Isabella
“What? You’re being serious?” Gerald quickly said, staring at my parents.
“It’s nice to meet you, son, ” Mom immediately said and pulled Tristan in a tight hug, while he looked happy.
“Welcome,” My dad was stiff, and they shared a handshake, and I noticed the way my dad gripped around his hands tightened.
“I hope you aren’t joking with her,” Gerald had already worn the overprotective brother armor as he approached Tristan fearlessly.
“That’s enough,” Mom said and pushed Gerald away from Tristan while I laughed.
“El, show them to their room, while I get their food ready,” Mom instructed and she seemed excited to do it.
“Bells,” She called me and pulled me aside while I looked at her confused.
“Your boyfriend is hot. Is he a model?” She asked curiously while I chuckled and walked away ignoring her question.
“Your family is fierce,” Tristan whispered to me, as I held his hands while Gerald glared at him from afar.
“You wanted to meet them, so?” I laughed while Ella took us to my old bedroom, which had been arranged for our visit.
“Do not think too much, and let’s get settled in,” I told him, while he sighed and stared at my picture that was hung on the wall.
“Was that you?” He snicker, but I just folded my hands and looked at him wondering what I could do to him, for laughing at my eight-year-old self.
“I had a glow-up, okay. So don’t you dare judge,” I warned him sternly, but he nodded and took out his phone from his pocket and took a picture of it, making me frown, and he immediately put the phone away.
“I’m sorry muffin,” he rushed and snuggled to me from behind while I melted instantly under his touch.
“Come on, let’s go have my mom’s food, and then you can spoil them with your gifts,” I told him, and he smiled before kissing my cheeks.
“You’re certain about the gift choices?” He asked for the umpteenth time and I still gave him the same response or nod my head just like I did now.
“Okay,” He breathed out and held the bag as we walked out of the room.
“Good, I was beginning to think something was going on in there,” Mom was so adorable and Ella made a face of disgust upon hearing that.
“Mom, it would be nice if you kept that thought to yourself,” Gerald said from behind me and pulled a chair backward for me before Tristan could.
“I got everyone a little something,” Tristan said boldly, and all attention was fixed on him right now.
“I got you scented candles, ma’am,” He said and handed over her bag to her, while she looked at him unsure of what to say.
“Thank you,” She caught her breath staring at the bag. She brought out the candles and stared at the box it was packaged in, as she started to open it up.
“Thank you so much, Tristan,” Mom added and a smile appeared on her cheek.
“Ella,” He called out and handed over the bag to her. She received it confused but said thanks before leaving his sight.
“And Gerald, I know Isabella is important to you, so I’m going to try my best to treat her right? “he said and they started at each other before Tristan gave him the bag.
“Thank you for having me here,” Tristan smiled at him, he rose on his feet immediately and walked to where Dad sat and handed over the bag to me.
“What’s this?” Dad’s voice was clear and he looked at Tristan waiting for a response, while he started to unbox the gift.
“Isabella had mentioned you had a garage and you liked cars so I decided to get you one model too,” He opened the gift, and behold it was a car model from 1982 and he looked so shocked.
“Oh my gosh, the 1982 car from..,” They both said the 1982 together and laughed immediately.
“Son, you have amazing taste. I love this,” Dad said truthfully and pulled him in a light hug.
“Thank you,” He waved the car model at me, while I sighed heavily, before feeling comfortable seeing the chatter between them.
Tristan and I were now eating our mom’s special, and everyone showered love and praises to him for the thoughtful gift. He had not just swooned me alone and swept me off my feet, but he had managed to do the same thing with my family, which melted my heart.
“You did well for me, I’ll do better for you,” I thought to myself, staring at him with a smile as they asked about what he did, his family, and how we met, and Tristan responded with a smile on his face.
“So how did you get to meet?” Dad asked and Mom and Ella looked keen to hear what he had to say.
“At work. The first day I saw her, my heart skipped,” He looked at me, and I wondered if what he said was true but everyone seemed to be buying the information.
“So you both work at the same place. That’s good,” My dad took note, looking relief and happy about that
“And your family? Parents?” Dad asked and I looked at him, to know if that topic was sore to him, but instead, he smiled at them.
“My parents are late. But I was raised by my grandfather and Isabella had met him already,” Tristan responded. That wasn’t entirely true, but I also knew the relationship with his father was sore and he had always addressed him as Mr. Gabriel, so I didn’t say anything.
“I’m so sorry about that,” Mom immediately added but he smiled warmly at her.
The rest of the afternoon, Dad and Tristan talked about the car, while Gerald tried to chip in as much as he could, while I was just on the sofa in the living room, trying to imprint that memory in my brain. I guess it’s because I thought I might never see it again, but being here with my family today and seeing so many smiles on their faces made me so happy, and I just wanted to take note of how everything felt, how it all looked like, I wanted to keep this memory forever.
