Chapter 77-79
Chapter 77
”Brunoooo….what do I wear tonight? My arms hurt…but it’s cold…” Evie asked Bruno looking at her bright red skin in the mirror. They had spent the entire day at the beach with his whole family and were now getting ready to go out for dinner- by themselves. What a relief. I get to just be with him…for like 2 hours…but still…she thought to herself touching her arm that went from caramel to red within seconds of her touch. ”Ouch” she said under her breath feeling Bruno come up behind her.
”Just wear that. It doesn’t matter. We’re just going to that little place..I don’t think anyone is dressed up. I’m gonna go in this…” he said showing her jeans and a button-up shirt that he had picked out of his suite case.
”But that has a collar..I mean…this is like…ugh.” she said looking into the mirror. And I don’t want to remember wearing this when he proposes. She thought to herself going to her bag pulling out a sleeveless purple shirt and a pair of skinny jeans.
”Fine..but I’ll still be thinking of you naked.” he winked at her walking past her out the bedroom door.
”Oh god. Bruno!” she exclaimed following him out the door as he jingled one of his sister’s keys to their new car.
”We’re taking this.” he yelled trying to get a response from his sisters who were sitting in the living room to his mother’s new home. He didn’t get a response so he yelled again. ”I’m taking your Jeep Tahiti.”
”Whatever. Just don’t wreck it.” she waved them off. Evie walked over to them kissing Lucy good bye not getting a response from any member of the family. Lucy just continued eating the pop corn she had in her hand. ”Okay. I’ll miss you.” she said sadly to her daughter.
”Come on Eve…” Bruno said dragging her to the car. She commented on the new car and how she was kind of ridiculously excited about having the Porsche Cayenne he had promised her. He talked to her about how happy he was to be home and finally giving his parents the things that he told them he was going to get them when he left Hawaii in 2003. She squeezed his hand telling him that she was proud of him, even if they had only known each other for a year and a half. ”Okay…come onnnn…” he stated as they pulled up to the restaurant. He led her to the back of the restaurant to a small table near the beach.
”Bruno…this isn’t normal dinner.” she said opening the menu full of their favorite foods and food that they had eaten in the past. ”And who is going to make Evie’s Pad Thai?” she asked him.
”I know someone.” he told her.
”Oh god, Bruno.” she laughed seeing the waiter come up to them. She swore he looked familiar but she couldn’t put a name to the face as she ordered Bruno’s spaghetti and he ordered Evie’s Macaroni and cheese with chicken. ”Have I seen him before?” she asked him. Bruno shrugged his shoulders not knowing turning to fake cough.
”You’re laughing! Bruno…what are you doing tonight?” she exclaimed.
”I’m not doing anything, Evie. We’re going on a date. I have nothing planned at all.” he answered flatly trying to hide his smile looking up at the clouds.
”What if it rains?” she asked him.
”Well, it won’t because you’re not gonna leave me, right?” he asked her getting out the laugh that he was holding in. She responded by laughing even harder almost spitting out the wine that was sitting at the table.
”Are you gonna get me drunk tonight too? That shit is amazing.” she told him.
”No…I don’t think that was part of…” he paused forgetting what he was doing. ”no. I’m not getting you drunk tonight, Geneva.” he told her watching the familiar waiter bring them their food. He watched her take a bite of the food to see if it tasted the same way she remembered it. She licked her lips looking at him holding a fork for his own food.
”Just like I remembered.” she told him, ”Is yours the same?”
He took a bite thinking for a second. ”It’s better than I remember.” he told her.
”So better than mine? Shit.” she hung her dead down faking her upset.
He laughed at her again digging his hands in his pocket feeling the ring. Oh god. I’m gonna do this. Oh god. Oh my god…”Eve…follow me to the beach?” he asked her.
”I don’t think I need to be on a beach for a long time after today…I think I have beach PTSD.” she told him referring to her sunburn. He walked over to her taking her hand leading her to the beach without saying anything. She leaned her head on his shoulder looking out into the ocean seeing faint lights on the horizon. ”What is that?” she asked him. ”Are you going to kill me and those are the lights?”
”Oh god, Geneva….” he said rubbing her hand. His hands are all sweaty. Oh god. This is happening. Oh god. Oh god. oh my god. What do I say?
”Bruno….” she stopped him turning him toward her. ”Yes.”
”Yes to what?” he answered.
”I don’t need anything dramatic or jaw dropping. I just want you to ask me. Right here…. with no one around and no theatrics. Just ask me.”
