TWENTY TWO: BOUQUET & PASTA

A WAITRESS HANDED me a well wrapped bouquet of red roses. I smiled at her. A ghost of a feeling taunted me that it was so unlike me. Ignoring, I walked. 

"You have to turn around and throw the bouquet towards those girls. Whosoever catches it will be the first one to get married."

"Okay."

I didn't turn around. I don't trust my skills in the throwing sector and I was sure who was going to get wedded so why should I act? There wasn't any profit to act all mysterious and create cheap suspense. I was rather a very straightforward person. 

Walking confidently towards the confused girls, I stopped at Roh, who was by God's grace and coincidentally in the middle. 

Roh looked at me as if she had seen a ghost but I was cheekily smiling without a faze. I rolled my lips inside to stop to break into an even dazzler smile. 

I witnessed Christian coming and kneeling behind her and all the girls silently scooted away. Our eyes connected and the matter was settled in the mist. 

"What?" Roh whispered unsurely. 

I handed her the bunch, jarring the emotions which were oozing out of me. I was becoming erratic with each passing second. 

She took it from my clasp and nodded meekly, as if nodding to herself. She looked absolutely adorable. 

"Turn around, stupid." I beamed, excitedly. She cautiously twisted her body to the opposite direction, keeping her eyes focused on me, as if there was fire behind her. 

But this fire wasn't going to burn her but make her shine like a sun, radiating and oozing sunlight of happiness. My heart overwhelmed at the scene and I stepped back gingerly. 

I stumbled, skipping one step as breath knocked off me. Fortunately, a pair of hands held me by my shoulders. He had long fingers. 

Turning my face, I saw Theodore. I smiled tenderly at him and steadied myself, awkwardly. His hand subsided to the small of my back and rested there as tingles erupted there, moving southwards.

"Will you marry me, Rohanna Abigail Sinclair and make me the happiest man alive and be my partner to break the beds and watch the sunrise-subset and be the mother to my children?"

Silence. 

More silence. 

And still… silence. 

Is she reconsidering her options? Is she gonna say no? Does she like someone else? 

My mind flooded with innumerable queries. 

A sob broke the defeating silence. I sucked in breath, more like gasped. 

"Of course idiot." She launched herself over the kneeling Christian and kissed him on the mouth. 

I cooed along with others and clapped my hands, frantically. If my heart had a face, then it would be smiling to see them happy. 

"Now you can let your lip rest. You've already worried it too much." Theodore whispered behind my ear and I instantly released my lip which I didn't remember biting. I looked down as heat rushed up my neck, filling the tingling cells of my cheek. But a smile still crept up my face. 

Why am I so happy? 

"What's with you and smiling today?" Theodore asked with pure confusion both our eyes were trained on the lovely couple kissing in front of our eyes. 

"You've got a problem with it?" I countered back but instead of getting offended I grinned at him. 

This was so not me.

I heard him whisper 'weird' but only if it mattered… 

Rohanna jumped into my arms holding me for a bone crushing hug. We both rocked side to side for a fat minute. 

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, you-, you-" 

"Shut up." I chuckled and pulled her into my arms again and we both laughed loudly. I felt like an older sister though Roh is of Christian's age, two years older to me.

"Theo, you also betrayed me." She complained and looked at him with angry eyes. 

"I could never betray you Rohanna." Theodore smiled lazily, one of his rare smiles which I have seen only when he was with his family or close friends. A warm feeling took over my heart. 

Christian cleared his throat apologetically and said, "Yeah, only Lia knew about the plan. I don't want the word to spread…" 

Theodore shook his head dismissively and gave Christian a bro hug with a genuine smile, like 'I am so happy for you smile'. 

I patted Christian's shoulder and whispered 'I am so proud of you.'

"Oh Theo," Grandma said in her feeble, high pitched tone. "Where are you taking your lovely wife for her honeymoon?" She smiled, teasing us both and instantly turned into a tomato. 

What's happening to me man? 

But her gaze held this intensity and words as a mock, but it wasn't hurtful or anything… just something very familiar, like your own. 

Just like an elder preached a child, it held that familiarity. 

"Me and your grandpa… " She trailed in a low voice, looking at a distance as if reliving memories. I bit my side lip trying to figure out what she must be thinking, watching her intently. 

"We went to Paris because I was yearning to see the Eiffel Tower then France cause he wanted to go there and lastly, Egypt. We enjoyed it for an entire month." She chucked but barely a sound came out from her mouth, it was just her shoulders shaking. I smiled at her politely, with a nod when she casted her glance at me.

"Grandma, I-"

"Don't tell me you'll be rotting in your office the next day when you are married to such a pretty bride. That will be such a shame." She shook her head and then gave a pointed look to Theodore. He straightened in his seat, attentively. I sniffled a laughter, hiding it by clearing my throat. 

Theodore glared at me all-knowing and I smiled sweetly in return, biting my lip. 

"So I have booked the tickets for Switzerland. I am not hearing anything from you Theodore Almin."

Oh, I wanted to go to Greece. My smile instantly dropped and I sipped some red wine to cover my expression. 

"Grandma, I had things under control-"

I set my hand over Theodore's massive one and squeeze it gently, throwing him a little, assuring a smile. Maybe he was planning to take me to Greece. The thought overwhelmed my senses. But, I don't want to hurt the sentiments of his grandma too. 

"It's fine Mr-, Um.. I mean Theodore." I paused for the taste of his name lingered on my tongue.  "We can plan for Greece some other time, right? We'll just go to Switzerland since your grandma has already spent on it." I tried to keep up the act by smiling but he just reacted as if I was speaking some unknown language. 

"Oh, you still call him Mr. Raymond. I see, my grandson likes to be called as Mr. or Sir in his bedroom." She gave both of us weird, hideous looks and I turned away instantly. 

She says anything. 

Speak something, granny, speak something. The electrifying energy was floating in the air and I was finding it difficult to stay cool. 

"Fine, we're going to Switzerland." Theodore confirmed with a polite but forced smile directed towards his grandma. 

"Aw my babies understand each other so well. At Lia's one blink you know what she is saying. So so adorable. Your grandfather would have been so happy to see you."

"Oh, he didn't come?" I asked, rolling a penny pasta on the smooth white plate and watching as it slithered the sauce on it's path. Theodore's plate remained untouched. 

"He's dead." Theodore muttered venomously, his anger directed towards me. His lips set in a firm line and jaw grounded. 

"Oh, I am so sorry- I didn't know… " I said looking between both of them. 

"It's fine, Lia. It has been a lot of time since…" She paused and gulped, "but I'd be over the moon if I could see the face of my great grandchild before my time also-" 

"Don't say anything like that." Theodore interrupted sternly.

"Does that means that I should be expecting a baby soon?" She asked directly to me and I felt my cheeks caught fire. Forget fire, actually it was molten lava. 

"Uh um...umm...hm...w-we haven't planned anything as such-" I slap myself internally for stuttering like a fool. 

Get a grip over yourself dammit. 

"Ma, your ride is here." Aislynn came and said, and I thanked my traitorous stars for aligning at the last moment. 

"This discussion isn't over," She said, getting up with Aislynn's help. Aislynn looked quizzically at her son and he expressed to tell her later. She nodded and took the granny away. 

I release the breath I didn't know I have been holding. I no longer feel like eating so I drop my spoon into the place, pushing it away. 

What a hectic day! 

***

Maybe we will never meet,
But be can still walk together
Like parallel lines
To infinity and beyond.

***

I'll be updating more this time, I have a lot of chapters written... Just encourage me with your comments !

Tata