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“Mom, are you in here?” Toya asked as she walked into the fellowship hall. Her mother had asked that she meet up with her at the church, but when she arrived all the lights were off. Toya thought that was strange, but she tried the door to the fellowship hall anyway. It opened.
When she stepped in, the lights came on, but they were dim. Glancing around the room, she saw huge balloons floating around the ceiling. The balloons had light strings that clung to them while the remaining string hung in the air creating a spectacular display.
There was a table off to the left that had punch, cake, and finger sandwiches on it. A backdrop clung to the back wall of the fellowship hall with black and blue letters that said Prom 2005. “What is going on here?”
Jarrod walked into the room wearing a black tuxedo with a baby blue shirt. He was holding out a corsage to her. “I figured since people do throwback parties all the time, why couldn’t we do a throwback of our own.”
“You are actually trying to recreate our prom.” She looked so confused as she glanced around the room again. “But how? Why? I don’t have anything to wear.”
He pointed toward the bookstore. “Everything you need is waiting behind that door.” He turned her in the direction of the bookstore and nudged her forward.
Looking back at Jarrod, she said, “But you didn’t have to do this. I mean, we are thirty-two years old. What business do we have at a prom?”
“Woman, just do what I tell you, for once in your life.”
Toya opened the door and stepped into the bookstore. Her mother and Gina were inside waiting for her. “Both of you knew about this, and you didn’t say anything to me?”
Grinning from ear to ear, Yvonne said, “Didn’t Jarrod just tell you to hush that fuss?”
“Mom you don’t care about this kind of stuff. You weren’t even home to help me get dressed for actually senior prom.”
“I’m here now,” Yvonne told her. “And I’m going to enjoy every moment of this prom with you.”
“But Mom, I just don’t get why he’s doing this. And why you allowed him to decorate the fellowship hall like that.”
Gina interrupted her friend. “Have a seat, my lady. The ball is about to begin, and we need to do your hair and make-up.”
“You’re serious. We are really doing this?”
Her mother nodded, then pointed toward the chair.
Toya sat down. On the table next to the chair was a curling iron, hair products and all sorts of make-up. “Where did you get all of this stuff from?”
“After my dad got laid off from his job, I had to model the last two years of college to pay my way.”
“That sounds exciting,” Toya said, seeing another side of her friend.
“Believe me, it wasn’t. But at least I have my degree. The make-up is a side bonus. I’ve probably thrown away half of all the goop I acquired during those days.”
“Okay, so you’re going to take care of my hair and make-up. But Jarrod is standing out there in a whole tuxedo.”
Yvonne walked over to one of the racks in the bookstore and came back carrying this amazing baby blue strapless dress with a sequin halter. Below the halter was a silky long flowing skirt. Toya would have picked this dress out herself if she had seen it. “It’s beautiful, Mom. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Jarrod picked this dress out. He knows you just as much as I do. I finally realized that when I saw the dress. I actually pictured you in this thing. And now you’re about to put it on and go to your prom.”
Toya hopped out of her seat and hugged her mother. She then said, “Okay, let’s do this.”
Within thirty minutes, Toya was dressed, her hair was in an updo, and her make-up was fresh. As she walked back into the fellowship hall, which was now the location of her prom, music began to play. Jarrod was standing in the middle of the floor, holding a handout for her. “Can I have this dance?”
“Well Bubba, since you went to all this trouble, how can I not dance with you?” Toya took his hand and allowed Jarrod to pull her into his arms. They swayed to the music and Toya had to admit that being in Jarrod’s arms felt good. Oh, so good.
“Why did you do all of this?” She asked as they gazed into each other's eyes.
“For your love, baby, I would do anything. Even go back to 2005, one of the worst years of my life.”
Her eyes questioned him. “What made 2005 so bad. We graduated high school and set off for college. We were becoming, developing, and growing back then.”
“All of that was cool. But 2005 was the year I had to say goodbye to you. All else paled compared to the pain I endured.
“Ah, baby.” She ran her hands over his head and kissed him like he was the very air she breathed, and without him, she wouldn’t survive.
They danced, ate snacks, and drank punch. Thomas even entered the room and played photographer for them. By the time she and Jarrod stood in front of their prom backdrop, she was completely convinced that this prom was better than anything she would have ever experience back in high school. Because now she was convinced that what she and Jarrod had was real.
Things got real, real when Jarrod dropped down on one knee in front of their parents and her best friend and said, “Toya, I have loved you for so long that I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in love with you. I need you in my life. Will you please marry me?”
Yep, this was the best prom ever. “Yes!” She shouted and then Jarrod took her in his arms and swung her around. They were always meant to be together. Time, distance and other opportunities... nothing was strong enough to keep them apart and nothing from this day forward would ever come between them again.
The end... of this one, but the saga continues in Book 3 (Got To Be Love) Coming in September 2019... Got To Be Love (Book 3 in the Loving You Series)
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Our Love
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For Your Love
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Got To Be Love
Releases September 2019
Other Books by Vanessa Miller
Family Business I
Family Business II
Family Business III
Family Business IV
Family Business V
Family Business VI
Our Love
For Your Love
Got To Be Love
Rain in the Promised Land
Heaven Sent
Sunshine And Rain
After the Rain
How Sweet The Sound
Heirs of Rebellion
Feels Like Heaven
Heaven on Earth
The Best of All
Better for Us
Her Good Thing
Long Time Coming
A Promise of Forever Love
A Love for Tomorrow
Yesterday’s Promise
Forgotten
Forgiven
Forsaken
Rain for Christmas (Novella)
Through the Storm
Rain Storm
Latter Rain
Abundant Rain
Former Rain
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Anthologies (Editor)
Keeping the Faith
Have A Little Faith
This Far by Faith
Novella
Love Isn’t Enough
A Mighty Love
The Blessed One (Blessed and Highly Favored series)
The Wild One (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Preacher’s Choice (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Politician’s Wife (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
The Playboy’s Redemption (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)
Tears Fall at Night (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Joy Comes in the Morning (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
A Forever Kind of Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Ramsey’s Praise (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Escape to Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Praise For Christmas (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
His Love Walk (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Could This Be Love (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
Song of Praise (Praise Him Anyhow Series)
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