The seasons came and went like an old friend.
Days stretched into weeks, and weeks stretched into months. The final breath of winter had long blown its last farewell. The cold months of reflection and calmness have waned, paving the way to a new kind of energy.
In the early days of the new season, people have kept their eyes on the shaded trees, waiting for flower buds to pop up from under the last mounds of melting frost and snow. And when the tulips and daffodils with their elongated spurs emerged, one knew spring has finally ushered out the chilly winter.
The new season has arrived in Amridge with a pace as gentle as the blossoming flowers. Out in the garden of the Matisse family's home, the flowers were already out to herald springtime. Every day, new colors would sprout around the house and in the flower beds, creating a sweet and soothing aroma that layered the crisp, light air.
Saliou Matisse loves spring. He loves crawling out of the long cave of a gray and gloomy winter and be welcomed by a vibrant lush of colors and the warm breeze brought about by the new season.
His mother's garden was his favorite place on earth. Its tranquil beauty, and the quiet and uncomplicated ambience gave him plenty of opportunity to just sit down and sift through fond memories he had of the place. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, the fragrance from the freshly bloomed flowers calming his senses.
Unknowingly, several months had already passed since Saliou had last seen Wren Dumont. And in the months that passed, things have been tumultuous for the Alpha's family, who didn't really deserve such terrible predicament.
The first month since Wren had been detained and appeared before a court, was an especially stressful time for the family. Seeing the arrest of one son was traumatizing enough – but having to witness the eldest son, Mason, being handcuffed and arrested in front of his already distraught parents, had completely left them shocked and devastated.
True to his promise, Wren was able to collect concrete evidence against his brother, which was later presented to court and had sealed Mason's fate.
The trials of the two brothers dragged on for many months. All Saliou knew was that Wren's relationship with Mason had been as volatile as it was strained while they'd grown up, and the court trials only drove them to become completely estranged from each other.
Relationships have changed and numerous lives have been affected by this tragic story, yet at the end of the day, it was Florence Dahlia who had to suffer the most.
Wren received a five-year maximum sentence after pleading guilty for drug-facilitated sexual assault and possession of an illegal drug. It was too difficult to explain to a child that her father is in jail because he had committed such crimes. A child like Flo already knew the difference between right and wrong, and she knew well only the bad guys end up in prison.
So how can her father be a good man?
Saliou felt his heart sink as he contemplated the labor of having to explain Wren's long absence from his daughter's life. In the end, both the Dumonts and the Matisses thought it best not to take Flo to see her father in prison, which Wren had also graciously agreed to.
The family explained that Wren was away doing 'secret work', in a place far away where there are snowstorms all year round, and there are no roads. Of course, later, when Flo is older, she will guess better of it. Only then can the family tell her the truth. That her father is a good man who, human as he is, had made a few bad choices in the past and had gone to pay his dues.
"Sal?" The sound of Rhys' voice snapped the Omega's thoughts back to the present. He was standing behind Saliou, his warm hands resting on the other's shoulders. "Are you in there?" he asked tentatively, stooping to peer into Saliou's face.
Saliou grinned slightly as he lifted his face to give Rhys a quick kiss on the lips. "Hello, handsome. Pizza ready yet?" he asked, glancing down at the apron Rhys wore.
Rhys rubbed his hands together, leaving a puff of white from the flour and kneading dough he'd prepared in the kitchen. "Won't be long now. Fifteen minutes. I have a very capable personal assistant right now, you see?" he said, jerking his thumb toward the kitchen where Flo was busy sprinkling grated mozzarella cheese on a pizza dough. He then took Saliou's hand and gave him a steady once-over. "You look like you're in deep thought there. What did you have in mind?"
Saliou shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, nothing much, really. All those disasters on the news, all the crazy political stunts our government's pulling... just overall thinking how insanely eventful life is."
"Oh, that's deep indeed, Mr. Matisse," Rhys said whimsically as he sat down next to Saliou.
It was a fine Saturday afternoon for a small family gathering. It also happened to be Saliou's thirty-first birthday. But unlike his past birthdays, Rhys, Flo, and his parents were the only ones in attendance. It was already looking to be a beautiful and intimate celebration among loved ones. Even more so when, for the first time, he and Rhys had finally found some time to relax and unwind after a busy couple of weeks.