“Here,” Mom gave me a warm cup of tea.
“Thank you,” I told her and she smiled.
“You know, Tristan is a catch,” Mom said and I chuckled.
“What do you mean?” I smiled turning to stare at her.
“You’ve had boyfriends, none we approve of, but now you brought a boyfriend home yourself and he has managed to get your father’s attention,” I laughed, but I knew what she said was right.
“Was he the one you called to ask about?” She gave me a serious look.
“Well, he was part of it,” As she mentioned that, and I recalled Micah. He never texted me and I haven’t seen him after the whole rejection thing. I hope he’s okay.
“Well, I’ll take it as you made the right choice,” Mom said warmly.
“Really? You think so?” I looked at her, waiting for her response
“Yes, I do think so,” She gladdened my heart, and I looked over at Dad and Tristan, with a big smile on my face.
*
It was nighttime, and everyone was slowly retiring to bed one after the other. Mom and Dad had left, and it was Tristan, Gerald, and I left.
“We thought Isabella’s guest was a girl and prepared her room for her, but seeing as you’re here, I got the guest room ready for you,” Gerald said, and I glared at him.
“What? Or you prefer I ask your boyfriend to sleep on the sofa?” He shrugged.
“Are you kidding me, what’s wrong with him sleeping in my room?” I folded my hands and glared at him.
“That’s not happening?” He stated.
“I doubt Mom and Dad had anything to do with this, and this was your complete doing,” I stated and grabbed Tristan by his hand, and pulled him with me as we started to walk to my room.
“Where are you going? Isabella!” He called out, but I had already reached the room and had banged the door at him.
“When did he get crazy too?” I thought and locked the door, while I heard him knocking.
“Isabella! Open this door now,” He said but I just stood at the door with folded hands satisfied with what I did.
“Isabella,” he asked us again, still hitting the door, but I didn’t respond to him.
“Okay fine, at least just leave the door open,” He said and I scoffed in shock.
“I’m not a kid, Gerald,” I yelled at him.
“I’m still your elder brother,” He added and hit the door, while I just left the door and turned around to see Tristan laughing as he was seated in the bed.
“What? What’s funny?” I gave him a confused expression, as I walked up right him.
“So you banter with everyone,” He said still smiling, but I just rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, whatever,” I said and I pulled out the hair scrunches I used to pack my hair and dropped it on the table, before walking towards him.
“What was your plan, dear wife?” Tristan pulled me towards him, causing me to sit on the bed, while our face were just inches apart from each other.
“Tristan,” I called out, trying to free my hand from his hold, but he didn’t even bulge.
“Do you know what I’ve been thinking about all day,” He said and stared at me deeply, while his eyes moved to my lips.
“What?” It came out as a whisper.
“How about I show you,” He brought his face closer to mine, still staring deeply at me, as he bent his head and took my lips into his making me shut my eyes as I reciprocated. It was slow, gentle, and passionate. He kissed me gently like he was taking his time to have every taste of me without haste. I felt like butterflies were dancing in my belly, as he swiftly pulled me making me sit on his legs as he continued to kiss me at the same pace, his hands brushing my hair and pulling it at intervals, while I felt shock waves run down my spine, we continued like that, moving our bodies slowly in rhythm, while our lips devoured each other slowly, before I lost my breath and he pulled away.
“I can’t get enough of you,” He said through rapid breathing, and I found myself blushing. He brought his face again, trying to go in for another kiss, when I got off his leg and climbed to the other side of the bed laying down.
“Let’s get some sleep Mr,” I said, and he chuckled laying on the bed, before covering us with the duvet.
“Goodnight,” he said and turned off the lamp.
“Goodnight,” I responded…
**
The next morning, the alarms on our phone rang, almost at the same time, while he groaned on the bed. I rolled and turned in my sleep, and Tristan deep the same. The sound of the alarm singing disrupted my sleep and made my head pound.
“Turn it off,” I whispered, my eyes still closed as my hands were in the air, trying to reach for my phone, which happened to be kept beside Tristan.
“Tristan,” I tapped on him, yawning and pretty much tired that I didn’t want to get up.
“Hmm,” He said and turned around for a bit when the sound finally stopped, and I sighed rearranging the duvet on our body while going back to sleep.
“We have to wake up Isabella,” I heard his voice, it came out hoarsely but I shook my head and continued to close my eyes, pulling him for a cuddle.
“Just ten minutes,” I told him, enjoying having his hands wrapped around mine.
“Okay, ten minutes,” I heard him chuckle and immediately I enjoyed the silence again.