Thank you,” I said, cupping his cheek in my hand. “You make it so easy to love you, not just because you book us fabulous vacations, but in all the little ways you show me how well you know me and love me.”
“Lo-baby, it comes naturally…loving you is what I was born to do. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to see you smile or hear you laugh. No distance I wouldn’t travel to be by your side, no war I wouldn’t wage to protect you. Being with you, loving you, knowing you love me…that’s my definition of heaven. I get to spend every day in heaven because of you, so all those little things I do, they’re only glimpses of everything you give me.”
"The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise.” -Miguel de Cervantes
One Year Later…
It was a beautiful summer afternoon when Griffin suggested we pack dinner and head to one of the small north shore beaches. It had been a long week on my feet in the kitchen, though I loved every second. I had finished culinary school in the spring and was now working at a local French restaurant with a stellar reputation. The beach would be quiet on a weekday evening, perfect for a relaxing picnic.
Basket packed and wine bottle in hand, we headed to Cedar Beach. The sun was beginning to meet the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant shades of orange, pink, and purple. The Long Island Sound was calm, only a few boats dotted the sea at this time of night. It was a flawless evening and I absorbed every detail hungrily like food for my soul.
We held hands and walked along the shore in comfortable silence until all signs of humanity faded away, leaving only us and nature’s splendor. Ahead I spotted several glowing orbs, almost blending into the sunset, but too bright to be a part of it. As we approached, the orbs became tiki torches. They were positioned to form a perfect circle, the outline completed with crushed stones and bouquets of irises and green orchids. In the center of the circle was a thick beige comforter with colorful accent pillows that matched the bouquets. I stilled to soak in the magic of the scene, afraid it would disappear like a mirage if I blinked. Griffin swept me into his arms, carrying me over the rocks before setting me down on the blanket in the center of the circle. He smiled at me before unpacking our dinner and opening the wine.
“You did all of this?” I asked, still at a loss.
“Most of it. I had a few elves to help and stand guard ‘til we arrived.”
“Well, Santa, with this setup I assume I’ve made the nice list, but I have to warn you…I’m going to be very naughty in a little while.”
“With this Santa, that kind of naughty will put you at the top of the nice list,” he replied with a panty-melting smile. “Here you go, love,” he said, handing me a glass of white wine followed by a plate of cheese, fruit, and French bread.
As I tasted my first sip of wine, music began to play. The song was vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I searched for the source when I heard Griffin’s voice singing to me, confused by the fact that he was sitting in front of me, sipping his wine.
“Gotta love Bose portable SoundDocks. The sound quality is amazing,” he said nonchalantly.
“Yes, and your voice sounds great coming out of it,” I teased, hoping for an explanation.
“I heard this song a while ago and it made me think of you. I wanted to sing it for you, but not at The Stop with an audience. You probably know it, but I switched up the arrangement a little to make it work for me.”
“Start it over and turn up the volume so I can hear it better,” I requested.
He increased the volume and restarted the song before sitting behind me with a leg on each side of mine, providing a backrest for me to lounge against. I listened to the words and recognized the Trisha Yearwood song, “Where Your Road Leads”—Griffin’s version was slower and more intimate. I let the words sink in, the commitment, tenderness, and love was so stark. The lyrics were a promise. When the song ended, the guitar accompaniment continued quietly, as if the vow would never end.
“I have something for you…I made it, so don’t laugh,” he said, a hint of nerves shading his voice.
I felt him reach into his pocket behind me and heard a soft thud on the blanket beside us. He looped his arm around me and let something dangle from his clenched fist. I caught the swinging—I-don’t-know-what—between my fingers and examined it in the soft light provided by the torches. It was a strange-looking stone, dangling from a chain. As I examined it more closely, I saw that it was green with varying shades of striations running through the entire stone. I also couldn’t help but notice that the sto
ne looked like it had been destroyed and pieced back together. I gasped as the significance dawned. He made me into a stone…or he made a stone into me, and it was beautiful.
“It’s called malachite—one of the oldest recorded stones used for jewelry, dating back to ancient Egypt. According to what I read, it’s supposed to symbolize protection, love, endurance, and transformation. Kind of perfect, right? I have to confess I learned most of that after I chose it though. Initially I was drawn to it because it matched the color of your eyes,” Griffin said, gazing into the eyes in question. “I bought a perfectly round polished stone and shattered it bit by bit, until it was a pile of rubble—then pieced it back together with epoxy,” he said with a smile. “But this is only half…” He reached down beside him and raised his other arm around me to show a similar stone dangling from a chain. “Go ahead.”
I raised my free hand to grab the other half and moved their jagged sides together—the two halves fit perfectly, creating a whole sphere. You could just make out the scars on the surface of the circle, but it felt solid and whole in my hand.
As I released the pieces, Griffin gently shook them apart and handed me half. I saw that the short chain connected the malachite to a metal circle.
“A key chain?” I asked, surprised by the choice.
He opened his palm to reveal the half he had been holding was also attached to a key chain, but on the end of his was a key.
“I want your ridiculously large wardrobe to move back into my house…permanently. I want to hear you complain about my socks being left on the family room floor. I want your favorite pots and pans in my cabinets. I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep with you on my chest every night. Lo-baby, will you live with me?”
“Hell yes!” I said, turning my head to kiss him. “Can we negotiate who gets which closet in the master bedroom?”
“In a minute, although that seems like a pointless conversation…I know you’re taking both,” he teased. “Take your key, love.”