The Spirit of Love

“This pic, right here. This one is my favorite,” Maria smiles, holding an iPad and pointing to a picture of three young women, sitting in the sky-blue colored booth of a Denny’s restaurant. Maria sat in the middle, with her long curly brown hair. Her middle school best friend Bridget, a slender Asian American, sits on her right. Imani, an African American woman wearing a graduation cap, is on her left. All three have radiating smiles, basking in liberation from college.

Imani laughs, “Graduation night! We did it. We finally graduated from college!”

Though the photo would never reveal it, Maria had drank a considerable large amount of tequila being offered to her at the graduation party, hosted in a nightclub, before they came to Denny’s. As she stares at the iPad, she blushes. “ It was our last night together.”

“I know, you were sad to see Bridget go the next day,” Imani confirmed, feeling a bit heartbroken from reliving the moment.

The trio had spent fours years living together. Bridget had a job offer and was moving out to pursue her career. Maria had shared with Imani during their first year together, about how her crush on Bridget originated in high school. The two had been best friends since middle school, but Maria was still questioning her own sexuality. Eighteen months into secondary education, it became clear which gender she was attracted too.

Maria naturally fell for her best friend because they had done many activities together. Bridget complemented Maria perfectly. They supported each other throughout their four challenging years in high school. Maria wanted to tell Bridget how she felt, but understood that Bridget wanted to be involved in a romantic relationship with men. With the two intertwining their relationship for nearly a decade, it was very difficult for Maria to bid farewell to her best friend.

Maria nods, embarrassment making her speechless.

“I never told her you liked her. I kept it to myself,” Imani whispers near Maria’s ear, her arm drapes over the back of the black leather couch they are sharing.

“It was the secret, but it led to us dating,” Happiness shines from Maria’s face again, feeling Imani’s love warming her heart. She flips through a few more restaurant photos and various others. Seconds later, she pauses.

A sunny day photo, one year after graduation night, displays Imani and Maria sitting on concrete ground, skates strapped to their feet. Imani wearing a pair of black aggressive inlines, and Maria sporting a pair of black and white Bont quad skates, with purple blocks between the axles. Imani had her hand in the shape of half and heart, while Maria’s hand matched with the other half. Both ecstatically in love and proud to express their emotions.

“Our first kiss!” Imani, unable to contain her excitement, leaps from the couch. She twirls with delight and resettles next to the woman who has captured her heart.

Maria closes her eyes, wrapped in Imani’s joyous emotions. “We had been skating together with the Community in Bowls group for weeks. On this morning, we both woke up early. Even though there were no CIB meet ups, but we wanted to skate, and decided to go by ourselves. Fortunately, the park was empty.”

Imani giggles. “I was trying to do a 180 over a three-foot gap. I remember asking you for a kiss if I made it. Surprisingly, you agreed, despite your attraction to Bridget.”

Imani was more of a daredevil than Maria. Imani would always dive into the bowls and carve the walls. She would perform stalls on the coping; it naturally came to her. Maria would perform a few skate tricks, but she was very timid at the park. She spent time just riding up and down the transition and perform a few safe stalls. The three-foot gap had always eluded Imani. She wanted to complete a 180-degree turn, while jumping over the gap. She had confidently jumped over it multiple times, and felt like she was ready for the next challenge. Maria agreeing to a kiss was the motivation Imani needed to attempt the trick. She finally completed it after a few practice runs.

“We kissed right after the 180 jump,” Maria adds, face beaming bright red still. “Secretly, I wanted to kiss you.”

Learning Maria wanted to kiss her for completing a 180 jump, excited Imani. She had developed a crush on Maria, since their first night together. Imani is often embarrassed to admit she fell for the cliché, love at first sight, but that is precisely how she felt meeting Maria. She would have attempted to date Maria earlier, but she had suspected Maria’s crush on Bridget, and refrained from trying to ask her out. Once Maria confirmed her attraction to Bridget, Imani immediately took the role of sister, feeling it would be better to have Maria as a sister than lose her altogether.

Imani looks over the skate pic. “If you weren’t there, I might not have ever made it. I wanted to impress you so badly. I thought, if I could land the 180, you would forget about Bridget and I would have a shot at being with you.” The confession spills out easily.

A smile forms on Maria’s lips. The sensational feeling of falling in love with Imani tickles her. She lowers her head, as she reminisces about the first significant moment in their relationship.

