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November 24 - November 27, 2024
“Why did you do it?” she asks, her voice breaking. “Why did you make me fall for you, Lex? Why pretend to try with me when you never had any intention of giving our marriage a real chance?”
“Look at me,” I whisper. “Do I look like a man that’s pretending to be anything but yours? Place your hand over my chest and feel how my heart beats for you, Raya.”
fucking wish I could’ve controlled my feelings for you. I wish this was all pretense, that the mere thought of you no longer being mine didn’t hurt as much as it does.”
“From the moment we met, my carefully constructed life began to collapse, brick by brick. You took each discarded, useless piece of me, and you built me back up, Raya. You made me want to live again, made me want to become the person you thought I was, and fuck, if you’re willing to give me a chance, I’ll show you that I can be.”
“You’re not the only one who’s had time to think in the last couple of days, little fairy,” I whisper. “You told me that I can’t be what you need, and maybe you’re right, but I’m willing to spend the rest of my life proving you wrong.”
“Will you let me fight for you?” I ask, my voice breaking. “Will you give me a chance to earn your forgiveness, Raya? One chance to show you I can be the husband you’ve always wanted.”
“One month. Please, give me one month to show you I can change, that I can be the one for you. I’m begging you, Raya. Please, just give me one more chance.”
“I don’t want to,” she murmurs, and my heart sinks. “I don’t want you to hurt me more than you already have, but I’ll always regret it if I walk away now.”
“One chance,” she whispers. “Just one.”
“Lola!” Raya shouts, her arms wrapping around the robot.
I’ve been craving one of Raya’s hugs more than she’ll ever know, and here she is, hugging that damn robot.
My wife smiles sweetly as she places her hand on my arm, her eyes twinkling with amusement, like she understands what just happened. It’s been so long since I last saw her look at me that way, and I sigh, staring at her. I missed this — that bond where I don’t even have to say a word for her to understand what I’m thinking.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “For coming home to me. I hope you know I don’t take it for granted. What I did… it was unforgivable, and it means everything to me that you’re here with me now.”
She’ll hate me for the rest of our lives, but I can’t keep this from her. I bite down on my lip harshly as I slide the thin golden band off her finger, deep regret holding me in its clutches.
“You’d let me drive your priceless, highly coveted Annie? The car you inherited from your father? The one your grandfather built?” I smile at her. “Darling, I’d let you wreck it if it’d put a smile on your face.” Her eyes flash like she’s willing to test me on that as she takes the key from me, but my smile doesn’t waver. If she did wreck it, I’m sure both my father and grandfather would understand. If they’re looking down at us from above, they’re probably silently encouraging her to.
Forget my car — I’d hand over my entire fortune if she’d just look at me the way she used to.
“It may seem silly, but something like this is tough for me. I’m used to always being in control, being behind the wheel. I thought that today I’d try to concede control for once, to you. Not monitoring you isn’t enough, Raya. I truly want to be the man you deserve, so this is me taking a small step toward that, toward normalcy.”
The things I used to live for now mean nothing, and I blame Raya for it. She gave me real purpose, and everything else pales in comparison to her.
“Right,” I murmur, the second the meeting wraps up. “Wonderful work.” I have no idea what anyone said, and I don’t care. I just want to go see my wife. Everyone looks startled when I rise from my seat, and I belatedly realize the meeting was, in fact, far from over. Oh well.
“Was there something you needed?” she asks, her voice soft. You. Always you.
“I’m still yours,” she whispers, before leaning in and kissing the edge of my mouth. “Even when it hurts, even when it’s tough.”
“Beautiful.” “Yeah,” Lex sighs, and I look up to find him staring at me, seemingly mesmerized. Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I look away, flustered.
“Your eyes still keep me more captivated than anything else ever could, and I’m still very much under your spell.”
“Raya, if I dared you to dance with me, would you?”
