Jude paused to think, but decided it wasn’t anything she wanted to share. Her heart, soul, and mind knew what she would marry for. She left, leaving her mother and that question in the bright room at the back of the house. As she walked up the stairs, Roman said, “Good morning, Hummingbird.”
“It is morning. As for good…”
“You doing okay?” When she looked down at him, he was smiling—warm and welcoming, a gladiator with the heart of the sun inside.
For him, Jude returned a smile, though it was small. She sighed, “I don’t know anymore.”
“You’re stronger than you realize.” He nodded.
Wanting to believe him, she said, “Sometimes I forget.”
“Remember who you are on the inside. You’re strong and fast. Smart and brave. Never forget who you are.”
When Ryan died, Roman had been there for her when her family had mentally checked out. When they returned to their day-to-day, like he had never existed, they blamed her, her stepfather leading the charge…
“If you hadn’t convinced him to go to California, he wouldn’t have been going to the luggage store.”
“You preyed on his kindness by convincing him of your lies. He could have gone to college here in the city. But no, you were always trying to get his attention and when he believed you, you wrote his death sentence.”
Her friend, her only friend other than Hazel, touched her shoulder. Her eyes flicked up to his and he said, “Be brave, Hummingbird.”
She nodded, taking his words to heart. In her room, she went to the back of her closet, dug into a pair of Prada heels, and pulled out Hazel’s phone number. She wanted to talk to him, to see him, to hold him, to cry for him, to marry him. But she wouldn’t call him. It would show on the bill. And she had to protect him from them, from her parents. She had to protect him for herself.
She tucked the number into her pocket, slipped on a pair of flats, and grabbed a light sweater, then waited on the edge of her bed for eleven o’clock. At ten fifty-eight she ran downstairs and out the front door. She had no time to waste, so she hailed a cab and went to Hazel’s apartment. She twisted the ring around her finger the whole ride over. Everything she felt for him hung in the balance of her heart, teetering between love and devastation. She needed to know how he was. She needed to see him, to touch him, to love him.
Entering his building made her feet lighter. She was being carried on the wings of euphoria, each step easier than the last. She wasn’t walking to her future. She was running toward it. Taking a breath, she held it, and knocked on his door.
The door opened and he stood there with his lips parted and confusion furrowing his brow. “Jude?”
Throwing herself forward, she jumped up and wrapped her body around his and kissed him. Then, again. He kicked the door closed and held her against it. When they parted, they remained close enough to share their panting breaths. He said, “You’re here.” When he pressed his abs against her center her head knocked hard on the wood and he kissed the exposed skin of her neck where it met her shoulder.
He was strong. He was virile. He was not sick. That much was obvious to her eyes, but she had to know for sure. “Hey,” she said, bringing his face up to see hers.
Lowering her down until her feet touched, he said, “I thought we were meeting at the park?”
“I couldn’t wait.”
His glorious smile chose to shine on her. “I’m glad you didn’t. Do you want to go to the bedroom?”
Giggling, she replied, “Yes, so much, but I need to talk to you first.”
“Okay.” He walked to the couch and she stared at him, stunned. Jeans that hung low. No shirt. Boxers peeking out the top, and a V that directed her eyes below the waistband. He was an alluring tease as he stood there waiting for her to join him. Sitting on the couch, he patted it. “C’mere.”
She started walking on shaky legs. As she passed the bar, she debated if she should stay there to preserve clarity. That seat next to him was tempting, but she knew she’d be flat on her back within seconds. So she hurried to his side and sat down. His hands were instantly on her. “You know how much I love this dress on you, but man, I want it off so badly.”
He lowered her straps, but she stopped him. “We need to talk first, then we can get to the action.” She backed up a bit and put her hands out. “Wait on that side of the couch or we’ll never get to talk.”
Chuckling, he moved. “I’ll be good. What do you want to talk about?”
“I want to marry you.”
Taylor automatically started moving closer to her again when she said that. “I’m glad to hear that. I want to marry you.”
“What were you thinking about for the ceremony? Because I was thinking we elope. Just do it.”
His eyes flashed with an excitement. “You want to go to City Hall? No ceremony? No white dress? No pomp and circumstance?”
“None of it. Just you and me, Hazel. That’s all I need.”
Suspicion crossed his face. “Has something happened with your family?”
“No, everything is fine.” She moved closer to him and touched his leg. Looking him in the eyes, she said, “I just want to be your wife for as long as we both shall live.” Testing him. Seeing if he would tell her.
He didn’t flinch. He only smiled bigger. “I want you to be my wife for as long as we both shall live too.” Looking down, he said, “I like that you’re still wearing the ring.”
“I’ll wear it the rest of my life.”
Touching her leg, he leaned in and kissed her. “So you really want to elope today?”
“I do.”
“You stole my line.”
“I think we can share it.”
“Fifty-fifty from here on out. Do you want to go shopping?”
“No,” she said, confidently. “It’s the dress I met you in. It’s the dress you tell me I’m beautiful in, so it’s the dress I want to marry you in.”
“To be fair, I tell you you look beautiful in everything you wear.”
“I can give you that,” she said, then laughed.
Standing up, he said, “Give me ten minutes and we can go.”
“I’ll give you a lifetime, if you give me yours.”
“Deal, baby.” He walked into the bedroom.
Jude sat on his couch, waiting, debating if she should tell him she knows.
Pro – If she tells him, he’ll know she married him despite his illness.
Con – If she tells him, he may change his mind about marrying her.
Pro – If she doesn’t tell him, one day he’ll know she married him despite his illness.
Con – If she doesn’t tell him, he may change his mind about marrying her.
Ugh! This was getting her nowhere. She would have to go with her gut.
Hazel came out and spun for her with some fancy footwork added for special effect. Smiling she said, “That’s my favorite suit on you.”
“It’s now my marrying suit.” He stuck his arm out for her. “You ready to go?”
“Ready.”
They spent three hours getting a birth certificate for Jude and then headed to the bureau. After some research online, they applied for the license and left, but Taylor still felt like he should apologize. “It’s only twenty-four hours.”
“We can wait twenty-four hours.”
They walked hand in hand down the street. “Hey, Jude?”
“Yeah?”
“What if you didn’t return home tonight? What if we started our life together now? What will happen?”
She tugged him closer. “They’ll be upset, but they’ll have to deal with it. We’ll be married when they see me again.” Stopping, she faced him. “We can petition for my rights or if I can’t get them, as my husband, you can.”
The tips of his fingers ran from her temple down her neck. Goose bumps covered her skin. “We’ll go to court and get your rights back. I promise. I’ll do everything in my power to give you your freedom back. I’ll do anything for you.”