TBTILAF

Part 1, Chapter 30

Patience and Ethan continued to make out as Vyola and Jjeni stood there and the awkwardness grew. Jjeni widened her eyes and Vyola shrugged. She had no clue. Finally, Patience broke her lip-lock and pulled Ethan by his arm toward them.

Patience was blushing like a little girl, her head resting on Ethan's shoulder.

"Hi Vyola. Hi Jjeni." They both shook his hand in turn.

"I guess you haven't told them." Ethan put Patience's left hand to his lips and kissed it. "Where is it?" he asked.

Patience put her hand into the back pocket of her jeans and gently placed a ring into Ethan's palm. He placed it on her left ring finger. "It's safer there."

Patience stuck out her hand and Vyola snatched it up, amazed, as Jjeni stepped closer. It was a beautiful pear-shaped diamond with onyx and ruby side stones set in platinum.

"It's shaped like a guitar pick, don't you think?" Patience gushed.

"It's about as big as one," said Vyola.

"This is huge, Patience," Jjeni said, the feud between them evaporating into thin air. "I mean the ring is huge, but that's not what I mean. The two of you are engaged? When did this happen?"

"About a week ago."

"A week ago? I thought you were in Florida visiting your grandparents." Part of the reason Vyola hadn't told Patience what had happened with her mother was that Patience was with her family.

"I was. We were. Ethan went with me to meet my family."

Patience curved herself into Ethan's body and he wrapped his arms around her. "He got them all at once. Didn't you?" Ethan kissed her cheek.

"It was pretty intense," he said, "But I still want to marry you."

"He asked me in front of my whole family. He even talked to my dad beforehand. I had no idea."

"Although we talked about it for six months," Ethan said.

"Six months? You two have been together for six months?"

"Actually, Vy, it's almost a year," Patience said.

Vyola swallowed hard and put her arms out to her friend. "I'm so happy for you."

"Oh, Vyola. Thank you so much." Patience hugged her.

Jjeni stepped into the fold and they all hugged, crying.

"I'm so sorry we've been fighting, Patience," said Jjeni.

Patience hugged her, too. "No worries, Jjeni. Will you be in my wedding? Both of you?"

"Of course," Vyola said. "I don't even want to ask why you didn't tell us."

"It wasn't anything against anybody. Ethan called me out of the blue while we were in the middle of so much craziness. It wasn't important enough to mention. I didn't even like him all that much at first."

"I'm still here, babe," Ethan said. Patience practically jumped into his arms again. "But I told you that, didn't I, Ethan?"

She turned back to her friends. "I was so confused and everything was so confusing. Before I knew it, when I wasn't in court or with the two of you, I was with Ethan."

"Wow," Vyola didn't know what to say. "Have you guys set a date?" she stammered.

"Yes. We're going to do it in Florida at my grandmother's house Thanksgiving Day weekend. She has that pretty yard with the huge weeping willow near the water. Remember?"