Status: In Time

To Caress My Day

Chapter 224: A 'Normal' Setting

On the way back to the resort, Twigs and Seth were ranting and raving about every little thing they had sighted while sub-diving for the first time ever. One would think they hadn’t ever dunked their heads in the ocean before with the details they were exchanging.

When they reached the island, they were assisted off the boat, and escorted back to their resort where they were left to freshen up for dinner. Twigs was longing for Seth the second they stepped into the bathroom, and he didn’t rebuff her lust for him under the spray of the shower head.

Once dressed, they entered the dining room to find their dinner already prepared and waiting for them. The staff had already excused themselves when they were accompanying them back to the resort, and so the couple were alone for the rest of the night.

Dressed in a sage green backless halter dress, Twigs laughed as Seth, their server for the night, presented her plate to her and stammered over describing exactly what it was they were eating tonight. It was so fascinating to watch his mind work behind her curly fringe that she tied into an updo. Whenever he struggled to identify the meal or ingredients, he’d make something up at the top of his head that would make her laugh which he strived to do often. Though he wasn’t accurate with all her meals, the food was delicious. So delicious in fact that neither of them spoke as they shoveled into the mystery meals.

After dinner, Seth got right to handing out the dessert next which was much more straightforward and that he executed with a gentlemanly flourish. Savoring her piece of cake with fresh fruits on top, Twigs glanced up to marvel at her ‘husband’ like she’d done several times that night already to find him quietly mulling over something. Whatever it was abducted his smile, and so abducted hers in turn.

“Seth, are you okay, honey?” Twigs inquired softly, lowering the end of her fork and the chunk of cake impeded on it onto her plate. Her fixation was now on her man and what was bothering him.

“Huh?” Seth responded, stirred from his musing. His hand had been under the table fingering the velvet ring box practically living in all his pockets. Over and over again he’d asked himself when was the right time to propose all the while sweating bullets in wait.

Should he ask her to marry him now?

Five minutes from now?

Ten minutes then?

A month later?

“I asked if you’re okay. You look bothered by something.” Twigs repeated, releasing her fork to clasp her hands in her lap, awaiting for him to lay his troubles on the table.

“Oh, I’m fine.” Seth answered quite promptly, his brown eyes averting back down to his plate. He couldn’t look her in the eye when he was hiding something from her. She was so beautiful, so sweet that it made him want to disclose everything to her. To clean his closet out so there were no secrets between them. But this wasn’t a matter he could let her in on right now. Not until the time was right.

Not persuaded that he was fine at all, Twigs’s brow furrowed with concern. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah…well, I…the thing is…” Seth stuttered nervously, still fending off looking at her. This moment felt right to him. It felt like the ideal time for him to propose to her. Only…he wasn’t sure if it really was. When the perfect time came it had to be just that, PERFECT! There was no other option, no mistakes made.

But how did one know when the ideal time was?

It kinda felt like now, but what if it wasn’t, what if there was a much better perfect time down the road?

Without realizing it, Seth opened his mouth and blurted. “Can you see yourself getting married one day, Tahliah?”

“I’d love to get married!” Twigs welcomed with a romantic smile. “I’ve never been opposed to the idea of marriage.”

“Can you see yourself…getting married to me?” Seth asked her next, his brown eyes locking onto hers, pursuing the truth.

Twigs went still in her seat, her heart beginning to gallop like a wild horse across a grassy plain. She gaped at him as she echoed. “To you?”

Seth nodded though he saw her reluctance immediately. It made him feel sick to his stomach that she’d say no to him one day, that she could see herself as anyone else’s bride in the world. Except his.

No longer hungry, Twigs set the napkin in her lap beside her plate and silently leaned back in her chair. Wondering how she would interpret this to him so there wouldn’t be any misconception between them, she started slowly with her eyes drawn to her half-empty plate. “In a…normal setting, I can see myself marrying you in a heartbeat.”

“A ‘normal’ setting?” Seth recited with a frown, not liking her choice of words. “I don’t get it. What’s so abnormal about what’s between us? Why aren’t we classified as ‘normal’, Tahliah?”

“Our relationship is a secret from the public's eye, that's why. It makes all of this abnormal.” Twigs clarified, no longer seeing the cheerful light in his eyes. Tonight’s tone was a sober one, and she wasn’t liking it. She wanted to go back to the way things were where he was cracking jokes and making her laugh. She yearned to see him smile again. He was made to always smile and laugh. “You don’t hear about relationships like ours these days.”

“Oh.” Seth murmured, averting his eyes again. He detested that he couldn't make an argument against that. It was true. How many other celebrities had secret relationships like his?

“I’m still wrapping my mind around that part of your world, and I hope that when I finally do…maybe one day, if you’re willing, we can take that leap together in front of everyone!” Twigs depicted for him, her eyes shining at the possible fantasy that she prayed would be their future someday. It had to be their future. She couldn’t see herself walking down the aisle towards anyone else.

“Would you really?” Seth inquired softly, piercing her with his gaze and imprisoning her in place until she gave him the answer he needed to hear. At this point, he didn’t care if her response was the truth or a lie. He had to hear a confirmation in order to take his next breath.

“I know I will.” Twigs vowed confidently. Today it seemed impossible, yes, but tomorrow was always a new day filled with possibilities. They could be married by the end of the week for all she knew.

“And until then?” Seth asked, his eyes still searching, stripping her bare for further validations.

Twigs trembled under his gaze. He wanted more from her. No, he needed more from her. She could see it all over his face. Praying it would be enough, she told him. “Until then what we have is perfect. Right now there is no way in hell we’d be able to hide the knowledge that we got married from the media, and honestly, I don’t want to put you through that endless roller coaster of pressure on both ends.”

Soundlessly, Seth nodded, lowering his eyes to his plate. It pained him like a knife through his heart to admit that she was right. This wasn’t that perfect time he was waiting for. It was the wrong time, like he feared. She wouldn’t accept the ring, or his proposal. And he’d be left mutilated, no longer a living breathing man on the inside, nor on the outside. He’d be a shell, hollowed and dead with no purpose.

Seth’s silence was truly horrifying to Twigs.

Had she said the wrong thing?

My god, had she royally botched everything up with her boyfriend?

Would their relationship only go downhill from here?

Feeling faint, and unable to breath, Twigs too lowered her eyes to her own plate to get ahold of herself. Laying a hand over her panicked heart, she began to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Inhale in, exhale out. Feeling slightly better now, Twigs couldn't stand the silence anymore. “Seth, say something. Are you okay with this? You haven’t said a word, and I…I don’t think you’re happy with my answer.”