Only that didn’t last long. As soon as they set the girls up in a chair like Byron had suggested so they could hold him together, Ali turned to Vannah and smiled. “I knew things were more serious than Byron was letting on. Girlfriend, huh?”
“They’re getting married,” Elsa announced.
“And having babies,” Lucy said following Elsa’s lead and now Vannah nearly choked on her own spit.
As expected, his brother and Ali both turned to them looking a bit stunned. Beast’s eyes even fell to Vannah’s belly for a second, before turning to Byron. “What?”
“Not any time soon.” Byron playfully glared at the girls and shook his head.
“You said you wanna mehwee her tommowoh.”
Vannah couldn’t help giggling now though it was more out of angst than anything else. “I said,” The playful glare went even more severe before Byron turned back to address his brother and Ali. “If I had it my way, I’d marry her tomorrow. But she still has four years of school.” He shrugged as if to make less of it. “You know them. They asked about everything.”
“Still,” Beast said. “That’s a bold statement. Tomorrow? Really? What’s it been? A few months?”
“Show me the rule book,” Byron squeezed Vannah’s hand. “Specifically, where it says how long it has to be before you just know.”
Unlike her family, whose jaws would likely be on the floor, Beast shrugged now too, turning to Vannah. “Guess you’re the reason this guys smiled more in the last few months than he had in years.”
Before Vannah could respond to that, the baby squirming, making noises, and scrunching his face like he was getting ready to wail, was the center of attention again. Thankfully so, because Vannah needed a breather after the subject had gone there, the very first time she’d met his family. She’d been certain meeting his family would be much less nerve wracking than his meeting hers.
Not so.
Byron picked up Lucas from the laps of his now anxious looking nieces. Vannah leaned in to get a closer look at the little guy, as Byron’s lulling seemed to calm him. “He’s beautiful,” she said glancing up at his proud but very tired looking parents.
Despite the subject going back to mostly Lucas and the long night his parents had, Vannah’s head kept going back to Byron’s nonchalant declaration. She’d been certain he’d said it the first time for the sake of acquiescing his Little’s take on love and marriage. But now he’d said it to his brother and Ali as well. And he hadn’t even flinched when he did so.
Both Beast and Vannah’s father were big, intimidating, and quick tempered, yet she was certain her father’s reaction to what Byron said about being ready to marry her tomorrow would be so much different. It’s why despite her mother insisting their family didn’t keep secrets from each other, she wouldn’t even mention this one to Nena. It’s not like they were getting married tomorrow, right? Both times, he’d mentioned the four-year waiting period they still had. That said, she knew her family would still get a little freaked if they knew the subject had even come up. It’s why Xochitl would likely be the only one to hear about it.
Twenty-Seven
The Earring
Vannah
Rushing out of her car, Vannah sprinted up the walkway to her dorm. She’d been at Byron’s for the past several days. Since she was headed home tonight for her mom’s birthday dinner and Byron couldn’t make it out with her, he’d convinced her to stay another night at his place and they’d made the most of their time together last night. They’d woken several times last night to make up for the one day they’d be apart since she’d be staying at her parents tonight. Then that morning when they’d already slept in, they were at it again. Now Vannah was running late and still needed to pack a bag since she’d be headed straight home after classes that afternoon.
“Well, nice of you to drop in,” Xochitl said as she poured herself what looked like a smoothie from the blender in the kitchen.
“I’m going straight home today after lab and won’t see Byron until tomorrow, so he talked me into staying an extra night at his place.” Vannah explained. “Otherwise, I would’ve been home last night.”
“I’m sure he had to twist your arm.”
Vannah smirked at her friend who eyed her knowingly as she rushed past her into her bedroom.
Throwing things in a bag quickly, Vannah scurried about in her room. If it weren’t for her final in her economics class that day and then the paper she had to turn in by the end of the day, she might’ve just played hooky altogether. But staying an extra night at Byron’s, even if she felt completely spent now, was totally worth it.
“With the semester almost over, and you practically living at Byron’s now you really think you’ll need to dorm it next semester?”
Vannah turned to Xochitl who leaned against her doorway sucking her smoothie through a straw. Feeling slightly guilty, because ever since declaring their love for each other and making things absolutely official over two weeks ago, she’d spent all but one or two nights a week at his place. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not moving in with him, Soch. If that’s what you’re asking.”
“Why not?” her roomie asked very seriously. “You’ve been here what? Two days this week? And I’m happy for you Vannah, I really am. I’ve never seen anyone so blissfully content. Financially, it’d only make sense if you did move in with him, and I know how much you hate your parents spending so much money if they don’t have to. I’m only asking because if you do, I’ll need to find another roommate.”
“Well, I’m not,” Vannah said feeling her insides go a little crazy because Byron had dropped a few hints already. “Way too soon for that and I’m sure my parents would sooner prefer to keep paying for this than have me move in with a guy I’ve only known a few months. So, don’t worry it’d be out of the question even if I wanted to.”
Technically, Vannah knew she was an adult, and while her parents could express their concern all they wanted, she knew they’d never impede on her happiness if it’s what she really wanted.
While the thought was a pleasant one, and now that Byron had completely opened up about his feelings for her, it was less terrifying to get too ahead of herself, it was still a scary thought. Even the most perfect of unions weren’t guaranteed to last. It’d be hard enough to deal with if something went wrong and they broke things off as it was. But if she moved in with him and things went south, she’d be having to make an entire life change. Despite everything, it was still too soon to take that kind of risk.
There was no time to discuss things any further. Vannah rushed out agreeing to meet Xochitl after her last class for coffee before turning in her paper at the lab, so she could leave and go straight home after. She wouldn’t even get a chance to see Byron one last time before she left, because he’d be busy filming for the reality show all day.
Groaning when she picked up her phone as she drove into the school’s parking lot, she saw she had less than thirty percent left of battery life. In her haste to rush out of Byron’s today she forgot her spare charger there. The one she usually kept in her car to charge it when she was on the road. Grabbing her things, she darted off to her first class.