Chapter 17 #3
“I’m finishing my chicken and eating some cheesecake.
I got one case kicking my ass that continued to next week but that’s next week.
Tonight, I’m with my beautiful besties eating some good ass food and my baby likes it.
It’s FNF and I’m going to make the best of it.
Hell, I might eat two slices of cheesecake,” Reya says while rubbing her stomach all extra.
“They’re mini cheesecakes,” I say while laughing.
“Well, two minis then. I’m ready,” she says.
“Me too after I get another Mai Tai.” Before Giselle stands to head to the bar, the bartender walks over.
“Would you like me to refill you or do you want another pineapple?” she asks Giselle.
“Oh, you can refill this,” Giselle responds.
“And mine too,” Alex adds.
While the bartender takes care of them, I take the moment to ease back into the house.
After letting Kiki know they can clear the table, I ask her to take the box of cheesecakes out to the lanai and I grab the baskets from my hall closet.
Once my beautiful ring is on my finger, I take the baskets out.
“Kyrah,” Giselle sighs as I walk out. “That’s too much.”
“You don’t even know what it is,” I say and hear the excitement in my voice. I can finally tell my sistas. One by one, I place their baskets in front of them and dramatically wave and tap my ring bearing hand against them.
“These are gorgeous and big,” Reya gushes but she doesn’t say anything about my ring. In fact, none of these heifers notice, so I just grin to myself and shake my head.
“Wait to look in it though,” I announce as I dramatically open the box of cheesecakes. That’s when Alex grabs my wrist.
“Rah!” she exclaims, causing Giselle and Reya to pay attention.
“Oh my God!” Reya squeals once her eyes land on my ring. “Shiro proposed!” she exclaims and I nod while cheesing hard as hell.
“Yes,” I finally say. “In Maui.”
“And he did good. Let me see this up close,” Giselle says.
Alex releases my wrist and I hold my hand in front of them. “In Maui and you’re just now telling us. You better sit down and tell us all the deets,” she says and I happily do.
As I relive my surprise proposal with my sistas, they smile like the Cheshire Cat and examine my ring. The moment is perfection and it’s not even over yet. I can’t wait to see their faces when I ask them to be my bridesmaids.
“Beautiful,” Giselle says when my story is done. “I swear y’all are going to make me fall in love with love.”
“Girl, not you,” Alex teases.
“Hell, and not you either,” Giselle fires back.
“Well, I’m holding out for both of you. My husband changed my life and look at Kyrah. I knew you were glowing,” Reya says, beaming. “So when’s the date? Have y’all discussed that yet?”
“Are you having a wedding?” Alex says.
“Of course. This will be my real wedding. That first one doesn’t count for so many reasons that don’t apply now. Shiro is my forever and we deserve a wedding, white dress and all.”
“And you do! You really do,” Reya says. “So, when?”
“Spring,” I reveal. “But we’ll talk about all of that once we eat these cheesecakes and you open your baskets.”
“I can take my cheesecake home. One of my besties is getting married. That is way more important than dessert,” Reya says.
“Look at your baskets, then we can talk about the wedding,” I insist.
Reya looks at me then grabs the card from her basket and thank God Giselle and Alex do the same.
I study each of their faces as they open the envelopes, pull out their letters, and read.
Smiles morph into beams of pure happiness then tears fall.
All three of them cry as they take in the true words of appreciation I penned.
“Kyrah, you’re making a thug cry,” Giselle teases as she wipes her cheek. “Meeting you at Black Ops Family Day was one of my best days too. You were the first woman there to speak to me and now you can’t get rid of me,” she says. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I say as we embrace.
“I… I can’t…even talk,” Reya stammers. “Love you.”
“I love you too, crybaby,” I say, then step over and hug her from behind.
When I turn around, Alex is beside me. Without saying anything, she pulls me in for an embrace and squeezes me tightly.
Out of the four of us, I met her first, at The Marketplace of all places.
She was meeting with the owners about possibly investing and I almost ran into her on my way out. We just clicked instantly.
Giselle came into my life at her company picnic, and to my surprise, she was already friends with Alex.
Giselle introduced me to Reya and we bonded over DAZ.
Our friendships seem destined and we are stuck together for life.
I can’t imagine life without them and I can’t have my day without them by my side.
To make everything official, I grab the mini cheesecakes with the ring toppers and place them in front of my friends.
“Will you three stand with me as I marry the man of my dreams?” I ask and I get a resounding yes from all three.
Tonight is as perfect as I imagined.