Revolving Doors (34 page)

EPILOGUE

~*~*~

“Venha, Natalia! The car service is here! We can’t miss this flight!”

Valentina would kill us if we dared get there on a delay; she was already nervous wreck. Even though Alexio had hired a very capable wedding planner, Valentine still managed to overindulge in details better handled by others. I was just happy she finally gave in to her feelings for this wonderful man that had been a constant figure in her life.

As the driver loaded our bags into the trunk of the car, Natalia came flying down the stairs.

“Coming!” she yelled. “I was ending a phone call discussing logistics for the office while I’m gone.”

“Look at you getting all acclimated in your new position and all. I knew you would thrive in the business and absolutely love it. This has been a long time coming, girl.”

“I know,” she said earnestly, “I’m beyond happy to be here. Now you can spend as much time jetting back and forth to New York, as you want to.”

I couldn’t help but blush at the mere mention of the relationship.

“Speaking of which, when is your next visit?”

“It’s supposed to be on this trip to
Brazil, but he needs to take an expansion meeting and doesn’t know if he will make it. If he doesn’t, we’ll plan something in the next few weeks, I guess.”

Kenny and I had been going strong for close to a year. It was growing into something more beautiful than I could have ever imagined, and I loved every minute of it. I didn’t know how the long distance relationship situation would work for me initially, but it seemed everything was fine. We talked all the time, we visited when we could, and we put
a healthy amount of energy into our relationship to keep it solid.

Surprisingly, our parents hit it off and were hanging out regularly – Di, and Joseph in tow. It was the most adorable thing ever to see the three couples hanging out all the time and growing in friendship.

A few weeks after Kenny returned to New York, after that first visit, my mother confessed to destroying the unopened letters he had sent all those years earlier.

She was protecting her baby girl. She did what she thought was best and I knew that I could never be angry with her for that. In her position, I’m sure I would have done the same.

“With all we have to do in Valentina’s absence…and there’s a lot…you may not have the time to spend with Ken, if he does come, at least quality time.”

She was right. We had six newcomers this year and hadn’t completed research on any of them. They’d already gone through initial screening, but Natalia and I didn’t know their full stories. Married, single,
it’s complicated
, we didn’t know. So, we had to get in and study the files, and make contact. Ensuring success was essential. 

In addition, we would be participating in a panel screening with two new girls that Valentina brought onboard to backfill during Carnival season.

Valentina wanted to make sure we felt a connection to them as well since we were her veterans.

I had also signed on as co-partner of Paraiso Belo, overseeing business issues when she took much-deserved time away, with Alexio.

I thought Natalia would continue going to the resort, just for fun, but she decided to leave it all behind when moved to California, and assumed her new role as VP of Marketing, at Goodie Bagg.

Valentina never expected her to make it her life’s work, for the rest of her life, so she fully supported her decision to leave that world behind.

When Natalia signed on for Goodie Bagg, she delved into business naturally. I was proud watching her, and feeling complete, that I had someone close to me helping to actively run my business.   

“Talia, can you believe that
our
Valentina is getting married? It’s sinking in for me! I’m so excited for her.”

“I saw it coming,” she confessed. I knew as soon as she allowed herself to see how much he loved her, it would be a matter of time. I watched their exchange over the years, and watched the way he looks at her and the way he caters to her every need. There is mutual love and respect there. He’ll honor her in a way that will make Dionisio smile. I’m sure of that.”

“Well it sure seems like everything is in alignment for all of us.”

~*~*~

High above the clouds as I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts were of Ken – him holding me, looking into my eyes as he tells me how much he loves me, and his lips touching places screaming for attention, along with hopes that he’d be able to get away in time to love me into the night…

~
Revolving Doors
~

b
y Kween

i tried to forget you

in foreign arms

and scripted kisses

i tried
unsuccessfully,

to 'x' out your impression

with penciled happiness

weakly scribbled over

pen-stained love

i sought comfort

in purpose and drive

and still my eyes
were not dried

in every move away

i drew closer to closure

closer to the thing

i chased like butterflies

against zephyrs of denial...

i was searching for redemption

and what i found...

was solely searchable

...in you

hidden in muffled breaths

found in limbo

upon your lips i found you...

in suppressed memories

resurfaced from corked springs

of past summers...

and now, i am redeemed

as i come full circle

spun through a revolving door

bringing me home

...to you