Hero Worship Pt. 08

Vicky filled in for Taylor's mother admirably, and we still have the mixed sand glass thingy on our mantle. Most of that day is a blur, but I remember being introduced for the first time as Taylor and Aly Knox. I still get a happy little flutter whenever I see my name written like that.

The first year was rough. Taylor was trying to finish school while her career was taking off. She got it done, though, and I think she learned that it was okay to lean on me when she needed to. She's pretty famous now, having done shows at some of the biggest galleries in LA and has won several important awards. She's even worked on a few indie movie sets. We moved into a place of our own after she graduated, but we're waiting to buy until I get my license and can design our home.

I'm progressing, studying for my architect licensure exams, learning on the job and doing a lot of grunt work as I pay my proverbial dues. And that's where I found myself four years later, sitting at my desk one Friday morning, putting together a floor plan for the new corporate headquarters of some law firm, when Michelle appeared over my shoulder.

"Hey, it's on, in the conference room."

I checked the clock. Nine-fifteen, crap, I'd almost missed it.

I hurried behind her, entering to find the whole of my team, along with Mr. Urbanczyk watching the flat screen, where a pretty reporter was talking into a microphone.

"Good morning, LA, we are here today on the North Side, looking up at what has quickly become a landmark for Angelinos. She's known by a few names, but the one that seems to be sticking is 'The Lady of L.A.'" The camera panned up to show the fifty foot version of Pacifica that Taylor had erected on one of my dad's new properties along the PCH.

"She's become a favorite, and we are lucky enough to be joined by the artist responsible, Taylor Knox." My wife appeared on camera to applause and whistles from my team. I just smiled. Her hair was mussed. I'd spent almost half an hour trying to get it to behave this morning before I left, and she still managed to get it mussed before her interview. God, I love her.

"Good morning, so, what is it like seeing one of your creations causing so much stir around town?"

Taylor's cheeks colored a little before she answered. "It's something else really. I remembered when I first sketched this out. The first one I made was only twenty inches high or so." She looked up. "But this is how I always envisioned it, so it's something to see."

"Now a lot of people have commented on her face, lovingly done, they say. I understand it's of someone close to you?"

Her voice had a leading edge to it, and Taylor blushed deeper.

"Yeah, it's my wife's face. She gets embarrassed when we drive by, but I couldn't do anything else. Besides being the most beautiful woman I know, she's the reason all this was possible. She's my muse." Taylor waved at the camera. "I love you, baby."

Several of my co-workers whooped, and I wiped a tear from my eye, blowing a little kiss back at the screen as I touched the choker around my neck. I still wore one every day, and by now I had quite a collection. After we finished in the shower, which we still took together daily, I'd bring her one based on what I was wearing that day, and I would kneel in front of her.

She'd put the choker around my neck and ask me what it meant.

"That I belong to My Lady, to her and her alone."

And then she'd attach the heart shaped lock. "And this means that Your Lady loves you and only you, and she cherishes you above all things."

And in doing so, every morning we take a moment to fall in love with each other all over again.

THE END

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Whew! I cannot tell you how emotionally draining this was, both the writing and the posting. I hope everyone enjoyed this, and thank you so much for everyone who came along for the ride. I doubt I'll write any more about Taylor and Aly. Let's let them have their 'happily ever after.' If I do come back to any of these characters, it would be Macie. As many have guessed, she's more complicated than just a bigot. But she's also not just 'in the closet'. That'd be way down the road, though.

I'm also never going to write from two perspectives again. It's so hard. And it made this so long. This was over 160K words, which is almost twice as long as a normal romance novel. My next posting will probably be Cindy and Mitch's story, who are side characters from 'The Tennis Star'. It will be shorter. I'm also working on 'Unrequited,' which is far and away my favorite story I've written. It'll be a little while, though.

Be safe, I love you all.