Indigo Burns rested her elbows on the balcony railing and scanned the crowd that had gathered in the courtyard below to celebrate her achievement and her brief homecoming. “Brief” if that’s what one could call the next twelve weeks. In a town the size of Jubilant, three months could feel like twenty, especially after being away for four years and expanding your mind, pursuing your dreams, and falling in love.
Indigo wasn’t arrogant—far from it, everyone who knew her well agreed. Instead, she was sure that she had been born to walk a certain path and confident that as long as she had faith, worked hard, and stayed focused, she would succeed.
This afternoon, she leaned to her right and rested her head on Brian’s broad shoulder. Without consulting one another, each had come to the party wearing tan linen outfits and brown leather sandals, although his shoes were flat and hers bore two-inch heels.
“This day is perfect,” she said, surveying the colorful variety of flowers that bathed the grounds of Jubilant Botanical Gardens. “I feel like God is giving me a thumbs-up and sealing it with a kiss.”
Brian tweaked her nose with his thumb and forefinger.
‘Then I guess you don’t need mine, huh?”
She chuckled and raised her head so his lips could easily reach hers.
Brian delivered the smooch with a smile and she returned the gesture.
“How does it feel to be a college graduate?” he asked. “A summa cum laude one, at that?”
Indigo hugged him sideways. “Feels good, babe. I’m excited about the next chapter.”
He wrapped his deep brown arms around her waist and they turned their attention back to her friends and family milling about below, consuming seafood and barbecue, flipping through scrapbooks that contained her photos, and dancing to some of her favorite old school R&B and hip-hop grooves.
At one end of the patio, Brian’s parents swayed in sync, tucking their round bodies into each other’s like matching puzzle pieces. A few feet away, Indigo’s mom and dad sashayed to the riffs of Chaka Khan, a half second off beat as always. And holding center court were Indigo’s cousins, Rachelle and Gabe.
Indigo smiled as she watched the tall, lean couple move in close and pull away at the beckoning of the beat. Their eyes remained locked, and at one point, Gabe lowered his head and stole a kiss from his wife.
Indigo blushed and instinctively framed the picture in her mind. If she weren’t locked in Brian’s embrace right now, she’d grab one of her cameras to capture this miracle. Those two clearly didn’t need words to let the family know their marriage was back on track.
The song ended, and before the DJ could start another, Aunt Melba and Shelby climbed the steps to a small stage that had been positioned on the side of the patio. They each grabbed a microphone from its stand and Aunt Melba pointed in Indigo’s direction.
“That’s where they’re hiding,” she said into the mic, leading everyone to turn and wave. “Brian, will you please escort the guest of honor to the stage?”
In jest, Brian saluted Aunt Melba. He held out his arm so Indigo could tuck hers inside and they descended the stone stairs. A minute later, Indigo was facing her guests.
Wearing a smile that flaunted her perfect teeth, she stood between her aunt and her best friend and the crowd cheered. The three women looked like purposely posed catalog models of different shades and sizes—Indigo with toffee skin and a thin bone structure that gave her jaw and cheekbones prominent angles; Aunt Melba with her bronze complexion, full red lips, and thick hips; and Shelby, a dark chocolate Hershey’s kiss, whose smooth skin and curves made her eligible for Barbie-doll status.
“Aw, ya’ll really love me!” Indigo said to the lingering applause. She laughed, but her eyes were glistening.
Shelby pulled out a tissue she had tucked in her palm and passed it to Indigo. “I knew this would happen,” she told the other guests. “We haven’t said a word about her yet, and she’s acting like the Grammy is hers.”
Indigo swatted Shelby’s arm.
“Seriously though,” Shelby said, “It’s an honor to be here to celebrate Indigo Irene Burns. For those of you who don’t know, I’m Shelby Arrington, Indigo’s friend and sister in spirit. We met at Tuskegee University our sophomore year and graduated together yesterday.”
Aunt Melba waved. “If any of you don’t know me, you better ask somebody!”
The crowd roared.
