Polaroid Cancer

“Sweetie… you have a huge mouth,” Casey says, giving him a slightly scared look.

Oliver is stuffing half of a piece of Italian bread into his mouth, “M’sorry, I’m starving.”

When in actuality, he is extremely nervous, and the anticipation of this moment has been weighing down on him for over six months when he had finally come to the decision on how he was going to hatch out his plan.

“Love, I need to get something in th’kitchen , ‘old on.”

Casey is left sitting there silently eating her spaghetti, curious at Oliver’s strange behavior all of a sudden.

He came bursting back out, looking guilty as ever and rested himself on one knee. Casey’s heart fluttered in her chest, there was absolutely no freaking way-

“Casey Wolton, will you marry me?” Oliver held up a small black box and opened it, revealing a silver ring with a dainty blue gem embedded in it.

Tears were threatening to spill as she stared down at her lanky, tattoo ridden boyfriend. His thick brown hair swept out of his chocolate colored eyes, and a lopsided smile is plastered to his face.

“Y-yes.” Casey croaked out, the sound of her own voice is the breaking point and the tears began rolling down her cheeks. Oliver gently grabs her ring finger and slips the band on, smiling at how well it fit. For the next half-hour Casey cannot speak a word without suddenly bursting out into tears of happiness and hugging Oliver every five seconds.



Casey wakes up with a start, she looks around her, wondering if what had happened last night was a dream or not. She checked her ring finger and found the silver band still there, twinkling in the slice of light cutting into their bedroom. It suddenly brought back an old, silly memory. Casey burst out laughing at the thought.

“What’so funny?” Oliver asked, his voice filled with sleep.

“Well… before you and I started dating, you had called me ‘dear’ once and I was really confused and thought that I had stepped into the Twilight Zone and you and I were married with five kids. I had even checked my ring finger like an idiot,” She giggled again, covering her face in embarrassment.

Oliver smiles and wraps both his arms around her midsection, “Yeh smell really good.”

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Casey asks, nudging the top of his head, “Because it’s not really working…”

“I don’t need t’seduce yeh with words, I just bat me eyelashes at yeh an’ yeh go wet.” He said, sitting up right and fluttering his eyelids open and close.

“Oli! You have such a filthy mouth sometimes,” Casey says, playfully smacking him on the shoulder, “I’m starving and need a shower. Make me food!”

“Yes ma’am!” Oliver says, grinning all the while and bounding to his feet, “An’ what would me lady like?”

“Um… anything really,” Casey says sheepishly, kissing him on the nose.

While Oliver wandered off to the kitchen, Casey snatched up her cellphone from her purse and hurriedly punches in Jayde’s number, “Pick up… pick-”

“Hello?”

“Jayde!” Casey says in a loud whisper, “Guess what? Guess what?”

“Oliver’s gay?”

“No!” Casey scowls, “Oliver proposed to me last night!”

“Oh my God… you are lying! I knew something was fishy when Caleb kept going out to “hang” with Oliver…” Jayde’s voice wandered, “He’s had to have had that planned for months!” Casey is practically shaking with excitement, “I am so happy for you two, congratulations! Have you told your parents yet?”

“Oh, hell no… not yet, I’m afraid to… they might not… like him.”

“I’ve never even met your parents, all I ever hear about them is what Caleb tells me… which isn’t a whole lot.” Jayde sighs.

“They… travel a lot and don’t really have a lot of time on their hands for family. I’m lucky if I see them once a year… and they weren’t all that happy with me when I decided to permanently stay in LA and not travel with them.”

Jayde made a sort of grunting noise, “Well, they should be proud of having a daughter like you. I think you’ve turned out great.”

“Thank you…” Casey said, smiling, “Um, I need to get in the shower before Oliver gets suspicious, so I’ll talk to you later, love you! Bye!”

“Love you too, Casey! Bye bye!”

Click.



Oliver smiles chirpily at his parents as they wave to him from across the airport. Casey is following close behind with her luggage, briefly observing the people around her. Almost two years ago she called them all fish, but being around her now fiancé had grown Casey out of that. He had helped her grow up more in the mental department then he even realized.

“Mum, dad! So glad yeh could come an’ say good bye to us,” Oliver said, leaning in to give his mother a hug. “Where’s Tom? ‘E’s supposed t’come with us still, eh?”

Carol is giving Casey a hug as she replies: “He’s getting somethin t’eat, he should be back soon.”

Casey steps close to Oliver as he surveys the airport, searching for anyone resembling his brother. Tom’s huge blue eyes were probably the most identifiable thing on him.

Not five minutes later, he steps out of a crowd huddled around him which quickly dispersed as he neared his family and Casey. A vast grin is plastered on his face and Oliver can’t help but ask what has got him so giddy. With a casual wave of his hand, his face returned to an unconcerned smirk and he turned to their parents.

“Well, looks like yeh got rid o’both of your children again. Bye mum, bye dad,” Tom gives both of them a steady embrace and Casey, Oliver and Tom make their way to the boarding area.

“I can’t believe two months have gone by already,” Casey remarks, her eyebrows furrowing together, “Jayde should be showing by now, she’s been refusing sending me pictures of her belly, because she wants us to see it in person. I’m betting she’s gotten enormous.”

Oliver tossed back his head in a loud chuckle, “Probably, love. Probably.”

“Woah, woah, Jayde is preggo?” Tom asks from behind them, nudging his head between Oliver’s bicep and Casey’s shoulder.

“Yeppers! Four months along,” Casey replies cheerfully.

Tom, on the other hand, appears glum, “Damn, she didn’t seem th’type t’settle down ever.”

“Sorreh Tom, a bit late,” Oliver says, giving his brother a sympathetic look.

“Eh, it’s alright,” Tom smiles, “Looks like we’re finally gonna get on th’ plane. Abou' time.”