Romance

“For Christ's sake, there's a child in here!” Mom shrieked, covering Emily's eyes and ears. “Put that thing away!”
“Oh boy.” Alyssa cackled. “Why is it sticky, Sav?”
“It’s cherry-flavored!” I said brightly, lifting the bottle like a trophy. “You’re welcome, Chlo.”
Her nostrils flared, and her eyes narrowed into slits. “Are you for real?”
“Don't you like it, Chlo?” I pouted, “I thought it was thoughtful.”
Chloe’s face was so red that she looked like she'd breathe fire anytime soon.
“You thought this was thoughtful?” she hissed, holding up the Bible, the lube, and the card like they were Exhibit A in my trial. “‘A Bible and a fucking flavored lube wrapped together with a note that says ‘For marriage and morals. Balance is key.’ Savannah, are you high?!”
“Language, Chloe! There's a child present.” Mom scolded her.
Chloe dropped the box like it was on fire.
“I don't fucking care, mom! She st

“Are we still talking about the room, Sav?” Chloe smirked.
Nobody spoke. It was as if they didn't want to offend the star child.
Dad cleared his throat. “Savannah, making minor adjustments for your younger sister so she can have a great event shouldn't be a reason to drag up old memories.”
“You can take mine if you want.” Alyssa offered.
Roman stepped forward and placed his hand on mine.
“Now we have more reasons to cuddle, love.” He joked.
His statement deflated the tension like a safety pin to an inflated balloon.
Dad said something about him being surprisingly decent.
“Don’t get mad, Sav,” Chloe added with mock sweetness. “You know the floor gets hostile when you're angry. Dean and I promise not to break your bed.”
That jab landed hard.
She’d always used my vertigo as a punchline. Nothing was off-limits with her—especially not pain.
But I didn’t fly all the way from Philly just to han