“I just couldn’t get over my high school crush,” states Maria. “I was hoping the kiss would help me to move on.”

Imani lowers her head in guilt. She should have been supportive of Maria’s attempts to win over Bridget, instead of trying to protect her. Months before their first kiss, Imani and Maria learned that Bridget’s relationship with her boyfriend transformed into a serious commitment. Imani watched the news disturb Maria, but knew Maria needed time to move pass the hurt. Luckily, Maria and Imani’s love had manifested. Imani became the medicine for Maria’s broken heart.

“Well, you should be glad I did. We all know what happened six months after our kiss, right?” Imani adds, waiting for the next collection of photos to appear on the twelve-inch screen.

Maria proceeds to swipe through the photos, pausing briefly at endearing photos of her and Imani. Beach dates, skate park photos and videos, hand holding walks. Each shot represents the building bricks to the foundation of their relationship, making Maria fall deeper in love with Imani. Finally, the first of two photos that Imani was dreading flashes on the screen.

In the photo, Bridget stood between them, draped in a light lilac-colored floral lace dress. Various pieces of cloth were woven into lavender-colored orchids, and placed in a beautiful pattern around the apparel. An enlarged light-purple orchid was placed over the bosom of the strapless wedding gown. Imani and Maria had matching bridesmaid dresses; with fewer flowers to keep the spotlight on Bridget, who was beaming over the importance of the day. She had just been married to her husband.

Maria cast a smile for Bridget, but Imani was able to sense a concealed disappointment in Maria’s facial expression. The smile was an act to maintain a festive atmosphere for the newly-weds. Maria’s worse fear had appeared, she was going to lose Bridget and there was no stopping it. Shortly after the photo shoot, Maria excused herself. Imani followed and Maria cried in her arms. Imani knew Maria would be hurt after the wedding because it is difficult to forget your first crush, especially if you had a deep connection with them for years.

Maria returned to swiping through the photo album. “It wasn’t fair to have a crush on one woman, while the other was there full of love for me. I should have given more of me,” Maria lowered her head, regretting years of feeling unfaithful to the woman who had accepted her.

“Maria, you can’t keep blaming yourself for the past. We still ended up together. Once you realized Bridget would no longer be able to reciprocate your feelings, we were able to focus on what we have,” Imani assures, embracing the guilt-ridden Maria.

Maria returns to swiping through photos. A couple of minutes later, she finally made it passed Bridget’s wedding and a few of the post-wedding pictures. The subsequent photos were focused on various skate meet-ups, travels photos, hikes, and other activities the couple engaged in together. Maria finally stops at the final photo she had been dreading. It was a photo of a large group of skaters, everyone had a jubilant expression plastered on their faces. Maria and Imani were in front of the group, lips locked with a sign: She said yes, in front of them.

Imani felt the shift in the atmosphere. She became confused over Maria’s reaction to such a glorious photo, especially knowing the reason for its existence. “Why are you sad? This was a great day for us,” she comments.

Half a year after Bridget’s wedding, they became intimately close. Bridget had begun to have problems with her own marriage, which inspired Imani and Maria to focus on their relationship. Should their relationship evolve into a commitment, they wanted to stay strong. As time passed, Maria’s feeling for Imani shifted to a deep amorous affection. Imani knew they were ready for the next level.

A true testament to their newfound devotion for each other arrived nearly one year after Bridget’s wedding. They had attended another Community in Bowls meet session. Maria had joined a few quad skaters to work on grinding on the coping, while Imani was practicing carving and other stunts in the bowl. A terrifying scream shot from one of the bowls, gripping Maria with fear instantly. She turned her attention to the area, expecting to see Imani, but she had vanished. A few skaters were pointing down into the bowl. Maria quickly sensed, Something happened to Imani. She sped over to the bowls, mentally preparing herself for the worse, hoping the accident was small enough to avoid a rushed trip to the ER. When she arrived at the edge of the bowl, Imani was in the middle, lying flat on her back with a sign in her hands that read: MARIA, WILL YOU MARRY ME? Exulting screams filled the air around Maria. Everyone in the community had been made aware of the proposal. Maria felt the proposal day was coming, but was still completely surprised by the execution. Beaming brightly, she shouted a confident yes!

