To Caress My Day

Three days later, Seth bounded on a plane for London and was at his girlfriend's door with a bouquet of Christmas inspired flowers in one hand. He hadn't told her he was coming, and was hoping to dazzle her with his unforeseen presence. Knocking on the door, Seth granted the grin he'd been resisting all day on his face to be free as the door swung open to display someone else. His smile wavered. “Simone?”

“Wow, thanks for making me feel loved, Mr. MacFarlane.” Simone returned with a feign pout as she opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Get on in here, you! I take it those flowers ain't for me.”

“Well, not all of them.” Seth stepped inside, extricating a red rose from the bouquet and extending out to her with a warm smile. “Congratulations on being a part of a girl's band.”

Taking the flower with a smile, Simone sniffed it. “Thank you, Seth. It hasn't been properly announced who's officially a part of GRL, but that's all in due time.”

“It'll come.” Seth glanced over his shoulder to scour the snug little apartment for his girlfriend before inquiring. “Is Tahliah here?”

Simone shook her head, feeling bad that he missed her two hours ago. “No, I'm afraid not. She's at the studio with her band, and has been for a while now. She should be getting back soon.”

“I see.” Seth said, not knowing what he should do now. Shoving his hands into his pockets, they batted the small velvet box that he literally toted everywhere. Feeling his heart begin to sprint like it always does when he thought of the ring held inside, Seth closed his fingers around the ring box. Simone was one of the people that knew Twigs the most, perhaps she could give him an idea on when to propose to her. Licking his lips, Seth beamed her a smile that could evaporate the entire polar ice cap in minutes. “That's fine...I was actually hoping to ask you for some advice about something important, if you don't mind.”

“Not at all, my fine fellow.” Simone gushed as she migrated towards the living room where Neon Jungle were tapping away in silence on their phones, none the wiser. “Is this something you'd be comfortable disclosing among the rest of ladies too, or do you want to speak privately with just me?”

Jesse was the first to raise her eyes and pinpoint Seth. Instantly her face broke out into a receiving grin. “Heeeeeey! It's our main man!”

“Our only man!” Asami seconded, descending her phone to give him her undivided attention. “How've you been, Seth, we haven't seen you in ages! Or at least it feels that way.”

“I've been great. Here.” Seth tipped over to bequeath a rose she delightedly took. One at a time he plucked a rose for each member of the girl band.

“Wow, Seth, this is so sweet.” Shereen cooed down to the flower before raising her brown eyes to him. “And I hope you don't find it impolite of me to ask but aren't they supposed to be for Twigs?”

“That too, but I also wanted to thank you all for being genuine friends to Tahliah and looking out for her as long as you all had done before she and I met.” Seth imparted, expressing his graciousness and indebtedness. “I'm eternally grateful and indebted to each of you for being the most trustworthy and protective people in her life before I was even in the picture, and I know, will continue to be in the future.”

“Aww, fuck man. My heart.” Amira raved from his mushy words, her hand resting over her heart. She was so touched it was impractical not to show it, and so she and the others got up in a congregation of 'awws' to drag him into a group hug. They kept it fleeting to not make him uncomfortable.

“So, what brings you across the sea?” Jesse grilled him as they all settled back into their previous spots. “Or should I even be asking?”

“I'm sure it involves a certain Twiggy we know, am I right?” Shereen taunted him, wiggling her thick dark brows suggestively.

“And you would be 100% right on that.” Seth chuckled as he took a seat on the floor with Asami and Jesse. Simone elected to sit beside him, her eyes on him. He hadn't answered her query about talking privately, and so he gave her a nod of affirmation that he was fine engaging the others as well. “And I'm hunting for some consultation on something that can't be cleared up on my side of the pond. Do you think you ladies can provide the time before Tahliah's return from the studio?”

Caressing the petals of her red rose, Amira favored his challenge by straightening up in her seat. “Heck yeah! What's going on, my man?”

Everyone's attention was fixated on him, and so Seth scurried to explain everything. “As you know Christmas is just around the corner and I'd been tackling to figure out a splendid gift to get Tahliah for our first Christmas together as a couple.”

Simone hailed out the first thing that came to mind, poking him with her elbow. “Get her a ring!”

Not only Seth, but everyone else was flabbergasted by Simone's resolution, the other ladies gaping at her like she'd lost her mind. The couple hadn't even been together 6 months, and she thought to recommend such a major step such as getting engaged?

“Wooooow, Simone!” Jesse drawled in incredulity.

“Are you serious?” Shereen demanded her, regarding her words to be a joke.

Seth couldn't believe the odds that the first thing submitted would be an engagement ring, the very piece sitting in his pocket. Unsure if he had misheard her, Seth recited. “A ring? An engagement ring?”

“Why not?” Simone advocated with a shrug. “You love each other, it's evident for everyone to see that you two are meant to be together.”

Amira could see Seth was speechless at the moment, and so appointed herself to glide on over the marriage proposal as if it hadn't ever been spoken. “Why not take Twigs on a vacation to get away?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!” Asami reinforced.

“That actually isn't too bad.” Simone permitted with a nod since no one else appreciated her idea.

“I mean after all the gigs, and flying out, and jet lag that bitch goes through just to see you.” Amira went on to detail some of her best friend's trials on her fingers. “She definitely needs a vacation!”

“BUT! If that doesn't work, I have another idea.” Jesse announced. “How about you could just pay off her rent and all her bills for the next year? I'm sure that would help her a ton!”

The room went hushed as every pair of eyes settled on Jesse in dissatisfaction. She began to fidget under their stares before Simone rejected the idea. “Dude, no! Twigs would NEVER go for that idea!

“She wouldn't take kindly to that. She's too independent.” Amira reminded Jesse, who smacked herself in the forehead for forgetting such a crucial detail.

“Fuck.” Jesse countered. “My bad.”

“Actually, I think I’ll go for the vacation opportunity instead.” Seth elected, positive it was the better option. The first choice advocated by her close friends was to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring which, unbeknownst to them, he already had. The second was to take her on vacation somewhere to unwind, and the third option was to settle her rent and bills for the rest of the year. That last option was something they all knew Twigs wouldn’t appreciate. She was a self-sufficient woman that didn’t want to depend on others to survive in this atrocious world, she wouldn't welcome his money nor take it. “We’re all aware Tahliah wouldn’t appreciate me handing her money anyway. Plus, she can absolutely take some time off to relax with her hectic schedule.”

“We’re right there with you!” Shereen supported before snagging her phone from beside her. “Now, we just gotta find the perfect place for you to go. Any ideas?”