“I am Indigo’s favorite aunt and one of her biggest fans,” Melba said. “Indigo graduated with honors yesterday, with a 3.8 GPA. She has received a partial scholarship to the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she’ll move in August to get her master’s in photography.
“She’s going to tell us what her summer plans are, but her long-term goal is to become as good as, if not better than, famed photographer Ansel Adams,” Aunt Melba said.
Shelby continued. “She wants to shoot still-life images for magazines and museums and maybe even for movies. The awesome thing about Indigo is that not only does she want to do these things, being the person she is, she’ll get them done.”
She turned toward Indigo. “Indie, we wish you much success and Godspeed on your journey. And when you hit it big, I’ll be your ‘Gail.’ If Oprah can have a gal pal, you can too!”
Indigo hugged Aunt Melba and Shelby and took Shelby’s microphone. The two women stepped aside to give Indigo center stage. She thanked everyone for coming and for supporting her over the years.
“Now, to my parents,” Indigo said and shook her head. “I can’t say enough. They gave me a camera that used 35mm film when I was ten. Remember those? I took so many pictures that at some point, they began upgrading me to a better model every Christmas.
“They’ve always believed in me and supported me, even when it meant they had to sacrifice something else. They have taught me, and shown me, that with God and personal grit, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. Anything that I’ve achieved so far, or will achieve, I share those accolades with you, Mama and Daddy. I love you.”
Indigo dabbed her eyes with the tissue again and searched the crowd. “Where are Rachelle and Gabe?”
The couple waved from their seats, in the last row of black folding chairs positioned near the stage. Their teenagers, Tate and Taryn, sat next to them.
“Rachelle, you’re a first cousin who’s more like a big sister, and I appreciate you for that,” Indigo said. “Thanks to both of you for giving me this party at this beautiful place. Our usual backyard barbecue was all I had in mind. You’re so good to me!”
Gabe stood up and blew her a kiss. “Remember this day when you’re rich and famous and I need a loan!” he joked.
Indigo raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Okay, Doctor Cov-ington,” she said. Just about everyone there knew Gabe was one of the top heart surgeons in the nation and wouldn’t need her financial help anytime soon.
“Tell them what you’ll be doing this summer,” Aunt Melba reminded her.
“I will be interning at the Jubilant Herald for nine weeks,” Indigo said. “My calling isn’t photojournalism, but this will allow me to add a range of photos to my portfolio before I head to grad school. Plus, it will be great to spend the summer at home.”
Brian approached Indigo and put an arm around her waist.
“This man isn’t on the program,” Shelby teased.
Brian winked at her. “Hey, everybody,” he said in his husky, laid-back drawl, skipping the self-introduction. “I just want to say that I’m very proud of Indigo. We met at Tuskegee when she was a sophomore and I was a senior.” He looked in Shelby’s direction. “Our friend over there introduced us, and within half an hour of talking to Miss Indigo, I knew she was special. She hasn’t proved me wrong. She has big plans for the future, and I’m praying that I’ll be part of them.”
Indigo felt tears surfacing again. Brian had never been much of a romantic; this overt show of affection surprised her.
Then he knelt on one knee. She felt faint.
“If you’ll take this ring, and agree to become Mrs. Harper, you’ll make me the happiest man in the world. Indigo, will you marry me?”
Indigo stared at Brian and tried to process what she’d just heard.
Did he just propose? In front of everyone she knew? Had this man forgotten that he’d be leaving in a few weeks for the Navy’s Officer Candidate School, with plans to become a Navy pilot?
Countless emotions engulfed Indigo, from love and gratitude to a tidal wave of fear that churned in the pit of her stomach. As much as she loved Brian, becoming his wife wasn’t in her immediate plans. Neither was giving up her first-choice grad school.
“I love you too, Brian,” she said weakly, trying to mask her mental wrestling match. How could she say no to this fine, smart brother, who had a bright future ahead of him and happened to be crazy about her?
She couldn’t. Especially not in front of all these people.
God forgive me, she prayed silently.
“Yes . . . I’ll marry you!” she told Brian.
She flung her arms around his neck and let the tears fall. She did love him, and she did want to be his wife. Just not now—before she, and her dreams, had a chance to blossom.