✧˖*°࿐
3 days before the big day.
"So, what is the plan?" Neteyam asks.
"There is no plan!" Rotxo replied, in an agitated tone.
"You want to propose to my sister and you have no plan?" Lo'ak asks, "..why are we here then?"
"Because I need your help to make this plan" Rotxo responds, "I need to make this special."
"Have you at least bought her a ring?" Neteyam asks.
Rotxo looks at the boys silently.
"I felt bad that I was the only one that hasn't proposed. But you haven't even bought a ring?" Ao'nung laughs, "makes me feel slightly better about myself."
"It's just.. I don't know her ring size" Rotxo responds, "what if I bought it and it was too tight or too loose. It needs to fit perfectly."
"Well, the girls are out today. Maybe we can ask one of the others to help" Ao'nung suggests.
"Oh, I could text Tsireya" Lo'ak offers.
"No!" Rotxo and Ao'nung both shout at the same time.
Lo'ak jumps up after being startled, slightly confused, "what?"
"It's just, we know her too well" Ao'nung responds.
"When she gets excited she can't help but burst everything out and we simply can not let this happen" Rotxo adds on.
"Who are you texting?" Ao'nung looks at Neteyam.
"My wife" Neteyam looks up, "am I not allowed to text her?"
"Not if you're telling her how much of a mess this is" Rotxo tells him.
"Now why would I do that?" Neteyam chuckles.
-
Aneysa looks at her phone and smiles, before placing it back into her bag.
"Hey guys, why don't we check out that shop over there" Aneysa then points to a jewellery store, across the mall.
"What for?" Tsireya asks.
"It's brand new. I wanted to buy Orla a nice gift, let's check it out" Aneysa responds.
The girls agree, beginning to walk.
Kiri holds onto Aneysa's arm, not wanting to leave her behind when she knew she was still adjusting with the crutches.
"I might want to buy something new. All my jewellery I've had for so many years, it feels like" Kiri chuckles.
"You had a ring once, didn't you? It had a carving of a shape that looked like a leaf?" Aneysa asks.
"Yeah, I lost that" Kiri sighs.
"Well, I've seen the store online. They have many nice rings I think you'd like. Let's get your size and I can buy you one" Aneysa offers.
"You don't have to buy it for me" Kiri chuckles.
"I want to. I am a sucker for gift giving. Besides, are you going to say no to a girl with a broken leg?" Aneysa gives her a pout.
Kiri chuckles, "wow, it's no wonder my brother can't ever say no to you, if you pout at him like that."
"Oh, there is a lot more than you know, trust me" Aneysa responds.
-
"Sixteen point zero mm" Neteyam spoke out, looking up from his phone.
"What?" Lo'ak looked at him confused.
"Kiri's ring size" Neteyam responds.
"How did you find out?" Rotxo asks, sitting up.
"Easy. The girls are out shopping. Aneysa wanted to buy me something. I told her to check for her ring size without making it obvious. She's not stupid" Neteyam chuckles.
"Her fingers must be skinny" Ao'nung whispers.
"Well, come on!" Rotxo stood up, "you've gotta come with me to help me find a ring!"
"Ugh, I hate shopping" Ao'nung complains.
He holds his hand out to Neteyam, who pulls him up and off the sofa chair.
"I guess I have to stay and look after the kids?" Lo'ak pointed out.
The three boys turn around, to see Lo'reya and Efe both sat down, playing with her train set, completely forgetting that they were there to begin with.
"Orla and Tuk are at mine" Neteyam responds, "we can drop them off there so they're not alone?"
The boys all nod together, coming up with a plan.
-
"You love Victoria Secret, don't you?" Aneysa asks Love, who places down her shopping bags.
"They have possibly the best lingerie. I'm trying to look sexy for tomorrow night" Love tells them.
"Tomorrow night?" Kiri asks.
"It's date night. Well, me and Ao'nung have date night. Every Sunday's" Love replies.
"That is adorable!" Kiri exclaims.
"He used to act like such a jerk back in highschool" Aneysa chuckles, "who knew he'd be such a romantic."
"It's really sweet, he buys me a bouquet of roses every single time" Love grins from ear to ear.
The girls pout in awe, feeling a sensation of happiness for Love.
"Lucky" Tsireya frowns.
The three girls look in her direction, confused.
"Now that I'm pregnant again, it's very hard for me and Lo'ak to go on a peaceful date. None of the clothes I like, fit me well. I'm at the stage where morning sickness and travel sickness is very much a thing, and it's just very stressful to have one night without Lo'reya" Tsireya sighs.
