Page 69 of Roots and Sky

“Uh, no,” I say, pulling her back to the podium. “Where the hell do you think you’re going, sassy pants? We know I’m not Entertainer of the Year without you. Stop your playin’.”

Rolling her eyes, she shoulders me, and I pretend to lose my balance. Her eyes go wide as I send her finger guns. The audience laughs when I lose my balance for real and she saves my ass from falling down the steps.

“This is what I get for letting her take over my sitting room,” she intones, and the audience laps it up.

I don’t give a damn about the live broadcast at this point, so I grab her and give her a great big hug and kiss.

Turning to the mic, I start my actual speech. “I want to thank the Academy, the people who voted for me, and my fans. Mostly, though, I cannot imagine any of this without this woman by my side, grounding me, giving me a place to call home, giving me a person to call home.”

The audienceawws, then gives us another huge round of applause. All of a sudden, I can’t wait a second longer.

“Kinley, baby, I was going to ask you a question later tonight, but now seems as good a time as any.”

A hush goes through the audience as I—with her help—lower myself to one knee. Kinley, being Kinley, cracks into the mic. “Oh no. Are you having a stroke again?”

The audience laughs, and Kinley looks like she surprised herself and then smacks her hand over her forehead, shaking her head. “Sorry. I don’t know why that flew out of my mouth.”

The audience laughs again, then goes quiet.

“Every second you have been in my life, you have done nothing but save me. Again and again and again. And I don’t know why anyone would ever sign up for that for a lifetime, but that’s the question I’m asking you right now. Kinley, will you please, for the love of God, marry me?”

She starts sobbing, which is sweet and hilarious, and just like her. She nods, holding out her hand. I stand, wobbly and steady all at once, then slide the ring onto her finger.

Leaning into the mic, I let ’em know.

“She said yes.”

The audience leaps to their feet as we walk off the stage, and Kinley’s eyes snap to mine, completely shocked and in love.

“I have literally never been more grateful for a stroke,” she says, giving her waterproof mascara a run for its money as tears track down her cheek.

No one in the history of ever has looked more beautiful than she does tonight.

“Me too, baby. Me too.”

* * *