PEN
Roughly, a year and a half later...
This didn't feel good at all. Norma wouldn't even look at me as she got dressed in complete silence. She pulled her T-shirt over her head, then stalked to the closet as she grabbed a leather jacket. When she swung it over her shoulders, she turned around and looked at me for the first time in forty minutes.
"Are we taking your car or mine," she asked, popping her hip out.
Standing from the bed, I went to the closet to get my own jacket. Even if this was the only thing she said, I was hoping she would ask me this.
"I was thinking we take the bike for a spin," I said, a smile on my face.
Norma stared at me, face devoid of emotion. Slipping her arms into her sleeves, picked up her messenger bag and left the room. I followed behind her, and she was already down the stairs. Taking the steps down two at a time, I snatched the keys from the hook and jogged out the back door. Bounding to the garage, I opened it and climbed onto the bike.
We had been fighting a lot these past two months, but I was hoping it would all be worth it after this ride. It was agonizing watching Norma lose her trust in me because I couldn't tell her my plans. Someone said, things need to fall apart before they come together, and it fell apart hard. The first squabble wasn't bad and was dismissed with a reasonable excuse. By the second week of excuses, she was fed up with me.
There was anger in her eyes when she looked at me. She had waited up for me to come home, and when I did, it exploded. I had never seen her so irate before, but all I did was add fuel to her fire. To change the subject, I would find small things to argue over, things that didn't matter at all. It was these little squabbles that led to her sleeping in another room for a week.
The next time she confronted me, the pain in her voice hurt me to the core. I wanted to cave and come out without, but I wanted this to be perfect. So much time was spent away from home, coming in at all hours of the night, that I couldn't give in. Even when she broke into tears, all I did was hold her until she fell asleep. She hated me right now, but this was going to change her mind.
As we rode through traffic, I felt her tighten her arms around my waist as she leaned forward over my shoulder.
"Where are we going, Narcissus? You know campus is the other way," she shouted over the noise of the bike.
"Just hold on, Puddin. We're taking the scenic route," I replied, smiling over my shoulder at her.
Revving the bike's engine, I gripped the throttle a little tighter and we accelerated onto an empty street. The road ran parallel to the river, and went on for about ten miles. As we got halfway down the road, I let our speed drop to a cruise and smiled as I spotted our first check point.
"Has that always been on this road?"
I smiled as I shook my head. "Nope."
"Pen, what..."
NORMA
My words trailed off as I stared at the iron moniker that had my name on it. It was suspended between two trees that over hung the road, and covered in flowers whose petals fell as we passed underneath. Reaching up, I caught a few of them in my hand and inspected the purple flutters as they came down. Narcissuses.
"What's going on," I asked, excited yet perplexed by the situation.
"You'll see," he replied, and I saw his smile in the side mirror.
This man had a plan, and I was afraid of the ending. Whenever Pen planned something, it was either super romantic or chaotic. Something told me this would be a combination of both.
We soon rode up to another overhanging that was a larger banner with a picture of me on it. My mouth gaped open as I craned my neck back to see it. I had fallen asleep on Pen's lap on a trip we took to a park, and he put wildflowers in my hair. I didn't know he had taken a photo of it.
As we passed under more banners, there were other pictures of me I had never seen before. There was one of me laughing as I laid on the floor of our freshly painted room. One where my hands are reaching toward the sky as I stand in the rain. All of them were displayed like some out door art exhibit, and it made butterflies rage in my tummy. Pen did all of this for me.
Our ride came to an end as we reached the last stretch of road. My eyes widened at where the little adventure had stopped. A large canvas painting hung on the brick wall above the restaurant. There I was, with my chin resting on the back of my hand as I gazed out across a dark river and the slight hint of a smile on my face. It was at this beautiful place that he had snapped this photograph of me; our official first date.
Tears were building in my eyes as I grasped the spokes of the fence. It was magnificent, and I didn't have the words to express how so. When I turned around again, all the air left my lungs.
PEN
Her lips parted in a gasp as she turned to face me. With my hand outstretched, I balanced on one knee as I presented her with a diamond ring. I had been waiting for what felt like eternity for this moment, and the last few months have had me sick with anticipation. My stomach was in knots as I stared up at the love of my life.
"First and foremost, I'd like to tell you how sorry I am for all the stress and pain I've caused you these past months. All I wanted was to make this moment perfect, so I can ask you the most important question I ever have. Maybe I'm not the best at grand gestures, but I know how I want to express my love for you.
"I want to keep waking up next to you every morning, Norma-Jean. Hearing the way you say my name, right when you wake up gives me everything I need to start my day. There isn't anyone more perfect for me than you; I know it's square but you're my root."
This made her laugh as I took her hand in mine. It allowed for me to calm my breathing as well.
"Hearing you laugh like this fills me with so much joy. There's a novel on your lips, because I write new reasons to love you every time you smile. And I hope the smile never leaves your face, so I can publish a series and show the world why they should love you too. Because to me, you're more than beautiful. Your existence drives my soul, and I'd rearrange the entire universe so the stars will always lead me to you."
Closing my eyes, I rested my forehead against her knuckles as I took a deep breath. When I gazed up at her, the morning sun glinted off the tears staining her cheeks.
"What I'm trying to say is..."
NORMA
"...will you marry me?"
Once again I was breathless as I looked down at Pen. I could only nod my head as I sobbed out, covering my mouth soon after. Standing on his feet, he held my shoulders as he grinned at me.
"Yes?" He asked, moving his hands to my face.
I nodded my head again as I found my voice. "Yes!"
