The Sanders

23

Please know that this chapter is strictly drama free !!
A month later
Jay
I rolled over to the empty space in my bed. I forgot Lena was sleeping in the guest room. I mean we're on good terms and all and have been dating, but it's like she just forgets that we use to share the same bed. "Hey dad? Can I meet up with Nessie in the park?" Liyah asked as she peeped her head in the door. "What time is it?" I asked. "It's 1:11." She said. I wiped my face and sat up. "You're going to the park to meet who?" I asked. "Nessie." She repeated. "If your Uncle Dee can take you and watch y'all." I said. "Daddy-" "No Aaliyah, we're not taking anymore chances. Okay?" I told her. She rolled her eyes and huffed. "I'll just tell her to meet me here." She said before walking off.

I shook my head and yawned before getting out of bed. "Aaliyah!" I yelled trynna get her attention. "Hm?" She said as she came in the room. "Where yo mama at?" I asked her. "She took Derek to his therapy thing. To make sure his arm is useful." She said. "Okay, that's all I wanted to know." I said sending her back to her room. I got up me some clothes and took me a shower. I was preparing myself to ask her to marry me later tonight. We haven't seen Tanya, or her people. We haven't heard from Stacy's people, everything was kind of silent. Well except for the fact that Vanessa and Derek are becoming more and more like brother and sister.

After getting out the shower and made sure stuff was straight in the house before Selena got home. "Hey dad I have a question." Aaliyah said as she basically followed me whoever I went. "And I have a answer." I responded. "Are you planning on proposing to my mama?" She asked. I stopped in my tracks and looked at her. I saw the ring in her hand. "I was going through your drawer looking for a pair of basketball shorts." She said. "Okay look, don't tell her okay? But yes, I'm planning on proposing." I told her. She squealed and bounced up and down. "Hey hey shhhh." I said. "Give me that." I said playfully taking the ring out her hand.

"Can me and Nessie help? Pleaseeee." Aaliyah asked tugging on my arm. "Well I'm asking her tonight so what is there for y'all to do?" I asked. "Leave that to us." Aaliyah said smiling.

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Aaliyah
"Okay, planning an engagement 2.0 with Aaliyah and Vanessa." I said as I pointed at the white board. "First let's start with a fancy date. Women love fancy, we should know we're women." Nessie said as she wrote on the white board. "Women? Really?" My daddy said. "Shh." I said as I playfully popped him with a ruler. "Okay okay fine." He said. "Now, where were you planning on taking her tonight?" I asked. "Donnie's." He said. "Donnie's?!" Me and Nessie yelled. "No! No! No!" I said. "Donnie's is for people who got it like that but not all the way. It's for half broke people. My mama deserves to go to a place like Ruby Rays. That place is fancy and take reservations." I said.

"You're trynna drain my pockets?" My daddy asked. "For my mama, YES." I said. "Look, Ms. Lena definitely needs to be taken to a place like Ruby Rays. She deserves to go there." Nessie said. "Especially if you're planning on making her your wife! Take her there first." She said. "Alright fine. I'll take her to Ruby Rays." He said. "Also, do something nice for her around the house. You know? Clean." I said. "I do clean." My daddy said. "Dad, washing a spoon and plate after you use it is not cleaning. Clean the house for her." I said. "Okay number 1, this is my house. Number 2, I do clean the house." He said. "We're getting off topic and soon Ms. Lena is gonna be walking through the front door." Nessie said.

"Okay anyways, buy her some flowers. Before taking her out. Rub her feet, do something." I said. "I got it." My daddy said. "Don't mess this up. Please don't. My mama really loves you." I told him. "I know she do. And I love her. And I'm gonna prove it tonight." He said. "Yay, go ahead and get the flowers. Me and Aaliyah will try cleaning up the house a little before mom gets here." I said. He nodded and grabbed his keys before leaving. "We should've told him to get more than just flowers." Nessie said. "Trust me I know my daddy. I'm pretty sure he's gonna get more than flowers. He's gonna go all out." I said smiling.

Lena
"How does your arm feel?" I asked Derek. We were currently in Dairy Queen's drive through. "I feel fine." He said. "Untt untt, I said how was your arm. Not you." I said. "One minute it feels fine the next minute it feels numb." He said. "Well, the doctor said your arm should be completely healed within the next 3 to 4 weeks. Good thing you don't play any sports." I said. "I wanted to do basketball." He said. "Hopefully you'll be cleared by then. Oh here." I said handing him his once cream. "Thank you." He said as he took it. We began engaging in conversation about nothing important really. "Be easy on your arm." I told him as I pulled up to the house. We got out the car and walked in.

"The house is...spotless." I said. "Yeah, thanks to my daddy." Liyah said walking towards me. "Jay did this?" I asked shocked. "Yes, he did." Vanessa said. "Oh wow." I said as I walked through the house. "Where is he?" I asked. "I'm back here." He said. I walked back to the room and saw him spraying on cologne. "Hey, what you all dressed up for?" I asked. "Come on, I'm taking you to Ruby Rays." He said. "Ruby Rays? Babe that place is expensive." I said. "Well tonight is special. So get dressed." He said before kissing me on the forehead.  I nodded and went to take me a quick shower. I dressed in a red silk body filled dress and some black red bottom heels.

"Damn. You ready?" Jay asked as he eyed me. "Yes." I said smiling. I grabbed my purse and sprayed myself with perfume. "For starters, here." He said handing me some flowers. "Awe thank you baby." I said taking them. "Hey sorry to butt into y'all's convo but one of the twins has a fever growing." Aaliyah said as she walked towards us. "What?" I said as I went to the twins room. It was Zhalil's allergies. They were starting to mess up. "Hey baby hand me his allergy medicine." I said. Jay did as told and watched as I gave them to Zhalil. "I'm sorry but change of plans, I have to stay and watch the twins. To make sure they're okay." I said.

"That's fine baby, I'll just do it here." He said. "Do what?" I said as I turned around. My jaw dropped opened as I looked down. "Out of all the women I've been with, you've pulled me out of a stage I never thought I'd ever be pulled out of. You showed me real love and for that I wanna show my love for you by asking you, Selena Barry, will you make me the best and luckiest man on earth by marrying me?" He asked. I felt the tears run down my face and as I nodded. "Yes." I said. "Yes." I cried. He picked up me and kissed me while placing the ring on my finger. At this moment all my happiness came back into my body. The love I've had for him. The future I wanted with him. Everything, and I'm ready for it.