It's Got A Ring To It (31 page)

Over a
dozen times his phone went straight to voicemail. It wasn’t off, he was
ignoring me and I couldn’t really blame him. What did I expect him to do, join
in on the secret reunion? Why hadn’t I just told him about the pearls and been
honest? Communication and trust, Dr. Reese would always drill into me. “Talk to
people, they’re only human,” she’d say, so profoundly. It’s the human nature
that I always questioned. I plopped down on the bed with my feet above the
wicker headboard, memorizing the settling cracks in the ceiling, as I replayed
the day’s events, bargaining with God. We hadn’t talked in a while, but He
never failed me.

God, it’s me. I know I don’t pray as much as I
should, but please make things
right
with Myles and me. I’m ready to love again. I’m finally ready to take the leap
again. So, if he’s the one, don’t hesitate. I don’t want to wait another day.

Nothing
happen
ed. I didn’t
dare move an inch or make a sound as I waited, in case there was a sign. But,
there was no divine
whisper
. Nothing moved inexplicably. No picture fell off the wall. No
breeze swept through the curtains. The phone didn’t ring. Halfheartedly, I
thought something would happen. That’s just not the way prayer work
ed
, though. What we want
ed
never happen
ed
in the time we want
ed
it and it
was
never exactly what we
want
ed
. It
was
more like a
conversation between old friends and then when some time passe
d
and you go somewhere you
haven’t gone, physically or emotionally, He show
ed
up right on time. I had this office job
right after college with great benefits and steady income, but I hated it.
Only, it
was
kind of
hard when you have to be a grown-up and fend for yourself without a safety net.
So, it was either, get comfy in my rut with great insurance, or get
uncomfortable rolling the dice on life—fighting for something I was
actually passionate about. When the days at the company got increasingly more
unbearable, it was
Him
, showing up.
A
life barometer, guiding me.
When things ke
pt
getting worse, it
was
Him
flashing
the U-turn sign. Turn around and go the other way.
A blinking
arrow, pointing me in the right direction.
Things between Myles and me
couldn’t get much worse. I was just waiting for the arrow.

Two days
later, the phone did ring. And whether I wanted to, or not, I had to get out of
my pajamas and stop living on Hot
P
ockets. At least long enough for Lena’s
final meeting at
M
om’s
to pin down the wedding day timeline and tie up any loose ends. She was
unsympathetic to my cries for solitude, since she said I brought it all on
myself. She’d grown an affection for Myles and had apparently warned him
against me, and my affinity for being, “down in the dumps,” she spit the words
out, as if they were rancid on her tongue.

“
What time are you heading over?”
Lena demanded, very no nonsense.

“
You said five, right? I’ll be
there at five. Now leave me alone.”

“
I’m just making sure.
Laila
, you need to pull yourself together here. The offer
still stands if you want me to come over to help you get dressed. Don’t forget
to wear that cute floral dress I bought you. Remember we’re going for happy
hour after. You need to look hot.”

“
For who?”

“
For—”
A
t first I was struck by the slight
hesitation in her voice, but this was Lena. She
was
always up to something and I didn’t
really care to sit on the phone for another thirty minutes while she went into
the gritty details. “For me. I can’t have you with me looking like a disaster,
when I’ll be glowing in premarital grace.” For a few more minutes, she ran down
her checklist, meticulously locking down times, costs, and confirmations until
I’d served my purpose for the time being. “Well, I don’t have time to chitchat,
I was just calling to make sure you dragged yourself out of the bed. So, I’ll
see you at five.”

By the
time I
did
drag
myself into the bathroom to get ready, I had to agree with Lena’s assessment of
my current form. It was more than just looking haggard. Beyond my sharpened
jawline, my face was gaunt and blanched. Dark circles doubled the size of my
eyes and my mussed hair was a brittle, lifeless, tumbleweed nest in clip,
hanging on by its last coiled spring. I’d been marinating in my own funk for
two days and I didn’t even want to know the extent of the halitosis. For I
don’t know how long, I stood in the shower doing a complete cleansing overhaul:
showering, shampooing, deep conditioning, shaving, and brushing my teeth. I
gave every surface some desperately needed attention.

The dress
Lena picked out for me seemed a little more semiformal, cocktail dress than
a
visit at
M
om’s and happy hour, but at
least I wouldn’t have to figure out what to wear on top of plucking and
tweezing. Plus, it had pockets, which is functional and convenient. In the
mirror, I twisted to see the tropical orange and pink tea
-
length empire dress from each angle. It fit
nicely without me having to suck in, cinch, or squeeze. I paired it with some
neutral taupe pumps and a simple gold necklace and earring set. As I blow-dried
and styled my hair into a messy chignon, I was pleased with the vast improvement
in the mirror.

Mom’s
street was uncharacteristically empty. Usually, the neighborhood kids
were
playing and people
were
getting home from work,
but it was completely deserted. The clock on the dashboard said
four forty-five
. Lena and
Sam should have been there. Or at the very least, Mom
’s
car should have been in the driveway. For
a second, I sat back, surveying the block.
Rows of expertly
landscaped yards.
The cookie
-
cutter homes in a select variety of earth
tones. The
homeowners
association
had done its job. Not one piece of trash or a plastic bag
blowing in the wind. It was still.

My
eyes were trained on the rearview mirror as I dialed Lena.
“Where are you?” I questioned.
Noise blared in the background. It sounded like people were yelling right at
her ear.

