by Shelly Jones
“He’s at home with Harlie. I told him not to come.” I’m not sure I’m ready to hear what he has to say to me. I’m scared shitless right now to be honest.
“I’m sorry.” He says, “I’m sorry I have not supported you with your choices you’ve made. I get why you moved away. I really do, and I really hope Hilary follows in your footsteps.” He pauses, “I don’t know Xander, but I do know you love him and he hasn’t given me any reason to not like him. He loves you. I saw that when you were in the hospital. I saw your vacation pictures” He stops and takes a drink. I open my mouth and he puts his hand up, “My turn still. I’m pretty sure Xander would give you the stars if he could.”
I reach for my necklace, “He sort of has already, Dad.”
“I know. I may live way across the country from you, but I see things on Facebook, in texts and over the phone. I see it all. I’m sorry I have been such an asshole and for missing out on this last year. I am so proud of the woman you’ve become and for standing your ground. I’ve never been prouder of any of my kids, as I am with you.” He stops and takes a breath and takes a drink of water.
I wipe the tears from my eyes, “Wow, Dad. I’m not sure what to say other then, I love you Daddy. I will always be your little girl.” I say trying to hold back the sob.
“Good, because in my heart you will always be my little girl. So am I forgiven?”
I start to laugh, “Of course Dad. Now I’m really wishing I would have recorded this so Xander could hear it.” I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye.
“I’ll talk to him. Let me get out of this damn hospital and I’ll call him.” He squeezes my hand. “Now come give your old man a hug.” He says with a chuckle.
“Alright, Old Man!”
It’s been eight days since my dad had his heart attack, my dad’s been home for six days. I’m on my flight back to Phoenix and it was really hard to say goodbye. My mother is still her weird ass self. One moment she’s telling me how happy she is for me, then the next minute she’s treating me like shit. My dad on the other hand, he’s made a huge improvement. He did call Xander and those two were on the phone for almost an hour. I have no idea what they talked about, and I probably never will, but it’s ok. My dad and I are talking, and that’s all I care about.
When we land, I can hardly wait to get off the plane. My stomach is doing flips and all I want to do is run out and jump into his arms. All I have is my carry on, so there’s no stopping at baggage claim to get my bags. They finally let us off the plane and every fucking person is just taking their time. Fuckin’ MOVE! I shout at every single one of these people in my head. I finally make my way out and walk towards where everyone is standing, but I don’t see him. “Fuck!” I say under my breath. I grab my phone and send him a text.
“Where are you?” I hit send.
He responds quickly, “I’m outside.” Is all he says. Well fuck! I walk outside and start looking for him. can’t find him. He sends me another text, “Look to your right.” And I do, and my heart melts.
There he is, looking all kinds of sexy, sitting on his bike in his blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and denim jacket. His hair all messy from the helmet and there’s that cocky grin. I smile at him shaking my head and biting my bottom lip.
“Damn I’ve missed you!” I stare at him.
He stands up, pulls me into him and kisses me. No words need to be spoken. His kiss tells me how much he has missed me. We break free, “Hop on babe. Let’s get you home.” He says.
“Hang on, I gotta text my parents to let them know I landed.” I pull out my phone and text them. Xander is getting my bag anchored to the bike while I send the text.
“You ready now?” He asks.
“Yes!” I reply, taking the helmet and putting it on. I get on and I’m hoping he doesn’t take me home right away. I just want it to be the two of us on the bike. It’s been forever since we’ve been on the bike. My wish is granted, and we don’t take the off ramp home. I close my eyes and enjoy the air hitting my face for a while as we cruise around Phoenix.
We pull up to our place, our lookout point, and he parks the bike. I take off my helmet and get off. He gets off but sits backwards on the bike and grabs my hand and pulls me to him.
“Come sit with me.” He says.
I get back on the bike facing him, my legs over his.
He grabs my face and starts kissing me, he pulls away, “This has been the longest week of my life. I have missed you so much. You know that, right?” He says and starts kissing me again.
