Collision (44 page)

“I think that goes both ways,” I said.

“Cabot, did you worry at all what people would think about you dating someone with the past she has?”

“No. If people want to think less of me because of it, so be it. I don’t get it. She managed to forgive me for my past and the choices I made. Why shouldn’t I accept her past and her circumstances, especially when she was powerless to stop what happened to her? Violence against women and children is rampant. The woman I love just so happens to be one who fell victim to that. So of course, it now becomes something that I feel called to bring more attention to, try to lessen as much as I can. Like Kei said, if by telling people about Kei and what she’s come out of, I can help other kids or women, you bet I’ll be sharing as much as I can. We’ve both learned that the first step is getting it out of the darkness.”

“It’s keeping it a secret that gives it its power,” Kei added.

“So is this your new purpose,” Diane asked Kei, “to spread the word about violence against women and children?”

“It’s one of them. I’ll certainly lend my voice to it if someone asks. And I’ll continue to bring attention to the needs in Northern Uganda and anything else that I feel called to. My purpose is to be God’s hands and feet. I’m sorry if that’s inappropriate to say on television, but it’s the truth. I’ll go and do whatever I feel I’m called to.”

“And you?” Diane asked me.

“The same.”

“You’re a team then?”

I looked over at Kei, and we smiled at each other. “We’re a team, a brilliant team.”

C H A P T E R

37

Kei and I escaped to Asheville a few hours before the interview aired on television. We wanted to be somewhere safe and private when the rest of the world was given a little bit of insight into our world together.

Somehow, we’d managed to keep Asheville a secret. Nobody knew that was where we met or where we escaped to every time we got a chance. It was still cut off from the rest of the world. It was our home together, or at least the closest we’d get to a home.

We didn’t watch TV, and we didn’t scan the Internet for a reaction of any kind. We just woke up the next morning, met in the driveway like we always did, and went for our usual jog. Kei was grateful to be running outside instead of on a treadmill, which she fell off of every time she looked to her right or left. I even managed to make it all the way to our spot without being out of breath.

A few days later, when I went back to Los Angeles to film, Kei flew to Washington, DC, with Millie for two days, and talked to a legislative panel about violence against women and children.

She was stepping out into new territory and really seemed to like it. She’d found her voice, and it was getting stronger and stronger by the day.

Things didn’t calm down much when it came to the paparazzi and reporters. They still wanted their photos and information, but they didn’t ask any more questions about her past. The interview and the televised time with the legislators answered most of their questions. Either that, or it was just old copy, as they say.

Kei went back to Uganda and stayed there until I finished filming in the middle of June. We met in Europe and hopped across the continent for premieres before returning to Asheville for my twenty-fourth birthday on the twenty-first.

My entire family came out to join in. We even spent a day out on the mountain. The ladies sat in chairs and watched me and my dad stake out the dimensions of mine and Kei’s and future home. Everyone with a
C
for their first initial had an opinion as to what rooms should go where. Kei, on the other hand, didn’t care. All she wanted was the porch and a view. Nothing else really mattered to her. She’d lived in huts, and said she’d do it again as long as she was with me and our rainbow of children. Personally, I couldn’t wait to start that particular journey.

“What do you think?” I asked as I took a break and sat down on the ground in front of her. “Think it’s going to work?”

She nodded.

“You don’t seem so sure.”

She shrugged. “I want to believe it.”

“Do believe it. It’s going to happen. Borrow some of my faith if you need to.”

“No,” she said with a shake of the head. “I’m starting to hope. I think I feel it sprouting in my toes.”

“Good. Maybe it’ll move on up to your heart.”

The next morning, at sunrise, the two of us stood looking out at the valley below as the mist fell over us. I don’t think either one of us cared that it was raining. The fact that it was wet seemed appropriate. It felt familiar.

“So we go our separate ways again tomorrow,” I said.

“But only for a few weeks. You leave for Gulu on the sixth.”

I nodded. I didn’t want her to go. I’d rather she travel back with me to LA for the movie’s release. I wanted her by my side. That’s when I was most comfortable. Most myself.

“I need to be there, Cabot. It’s Gregory’s wedding. It’s
important.”

“I know it is. I’m just being selfish. I want you here with me.”

“I appreciate that.”

She kissed me and then smiled. “I’ve got a birthday present for you,” she announced.

“A present?”

“Well, I hope you see it as a present anyway. It isn’t really something I can physically give you.”

“You’ve got me curious. What is it?”

“You mean what are they? There are two gifts.”

“Bring them on.”

“I told you once that I was too frightened to give you my
heart.”

“I remember,” I whispered.

“Not anymore. I think you’ve more than proven that if I give it to you, you’ll take very good care of it. So that’s my first gift: my heart. I’m handing it over to you without a bit of fear or concern. I give it to you knowing it’s in very good hands.”

Tears filled my eyes.

“And the second thing is hope. I’m hoping for us to last forever. I truly am. It isn’t just you hoping for us; I’m all in. I’m hoping for it too. Us, this house one day, and then our rainbow of children. All of it.”

“I realized that you’ve made so many promises to me but I haven’t made any back. So my promises are to give you my love and my hope.”

“Those are the best gifts I could ever receive.”

“Honestly?” she asked with a shy smile.

