Milestones: Commitment

After the sudden engagement, Brian and Michelle figured the best time to tell the rest of their families of the news was Thanksgiving; everyone would be altogether, and for the most part only two announcements would need to be made. Unless one of their parents had already accidentally said something, though Michelle knew the first person other than her parents that would have found out would be her sister, and Val would have made it plain as day that she knew.

Sitting around the dinner table at the Haner residence, Michelle had to fight the smile she hadn't been able to wipe off her face since Brian had asked her to marry him. She didn't want to give anything away before it was announced. She had even gone as far as turning the engagement ring around so the rock was facing in toward her palm. Though Brian's dad did take quite a few glances at the band when they first walked in.

The meal had been going along smoothly. Michelle was seated between Brian and his younger brother, Brent, and as she ate she kept looking around the large table at all of Brian's aunts, uncles, and cousins as she tried to memorize their names--Michelle figured she'd have to learn them eventually since she was marrying into the family, so she might as well get a bit of a head start.

But when she felt Brian take her hand in his under the table, her heart fluttered with excitement. This was it, she could feel Brian was about to break the news to the family. Brian Sr. looked up with a smile when he heard his eldest son clear his throat.

"Uh, if I could just have everyone's attention for a minute, there's something I would like to say," Brian announced. The chatter around the table quickly died down until the entire room was silent. Michelle squeezed Brian's hand in both excitement and encouragement as she waited for him to continue. Brian looked over at her with a smile for a moment before turning to the rest of the table again.

"Michelle and I are engaged," Brian said bluntly, unsure if he should ease his way into the topic or get right down to it. The table was silent for only a second longer before Brian's step-mother, Suzy, gasped in surprise.

"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed, and Michelle quickly turned the ring around before revealing her hand with a large smile.

"Oh my God, when did this happen?" Suzy asked, leaning forward a little so as to better see the ring from her seat.

"A few weeks ago," Brian answered. "We figured we'd tell you all at Thanksgiving, when everyone is all together."

"What the Hell, aren't you guys kinda young?" Brent spoke up. It seemed so odd for him, considering there was only a little more than a three year age gap between him and Brian, and Brent was just barely eighteen; Brian would be twenty-two in the summer.

"Brent, watch your mouth," Suzy scolded.

Brian just turned to look at Michelle with a grin as she looked right back, smile matching his own.

"Doesn't matter. We know this is what we want, so we're gonna do it," he said softly before giving Michelle the smallest of kisses, considering they were in front of his entire family.

"I think it's wonderful," Brian's grandmother said from the other end of the table with a smile.

Michelle couldn't have agreed more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As Michelle and Brian walked up toward the front door of her childhood home, she made sure to turn the ring around again. Michelle knew if Val saw the diamond before anything was announced, she'd know right away and probably tell everyone in the house about it.

Taking a deep breath, Brian's hand in hers, Michelle opened the door and stepped into the house. Smiling when she was greeted by family seated around the living room, she was about to return her own when she was cut off.

"Is that Michelle and Brian!?" she heard her mother's voice from the kitchen, and Debbie appeared in the doorway before Michelle could even answer her.

"My baby," she cooed as she came and hugged her daughter.

"Hi Mom."

"You come with me," Debbie said quickly, ushering Michelle away from Brian who laughed at the look of surprise on Michelle's face as she was led into the kitchen.

"Let me see it," Debbie exclaimed quietly, smiling as she turned to her daughter. Knowing what she meant, Michelle turned the ring around, grinning at her mother's astounded reaction.

"My Lord, that boy bought you that?" Michelle's mother said, eyes wide as she examined the ring.

"Yeah, it's nice, right?" Michelle asked rhetorically, unable to keep a smile away.

"Nice?" Debbie asked, shooting Michelle a playful smile. "Hell, my engagement ring wasn't even that big.... So, do you guys have anything planned out yet? I know it's still a bit early for a lot of decisions..."

"Well, we know that we don't want to wait too long to get married. Brian said he definitely wants to do it before the band goes on tour which is probably sometime in the early fall. So we were thinking maybe mid-summer? July?" Michelle answered. A date was the first thing she and Brian had discussed, and they both knew it would be a good idea to have the wedding before Brian left for tour again.

"I think that seems reasonable. That way you've still got about six months for planning. I can help you, if you'd like," Debbie offered.

"Sure," Michelle answered with a smile. "And I'm sure we can get Val to help as well."

"What about me?" came a voice from the doorway. Michelle and her mother barely had time to turn to see Val standing there when she nearly screamed.

"What the Hell is that on your finger?!" she exclaimed, rushing over and taking Michelle's left hand in her own.

"Val--"

"Jesus Christ, is that a--are you--?" Val spluttered, taking a good hard look at the engagement ring. "Brian!"

A few moments later, he entered. "What?"

"Are you marrying my sister?" Val nearly shouted in both shock, confusion, and excitement.

"Well obviously," he answered with a smirk, moving further into the room.

"Holy shit!" Val shouted, dropping Michelle's hand and running to the doorway. "Brian and Michelle are engaged!"

Sighing, Michelle rolled her eyes. She knew that was exactly what Val would do when she found out.

"Well at least we don't have to worry about telling everyone again," Brian chuckled into Michelle's ear as he took her in his arms, kissing her cheek.

"Are you for fucking real!?" Matt asked, lips parted wide in a grin as he quickly entered the room. Seeing nods from everyone and the ring on Michelle's finger, he laughed. "Well damn...Congratulations, Gates," he said, hitting his friend lightly on the back.

"You know what this means?" Val nearly squealed. "We are so going to celebrate this later tonight."