Rhys Porter used to like the idea of living alone. He enjoyed the solitude and having his own space, and his cramped apartment in downtown Glapshire had been his "home" for a good five years. But last month, after his lease had expired, he finally decided to give up his apartment and agreed to move in with Saliou, after much badgering and persuasion from the other. In the next several days, Rhys was steadily packing up and transferring his things from his old flat.
For a moment, the couple sat together in comfortable silence, absorbing in the lovely scene before them. For the first time in a very long time, both Rhys and Saliou were able refresh their senses, putting every worry out of their mind.
After a while, Saliou slowly got up from the bench. "I'm thirsty. Would you like something to drink, Rhys?" he offered as he padded through the back porch to the house.
Rhys patted his lap with both hands and stood up. "Gotta' head back to the kitchen and put the pizza in the oven. Wanna' come with?"
Saliou shook his head as he slipped around the opposite side of the kitchen, into the dining hall. "Just gonna' get some water and head to my room for a bit."
The Beta's eyebrows furrowed together in worry. "Feeling sick? You know, I can get Mrs. Matisse to watch over – "
"I'll be fine," Saliou insisted firmly. "I'm just gonna' lie down a minute."
"You haven't eaten since earlier this morning. Can I get you anything? Crackers, maybe?" Rhys asked as he watched Saliou fetch a glass of water and walk up the stairs, studying every movement he made. "I'll be with you in a couple minutes!"
"Worrywart," the Omega muttered as he rolled his eyes and smirked before disappearing upstairs.
The moment Saliou moved toward the stairs, he knew exactly where he wanted to go – his old bedroom.
There were four rooms on the second floor: the master bedroom, a guest room, and then two other bedrooms, with his and Milou's room tucked away in a little corner at the farthest end of the hallway.
They have far too many rooms in the house, but the twins preferred to share a single bedroom. It was their own little sanctuary. Saliou have always liked the feeling of comfort and safety that small space had brought him.
He stepped across the threshold, then paused. He hadn't been in this side of the house for ages, yet the bedroom looked the same as the day he had left it. There was a twin bed on either side of the room, both pushed into the wall to look like couches during the day. There were blue-colored wooden desks on either side of the beds. Next to a large window at the end of the room were a couple of bookcases and a closet. It was Saliou's side of the room and it was practically bare, save for a couple of polaroid photos hanging on the wall. Meanwhile, Milou's side was covered with posters of famous boybands and Olympic swimmers from previous years.
For a moment, Saliou went around to touch various items in the room, marveling at the difference between him and Milou. And then, a wave of sad nostalgia ran through him.
The memories he shared with his brother flooded his mind and wrenched at his heart. The last time he'd been in this room was shortly after Milou's death. He'd been twenty-four then. He lived almost a decade of his life somewhere else – without his twin brother.
Saliou moved to his desk, placed his half-empty glass of water on top of it, then dug through a few old photo albums in the last drawer. There, he found the pictures he was looking for.
Milou, his dearest brother, his best friend, frozen in photographs, forever young and happy. Forever gone.
Saliou sat down on the edge of his bed and propped the album on his lap, running a finger over a photo of a visibly happy twenty-year-old Milou, smiling his usual sunny smile. He looked at the photo with a tender expression, yet he felt a strong sense of melancholy in the pit of his stomach. It was so long ago, and so much had happened since then. Sometimes it felt as if the years he'd spent with Milou were only a dream...
"Happy birthday, Lou," Saliou said in a tender and loving voice, almost as if he were praying. "I hope you're having a blast up there." And then, his voice faltered as he felt a lump forming in his throat, his fingers tensed as he felt the warm rush through his body, which meant he was close to tears. "I miss you a lot, Lou... I feel you with me and... I thank you for pulling strings in heaven for me. Please... Please continue to watch over all of us."
His eyes started brimming with tears, but he quickly swiped them away. Maybe he'd cry later. Otherwise, he'd just worry Rhys even more, fussy as he is...