“Honestly. The best gifts ever. Thank you.”

My heart beat wildly as I reached over, placed my hand on the back of her neck, and pulled her to me.

“And I have a gift for you,” I whispered.

“What? Why?”

“I couldn’t let us be apart without giving you something first.”

“You’re the most gift-givingest person I’ve ever met.”

“Can’t help myself.”

My heart beat even faster as I reached into my pocket, pulled out the box, and kept it hidden in my hand. “It’s a good thing you just gave me your heart.”

“Oh?”

I swallowed hard and nodded. Suddenly scared out of my
mind.

“Cabot, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing…I just…just…” I sputtered as I looked down at my closed hand. “You’re the most important person in my life,” I said, looking back up at her. “And I think that because of you and all that you’ve shown me, I finally know who I am and why I’m a part of this crazy world.”

“And why is that?”

“To love you. And to make sure you get everything you deserve. You’re the most unselfish, loving person I’ve ever known, and you need to be with someone who realizes that. Trust me. I realize it. And you should have someone who’s passionate about you.” I laughed a small laugh. “Hell, I don’t think I could get any more passionate about you without getting in some serious trouble. And I’m not just passionate about you like that; I’m passionate about who you are and what you believe in.”

I got serious again and nodded.

“I don’t want you to settle for someone because it makes sense or because you don’t think you can have it all. You can have it all, and I want to give it all to you.”

“You don’t have to give me anything, Cabot. Just having you in my life is enough.”

“Still…and I know we’re still relatively young and probably very stupid and people are going to think we’ve lost our minds. But…” I looked into her eyes for several seconds and then took a deep breath. Then I slowly lowered myself to one knee.

“Kei Sallee,” I said firmly and without hesitation, “will you be my wife? Will you marry me?”

After what felt like sixty-seven years, she managed a nod.

“Really?” I asked, feeling relief.

She nodded again.

I opened my hand and showed her the ring that was hidden inside. “No comments about how the money I spent on this ring could save a country or anything.”

“It’s huge.”

“You deserve huge. I have another one too. It’s a more simple one. I figure you could wear it when you’re back home and nobody would make a fuss.”

“You bought me two rings?”

I stood up and smiled. “The best of both worlds, I guess.”

She looked down at the ring, eyes large and bright.

“I designed it myself. Three diamonds,” I announced. The two on the sides represent each of our worlds apart. The big one in the middle, that’s our world together. It had to be big, seeing as how our world is endless.”

Again, she didn’t say a word.

The smaller diamonds on the side were pink. The center was a white diamond, and all three were surrounded by smaller diamonds.

I reached into the other pocket and pulled out the second ring. It looked just like the first one, only the diamonds were a lot smaller.

“Only you would buy a girl two engagement rings, Cabot,” she teased.

“Only you would deserve two rings, Kei. Which one do you want to wear right now?”

“The first one, of course, at least until I leave for Gulu. Then I’ll switch to the second one, I suppose. After we swap, keep the other one and give it to me when you see me. You can even get down on one knee again if you wish. I would enjoy it.”

“All right.”

As she stared at it, I slipped it on her trembling finger.

“It’s official,” I whispered. “No getting out of it now.”

“I don’t want to get out of it.”

She stood staring at it until I put my hands on her cheeks and lifted her head so she was looking at me.

“Did you really just ask me to marry you?”

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised?”

She nodded.

“How? We’ve been talking about having kids and building a house. Surely you didn’t think I’d expect you to do all that without us being married first.”

“I think I just thought we were hoping for all of those things. I don’t know that I realized you actually wanted it and you wanted it to occur now.”

“Well, I do. Don’t you?”

“I said yes, didn’t I?”

“Thank God, yes. You did.”

She laughed. “Are we truly getting married?”

“Oh, King of Glory, yes.”

She laughed and then shook her head a little. “I’m in such a shock that I might just pass out.”

“I’ll catch you if you fall.”

“You would, wouldn’t you?”

“For certain.” I kissed her on the forehead. “How soon?” I asked.

“How soon what?”

“How soon can we get married? Do you want a long engagement or short?”

“I want to marry you as soon as possible. Where?” she prodded. “Would your family come to Uganda?”

“To see me marry you they would.”

“Then can we do that?”

“If that’s what you want, then that’s what I want. We could do it when I come next month.”

“I would love that. I can start planning as soon as I get there.”

“Perfect. And I can plan the honeymoon of a lifetime. I’ve already figured out where I want to take you.”

“Where?”

“Well, there are still a few places you haven’t seen. And there’s one place I’ve always wanted to go but haven’t had the chance.”

“Where?”

“I’m not telling. It’s a surprise.”

“A hint?”

I smiled. “Sandy beaches, sparkling water, and complete privacy.”

“Sounds like heaven. Are you taking me to heaven, Cabot?”

“I sure hope so.”

C H A P T E R

38

I was tired. The scene was taking way too long to shoot. The weather was miserable and causing problem after problem, but the director insisted on getting the shot before we wrapped for the day.

It was days like that, standing in the rain, freezing my tail off just so we could get ten lines of dialogue taped, that made me wonder why I did any of it at all. There were about five thousand things I’d rather be doing, most of which involved not being wet to the bone and freezing to death. All of them included Kei.