He let go of her hand watching her eyes move across his body as he bent down on one knee pulling the bright sparkling ring out of his jeans pocket. ”I had a speech. Like a really good one. But you won’t let me tell you it because it’s dramatic.” he smiled looking up at her seeing her eyes looking at the ring. ”Geneva Lynn Wilson…will you marry me?”
”What are you waiting for? Put the ring on my finger! I already said yes!” she yelled at him.
”Oh..oh..right…” he said nervously putting the ring on her hand that was shaking. She wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly then pulling away to kiss him. She opened her eyes as she pulled away from him seeing Lucy running toward them.
Chapter 78
”Mommmmm….you have to hurryyyyy…..there’s something for you over there. It’s like your Christmas present.”
Bruno looked at Lucy smiling at her. ”It’s okay Lucy. She already knows.”
”Mommmmm…you said yes! I told you! I told you! I told youuuuuu!” she started singing pulling them toward the lights. What does he have planned over there? She thought to herself as they walked closer she saw every single person she had met since their arrival standing under a white tent drinking and talking.
”Let me seeee!” Tiara exclaimed running to Evie who held the ring out smiling. ”Oh my gosh. It’s so perfect.”
”It’s the one I told him I liked.” she told his sister.
”And he remembered?” Tiara asked.
”I think one of my sisters reminded him.” she laughed. ”It was Carly.”
”Did you ever think this would happen?” Presley asked Evie taking a hold of her hand.
”Ummm…I don’t know. Like…you know when we first met. I just….” Evie was still in shock. ”I didn’t think he would do it here. I mean…Lucy was so set on it.”
”He’s been planning it for a while Eve.” Presley told her. ”He made me find the perfect place. Me and Termaine looked all over the place finding the perfect spot.” she told them.
”Why was this place different than the others?” Evie asked.
”You’ll have to ask him.” Presley answered.
”Ask me what?” Bruno walked up to them kissing her lightly handing her a glass of her favorite wine.
”Why this place and not others?” she said.
”Oh….” he said taking her hand leading them away from everyone under the tent toward a hotel’s beach area full of chairs and tables. ”Because..I could walk you to where I first heard your voice.”
”Bruno…we met upstairs.” she tried to correct him.
”Well, we saw each other then but I didn’t hear you until rehearsal night. You were walking and I was on the beach talking to Brandon…” he told her.
”Oh yeah..because I left. It was too much. We can’t have a big wedding like that Bruno…like a few people and that’s it. That was a crazy wedding.” she told him.
”You’re just saying that now. The second we get off the plane you’re going to buy a ton of those Bridesmagazines. I know you, Geneva.” he told her.
She looked down trying not to admit how excited she was. ”Bruno..I never told you that Sean proposed….did I?”
”No….” he said taking her hand playing with her fingers.
”He asked me in the middle of campus with a bunch of lights and he was wearing what he wore the day we met….Bruno..it was nothing like this.”
”Thank God.” he laughed making her smile.
”Brunz…what was your speech?” she asked him.
”Oh…you’re gonna have to wait until the wedding to hear it now.” he told her.
”Damn.” she said laughing.
”But that doesn’t mean I can’t tell you that I love you.” he answered her kissing her lightly. She pulled away from him smiling.
”Well that’s a good thing because I was kind of worried you didn’t love me after all this tonight.” she replied watching him stand up. ”Where are we going now?” she asked him.
”Quit questioning me. I don’t question you when we’re in LA and you’re doing things with me…” he told her.
”Okay, okay, okay…fine…” she said following him up the stairs toward another building she hadn’t been in before. ”Where did everyone else go?” she asked as he opened the door. ”Oh…oh my gosh…” she smiled seeing everyone inside the small restaurant they had started at.
”I knew it was gonna rain and I wanted to sing to you.” he told her grabbing his guitar and mic watching some of his family start to play their instruments.
”Brunnooo!” Lucy exclaimed clapping her hands sitting on her mother’s lap.
”What should I sing, Luc?” Bruno asked her.
”Sing the amazing song!” Lucy yelled toward him over the loud noises.
”Okay…and I’m dedicating it to you and your mom.” he winked at them standing a few feet away from them starting to sing. ”Your eyes…your eyes…”
A few hours later Bruno got off the stage smiling the biggest smile she had ever seen him smile. It made Evie happy to see him so happy. He had lost the smile a few months ago from all the work. Lucy had fallen asleep on her lap nearly 4 songs ago. He walked up to Evie who looked like she was ready to fall asleep herself kissing her on the head. ”Are you ready to go Mrs. Mars? Oh and baby Mars?”
