Sparks Fly

CH21: A Diamond

Hi guys, so the story would now shift forward in time. So the main character- GIA is now 26 years old and the story is now about her adulthood. 

*******************************************************************

8 Years Later

"Gia, when I look at you I see the woman of my dreams, the mother to our future children. You light up every place that you step in, including my heart. Will you make me the happiest man on this earth by saying yes?"

He sat down on his knees with a beautiful pear cut diamond on a platinum band in a red velvet box. People around us stop eating and stare at me, waiting for my response. I'm tongue tied. I'm sitting in one of the most posh restaurants with a view to die for. The man of my dreams offers me the life I have always dreamt of on a platter.

"Yes." He slides the ring onto my ring finger and pulls me into a crushing hug. The people around us clap, sending me into a euphoria I can never experience again. We talk about potential wedding plans and discuss possible locations for the wedding. But foremost the 'formal' meeting of the parents has to be done with. We top off the evening with a lovely champagne flute, compliments of the restaurant. Later that night I got dropped off outside my house. Like the gentlemen he is, he switches off the ignition and gets out of the car to open my door.

"Do you wanna come in?" I ask him.

"Not today."

"You could meet my mother, she is always happy to see you."

"Soon."

He kisses me on the cheek and gets back in his car. He drives as I make my way to the door. My fingers keep on fidgeting on my ring, it's a bit heavy and chunky for my taste but nonetheless I like it. I ring the bell and my mother opens the door. I'm about to show her my hand with the ring on it but she has a sober expression on her face that stops me. I enter the house and stand there with her as she locks it behind us. With her hand on the back of my shoulder she takes me to our living room where I see Sara standing in the corner with her parents sitting on the couch. It must be something serious to have both her parents in the same room given the history.

I turn my ring so that the diamond faces inward and I rush to Sara's side as I hug her. The tension in the room is palpable but I haven't seen Sara in months. She shifted to a new city for her job as the Marketing head for a creative agency. She rests one arm around me which is just her formal way of acknowledging the affection.

"Are you ok?" I ask her as I step back from embracing her.

"Hmm." Her response doesn't sit well with me but soon her father starts to roar.

"Tell her. After all, she brought him into your life." The hatred in his voice takes me back and silent tears start falling from Sara's eyes.

"Sara," I urged her to tell me what was going on. Mother stands as a silent spectator in the other corner of the room.

"I'm..I'm pregnant." The shock from the statement freezes me for a second but I shake it off and try to put up a fight for Sara's.

"For god's sake stop being so difficult on her. She's 25, an adult." Sara's dad jumps from the couch in anger and addresses me.

"SHE is an unmarried woman with a child. I will not let her bring dishonour to the family."

"Your divorce already did that and dishonour? We don't live in the 90s anymore."

"I do and this is my daughter. This is my FAMILY!"

"What family dad?" Sara says quietly and leaves the room. I see Sara's mom tear up from the corner of my eyes, her dad stays rooted to his spot. His eyes looked into oblivion. While my eyes connect with Mother for a second. There's a certain calmness in her eyes as if saying 'I got this'. I leave all of them and go behind Sara.

The door of my room is slightly ajar, so I know Sara went in there. She is standing on the balcony. I approach her and try to lighten the mood.

"Wanna get wasted?"

"What am I doing with my life? Me pregnant? I even brought this problem to your door." I think she is on the verge of tears again. I don't know whether it is the genuine emotion or just hormones going haywire, but I hold her right hand in mine for comfort. She must have felt the ring as she raises my hand to her eye level and gasps.

"Karan proposed?"

"Yes."

"Oh my god, I'm so happy for you. This is supposed to be the best day of your life and here I am ruining it for you."

"Hey, nothing is more important than you. You're my sister" I reassure her. "I think I'll like to take my time to tell mother, especially now."

"It's a heavy diamond," she examines.

"It screams Karan."

"You're happy?" she asks genuinely. I stop my brain from going into a nostalgia trip and answer her quickly to shut it down.

"I am." We both go quiet for a while. I know what she's thinking about and I have to stop her otherwise her questioning would begin.

"What do you wanna do with this pregnancy?"

"I honestly have no idea."

"Well we could start with you telling us who's the father, cause if it's a one night stand, I don't know what to say."

"I know who the father is, you know who the father is." She sees the perplexed expression on my face and answers,

"It's Jay." Her answer makes me mad and now I feel her dad's anger was justified.