“I’m so nervous. What if I say the wrong thing?” I ask Kelsey as my leg bounces up and down in the back of the car while we wait to be called upon.
“I don’t think you can say the wrong thing in this moment.” She brushes my hair to the side. “I think you should just speak with your heart.”
I rub my sweaty palms on my leg. “That’s what I’m afraid of. If I speak with my heart, I might sound crazy.”
Kelsey gives me a gentle once-over and lightly smiles. “JP, honey, I think you’ve already reached the limit of crazy.”
I glance down at my custom-made pigeon shirt and then back at my girl. “I asked you if I looked nice, and you said yes.”
“You do, you look very nice. Stop being nervous and go out there and meet the bird that started it all.”
I take a deep breath. “You’re right. You’re totally right. I need to just be myself.”
“He’ll love you.”
“You think so?” I ask, hope springing in my chest.
“It’s hard not to love you.” She leans forward and kisses me on the lips, soft and sweet, helping me relax before the door is opened on my side.
“Mr. Cane,” our driver says. “They’re ready for you.”
“Fuck. Okay. God, don’t puke, JP, don’t puke,” I say to myself before stepping out of the car. I turn around and offer Kelsey my hand, helping her out as well.
Ever since our night in my backyard, we’ve been inseparable. That night, we danced under the stars, holding each other the entire time. Even when we ate cake, she sat on my lap, never wanting to be too far away. And then, when we turned off the lights, I took her up to my room where we made love. It was the best sex I’ve ever had, filled with emotion, and with the knowledge that this was the start of a new chapter for us.
I took her on that date she asked for. We went to one of her favorite pizza places in LA, and it was not great. She said she used to go there all the time when she was young. I told her we weren’t going anywhere she went to when she was young . . . again. When I drove her back to her place, I stayed the night and asked her to move in.
It took about twenty more dates until she finally said yes to my question, a question I asked every night. And every time, she said maybe, never giving me a straight answer until a few weeks ago. She moved in last weekend, and I can honestly say, it’s the best feeling in the world. Now I just have to plan when I’m going to propose, because it’s going to happen. I’m not letting her go.
With my hand in Kelsey’s, we walk around to a tented-off area, where Tammy, the woman in charge of the pigeon rescue, greets us.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cane, I’m so glad you could make it.”
I don’t bother correcting her, because I really like the sound of it. “Thank you for having me and the wifey.” I squeeze Kelsey’s hand and can practically feel her eye roll. “Is, uh . . . is Kazoo here?”
“He is. He got the bow tie you sent, and I just have to say, he looks so adorable. If you’re ready to meet him, he’s just in this tent, and then we can do the ribbon-cutting ceremony.”
“That works for me,” I say, already feeling how sweaty my hand is getting against Kelsey’s palm.
“Right this way,” Tammy says, parting the tent door.
We walk in, and it takes my eyes a second to adjust, but once they do, they spot a little fella on a perch, wearing a bow tie that matches the fabric of my shirt.
“Oh fuck,” I whisper to Kelsey. “I might cry.”
She chuckles and whispers back, “I’m not sure I could love you more than in this moment.”
I give her a quick peck on her cheek and then walk up to Kazoo, making sure to walk slowly to not scare him. His little head flits back and forth, looking as confused as ever. But his bulgy eyes and his bow tie, they just about break me.
“Hi, Kazoo.”
He looks to the right, he looks to the left, and then he lifts one foot.
I grip my chest and say, “Oh hell, I think I just met the second love of my life.” When I look back at Kelsey, she’s recording the whole thing, a huge smile on her face.
I said it once and I’ll say it again—this is where I’m supposed to be. With Kelsey, celebrating the small, yet weird, things like a pigeon who captured my attention months ago.
What once was Huxley’s mistake, has now turned into a win for me, because if Huxley never met the love of his life, then I never would’ve met mine.
The girl who wanted nothing to do with me at first.
Then slowly wanted to be my friend.
And then, in the best way possible, chose me for who I am.
She chose Jonah.
