by Jesse Jordan
What it does mean for us is that Andrea's found herself in control of all her father's personal property, and a one million dollar a year stipend from the share trust that is all legally hers. Between that and my quarterly payout from my contract, we paid off Mama's house and still could get this one set up.
We’ve got all the stuff from the garage apartment, my things, and some items from the Coates mansion that Andrea wanted before she had the house closed until Darren's case is finished. Maybe she'll sell it, I think she will. Maria isn't sure if it was the site of her assault, but we still don't want to be reminded of Darren in any way.
I find Andrea in the truck, helping Ian with more boxes, clothes that are actually mine this time. “Hey, you two, I didn't think we'd get through this so quickly.”
“Thank Rocky,” Andrea says, grabbing a box and standing up. “He thought of using the moving cart to take five boxes at a time. I think he's getting hungry.”
“Well, I'll tell Cora to place the order then, if we have to just dump a bunch of stuff in the garage until we can move it slowly into the house. We'll just focus on getting the big furniture into the house. By the way, have either of you seen the kids and Maria?”
“Maria went shopping for sides,” Ian says, grunting as he picks up a heavier box and starts moving it to the ramp on the truck. “I think Angel and Bella are in the backyard playing.”
I nod, grabbing a box and hefting it up before going down the ramp behind Ian and Andrea, who set their boxes in the garage before going back to the truck. I glance out the back door of the garage, seeing Angel and Bella playing. Suddenly, Bella picks up the frisbee they're trying to throw back and forth and gives Angel a kiss on the cheek before running off, Angel laughing and chasing after her. I laugh to myself and go back to the truck, stopping Andrea when she comes into the garage with another box, this one marked living room. “We're going to have to have a talk with Angel and Bella.”
“Oh no, what'd they do now?” Andrea asks, chuckling. “Did Angel push her again?”
“No, Bella kissed him. On the cheek.”
Andrea laughs and kisses me on the cheek. “I'll go tell Cora. I think her daughter's got a great idea, kissing handsome men.”
I pull Andrea in tight and kiss her tenderly until Ian yells from the truck. “Hey! Nookie later! Move sofa now!”
After we finish, all of us gather in the living room, where the four extra-large pizzas rest on the coffee table, mostly devoured after our traditional post-effort feast. Rocky burps then raises his bottle of Coke for a toast. “To a new house. And the end of a great tour.”
“Here, here,” Ian replies, raising his own bottle. I know both guys would have preferred our normal beers, but with two kids present and Cora being pregnant, it didn't seem right to have alcohol. “And to Rocky Junior.”
“I'm not naming the baby Rocky Junior,” Cora laughs, raising her bottle. “And to Joey, your album comes out in a few weeks. It's not a hiatus, it's a chance for me to have a baby. So, mazel tov.”
We raise our bottles again, drinking deeply before I lower my bottle and set it aside. “Hold on guys, save a little bit for what I've got to say. Just a second, I forgot something in the other room.”
I get up off the floor and dart to the kitchen, where I'd hid my little surprise for tonight inside the freezer. Unfortunately, someone's been nice and plugged it in, so the box is freezing cold when I pull it out, but that's okay, I'm sure it won't matter.
I see the twinkle in Cora and Maria's eyes as they see me come back in, I think they're guessing what I have to say, and I notice Cora slip her hand down to get her phone out of her bag, probably getting her camera ready. I have two sisters, one by blood and one by music, and they know me so well.
“So, what's on your mind?” Rocky asks, taking a drink as I come around. “Spill it.”
Rocky's grin freezes and his bottle stops halfway back when I get in front of Andrea and kneel, taking her hand. “Andrea... I have something I want to ask you.”
“What's Joey doing with Andrea?” Angel asks, Maria shushing him when I look over, trying not to laugh. “What?”
“Just watch, hijo. You'll see. Go ahead, big brother.”
I nod, turning back to Andrea who's already trying to control her tears of happiness. “Andrea... we have a new house, a family that loves us... but most importantly, I love you. For the whole tour we lived like this, but I'd like to make it official. Andrea Coates... would you do this man the honor of becoming my wife?”
Andrea nods, bending down and kissing me before a cheer goes up, only to have it cut off a moment later as Ian hushes everyone. “Hold on, hold on, she didn't say yes!”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Andrea laughs, sitting down.
“So... where's the ring?” Ian asks, grinning. I look down and realize I didn't open the freezing cold box in my left hand, and I bring it up, my face warm from blushing. I open the box, and even Ian must whistle in admiration at the ring, a platinum double banded ring with a princess cut diamond gleaming in the middle. “Okay, that works.”
I take Andrea's left hand in mine, carefully removing the ring and holding it for a moment before sliding it onto her finger, where it sits perfectly. “I love you, Andrea.”
Andrea leans forward again and gives me a kiss, stroking my face. “I love you, my Joey. Forever.”
Mama raises her bottle, her voice choked with tears of joy. “To Joey and Andrea. Mi hijo y mi hija. Congratulations.”
The cheer goes up, and I pull Andrea into a hug, holding her tight. Forever. Together forever.
It must be fate again, it's the same name as what we decided for that last track I laid in the studio, the one Ian called a 'baby-making song.' I'll talk it over with Andrea later when we've got some alone time.
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