16. Psalm #2
“Mega told me surface-level information, so I looked up Selective Auditory Processing Collapse on my own.
And although it's a condition, its characteristics were fascinating. Selective mutism? I can only imagine how overwhelming it can be for someone experiencing it, but as a man in medicine, it sparked my interest.”
I paused.
“I also got a better understanding of the episode you had that night, and for that, again, I'm sorry.”
I signed the last part.
“You researched my condition, huh?” she asked, smirking.
“I mean, yeah. I hyper-fixate on what intrigues me. Want to live and breathe it.”
The moment those words left my mouth, I realized I had just lost a punch on my playa card. Juliet’s cheeks turned pink and her dimples made an appearance, making the whole confession feel even worse because hell, after saying that shit out loud, my face probably looked a little flushed too.
I quickly looked away.
“Anyway,” I continued. “I clicked on an article about Dr. Pristine creating your hearing aids. Do you know your ears cost more than Rwanda Gorilla Trekking?”
“While I've never priced Gorilla Trekking, Yahya never lets me forget the cost of my ears. She calls them my Birkins.”
I laughed. “That sounds exactly like some shit Yahya would say. But back to answering your question, I also read in the article that there are only thirteen known cases of S.A.P.C.”
Her smile faded into curiosity. I reached out and lightly tapped the tip of her nose. This was officially becoming my love language. Because seeing those eyes flutter every time I touched her there was a high I never wanted to come down from.
“Lucky number thirteen,” I finished.
Probably for the first time in Juliet's life, she didn't have an attitude or a comeback.
Just a stare.
“That’s why?” she asked softly.
“That’s why.”
An awkward silence crept in, not uncomfortable, just expectant. We both knew what all our arguments had really been about. The witty, flirtatious banter we’d danced around. The tension neither one of us had named. And there was a mutual understanding of why I served Nazir the way I did.
The only thing left to discuss was whether Lucky had thought about what I said.
About what it meant to be mine.
“You thought about it?” I asked, giving no context.
“Yup,” she signed.
My heartbeat picked up.
“And?”
She stood and placed her hands on her hips.
“Echo is a permanent factor in my life, but we have an understanding. However, if you want me, you need to ask appropriately. Ultimatums aren't courting. And, you have to tell Echo about us.”
I nodded. Couldn't even argue with that.
“Respect.”
I stood and Juliet immediately narrowed her eyes suspiciously as I walked toward a closet where we stored random things.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Being appropriate.”
The closet door opened and a moment later I emerged holding a large gift bag. It was covered in rockets, planets, astronauts, stars, and every other science-themed image imaginable.
When I turned around, she had the most perfect look of confusion on her face.
Walking back to where she stood, hands still planted firmly on her hips, I dropped down on one knee.
Juliet’s mouth fell open.
“Psalm. What in the world?”
Holding up the heavy gift bag like it was a ring box, I cleared my throat.
“Juliet Everette.”
Her eyes widened.
“Would you give me the honor of being my girlfriend?”
Then I signed:
Please.
She let out that giggle I was quickly becoming addicted to and reached for the bag but suddenly stopped herself, letting her arms fall to her sides.
Immediately, my stomach tightened.
Was she about to shoot me down?
“What about the last thing I asked you to do?”
Relief flooded through me.
“Oh.”
“I thought ultimatums weren’t courting?”
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“This is more of a requirement,” she challenged.
I scratched the back of my head.
“I’ll work on that.”
“Sooner than later.”
She demanded it more than she asked.
Shit.
Maybe I needed to rethink this my damn self. Lucky was going to drive me insane.
Then again, if the price of having her was sitting down with the giant obstacle standing between me and mine, then it was what it was.
“Sooner.”
I signed the word, copying her hand motion the best I could with one hand while balancing this heavy-ass bag with the other. That earned me a smile. A real one.
“Then yes,” she said.
Her hands moved slowly and intentionally, making sure I understood the sign.
“I’ll be your girlfriend.”
Back on my feet, I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and handed her the gift bag.
The second she opened it, those beautiful almond-shaped eyes grew three sizes larger and her mouth fell open in shock as she pulled the Orbi box free. The newest release. The impossible-to-get-once-it-sold-out release. The members-only release. The exact one she'd missed because of pledging ARS
For a moment, she simply stared at it, running her fingers across the packaging as if she was making sure it was real. Just pure wonder. And honestly, watching her reaction made every favor I called in worth it.
“How?” she asked.
“I know people, Lucky, small steps to a giant,” I bragged.
The look on her face told me that wasn’t what she meant, but I already knew that.
Embarrassed, I admitted I overheard her telling Mega and Yahya why she would have to miss the release. That it was her pouting loudly that drew me into the conversation.
At least that's what I told myself.
Truth was, I just wanted her happy.
Even if we hadn't become as close as we are now, I would've found some way to get that Orbi set to her without her knowing it came from me.
“But we were enemies then,” she whimpered, poking out her bottom lip.
Taking the box from her hands, I placed it on the computer chair and swiftly lifted her into the air. Her legs wrapped around my waist while her hands settled into the back of my head, fingers lazily combing through my curls.
I stared at her, deeply, allowing myself to take in all the things that made up Juliet Everette. Going beneath the surface and falling in love with her charisma, strength and her ability to stand ten toes down on what she believed in.
She was beautiful, yeah, but beauty had never really been my problem.
Beauty came naturally to almost every Black woman I'd ever met, regardless of age.
The strength to persevere when life becomes heavy.
The ability to show up every day well put together, ready to work, ready to nurture, extending grace while simultaneously carrying burdens most people would crumble under.
Even when misunderstood. Even when labeled as bratty, obnoxious, difficult, or too much.
Somehow, they still found a way to rise.
Juliet embodied all of that and then some.
What got me wasn't her face, even though God clearly took His time there.
It was her spirit. The way she moved through life, refusing to let her condition define her.
The way she challenged me. The way she loved her family.
The way she carried herself with confidence while still allowing herself to be soft with the people she trusted.
Every part of her made me want to be better, want to protect her, want to build a life sturdy enough that she never had to question whether someone was in her corner.
I would work as hard as I needed so she doesn't have to. I'll carry whatever burdens she'll allow me to carry, lighten the ones she won't, and spend every day building a level of emotional security around her that life itself couldn't tear down.
Her eyes softened, and I felt her thumbs brush against the back of my neck.
“You keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” I whispered into her mouth before kissing her.
Shakespeare’s Romeo never got the chance to love his Juliet out loud.
But I damn sure would.