Authors: Nikki Turner
"Just like you always have. Thanks for being there so faithfully for so many years," Des said kissing Yarni with a long passionate kiss.
Yarni felt so complete. She had never felt so comfortable around any man as she had Des. She loved him wholehearted-ly. He loved her completely as well and had the utmost respect for her. As they ate lunch, they fed each other. Des gazed into Yarni's eyes. He thought to himself how he wanted to marry her right then and there. He wasn't in the appropriate position that he felt he needed to be in to marry Yarni. The reality of it was that Yarni didn't care what Des' financial situation was. She wanted to be his wife. She wanted nothing but to marry this man, to take on his name, to bear his children and to be with him until death do them part. They were destined. He was her soul mate.
"Yarni, I am going to marry you in the next few months, but I have one order of unfinished business I have to take care of," Des explained to Yarni.
Yarni was shocked that Des had spoken about marriage after he had only been home for a few hours. She was also alarmed that he said he had some unfinished business to take care of. She was heated.
"What do you mean you have some unfinished business to take care of?" Yarni said.
"It doesn't involve any drugs or anything that will risk me being removed from your life again. Yarni, I'm never leaving you ever. I've just got to put some things into effect so we can live comfortably," Said Des.
Yarni was still worried. She had made up in her mind that she wasn't expecting to get married any time soon. She was fully aware that the reality of the situation is that Des was raised in the streets. He went to college and was the Valedictorian of his high school senior class, but he'd been married to the street life for so many years. She had promised herself that she'd never accept a hustler into her life again. A hustler had a lot of excess baggage that comes with him: the women, the perks that the hustlers get for having the drugs, the late night hours, the jealous people and the haters which could result in kidnappings, robberies and murder. She couldn't accept any of those things into her life anymore, not even for Des. She loved Des but she loved herself more.
They arrived at Gloria's house. Gloria and Joyce had planned a nice get together for Des. Des was overjoyed that Joyce and Gloria had went through so much for him, especially Gloria.
Gloria was a remarkable woman. He could understand entirely why he loved Yarni so much. Look at the woman who raised her.
He knew Yarni had doubts of him cheating due to the fact he had been locked up for so long. But the truth was, Des had done everything that the streets had to offer before he went in. Yarni proved to be everything he needed, wanted and desired in a woman. Yarni was truly his very best friend. All he wanted to do was be her Knight in Shining Armor.
As Des made his rounds around the party, he met the friends that Yarni had acquired over the years while he was in prison. He also was formally introduced to Larry and Jack. He gave them his eternal thanks for the work they had done on his case.
Gloria presented Yarni and Des with the picture she had taken of them on their first date. She had it painted and framed for them to hang over their fireplace once they were married.
Gloria's restaurant became one of the classiest restaurants in Richmond. She later married Sam and they purchased a sum-merhouse in the Florida Keys.
Des and Yarni went to Las Vegas, it was their first vacation away from Richmond since he had been home from prison. Des had arranged everything. On New Year's Eve, early during the day, they were at the Venetian Hotel riding on the Guandulopes and the man rowing the boat started singing, "when we get married we'll have a big celebration. There will be dancing and all when we get married."
Des looked into Yarni's eyes and said to her, "Yarni, I love you so much. What do you think about us just getting married while we're out here?"
Yarni was speechless as tears of happiness filled her eyes.
Des wiped her eyes and said, "listen baby, I need you to look at me. Look into my eyes."
Yarni looked up at Des. He was holding an exquisite, plat-inum solitaire marquis ring with baguettes on each side of the band. The sight of the ring left Yarni breathless.
Later that night on December 31, 1999 at 11:00 p.m., Yarni and Des were married at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas on the Eiffel tower. The ceremony was simply beautiful.
Des had surprised Yarni by flying in the guests in hopes of her accepting his proposal. Gloria gave Yarni away. The wedding was very intimate. Only twenty guests were allowed to attend the wedding. Among Yarni's ten guests were Rita, Zurri and Stephanie. There was one of Des' guests that Yarni didn't recognize, or had never even seen before for that matter. The ceremony was over right when the New Year, the new millennium, came in. The fireworks began right after Des kissed the bride.
The timing was perfect. After the ceremony Des introduced the arbitrary guest as Rico, an old and devoted friend.
The next day Yarni and Des got tattoos on their left finger, the wedding bands. Des explained to Yarni that the ring finger has the main artery that runs straight to the heart, that was why it was so important for them to get the tattoos there and always wear their wedding rings. Des even surprised Yarni with a tattoo on his arm with a heart with Yarni's name, their wedding date, and a message reading "Death Before Dishonor." Later that evening, while still in Vegas, Des met up with Rico while Yarni was in the Christian Dior store. Rico handed Des a huge Bellagio shopping bag full of money.
"Congrats on your wedding are in order," said Rico.
"Yeah, thanks, man," Des said, while smiling.
"You've got a good wife, Papi. She really loves you!"
"Yeah, I know, man! Look, thanks for everything!" Said Des.
"Thanks for giving ten years. You could of so easily told, but you didn't." Rico said.
"Thanks for the ultimate get back taking that cat Bengee out for all the pain he caused my wife."
"No problem at all, papi," Rico added. "Just for the record, I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent flowers and a representative."
"This is it for me. I'm through with the drug game and the street lifestyle. I've got my freedom, my wife and I know God. I can't straddle the fence. I'm outta this," Des said.
"I respect you papi, and can only pray that I retire out of this game, before I am killed. I love you, pa, and I hope to be the Godfather of your children." They hugged, patted each other on the back and went their separate ways.
THE END