“I’ve missed you too.” I pull away, but all he wants to do is kiss me. “Was everything ok while I was gone?”
“Yeah, everything is fine, why?”
“You’re just quiet. I wanted to make sure everything is ok.”
“Everything is fine, I just missed your face, your body, and your kisses, everything about you. Kind of don’t want to let you go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Babe. I came back home and home is you.” I run my hands through his hair.
“I know, I guess part of me was just scared you’d realize how much you missed it there and you wouldn’t come back.”
I throw my head back and start laughing, “Really? There’s not a chance in hell I’d move back there. Thanks, but no thanks. One day, you’ll see what I mean.”
“How about Christmas?” He asks.
“You serious?”
“Yeah, I want to go to Wisconsin for Christmas.”
“Umm, ok. We’ll go there for Christmas.” “Can we go home now?”
“Yeah, let’s get you home!” He says.
We get back on the bike the right way and we take off for home. This summer has flown by and I cannot believe we’re already into the new school year. It’s weird this year, not having Harlie in class with me. It’s crazy to believe we met only a year ago. So much has happened, but I couldn’t image life without him!
“I HAVE NO idea what the fuck I’m looking for, all I know is I want something different. Something that no other woman will have.” I pace the floor of the bar where Blake, Billy, Flynn and Zack are laughing at me.
“Ok, so you want different, like, how different? What’s her favorite color?” Flynn asks me.
“I don’t know, just different. Something that another chick won’t have. As for her favorite color, it’s blues and teals.” I run my hands over my face.
“What about a black band with blue stones?” He says.
“What?” I look at him.
“Something like this.” He shows me a black band and blue stones.
“I like that, actually.”
“My uncle can make you something like that.” Billy speaks up.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ll go call him quick.” He says walking to the backroom.
“I cannot believe you’re going to do this. Did you ask her dad yet?” Blake asks.
“No, not yet. I was almost tempted to fly out there and talk to him, but I think that might give it away. So I’m going to get the ring and then video chat with him. Show him the ring and ask for his permission.”
“Dude, what if he says no?” Flynn laughs.
I throw the cleaning rag at him and it hits the fucker right in the face. “I’m still going to marry her, but at least I’ll know if there’s going to be issues.”
“My uncle is coming over. Be here in fifteen minutes. He thinks he’s got what you’re looking for.” Billy smiles with confidence. “Now I get to be in the wedding, at least, if he comes through for you.” He smacks me on the back.
“Fuck yes, you will be.” I laugh. The guys and I finish cleaning and doing our weekly shit. Mondays the bar is closed. It’s nice to know we all have one night off a week. There’s a knock on the door and Billy goes and answers it. Short, stalking, grey haired man walks through the doors, the guy who possibly has the key to changing my life for good. Billy’s uncle, Jeff.
“Jeff, good to see you again.” I say walking up to him and shaking his hand.
“Yeah, same here, but I’m a little shocked to hear you were the one looking for a ring.” He chuckles.
“Yeah, I know. What can I say? I found the one and I want to give her something that’s different, not the normal. Something no other girl is going to have.”
“Well, you might be in luck, because I might have it.” He says pulling out a little black box and opens it. “Here, pull it out and take a look. I can promise you, no one will have this.”
I look at it and I want it. No questions about it, it’s the perfect engagement ring. Black band, small white diamonds going up both sides of the ring in an infinity pattern, with two slightly bigger white diamonds on the upper sides and a large blue round stone sitting perfectly in the center of the ring. “This is perfect.” I tell him, trying not to get emotional.
“The blue stone is a blue diamond.” Jeff says.
“Holy fuck! Yeah, I want this.” I tell him.
“Here, I’ve got the matching wedding band for it too.” He says showing me the simple black band with white diamonds on it.
“I have no idea what to say here, other than, I need these rings.” I suck in a breath to hold back my emotions.
