Chapter 24 Delaney
DELANEY
ONE YEAR LATER
“Surprise!” I jumped, startled at the loud voices that rang out.
Naijhel removed the blindfold from my eyes, and I noticed that I stood in the museum ballroom.
“What’s this?” I asked, turning all around me to see my family, friends, and staff surrounding me.
The room was decked out in lace and silk with gold and black décor. Someone had built a beautiful balloon arch of black, gold, and white to take pictures underneath, and the number thirty-one was made from balloons that hung over the balloon arch.
Black Baccara roses and white tulips created beautiful centerpieces on the table.
“This is your birthday celebration, big baby,” Naijhel explained. “I’ve been working with Damaris and Aria to pull together this surprise party for you without you knowing. I swear it wasn’t easy.”
“That makes sense. I’ve been noticing you on calls, running more errands, and just acting real covert lately.”
“Covert?” he asked, laughing. “What’s this? CIA or something?”
“I don’t know. You had me wondering.”
He chuckled and tipped my chin up to kiss my lips. When he pulled back, he stated, “I hope you didn’t think I was cheating on you.”
“I would never think that, Naijhel. You’ve been too good to me for me to ever question your love or loyalty.”
“You’ve got that right, cuz,” Tanika stated, popping up.
“Did we do good, sis? Let me get in on some of this love,” Aria declared, tugging my arms from around Naijhel. Damaris popped up behind her.
I hugged my sister, my cousin, and then my best friend. “You all did a wonderful job. I had no clue what he was up to, and I never suspected you all of anything.”
“Well, come on in. Everybody wants to love on you.”
They passed me around among family and friends, with my parents hugging me a little longer than the others.
“It’s good to see you happy, Princess,” my daddy stated.
“It’s good to be happy, Daddy.”
“You look so beautiful today, baby,” my mama declared, weeping.
“You okay, Mama? Why are you crying?”
“Nothing. My baby’s just so beautiful.”
Daddy pulled her away and told me to go greet the other people. I was a little worried about her, though, with her crying and all. I had no idea what prompted the tears, and I made a mental note to speak with Aria about it later.
After moving around and talking to people for over an hour, including the Williamses, my feet were hurting, and I was starving.
“I’m hungry, baby. What are you feeding me?” I asked Naijhel when I found him again.
“Come on. They’ve already served the meals. You just need to slow up and eat.”
“What is it? The hors d’oeuvres were great, but I need a meal.”
He laughed as he led me to the head table that had a seat with a banner reading, “The Queen.”
“We’re having braised duck or chicken, rice pilaf, roasted asparagus or steamed green beans, and dinner rolls. Your dessert choices are peach cobbler, apple pie, and caramel, pound, and birthday cakes.”
“Do I have to choose?”
He leaned down before he took his seat and kissed my lips. “You never have to choose. It’s your special day, beautiful.”
“All right, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time to give the birthday girl her birthday gifts. Grab your paddles from underneath your chairs, and let’s start the bidding,” Damaris announced into the microphone.
“Paddles? Bidding?” I muttered, looking at Naijhel and the others who grabbed their paddles. He was the only one who didn’t grab one.
“Damaris thought it would be a great idea to give you presents in an auction style presentation. Pretty much like the auction she held just over a year ago.”
“When we first got together,” I stated, smiling at him.
“Exactly.”
“I like that.” I leaned over and kissed his lips as Damaris explained the rules before she turned the event over to the auctioneer.
As I listened, I was surprised to learn that there were enough gifts for me to receive a new one every month.
Tanika won the first bid. Her gift to me would be a bookstore crawl where I had a budget of five hundred dollars to spend. The thought of that excited me. Tanika loved books as much as I did, and I knew we would have a ball together.
Damaris won the next gift, and it was an antique shopping spree that awarded me two grand. Although she did not get to go nearly as much as she or I would like, Damaris loved shopping for antiques as much as I did.
“I promise that I’ll make time to go more often!” she shouted from the front table back to me. She was positioned near the auctioneer, and everyone laughed.
