We Come Alive 5

Mama Bear

The next day after school, all practices were canceled from the rainstorm. So instead of going to the gym like she planned on doing, Clover was sitting with a bowl of popcorn on Dante's bed as he was trying to walk around his room with his crutches or a cane.

"You're doing great, sweetie." She smiled, eating more popcorn.

Dante glanced over at her. "Shouldn't you be making sure I don't fall?" He asked, grabbing onto his dresser when he almost fell.

Clover shook her head. "No, because then you think it's safe to fall. If I'm always there to catch you, you think it's alright to fall. You're more likely to fall if you know there's a net. No net, you won't fall. In life you don't get a net, so keep going."

Dante leaned his lower back against his dresser and stared at her for a moment. He chuckled softly, crossing his arms. "What motivational speakers you been listening to?"

Clover got up from the bed and left the bowl on the side table. "Just a thought." She shrugged, slowly walking over to him. "You will always think it's safe to fall if you have a net. But, I'm not gonna help because you made me, your brother, and your dad carry all the furniture we put in the living room to put back in here."

"Yeah, cause I can walk up the stairs now." Dante pointed out, reaching out and grabbed onto her to bring her closer. "I got a lot more to learn."

"Yeah you do."

Both of them looked up at the door quickly hearing the voice. Joseph, Dante's dad, stood there with his arms crossed staring at them.

"You also gotta learn how to be quieter and how to be more private." Joseph pointed out. "Clover, the laundry stopped."

Clover said a quick thanks, turning around and gave Dante a quick kiss before rushing downstairs so she could do the laundry as fast as she could. Joseph waited for Clover to be out of ear shot before looking at his son.

"You do know you can carry a basket of laundry right?" Joseph frowned. "Why're you still having her do the laundry? Why you lying?"

"She likes helping." Dante shrugged. "And...I want to surprise her. Want her to be shocked when I propose."

"Drop the cane and propose?" Joseph smirked. "You asked for permission?"

Dante nodded, standing up straight and taking wobbling steps to his bed. He walked around to his bedside table and digging up the ring from inside a photo album. He took the ring out from behind a picture of his eldest brother and showed it to his dad.

"Gotta figure out how to get on one knee first. That's what I'm working at right now at the physical therapist office." Dante explained. "I don't want her to be suspicious. I already asked her mom and sister, both agreed. Her dad refuses to talk to me, so I'm just gonna go on with the plan."

Joseph nodded slowly, listening but examining the ring. "It's nice. Paid for it yourself?"

"Being a garbage man paid off." Dante smirked, sitting down on his bed. "I want to do it—"

They both stopped talking and Dante hid the ring in his pocket when they heard Clover coming back upstairs.

"So dinner at the restaurant at 7." Joseph covered up for him. "Don't forget."

Dante nodded his head, smiling as his dad walked out the room leaving the young couple alone. Clover folded Dante's clothes and put them into the drawers of the dresser and then hung some up in the closet.

"Y'all having a family dinner?" She asked, catching Dante's attention.

Dante looked over at her, the smile hard to wipe off his face. "Yeah. We are. Wanna come? It's me, my dad, his girlfriend, Keon and his family, and my soon-to-be step-mom's two daughters."