Ife walks into the ice cream parlour, she’d seen her friends sitting around the table by the window. She’s now bathed and changed into another cashmere set, and UGGs warm her feet and wards off the cold; she’ll needs all the comfort she can muster for this conversation. It is after all, twenty-two years and change coming.
They stand when she walks in, but one knows he will be staying behind after the others leave. She still wouldn’t look at him.
‘I’m happy for your two.’ Ife says, taking Jacob’s hand and squeezing it before pulling him into a hug, one he is grateful for. ‘Know that you will always be my best friend no matter what. I am happy you have each other, and I will always have your back. Always.’ She presses a quick kiss on his cheek. ‘If either of you hurt each other you will have to decide whom I get to kill first.’
Jacobs laughs, it is so like her to reach out with love first. That is quintessentially Ife. ‘Thank you.’ He leans in for another hug and the other two pile on. They took it on from the children.
‘We love you.’
Rellie, palms one side of Ife’s cheek and Zainab the other, a look of love passes among them. Zainab smiles, because she knows what this means for her friend. A love like this could never be forgotten. Phew! In the end it paid off. Rellie leans in and kisses her on the head before they walk out.
It is time.
Hendrix remains standing waiting on her to sit when it is just the two of them.
‘I’ll be a minute.’ She says still not really looking at him. She pops into the kitchen where she knows Marinella is. ‘I will lock up for you.’
‘Okay.’ Her friend does not need to ask her any questions; it is obvious she needs a place away from prying ears. Before walking out Marinella gives her a hug meant to communicate something more to her.
Ife gets it.
Finally, alone in the ice cream shop, she sits opposite the man she has loved all her life, father to two of her children, the man who left an indelible mark on her heart.
‘Hi.’
‘Hello.’
‘Why won’t you look at me?’
Ife raises her eyes to meet his and she sees it all, the years of hurt and pain and love swirling in his ambers.
‘How are you?’ Hendrix asks.
‘I’ve been better.’
‘Long time no speak.’
‘We have a lot to catch up on.’
‘I met the twins. They ambushed me at the church, got this train in motion.’
‘Hendrix I can tell you I’m sorry till the cows come home, and it wouldn’t be enough, but I am so sorry.’ A tear falls, and then another, and another… they wouldn’t stop falling. She buries her face behind her hands and cries.
‘Hey.’ Hendrix reaches for her, but she wouldn’t let him, so he takes the seat beside her, brings an arm around her and leans in close. ‘Please don’t cry.’
‘I am so sorry.’ She tries to stem the flow of her tears, but they won’t let up, so he pulls her into him, she cries some more, and he let her. She didn’t know it yet, but he was never letting her go. Not this time.
When the tears eventually give her a reprieve she said, ‘this wasn’t how I wanted you to find out. I was going to come to you when I found out I was pregnant, I was going to leave Tristan and come to you but my mother… she forbade me to, so I went to America, so I could have the moment for us away from everyone else. Where it was only me and our children. And then…then everything just fell to pieces. This wasn’t how I wanted to tell you.’
‘I know.’ He thumbed her hand, that feeling of her on his skin, gelded him. ‘A lot has happened, and I don’t want to look back anymore. I only want to go forward from here my love. Your brother told me everything.’
‘You talked to Emerson?’
‘Yes. He is so worried about you and feels guilty because he thinks he should have done a better job looking out for you. He wanted to come but he didn’t think you would forgive him. From what I understand he had it out with your old man.’
‘Oh Emerson.’ Fresh tears fall and Hendrix wipes them away with his thumb, gently caressing her.
‘Look at me my darling.’
She does as he says but before he can say anything Ife says, ‘I love you. I’ve never stopped loving you, I would do anything, anything at all, to make it up to you because I never want to live my life without you ever again.’
‘Will you marry me?’ He could sit here, and they could talk things out till they ran out of words to say to each other, because there will never be enough words to describe the love he has for her or the need he has of her. She said those three little words to him and that is all he needs to know.
‘What did you say?’
‘You heard me. Will you marry me?’ A small smile tethers on the corner of his mouth. ‘You said you’d do anything to make it up to me and that is what I want.’
That wild smile of hers sparks her eyes and right before him he sees the years ahead for the both of them together. ‘I love you. Yes I would love to marry you.’
Hendrix pulls her close, sealing them with a kiss for all time. And the many lifetimes to come.