Page 103 of Risks

Their eyes expand.

Mouths fall open.

“Oh my god,” Alison laughs out.“Seriously?”

“You’re engaged?” Dad confirms,bouncing his eyes between Toya and me.

Toya giggles. “Yes, we are.” Shelifts her left hand, showing off the ring. The diamond sparkles in thesunlight.

“Aw!” Alison jumps up to hug usboth. “Congratulations. That’s exciting.”

“It is,” Dad says in a soft tone.“Wow.” He embraces us, slapping his hands on my shoulder. “You know what? Goodfor you. You both know what you want.”

“Do you have an idea when?” Alisonquestions.

“After Toya’s graduation,” I reply,turning to my fiancée for approval.

“Are you okay with waiting twoyears?” she confirms, biting the corner of her bottom lip.

I nod. “Of course, I am. I’ll waitas long as it takes to make you my wife.”

Alison snorts. “Jesus. I can’t believeyou’re nineteen and twenty. You talk to each other like you’re thirty-year-olds.”

“That’s true,” Dad adds. “Anotherreason why I’m supporting you.”

Toya and I smile at each other,uncaring to the world as we share without using words.

46

Returning to the apartment, I gointo the bedroom for privacy while the others chat in the living area.

“Toya,” Mom answers on the secondring, sounding excited to hear from me. “How are you? How’s Alison? Dan told meall she needed was rest and that it wasn’t anything else.”

I sit on the bed. “She’ll be okay.They’re relieved, considering how their mom passed.”

“Well, I’m glad it’s not that.”

“Um, congratulations about the baby.Daniel told us.”

“Oh.” Her soft laugh fills the line.“I’m excited and nervous. I’m afraid to celebrate it too much.”

A sad feeling creeps in as I recallthe previous pregnancy. “I pray you’ll have a healthy baby.”

“Thanks, honey.”

We’re both quiet until I speakagain. “Mom, about therapy… I’ll go with you next summer when I’m home longer.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Thank you,baby. Thank you for giving it a chance.”

My eyes tear up, and I clear mythroat to tell her, “I’m staying in New York since my internship starts onMonday. So, I won’t see you until the weekend before I go back to college.”

“Three months, huh.” She sighsdeeply. “I understand. It’s how things are now. You’re coming into your own andliving your life. I’m truly happy for you, Toya.”

I swallow hard, readying myself totell her the rest. “Mom, Varen proposed in Scotland. We’re engaged.”

“Really?” she laughs out. “Oh my… That’swonderful. I’m thrilled for you both.”

“You are? I thought you wouldn’t be.”

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