"Well we're not exactly set on a specific date yet, but we know it'll be in the fall. Maybe early October or late September?"
"And the color scheme?" my mom asked, now putting on her glasses as she looked to be sitting at her own desk. "I'd assume brown is somewhere in there."
"Yeah it'll be earth tones mostly," I answered her.
"Outside or inside?" Athena asked.
"Good question," I sighed. "I think I want the ceremony to be inside and the reception to be outside-"
"Have you looked at venues?" My mom asked, and the two of us looked at each other, then smiled while shaking our heads. "Do you at least have a location figured out? Will it be in New York?"
"I don't think we got that far either," Lauren said as the two of us snickered. "We definitely need to set up a few meetings with Hunter."
"Lord have mercy," Amara palmed her forehead.
"To be fair, we've only been engaged for two weeks here, people," I said as they'd all started to shake their heads at us. "When invitations are sent, you'll know allll the details, promise."
"Sade, are you doing your own dress? Or is someone else?" Lyric asked, prompting me to pause in genuine thought. "Wait Lauren, who's doing yours?"
"See, I'm upset because I find it very unfair that Sade refuses to design my dress just because I'm marrying her- like it's not that deep." I cackled,
"Babe I'm not supposed to see it- it defeats the purpose-"
"Just close your eyes," she whispered with her face playfully nearing mine, and I giggled. "No one has to know," Lauren kissed my cheek before looking at the laptop again.
"I have some friends that I can call up for her, and as for myself, I'm not too sure yet."
"Well honey, I don't know if you should- wouldn't it be an additional stresser on you? Work already puts enough on your plate."
"I told her the same thing," Lauren said, laying her head against mine, and I rubbed her back.
"Yeah yeah I know," I said, thinking about whether I wanted to put myself through the stress or not.
And for the next ten minutes or so, we talked some more. The conversation changed topics, from Lauren and I to planning a gathering soon. It's been forever since any of us have been in the same room at once, so she and I were excited for it.
After ending the call, Lauren leaned into me as the two of us sat in a comfortable silence. She then got up to put an album on the record player before coming back.
Aaliyah's 'Age Ain't Nothing but a Number' spinned against the needle before blaring softly throughout the room. Lauren sat on the desk, and I sat up in my chair to roll myself between her legs a little.
"I'm happy that everyone's happy for us," she said while tilting her head lovingly at me, then reached for my hand. "Especially your mom," she kissed the back of it. I smiled,
"Me too... It's been a long time coming, but I appreciate the effort she's put in.... And how's your dad? With dating and everything?" Lauren looked elsewhere and exhaled a long sigh that made my brows knit. "I'm sorry, you don't have to talk about it-"
"No no, it's okay- it's not that. I'm just worried about him, you know?" While holding her hand, I slid the other up her leg to rest on the bend of her hip, and attentively eyed her. "It's been years since my mom passed, and he hasn't been the same since... You'd think he'd be taking it easier because she was always away, but it seems like it's had the opposite effect on him..."
Chapter 82
Start from the beginning
