Unspoken

Just kidding! Leela was done with that chapter, or no, maybe encyclopedia, of her life. She was happy... really happy with herself and with her studies, and even loved her horrible professors who acted like tyrants, as she obtained her doctorate. She had worked hard and created a new ideology for the business world and for the future of business, technology, and diversity. Leela walked across the stage with pride! "Yessssss!!!!!," proclaimed Leela as she received her final degree, with tears filling her eyes but never missing a step. "I made it.." "THAT'S MY BABY!...that's my girl!...THATS MY FUTURE WIFEANDMOTHEROFMYKIDS!!" (Any and everyone was shouting with pure joy). The glorious hymns made Leela's heart soar! She did not know where the calls were coming from, but she heard them each, loud and clear. Heart filled with joy, future filled with success, and life filled with...well life. Leela had been through the wire... but not once did she falter. Okay... maybe she faltered a bit, due to extremities of life, of death, and of the heart... but even in the face of death, she refused to falter. Understand, Leela went through some extreme circumstances, extreme heartbreaks that were not always a result of a man, and school, plus work...oh what fun it is to run in this thing we call life. Unfortunately, though, the man Leela thought was better than Romel, turned out to be a chronic cheater. Once again, placing and making Leela feel as though she second. She was tired of being second and decided to put herself first! Romel was no different, though. He had undergone some changes in his life, even with the realization of who he truly loved and who he needed to lose to come to that realization; though it took longer than he had realized. He was able to break free from a practice that wasn't helping him to excel in the manner that everyone knew he could. His successful, privately owned practice even had some of his old colleagues wanting to join his team. He learned to differentiate how to communicate with his clients versus being that shoulder and listening ear to his family and friends, and recreated bonds that needed repair. Both Leela and Romel shared many years together and some apart, which helped them both on their individual journeys. Those journeys led them to a day that would be marked on their calendars for years to come. A double wedding!! Yes! The brides walked down the aisle, beautiful, bright eyes, flowing hair that was topped with a veil and tiara. The grooms waited patiently. One had started to tear up, as he reminisced on all the years, the pain, laughs, obstacles, the happiness, the breaks in between, and the make ups, that him and his now future wife had endured, bringing them to this moment. Yes, a double wedding was happening on the same beach that Romel was hosting a surprise graduation party for Leela. Gotcha! Remember, this was never meant to be a love story... Romel brought Leela to the cabana, blindfolded, where both of their family and friends stood, quietly awaiting for her to take her blindfold off. "Are we about to get kinky on the beach cause I'm down," Leela started to shake her hips, not knowing her father's face had dropped in disappointment, while others laughed silently. "Leela! Shh! Let me take this blindfold off of you immediately! " Romel wasted no time taking the blindfold off. "SURPRISE!!!" Everyone shouted in unison as Leela's eyes grew wide, and her mouth fell open in amazement. She hugged everyone in arms proximity before turning towards Romel, hugging him tightly and then gently kissing his lips. "Oh my goodness! This is so incredible! Thank you all so much. Oh my goodness, gifts?! Aww, you all didn't have to do this," Leela continued to speak to family and friends, and that was until she noticed her mother's eyes widen and placed her hand over her mouth. "Mom!? What's wro... " stopped in her tracks, Leela turned around, looking out towards the double wedding in a distance, then down, where her gazed upon Romel, down on one knee. "You know I don't like being cheesy, but here we are. I couldn't think of a gift to give you, aside from this party, but then I realized that all you've ever asked for was for my heart. You promised that you'd keep it safe...is that promise still valid? Because if it is, then also promise to stay by my side for all time, while we keep each others hearts safe, no matter what comes our way. Will you be my forever and a day?" Romel looked up at a frozen Leela. Before Leela could even process every word that was beautifully recited, she said, "YES! I promise!" Romel slid the ring onto her finger as he kissed her hand. "I love you, Leela," Sigh. Perhaps the reward is greater when you have patience... just remember not to let things go Unspoken. ■