Epilogue
The moment I stepped backstage at Noa’s show, I realized I’d brought too many damn flowers.
I’d filled the backstage area with tulips, peonies, sunflowers, and roses.
If it was at the shop, it was here. I slid the last bouquet of peonies I had in hand on a nearby table and stepped back, admiring my work.
Somehow, it still didn’t feel like enough to show her how proud of her I was tonight.
My eyes darted around the room, scanning through the models and assistants before locking in on Noa, who was sitting near the corner looking beautiful, wrapped in a silky, burgundy robe as she dressed one of the models. I walked over to her slowly and waited for her to finish.
“Hey,” I said. “I brought you another bouquet. I sat it over there.” She turned and blinked when she saw the bouquet.
“Quade!” She laughed, covering her mouth. “I think I have enough flowers. At this rate, I’m going to be sending bouquets home with the guests.”
“I don’t see the problem. You get a flower. You get a flower. Everybody gets a flower.” I pointed around the room as Noa laughed.
“You’re too much!” she said, and I leaned down and kissed her, right there in front of everybody. She didn’t know it yet, but she was going to be mine officially tonight.
“Show starts in five!” someone called.
“I’ll get to my seat. Congratulations, baby.” I gave her one last kiss on the forehead and then turned to walk toward my seat. I hadn’t made it two steps before someone brushed my shoulder.
“My bad, my guy.” I looked up to see Noa’s ex nigga standing there. We locked eyes for half a second before his soft ass started talking. “I just came to tell Noa congratulations.” He smirked.
“I already told her.” I let my mug linger long enough to remind him of that ass whupping I gave him that time I’d pulled up on his ass. He knew not to try me.
“You got it.” He looked away as he walked back the way he had come.
I was actually glad he was in the building to watch me propose to the girl he couldn’t love right.
Lame ass nigga. I stepped out to the front, adjusting the box in my coat pocket for the twentieth time, my heart pounding with nerves as I took my seat next to Jess and Teagan.
I settled into my seat, my heart doing that little thumping shit again.
The models glided down the runway in Noa’s designs, and all I could do was smile.
Every piece was dope as hell, just like her paintings.
I loved all the rich browns and bold prints.
She said she wanted to flood the world with brown skin tones, and she’d accomplished just that.
I couldn’t stop smiling. I was damn proud of her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to bring out the beautiful woman who created the artwork for this collection,” the MC announced as the lights dimmed low, and the music switched to our song, the one we had recorded together in the studio that night.
It was the one that had paved the way for me to get back into the booth, back into my craft.
I leaned forward a little, slipping my hand in my pocket.
That was my cue. It was showtime. I blew out the breath I’d been holding and waited for Noa to appear.
She rolled out from the back, head high, wearing one of her own designs: a soft, flowing, chocolate-brown dress with golden trim.
She was so fucking beautiful. She sat at the other end of the runway like she was waiting for something, then someone stepped forward with a walker.
My eyebrows bunched together as she stood from her wheelchair and grabbed onto the walker.
I damn near forgot how to breathe. I’d never seen her do that.
The whole crowd gasped like we were all collectively stunned.
She was walking. My baby was walking. Yeah, it was a little slow and shaky, but she was doing it.
Her eyes locked on mine like I was the only thing keeping her going, and I just sat there, frozen, choked up, tears in my eyes.
I knew what it had taken her to get here.
I knew her daily struggles just to do simple things.
“Brother, get down!” Jess nudged me as Noa got closer.
Shit, I’d forgotten that quickly what I was supposed to be doing.
I scrambled to my feet. My knees buckled a little, but I caught it and dropped to one knee.
The crowd hushed as Noa made it to the end of the runway, tears streaming down her face as she realized what I was doing.
“Quade!” She gasped. She was gripping the walker for dear life as she reached out and pressed her palm to my cheek.
“You walked the runway,” I whispered.
“Yeah.” She nodded through her tears, voice soft. “Been working on it with Dr. Easton and the physical therapist for months. Wanted to surprise you.”
“I was supposed to be the only one with surprises tonight.” I pulled the ring box from my pocket and popped it open. The whole room gasped again. Someone handed me a mic, and I spat the first few lines from the song right there on one knee.
“You ain’t too much, baby. You perfect. You fly through storms,… broken wings still workin’. I ain’t your cure, but I’m hopin’. You and I together,… we pretty little birds, out here swervin’.” The beat faded, and I stared at Noa as I spoke from the heart.
“I ain’t never felt this way about anybody, and every day with you has been a damn blessing.
You gave me peace I didn’t know I needed.
You made me wanna fight harder and love softer.
I know my past has been heavy. But you never saw my flaws.
You brought light to all the dark places in my life.
My sunshine. I don’t wanna take another step in this life unless it’s with you.
” I grabbed her left hand and removed the ring from the box.
“So, Noa Lee Green, will you be my wife?” I slid the ring on her finger, not even waiting for a response.
“Yes!” she shouted so everyone in the room could hear, and applause erupted across the room.
Teagan let out a little cheer, and Jess was straight up sobbing into Ron’s shirt.
I stood to my feet, swooped her up, and placed my lips on hers.
We stayed like that for a minute, her forehead pressed to mine as everyone snapped pictures and cheered us on.
I looked around the room and then back at my future wife as the bonus song from my number one album played in the background. I had everything they tried to take from me: love, success, and peace. They tried to clip my wings, but I still flew.