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"Lo'ak! What have you done to yourself!" Tsireya shouts as she walks in to the hospital room, her husband laid down, with a couple of bandages around.
"What are you doing here?" Lo'ak replied weakly.
"I'm here to see you!" Tsireya hits him lightly on the shoulder, "I've been so worried about you and you never even told me you were hurt. Everyone kept it a secret from me."
She looked back at Aneysa with a slightly glare.
"Don't be mad, Reya" Lo'ak responds, "I asked that no one told you because I didn't want you to worry."
"Is it something major? Should I worry?" Tsireya asks.
"He just had a couple of stitches to the head and lip. But overall, he is okay" Neteyam answers for his brother.
"Tsireya, why don't you sit down" Aneysa offers her a chair, "you can stay here and I'll get you both something to eat."
"How can you act as though this is normal?" Tsireya asks.
"Because I've seen worse, being here" Aneysa responds, "Lo'ak is doing great. He will be well before you know it."
"Where is Lo'reya? Is she okay?" Lo'ak asks.
"She's with Ronal and my father" Tsireya sighs, slumping down onto the chair that Aneysa had offered her, "you really worried me Lo'ak."
"I'm sorry" he apologises, "that is the last thing I wanted to do. If anything, I kept it a secret so you wouldn't worry yourself too much. I don't want to cause you any stress."
"Why must you be so selfless?" Tsireya sighs, "I am part of you. You promised whatever you go through, we go through together. It was part of our wedding vows!"
"Tsireya" Lo'ak chuckles at Tsireya's poutiness, "look, I am terribly sorry. Next time, I promise, I will let you go through it with me."
"Thank you!" She lets out a little huff, "that's all i ask."
Lo'ak smiles, before he looks towards Neteyam, "Neteyam also has some good news."
"Oh?" Tsireya turns her head to look at Neteyam.
"Haah.." Neteyam let out a weird pitched noise, "I am.. getting a car."
Tsireya looks back at Lo'ak, confused as to why she needed to hear this.
Lo'ak looks towards Neteyam, also confused as to why he was not saying a word, but Neteyam only shook his head as he gave Lo'ak a 'shut-up' look.
"I should go and leave you two be" Neteyam awkwardly dismissed himself from the room, leaving Lo'ak and Tsireya to themselves.
"Well that was awkward" Tsireya shook her head.
"Yeahh.." Lo'ak still seemed confused by it all.
-
A couple of months later.
"Wedding season, here we come!" Love cheers, as her and the other girls are sat around, a party being held for the bride to be.
"I can't believe we are already here" Kiri squeals.
"Will your father cry?" Aneysa asks, "he probably will."
"Don't say that" Kiri shook her head, "everyone knows I cry when I see others cry."
"Oh like the time Lo'ak got his first car" Aneysa pointed out, to which Kiri nodded.
"I hate that I'm pregnant during wedding season" Tsireya pouts, "I can't even drink or have fun."
"We can always have an alcohol break" Love chuckles.
"But the bachelorette party? Everyone knows it's more fun to get drunk" Tsireya sighs as she casually sinks into her chair.
"If you'd like, I can stay with you and not drink and we can watch these two become a hot mess" Aneysa offers, pointing at both Kiri and Love.
"But you love to drink" Tsireya looks at her uncertain.
"Yes but, I will make the sacrifice this once" Aneysa replies.
"Aneysa not drinking?" Love gasps, "are you sick?"
Aneysa looks at her, ready to throw a book at her head when she realised how Love could easily have her out for being pregnant.
"It's fine, whoever wants to drink can drink, and whoever doesn't, doesn't" Kiri shrugs as she settles it all.
They all then nod in agreement.
-
"So I'm thinking.. strippers" Ao'nung sits back with a smirk.
"Why did I choose you as a best man?" Rotxo sighs, hitting his palm onto his head.
"What? Strippers are fun!" Ao'nung laughs.
"Yeah, tell Love that. I'm sure she'd appreciate it" Neteyam shook his head in disapproval.
