Love Metamorphosis

Chapter 23

                  

Arizona was hot, and the deserts stretched out into the horizon like a sandy ocean. Her brother lived in Silicon Valley, his lovely girlfriend worked 45 minutes away. She was at work but he had taken the time to come and pick her up.

"So what is the big news that you made me come here in this heat?" Jemma said pushing her sunglasses onto the top of her head.

Oliver gave her a worried glance and Jemma pretended not to notice as he said cautiously, "I am going to ask Andrea to marry me."

Jemma turned over and hit him on the arm, "You can't baby me forever, Oliver! This is wonderful news!"

His entire body seemed to let loose, like strings had been pulling his body taunt and her excitement had been the most effective scissors. Jemma's first response was annoyance that he was worried to tell her, it has been nearly a year since Jeff's passing. She had mostly come to terms with it and she hoped that soon everyone else would be able to come to terms with her moving on.

"Thank goodness." Oliver said, letting out a sigh of breath.

"When are you going to ask her?" Jemma asked. She turned over in her seat to look at him, with a genuinely excited grin on her face.

"May 3rd," Oliver said taking in a deep breath before letting it out, "If she accepts I hope we can get married the same time next year."

"Need your big sister's help in picking out a ring?" Jemma asked seriously, but the smile on her face implied she was poking fun.

"I want you to be one of her bridesmaids," Oliver explained gripping the wheel nervously, "She had only one brother and not that many female friends. I wanted you two to meet so she didn't feel uncomfortable asking you later."

"Very sneaky," Jemma said with a laugh, "And here I thought you just missed me."

He smiled at her, "Well that too."

"Too?" She said dramatically and tried to sound offended, "Too? Come now, is that all I have come down to?"

"Jemma," Oliver said glancing at her, "You know that isn't it."

"I know," she said putting her hand on his arm, "I just need to do my sisterly duty and make a bit of fun."

-          -

Andrea was waiting for them when they got to his house, lunch was set on the table and it seemed as though she was a little nervous. She was a little brunette with big brown eyes and a tan complexion. Between Oliver and Andrea, Jemma felt like the living dead, since her pale skin made her stick out.

"Oliver has told me so much about you," Andrea said and when Jemma was going to offer her hand the other woman pulled her in for a hug, "I feel like you could be my sister."

Oliver made a thumbs-up behind his girlfriend's back and an excited grin that covered half his face. She hugged Andrea back and tried not to roll her eyes at her brother. "I wish I could say I knew you half as well. I have some catching up to do it seems."

Andrea turned back one they stopped embracing and gave Oliver a very unhappy look. "Have you been keeping me a secret?" She demanded.

"Not at all," Oliver said giving Jemma a pouting look, "Jemma is just joking with you."

Jemma shrugged and took a few steps to pat his cheek, "Andrea likely agrees that your sulking face is just darling."

"I do," Andrea said laughing, "Shall we have lunch?"

"Thank goodness I am half starved." Jemma said walking over to take a seat, happy to be in her brother's house.

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