“Here we go,” I muttered.
Roman killed the engine then turned to me. “You ready?”
“No.”
He reached over. Took my hand. Tight, warm, grounding. “You’re not alone.” Then he slipped something onto my finger. An engagement ring.
A giant engagement ring with a huge blue stone in the middle. I glanced at him and he had his usual cocky smile in place.
“You forgot that crucial part of the story.”
I gaped at the beauty that felt cold against my skin.
“Holy shit. Where'd you get this?”
I frantically searched around for a box of some sorts, but there was none.
“Doesn't matter. What's important is we nail this and get back to Philly as soon as possible. Understood?”
My throat tightened. I nodded once and we stepped out together.
Roman came around to my side and placed his hand on my back, guiding me like a man who’d done it a thousand times. His sunglasses were off and his smirk was on.
He was six foot three of silent chaos and tailored confidence now. They collectively gasped.
Alyssa squealed, “God, he's hot.”
Lizzy screeched, “He looks like a young Brendan Fraser!”
Aunt Janice whispered, “Lord have mercy.”
My mom blinked twice. “He’s… taller than I expected.”
Chloe’s jaw clicked shut. The colour drained from her face entirely. She looked like she had seen a ghost.
Roman stood by my side as I exchanged hugs and kisses with everyone I hadn't seen since last year.
“Hi, everyone,” I said sweetly. “This is Roman Blackwood. My fiancé.”
Roman extended his hand to my mother. “It’s so good to finally meet you, ma’am.”
The ma’am did something to my mom as she looked flustered. “Please call me Flora.” She blushed.
Chloe stepped forward, voice strained. “You didn’t say he was… him.”
Roman tilted his head. “She didn’t say you were still this blonde.”
The silence was loud. Am I missing something?
Dean cleared his throat, with his hands stuck in his pockets and stepped forward. “It's good to see you again, Sav.” He said before pulling me into an unexpected hug.
I broke free and took a few steps back to stand beside Roman. “Likewise.”
His brown eyes looked at Roman and I intensely before he stretched forth a hand towards him, puffing out his chest a little.
“Dean Archer, it's good to finally meet you. In the flesh.” He smirked.
Roman's response wiped the cocky smirk off his face in seconds.
“You're a lot smaller than I imagined.” Roman narrowed his eyes, sizing him up like a tiny specimen on display.
Alyssa burst into laughter before pulling Roman into a hug. “Hi, I'm Alyssa. I'm Savannah's older sister.” She points to little Emily still standing beside mom. “And that's my daughter, Emily.”
Roman smiled— like a real genuine smile. “It's good to finally meet you, Alyssa. You're a lot prettier in person. Sav has told me a lot of good things about you.”
Alyssa blushed.
He waved at a shy Emily. “Hi, Emily!”
Roman hugged and made small talk with my aunties and so far, he was doing great.
Very relaxed and convincing.
Chloe stood by the side with her arms folded and her lips twisted in a frown. What's her problem?
“Come, Roman. My husband's been dying to meet you.” Mom and Aunt Janice basically dragged Roman inside leaving me with Alyssa, Chloe and Dean.
“I'll help you bring in your luggage.” Dean offered.
“No, thanks. I can manage.”
Chloe stepped in. “I'll help you. Alyssa's too lazy to help anyway.”
Alyssa laughed in response.
Chloe stomped to the trunk of the car and instead of pulling out our suitcases like she was supposed to, she grabbed my hand— specifically the one wearing the engagement ring.
She looked at hers before looking at mine with her mouth wide open.
“How the hell do you get a bigger ring compared to mine?” She whined.
“Are you being serious, Chlo?”
“Like hell I am! You shouldn't have a bigger ring than the bride!” She stomped her foot.
Dean stepped in. “Babe, it's not that serious. It's the thought that counts.” He whispered then placed a kiss on her lips. With his eyes on me.
I looked away.
“I don't care! It's a disaster! Sav doesn't even know the first thing about rings and yet she got the biggest one. Do something, Dean!”
Her face was as red as beet and she looked like she'd cry any moment from now.
“Oh, boy. I thought we were past this point.” Alyssa whispered.
“Alright. If you want a bigger ring, then that's what you'll get. Give me a moment to speak with my jeweler and we'll work around something new.” Dean tried to appease her.
Chloe bobbed her head up and down like a child. Her fiancé placed his phone on his ear and stepped away, no doubt to call the jeweler.
“You’re not sixteen anymore, Chlo. We shouldn't be fighting over ring sizes.”
Her nostrils flared. “Still as conceited as always, Sav?”
“Chloe, enough.” Alyssa chided her. “Help her get the bags out of the trunk.”
“Don't worry, I've got it.” Roman surfaced out of nowhere.
I smiled and stepped back as he easily pulled the heavy bags out of the trunk.
As Roman grabbed our bags from the trunk, Chloe hissed in my ear. “You’re seriously bringing him to my wedding?”
I smiled, a little too bright.
“You brought Dean.”
“He's my husband, duh.”
“That makes two of us then.”
I followed Roman inside, hand in hand. Nothing much had changed around here. Well, except the fact that literally a hundred fashion magazines were scattered around the living room. All about wedding dresses.
“Where's Dad?” I asked mom.
“He's in a zoom meeting right now but I'll let you know when it's over.”
“Okay, mom.”
Chloe and her husband stepped into the room looking like the crime version of Ken and Barbie.
A smile appeared on my face instantly.
“Chloe, I got you a little pre-wedding present… Initially, I was confused on what to get you since you basically have everything.” I grinned wickedly. “Then I thought of something perfect.”
Roman chuckled. Chloe's brows were drawn together.
“What's that?” She asked, unsure.
“Hold on. Let me fetch it right away.”
In the middle of the living room, in the presence of my extended bloodline, I unzipped my suitcase and retrieved the wedding present of the century, wrapped in an elegant black box.
I extended my hand and Chloe took the box, her earlier uncertainty dissipating.
“Uh thanks… I didn't think of getting you anything.” She said absentmindedly, lowering herself to the height of the cherry wood table.
Roman glanced at me, already knowing what was inside.
I tried to hold in my laughter as she eagerly tore the box open. I started a mental countdown till chaos erupted.
Three…
Two…
One…
“What the hell, Savannah!”

“For Christ's sake, there's a child in here!” Mom shrieked, covering Emily's eyes and ears. “Put that thing away!”
“Oh boy.” Alyssa cackled. “Why is it sticky, Sav?”
“It’s cherry-flavored!” I said brightly, lifting the bottle like a trophy. “You’re welcome, Chlo.”
Her nostrils flared, and her eyes narrowed into slits. “Are you for real?”
“Don't you like it, Chlo?” I pouted, “I thought it was thoughtful.”
Chloe’s face was so red that she looked like she'd breathe fire anytime soon.
“You thought this was thoughtful?” she hissed, holding up the Bible, the lube, and the card like they were Exhibit A in my trial. “‘A Bible and a fucking flavored lube wrapped together with a note that says ‘For marriage and morals. Balance is key.’ Savannah, are you high?!”
“Language, Chloe! There's a child present.” Mom scolded her.
Chloe dropped the box like it was on fire.
“I don't fucking care, mom! She started it!”
“Don't use those words with me, young lady!” Mum scolded her.
Little Emily was so curious

Chapter 6: You're Welcome, Chlo!