20. Banks
Two months later…
I adjusted my red tie in the mirror, putting the finishing touches on my suit for Leilani’s big night.
It was the night of her exhibit with Blaque, and she was extremely nervous.
Lately, she’d been working overtime on perfecting all her pieces.
She would lock herself in the room for hours to the point I’d have to make her get out to eat and rest. After tonight, she’d be able to breathe again.
Leilani had been secretive about the theme of the exhibit. She said it was top secret, and Blaque wanted everyone to be surprised. She didn’t allow me in the room or anything while she worked. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d come up with.
Since she was already at the venue, I asked Paisley to ride with me. Of course, my sister wouldn’t miss it for the world. Just as I was brushing my hair and oiling my beard, I heard my front door open.
“I’ll be out in a minute, Pai!” I yelled out to her. I looked myself over in the mirror once more before spraying on my cologne and going out to meet her. My mouth clamped shut when I saw my parents standing there with her.
My mother was the first to speak, complimenting me as she strutted over to me and adjusted my tie. “Well, don’t you look nice, son.”
We hadn’t spoken much since I expressed how I felt, so I was baffled to see her. I opened my mouth to speak, but she held her finger up.
“Let me talk, Banks,” she demanded. A weary sigh parted her lips as tears clouded her eyes.
“I heard you, Banks. I heard you, and I’m sorry.
You know I love you and your siblings more than anything.
You are right. I should’ve listened to you.
I should’ve heard you and not pushed you so hard.
It’s something I still need to work on, but I am more than willing to do the work. I love you.”
To hear her finally take accountability and acknowledge my feelings, healed parts of me she never would have imagined she’d damaged. I wrapped my arms around her body and kissed her forehead.
“Thank you, Mom. I needed to hear that. I love you too.”
Light sniffles escaped her nose. “I also owe Leilani an apology. She was being a true woman by sticking up for you. She truly earned my respect.”
“Mine too,” Dad chimed in, placing his hands on Mom’s shoulders. I think she’s good for you, son.”
“We all do. I can’t wait for Justin and Scarlett to meet her.”
“Me either. I know it’s going to make her feel good seeing y’all there.”
I grabbed Leilani’s bouquet of sunflowers and led my family out to the truck waiting for us. We arrived at the venue about twenty-five minutes later, and I couldn’t believe the number of people there to see my girl and all she’d created.
“Wow. This is a great turnout, and I know more people will come,” Paisley expressed as we stepped out the truck and onto the red carpet.
“Hell yeah. Let me go find her.”
I was on a mission.
I ignored all the flashing lights from the cameras and people calling out to me.
My mind was on getting to Leilani. When I pushed through the double doors and past the velvet curtains, I stopped in my tracks.
For a second, I thought my eyes were deceiving me.
They scanned around the room, bypassing all the people and took in Leilani’s art.
“Oh, my goodness.” Mom gasped with her hand over her heart. “Banks, did you know about this?”
“I did!” Paisley enthusiastically admitted. She looped her arm in mine and snickered. “She loves you, Banks.”
If Leilani never expressed it with words, she did it with her art.
The exhibit was of me. She’d created an array of pieces to capture me, especially when I was in baseball mode.
There were black and white drawings, vibrant paintings, fine line sketches, and anything else an artist could think of or use to create.
I’d never been speechless before, but I had no words.
She was close.
The hairs on my arms rose, and my heart fell into a rapid rhythmic beat only she could cause. Her intoxicating yet inviting scent kissed my nose before my eyes fell on her.
Damn.
I didn’t get a chance to see her before she left, and she looked so damn good.
I’d purposely chosen a white suit with red accents to match her dress since I’d only seen a picture of it.
The white dress with red playing peek-a-boo on the inside looked as if she’d personally painted it on her body.
The split came up to her mid-thigh, and the dress was strapless.
Her locs were pulled into a neat bun with curly pieces framing her face and neck.
Leilani wasn’t big on makeup, but whoever did hers did a hell of a job.
My girl was stunning.
“What do you think?” she questioned, slowly walking up to me with a pleased grin.
I handed her the sunflowers and gently kissed her cheek, careful not to mess up her makeup. “I think you’ve been holding out on me. No wonder you were being so secretive.”
“Just a little. Come. Let me show you my favorite one, then we can mingle with everyone else.”
Leilani led me to a room on the other side of the venue where no one else was, only us. She closed the door behind me before going over to a velvet curtain. “You ready?”
“Of course.”
When she pulled the curtain back, a lump formed in my throat I couldn’t swallow. I ran my hands down my face as my legs glided me over for a closer look.
“Is this the one you’ve been working on for months? From the night you asked me to create me?”
“Yes. I would’ve been done, but each day with you, I thought of something else to add.”
I wasn’t sure how the hell she did it, but Leilani created a colorful portrait of me using words to describe me.
Loving.
Caring.
Attentive.
Worthy.
Selfless.
Pure.
Smart mouth.
It was unreal how she could create something so meaningful, something so constructive, and plainly write out how she viewed me.
“Aw, don’t cry, Banks.” Leilani swiped away my tears with her thumb, but they continued to fall just as quickly.
Gently, I gripped her by the wrist and meshed my body into hers. The overwhelming emotions coursing through my body were something I’d never felt before. For the first time in my life, I could tell a woman, “I love you, Leilani.”
She smiled and pecked my lips. “I know, Banks. I love you too.”
At Last