Marriage Trials {Sequal}

Chapter 9

-Alana-

[December 24th; Christmas Eve]

I held Caelyn closer to my chest as we gazed at the heavily decorated Christmas tree in silence. The gifts underneath this shit were ridiculous. Paris had about seven boxes under there with her name on it. All from Chris. She received one from me and one from Cameron; making it a total of nine gifts. Like. What the fuck Chris? Caelyn had five gifts under the tree; all from Chris. Then two from me and one from Cameron; making her total eight. I swear these kids were going to be spoiled sour up to their teen years if this is how we're treating them now.

"I want to open presents." She whispered although we were the only ones in the living room. Her voice was filled with sleep and it made me pout a little that she was forcing her little self to stay up. Chris announced to the house that we will all open one present at midnight, and since it was eleven twenty now, Caelyn was going to try to make it to twelve.

Poor baby.

"Let me bring you upstairs, Cae. You can open you presents–"

"No mommy, please. Can I stay and open presents." Her sleepy voice cracked a little, causing me to look away from her fallen face.

"Alright, but as soon as you open it you're going to bed. You're not suppose to be staying up this late." She nodded before resting her head back in my lap and continued to stare at the tree. I knew that she was going to knock in about a minute or two so I wasn't even stressing her being up.

"Yo," I sighed and only kept my eyes on the little gift box that Cameron sent over a few days ago. I was so eager to rip the shit open to see what it was. He told me that I would love it so you can only imagine my excitement. "Alana. Can I talk to you?"

"You're talking to me, Chris."

"Alright. Can I talk to you without Caelyn around?" After he asked his question there was a silence that took over the living room. The only thing that could be heard were Caelyn's light snores.

"Can you bring her upstairs?" He nodded before pulling up his sweats and then carefully picking Caelyn up from my lap. He waited for her to wrap her legs around his torso before he proceeded to walk out of the living room.

Two or three minutes passed before he finally came back into the living room. He was smiling wide as fuck and that only caused me to give him a strange look.

"Alright. I know that you noticed that there's no gift under that tree from me to you. I don't want you to think that I forgot about you cause I didn't." He was still smiling big as fuck and I was lowkey growing annoyed.

"What are–"

"Fuck it. I can't wait any longer." He suddenly got up from his seat at the couch and then crouched down on one knee in front of me. "Alana Brown, will–"

"Alana Lozada-Brown." I quickly corrected then smirked once he rolled his eyes. I don't care what the beef is with me and my mother. I want to keep my last name as well as Chris'.

"Alana Lozada-Brown," he paused to pull the little ruby colored box out of his back packet. "Will you marry me again?" He didn't even wait for my answer when he took my left hand in his and then slipped the previous ring off my finger and then slid the new and more enhanced ring on.

"Of course I'll marry you again... hopefully this time shit is better." He groaned before pulling me down to him and pecking my lips. Upon pulling away he took my face in his hands and steadied our eye contact.

"I want to do things different this time. No leaving when I'm mad, you not ignoring me for weeks when I mess up and keeping my kids away from me." He said the last part so sternly that I had to look away and over to the tree. I heard him sigh before turning my face back to his. "And most importantly, no lies. Have you ever lied to me, Lana? Or did some shit that you're keeping from me?" My face formed a scowl as I shook my head from left to right.