Before long, Saliou could hear the sound of approaching footsteps, followed by a soft knock on the door. He spun around and looked up to see his father standing in the doorway, a glass in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other.
"Right, I thought I'd find you here. Mom's already preparing the dishes," Mr. Matisse said as he slowly approached Saliou and sat down next to him. "Mom always makes sure to get this room cleaned regularly. Every single week, mind you."
"Ah, no wonder it's all spick-and-span," Saliou remarked as he looked around the room, smiling with satisfaction.
Mr. Matisse set the glass and wine bottle down on the desk as he scooted close to Saliou, looking down at the photo album on his lap. "Oh, my. This is a nice thing you've found." He placed an arm around his son's shoulder, squeezing it tightly as his eyes fixed tenderly on a picture of Milou. "Sweet, sweet Lou..."
Saliou gazed at the other's face. His father's eyes were clear and brown, yet there was a touch of sadness in them.
After a while, Mr. Matisse looked up at his son, blinking away tears that escaped his eyes. And then, the corners of his mouth turned up in a soft smile. He patted Saliou on the shoulder and said, "Tell me something about your brother. Tell me the story behind these photos."
With lunch ready to be served, Rhys headed upstairs to check on Saliou. He was walking along the hall, glancing in the rooms off to each side, when he heard distant laughter at the far end of the hallway. He walked further down the hall to the farthest room, where he saw Saliou and his father seated at the foot of the bed, flipping through a photo album spread on their laps. They were laughing so hard they both had tears running from their eyes.
Rhys almost closed the door again, not wanting to intrude on an intimate moment, but Saliou had already noticed him standing in the doorway. At first, he thought Saliou was crying, but was immediately relieved to see a beaming smile when he looked up.
"Come sit. I was just telling Dad about Milou," Saliou said, patting a clean spot on the bed for Rhys. When he sat, Saliou tapped a picture on the album. "Lou just turned eighteen here."
The picture was of his twin brother, standing next to a mascot in front of a castle at a famous amusement park. There was an obvious look of discomfort about Milou's face, eyes glistening with tears. His mouth was half-opened, one could almost hear a whine.
"He's afraid of mascots. I think they call it 'masklophobia'?" Saliou said, laughing softly. "He lost a bet against me, so I had him stand next to his greatest fear."
"And here I thought you don't have a mean bone in your body," Rhys teased.
"Yeah, well..." Saliou gave a half-shrug. "Lou can be a whole lot meaner, you know. But two can play that game."
They talked for a few more minutes, swapped a few stories about siblings, and laughed at several old jokes. But as much as Rhys wanted to share a few more stories, Saliou's face was getting pale by the minute.
"Alright. Why don't we bring the album downstairs and talk some more over lunch?" Rhys suggested, stroking Saliou on the shoulder as he stood up from the bed.
"Oh, great. I'm famished," Saliou said as he closed the album and tucked it under his arm.
"Your glass is empty," Mr. Matisse remarked, glancing over Saliou's glass on the desk. He then reached for the wine bottle and offered it to his son. "Let me refill it. This one's a Chardonnay 1989 I've been saving for this special occasion."
Saliou gave his father a nod and began to pour himself a refill. But when he looked up from his glass, he noticed Rhys flashing him a warning look. He lowered the glass in mid-sip and forced a nervous chuckle. "On second thought, I'll have it after lunch." He stood up, stretched, and headed out of the room. "I'm so hungry, I could eat a cow!"
By the time they arrived, Flo and Mrs. Matisse were already seated, and the dining table was filled with food and drinks.
The Matisses don't always have dessert after lunch, even on weekends. For this meal, however, Mrs. Matisse did prepare dessert, as she typically does during Flo's and the twins' birthdays. The choices for the occasion were blueberry cobbler, tiramisu, and Swiss roll cake, which she had prepared in a manner that had gotten in-house chef Rhys Porter's approval. And being the host, she made sure she had all the food nice and warm, ready to be served.
Mrs. Bryce, the family housekeeper, put onto their plates just the right amount of food they estimated to eat, but Saliou meandered over to the center table, picked up an extra china plate, and stuffed three slices of pizza and two servings of mashed potatoes and green peas.
