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The more she talked, the sadder and angrier I got and the more grateful I was for my family because none of my brothers would dare do some grimy shit like her ex and sister did. Both of them are going to pay for what they did to Parker, I don’t hit women, but I have a few sisters who do. True would be more than happy to beat her ass, but I think Parker needs to stomp her ass out.
The weekend turned out exactly like I hoped it would, we talked about what we finally needed to confess to each other, and now we have a wedding to plan and our families to tell.
“My dad is going to feel some kind of way about us being engaged, and you didn’t ask for his permission for my hand,” she said as we were packing up to go home.
“Baby, I planned this. I do not know why you doubt your man. I asked for your hand when I met your parents for the first time, I knew you were my wife. I was waiting for you to realize who I am to you and who you are to me. Come, princess. Let’s go home. We have a lot to plan, and I can tell you now we Gideon men don’t do long engagements.”
“Oh, so how much time are you giving me?”
“Ninety days.”
“You’re tripping! I can’t pull anything off in that short timeframe!”
“Why not we have the venue at the house, or you can use Peter’s hotel? We have cooks already, and my sister has one of the most talented new designers on speed dial, so she can design you a gown. The only thing left is the decorations.”
“Well damn, okay, but I think you forgot something. I haven’t met your parents.”
“Ninety days, baby, and not a moment longer.”
“Wow,” she says, getting in the car, pulling out her phone.
“Go to sleep, baby. You’re going to need your rest. Trust me, things are going to happen fast once we are back home.” She drops her phone back in her purse, pulls the cover up to her neck, and is asleep before I can drive to the foot of the mountain. She has no idea how fast things are about to go once we get back home.
Seventeen
To say I am nervous is a complete understatement; tonight, both of our families will meet for the first time. Once we got home and I realized Jaa was serious about getting married in three months, we had to get a little creative. We also decided to keep our engagement a secret because, according to Jaa, “My family will completely take over, so if we want to do this thing our way, we have to keep it to ourselves.” So that’s what we did. Tonight they think we are having a family meet and greet, Gideon style meaning all the bells and whistles.
When we got back, I began thinking about my life with Jaasiel, and I began feeling a little uneasy about his money, so I brought the subject of a prenup up to him; he laughed right in my face. “There is no way in hell I am signing a prenup so you can let that shit go.” And that was the end of that conversation; he gives the appearance of being this laid-back, easy-going guy, but he is a damn bully. When we got home, he had movers come to move my stuff into his house and began sending planners for our wedding.
After a few arguments, I use that term very loosely since I did all the arguing. All he said was you have however many days left to get this wedding together. He, of course, handled the food with Praise alone but let me handle all the other stuff with his input, of course. However, as we planned, we realized that between his schedule, my schedule, and our family’s schedules, we would have to compromise. So tonight, our families will meet at our surprise engagement party. We decided to go to Peter’s castle hotel tonight; after I took a look at it, I fell in love with the aesthetic and grounds. Peter gave us the entire castle for the entire weekend.
“You look beautiful, baby. Stop fussing, although that dress makes me want to make us late to our own event,” he says about my white beaded mermaid-style dress with a hip-high split with orange and white feathers that matches his suit. Since his confession to why he wears orange, it has become my favorite color.
“And the way you look in that white suit makes me want to let you,” I tell him. His white suit and orange accents have a different meaning to me now that I know why he wears orange. When we got home, he cooked for me for the first time since we had our talk. I had a new appreciation for his cooking and his mom.
“Since there really wasn’t a diagnosis at the time for what I had, my mom nurtured my cooking; she was the one who helped me hone my condition and gift into one. A lot of the time, I create the concoctions that I make because of the colors and not the flavors. For instance, I will add ingredients based on how well the colors come together, and the majority of the time, it becomes a tasty but unusual combination; becoming a wanted cook was entirely accidental. But because of this, I didn’t try to have my own restaurant; cooking is therapy for me, and having the pressure of a restaurant just wasn’t something I wanted to deal with.” It’s crazy to think that his condition led to him being an amazing chef.
“Don’t tease me, baby, but our entire family will be descending on the castle in ninety minutes, so we really don’t have time for one of our quickies,”
“Fine, you’re right; let’s go,” I tell him.
Jaasiel
The castle looks amazing, and the decorations are perfect; the orange, white, and gold are perfect and not overbearing at all. It has been hard keeping our engagement a secret; my family is nosey as hell. We stay in each other’s business which is a blessing and a curse. I pretty much lied and told them I was going to propose, and that is why her parents were coming. I also have a surprise for Parker, and I cannot wait to see her face when she sees it.
“Uncle, there you are.”
“Hi, Praise, how are you? Is everything okay in the kitchen? I can go take a look,” I offer.
“Um, no, I have the food under control. This is your party. You’re not supposed to be cooking. Where’s Parker at?”
“I am right here,” Parker says. “You look great, sweetie. Things must be going better.”
“I am so grateful that Jaasiel’s family is nosey and perceptive. They stepped in right when I was ready to give up. Having my mom with me and her getting the care she needs has lifted a weight off my shoulders that I have been carrying for years. Now I can really focus on honing my gift of cooking.” Praise says, and I am glad too. When Jaa told me her story, I felt so bad for her that I couldn’t imagine not having either one of my parents anymore. As much as her mother is alive, she is still not her mother due to the head injury she sustained. “Now I have my mom and a new family, complete with my adoptive parents, and they come with a huge family. I don’t think I have felt this loved since before the accident.”
“I completely understand, this family is amazing, and they love hard. All it takes is for one of them to take to you, and then they all claim you. I had a bit of a rocky start, but now I have sisters and brothers coming out of my ears.” Parker says.
“I am going to tell Savvy you said that,” I tell Parker.
