Status: In Time

To Caress My Day

Chapter 148: Beyond Certain

Later on at the MacFarlane's family home in Kent Connecticut, the entire family were converged on the comfy matching couch sets, both facing each other near the roaring fireplace that contributed the only illumination within the home. On one couch sat Ronald, his wife Xiang, and Rachael with a slumbering Bella in her arms. Across from them was Spencer, Seth and Twigs who Seth insisted remained curled at his side with a long heavy arm cloaked around her waist to keep her prisoner. The family were reliving past stories that were pure comedy and had everyone red in the face with glee. Truly, the MacFarlane bunch were a uproarious trio, and brought Twigs critically close to peeing her pants too often she was driven to dash to the bathroom. After that, they seemed hell-bent on working her abs to a hard ache with laughter.

Twigs had tears of glee flowing down her face behind her hands when she heard her ringtone going off. It made her jump in shock but didn't lessen her perpetual laughing even when she plucked it out of her cardigan pocket and scrutinized the number glowing back at her. It was her agent calling. Sitting herself up and out of Seth's arm, she tried to speak past her laughter. “Excuse me everyone, I have to take this really quick.”

“No problem.” Ron dismissed with understanding, his face red from his own failed attempts of managing his laughter.

Rachael spotted Seth watching Twigs get up, his brown eyes following her as she withdrew from the living room through the backdoor to chat privately on the phone like she was his property. “Jesus, Seth, she's your girlfriend, not your possession.”

“Huh?” Seth turned his inquisitive eyes to his little sister, not catching her meaning.

In compliance to his wife's comment, Spencer reached out to pat Seth's arm in a affectionate gesture, and gave him a reassuring smile. “It's alright, man, it's not that time of the year where Santa Claus is flying around on his sled on the hunt for a new Mrs. Claus yet so you can calm down, she'll be alright outside on her own."

Seth rolled his eyes and let out a sardonic laugh. “Oh ha ha ha, you're hilarious, Spencer, truly a witty brilliance!”

“Thank you!” Spencer welcomed his false homage.

“Anyway, that's not why I was watching out for Tahliah like a hawk.” Seth began, his hand plunge into his pocket to feel the suede ring box sheltered within the depths.

“Then why were you, Seth?” Xiang went ahead and inquired from where she was snuggled against her husband's side, also believing him to be in pure denial of his protective nature.

Hustling closer to the edge of the couch, Seth leaned over to confided to his family so Twigs couldn't hear him from outside. “Gather around and I'll show you.”

Everyone humored him and scurried closer to the edge of their seat to cluster as close to each other as they could. They all wondered as to what he was going to confess to them, even his dad until the remembrance of the jewelry store loomed on him. His eyes widened in bewilderment, but only briefly, for he didn't want to wreck what he speculated was his son's surprise. Rachael mumbled to her brother. “What is it?”

“This.” Seth plucked the ring box from his trouser pockets and popped it open before anyone could register what he held in his hand. He grinned with thrill as everyone gasped in shock by the magnificent golden Pear shaped Diamond halo engagement ring with it's two matching nesting diamond rings. It was the very ring he fell in love with at the jewelry store in town, the only one that declared him Tahliah's name.

“Oh my god, its beautiful!” Xiang marveled in admiration of it's perfection.

“It is.” Ronald couldn't refuse, having already seen its vision before.

“That's a big sucker right there.” Spencer noted with a remarkable nod.

Rachael had a hand over her mouth because her other was still maintaining her daughter. She was grateful when her husband assisted her by taking their child in his arms instead. “Seth...is that what I think it is?”

Seth nodded passionately, but his voice shook with nerves a bit for he had never really done this before...not even with Avery. In the four years they had been together he had never felt anywhere close enough to procuring her a ring. Not like in the few months it took him to obtain one for Twigs. “Y-Yeah...it is.” His family were appalled, also sharing the same thought that there had never been a time when he expressed of marrying Avery or purchasing her a ring. And yet now with this girl he hadn't been seeing for 6 months even he wanted to marry her?

“Are you sure this is what I think it is?” Rachael challenged in incredulity, not being able to take her eyes away from the marvelous jewelry. She shook her head in disapproval. “Seriously, what is this? I..I can't believe what I'm seeing is actually real.”

“It's...it's an engagement ring.” Seth explained, not finding her displeasure the least bit offending. This was completely out of character of him. He'd never come close to proposing to any women he's ever been in a relationship before...except when he was completely wasted, then the thought would develop during a good time, but that didn't count.

“And where did you get that ring?” Spencer inquired him from where he was leaning back on the couch with his daughter slumbering in his arms. “Or when?”

“When Dad and I were out shopping.” Seth cited, his eye joining his dad. “It was outside that one jewelry store you saw me staring into.”

Ronald nodded in reminiscence. “And let me guess, that ring is for Tahliah.”

“It is.” Seth responded in confirmation, still feeling apprehensive about sharing the news with them.
Ronald leaned in further, his eyes engaged on his son's restless face. He couldn't tell if what he saw was reluctance about asking Tahliah to marry him, if so, he was gonna get to the bottom of it. “Seth, are you sure about this?”

Seth grimaced, his confidence rattled by his nerves due to his dad second guessing his judgment. He had to admit, that stung. “What do you mean if I'm sure about this? Of course I am!”

“It's just you've been with Avery for four full years and you never got to the point where you were thinking of proposing to her.” Ronald tried to analyze, seeing he may have hit a nerve with his son. “You've only been dating Tahliah for a short time, not even a full year, and already you're ready to make her your wife?”

Well, when his dad put it that way, he could see why he was uneasy with his choice. This all may seem like a whirlwind rebound to them instead of true love. Calming down, Seth gave him a nod of understanding. “I can see where you're getting at, Dad. Standing in your shoes, I can see how all of this sounds senseless. But please, trust me when I saw that I am beyond certain of my decision to propose to Tahliah.”

“How 'beyond certain' are you, Seth?” Spencer imposed, his eyes flickering to the back sliding doors that revealed Tahliah striding along the backyard, still chatting on her phone and completely unaware that she was presently the topic of deliberation among the MacFarlane family.

“It's gonna take a lot more than that to convince me that this is a good idea, Seth.” Rachael crossed her arm in disapproval. “Don't get me wrong, she's an amazing sweet tiny little cute thing, but...you haven't known each other that long. What kind of love can grow from a few months together?”