Chain Reaction 3.1.53: That's When

Michael

     Wait a minute. What is Darrin doing?

     This isn't happening! It was just supposed to be a simple evening out, just a date night! We didn't even drink Sakura Tea!

     The night started so great...

     Darrin came home to find me talking away to Bug while painting. I was wearing my typical robe and socks.
     "Let's go out." He startled me.
     "Why?" I don't like going 'out.' Last time, I saw Eli, one of the models from what feels like a past life, and it was a bit awkward. And I don't like people recognizing me from my small-time fame, which is fading, but I don't mind.
     I turned away from him and went to put a book back on the bookshelf. He followed me.
     "Because I want to."

     He's been very affectionate lately. On the one hand, I love it. On the other, it kind of scares me. But he always stops when I ask, and he never complains.

     "Look, Mike. You've been moping around in this house far too much lately."
     "I think I have reason, don't you?" This isn't going to get better overnight! Just because we're having sex again doesn't mean I'm okay with everything.
     He tried a different tactic. "Please, Michael? I want to get out of the house. With you. We'll just go out to eat at a nice place. You or I won't have to cook. Please?" I didn't know why he lumped himself into the cooking thing. I'm almost always the one to do it--and that's because I love it (not to mention I'm loads better at it).

     But he's so cute when he begs like that. "Fine. I'll get dressed."

     But once we got to the restaurant, his mood soured. I don't think it helped the waiter recognized me and asked for my autograph.

     I tried to get him to loosen up, but all he would do would be laughing nervously. He kept steering the direction of the conversation to 'us' like he was building to something, but I didn't really find out to what... then.

    After dinner, we changed outfits for no apparent reason, and I turned to him with a smile. "Do you remember the first time we sat on this bench?"
    He closed his eyes with a smile and a sigh. "Yeah. It was after that b*tch insulted us and I ran off. You chased me down, and I tackled you into the snow in a defensive maneuver... before you startled the sh*t outta me by kissing me."
    "My own offensive maneuver."
    "I wasn't offended." He smirked.
    I playfully nudged him. "You know what I mean."
    He grinned. "Yeah. And I also remember how I dared you to kiss me again."
    "You didn't have to."

     And just to prove it, I kissed him again. Or... did he kiss me? Well, we kissed.
     Then that's when he asked me to stand up and walk over to where we are now.
     He started talking about how wonderful I am and how much he loved me.

     But he acted surprised when I kissed him. He'd started shaking like he was terrified!
     That's when he stepped back. "Michael. Please. Just let me do this."
     "Do what?"

     And that's when he got on one knee in front of me.
     "Uh, Darrin?"
     But there was no stopping him now. "Michael, you changed my life. You fearlessly brought out something in me that I'm sad to say I was ashamed of, and I'm so glad you did. Because that meant I could love you like you deserve. That's what I want now, to spend the rest of my life loving you." He swallows, finally seeing my stunned expression.

     But I don't think he's reading it correctly. "Will you marry me, Michael?"
     I stand here, dumb. Didn't I just think the other night that I wanted to marry him? I just wasn't expecting him to ask me. Maybe that's what's throwing me right now. I'd always thought I would be doing the asking. I had experience, after all, right?
     Am I mad at him?
     "Mike?" He starts looking worried.
     Crap. What do I do? It's bad enough my dead tree stump doesn't work, but then he took the act of proposing away from me too. It's emasculating. Like that sh*t really matters. (note the sarcasm) It shouldn't, but I'm hypersensitive.
     Dammit. I'm standing here ruining a beautiful proposal. Get over yourself, Michael. "Yes."

      He pulls me into a tight hug. The important thing here is I'm officially engaged to Darrin. After everything we've been through, we've come this far. Darrin himself has been on one incredible journey. Our paths have crossed many times: some painful, some not, but now, we'll share the same path. Together. I f--king love him.

 Alaric

     My phone rings. Kate? She never calls me. The only way we really communicate is via Kyra. This is odd.

          I decide to pick it up. "Hey, Kate," I say in what I hope is a generic way. "How are things in Willow Creek?"

     "Hey, Alaric. I'm fine. I, um, was talking to Kyra earlier, and I saw someone. I THINK it was your cousin Mike's fiancée. Well, ex-fiancée."

     Mom and Dad invite Mike over for dinner all the time. They've been doing it at least weekly for a few years now. And when he was dating, um, what's-her-name, she would come too. And since Kate was also at those dinners while we dated, she'd met them both. Ivy. Her name was Ivy. They were both famous SimTubers at the time. She means that one, right?

     "The one who left him," she clarifies before I can ask. She'd been well-informed of what had happened to Mike thanks to Kyra's other friends, Mike's little fan club. "I'm just not sure if I remember what she looks like. Do you remember?"

     "Yeah, but why? She might be there for all I know." I shrug even though she can't see me. So what? What's the big deal? Why should we care?

     She catches my tone and understands. "Yeah. Well, the thing is, she was carrying around this little kid with VERY blue eyes."

     "What are you saying?" Ivy lost a baby; it's what Mike says she left him over. 

     "I'm saying he looks a LOT like your famous cousin." Pause. "I have a pic I can send you."

     "Yeah. Lemme see it before we jump to any conclusions." She LOST the baby. Maybe it isn't her and this is much ado about nothing.

     "Okay. I've gotta hang up to do it. I'm still not very good with this new phone I have."

     "Sure." We end the call.

     How can Kate not be good with a phone? Maybe it's just that new.

     The text takes AGES to get to me.

     But when it finally does, my heart drops through my stomach.