“I’ll hold you to that, friend, or else you’re fired!” I shouted back, causing everyone to laugh again.
My father outbid everyone on a farmers market shopping trip of five hundred dollars. It was a gift that reminded me of my childhood. He often took me to the farmer’s market to get fresh veggies, and we would come home to cook a delicious meal for everyone.
My mother won the bid on the botanical garden trip; Yogi won the bid to take me to an out-of-state museum; Aria won the bid for a trip to a spa resort for a weekend; Suzette, Naijhel’s sister-in-law, who I had grown extremely close with and had catered tonight’s event, won the bid for the wine tasting weekend trip; Naijhel’s mom won the bid for the cooking class; and Erin won the bid for us to go indoor rock climbing together.
“This next item for bid includes a sunset helicopter tour, a hotel on the river, and a private yacht cruise for the next day. We’ll start the bidding at three grand,” the auctioneer announced.
I gasped because that sounded romantic. I only wanted to do something like that with my man, but everyone got in on the bid.
Naijhel was cool as a cucumber as he silently lifted his cane each time someone drove the price higher.
I didn’t think that he was participating since he hadn’t grabbed a paddle, but he used that cane just as expertly.
The auctioneer, who wasn’t the same man from last year, was rattling off the prices so quickly that I couldn’t understand a word that he was saying until he announced, “Going once, going twice, sold to the man with the cream and gold cane.”
Naijhel gave a cool nod and lifted his Macallan to his lips and took a sip.
“Baby, thank you!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. I heard my dad at the table across from us clearing his throat.
I pulled back and hissed, “Daddy!” People at tables near us laughed.
“I’ll be back. I need to use the restroom,” Naijhel announced, standing.
“You need some help?” I asked, looking at his crotch.
“Girl, you’re gonna get you and me both in trouble by your daddy. Keep playing. That man has his eye on us.”
“But it’s my birthday.” I pouted.
“And you will be very well taken care of tonight. I promise. But in the meantime, I’ll be back.”
He disappeared and people took turns running up to me and wishing me a happy birthday. I made small talk with several other people as I maneuvered around the room until the lights dimmed.
“What’s going on now?” I asked Aria, who stood beside me as we spoke with my aunt and uncle.
“Girl, your guess is as good as mine,” she stated, looking all around.
“We have one final prize to be auctioned tonight, ladies and gentlemen. This is the grand prize, and it will go to the highest bidder. It’s not a prize to share, but only one person can own it.”
I was really curious as I looked at Damaris across the room, who also shrugged in confusion.
“We’ll start the bidding at a grand on this prize. Whoever wins the bid will become Mrs. King,” the auctioneer announced.
The curtains opened, and my man stepped out on that stage with that BDE swagger, wielding his cane so smoothly.
“What the hell?” I asked as paddles around the room started going up, and the auctioneer kept calling out prices.
I looked around the room for an extra paddle but could not find one; even my mama was throwing her paddle up. She was catching major side-eye from my father, but that didn’t stop her. Aria, Damaris, and Tanika were all in on it.
I was getting more upset by the minute as I rushed around looking for one. Finally, not finding a free paddle, I snatched the one from my mama’s hand and lifted it in the air at the price of five grand as I rushed to the front.
“This young lady’s eager to claim her prize, but one minute.”
He kept driving the price up, and everyone kept bidding. It didn’t stop until the price reached one million. I threw my paddle down and snatched the microphone from the auctioneer’s hand. He stared at me in outrage and then started laughing.
“Listen, I know it’s my birthday and that I’m supposed to behave.
But y’all might as well put your paddles down because that man on that stage isn’t going home with anyone but me.
I will be the next female in line to carry the last name King.
I will be the only woman to say ‘I Do’ to that man on stage, and I will be the only one to carry his babies.
Now, if you chicken heads thought something other than that, pick up your feelings, ’cause it ain’t happening, sis. ”
Everyone started laughing, and Naijhel slow pimped his ass off the stage and headed toward me. He was as cool as he had been all night, but only I could tell just how nervous he was. I could see it in his eyes and the slight moisture along his hairline when he stood in front of me.
