The Four Brothers ~ Completed

Capítulo Dezoito: O Fim

She helped me find another dozen dresses to make up for it. When Tobias saw how wonderful she and I got along, he asked her to help me shop for the rest of the day. She'd agreed instantly. She took the rest of the day off and helped me to spend more money than I wanted to think about.

Tobias and her got along so amazingly I started plotting. I'd asked if she could work for us, preferably in house, and he'd agreed. She was technically my babysitter, but everyone knew she was more my personal assistant than anything else. With her chaos addled mind, I was more her babysitter than she mine.

It didn't take long until Tobias found himself asking her out on a date. I pat myself on the back for their sickeningly adorable relationship.

"Gemma, you coming?" Damian asked, rapping a knuckle against my door. I put my pencil down and nodded, smiling happily as I bounced out of my seat. He laughed at my enthusiastic reaction but I didn't say anything, too busy slipping my sneakers on.

Ice cream was life.

Juno and Tobias were in quiet conversation when we made it downstairs. Zion was on the phone, speaking rapidly in what sounded to be Swahilian and Sinclair was leaning against the wall, arms crossed lazily. I skipped down the steps, Damian not far behind.

"I'm ready! Let's go!" I shouted, jumping the last few steps. Sinclair and Tobias surged forward, ready to catch me should I stumble. Juno laughed at their protectiveness and I joined her, grabbing at both Sinclair and Zion's hands with Damian right behind me.

Tobias and Juno were in front of us. She was holding onto his elbow, poking fun at how he acted like a mother bear around me. I couldn't help but silently agree with her.

The idea to go for ice cream came suddenly and unexpectedly. Juno had poised the question at breakfast and Tobias had nodded far too quickly for me to not be suspicious. It's not like he was a health nut or anything, but he didn't typically approve of ice cream at breakfast.

The parlor was cute, all polka dotted pinks and purples and pastel yellow. Let's just say my brothers stood out. Juno and I raced each other to the front door, but I'm pretty sure she let me win. I got cookie-dough on top of a scoop of cotton candy in a waffle cone because I'm not a monster.

*cough* Zion, mint chocolate chip in a bowl*cough*

"So what's the occasion?" I asked, licking at ice cream that had melted and made its way onto my hand. Sinclair handed me a napkin, smiling fondly when I frowned.

Damian cocked his head at me, licking his fork clean of his gelato. And, yes, I said fork. He ate his strawberry gelato on a fork and I wasn't sure why. I wasn't brave enough to ask, either.

"You can tell me pi to the thousandth decimal point from memory but you don't remember your own birthday?" He asked, pulling out a pretty velvet, black box with red and gold trimmings. I gasped, choking on my bite of cone. Zion patted me on the back, pulling the water he'd bought forward so I could take a sip.

"Yeah, I forgot. Happy thirteenth to me, I guess?" I chuckled sheepishly, shrugging as I continued to eat my ice cream. I finished it quickly, wiped my sticky fingers, and started to unlock the expensive looking case.

Inside was a beautiful necklace, a oval sort of blue diamond set between two clear cut diamonds. I'd mentioned in passing to Damian that I wanted a really pretty necklace to wear so I felt elegant and sophisticated around my brother's employees and associates. It made me feel all warm and mushy inside that he'd remembered something I'd said months ago.

I looked at the thick card attached. Huh. The Oppenheimer Blue Diamond.

I'd have to look it up later. Looked expensive.