Let's Be Mature About This BN (11 page)

 He smiled and his green eyes glistened. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I wanted to give him a big hug and breathe in his intoxicating cologne but I was afraid to touch him. I prayed that he and I didn’t get too close to any flat surfaces tonight because I didn’t know if I could control myself. Liz and Sara watched Gavin and I standing there just looking at each other. Baby Sara burst out laughing at our goofiness. We all turned to her and laughed as well. I gave Liz a long hug.

“Go have fun,” Liz whispered in my ear. I hugged her tighter. “Stop procrastinating!” she scolded. Reluctantly I left the house and walked to the car with Gavin trailing behind me. I turned around completely and walked backwards a few steps to the car because I could feel his eyes on my backside. He smiled, caught, and we got into his car.

“We match,” I pointed out once he started the car. Suddenly Gavin lunged over and gave me a forceful and very thorough kiss.

“Sorry,” he said breathless, “I had to get that out of my system.” He wiped the lip gloss from his mouth and started driving. Smiling, I sank comfortably down into my seat.

“So what do you have planned?”

“First we’re going to dinner and there I’ll give you your present.”

“I have a present for you too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s in my purse.”

“Cool. I wasn’t really expecting anything.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t know. It’s just traditional for a man to spoil his woman with gifts. I always did the gift giving when I was with Elise.”

“Well, Elise was a materialistic ho-bag so don’t you dare expect the same from me.”

Gavin laughed. “Okay, you have a very good point.”

Twelve minutes later we pulled up to a restaurant called
Pamplona
. The building captured Spain’s Mediterranean architecture beautifully and the restaurant captured its cuisine just as well. We had tapas, paella, and almond ice cream with pastries called ensaimadas for dessert. It was such a romantic restaurant with warm lighting and red table cloths. Gavin had picked a great place. We agreed that we would eat there again some time.

“Is it Present Time?” I grinned.

“Of course. You go first.”

“Okay,” I said nervously. I hoped he’d like it. I reached into my bag and pulled out a square box. “Here, Happy anniversary.” Gavin opened the box and pulled out the coil of leather. It was a black belt with a chrome belt buckle in the shape of a square frame that enclosed the letters “
G&S”
formed in the metal. Gavin looked up at me with a big smile and then back down at the belt.

“G and S: Gavin and Sydney. Can I put it on now?”

I nodded. He stood up, slipped his belt off and put the new one on. He put his hands in his pockets and did a little male model pose. He sat back down, picked up my hand from the table and kissed it. “I love it. Thank you.”

“Good. I figured since we’ve been having issues lately with wandering hands that a chastity belt would be the perfect gift,” I joked. Gavin smiled anxiously.

“Um, speaking of chastity, I’d like to give you my present now." I looked at him perplexed. What could his present have to do with chastity? I watched as he let my hand go and reached under the table to his pants pocket and pulled out a velvet ring box. I made my mouse squeak sound and was about to begin hyperventilating when he said, “Don’t freak out it’s not a wedding ring.” I immediately let out a relieved sigh. He flipped open the box and set it in the middle of the table. It was a white gold Celtic designed ring. “It’s a promise ring,” he said.

“A promise ring,” I repeated as I dreamily studied the bright ring gleaming in its dark velvet box.

“I know it’s kind of corny but I’ve been thinking a lot about what you told me Sunday night. You told me ‘I can’t do this. Remember?’ and I realized I hadn’t remembered. For a moment I’d forgotten what you wanted and what we’d agreed to; to wait until your wedding night to be intimate. It’s been really hard for me to keep that in mind lately. And then my stupid naughty mind tells you to wear something sexy and when you open the door and look bangin’ I wonder why I can’t control myself! It’s been hard because I’ve never had to put the brakes on in my other relationships. But it’s worth it. That’s what I have to remember. That’s why I bought these rings; so that they would be a solid reminder.”

Gavin reached into his pocket again and slipped a ring that matched mine onto his right hand on the finger between his middle and pinky finger. Then he took my ring out of the velvet box and slipped it onto the finger on my trembling right hand. “Happy anniversary.” I looked into his lovely green eyes and I had to look away for a moment. I was getting teary eyed and I hated crying so I looked down at my lap to compose myself. Is this what he’d been so busy with yesterday afternoon that he hadn’t called? “I just want you to know that my heart is in the right place even though my mind forgets to call you sometimes,” he smiled.

“Thank you so much,” I mustered, “I couldn’t have asked for a better anniversary present.”

Gavin beamed. “It’s awesome to hear that.”

It was around six when we left the restaurant. The sun was sinking under the horizon. We got into the car and I waited for him to start the car and take me home. “Now it is time for your next present.”

“What?!”

“I have another present planned.”

“But…I don’t have a second present for you.”

“Sydney, don’t worry about that. I don’t need anything else. Seeing the look on your face in three hours is enough of a present for me.” I gave him a worried look. “We are going to have to go on a three hour drive to get to your present. Buckle up.”

I trust Gavin, but I hate surprises. I’ve always tried to keep everything planned out and organized so this spur of the moment road trip was not good for my nerves. I quietly put my seat belt on. I felt Gavin’s hand massaging the back of my neck. “Sydney, you’re going to love it. Trust me.” I nodded and he started driving. I was quiet the first and second hour of driving but I was really quiet the third hour because I fell asleep.

I woke up to find myself sitting in a parked car in the middle of the night. I looked over at the driver’s seat to see Gavin smiling at me.

“You’re creepy,” I said sleepily. “How long have you been staring at me?”

“About thirty seconds or so. How long have you been napping like a toddler?”

“Touché.” I sat up in my seat and looked around outside. There was a building that looked like a big movie theatre and there was a ton of people in line to get in.