"It'll be okay" Love encourages her, "at the end of it all, you'll have a beautiful baby."
The girls all nod in agreement.
"This is the last time I'm ever having a baby. I mean it!" Tsireya makes her point noted, as the others chuckle.
"Besides, you have the pregnancy glow. You look beautiful" Aneysa encourages her best friend.
"That's easy for you to say. You're skinny" she pouts.
"And I'm about to eat a ton of burgers, and be bloated by the end of the day" Aneysa chuckles.
"I suppose" Tsireya sighs, "I'm still jealous you won't ever be this fat."
"Trust me, there is nothing to be jealous about" Aneysa responds, "if anything, I'd be happy to be in your shoes. To go through the experience once in my life."
"Well, you have Efe" Kiri gives an encouraging smile, "you are his mother now."
Aneysa nods and smiles back, knowing that she was right.
She might not ever be able to experience having her own child. But there was nothing stopping her from letting Efe truly become her child.
-
"Food!" Tuk calls out to Efe and Lo'reya, as she holds out two trays of food.
As Efe is older, she was able to give him what was already made.
Whereas for Lo'reya, she knew that Lo'ak preferred that she'd eat veggies. So, Tuk had boiled up some broccoli and sweetcorn to eat, alongside cut up sausages, In shapes of a heart.
Efe and Lo'reya both sit down, ready to eat their food.
"And who are you texting?" Tuk asks Orla, who had her eyes glued to her phone.
"No one" Orla moved her eyes away, as she turned off her phone and placed it to the side.
"Let me guess. It rhymes with seven?" Tuk teases her.
Orla rolls her eyes and looks away.
"How is he? With the suspension, things must be hard at home. I know his brothers give him a hard time. That is what he told me anyways" Tuk responds.
"The last time he spoke to me was two days ago" Orla replies, "what if something has happened?"
"You're worried about Evan? Ooh la la~" Tuk teases her.
"I'm serious" Orla responds, "he helped me and now he is in some kind of trouble. What do I do?"
"I can ask Ethan for you. Maybe he can find out for you?" Tuk asks.
Orla nods, a pit feeling in her stomach, as she thinks about the worst case scenarios, that could have possibly happened.
-
"How was your day?" Rotxo asks Kiri.
"It was fine. We were out shopping, bought some new dresses. Oh, Aneysa bought me a ring too!" Kiri sits down beside him.
The two of them sat in Kiri's spare room, on Kiri's sofa.
"She did?" Rotxo acted surprised.
Kiri nods, before she takes the box out of the bag, "it's so cute, I can't wait to wear it."
She opens the box.
A silver ring placed in between the folds of a velvet base.
It was designed with a green agate stone, with a silver leaf branch designed from the top and the bottom of the stone.
"Isn't it pretty?" Kiri asks.
"It is" Rotxo smiles back.
"How was your day?" Kiri asks, placing the box back into the bag.
"Oh it was fine" he let out a nervous chuckle, "nothing important, just glad to have you back to myself."
Kiri giggles when she feels his arms around her waist.
"You're feeling very lovey dovey today" Kiri tells him.
"Because you have been gone all day" Rotxo responds.
In the soft glow of the dimly lit room, he pulled her close, his arms enveloping her in a warm embrace.
Their bodies fit together perfectly, creating a sense of comfort and belonging.
The rhythmic rise and fall of their breaths synchronized, creating a soothing melody that seemed to echo in the quietude around them.
The gentle caress of his fingers traced delicate patterns on her back, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine.
Her head nestled against his chest, where she could hear the steady beat of his heart, a comforting rhythm that seemed to echo the depth of their connection.
-
"Well well well" Ao'nung holds up one of Love's lingerie pieces.
"Hey, that's meant to be a surprise!" Love shouts, slapping his arm.
"Ouch!" Ao'nung holds onto his arm and moves away.
"You ruined my surprise" Love pouts.
"What surprise?" Ao'nung asks.
"For date night tomorrow" Love responds.
"Oh-! About that.."
"We're not having date night?" Love asks.
Ao'nung sighs, "if I tell you something, you have to promise to keep it to yourself."
Love nods, "I promise."
"The boys are going to Neteyam's tomorrow. We're helping Rotxo plan his proposal" Ao'nung informs her.
"Rotxo's proposing?!" Love shouts.
"Yes. So I have to be there for him, you know that" Ao'nung pulls her towards him.