“Ok, well Xander for you. I’m going to let you have it. I knew I was making this ring for someone special, I just had no clue it would be you. I’ve known you for a long time and if you’re looking for rings, then I know it’s serious.” He smiles at me, “Now what does a guy need to do to get a beer around here?” He laughs.
“Get the man a beer! Fuck it, get us all one.” I tell Zack. The other guys come out from the back and I show them the rings. Blake comes up to me wiping his eyes, “Oh my god, yes Xander. I will marry you baby!!! Now take me right here on this bar.” He says in a high pitch woman’s voice leaning against the bar.
“You’re a fucking dick!” I push him away from me.
The guys are laughing, Blake takes the rings and looks at them closely. “Yep, this is you guys. No one thought you made sense, but really you two make perfect sense. I’m happy for you, Bro!” He hugs me.
“Thanks, now I need to video chat her dad and figure out how to do this.”
Jeff and I finish talking about the rings and the price. He’s giving me one hell of a deal on them. I was able to get Emily’s ring size from Reese. Not sure how she did it, but she got it. I give it to Jeff and he said I’d have the rings back in a couple of days. Now, how the fuck am I going to propose? Do I go all romantic, or do I just do it? Fuck! This is going to be the hard part.
Over the next couple of weeks I keep things normal with Emily, not thinking about the rings that I have in our closet.
“I have an idea for this weekend,” I come up behind her while she’s washing dishes.
“I do all the house work. You know it’s pretty much woman porn, watching a man do chores.” She says with a straight face. I can’t tell if she’s serious or if she’s joking.
“Umm . . .” I stand there looking like a dumb ass.
“I’m joking, well kind of. You do help out a lot, but I wasn’t joking about the woman porn. It totally is.”
“So, that’s why I always get lucky after I help you with cleaning.”
“See! Now you’re catching on. So what idea do you have for the weekend?”
“I was thinking we should go to the pumpkin patch and get some pumpkins and then come home and carve them out. What do you think?”
Her eyes light up. “I love that idea.”
“Good, then it’s a date. We’ll go pick pumpkins on Saturday.” I smack her on the ass and walk away. Perfect! I think to myself. I now know how I’m going to do it. I go into my closet and grab the rings and hide them in my pocket. I come out of our room and head to the back yard, “I’ll be right back, I’ve gotta go talk to my parents quick.” I tell her walking out. I don’t let her stop me cuz I don’t want her feeling the rings. I walk over to my parents’ place. Harlie is over here and I need to get her home, but before I do, I’m calling Emily’s dad and I gotta talk to my parents.
“Hey Mom,” I walk into the kitchen from the back door.
“Hey,”
“Where’s Dad?”
“In the living room, why?”
“I need you both in there. I need to talk to you.”
We walk into the living room, my dad is sitting in his leather chair, and Harlie is coloring in her coloring book.
“Hey Dad, I need to talk to you and Mom.”
“Sure, is everything ok?” My dad sits straight up.
“Yeah, everything is great. I just wanted to tell you that I’m giving Emily this on Saturday.” I hand them the box. My mom opens it, sucks in a breath. “Xander, Really?” She says with tears in her eyes.
“Yep, I’ve never been surer than anything, as I am about this.”
“Wow, well I am speechless and very happy for you. You know we love her.” My dad says with a smile.
“I know, and so do I.”
I tell them my plan and they said they’d take Harlie after I ask her, so we can have a night alone.
“Alright, well then I will see you guys on Saturday. Thank you.” I tell them.
“No need to thank us, Xander. We are just happy that you’re happy!” My mom gives me a kiss on the cheek.
“Alright, now I need to make a call.” I pull out my phone and walk to the back bedroom. I find her dad’s number in my phone and hit call.
“Hello? Xander? Is everything ok?” Her dad answers the phone.
“Yeah, everything is fine,” I trail off.
“Ok, well than what’s going on?” He asks.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, “Sir, I’m calling to ask for your permission to marry your daughter.” I say and now I feel like I’m going to puke. Fuck was this a bad idea? Should I have not asked him? Fuck now he’s not saying anything. Its dead silence over the phone. “Sir?” I ask.
