Embraced by Bees

I listened intently as Phoebe recounted to me the previous night. I had no semblance of a love life, so I tended to live vicariously through hers. The man in my mind, however, was not my brother, but instead, a man from work of whom I found extremely attractive.

“And I couldn’t believe how Xavier decided to end the night, Lacy. It was so romantic and thought out.”

“We’re still talking about my brother, right? He never thinks things through. He just goes on and acts impulsively at the oddest times.” Phoebe nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. My brother tended to make the most rash decisions when there was never any need for it. There was the one time when the three of us decided to go on a road trip to California for the summer after our senior year. Phoebe and I had the car packed and ready to go when Xavier drove up the street with a brand new RV. His logic behind buying it was, “It’s better than sitting in a tiny cramped up car. And the sales guy gave me a keychain and fuzzy dice for free.” Needless to say, it was the free stuff that had actually caught his attention when the sales guy steered my brother toward the vehicle.

“Yes, I know. He can not think at the weirdest of moments, but he really put in a ton of thought as to what he did last night.” Phoebe was practically glowing, her smile radiantly broadcasted.

“No, Watson! Did he impregnate you?! Ew, please, do not go into the details.” I covered my ears, childishly hoping that no sound would enter the barrier that my hands created over my ears. Phoebe’s face flushed a deep scarlet.

“Lacy Maria Santino! For a want to be Sherlock, you were pretty off target. Your brother did not,” she paused, trying to keep the embarrassment at bay, “impregnate me. He proposed!”

“Oh, thank Hades. You’re not pregnant. I won’t be an aunt, my parents won’t be grandparents. I no longer have the urge to feel old and carry a packet of peppermint candies in my purse. Oh, sweet baby… what?!” Phoebe’s last statement had finally inched its way into my thought process.

“Your brother, Xavier Jose Santino, proposed to me, Phoebe Mitchells, your soon-to-be sister-in-law.” Phoebe purposefully said this slowly, as if speaking to a child. Which, if someone were to measure my maturity level, would equal that of an eleven year old’s. I blinked several times. Phoebe bit her lip, gauging my reaction.

“Holy shit, this is amazing! My brother grew the balls to ask for your hand. This is crazy. Did you guys pick a date, a church, a venue? Have you thought about bridesmaids and color schemes? Oh man, this is going to be way too much work. I have to call my mom.” I reached for my cell phone on the coffee table, but Phoebe grabbed it just before I did. “P, what are you doing?”

“You can’t tell your mom,” Phoebe ordered. Phoebe never ordered me to do anything. I was always the one who called the shots. I was, what many would call, a neat freak and always on or ahead of schedule. So Phoebe giving an order meant that she already had a plan.

“Okay, I won’t call my mom, but why won’t I call my mother?”

Phoebe started pacing across the living room, muttering to herself in a fashion very similar to Xavier’s. They spent an insane amount of time with each other if they’ve started picking up habits. She huffed as she dropped herself into the love seat. “The thing is, I wasn’t supposed to tell you about the whole proposing thing, at least, not yet. Xavier wanted it to be just between the two of us for today, so that we could tell our families tonight at dinner.” I understood exactly what she meant. Xavier had a knack for the romantics, being my brother and all. I had often forced him to listen to me read scenes or dialogue from a book that I found romantic and completely charming, but it ruined some of my fun.

“Ugh, this seriously puts a dent in my plans of early planning with mami, but whatever makes you and the fool happy, I guess. But do you at least want to look at some bridal sites online? It’ll be fun. And besides, it’s only looking. And we’re getting your dress custom made at that mom and pop store, the really adorable one. I love Senora Rosa. Her fingers are magical and you’ll look stunningly gorgeous. Xavier, he can just go buy a regular run-of-the-mill type of tux, both classic and classy, you know?”

Phoebe just kept smiling her smile as I rambled on about possible wedding plans, laughing to herself. “I guess it’s safe to say that you’re my maid of honor, isn’t it, Lace?”

“Well, of course, I thought we decided on that back in middle school.” We looked at each other, knowing that soon enough we’d be sisters. I got up from my place on the couch and headed toward the computer in the study, unaware that Phoebe had taken the time to gently rub her stomach.