The Brightest Stars ✨

Chapter 16

If you're looking for something new to read, read Deviation by  Thewastelands ASAP! It's so good. I'm obsessed!
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"You got engaged?" Porsha screamed down the street when she caught sight of Natalia on the door stoop on Monday morning. Gabe made himself scarce before the descent into high-pitched screams had him going deaf. Natalia was excited about being engaged and that made him happy. Porsha and some other teacher friends from neighboring schools Natalia were coming over to the house to celebrate over breakfast and mimosas.

It was President's Day and they all had the day off work. Gabe was heading over to the gym and then he was going to hang out with Ty and Dan. The three of them had grown closer than over in the last three months since Mali.

His phone was blowing up with notifications ever since Ella had sent a heartfelt message to the teachers' groupchat that morning about their engagement. He had let Ella know he was going to propose before they had gone away for the weekend. After meeting with the therapist, the doubtful thoughts had circled in his mind and it was Ella's perspective that had him coming off the ledge. She was one of his most trusted friends and her opinion and blessing had meant the world to him.

"Congrats," Agnes was the first to send a reply in the teachers' WhatsApp's group followed by a litany of stars and heart emojis. He hadn't spoken to her all that much since he was forced to have a very awkward talk with her, letting her know he wasn't interested and that he was already spoken for. So, it was no surprise that her message felt very contrived and insincere.

"Thank you, girl." Natalia replied to the group chat with the dancing, ring and heart emojis.

Porsha also sent a message minutes later. It said "Lmao, girl you're doing too much." Aimed at Agnes, with tens of laughing emojis to soften the blow, but they all knew she was being shady with that comment.

Gabe laughed quietly before he left his car for the gym. Porsha had also sent him a meme about military men proposing after 24 hours of knowing somebody. He couldn't lie, he knew very soon after meeting Natalia, that he wanted to marry her but it was too soon for it to be socially acceptable to tell her.

"Surprised you made it out," Dan smirked when Gabe pulled up to his house. Ty was already there, a beer in hand, watching the exchange with amusement.

Gabe made a face at the taunt but didn't say anything. He was surprised too. Natalia and him hadn't been apart for long in months. It was already starting to feel a little weird without her, and he'd barely been out for 2 hours. He was lucky everything had worked out with her visa, because he definitely wasn't capable of living through a long-distance relationship with her. Those weeks in Mali had been enough.

Dan and Ty had been talking shop when he had arrived, Dan was going to invest in Ty's security business and officially come on board as a partner. They had the paperwork on the coffee table between them.

"Mercier, when are you going to come join us so you can start making some real money?"

"I'm happy where I am, thanks boys," he said, turning his attention to the tennis game on the TV screen.

"You don't have to do any contracting, we're branching into close protection, crisis management, revenue protection, reputation and brand management. we're going full service with this," Dan reassured.

"Let's face it, what do I know about reputation management? I'd be best used in contracting or close protection but I just don't want to put Natalia through that again."

"I'm not following," Dan said. "What has this got to do with your old lady?"

"It's got everything to do with her. Life's already hard for her as it is. Being a Black woman in the South and foreign too, she's staying here for me, without her family and friends. She's strong but she could do without the added stress of fearing I'll get shot or hurt all the time. It would be selfish of me."