Tangled Strings (sequel to Red Strings)

Chapter 48

"This is amazing!" Calum smiles returning the embrace. "Skyler?" he says weakly. "Is this really happening?" I ask trying to clarify I wasn't in a dream, I can tell he's nervous. "Um... yeah I've kind of wanted to for in a while now I've been carrying the ring around in my pocket ever since Luke's birthday party." My best friend, is going to be getting married. I suddenly realize everyone's staring at me. "So do I um... have your blessing?" he asks me, only thickening the tension that hung in the air. I bite my lip. "Of course you do!" I tell him pulling him into a hug. "I just can't believe it!" I tell him. "I thought somebody was dying when you texted me but I was no expecting this I mean wow!" I squeeze him tighter.

"Alright, alright don't kill him before he even has the chance to do it!" Ashton warns me. "So you three knew about this?" "Course we did." Michael laughs. I glare at him. "So when are you going to do it?" Sylvana asks. "Well I kind of need your help with that... but there's someone else's approval I need before I do." I look at Sylvana's confused face. "Who?"

"Calum don't freak out." I tell him knocking on the door of the Lane's house. I knew Natalie was spending all day at the library studying for who-knows-what. Natalie's mom opened the door just I had excepted and I saw her face fall when she laid her eyes on Calum.

"Hello Mrs. Lane!" I smile. "Skyler honey how are you?" she replies "It's been too long please come in." I try and shoot Calum a confident smile but I can tell he's freaking out before stepping inside. "Natalie's not here." she states straightening out a stack of magazines. "Yes, I know Calum wanted to talk to you and um... Mr. Lane?" "Does he now?" she replies. I know Mrs. Lane had alway preferred Luke, but Natalie had always preferred her dad so...

"Yes." Calum coughs she eyes him skeptically then nods. "Alright he's in the bedroom, just make sure to speak quietly." "Thank you." he smiles we climb the stairs in silence and I rub circles into his back. I push the door open and see Natalie's dad lying in bed his eyes are still his eyes but his clothes hang to him differently and I can tell he's lost weight.

"Skyler! Calum!" he croaks a lopsided smile on his face. His features where all soft unlike Nat's. "Do me a favour hand me my mug?" he asks stretching his arm out. Calum complies lifting the cup to his dry lips as he takes a sip. The sound of slurping sounds the room and I just stare. "Now, don't look at me like that Skyler." "Like what?" "Like I'm dying." I bite my lip and decide to focus my attention on a branch outside the window.

"Mr. Lane, I know this may sound cheesy but I have loved your daughter ever since the first time I saw her." Calum places the mug back down in the side table.

"And I promise I will continue to love her forever...so I came her to ask you for your blessing to ask your daughter to marry me." "Marry you?" Natalie's mom repeats barging into the room. "You're too young! An don top of that you're a rock star! Is that rea-" "Karen." Natalie's dad her cuts off. "Give me your hand, son" he instructs. Calum, again, complies holding it. "If this cancer has taught me anything it's that life is short and that there's absolutely no room for regrets. You make my daughter happy and that's all I've ever wanted for her." He grins.

"Happiness is precious in this life, so if you know in your heart that you can promise me that you are committed to making her happy for the rest of her life...then yes you have my blessing" I can tell Calum's trying to hold back tears which make me want to start crying.