Without warning, he crushed his lips onto mine and I had to hold onto his biceps to balance myself. I couldn't explain all the emotions that were coursing through me, but I felt high. All of my body trembled and my knees were weak. Pulling away from the kiss, I took a dramatic gasp of air. Pen laughed as he held me around my waist, then stepped back to look at me.
"I suppose this is yours now."
Holding my hand up, he slipped the ring onto my finger and kissed my knuckles. I admired the stones on the band, then smiled up at my new fiancé. He was perfect.
My face felt hot as I glanced back at the giant photograph of me. All this time I had been upset with him, and he was only trying to make the perfect proposal. I was an idiot for ever thinking otherwise.
"Fuck, I'm so sorry, Narcissus. I acted like a total spaz for nothing, and—I was so shitty to you."
"Hey, it's okay. We'll talk about it later."
Wiping the tears from my eyes, Pen kissed my cheeks and hugged me again. I felt like I was falling in love with him for the first time, but the butterflies were much more intense. My body was light with happiness and I smiled the widest I ever had before. We getting married, he wanted to marry me.
"Come on, we've gotta get to class," I said, taking his hand.
Pen looked at me bewildered and I gave him the same look back.
"What?"
"We just got engaged and you want to go to school?!"
I looked to my left as I pretended to think about it. There was no way I was going to be sitting through lectures for five hours, and be able to concentrate after this. Except, I also wanted to shove my ring in some of the women's faces on campus. I hadn't realized how many women knew 'Alexander Kline' until a quarter of the campus recognized him.
"Nah, not really. Did you have something else planned?"
"Indeed, I do."
Squinting my eyes at him, I accepted his outstretched hand and followed him back to the motorcycle. We climbed on the bike, and I wrapped my arms around his waist as I rested my ear to his back. He revved the engine, then pulled off the sidewalk onto the street.
PEN
There was no better feeling than riding on open road. Windmills and rolling hills rushed by, and the sun was warm on my face. Norma clung to my waist, but moved her hands to rest on my thighs as well. We had been riding for a little more than an hour now, which was fine with me but I could tell she was getting antsy. Her fingers tapped against whatever body part of mine they landed on, then she would dig her nails in a little.
Norma still had minor triggers, that would seem silly to anyone else who didn't know her. She didn't have nightmares as often as she used to, but when she did they kept her up all night. Driving on open roads, despite the anxiety it brought, was something she enjoyed when we were together. Even still, I slowed down to pull over.
"Why are we stopping," she asked, her voice raising an octave higher than normal.
"Because you're panicking," I said, standing up from the motorcycle.
We both got off, and I could see her hands shake as she clenched them. Smoothing my hands over her shoulders, I trailed them down her arms to her hands. Unfurling her fingers, I kissed her palms then held to my chest.
"If feels weird to hold your hand with a ring on it."
"A good weird?"
She was taking deep breaths while keeping her eyes closed. I moved her hands from my chest to my neck, and held her by the waist.
"A great weird. Rings look good on you."
Before kissing my cheeks, she smiled at me and I could feel her body relaxing. When she pulled away, I lifted her chin with the side of my finger and kissed her lips. I know it was ridiculous to think, but I was grateful to be able to feel this for the rest of my life.
"Okay," she said, pulling away again, "I'm ready."
"I'd rather stay like this for awhile, maybe get lost in the corn?"
I raised my eyebrows at her, and she laughed as she shook her head. Poking my bottom lip out, I furrowed my eyebrows at her while pouting. Rolling her eyes, Norma stood on her toes as she leaned into me. A low moan bubbled up from my throat when she bit my lip. She giggled as we parted, then went and sat on the bike.
"You said you had something else planned, I wanna know what it is!"
"Curb your curiosity, and let me have you."
"Pen!"
"Fine! Fine! We'll go, but when we get home, your hands are going on the wall."
Her eyes widened as she stared at me, and I smirked after kissing her forehead. Swinging my leg over the bike, I felt her arms wrap around my waist again. The bike roared to life, and we cruised down the road once more. It didn't take much longer for us to reach our destination. We pulled into the long driveway of the farm house, parking behind several other vehicles and killing the engine. Grabbing her hand, helped Norma off the bike and she creased her eyebrows at me.
"Why are we at Mi'chel's house?"
We walked up the steps together, and I stopped us at the door.
"Give me the knife in your boot."
She bent down and pulled it out, setting it in my open palm. I slipped the weapon into my back pocket, then put my hand on the door handle. Norma covered her eyes at my instruction, and I guided her inside with my hand on her lower back. Keeping my hands on her waist I felt her body jerk back as everyone cheered.
NORMA
"Congratulations!"
I blinked at our family as they surrounded us. Pen was right to have taken my knife. He knew I'd throw it when I got scared. After I recovered from the initial shock, my smile grew at seeing everyone beaming back at me.
"Thank y'all so much."
For the second time today, tears welled in my eyes as I received hugs from everyone. Iris and Emilio hugged me together, while all of my brothers hugged me individually. Mahogany hugged me as she held my nephew in her other arm. Kissing his chubby cheek, I stepped back to wipe more tears from my cheeks. This didn't last long as I saw my father approaching me.
His frame towered over all of us, being just a few inches taller than Pen. Dad stopped in front of him first, holding his hand out for Pen to shake. I smiled at the interaction, then screeched as I was pulled into a hug with the two of them.
"I really am happy for you," he spoke, voice just above a whisper.
"Thanks, Dad."
Pulling away, he patted my cheek with a smile. Everyone began to buzz with conversation around us, and I tugged Pen aside to talk to him.
"How did you even set this up?"
"Dirty little secret."
Pen winked at me, then walked away to join my brothers circle. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him; he was so annoying. Despite that though, I loved him. I loved him so much, that I had accepted the perfect proposal. And that, that was just the start of our forever.
THE END