Page 70 of Rose
From a few steps away, she heard the light footsteps of someone approaching. A familiar energy, soft and feminine. Kyre. She didn’t say anything, but her presence brought a warmth with it. She handed William a mic, a smile in her voice even without a word.
And then it began.
The music.
A pianist’s melody drifted into the night, soon joined by the gentle cry of a violin. The romantic harmony wrapped around the wind, weaving itself through the air like it was written for this moment, for her.
William guided her just a few steps forward, then stopped again. “Alright, Beautiful... you ready?” he asked gently.
“I think so,” she laughed softly.
He reached behind her head and slowly slipped the blindfold off.
Ahzii’s eyes blinked open to the golden glow of a setting sun washing over a scene she would never forget.
Before her, a glass walkway stretched across the sand, framed by rose petals on either side. Tall, elegant podiums lined the path, each holding a lush bouquet of red roses. At the end of the path—lit beneath the burnished glow of dusk—was a heart made of roses, shining like it had been crafted by the sunset itself. And in the center of that heart, huge glowing letters lit the beach like magic:
WILL YOU MARRY ME?
Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide, tears already rising without warning. She didn’t even notice the pianist and violinist off to the side, or the empty beach that had become their private heaven. All she saw was him—the man who had made her entire day feel like a dream.
William stepped forward, his stride smooth, steady, and full of intention. A’Mazi stood off to the side, dressed in a crisp white linen button-down, matching pants, and clean white loafers. William dapped him up with a brotherly grip before continuing toward the heart of the setup, where the glowing lights behind him cast a golden hue across the beach.
He looked flawless—tailored red suit hugging his frame like it was made for this moment, a sharp white button-down underneath, black tie knotted tight, and his black dress shoes gleaming beneath the sun’s final rays. But nothing outshined the love in his eyes as they locked onto her.
She stood at the beginning of the glass walkway, still stunned, still breathless, a wide smile pulling across her face as if it were trying to contain all the joy in her body.
William gave the cue.
The pianist’s fingers touched the keys, delicate and precise. The violinist followed suit, drawing out the hauntingly beautiful opening chords of “Beauty” by Dru Hill.
Then William raised the mic to his lips.
His voice came out smooth—raw, yet controlled.“The woman that’s stolen my heart… and beauty is her name…”
Ahzii’s mouth fell open in pure disbelief. Her hands flew to her mouth, her body trembling as fresh tears flooded her eyes. She hadn’t expected this. Any of this. And now this man—her man—was serenading her with words that hit straight to the soul.
Kyre nudged her gently. “Go to your man, girl.”
That’s when her legs remembered how to move.
She stepped forward slowly, heels gliding across the glass path, petals rustling beneath her feet, heart beating so loud it echoed louder than the music. She didn’t know what stunned her more: the setup, the glowing words in lights, her brother in a suit... or the fact that William could sing like this. She had heard him hum before—quiet, private moments—but this? This was different. This was everything.
“And once this beauty is mine… I swear we will never be apart,”he sang, his voice carrying on the ocean breeze.
By the time she reached him, he’d set the mic down and taken her hands in his. The music continued behind them like a soundtrack from a movie, but this moment felt more real than anything she’d ever lived.
“Hey, Beautiful,” he whispered, brushing away a tear that slid down her cheek.
She hadn’t even realized it fell.
William’s own eyes were glassy, blinking fast, but when one tear slipped down his face, she reached up and wiped it tenderly, her heart folding into his right there.
“Hey, baby,” she replied, her voice full of love, of awe, of yes without saying the word.
Kyre and A’Mazi stood back, watching with quiet smiles. There was no crowd. No noise. No need for anything or anyone else. William didn’t have much family nearby, no one but a distant brother miles away. But right now, none of that mattered.
Because everything he needed was standing in front of him.
