Emaye has a new song to sing as she enters the room two weeks later, "Happy birthday to Mou, happy birthday to Mou..." She trails off in amharic, and I shove the covers off my head. As tradition, I am not expected to go to school that Friday.
"Get up!" Bobby bounces on top of me. "I made you a car out of wood. It's pink because you're a girl."
I laugh. "Thanks, Bubu."
Emaye totes a cake---my other favorite---strawberry with cream cheese icing and chocolate balloons---homemade, of course.
"Blow out the candles, Madhuri!"
As I blow them out, they crackle like mini firecrackers and leave the room filled with smoke.
"Emaye, the table is set!" Nandita calls from down the hall, and I hop out of bed---avoiding Scrappy----and rush to the table that includes all of my favorite breakfast food---Ethiopian style omelette with mango lassi from India.
"Thank you so much, everyone!"
"We didn't know what to get you, so we got you a movie pass for you and all your friends," Uncle Marty replies.
"And I got you a froyo card," Nandita offers. "Oh, and this..."
She holds up a charm bracelet that matches the new one she has on her wrist. "Best friends for life."
"Always, Abhi."
Emaye grins, nodding to a couple of packages in the hallway adorned in purple wrapping with pink ribbons. As I unwrap each one, I reveal new luggage, a laptop, and the laptop carrying case.
"Emaye...I...."
"For your trip...well, even if you change you mind, a girl can always use luggage. What do you think?"
I simply throw myself into her arms with a hug, and she squeezes me tightly. "Happy birthday, my love."
We all enjoy the spa for the afternoon, courtesy of Uncle Marty, and then Nandita and I go to the movies with our friends to see the latest girl flick, during which my sister and Roman spend most of the time making out behind us. Nevertheless, it is an amazing birthday ending with more gifts: a gift card for new shoes from Danica, various lip gloss shades from Paige, a cute tiger keychain from Roman, and an awesome pink vegan leather jacket from Saunders.
When Rizzo finally calls at the end of the day, he seems preoccupied, promising he will see me tomorrow. I don't take it to heart; I have gotten used to his unique communication skills. When he is preoccupied, they become lacking; otherwise he is punctual with "good morning" at exactly 7AM, "good night" right before he goes to bed if we don't talk the hour before or fall asleep on the phone, and "I love you" throughout the day along with random and deeply thought questions and discussions that can tire the average brain like mine.
Rizzo shows up to get me the next morning in his little old reliable khaki Chevrolet. He refuses to tell me where we are going, but he gives me a little necklace from his family with a silver tiger surrounded by a red heart. I put it on immediately. Once I see the flashing lights and hear the familiar music, I don't have to ask.
"Carnival?!"
"Sorry, I had to practice all DAY yesterday getting here before Padre was convinced I am reliable."
I laugh, "Only you, Rizzo! You're the sweetest."
"I can't wait to take you to the circus."
"You haven't started on your project yet?"
"The circus isn't even in town yet. They will be coming next week, Padre says." Grabbing his camera---this one is colorful and the lens is adorned like a ferris wheel---- he rushes to the line to pay. "Let's go! To the Merry-go-round!"
We are the last to get on. "Rizzo, are you not going to choose a horse?"
"Nah..." He disappears behind his camera, and I realize why I love him so much---his passion. He clicks pictures of my very shy composure, then steals me from my horse and spins me in an enchanting dance to the music between the many different horses that circle around us, ending it in a kiss. We get a standing ovation, and Rizzo snaps a picture as I cup my mouth over my mouth. He gently tugs my hands down. "Don't cover your smile." CLICK!
"What a LOVELY couple, folks!" the ride control guy commends. "What are your names?"
"Gianrico and Madhuri," I announce with a giggle, and I love the way it sounds, like it was written in the stars from the very beginning of time
"AWWWW!!!"
We laugh, and Rizzo grabs my hand to jump off the Merry-go-round and on to the next thing. We stop for cotton candy, and then I play ring toss to win a stuffed Bengal tiger. I hug the plushy giant to my chest as Rizzo clicks another picture then leadsthe way to a roller coaster.
The wind whips my hair into my eyes, and Rizzo flings his arms in the air as we ZOOM down the drop. The rush takes the breath from me, and I can barely scream.
Nothing is more beautiful than the Ferris wheel lit up against the dimming sun. I stare down at the city lights as Rizzo snaps picture after picture of the wind tossing my hair in my face.
"That will make a good black and white."
"Rizzo, do you have any pics of yourself?"
"Uh...no, I prefer to be behind the camera, Mou." He just started calling me my daak naam after being around my family and understanding what it means in my culture---similar to what Rizzo means to him.
"Come, let's take a selfie, then."
He hesitates at first, but I motion him with my finger; he laughs and swings over to my side, pulling me onto his lap. We make funny faces.
"I love you so much," he murmurs.
"I love you too, Rizzo."
"I'm just as drawn to you as I was five months ago when I first met you."
"Is it too good to be true?"
"Maybe for some...but maybe not for us."
I put my arms up as the Ferris wheel comes to the ground, and he laughs, snapping another picture.