“I’ve given you a dare, so let me give you a truth too. I’ve always loved seeing the city in this beautiful golden shade,”
“But nothing beats the way the setting sun caresses your face, the way it makes your hair look a couple of shades lighter, and the way it brings out your eyes, turning them into molten gold.”
“Remember when I took you gliding and told you that I wanted to share the things I love with you? You asked me what I loved most of all, and I didn’t have the courage to tell you the truth.”
“I love you, Raya. More than anything — more than flying, more than breathing. I love you with every fiber of my being, with all I am, all I’ll ever be.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to admit it, to give you what you need. I know it’s not enough, that it’s too little, too late —” I rise to my tiptoes and cut him off, my lips finding his.
“I love you, little fairy.”
“I love you too,” I whisper, my heart aching. “I think I always will, but Lex… love isn’t the problem between us.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, you know that?” he whispers, his thumb caressing me in that way I like. “Nothing I won’t do to make you smile, to keep you looking at me this way.”
“Show me my favorite sight,” he pleads, curling his fingers inside me. “Please, Raya. I need to see you come for me.”
“I want this with you forever,” he whispers, grabbing my hips. “I will always be yours, Raya.”
“Forever and always. I will love you for as long as my heart beats, and longer still.”
“It’ll bring you back to me…whenever you want, no matter where I might be. In the event I’m not in the country, it’ll take you back to this exact location, allowing you to bypass any security measures. The button itself is keyed to your thumb, so it wouldn’t work for anyone but you. I want you to know that you’ll always have every right to me. I’ll always be yours. I’ll always be waiting.”
“Little Fairy Protocol activated,” Pippy says. “I am locating Lexington Windsor now, Raya,” she adds, starting the car. “As soon as his location has been pinpointed, I will drive you to him. Please sit back and wear your seatbelt.” “She called me Raya. Not Mrs. Windsor.” I nod as I glance at her empty ring finger. “Yeah, I fixed that for you.”
“Our time is up, little fairy. You gave me four weeks to prove to you that I can be the husband you need, and I tried, baby. But with each attempt, it only became clearer that I’m not the one for you. You deserve real love — a coincidental meeting, a dinner date that doesn’t end up in the papers. You deserve a man without demons that compete with you for his attention… someone that isn’t broken.”
“I signed them, Raya. I’m sorry for taking so long to accept what you already knew. I love you, little fairy, but you’re right. Love isn’t the problem.”
“What if I don’t want coincidental meetings? What if I want spilled shots and rounds of truth and dare? What if I want to wear wigs and mess with the press? What if I want to be the one you fight for, the one that stands by your side as you continue to heal and grow? What if you’re all I want, Lexington, flaws and all?”
“I love you, Lex. Every single thing about you, but especially the way you kept your word, the way you tried not just to make amends, but to change for the better, forever. You say I deserve true love, but if that isn’t true love, what is? I love you, but more importantly, I choose you — forever and always. Will you let me? Let me choose you, Lex.”
I reply, my voice breaking. “Choose me, Raya. Please, choose me.”
“I do. I always will. Every single day, Lex. Forever and always.”
You said that last week and then carried me to the mirror in our dressing room.”
Nothing holds a candle to her, not even the golden glow of the setting sun, or the thousands of flowers that I planted for her by hand, underneath us. Nothing beats seeing my wife look at me with love in her gorgeous brown eyes.
“Raya, my little fairy,” I say, my voice shaking. “I am not a man of many words, and for weeks, I’ve been trying to think of what I’d say to you today. It was an impossible task that left me feeling defeated, because the truth is that no words could ever be sufficient to explain how I feel about you. I can’t begin to tell you what you’ve done to me, for me. You are my sun, Raya, and everything I am, everything I’ll ever be, revolves around you. It always will. You’ve changed me, healed me, and you continue to inspire me to be a better man. There is nothing in this world I’d want more than to
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“Raya Indira Windsor, I love you more than words will ever be able to convey. Will you make me the happiest man on this earth and marry me? Of your own accord this time?”
Underneath us, the flowers spell: Raya, will you marry me?