"I understand. I promise, not to tell a soul" Love whispers back, as she moves her face in closer to him.
Her forearms resting on his shoulders, her fingers interlocked with each other behind his head.
"Then maybe, we should have date night tonight?" Ao'nung suggests, "it's only seven."
"We can get the hot tub on" Love brings her hand forward, her finger tracing down his jaw.
"I'm looking forward to that" Ao'nung but his bottom lip as he traced his eyes down to her lips and back up into her eyes.
-
"Lo'reyas' asleep" Lo'ak sighs, walking into his bedroom.
"She slept quite early today" Tsireya replied.
"She's been up and at it all day" Lo'ak chuckles, "I'm not surprised."
He makes himself to their bed, to cuddle up beside Tsireya.
"I have missed you" he snuggles up beside her.
"Did you see the new dresses I got?" Tsireya asked.
Lo'ak nods, "the yellow one looks pretty. Maybe you could wear it when we go to the beach."
"We're going to the beach?" Tsireya asks.
Lo'ak nods, "I booked us a little cabin to stay the night. Lo'reyas' been asking for some time, so I thought we could have a little family trip."
"That seems like a great plan" Tsireya responds.
"What's wrong? You seem upset?" Lo'ak asks.
"I'm not upset" Tsireya turns her head to look at him, and smiles, "but I do have a question."
"Ask away" Lo'ak responds.
"Would you be okay if, after this child we.. don't have anymore?" Tsireya asks, "I don't think I'll be able to handle having another child."
Lo'ak sighs, "Tsireya. If you don't want to have anymore kids, we won't have anymore kids. This isn't something you have to ask me or put up for discussion. It is your body, and what you feel comfortable with, I feel comfortable with. I promise."
"Are you sure?" Tsireya asks.
"I'm more than sure" Lo'ak responds, "I am happy with the family I have now."
He leaned in, his heart racing with anticipation as his lips pressed softly against hers.
She felt the warmth of his kiss, the intensity of his passion, and the love that seemed to run through him like an electric current.
His hands gently cradled her face as they kissed, the embrace deepening as they shared a moment of pure bliss.
His lips moved against hers with a tenderness that only a man in love could exude, and his eyes sparkled with joy and adoration.
They stayed locked in their embrace, the world around them fading away as they savored the moment.
-
"Perfect" Aneysa mumbles as she moves away, after getting the chain around Neteyam's neck.
"I feel like a spoilt princess" Neteyam chuckles.
"You're my spoilt princess" Aneysa teases him.
"Actually, I have something for you too" he pulls her forward onto his lap.
"What is it?" Aneysa asks.
He takes out a box, which causes Aneysa to squeal.
"You bought me a build a bear?!"
Neteyam chuckles, "I found a bear that looks exactly like you. Well not look wise, but-"
"You're trying to say I'm fat?" Aneysa asks him.
"No! Stop it, I never said that" Neteyam laughs.
She takes the bear out.
A soft, baby pink, build - a - bear.
"It's pink!" Aneysa looks at it in awe.
"It also has a message for you" Neteyam tells her, holding up the teddy's paw.
Aneysa pinches the paw softly, to hear what had been recorded.
Her heart skipped a beat as the familiar sound filled the room – her mother's voice. It had been years since she last heard it, but there was no mistaking the gentle cadence that had comforted her countless times before.
"Lūks̄āw thī̀rạk k̄hxng c̄hạn c̄hạn rạk khuṇ."
"my precious daughter, i love you."
A mix of disbelief and overwhelming emotion washed over her, causing her breath to hitch and her eyes to well up with tears.
The timbre of her mother's voice reached deep into her soul, stirring up a whirlwind of memories and long-forgotten moments.
The sound of her voice brought a sense of solace and a renewed connection that transcended the boundaries of life and death.
"If you ever feel down, you have something to remind you, just how much you are loved" Neteyam tells her.
"This is the most thoughtful gift I've ever got" Aneysa smiles and looks at him, "I can't believe how lucky I am to have landed a man like you."
"I feel just as lucky for having you" Neteyam whispers back.
The two of them share a small yet sweet kiss, the feeling of passion running through their veins.
She rests her fourhead against his, the two of them keeping each other close.
"What are they doing?" Efe whispers.
Orla smiles, as she has her head peaked through the door before she turns to face him, "it's nothing. Let's leave them to it."
She takes Efe's hand, the two of them walking back down together.
-
✧˖*°࿐
I'm sleeping on the highway tonight.