"There's more basil and cheese over here," Rhys offered, looking at the Omega expectantly.
"Please," Saliou said as he plopped his plates on the table, grinning as he sat down between Rhys and his mother.
Mrs. Matisse was already helping herself to her first spoonful of chicken salad when she glanced over Saliou's heaping plates of food. She raised an eyebrow at him, which Saliou returned with a broad smile. "Easy on the carbs, darling," she commented. "And it would do you well to eat slowly. We're not at a speed-eating contest."
"I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast," Saliou argued as he stuffed a bite of pizza in his mouth immediately after Rhys had finished adding more cheese and basil. Mouth still full, he continued, "Oh my god, Flo, did you make this? It's so good!"
Florence looked across the table at her uncle, holding her head high and lifting her chin quite proudly. "Thank you, Uncle Sal. I prepared all the stuffing, exactly as you like it. Uncle Rhys only made the dough. Didn't you, Uncle?" She exchanged a warm glance with Rhys.
"She's right. She's the best assistant one could ever have," Rhys replied as he poured a glass of water for Saliou and himself. "Would you like to come work for me, Flo?"
The little girl's eyes widened as she clapped her hands in a sudden burst of glee. "Would I? Uncle Rhys, it's my dream to become the best chef in the whole world – just like you! When can we get started?"
Mr. Matisse chuckled. "Now, now, dear. No talk of work over meals. Why don't you finish your lunch first? You can talk about it with your Uncle later," he said, winking at Rhys.
Flo patted her belly. "I don't have to finish, and I don't need dessert." She pushed her plate aside.
"You've barely had a bite, Flo," Rhys said, pushing Flo's plate back to her. "We can talk about it after lunch."
Meanwhile, Saliou was watching his plate of cheesesteak roll-ups, apparently thinking they might try to escape, and a mouth almost stuffed to capacity, he said, "Your Uncle's right, Flo. And here, you might want to try this steak out, too. It's so good. Mom, you've got to tell me who made this. Was it you? Mrs. Bryce?"
Mrs. Matisse's lips cringed at the sight of Saliou stuffing his mouth before a plate laden with meats. "Saliou Matisse, have you heard of a thing called 'manners'?" She jabbed her fork into a mound of chicken meat and stuck it in her mouth. "I cooked it, so the least you can do is to take time to eat the meal I've prepared with love."
Saliou shrugged as he forked up another bite. "I'm sorry. I love them, Mom. I love them so much I could eat every last morsel of it." He leaned over to give his mother a greasy peck on the cheek.
Mrs. Matisse rolled her eyes. "Charming," she said as she wagged her fork at her son. "Tell me. How can a person your size eat this much, anyway?"
Saliou's fork froze in midair.
Mrs. Matisse's eyebrows jerked together, almost meeting over her crinkled nose. "Just how many people are you eating for, darling?"
Saliou lowered his fork, glancing over Rhys, who gave him a knowing look. Wiping his mouth with the linen napkin, he began, "Uh, well, actually... Rhys and I have an announcement to make."
Mrs. Matisse watched as Rhys reached over to hold Saliou's hand, giving it a tight squeeze. And then, she tensed, eyes widened as realization slowly dawned on her.
"Oh my... Oh my goodness... Don't tell me you're..."
All of a sudden, everyone at the table stopped eating and turned to look at Saliou.
"Saliou?" Mr. Matisse was frantic now.
Saliou melted into a nervous smile. He could feel his heart explode with overwhelming emotion as he glanced at Rhys before looking at everyone else around the table. His face reddened sweetly, endearingly, and everyone knew what was coming.
"Yes, guys... Rhys and I have a little bun in the oven."
Saliou couldn't hear his mother's response, but he knew from the loud squealing that she was more than a little surprised at the news.
Mrs. Matisse put her hand on her chest as she pulled in a sharp breath. "Oh, goodness! Oh, sweet Jesus, finally!" she shouted happily, dropping her fork and scrambling to Saliou with open arms. "After so many years, I'm going to be a grandmother again!"
Florence gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. "You mean, I'm going to have a baby cousin? Oh, Uncle Saliou!" With a laugh resonant with happiness, she came around the table and hugged Saliou. "I'm going to have a cousin!"