“I’m here, Xander.” He says, “You know the only thing I know about you is how much my daughter loves you and you have never hurt her. She told me when she was in the hospital that she thinks the reason why she moved there was to be with you.” He states. “I’m actually shocked that you’re asking me. I almost figured you two would run to Vegas and get married or something. So thank you, for not doing that.” He chuckles a little bit.
“Well, I know how much your daughter means to you and I wouldn’t feel right not asking you first”
“And what if I say no?”
Fuck! “Umm Sir, I’d probably still ask her, but at least I would know that we wouldn’t have your blessing.”
He laughs, “Well, ok then. That’s was I was hoping you would say. I do not want to be the reason why my daughter isn’t happy and Xander you make her happy. So, Yes, you have my permission to marry my daughter, but I do have one request.”
Holy fuck, he said yes. He said I could marry her. “Anything sir.” I respond.
“Let me perform the ceremony.”
“Done! I wouldn’t want anyone else to marry us.” I tell him.
“Great! Thank you Xander, thank you for coming to me and respecting me enough to ask me first. It shows what kind of man you are, and I couldn’t ask for anything better than you for my Emily.”
“Thank you, Sir.” I tell him how I’m going to propose and I told him we would call either Saturday or Sunday to announce it. He thanks me again and we say our goodbyes and hang up. I walk out to the living room smiling.
My mom comes up to me, “I take it he said yes?”
“Yeah, he said yes. So, this Saturday I’m hoping to be an engaged man.”
“Well, we couldn’t have picked a better person for you and Harlie.”
“Alright kiddo, let’s go home and get you to bed.” I tell Harlie. We say goodbye to my parents and go back home.
Emily is standing in the kitchen when we get home, I walk up to her and kiss her hard, “I love you.” I say looking into her eyes.
“I love you too!” She laughs. Realizing I ha
ve the box, “I’ll be right back.” I say running back to our room and hiding the rings. I look at myself in the mirror. A year ago I was a selfish asshole, who was only fucking her as friends with benefits and now she’s living in my house and I’m going to ask her to marry me. The old Xander is gone. Well, the pig side of Xander is gone, the side who loves to fuck and can’t get enough of pussy, he’s still here. There’s only one pussy I want for the rest of my life, though.
Saturday - Operation: Get Engaged
I found the perfect pumpkin patch to take everyone, Emily invited Blake, Reese and the kids, and she invited Mel and Scott as well. So much for ‘just the three of us.’
Mel is miserable and I’m not even sure why she agreed to come with. I swear she’s about ready to pop any day.
“So, you doing it soon?” Blake asks.
“Tonight, if no one comes back home with us.” I whisper.
“Don’t worry, we won’t be and I highly doubt Mel and Scott will. That girl looks like she’s going to have that baby right here.”
“Right?” I shake my head. Blake and I catch up to everyone.
“How many pumpkins are we getting?” Emily asks.
“As many as you want. I don’t care. Fill the back of the truck up for all I care.”
Emily starts to laugh, “Oh you really know the way to my heart don’t you? Looks like you’ll be gutting pumpkins out for a while.” She winks at me.
“We’ll be, not me. ‘We,’ Baby. We.” I walk in front of her. I need to find three or four really good pumpkins.
We spend three hours picking pumpkins, and Em and I are up to fifteen pumpkins. Why? I have no fucking clue, but whatever. As long as I get to carve mine out tonight, we’ll do the rest another night.
There’s a bounce house for the kids to go play in, so Mel, Reese and Emily go get something to drink and find a place to sit.
“When is Mel due?” I ask Scott.
“Two fucking weeks and they can’t come soon enough.”
“That bad?” Blake asks.
“There’s nice pregnant women, there’s cranky pregnant women, hell there’s even mean pregnant women. No one never warned me about Satan’s bitch pregnant woman. I swear to god, I can’t do anything right. She’s uncomfortable, miserable and making everyone else miserable. Emily is so lucky not to be living with us.”