“It was such an unexpected proposal. I was terrified. I honestly thought something bad had happened, but was shocked to learn it was a set-up for a marriage proposal,” Maria beams, but a hint of melancholy accompanies her speech. “Had I known what was going to happen, I wouldn’t have suggested going to the mall.”

Confusion entangles Imani instantly. “But, I had to go, to get a ring. You knew that.”

Maria flips through the photos on the iPad. The celebratory dinner at their favorite restaurant, with Maria surrounded by their friends from the skating community. In each photo, Imani is absent. The photos continue until the camera roll reaches its end.

“If she hadn’t gone to get a ring, she would still be here, with me. It’s my fault. I should have told her not to go. I should have made her wait and join everyone at the restaurant to celebrate. But…she was so insistent. As she is always when she’s excited. She wanted the whole world to know we were engaged.” Tears gently pour from her eyes.

“It’s ok,” a voice interrupts. Imani realizes it’s not her voice. She is not alone with Maria. She was never alone with her. Someone had been in the room with them the whole time. “I’m sure she would have loved the funeral and the time you spent with her.”

Imani stands from the couch and turns to see a face she recognized from her college years. The same face that shared a room with her and Maria throughout their college years, Bridget. Immediately, Imani becomes cognizant that Bridget was the one holding Maria, reviewing the past off the iPad.

Maria continues weeping. “Bridge, if she didn’t go for the ring, she would not have been shot. We would have gotten married and become the couple you were supposed to be with Kevin.”

“Kevin and I,” Bridget chuckles. “That was definitely a mistake. He was too controlling and abusive. That’s why I had been so distant, he wouldn’t allow me to contact anyone. I had to leave that marriage as quickly as I could. When I finally reconnected with you, I was shocked to hear about what had happened to Imani. I know you two would have made a strong family.

“What happened to her is not your fault. It’s the same thing your therapist has been telling you for over a year now. Look at the progress you have made. Just sitting here tonight and looking over the photos is a great improvement. There is no way you could have known there was going to be a shooter at the mall. Sadly, it’s one of those incidents that continue to happen. I’m just glad I’m here to help you through this.”

A year?! Imani freezes in the abyss of perplexity. Gradually, she begins to recall the events leading to her death. After the proposal in the bowl, Imani made her way to the car.

“I’m just going to go to Tiffany’s to get you a ring. I should have gotten it before I proposed, but I wanted to make sure.” She exclaimed.

Maria shook her head vigorously. “Do it tomorrow. Let’s just go to the restaurant with everyone now to celebrate. My ring can wait.”

Imani thought about the idea for a brief moment. “Maria, you know there will be pictures. Plenty of pictures. I want all of them to have you with your ring on. You know I have been waiting a very long time for this moment. I want those pictures to be perfect.” She insisted.

Reluctantly, Maria closed her eyes. “Fine, but please hurry back.”

Imani jumped in the car and sped to the mall. She knew Tiffany’s would be a brisk walk from where she had parked. She ran through the entrance of the mall, and seconds later was greeted by loud, repetitious gunfire. Imani felt a small object impale her in multiple areas, each spot burning. She raised her hand to feel what had hit her, and a thick blanket of blood covered her hand. It was the last vision she had before the whole world went black.

Imani glances over at Bridget and Maria. She can see the burden her death has taken on Maria. Watching Maria struggle with moving on, tears Imani’s heart. She determines it must have been worse if Maria was seeking professional help. Imani stares at Bridget. Maria’s first crush and, admittedly, Maria’s true love. Imani may have finally won Maria over, but it would be selfishly unfair to prevent Maria from feeling the love she both deserves and needs.

Imani glides over to Maria, bends down near her left ear. “Maria, you know I will always love you and have loved you since the day I met you in the dorm room. I watched you resist the urge to confess your feelings to Bridget and resign to dating me. I am honored that you eventually gave me a chance to make you happy. I know we have spent many wonderful days and made unforgettable, beautiful memories. Our time has ended and your time with Bridget begins. You need each other now. I will always be watching from above, smiling at the life you two will create together.”

Maria smiles, hearing the whispers of Imani through the gently summer breeze blowing from the window. She pivots slowly to Bridget, raises her arms and hesitates.

“Land it, just like I did my 180,” Imani concludes, vanishing simultaneously as Maria hugs, then caresses Bridget’s lips.