"Actually, Love doesn't mind. I'm sure you'd know" Ao'nung raises his eyebrows playfully.
"What is he talking-?"
"Nothing!" Neteyam cuts off Rotxo, before he could ask a question about the situation.
"Anyways" Lo'ak rolls his eyes with a sigh, "what exactly have you planned for your wedding?"
"Well, Kiri wants a five tiered chocolate cake, with chocolate ganache, covered with white frosting" Rotxo sighs, "that is all she told me but she said she'd take care of it all."
"Well, she does like decorating, and this is her wedding" Lo'ak shrugs.
"Their wedding" Ao'nung corrects him.
"But you did promise to let her do it right?" Neteyam asks.
Rotxo nods, "I love her and I am happy to let her do what she loves."
"Good" Neteyam nods.
"Hey!" Ao'nung fights back, "you can intimidate the groom to be."
"Well, he is marrying our sister" Lo'ak shrugs.
"Therefore we have her best interest in mind" Neteyam adds on, "not to say we dislike you."
Ao'nung nods before leaning forward towards Rotxo, "snitch off them to Kiri. She'll tell them off."
Rotxo rolls his eyes as he chuckles, "I just want her to be happy. I ruined the proposal.. even though she still talks about it like it was the happiest day in her entire life."
"That is just how she is" Neteyam replies, "Kiri isn't the type of person to be fussed about big proposals, and money. As long as she has her loved ones with her."
"Although, she will definitely walk in with possibly the biggest wedding dress every" Lo'ak responds.
"So no strippers?" Ao'nung asks.
"No" the three other men respond back.
"Who knew married men were boring" Ao'nung rolls his eyes as he sits back, "I bet the girls will have fun, considering Love is Kiri's maid of honour."
"Well, the most they'll do is drink" Rotxo chuckles, "apart from Tsireya of course."
They all nod, including Neteyam.
Ao'nung squints his eyes when he realises Neteyam nodding, "what are you nodding about? Aneysa will be the first one drunk."
Despite Ao'nungs' teasing comment, Neteyam shrugs it off as he plays it cool, "she's stopped drinking for some time. Since Efe has started school, and with Orla now hitting puberty, she's been quite busy."
"Right right" Ao'nung nods, giving Neteyam a little nudge, to which he turns away with his hand.
There was a sudden buzz against the table nearby, Neteyam's phone lit up as it began to ring.
As he goes to take a look, he let out a sigh, "speaking of kids, Orla's school is now calling me. Sorry boys."
He stood up, taking the phone call, as he walks into the other room.
"Ao'nung why are you smirking to yourself?" Lo'ak asks.
"Because I found the perfect idea as part of your bachelor party" he responds, "and before you say anything, I know. No strippers. Because you're all boring."
"I've gotta go" Neteyam walks back in, grabbing his jacket as it was laying neatly on the chair.
"Is everything alright?" Lo'ak asks.
"Everything is fine. I just have a teenage daughter who is currently in a rebellious phase" Neteyam sighs, "I have to pick up Aneysa too before we go to the school so, I'll see you all later."
And with that information given, Neteyam quickly makes his way out, and into his car, with his free day now being cut short.
-
"Dr Sully" Orla's principal welcomes him in, "and Mrs Sully. Please come in."
Aneysa and Neteyam both sigh as they walk in, to find Orla sat down waiting for them.
"Orla" Neteyam tilts his head as he looks at her, "what have you done now?"
"Speak my truth" Orla shrugs back.
"Let's just, sit down" The principal then walks ahead and makes her way behind her desk.
She waits for Aneysa and Neteyam to both be seated, before she continues, "Now, Orla is a great student. She does well in her classes, has great friends. But her respect towards other staff members here are.. unacceptable."
"So speaking the truth is unacceptable?" Orla asks.
"Orla-.."
"Actually, with all due respect" Aneysa sits up and turns to Orla, "I'd like to hear from her what happened first, before I hear from you."
