A Good Dude (47 page)

Candace squealed and threw her arms around him. Tino stepped down onto the porch and embraced her fully. He smelled holiday fresh, like Aspen cologne. His cheek was smooth against Candace’s, and his body was warm.

“Tino! Oh, baby, I missed you! Why didn’t you tell me you were here? I’ve been sitting out here with
this heifer
for ten minutes.”

“I’m sorry,” he said into her neck. “I just got here. Your dad cornered me as soon as I walked in the door.”

“What y’all so excited for?” Toya asked. “It ain’t like y’all don’t see each other all the time.”

And that was true. Tino’s infamous stab wound one year ago turned out to be one of his least serious injuries. CC’s blade slipped in just below Tino’s ribs, neatly slicing through muscle and fatty tissue, but the knife did not puncture his liver, stomach, or even his intestines. Contrary to the blood loss, no vital organ or artery was damaged.

It took only a week to recover from his other bumps, cuts and bruises, and Tino walked out of the hospital before their holiday break from school was over. Candace completed the spring semester with him at the community college, and over the summer she was finally able to convince him to move to New York with her. They both began their junior year at Columbia University four months ago.

“I haven’t seen him since school let out on the fifteenth,” Candace said. “I miss my baby.”

That was the one hard part about the migration. They both lived on campus, but Tino didn’t have any nearby relatives to live with during the holidays. He had to stay in the dorm, while Candace only had to cross the Manhattan Bridge to spend Christmas break with her family.

“Tino, will you tell me about when you got stabbed?” Toya asked.

He laughed.

“Get out of here!” Candace shouted.

Toya got up obediently. She opened the back door but paused in the doorway.

“Tino, can you get her to come inside?” she asked. “She’s been out here for like an hour.”

“I’ll be there in a minute,” Candace said. Toya gave her a wicked grin and closed the door behind herself.

Candace took a step away from her boyfriend so she could look at him.

“Your nose is red,” Tino said.

“I know. I am getting cold now,” Candace admitted. “You ready to go inside?”

“Hold on,” Tino said. He reached down and held both of her gloved hands. “I have a present for you. I want to give it to you while we’re alone.”

Candace smiled expectantly. “Okay.”

Tino reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small box. From the size of it, Candace knew only a ring could fit in there. Her heart fluttered, and she felt warm all of a sudden.

“Before you get excited,” Tino said, “I have to tell you my mom wouldn’t let me propose to you.”

Candace’s smile grew bigger rather than fade with this revelation. “You wanted to propose to me?” she asked.

Tino opened the box to reveal a silver ring with a small diamond. “I did want to propose,” he said. “I was going to do it today. This is the best ring I could afford.”

Candace stared at the band, but she could barely see it twinkle because of the tears in her eyes. “That sure looks like an engagement ring to me,” she said.

“It is an engagement ring,” Tino said. “It was. I have to call it a
promise ring
. I’m sorry. I wanted it to be more special, but my mom says I have to wait until I get my bachelor’s before I can ask you to marry me.”

Candace wiped a warm tear from her eye.

“Is it okay?” Tino asked.

Candace nodded wistfully. “It’s perfect.”

He smiled. “Can I put it on you?”

Candace pulled her left glove off with her teeth and let it fall where it may. Tino plucked the ring from the box and slid it over her third finger. It fit perfectly.

“How’d you know my size?” she asked.

“I measured your finger while you slept,” Tino said. Candace didn’t know if he was kidding or not, and she didn’t care. The gift was wonderful.

Tino pulled a folded sheet from his coat pocket. “This is a promise ring,” he said as he read from the paper. “This ring means the following things: I will be faithful to you. I will keep you in my heart always, and we are best friends. This ring means I will always be there for you. It means I love you, and my intentions are to marry you one day.”

Candace took the paper and read it for herself. “Tino, you’re such a nerd,” she said affectionately.

“I wanted to make sure I presented it correctly,” he said. “I looked it up on the Internet.”

Candace smiled. “I accept your promise ring,” she said, “and all the promises that come with it. Especially the,” she looked back to the sheet, “ 
‘My intentions are to marry you one day
’ part. I really like that.”

“I’d marry you right now if I could,” Tino said. Candace nodded. “I know you would.”

“Man, screw that,” Tino said. He took the promise ring paper and balled it up.

“I’m gonna do it,” he said.

“Do what?”

“I’m gonna propose like I wanted to. Gimme my ring back.”

Fiery butterflies danced in Candace’s belly. She returned his gift reluctantly.

“What about your mother?” she asked.

Tino dropped to one knee like a proper gentleman and cradled Candace’s hand in his. “She got married when she was seventeen,” he said. “She’s not one to talk.”

Candace’s legs felt prickly. She squirmed like she had to go to the bathroom.

“
Oh, my God
,” she breathed.

“Candace, we’ve been through so much together . . . .”

“
Oh, Tino
,” she said, bouncing now.

“I’ve never met a woman as beautiful as you,” he said. “I’ve never met anyone as wonderful as you, and as smart. No one makes me feel like you do . . . .”

“
Yes
!” Candace said.

“Wait, I haven’t asked you anything yet.”

“Hurry up!” she whined.

“You cold?”

“No, I’m
anxious
.”

“Okay. Okay.” He cleared his throat. “Candace Hendricks, will you marry me?”

“Yes, Celestino! Yes, I will!”

He slipped the ring on again, and it was an even better fit this time. He stood, and Candace threw her
arms around his neck and lifted her feet in the air. “
I’m so excited!
” she squealed.

Tino wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. “Me, too. This is the best day of my life.”

They kissed to seal their engagement and then stared into each other’s eyes longingly.

“Let’s go inside,” Tino finally said.

“Oh, my God, I can’t believe we’re engaged. You brought your luggage, didn’t you?” Candace asked.

“Yeah. But I don’t know about staying here until school starts back,” Tino said.

“Why not? I got the guest room ready for you.”

“Because your dad says I have to be in there
all by myself
,” he said with a grin. “He says you can’t come visit me past 8 p.m.”

Candace giggled. “Did he say anything about you coming to my room?”

Tino shook his head with a sly smile. “No. He didn’t say anything about that.”

“I can have visitors as late as 3 a.m.,” Candace said. “That’s risky.”

“Not really,” Candace replied. “After a few eggnogs, my dad usually passes out around midnight.”

They grinned conspiratorially and walked through the back door hand in hand. Candace’s parents had a huge kitchen. It was warm and filled with the smells of the season.

“So you finally got her to come in?” Gerald called from the refrigerator.

“Yes, sir,” Tino said. “She’s seen enough snow today.”

“Great!” Gerald said. He emerged from the fridge with a fresh glass of eggnog in hand. He took it to the counter and added hard liquor to his drink.

Candace squeezed her boyfriend’s hand.

Tino looked over at her.

“See?” she whispered. “One down, two to go.” Tino smiled.

Candace winked at him and let go of his hand for a second to brush a few hairs away from her eyes. That simple move was all it took.

“What’s that on your finger?” Katherine asked.

Keith Walker is the author of
Fixin’ Tyrone
and
How to Kill Your Husband.
He is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a specification in education. Keith started writing in fifth grade and has won many awards. He is an avid poet who performs at various venues throughout his hometown and neighboring cities. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife and two children. You can visit him at
http://www.keithwalkerbooks.com
.