“Delaney, your journey to a road of happiness was not an easy one. It was littered with broken glass, shards of rock, and dirt along the way. But God saw fit to not only help you find healing and wholeness, but he cleansed you, refined you, and made your light shine so brightly that it couldn’t help but shine into the darkness in my life.
“I suffered heartache over losing my father, and after that, I didn’t think I was capable of loving anyone other than those I already held in my heart.
But watching your strength and your passion for life forced me to take a deeper look within.
I not only wanted what you had, but I wanted you.
I wanted to protect and love you, push away everything that meant you harm, and care for you all the days of my life.
“I love you, Delaney. The fact that I can stand here and say that when I didn’t think I was capable of loving anyone, it shows how powerful your love and beauty is.
You are an amazing woman who touches the lives of all those you come in contact with.
What some meant for your tragic downfall turned into a beautiful blessing for you and I. ”
He laid that cane down on the floor beside us, kneeled, and reached inside of his pocket to pull out a jewelry box. I gasped. Sure, we had talked about it, but I still couldn’t believe that it was finally happening.
He opened the box and showed me the ring. The ring that he pulled out was exquisite. It was oval shaped with a large, pink center diamond surrounded by dozens of tiny, pink diamonds.
“A king and his empire is incomplete without his queen ruling by his side. I need my queen. Would you fill that void in my heart and my life and marry me?”
My mother’s tears suddenly made sense. She knew this moment was coming.
“Yes!” I nodded as the tears fell and my hands were clapped over my mouth. He reached up for my hand, and I heard Aria shout from the back, “Girl, give that man your hand!”
Everyone laughed again, and I held out my hand. He so graciously slid the ring on my finger, and then he stood. Naijhel pulled me closer in his embrace and slowly kissed my lips.
“I wanted to ask you this long before now, but I refused to rush it. I wanted to make sure that your heart was completely healed, and you were ready to take this journey again, but this time forever. I love you so much, girl. You make me happy every day that you open your eyes and look at me. Every day that you call me your man feels too good to be true.”
“Well, if that’s the case, just wait until I call you ‘husband.’”
He kissed me again, and this time I could feel his erection pressed into my thigh.
“Oh my goodness, Naijhel,” I whispered as everyone applauded us.
“Baby, just turn around and smile,” he whispered. “Wave your hand like a beauty queen so the people can see the ring. All I need is a few seconds to think about worms and puppy dogs, and I’ll be good again.”
I laughed so hard, but I did exactly as he stated. It took a while, as everyone gathered around us to see my ring, but eventually, it went down. After everyone congratulated us, Naijhel asked, “Baby, may I have this dance?”
“When are you going to stop asking that? You know you don’t have to ask to dance with me.”
“I won’t ever grow tired of treating you the way that you deserve to be treated, Del. You’re a very special woman who deserves to be treated like the queen you are.”
“And you, my king, deserve to have anything your heart desires. I will dance with you until my feet can no longer move.”
“And when that happens, I promise to carry you in my arms,” he murmured against my lips.
I let my fiancé hold me and guide me around the room. As we drifted across the floor, I gazed back at his cane. Despite the fact that he used a cane for walking, Naijhel was an excellent dancer.
We had come a long way. I hadn’t heard from Clayton anymore, Naijhel’s law firm had won the case to clear up Greg Yancey, and things were going great at the museum. My debts were all paid, my savings was growing exponentially, and life couldn’t be better.
We danced and laughed and danced some more, kissing throughout our dancing. I glanced around at my family, friends, and staff, and my heart felt full seeing the happy smiles on their faces. But most of all, it was the gleam in Naijhel’s eyes that placed the joy in my heart.
This was the happiest day of my life, and it was a birthday that I would never forget.
I wasn’t sure what I had done to deserve his love, but I was grateful that although my first time around was hell, God had blessed me with a second chance with a man who was not only too damn good, but oh so perfect.
THE END