Whirlwind

57

[Riley]

Messages

· Nasty Naz 8:36 a.m.

So, best weekend of your life or not? I'll bring lunch to your office before you two fly out to Charlotte Saturday and you can tell me everything!

· Mike Shiggity 8:40 a.m.

Tell me you said yes, 'cause it's about damn time, bruh.

· Les 9:02 a.m.

FACETIME ME IMMEDIATELY! I MUST SEE THE RING UP CLOSE, BITCH.

· Donny 9:15 a.m.

Riley Davina Coleman – Cole, is it?

· Pain in my Ass 10:01 a.m.

I'm stuck with you as a sister forever now? That might not be too bad, Coleman. Or are you Cole now? Lil Cole would be the little one.

· Pain in my Ass 10:01 a.m.

Ah shit, LIL COLE LIVES!

The second Lamarr and I powered our phones on from our weekend getaway, text message after text message and voicemail alerts lit up both home screens like wildfire. Family and friends were flooding our line and inboxes with congratulations, and the abundance of excitement felt from them all was valued yet shocking for me to see so soon. I hadn't informed anyone about our engagement, but from the tone of each message and all the kind words I could assume everyone knew about this surprise before I even did.

That was when everything clicked. Lamarr had clearly been planning this for some time now and had all our loved ones in the know, anticipating the aftermath and waiting for the second one of us made this engagement official. Funny thing about it all was that literally no one waited, they all figured things went perfectly and were sending their blessings either way.

For the first thirty minutes I elaborated on the basic details of my weekend and every other second Leslie was interrupting with questions she just had to have answered. She demanded to know what I wore here, did we do this there, how did I respond to this, and did I eat that. Literally everything I shared needed an explanation. My girl was itching to relive each day and its events, the dinner that Lamarr planned seamlessly, and even more the conclusion of my weekend that ended like a Jill Scott and Beyoncé slow tempo love song warped together.

Now we were both on a high, floating on a cloud in complete awe. I was still allowing this new shift sink in while Leslie was now merely amazed by my ring and 'glow' she noted from miles away.

"Good lord. You and that damn thing are just gorgeous," Leslie eyes admired the emerald stone that gleamed beside my cheek as I held my hand up, and wiggled by ring finger beside it. The sun shining brightly above accentuated its size through the camera and the extra touch the diamonds outlining it gave. "It looks even better on your hand than it does in iMessage."

"Wait, you've seen it before now?"

"Of course," she said with her forehead furrowed. "Why wouldn't I? I mean, who else was Cole going to go to for approval of the ring other than your best friend? Anyways, he sent me a picture of it first. I loved it, he bought it and I love it even more now that its sitting on your finger screaming fuck your life."

"Oh, well alright Drake." I lobbed back smartly as we both began laughing at her slick usage of his classic lyrics. Out of habit I palmed my stomach and began caressing it as my eyes fell, tracing the movement and the two symbols solidifying just an ounce of the love I held. I was sinking into my own little world again, but in the distance I could still hear the whispers of Leslie's voice questioning what was on my mind.