5. Bryanna

Landon was just asking Jamie if she wanted to go out with him when Mo comes barelling from the front door with few paper bags in her hands. I sit and hit pause. Shane West and Mandy Moore froze.

“Guess who’s back from a shopping trip with her future mother in-law?” she exclaims. She drops those bags on the floor and plops down the other side of the couch. Dreamy sigh leaves her pink-tinted lips.

I know with one thousand percent of certainty that this was not her first time doing shopping with Tom’s mother. But she always come home like this anyway; sated and happy.

“How’s your day?” she asks. Looking at me, my state of dressing, and the stilled scene on the screen, she chastises, “Don’t tell me you’ve been vegging out on this couch all day.” An even scowl replaces her smiley face.

I feign hurt, clasping my hands over my chest. “How cruel of you to think about me like that!”

She rolls her eyes at my antic. A flower-printed cushion comes flying my way. I catch it before it make contact with my face. “Stop being so dramatic. What are you doing home at this hour?”

“It’s still eleven in the morning, future Mrs. Thomas Henry Clarke the third,” I counter, pointing at the clock. “Look who’s the dramatic one now.”

Her eyes follows. Morwenna have the audacity of looking sheepish after she realizes her fault. She giggles. “Sorry.”

The flower-printed cushion fly back at her.

I continue my favorite movie as she gets settle. “You, my friend, are one beautiful, rich but boring girl.”

Ain’t that the truth, my friend, ain’t that the truth.

****

“That’s my baby girl,” I hear Dad’s voice booms through the foyer as Mo and I walk through the front door. “Happy birthday, sweetheart.” He envelopes me in his embrace.

Feeling emotional, I hug him back as tight. He always have the best hug.

From behind him, I see Mo giving me a wave and keep walking to the kitchen. Dad kisses my temple, then realeses me while still holding me at arm length. “I can’t believe you’re twenty four now. It seems like it was just yesterday when I first hold you in my arms--”

“This tiny pink bundle of joy,” Adrian completes Dad’s sentence. He climbs down the stairs leisurely, hands in his pockets. “You always said that, Dad.”

Dad looks up at him and shrugs, then he look back at me with so much love. “And she will always be my baby girl.”

How can I not be a Daddy’s girl?

“Thank you, Daddy.” I stand on my toes and kiss his cheek.

Adrian shakes his head at Dad. “Come here, Bug. My turn now.” He opens his arms.

“I don’t know, Bud, you didn’t text me on my birthday,” I reply with my hands across my chest, but keep on walking to him.

“I’m sorry,” he says, regret in his voice. “I have tons of work at the west coast office this week. But I’m here now.”

Adrian’s hug is the second best.

“I know.” I hug him tight. “And thank you.” We let go and he kisses my temple.

“Ask me anything as your present this year.”

“No, it’s fine. I got what I want here.”

As if on cue, Mom appears. “My Sweet!” she exclaims.

Soon I’m engulfed in the cloud of Channel no. 5 she’d used for as long as I remember. She realeses me, teary-eyed. “Happy birthday, Sweety. I can’t believe you’re all grown up now.”

Dad step behind her and place a hand around her hip. “We’re so proud of you, Sweetheart.”

Seeing my parents, the way they hold, love each other, the way they love and nurture us, I know I luck out. To be born in this family, to have them as my family.

“Group hug!”

My parents’ laughs and Adrian’s groan fills the room.

****

Nate : *Morning, beautiful*

Bryanna : *Nate?*

Nate : *I like that we already nicknamed each other*

Nate : *You busy today?*

Bryanna : *It seems unlikely, but I don’t know.*

Bryanna : *Things could come up. Why?*

Nate : *Just want to make that another time real.*

Bryanna : *Already?*

Nate : *If that’s okay. Sorry if I come out strong.*

Bryanna : *Nonono, it’s okay, for real.*

Bryanna : *I’m just really bad at this.*

Nate : *This? What is this?*

Bryanna : *This flirting?*

Bryanna : *I don’t have many experience in dating, so I’m kinda rusty.*

Bryanna : *Am I suppose to say that?*

Bryanna : *Omg I already ruin this.*

Bryanna : *Now I'm freaking out*

Nate : *Hey, it’s fine. You can say that.*

Nate : *How about tonight?*

Nate : *I have a gig at Stewart’s.*

Nate : *We can hangout after.*

Nate : *We’re just two people getting to know each other, no need to overthink.*

Bryanna : *Sorry. I’m embarassing myself*

Nate : *So tonight?*

Bryanna : *Yeah I like that.*

Nate : *Okay, then.*

Nate : *See ya there, beautiful.*

Bryanna : *See you, Nate.*

****

After sending the last text, I run to Mo’s door and start pounding. “It’s too early, Bry.” Tom’s voice is heard from inside. “Give us an hour.”

“I’m sorry, Tom, but I don’t care. It’s emergency. I need my best friend now.”

A lot of whispers, grumbles and giggles before the said door open revealing Mo’s ruffled appearence. “What now?”

I pull her to my room, toss her my phone then hid myself under the cover, pillow above my head.

Morwenna can’t hold her laughter after she read my text convo with Nate seconds later. “You are really rusty, Bry.”

“Stop it,” I groan from beneath the pillow. “I’m dying here.”

“Yeah, me too. I can feel your face burning from up here.” She tosses the pillow. “Sit.”

I can’t believe she order me like a dog. No, scratch that. I BELIEVE it.

I sit, palms covering my face. “Mo, kill me now,” I whine.

Morwenna reaches for my hands and hold it with hers. “You really like him, don’t you?”

The way she ask tells me that she knows what I’m feeling. I already told you I don’t usually date, I wasn’t easily attracted to every guy I met. It wasn’t every day I give time and effort to a guy I barely know.

To answer her rhetorical question, I shrug. “I want to know more about him. He seems like a really nice guy.”

“Yeah?” Mo wiggles her brows. “And not to mention he get the whole aspiring artist vibe. And nice package.”

“Gross.”

“Not.”

I roll my eyes.

“But seriously, Bry, if you find him attractive then maybe you should follow your heart. Give him and yourself a chance. Waiting for the right man is good, but you won’t know he’s right until you get to know him. Right?” Mo swats the air with her right palm. “Gah, look how many rights I used just know. And to think my fiance is an editor.”

I roll my eyes at her, again.

“Speaking of the right man.” She stands. “I’m going to come back to my man and get my fill.” She wiggles her brows again. “While you,” her finger touches my nose lightly, “Prepare yourself before you grab your man.” She ends her monologue with a wink.

Then she sashays out of my room, closes the door behind her, leaving me to my thoughts.

I like Nate.

Wow.

I like Nate.

****