“
Um…stopping…at the store.”
T
he hubbub
seemed to
die down. “Hold
on, it’s my other line.”

“
Hello? Lena?” The line went
silent. I didn’t hear a beep or anything. “Lena, what the heck are you up to?”

“
Hello?”
S
he popped
back onto the line
out of thin air.

“
Yes. I’m here. The question is
what are you doing? What’s all the pandemonium?”

“
Geez,
Laila
.
When did you become Sherlock?”

“
Since you’ve been up to no good.
Anyway, I just wanted to see where you are because I’m here, but I don’t see
anyone’s cars.”

“
You’re where?”

“
At Mom’s.”

“
Thought you weren’t coming ‘til
five?” She sounded antsy and worried.

“
Make up
your
mind, Lena. First, you’re worried I
won’t make it, now you’re pissed that I’m five minutes early. I can’t keep up.
Whenever you decide to show up to your own meeting, I’ll be waiting in the
living room.”

“
No.” The word was drawn out and
desperate, though firm. “No, don’t go in yet
,
Laila
. Wait for
me to get there so we can go in together.”

“
What the heck, Lena? You’re
acting really weird. We’re not in high school anymore. You don’t need me glued
to your hip. Everyone likes you. You’re already the most popular.”

“
Just wait.” She
hung
up.

Shit.
Just to piss her
off, I wanted to go in, but I was still curious about why the block was so
quiet. Ten minutes. That’s what I would give her. Ten minutes, while I watched
for cars, or some sign of life. Exactly five minutes went by, and no cars
arrived or left the street. It was like the Twilight Zone. I was ready to
report something to someone, when Mrs.
Lattimore
, who
lived across from my parents, went to the community mailbox and directly back
into her house. Not a moment later, as I returned my attention back to the
rearview mirror, Lena showed up, on foot. Something did not add up. She was
fabulous in a yellow strapless knee-length dress cinched at the waist and four
-
inch heels. If there
was
one thing that
was
true about Lena, she d
idn’
t walk or run unless it
was
on a treadmill in an
air-conditioned gym with water bottles and towels.

“
Now I know something’s up,” I
reasoned, hopping out, flitting the keyless remote toward the car to arm it.

“
You didn’t see Sam drop me off?
He forgot one bag at the store and went back for it,” she said in one long
run-on sentence, all without making eye contact with me once.

“
I wasn’t born yesterday, Lena. I
knew you before you knew yourself and you expect me to believe that?”

“
Shit,
Laila
.
Just come on. We have a lot to do before everyone gets here.”

Rather
than fight with her, I concede
d to her far-fetched alibi. “Ok
ay
, but I’m keeping an eye on you, Shady
McGrady
.” We both laughed. “Where are
M
om and
D
ad?”

“
Uh, they said they’d be right
back.”

We
reach
ed the door to
our parents’ house and I inserted the spare key they gave me for emergencies.
In the foyer, the chandelier twinkled and balloons lined the staircase. There
was
a jubilant air of
festivity. “You guys did a really nice job,” I headed for the kitchen with her
on
my heels. It seemed a
little much just to tie up the loose ends on an impending wedding, but Lena
considered any gathering an occasion.

“
Yeah.”

“
Hope you didn’t do the cooking
yourself, Lena,” I murmured, reaching for the light switch.

And
a
synchronized blast
of cries bellowed, “SURPRISE!” From the darkness appeared family and friends,
Lena’s friends and vendors, and my parents, dressed to the nines. At first, I
didn't get it. I felt kind of stupid that I might’ve forgotten someone’s
birthday or anniversary. No banner hung, welcoming anyone home.
Home from where?
I didn't know anyone who’d gone away. I
looked at Lena, who
was
looking at me. It wasn’t my birthday. I wouldn’t forget my own birthday.

Then,
the crowd part
ed
along with the confusion. Myles waded toward me with his hands in his pockets,
debonair
, seductive, and
utterly beddable. His sultry dark curls sideswiped sexily along his hairline.
In a light blue collared button-down shirt, comfortably rolled at the sleeves
and navy slacks fitted to his muscular frame, he was dressed for an occasion.
Only when he fell to his knee, did I realize what was going on. As he pulled
out a little blue box, it hit me like a thunderbolt. My hands flew to my open
mouth. I glanced around at the eager faces expectantly awaiting the question.

“
Laila
, it’s been less than a year that
I’ve known you, but I feel like you’ve been with me a lifetime. We met by
chance, but I can’t help but think that our meeting was part of some greater
plan. It wasn’t an accident that we had
similar
number
s
—
t
hat we’ve been part of each other’s lives
long before we ever met.
That
night when we spent the evening walking into the sunset talking about life and
plans, something inside me awakened and I knew I wanted you to be part of my
life plan.” Without warning, he stopped and stared at the simple, beautiful
princess-cut solitaire glistening in the box within his hand. I would have
given anything for his thoughts. Pain weighed his demeanor and he was somewhere
else for a moment. But, when he looked back up at me with watered eyes,
something in me felt at home again.

With
strained control, he
began
again with new resolve. “I know I haven’t called in a couple days…but to
sacrifice two days without you, so that I could plan a life together, it’s
worth it
.
”
H
is pleading eyes begged. “I
needed time to get your father’s blessing and a ring that symbolizes how
important you are to me,
Laila
. And,
you know,
when
I saw you with Ethan the other day
—
”

“
If you’ll just let me explain
—
”