Page 144 of Rose
And she meant it. In the past few weeks with him, she’d laughed more, smiled more,feltmore than she had in years. It was terrifying—falling for a man who wasn’t William—but the way Savior made her feel couldn’t be ignored. Not anymore. Even if the words still sat heavy on her tongue, the truth was already blooming in her heart.
Savior’s phone rang, slicing through their comfortable silence. He glanced at the screen—Macho.
“Happy Birthday, clown. Be at the shop in a few. Yo lady booked you a haircut. She probably tired of seeing that crooked ass lineup just like I am,” Macho joked, making both of them laugh.
Savior cut his eyes at Ahzii, who just smiled, tossing a forkful of eggs in her mouth like she was innocent.
“Whatever, nigga. Appreciate it. I’ll be there,” Savior said before hanging up.
“Can’t have you looking ugly on your birthday,” Ahzii teased, walking to throw away their empty plates.
“So your man got a crooked lineup now?” he asked, raising a brow.
“You want to be my man so bad,” she laughed, “and yes, it’s looking a little…” Before she could finish, Savior scooped her up mid-sentence, lifting her up like she weighed nothing.
“I’m already your man. Just waiting on you to catch on,” he said, stealing a kiss.
“Mmm,” she moaned softly against his lips before pulling away, playfully smacking his chest as he set her down. “Go get dressed, birthday boy. We on a tight schedule.”
His phone lit up again—Sarai calling this time. Probably to sing Happy Birthday or clown him like usual.
As they both headed off to get dressed, Savior’s heart felt full, grounded. He never had a birthday start like this. Peaceful. Loved. Thoughtful. And it was all because of her.
???
Ahzii and Savior walked hand in hand through the wide, bustling park of Disney World, the scent of popcorn and churros drifting through the air as kids darted past in waves of laughter. Ahzii couldn’t stop laughing as she recorded Savior towering over everyone in the crowd with black Mickey Mouse ears crooked slightly on his head. He’d put up a fight, but she begged, and he gave in—because he always gave in to her.
The sun was blazing now, heat thick against their skin as they stood in line at a concession booth, waiting for drinks. Just as Ahzii reached for her phone, a woman approached with a warm smile. “I was watching from afar, and I just wanted to say… you two make a beautiful couple.”
“Thank you,” Ahzii replied softly, her smile genuine.
Savior glanced down at her, surprised she didn’t correct the woman or deflect like she usually did. Before he could process it further, the woman spoke again.
“I hope this isn’t weird, but I’m a photographer. Would you mind if I took your picture? You’ll want to show your kids this one day.”
The word struck the air like a soft blade. Savior didn’t miss the shift in Ahzii’s eyes—the flicker of pain behind her smile, the shadow that always came with the thought of Willow. Still, she played it off gracefully and handed over her phone. “Can you take some with my camera too?”
“Of course,” the woman said, stepping back and raising her professional camera first.
They posed together, Ahzii in front, Savior’s hand resting protectively on her waist. The woman snapped a few, and just before switching to the phone, Savior leaned down like he was about to kiss her cheek, but instead whispered in her ear, “You’re still a mother, Allure. Willow’s in Heaven, loving the woman you’re becoming.”
Tears slipped down Ahzii’s cheeks before she could stop them, but her smile never wavered. She didn’t wipe them away—she let them fall. “Awww…” the woman murmured, capturing the moment as her finger kept clicking between both devices.
Ahzii turned around slowly, ignoring the photographer now. Her eyes locked with Savior’s, no words needed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, stood onher toes, and kissed him. Soft at first. Then deeper. Savior lifted her like it was second nature, their bodies syncing without thought or hesitation. The woman kept shooting, delighted at the intimacy unfolding in her lens. When Savior set her down, they both laughed quietly, aware they’d just given this stranger a story in photos.
“These are beautiful,” the woman said, returning to show them the pictures—goofy smiles, stolen glances, deep kisses, raw emotion captured in still frames. Savior barely looked through them before pulling out his wallet. “Is this enough for all of them?”
Her eyes widened at the five hundreds he offered, nearly stumbling over her words to say yes.
They walked, ate, took pictures, and rode every ride they could until the sun started sinking behind the clouds. The day had been perfect, but it wasn’t over. Ahzii had two more surprises planned, and a couple of texts from Sarai and Kyre confirmed that everything was ready.
Back at Savior’s house, he kicked off his shoes and dropped onto the couch, still grinning. Ahzii started gathering her things, but the moment he saw her grab her purse, his face shifted.
“You leaving me?” he asked, trying to sound casual, but his tone gave him away.
She chuckled, pausing mid-step. “Yes. A’Mazi and Sincere are on the way to get you ready.”
He leaned forward, arms resting on his knees. “Will I see you later?” he asked, voice soft, a little too soft.