Suddenly, my phone rings, and I can hear Bapi on the other end. "Madhuri, I am here with a prestigious doctor that says he would like to offer you an internship for the summer here in Canada."
"Canada? Bapi, I can't go to Canada. I have my trip this summer."
"This is an opportunity of a lifetime,, Mou. Just think about it---what is that noise?"
"I'm at the carnival with---"
"Madhuri, you're at the carnival? Don't you remember that interview you had today for the yr internship with that other doctor?"
I gasp "I..."
"You forgot, aye? Madhuri, do NOT let foolhardiness ruin everything you have worked for! What are you THINKING? You worked so hard---"
"Bapi, I don't know---I just want to enjoy my birthday weekend with my boyfriend! I don't want to think about the future right now."
"Madhuri, you're eighteen now. That is PRECISELY what you need to be thinking about."
"Bapi, I---"
"Fine, let all your hard work go down the drain. You're eighteen now, and I am not going to argue with you. I send my love to you and your sister. See you in a few weeks." He sighs. "Madhuri, you have really disappointed me. I expect better of you, understood? Maybe you need to stop falling in love and start thinking about your future, my dear. Love doesn't pay bills."
I swallow hard. "Yes, I'm sorry...I...I love you too, Bapi. I..."
"I have to get back to my meeting."
Before I can finish my sentence, there is a click on the other end. Rizzo stands frozen in front of me.
"Now, Rizzo, do NOT have a meltdown on me!" I insist. He just looks at me like a wide-eyed deer, and I shove him. "Gianrico, you know it's not your fault! This was stupid! EVERYTHING is stupid! I hate everything---everything!--I don't care." Turning away from the wide-eyed young man standing in front of me, I storm back to the bus and head to the hotel, the only place I know I can go and relax.
"Would you like one more night?"
I stare up at the waiter, Nick. "Yes."
"On me." He nods. "Ada?"
"Come on, sweetheart."
I text Emaye that I am back at the hotel, and she calls so that we can talk for a long time---with me mostly crying. Ada brings me fresh clothes from the dollar store when she gets off work, and I thank her gratefully, turn on a sappy movie, and enjoy ice cream. As I hear rain pouring outside, I think of Rizzo.
A knock at the door. "Maddie, it's me."
"Rizzo?"
"I talked to Padre. He is not happy, but I told him I had to come make sure you were okay before I go home."
I hurry to open the door. "Rizzo, I am SO, SO sorry. I shouldn't have left you out there. It's not your fault, you know---Bapi---he's right, but....there's more to life than success."
He shakes his head, shivering, as I toss him a towel. "I understand." He deposits a box and drenched blue roses on the table. I open the box to reveal a blue sapphire ring surrounded by diamonds sparkling back at me.
"Rizzo, what...."
He fixes me with a blue stare as deep as the sapphire in my palm. "It took me hours to decide what to get you. I got paid yesterday, and Padre helped me practice budgeting. It's not always easy for me to do." He chuckles at himself. "I love you, Madhuri, and I am in it for the long haul. Whatever that means for us."
"Really?"
"Yes, really." His fingers slide against my rib cage as he pulls me closer so that he can press his forehead against mine.
"Every thought since I first met you...I've been wanting to get to know you more---everything you think, why you do what you do, why you feel what you feel, how you see the world----I want to know everything about you...you have been with me through this whole thing, and I---I have been falling in love with you from the very first time I saw you." I close my eyes. "Rizzo, I am SO angry...and so confused...I want to make everyone happy, but I have lost what that means..."
My head swirls with anger and emotion---all the things that have happened up til now, said and unsaid. I feel angry at my father, myself, sorrow, grief, confusion...As I take a deep and shattering breath of Rizzo's familiar kiss, I let the pain take over---a flood of tears accompanied by angry, ragged breaths----a loud storm of emotions clouded against the drum of Rizzo's heartbeat. As I press back against the bed and gaze into his blue eyes, Rizzo leans over me---his fingers gracing the flat crest of my stomach, his lips kissing my skin untouched by any other, his muscles tensing in all the right ways, and my body pressing for the unknown pain of my first lover but prepared to become one with his, a perfect fit, a perfect release for all I am feeling, the perfect revenge against my father---it has to be the answer right now.77Please respect copyright.PENANAJmEdeczJLP
Suddenly, Rizzo rolls onto the bed next to me and pulls me into his arms, whispering, "Not now, my love. One day, but I won't touch you now. I am so unconventional in so many other ways, I want to stick to convention with this one thing, at least---in treating a lady like a lady." He shakes his head. "I will not touch you until our wedding night, and then we will both know each other in that way for the first time, and we will be the only ones to know each other in that way to the very last time."77Please respect copyright.PENANAD30fU45g7I
I swallow hard as the urges melt out of me like steam and turn into tears running hot down my cheeks. And I know here and now:
Whatever hardships we faced---as I grip the sapphire ring against my palm in that moment, his fingers imprinted against my rib cage--- this boy and his unconventional respect for convention--irreversibly has my heart and my love---physically, mind, body, soul---I love him in every way.
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