Can’t Look Away

“Let me see it again”

Sasha rolled her eyes good-naturedly, holding her hand out to Cassie who was eager to catch it, allowing her to pull it close so that she could examine the ring which had appeared on her finger. She had done it a few times. After Sasha and Lionel had stumbled through a slightly bashful announcement of their engagement, Cassie had been eager to get a look at the ring he had proposed with, and she hadn’t stopped asking to look at it, something which had a small smile fixed on Sasha’s face. It’d been the same with everyone they had told. People hadn’t been surprised that the proposal had come, and they had been delighted that it had, and sharing the news had been something that both Sasha and Lionel had enjoyed. They were happy with what had happened, and they were pleased that the people closest to them seemed to be excited for them.

“Do you not like it or something?” Sasha prodded “You’re frowning” she added.

Cassie scoffed playfully. “You know full well that it’s beautiful” she retorted.

“Then what’s with the frown?” Sasha asked “I thought you’d be thrilled” she added.

“I am” Cassie replied “Of course I am thrilled” she insisted.

“But?” Sasha quipped, an encouraging grin on her face.

Cassie huffed a sigh, shaking her head slightly to hide the hue of pink which was flooding her cheeks. “I like planning weddings” she admitted “I helped my brother when he got married, and it’s a lot of fun. I want to help you, but I remember how your mother got when your sister got married, and I guess I am a little worried that you’re not going to need me, too” she added bashfully.

Sasha blinked a couple of times in surprise before she shook her head, gently squeezing Cassie’s hand. “I am always going to need you” she said gently “You’re my maid of honour, and more than that, you’re my best friend. Besides, who else is going to be honest with me when I am standing there in a hideous wedding dress with my mother cooing on about how wonderful it is. I need you, Cass” she added, the corner of her mouth quirking upwards.

Cassie’s lips quirked too. “You sent me a picture of Leila in the first dress” she noted “You’re definitely going to need back up” she added.

Sasha squeezed her hand again before Lionel padded back into the room. “Is he asleep?” she asked, leaning back into the couch.

Lionel bent over to kiss the top of her head before he placed the baby monitor into her lap. “He is” he confirmed “I don’t know how long that will last, but he’s asleep for now” he added.

Sasha smiled up at him. “He’s getting better” she noted “He slept for three full hours last night” she added.

Lionel rolled his eyes playfully, stealing a quick kiss before he straightened up. “Am I interrupting?” he asked, glancing over at Cassie.

“Not at all” Cassie replied, taking a sip from her glass of champagne “We were just discussing your future mother-in-law’s awful taste in wedding dresses” she added.

Lionel let out a slightly surprised laugh. “What makes you think her taste is awful?” he retorted as he padded towards an empty seat, pouring himself a glass of champagne from the bottle which sat on the coffee table.

Cassie held up a finger as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. For a couple of moments, she scrolled through something before she turned the phone around, showing Lionel a picture of Leila. “This is the first dress that she had Leila try on” she explained.

Lionel leant forwards and took the phone out of her hand, his nose wrinkling ever so slightly as he studied the picture.

Cassie grinned. “Told you” she quipped.

Lionel shook his head and handed the phone back to her.

Cassie locked the phone and slid it back into her pocket before she looked up, the teasing disappearing from her expression. “Have you two talked to her?” she asked “Leila, that is” she clarified.

Sasha’s eyes snapped up to meet Lionel’s briefly before she ducked her head, shaking it slightly. They had thought about it. After they’d told their parents and their other siblings, they had briefly discussed telling Leila themselves, but they’d quickly opted against it, knowing that, one way or another, the news would filter back to her without the three of them having to be in the same room.

Lionel kept his stare on her for a long moment before he moved it towards Cassie. “Carina said that she’d pass on the news for us” he noted.

Cassie nodded slowly. “I didn’t mean to make things weird” she said.

“You haven’t” Lionel replied “Things with Leila have always been weird” he added, offering her a slightly rueful smile.

Cassie mirrored his rueful smile before she picked her drink up, tilting the glass towards Lionel’s. “Congratulations” she mused “You’re good for her, and I love you for it. She’s a lot happier since you came along” she added

Lionel let out a slightly bashful laugh before he clinked his glass against hers. “Thank you” he replied.

“I am still in the room” Sasha quipped, the starts of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Cassie rolled her eyes playfully. “I’m just saying that he’s been good to have around” she quipped “Not that I didn’t love you before, but since you’ve had him, you’ve been a lot more fun” she added.

Sasha’s eyes drifted over to Lionel before she ducked her head, her cheeks flushing a soft shade of red.

Cassie watched Lionel’s face brighten as Sasha smiled at him bashfully before she shook her head, a tender smile of her own brightening her features. She was in awe of how happy they both looked. “You’re not going to hang around, are you?” she asked.

Lionel and Sasha shared a look before they both quirked goofy smiles. “Probably not” Lionel chirped.

Cassie let out a laugh. “If you elope, can I be a witness?” she prodded.

“We can’t elope” Lionel retorted “My mother and Carina would kill us” he added.

“You thought about it?” Cassie quipped.

Sasha shrugged non-committally, an impish grin on her face.

Cassie shook her head with a laugh before she stood up, gathering her bag and coat. “Let me know when you want to get started” she quipped “Seriously, I can’t wait. I’m so excited for the two of you” she added.

Sasha stood up and wrapped Cassie in a hug. It stung that Leila was out of the picture. Before Lionel and Olivier had arrived in their lives, they had been close, and it stung Sasha more than she wanted to admit that her sister wasn’t going to be a part of the wedding and its planning, but she was grateful for everyone else around them. She was grateful that her excitement, and Lionel’s, was mirrored by everyone else that was close to them.