“Let’s go,” Gavin said. We walked across the packed parking lot towards the building. That’s when I saw the wall length posters and the words gliding across the LED message board: Lenny Kravitz Live in Concert. My jaw dropped and I grabbed onto Gavin’s arm to stop myself from jumping up and down. “Excited?” Gavin laughed.

“I can’t believe you got tickets to see Lenny! Oh my gosh, are you aiming to make me cry today?!”

“We’ll be sitting front and center.”

“How the hell did you get front row tickets?! God, you must have spent so much money on this! Please don’t waste all this money on me. It’s only our one month anniversary! I only got you a, what, fifty dollar belt?! I can’t let you do this!” I was starting to panic. He was spending all this money on me. How was I ever going to repay him?

“Too late, Sydney. No refunds,” Gavin laughed. “Baby, it’s okay! I didn’t waste my money. I heart Lenny Kravitz too! He is a very sexy man!” I wrapped my arms around his neck and deposited my lip gloss all over his forehead, cheeks, and lips. I felt like I was going to start bawling or faint. I’d found out that Lenny was performing here a couple months ago but I’d put it out of my mind because I figured I’d never be able to go. Good seats were way too much for my college girl budget. I told myself there’d be a next time. But now I didn’t have to wait another day to see my favorite artist of all time.

I was in awe when we walked into the arena and saw the stage all lit up and ready. We squeezed our way past loads of hyped people and finally made it to the front. My palms were sweating and my heart was racing. Gavin stood behind me and hugged me. I leaned my head back against his shoulders, closed my eyes, and calmed myself down. I was calm until the band and backup singers came out on stage and the crowd started cheering loudly. Then I gripped onto Gavin’s hand waiting for the big moment. Then I heard Lenny’s voice over the speakers. “Are you ready to join the love revolution?!” he screamed. I turned around to Gavin ecstatically and gave him a quick kiss and told him I loved him.

Lenny Kravitz, Aviators and nose ring, wearing boots, leather pants, a fashionably faded black tee with a peace sign on it and a tight jean jacket walked out onto the stage with his guitar. The crowd roared. “Then let’s tell ‘em to bring it on!” he yelled and immediately started playing “Bring It On” from his new album
It’s Time for a Love Revolution
. Gavin and I rocked and danced to the music. I did most of the singing and hollering.

Seeing Lenny was honestly a dream come true. Lenny Kravitz is so incredibly talented. His music is timeless. To see the man that I admire so much, a man of mixed race, who didn’t let anyone change him no matter how many people said his music wasn’t white enough or black enough, a man who had recently become celibate which I have the utmost respect for, was incredible. And I had someone I loved so much and who loved me back to share it with.

After “Bring It On” Lenny unexpectedly reached back into his discography and sang “Fly Away,” “Dig In,” and “Where Are We Running?” I used my cell phone to take lots of pictures of him performing and of Gavin and me enjoying ourselves. Gavin stood behind me the whole time with his hands on my shoulders or my hips and kissing me on the cheek every once in a while. I think he may have been worried Lenny would steal me away from him. He definitely had reason to worry because if Lenny had invited me backstage I’d be a changed woman today.

Lenny then came back full force to the songs on his new album and performed “Love Revolution” and “Love, Love, Love,” the latter being my favorite song on the new album so I was dancing around quite a bit. I turned around to face Gavin and we had fun dancing to that. The song Lenny ended the show with was a surprise to me. He sang “I’ll Be Waiting,” a really sweet song about him waiting on a girl to realize how much he cares about her. I thought he’d want to go out with a bang but the majority of the show had been really high energy and I love that song so I wasn’t complaining. Plus, it was a neat song for Gavin and me to sway and sing along to.

With that song Lenny told the crowd “Thank you! Goodnight!” I waved and blew kisses and gave Lenny a tearful goodbye.

“You have made me the happiest I’ve ever been,” I confessed to Gavin.

“I’m honored,” he replied.

Somehow Gavin and I stayed awake for the three hour drive home. We got to his house around 2:30 in the morning; both of us crawled onto his bed, dead tired, and fell asleep.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Two months later, Evan was finally able to cut back on his hours at work and get some much needed free time between working and sleeping to spend with Elizabeth and his little daughter Sara. Liz was absolutely thrilled to have more family moments together. They took Sara to the beach for the first time. Evan and Liz took turns holding Sara as they waded out into the water. Sara loved it and splashed her hands into the water. She didn’t even cry when some salt water got into her eye. She just blinked it away and went about her happy splashing. Evan was there to see Sara take her first wobbly steps which the couple made sure was well documented using camcorders and camera phones. She tottered from the coffee table over to her kneeling smiling daddy and buried her face into his chest. Evan wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head.

The long awaited double date with Gavin and Sydney took place on a Sunday night which was a convenient time for everyone’s schedule including Ms. Lenton who was going to babysit for Evan and Liz. Sydney suggested the Thai restaurant that she and Gavin had their first date at:
Thai Moon
. Everyone got dressed up and met each other there. Elizabeth was so excited about being able to get all dressed up that Sydney had to persuade her not to wear a full length gown. Liz wore a very flattering green dress that complimented the flecks of green in her hazel eyes as well as contrasting nicely with her fair skin. Her long black hair was in a bun with some tendrils framing her face. Sydney wore a simple but cute burgundy dress. Evan wore a cream sweater beneath his tan jacket paired with tan dress pants. His outfit went well with his chocolate skin and his fresh fade. Evan was only a year older than Liz and Sydney but he had an old soul that made him come off as around Gavin’s age. Gavin wore a dark grey suit with a burgundy dress shirt. It was the first time Gavin had met Evan.