"We were in History class, and I simply just pointed out that the history we are taught here is wrong, and that what they teach us is just used to brainwash us into growing up and becoming hateful to those who are not white Americans" Orla shrugs, "and I stand by my statement."
Aneysa nods, before she looks towards the principal with a confused look, "so.. this was what you marked as unacceptable behaviour? Just because of her opinion? Since when did we stop understanding the freedom of speech."
"She also mentioned sensitive topics within the classroom" The principal adds on.
"There is nothing sensitive about the truth with the world today" Orla responded back, "if talking about how the American government oppresses many countries in the Middle East is sensitive, then god forbid for us to feel what the children have gone through in the Middle East. Iraq. Syria. And let's not forget how they fund Israel. A state who actively oppresses the Palestinian people, steal their land, I mean god the list goes on."
"You must understand the reason that these are sensitive topics, Orla. We can not have you speak about these things when there are many other students in the classroom with you" the principal responds.
"I don't see an issue with what she has said" Aneysa shrugs.
"Mrs Sully-"
"She has simply stated her opinion, about history, in a history lesson. If people feel sensitive to this topic, then why are they here studying?" Aneysa asks, "that is saying as if speaking about the history of Native Americans is sensitive to white Americans. What, you can't face the truth?"
Neteyam shrugs with a nod, "you can fault Orla and call her behaviour unacceptable for her giving her opinion."
Neteyam looks back at Orla, giving her a playful wink, too which she smiles back to.
"I don't think you are understanding, we could be looking at a possible suspension" Her principal responds.
"By all means, please do" Aneysa smiles.
"Mrs Sully" The principal straightens her posture.
"If she is suspended, then I'll have no problem with it. We're getting towards the end of the school year, so this isn't really a threat anymore" Aneysa shrugs.
Neteyam looks towards Orla and Aneysa, noticing the way that they both sat, with the confident smile on their faces.
A proud smile then forming from his lips.
-
Lo'ak returns home, only to be welcomed with a hug, by none other than Lo'reya herself.
"Hello beautiful!" Lo'ak smiles as he held her up, "what are you doing here all alone?"
"Mommy..u'stairs" Lo'reya points up.
"Is she sleeping?" Lo'ak asks.
Lo'reya shook her head no, "she sad."
"Oh no" Lo'ak pouts, "I'll go up and check on mommy and I'll be back okay?"
Lo'reya nods, letting out a little giggle as Lo'ak gives her a kiss on the cheek before placing her down, to let her continue playing.
"Reya, I'm home!" He calls out as he's running upstairs.
She doesn't responds, which causes Lo'ak to worry slightly, before he walks in to find her sat on the bed, with a pouty face.
"What's wrong?" Lo'ak asks.
"I went to the doctors" Tsireya responds, "they said I'm overworking myself and put be on bed rest."
"Oh I'm so sorry" Lo'ak responds.
"What am I meant to do Lo'ak? There's only a couple of weeks before Kiri and Rotxo's wedding and I'm on bed rest!" Tsireya sobs.
Lo'ak walks towards her, sitting on the bed beside her, "I'm sure they'll understand. And if it makes you feel better, I'll stay with you. Neither of us will go."
"But this is your sisters wedding Lo'ak" Tsireya replies, "it is important, you have to attend."
"It is important. But so are you. And Reya. And our soon to be child" Lo'ak smiles, as he rests his hand on her stomach, "I'll just get my father to FaceTime us. It's fine."
He shrugs it off with a playful smile.
Tsireya smiles, resting her head against his shoulder, "I love you."
"I love you too" he replies back, holding onto her hand, his thumb rubbing against her knuckles softly, before he leaves her a kiss against her temple.
"When this is over, you're getting a vasectomy" Tsireya pouts.
"Of course..." Lo'ak nods, "but now it is all about you."
He gives her a playful poke on her nose, before moving away, as he stood up, "now you relax, and I will get you something to eat."
"Please don't burn it" Tsireya responds.
"Hey.. there's always take out options available" Lo'ak chuckles as he walks out.
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