I couldn't take my eyes off of the ring that now made its home on my finger. Neither could my parents, and I even caught Aaron glancing at it a few times although he was playing everything that was happening very cool. In fact, Aaron was the only one who seemed to be eating his food and not totally fixated on my hand. We were halfway through a silent dinner when the silence was finally broken. "So," my father began, "When did you think it was a good time to tell us that you were.... Doing this?" I took my time chewing my food so that I could think of a response. Aaron sat his fork down and leaned back in his seat. "You mean Bianca being engaged to me? I'm assuming that's what you mean by 'doing this' yes?" My father uncomfortably shifted in his seat, I could tell he was beginning to feel small in front of Aaron and not just in the way of height.
"Well Aaron you can see how we would be shocked, our daughter has been keeping this very big secret from us." My mother said with distain in her voice. She shot me a dirty look and I couldn't break eye contact with her. I fucked up. Aaron saw my face and gently placed his hand on my thigh and rubbed it slightly trying to soothe me. My body was on fire from it, I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. "We've been keeping it a secret. I'm in the spotlight and my baby girl has her own thing with her bookstore going on so, we decided not to let anyone into our love. Including family and friends." Aaron said looking at me and smiling. I smiled back at him. "Mama, Daddy, I'm really sorry." I said as I looked at them with pleading eyes.
My Daddy threw this napkin on his plate. "Well I've lost my appetite." He said as he did so. "How long has this engagement been about? Do you even have plans for getting married soon?" Aaron looked between all three of us and squeezed my thigh that his hand still rested on. "We're newly engaged, about a month. Bianca and I will start planning soon, there's no rush." My mother began to clear the table and evilly chucked to herself. "No rush engagements always seem to end up broken. And when this one does Bianca, just know that you will be back here, marrying Thomas Thompson... Hopefully, if he doesn't find a new wife."
Aaron's other hand became a fist, and he sighed deeply. "Thomas Thompson will never lay eyes on Bianca again, much less marry her. No other man will, because she's mine." Aaron now held tense eye contact with my mother. My Daddy cleared his throat and said "How about we chat more in the morning? Aaron, you can stay in the room—" He began, but Aaron cut him off. "My fiancé and I are actually gonna stay in a hotel while we're here, thank you." My father angrily stormed away from the table while my Mama looked at us in shock, frozen from the anger she too was so freely feeling.
Aaron took this as his cue to get up and lightly pull me up along with him. We both said our good nights quickly and stood outside, in silence, waiting for the Uber Aaron called for us as soon as we reached the door. I stood with my arms crossed, avoiding eye contact. Aaron grabbed my chin and lightly turned my head so that I had to now look at him. "You ok?" He asked softly. I sighed, not really knowing how I should answer my new fiancé. I looked at my ring again and responded "We have so much to talk about."
•
The ride to the hotel was in total silence. It wasn't uncomfortable or tense, but I could tell that his mind was racing just as much as mine was. We weren't angry at each other, I could tell, but we knew the discussion we would have was best had with no one around us to hear. When we got to the 5 star hotel, I silently followed Aaron inside, and up to the room. He unlocked the door to our gigantic suite, holding it open for me. As we walked in, the door silently locked as it closed, signaling to us that we were finally alone. I stood by the door, still in the ugly purple dress. I stared at Aaron as he started taking off his jewelry and putting on a durag and he stole a few glances at me.
"Are you mad?" He asked.
"No."
"Do you want me to explain myself?"