"That's right, honey, you're going to have a baby cousin," Saliou said as he ran his fingers through the little girl's soft, curly hair.
"Is it a boy? It's got to be a boy!" Flo squealed as she wrapped her arms around her uncle's waist, never letting go.
"Too early to tell, honey," said Saliou. "But would you like it to be a boy?"
Flo rubbed her cheek against Saliou's belly. "Yes. But if it's a girl, then it's fine too. But I'd be really happy if it's a boy."
"Well, then!" Mr. Matisse, said, calling everyone's attention to him. He stood up, picking up his half-empty wineglass for a toast. "I guess this calls for a double celebration." He then pointed to Saliou with the rim of his glass. "Happy birthday, son. And congratulations. I guess that brings a new member into our little pack!"
Saliou's parents were simply ecstatic. He and Rhys laughed at Flo and Mr. Matisse jumping around in sheer giddiness. Mrs. Matisse had tears in her eyes, though they were happy tears, as she kissed Saliou's cheeks.
"Well it's about time!" she said, hugging both Saliou and Rhys. "How far along are you, darling?"
Saliou's eyes darted toward his stomach as he instinctively placed a hand on it. "About eleven weeks," he responded.
"Why'd you wait so long to tell us?" Mr. Matisse asked.
Saliou pursed his lips and scratched the side of his cheek. "Well... We've been on the edge of spilling the beans for weeks now but, we wanted to make sure everything's good before we told everyone. You know, since after Wren and Mason's..." His voice trailed off as he glanced over Flo, who had gone back to help herself to a slice of cake.
There was a moment's pause before Mrs. Matisse clapped her hands together. "Well, then! Since you still don't know if it's a boy or a girl, what do you guys want?" she asked.
Rhys chortled as he put his arm around Saliou's shoulders. "We want a healthy baby, Mrs. Matisse," he replied.
"Oh, please, you have got to call me 'Mother' now," Mrs. Matisse said, tapping on Rhys' hand. "Well, I'm excited for you both. I'm sure you'll be wonderful parents. Rest assured, my grandchild will be as good-looking as me," she said as everyone laughed.
"I personally would love a grandson to take fishing and golfing with me," Mr. Matisse remarked as he took a sip of his wine. "But if it's a girl, I can still take her to do those things. I took Florence."
"Well, then we'll just have to see," Mrs. Matisse said as she poured herself a glass of wine.
The next hour was filled with cheers and laughter and hugs and high-fives. There was so much love in the room that day, and Saliou felt overwhelmed and a little too emotional.
Meanwhile, Rhys couldn't help but keep the broad smile on his face as Saliou made the announcement to his family. He lifted Saliou's chin and kissed him deeply until he pulled back, breathless and flushed with surprise and delight.
"Let's take a walk outside," Rhys suggested.
Saliou smiled and nodded. "I'm feeling a little dizzy. I could use some fresh air."
Rhys and Saliou slowly walked down the steps into the garden, breathing in the deep fragrance of grass and budding flowers. It was cool outside.
A circular lawn snaked its way around a gravel path, with a central bed of shrubs and flower beds that bloomed with a riot of early-Spring colors. The grass had been mown short earlier that week, and the brown earth nearly showed through.
Saliou took deep breaths of cool air and felt better once more. He and Rhys walked in comfortable silence, side by side, down the path that would lead them to the small pond surrounding the gazebo.
After everything that's happened over lunch, Saliou's thoughts somehow wandered back to the day he purchased his first pregnancy kit, two weeks after his wild heat. All he had to do was use the strip and the rest of his life would be decided in a matter of seconds. And so he'd taken the test, followed the instructions down to the periods and the commas, half-excited and half-expecting for some news he never thought he'd wanted.
Only one line. Negative. Screw it. There wasn't even a time to properly consider the disappointment he'd felt – that surprising quake of regret in the pit of his stomach.
Saliou was carrying the frustration and disappointment of not being able to conceive during his wild heat. But then, a couple of months later, his regular heat cycle came on. Somehow, a part of him had been irresistibly attracted to the idea of getting pregnant with Rhys' child. He immediately assured Rhys that he was more fertile than ever, so he would once again try to get pregnant.