”Yeah. Let’s go home.” she said holding Lucy in her arms standing up to hold Lucy as they walked out of the restaurant. Bruno didn’t even let her stand up before taking Lucy from her arms. Shit. I still forget. She thought to herself. She held onto his arm as they walked back to the car. ”Bruno….” she said quietly to him after they got in the car.
”Yeah?” he asked her.
”I love you. That’s all.” she smiled watching Lucy sleep from the rearview mirror.
Chapter 79
A few days later Lucy sat at the kitchen table next to Bianca and Ivy’s children who were spending the day with them in the new swanky house putting together beaded necklaces and bracelets. Evie sat on the couch talking to her friends who were still shocked about what had happened.
”I mean….geez. Look at that ring. I think that’s worth more money than I’ve made my whole life…” Bianca said holding the ring up.
”Yeah. I know. But he did a good job. It was the one I told him I wanted when we were shopping for Christmas stuff. It’s not like it was a surprise. I mean….of course Lucy ended up telling me most of the plan before it happened- but it was something we have been talking about.” Evie told them.
”Like you were ready for it?” Ivy asked.
”Yeah. We talked about it after Sean’s rights were terminated. It’s like, no we aren’t going to get married this summer or anything but we know it’s where we’re going…” she said standing up picking up some beads that had rolled their way.
”Mommm….look at this.” Lucy said holding up a bracelet. ”I made it for Bruno. Do you think he’ll wear it?” she asked.
”He better wear it, because it’s beautiful. But if he doesn’t I’ll wear it.” she told Lucy.
”Mommm…you can’t wear it. It’ll fall off. See….?” she handed her the bracelet wrapping it around her arm watching it fall toward the floor making the beads fall all over.
”Aww….” Lucy sighed almost about to cry.
”Let’s fix it, Luc….” Evie said picking up the beads.
”Eve…it’s late I think we’re gonna go…” Bianca said handing the kids their coats. ”We miss you.” she said hugging the two of them.
”I miss you all too. Be safe driving home.” Evie responded hugging everyone escorting them out of the house.
”Mommm..we still have to fix this…” Lucy whined sitting at the table.
”Okay…let’s finish, Luc…” Evie said sitting down with her making a bracelet out of hemp and beads with her daughter. She held it up as they neared the end nodding her head. It’s not that bad. He might actually wear it. She thought handing it to Lucy. ”He just texted me. He’ll be home soon…” Evie said putting away the beads with her daughter.
A few minutes later Evie stood at the kitchen getting ready for dinner hearing Bruno banging his things walking through the door. ”Bruno, Bruno, Brunnnnooooo….” Lucy screamed running up to him showing him the bracelet. Bruno picked her up carrying her to the couch making her laugh.
”Will you wear it?” she asked him slightly worried as he held out his hand for her. Evie stood in the kitchen watching them smiling.
”Lucy..I’ll wear it when I’m on stage, when I’m at home, when I’m in the studio..when I’m sleeping…”
”Now?” she asked him.
”Of course now, silly.” he told her pushing her off him going to the kitchen to get dinner.
**
”Mommmm…..” Lucy ran to the couch sitting on her lap next to Carly and Megan on the couch. ”What is he going to talk about?”
”I don’t know baby. He wouldn’t tell me. But he did tell me he hand your bracelet on.” Evie said kissing her daughter’s head while turning on CNN.
”I am so excited. Now that I know him this is going to be even better!” Megan said excitedly while they waited for the interview.
”Did he really not tell you what he was going to talk about, sissy?” Carly asked.
”No. He wouldn’t tell me.” she answered hearing the music. ”It’s onnnn….” they sat and listened to the interview hearing him talk about his past and family and what made him who he was. ”He’s so nervous. Look at how he takes his time…” she said sweetly.
”Mom…he has the bracelet on..look…when he moves his arms.” Lucy told them.
”He said he would wear it…didn’t he?” she asked her.
”Yeah…he did. But I didn’t believe him.”
”Oh…my..god…they’re gonna ask him if he’s single.” Megan gasped. ”What is he going to say? He always says he’s single.”
”Whatever he says we’ll have to deal with it…” Evie answered turning silent as Piers started to ask him if he was single. Everyone on the couch held their breath- even Lucy.
”No, Piers. I am properly, utterly unconditionally in love with one girl.” he smiled at the camera.