Tame Me If You Can

Chapter 33

He kisses my temple while Naomi tells us to get a room. I giggle and wrap my arms around him.

In the midst of our disgusting couple moment, a pathway of candles and roses emerge. They lead us down the backyard, unveiling curtains of string lights, draped on every tree. It's as if the sky is pouring with galaxies.

Soft music — Bruno Mars or some shit — starts to play as Naomi walks ahead, each timid step hinting her surprise and awe.

Jake gasps and Naomi's friends whip out their phones, smiles splitting their faces.

Then I look over Naomi's shoulder, where John stands in the middle of a heart shaped arrangement of dead flowers — proud and grinning.

Naomi does that feminine gesture where she covers her mouth with both hands as if one won't suffice.

She steps into the cult — excuse me — heart formation and holds John's hands. Her friends surround like paparazzi as he gets on one knee and mutters something lovey dovey. Then she nods and everyone screams.

And I guess it's sort of sweet, but also... meh.

At any moment, I just expect birds to fly and sit on our shoulders, so we can sing.

But then Jake's stupid arms wrap around me from behind and his stupid lips brush my cheek, making me soft and fragile like a stupid feather.

My skin tingles with warmth as unfamiliar yet serene contentment flows through me, cloaking over every dark and abandoned space.

And at that moment, everything feels perfect.

"We're getting married!" John yells.

Suddenly, a noise equivalent to a village erupts from the house and we turn our heads. Then the doors burst open, and indeed, a village pours into the backyard.

My soul leaves my body.

"Oh my God, my family's here!" Jake shouts, but I can't move.

I witness the tragedy of animated relatives ravage the formerly intimate space, waving trays of meats, fruits, and breads above their heads. Fucking musicians come out, two with drums the size of baby elephants, pounding with duduk and traditional instruments that I can't even name.

Women wave napkins, yelling 'tashi, tash, tash, tash!' while I wonder whether the neighbors are being held hostage so nobody calls the cops over the noise.

Grandparents with canes get left behind, children from toddlers to teenagers run around like my worst nightmare, a scene from a horror movie.

Suddenly John and Naomi are in front of us, grinning with joy and I realize I'm supposed to mirror their excitement and congratulate them. And I do, I follow the muscle choreography, but I'm not here. I'm a puppet and everything is blurry, muffled, an echo.

"I was not expecting this." I hear Jake's choked up voice and look up to see tears pooling his eyes, staring at his sister like it's the best day of his life. And I don't have the heart to bother him. So I stay quiet, noting the pounding in my ears.

John pulls Jake aside for vodka, Naomi hugs her friends, and I squeeze my arms tight against my body, hoping I'll go unnoticed.

"You must be Jake's girlfriend!" A blonde woman with shoulder length hair greets. "I'm so happy to finally meet you!" She's incredibly soft when she hugs me.

"You...too..." I mumble, hoping she'll tell me why the hell she's so happy to meet me.

Her smile is full of life. "I'm Jake's mom! He asked me to make soup for you one time."