He was almost hell-bent on it.
Saliou would never forget the look on Rhys' face, four weeks later, when he told him that the pregnancy test he'd taken was positive this time. There was a look of bewilderment on the Beta's face, followed by a silly grin as he scooped Saliou up, swinging him in a half circle.
"Oh my god, Sal, you're going to have a baby!"
"We're going to have a baby!" Saliou said as he held the other.
"We have to call a doctor before the end of the month. Have you seen one yet? How long have you known?" The Beta's questions were coming fast, his face showing his excitement and concern.
The weeks that followed have been crazy. Saliou viewed his pregnancy as nothing short of a modern-day miracle, with his little surprise happening through some half-hearted not trying. But now, all he wanted was to do it all properly this time. Get married, have a family with Rhys... whichever comes first.
Now, back in the garden, Saliou took small shuffling steps but moved right along at a pace that's quick enough to catch up with Rhys. But the Beta was quick to notice his little struggle.
"Are you alright?" Rhys asked, giving the other a worried look as he took his hand. "Okay, maybe we should – "
Saliou was quick to shake his head. "I can walk, Rhys. I'm pregnant, not crippled."
"Let's go over to the gazebo, then. Take a couple minutes to get off your feet and rest," Rhys suggested as he cupped Saliou's hand under his elbow.
Saliou groaned. "I'm going to be spoiled rotten before this child is born."
"I don't think taking you out on short walks qualifies as being pampered."
And so, Saliou let himself be led.
He slid a hand over his slightly protruding belly. He wasn't showing yet, and the little baby bump he had was hardly noticeable to onlookers. Two months and each day he'd witnessed the joy of this news in Rhys' eyes, a pleasure that seemed to know no bounds.
"You haven't been out and about like this for a while. But I guess you're getting past the morning sickness now," Rhys observed, smiling gently at the other.
For Saliou, the first few weeks were a series of vague nausea and exhaustion. But it made things easier for him to acknowledge what was really happening to his body. After witnessing Milou's pregnancy, he expected much worse. But so far, it had been a dream pregnancy as far as all that went.
Rhys wound an arm around Saliou's waist, matching his stride, step for step. They walked past the gravel path when he placed a hand over Saliou's belly. "My little Mung Bean, please go easy on your mother," he whispered, rubbing Saliou's baby bump.
The Omega's forehead creased into a frown. "You need to stop calling him that."
"Why? That's how she looked like in the ultrasound. A small bean – like a mung bean," Rhys explained, mimicking the size of a bean between his thumb and index finger.
"How can you be sure he's a she?" Saliou demanded, eyes narrowed.
"How can you be sure she's a he?" Rhys retorted. "Why do you want a boy?"
"Well..." Saliou shrugged his shoulders. "I want him to look like you. Talk like you and act like you."
"Oh, you're asking for trouble, babe," Rhys said, chuckling.
"So, uhm... Do you already have a name in mind? For Mung Bean, I mean..." Saliou asked, walking down at the path ahead, kicking on pebbles as he went.
"Well... Since she's going to be born around fall season, I'm thinking Aurelia... or Willow."
Saliou smiled and nodded approvingly. "Pretty names. You already thought them out carefully."
Rhys looked at Saliou quizzically. "And you? Have you thought of a name for a boy?"
"I thought it has to be the right one. But I know which one I want now." Saliou turned to look at the other straight in the eye. "Would you mind if I borrowed Milou's name?"
Rhys gazed back at Saliou, his blue eyes smiling warm and bright. "It's a beautiful name, Sal. I really won't mind," he said, nodding.
"Then it's settled. Milou it is." Saliou beamed as they continued talking and walking down the path together.
It was starting to get cooler as they neared the pond. But along the way, something had caught Saliou's attention through the dense foliage growing at the side of the pathway. Without saying anything, he turned around and stood in front a thick bush of small flowers where tight buds had begun to open, already with a deeper blush of pink.
"Everything alright, Sal?" Rhys asked as he approached the other.
