Chapter 19
The cheering was still buzzing in the air when my phone vibrated against my palm. Mama. Daddy. Miss Elyse. My stomach flipped.
“Oh, Lord,” I whispered, clutching the phone like it might burn me. “They know.”
Elias grinned, dimples deep. “Of course, they know. You think I’d blindside your folks and my mama? Nah. They gave me their blessing weeks ago. They just had that trip booked before I even picked this date.”
I hit answer, and suddenly the screen filled with sunshine and ocean breeze.
My mama was in a wide-brimmed sunhat, sipping a daiquiri the color of flamingos.
Daddy wore a Hawaiian shirt, looking like somebody had dragged him into vacation against his will.
And Miss Elyse leaned in between them, shades perched on her head, a big smile already shining.
“Baby girl!” My mama hollered, waving her drink so hard the umbrella almost flew out. “Yessss! Lord, I been waiting for this moment!”
Miss Elyse pointed at her son through the screen. “Elias Jamal Edmonds, you really gon’ propose while I’m out here eating jerk chicken on a beach? You are petty.”
Everybody around us burst out laughing. Jason bent over, clutching his knees, Leila fanned herself with a cupcake wrapper, and even Chambers had tears in his eyes, trying to hide them behind his phone camera.
Elias just squeezed my waist tighter. “I told y’all I wanted it simple. Just her, me, and EJ in that moment. No pressure. No big speeches. Just us.” He looked down at our boy, who was still jumping up and down, frosting smeared like war paint on his temple, proudly waving his crooked sign.
Miss Elyse’s voice softened. “Jonay, baby, I already loved you like my daughter. But now?” Her smile broke wider. “Now it’s official. You stuck with us for life now, sugar.”
I laughed through tears. “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
Daddy leaned closer, eyes squinting like always. “About damn time. Y’all better take this seriously. Marriage is a beautiful thing. It’s work. But…” He paused, that Marine’s nod was sharp and steady. “Looking at y’all, I believe it’ll hold.”
That sent a fresh wave of tears through me while Jason hollered, “Not you tryna cry in Jamaica, Pops!”
Mama sniffled so hard her daiquiri umbrella shook. “Mind your business, Jason!”
Leila shouted, “Cry louder, Mama J! We are crying here too!”
And just like that, the whole yard dissolved into laughter again. Even EJ threw his little hands up and yelled, “That’s my mama and daddy!” like we were the main event at WrestleMania.
I pressed my face against Elias’s shirt, voice muffled by tears and laughter. “They’re gon’ fuss when they get back.”
He kissed my temple like punctuation. “Worth it.”