was a flawless, 5-carat, canary yellow, Harry Winston, square-cut diamond. The sight of the ring and the meaning behind it brought tears to her eyes.
“ Baby,” Jamil said from behind on one knee.
“ Huh?” McKinley spun around swiftly.
“ I know that we’ve had our ups and downs, but I love you and I don’t wanna spend my life with anyone else, but you. Will you marry me?”
“ Are you kidding me? Yes!” McKinley clasped her hands together and jumped up and down.
Jamil grinned. “Give me your hand.”
McKinley extended her left hand and watched in awe as Jamil placed the ring on her finger.
“ It’s beautiful.”
“ You’re beautiful.” Jamil kissed the outside of her hand and stood up.
“ I can’t believe this is happening.” McKinley wrapped her arms around Jamil’s neck and squeezed him tight.
“ I don’t see why. You know that I love you.”
“ I know.” She released her arms from around him and stepped back.
“ It’s just that—” She tried to speak, but couldn’t because tears had started to rise in her throat.
“ Stop.” Jamil pulled her back into his embrace. “I know that things between us ain’t always been good and that’s mostly because of me. But on everything, I love you. I ain’t on that shit no more. I’ma do right by you. Plus, I think it’s time we start having some lil mini-mes runnin’ around here.” He picked her up in his arms and swung her around.
“ You are crazy.” McKinley giggled, feeling like she was about to burst from happiness.
Finally, everything she’d wished for was coming true. She’d prayed for years that this day would come. Jamil was the love of her life. Yes, he came with flaws, but who didn’t? He loved her and she loved him. Anything her heart desired, he provided. Yes, because he was a drug dealer she often found herself at home alone, but to know that she would now have him to herself for the rest of her life was good enough for her.
“ You love me?” Jamil placed her down and planted a deep kiss on her lips.
“ Of course.”
“ Well, come show me how much then.” He took her hand and led her back into the bedroom.
After spending the rest of the morning in bed, making love, McKinley fell asleep in Jamil’s arms. Around one o’clock that afternoon McKinley opened her eyes once again to find herself in bed alone, except this time when she went searching the house for Jamil he was nowhere to be found. She did, however, find the living room filled with over five different bouquets of flowers.
“ Awwwwwwwww.” McKinley leaned over and inhaled the potent scent. “My day is just getting better and better.” She gleamed with delight.
Seeing the sea of flowers warmed her heart. The gesture made her feel so special. She had to call Jamil to thank him. Using the cordless phone in the kitchen, she dialed his number. McKinley let the phone ring until his voicemail picked up.
“ Hey, babe, thank you for the flowers. They’re beautiful. I love them. I wish you would’ve told me you were leaving, but it’s cool. I love you anyway. Just call me when you get this message.”
XoXo
Distraught, McKinley paced back and forth across her living room floor in a purple maxi dress. Days had gone by and she hadn’t heard from Jamil. She’d called him so much, the tips of her fingers were sore. Each time the phone would just ring and then go to voicemail. Sometimes her calls were forwarded to voicemail. She’d even tried texting him, but nothing worked. Jamil just wouldn’t pick up the phone.
McKinley felt as if she’d been sucker-punched. It never failed, every time she got comfortable and made herself believe that things between them would be different, he always revealed his true self. She was so over the sleepless nights, broken promises, excuses and lame-ass apologies that came behind the wack-ass excuses. She desperately