Saliou stretched out his fingers to touch the smooth pink petals. They were cooler than he'd expected, and had a silky feel to it. He wanted to open the bud, see the beauty inside it, but figured a few more days of warmth would make it bloom.
Rhys peered down at the Omega's face, at the shallow rise and fall of his chest. "You look like a million thoughts are racing through your head, babe. Should we go back to the house, after all?"
Saliou shook his head as he turned to Rhys, holding the little flower between his fingers. "Look at this. This is a camellia." He held it up so Rhys could get a closer look. "Someone once told me what this flower symbolizes."
Rhys sent Saliou a confused look but figured he should indulge the other. "Alright, then. What does it symbolize?" he asked, staring intently at the flower.
"It means faithfulness," Saliou began, as he took Rhys' hand and carefully placed the pink bud on his palm. "It means destiny."
Rhys watched as Saliou closed his fingers around the tiny blossom. He then looked up into Saliou's face, gave him a meaningful look.
"Rhys... I believe we are masters of our destiny. Not even nature can dictate that for us. I know what I feel, and I know in my heart that you're my fated mate." As he said this, Saliou's eyes watered and Rhys, noticing at once, sought to reassure him. "I believe that... previous relationships, the people we've met, and the places and events we've been to, all lead you to your final relationship – your destiny. And... my search ends here. It ends with you, Rhys." He gazed back at the other with his glossy eyes as he took Rhys' hands and trapped them in his. "I know there are lots of ways to be happy in this life. But I'm in this for the long ride, with you. So whatever you want to do for the rest of your life, I want to do it with you, Rhys. So... will you marry me?"
Rhys just stood there, staring at Saliou in amazement, his mouth hung open. A few crucial seconds went by.
"Babe?" Saliou said, trying to get the other's attention. He had it, but Rhys was just stuck.
He simply could not believe Saliou had just proposed to him.
"Will you marry me?" the Omega asked again.
This time, the corners of Rhys' mouth turned up as he gathered Saliou into a tight hug and cried, "No freaking way! You beat me to it! I can't believe you beat me to it!"
Saliou's face fell. "No?"
"No, that's not – I mean, yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you, Sal!" He looked into Saliou's eyes in earnestness then leaned over to give him a long and deep kiss. After a while, he continued, "It's just that, I was planning to propose to you after your birthday. I – I don't want it clouding over your celebration and – and the pregnancy announcement and – God, I love you so much, Sal! I love you with all my heart!"
"We've gotten the order all mixed up, haven't we? But in the end, what's important is that we're together." Saliou said, laughing softly. "But uhm, the rings..."
"Can wait later," Rhys replied hastily. "Let's pick them out together tomorrow."
For a moment, Saliou stared at Rhys, his brown doe eyes huge in his face. His heart was racing, emotional tears of the moment not too far away, making it almost impossible for him to say more.
He felt Rhys' arms tighten around him. For a long moment they stayed like that. And then, Rhys was bringing Saliou to his feet, standing with his arms still around the other.
"Are you ready then, husband, to tell them another fantastic news?" Rhys asked gruffly.
Saliou beamed a smile, thoroughly enchanted. "Yes. Yes, I am," he replied rapturously.
There was just enough time for another long and fervent kiss.
For Saliou Matisse and Rhys Porter, it turned out to be the greatest day of their lives.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
THE END
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Some random facts about this story:
Saliou and Milou Matisse are of Spanish and French descent. Both their parents were born from families of migrant workers who later permanently resided in the US.
Wren Dumont is French American. His paternal grandparents still live in France.
Rhys Porter was born in Southampton, England. Both his parents are British but later lived and worked permanently in the US. Rhys is the youngest of three siblings. He has two elder sisters.
All the states/cities mentioned in this story are fictitious.
And to all my lovely readers who picked up this story and gave it a shot...
You can also read this story on Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/user/Xenoglossia
And on Tapas:
https://tapas.io/series/The-Season-of-Camellias/info
Reviews/comments/feedback are much appreciated!
THE SEASON OF CAMELLIAS
Completed 10-20-20 (Originally published on Wattpad)
Copyright © 2020 by Xenoglossia
All rights reserved.
