Afraid to Love by Leona Jackson Page B

make it happen.
    I tried for weeks to convince Mark to change the ending of The Ebony Heartbreak , but he wouldn't. He claimed that nothing else would make sense.
    “That's how the story ended! It's the only thing that makes sense! It's not our ending,” he laughed. “It's just a book.”
    “But it's a book about me!” I retorted.
    “Just loosely based on you,” he teased. “You'd never be like her.”
    “Shut up!” I said, playfully slapping him on the arm.
    “Ouch!” he mocked. “Okay, so maybe it is based on you. You're violent enough!”
    I slapped his arm again and he pulled me into his lap and leaned into the chair.  I kissed him and nibbled on his tongue. A knock on the door meant room service was bringing up our dinner and my growling stomach wasn't going to allow me to get down and dirty before eating.
    Mark set out the food and poured the wine. I was about to take a sip of my wine when I noticed something floating in it. I was just about to tell Mark we needed to call downstairs because they gave us dirty glasses when I realized it was a little gold ring with a not so little diamond in it.
    I blinked, not sure what to think.
    “Cynthia,” Mark said and my heart skipped a beat. “Will you marry me?”
    “Not yet,” I said and shook my head.
    I looked up at Mark who was staring blankly into his food.
    “Not yet, because I promised my dad I'd finish college before I got married. Mark, I want to be with you, but I want to keep that promise. I love you, Mark.”
    His numb expression turned into a grin and he leaned across the table to kiss me, knocking over my glass of wine.
    “Sorry,” he said as he captured my lips.
    “We need to clean that up,” I laughed.
    “Nah, we have housekeeping for that,” he said.
    “They're going to charge us extra,” I giggled.
    “That's okay, you just agreed to marry me after you finish medical school, so everything's okay,” he chuckled.
    “So do you want to keep the ring until then?” I asked.
    “No, that's yours,” he said, “so you don't forget this night.”
     
     
                                                                             Epilogue
     
    I stood nervously in front of the mirror, willing my hands to stop shaking.
    “It'll be okay,” Sasha laughed. “If he's waited this long to marry you, he certainly won't mind waiting until you've finished getting ready.”
    “I'm just nervous!” I laughed.
    “Why?” Sasha asked.
    “Because I'm getting married!” I said.
    “You've been with him nearly eight years now! You've lived together for five of those years! What's there to be nervous about?” she laughed.
    “I'm pregnant!” I whispered to her.
    “That's great news! Have you told Mark?” Sasha said, practically bouncing into the air.
    “Not yet, I just found out this morning,” I said.
    “I bet he'll be thrilled,” she laughed.
    “I hope so,” I said, biting my lip.
    “Don't be silly, of course he'll be happy!” she said as she pulled me into a quick hug.
    The music started and I swallowed hard.
    “This is it,” I whispered to my reflection. “The day we've been waiting for.”
    “Quit talking to yourself in the mirror and get out there and marry that man!” Sasha said. She gave me a shove through the door.
    I almost tripped but fortunately regained my balance before I was in sight of the guests. The church was filled with white roses and people. The crowd made me nervous, even though it consisted of our family and friends.
    I must have hesitated for too long because Sasha gave me another gentle push and I began to walk down the aisle. Mark looked handsome in his three piece suit and tie. My wedding was perfect. The only thing that could have made it better was if Daddy had still been alive to give me away.
    I took Mark's hand and smiled. Mark had wanted to write our own vows, but I wouldn't do it. Next to his, my words would look sloppy and poorly