Page 82 of If You Go
At that moment, Sam comes in, probably hearing the screaming and noticing the three of us are gone. “What’s up in here?” He asks us, keeping his eyes on Alisha.
“Nothing! Want to see the other guest rooms? Come on Sam. Brenden, take Alisha out and get her a drink, please! And send Selene into the room we designed together, will you?”
With that, Brenden kisses the top of my head and then hauls Alisha over his shoulder and exits the room, yelling for Selene on his way. He treats her as if she is his baby sister, and it’s hilarious. They fight like cats and dogs, just like the three of us do regularly.
“What is it now? Why is Brenden yelling at me again?” Selene asks as I grab her elbow as well as Sam’s and pull them into the room across the hall, before shutting and locking the door behind us.
“So, do you want to tell her or should I?” I ask Sam, with a serious look on my face, acting as though I am upset with him.
Selene, having no idea what’s happening, picks up what I am putting down and faces him with a look of pure disappointment. It’s quite funny how similar we are, and how great we are at reading each other's thoughts.
“Well, I am not sure what Alisha told you. But I wanted to talk to you anyway,” he says while rubbing his hands together.
“Spill,” Selene and I say at the same time.
“Well, so, Alisha and I moved in together. She moved into my apartment.”
“WHAT!” We both scream at him.
He ignores our outburst and continues talking. “So, things are getting pretty serious. Also-”
Selene plops down on the bed and curls up on the pillows. This bed is so soft, I almost join her. But then I remember my current outfit, and don’t want to risk it.
“Also what?” I can’t take this suspense anymore. I need him to answer the question already. I know Brenden is chomping at the bit to find out too.
“Also,” Sam starts and gives Selene a side-eyed glare when Selene opens her mouth to interrupt, and I slap her leg to get her to shut up. “I want to ask her to marry–”
“I KNEW IT!” Both Selene and I scream at the same time, she jumps up off the bed and grabs me and we doa little happy dance, gabbing Sam and pulling him in to some weird ring around the rosey dance and scream fest we started.
Sam begins to laugh and dance a bit more freely with us as we continue, seemingly with no end in sight. This, I missed this so much. Being with my siblings and celebrating life events. I need to not stay away so long like I had been before all this mess. At least something great came out of it all.
Eventually, the three of us settle and flop down on the bed, forgetting about my outfit and hair worries. All three of us lay across it, shoulder to shoulder, staring up at the ceiling.
“So, is it okay with you if I ask her. She is your best friend, and I wanted to ask for a while. I should have. Because I want to do it today. After dinner.”
Selene and I turn and look at each other. Her eyes mirroring mine, filling with tears, and I am sure her heartis just as full and happy as mine. I look the opposite way to see Sam.
“Nothing would make me happier than to have the dessert be outshined by your proposal, Sam. Having Alisha enter this family officially, gaining a second sister. I can’t think of anything I would rather have happen today.” I reach over and put my arm around him, and Selene joins in and lays on top of us, creating a Surry sandwich or a Sam Sundae. I love puns. We stay like this for a moment and then begin untangling to stand and fix our clothes and hair in the large mirror on the dresser.
We leave the bedroom behind after fixing the comforter, and I run to Brenden. I can’t say anything since everyone is listening, but I wiggle my eyebrows at him, signaling good news. He knew it too, I think most, if not all of us, did. And it’s about damn time.
Spending the rest of my life with the man I love, gaining a second sister, my baby sister finally healed, and restarting her life. Everything is safe, and solid. I couldn’task for anything more. Brenden leans down and whispers into my ear, “I love you, Siren.” I look up at this man who saved me. Not just from Gavin, but from myself and the never-ending cycle of misery that I endured every moment of every day. He is the person my soul has been looking for. And I cannot wait to begin my forever with him.
Brenden
Dinner is done, and we are all stuffed to a nearly uncomfortable level. Surrey had gestured wildly toward dessert once she exited the bedroom with Sam and Selene earlier, so I have a feeling that whatever is going to happen, is about to happen. There really is only one guess, though.
I clear my plate and begin to wash some of the dishes so we don’t have a mountain of them later on, whileeveryone settles into the living room with coffee or tea, and they all begin to chat. I clear my throat, and both Sam and Surry look at me. I look Sam in the eyes and slightly nod my head to get him to come over. “I could use some help with the dishes, if you don’t mind, Sam.” He nods and gets up, assuring both Alisha and Surry that he doesn’t mind.
Once he is standing next to me, I say through the side of my mouth, “do you need me to do anything or set anything up, man? I have some champagne I can get out as well.”
“Champagne would be great. I’m kind of nervous, though. When do I do it? It feels too relaxed, and everyone is full. But I want to make sure nobody leaves.”
“Do it now, help me finish these last few plates, wash your hands, and then we can pour some champagne and you can get everyone’s attention with it.”
“Okay.”
We get to work doing just that, and begin the rest of our lives together as one large, happy family. To think that only a few short months ago, I was prepared to live as a bachelor the rest of my life.
