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About THE Question

"Are you gonna ask me or what?" 

 

June turned to her right side confusedly, her eyebrows raising.

 

Serena was sitting on the floor and against the sofa beside June while clutching a cushion, staring at the television that gave her eyes a foxy glimmer. 

But the woman's face was calm like she didn't just ask June something out of the blue and out of context. Serena kept her gaze on the small screen.

 

They were watching a crappy Rom-Com from the 90s -- It was Serena's choice. 

June opposed at first because —— Rom-Com sucks, it's always the same trick over and over again where the main character got the girl in the end and they lived happily ever after blah blah blah —— but she quickly agreed when she smelled the familiar rosemary scent invading her personal space and when she realized it's really hard to say “no” to a pouting Serena.

 

I've really gone soft.

 

Of course, being THE June Osborne she was and is and ever will be -- Survivor, Pioneer, Bestseller Writer, Mother of two -- She blamed it on the alcohol.

 

"I'm sorry?"

 

Asking her what?

 

June had no idea what Serena was talking about.

 

Maybe i should quit drinking.

 

"I don't suppose you bought this because you had too much money to spend."

 

Serena let go of the cushion and changed her posture, her long legs now fully spread and her hands dipped into the pocket of her sweatpants. Three seconds later, a little red velvet box was seen on her palms. 

 

Oh...THAT.

 

Shit.

 

It's been eight years.

 

They build a new life around each other and it was a pretty good one.

 

Neither of them said nor mentioned the possibilities of taking their relationship to the next level. The first few years they had a shit-ton of things  to worry about so it made sense that the topic never came up. 

 

Then with the years went by and the kids' growth, it didn't matter any more. They've gotten so used to the balance they struggled to find and it felt stupid to change a thing.

 

Until two months ago.

 

June took a business trip to France and she decided to go for a stroll one afternoon. It was not until after she picked up some souvenirs and was on her wayback to the hotel that she stumbled upon a jewelry store.  

 

The little shinny thing in the display case caught her eyes and she stopped on her tracks.

 

June didn't know what struck her but she went inside the store.

 

Exactly thirty-two minutes and sixteen seconds later, June Osborne opened her  hotel room with a red velvet box in her suit's pocket that contained a size six  sapphire ring. 

 

And now, two months later, that same box was lying obediently in the hands of its"supposed owner".  

 

"I...well..."

 

June stuttered.

 

How did she find out?

 

"I was spring-cleaning the house the other day."

 

Serena answered like she's the freaking mind-reader and heard June's unspoken question.  

 

"You should really reconsider it if your idea of a secret hiding spot is the second drawer of the closet and under a pile of sexy underwears."

 

June could picture the blonde's face without having to look up.

 

Blue eyes fixing on her and squinting like the perpetrator identifying the prey, brows perking up slightly to show support to the amusement that can easily be heard in the voice, and the corner of the mouth went up just the right amount to let her know that there's no way out of this except for surrender and that this maynot have been a game but she has already lost.    

 

So June complied but also glared up at Serena's grinning face.

 

That. Fucking. Beautiful. Face.

 

"Give me that." June's pissed.

 

Those underwears were supposed to be a SURPRISE!

 

June snatched the box away from Serena's hands and shifted her weight. Her legs now crossed.

 

"Oh god...is it not for me?"

 

Serena asked in a surprising and hurt tone like she would cry at the next second if June's answer was an positive one. She even held her hands up to her chest while saying. 

 

"Cut it out Serena, you KNOW it is." 

 

June signed while rolling her eyes. 

 

Who else would i be giving it to?

 

To be fair, June Osborne had never asked anyone for their hands in marriage. Andthe last time something like this happened, she was on the receiving end.

 

It's understandable that June didn't know how or where to start.

 

But she had seen enough movies to know that it's not something you should be rushed. You had to REALLY think it through. 

 

Although she did bought the thing in less than five minutes and pictured how beautiful it would look on Serena's hand.

 

Stupid ring.

 

Plus, it's not like she hadn't tried to plan something. She did. 

 

They celebrated their eighth getting-out-anniversary last month and it seemed like a perfect time to pop the question.

 

But just when she was about to get on one knee, Moira who was babysitting Nicole for the night phoned and told them that Nicole was having a fearful fever and that she's taking the little one to the hospital.

 

And that was the end of that.

 

June never found the suitable time or gained enough courage to ask Serena again.

 

Until tonight.

 

"Do i, though?" Serena asked gingerly.

 

June hated that tone. That indication of helplessness. 

 

She spotted the patterns of sudden-confidence-lost moments over the years and June reckoned it must have something to do with the disappearing years.

 

But she never asked. Not eight years ago when she had the blonde back and certainly not now.

 

Instead, she provided comforts. Using the only way she knew how.

 

June leaned over and put a firm kiss on Serena's mouth. Her hands cupped both of the woman's cheeks and stroking them lightly.

 

She felt that Serena relaxed instantly at these minimum physical contacts. And shecouldn't help but relax with the person who's breaths were hot in her ears.

 

"Serena." 

 

There was a hint of warning in June's voice that Serena knew all too well.

 

It was pratically harmless but June liked to let Serena believe it was real and Serena let her.

 

Their own little game.

 

A game that they never got bored of even after spending eight years playing together.

 

This is it then. June thought to herself.

 

There won't be another time as perfect as this. Now.

 

"..will you m..."

 

June opened her mouth, devoutly.

 

"Yes."

 

Serena beated her to it.

 

"Huh?"

 

What in the God's name is wrong with this woman?

 

Serena flaunted her left hand in front of June, eyes leaping with excitements.

 

"O...Okay."

 

June took out the ring and put it onto the right finger.

 

The jewel matched Serena's eyes cohesively.

 

Just like June had imagined.

 

"So?"

 

June would never admit it to anyone, but she felt her eyes getting watery and palms sticky. She wiped her hands on her jeans nervously.

 

"So...what?"

 

Serena looked at June innocently. 

 

Like a fucking lamb.

 

"Do you like it?"

 

June hated how eager and desperate her voice sounded.

 

"Well,i mean...it was all right?"

 

Serena said sheepishly.

 

"I?! You little s...you know what? I'm gonna marry your ass just for that comment!"

 

June would've believed it if she didn't pick out the ring herself or lived eight plus years with this woman who's sitting across from her and smiling like an idiot .

 

But she acted like she's offended nonetheless.

 

Somewhere in their tickling game, Serena managed to get out of June's reach smoothly and fleet towards the bedroom leaving a flushed June sitting on their living room floor.

 

"Hey! Where are you going?"

 

What's this now?

 

"I thought you might want to open the surprise."

 

Serena started to stripe her clothes piece by piece and unhurriedly while walking, and by the time she was at the door frame the only thing on her body was a set ofthose sexy underwears that JUNE bought.

 

<em>Fucking Mind-r...oh...FUCK.</em>

 

June swore to God this woman would be the death of her.