"So you'll go with me to visit my parents? They are in town for today only and I have to ask them a serious question."

"Of course I'll go with you," I smile at Isabelle.

"Thank you so much. I don't want Jane to know, so if she asks we're studying all day."

Isabel nods her head.

Jane and I have been in collage for three years now. We're in our last semester of our junior year. Then I'll have my business degree and will get my share of the company. River has total control right now.

"Hey babe," Jane walks into the kitchen. I smile up at her and lean back in my seat. She walks up to me and leans against me with a yawn.

"Hey sleeping beauty. How'd you sleep?"

"I would've slept better if you stayed in bed with me," she put her lip out in a pout.

"I know, I know, baby, but Isabelle and I are going to be studying all day. The early bird gets the worm," Jane looks over at Isabelle.

We met Isabelle our freshman year. She is one of the first people who befriended us.

"Can Raya study with y'all today? I have to go make up an exam for a class I missed today."

"Yes I'll take her don't worry about it love. Is she still asleep?"

"I think she's watching tv."

Rayea is practically ours. Sam comes around every once in a while, but doesn't know of responsibility. As for Nora, she wants nothing to do with the three year old. Jane and I of course don't mind keeping her. We've had her for the past two years.

"Rayea!" I yell calling for the three year old. She comes running out of her room.

"Wes momma," her hair is disshelved and her face is stained with chocolate.

"Did you get into my chocolate? Is that why you were so quiet?" She shakes her head and Jane chuckles.

"Let's get you dressed. Your going with Talia and Isabelle to go study," Jane walks over toher and takes her by the hand.

"Stwudying is no fwun!" She pouts.

"I know, but we'll get ice cream afterwards," I assure her as Jane takes her hand and leads her down the hall, "sorry. I forgot about the exam she missed this week. She took Rayea for me when it was my day."

Isabelle shook her head, "it's fine Rayea is my little homie."

I laughed, "Thank you again for doing this with me."

She shrugs, "It's no biggie. I had nothing to do today anyway."

Some minutes later Jane comes back with Rayea on her hip. Her hair is now brushed and pined to the side with a bow, she wears a mustard yellow sundress, with white flats, and a necklace.

"Are you ready little bug?" I ask her. She lifts her head from Jane's shoulder and nods her head. I take her from Jane, "I'll see you later baby," I kiss Jane on the cheek.

"Have fun at the library. I'll let you know when Im done testing to come pick her up."

I shake my head, "don't worry about it there's a toddler day at the library she'll be having a blast."

"I thought that was on Tuesdays?"

"They added an extra day since Tuesday is so popular." I added cooly grabbing my backpack off the back of the chair.

She shrugs, "oh that's nice. I could drop y'all off lunch later then. I'm sure I'll be done around like one thirty."

"Oh, Lunch is on me today. I lost a bet," Isabell cut in.

I look back to her and silently thank her for keeping up the charade. Best wing woman around.

"I thought we learned about betting against Natalia?" Jane smirks and hands me Rayea's backpack after I shrug on mine.

"Apparently not."

"I'll call you when we're done," with that I grab my keys and make my way towards the door. I let Isabelle walk out before me.

-

"What do you need Natalia?" I roll my eyes as my mother waltz into the meeting room.

I look around the glass conference room, "where's River?"

"Busy, that's why he sent me," I sigh.

"I made the trip all the way from Brooklyn and he's not even here?"

She shrugs, "he's a busy man Natalia."

"I made an appointment though."

"I don't care if you made an appointment or not he's not here!" She raised her voice getting irritated.

"Why do you hate me so much?" She looked taken aback by my question.

"Hate you?"

"Yes, hate me. You treat River differently," I put my hands on the table.

"I don't hate you-"

"Don't lie to me mother. I took all of your abuse as a child. You never laid a hand on River."

She looks down.

"Unbelievable. Jane and I are taking a trip back to California this weekend. I wanted to ask River to borrow his beach house."

"California? What business do you have there?"

"I'm going to propose to Jane. I'd like to do it in our home town," she sighs.

"Propose to her? Natalia do you think that's best?"

I scrunch my eye brows, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Are you sure your ready to commit?"

"Why wouldn't I be ready? I've been with her for the last five years. I don't care what you or anyone else thinks. I've already made arrangements to fly back tomorrow."

"Ok I'll notify River of your plans."

I nod my head, "Did you end up selling our house?"

She nods her head, "We got it renovated last year and sold it for half a million."

Of course they did.

"Ok, I will let River when we're leaving town," she nods her head.

I walk out the glass room and head towards the elevator. My mother truly is a despicable woman.

The elevator stopped on the first floor. I got out and went to the front door, "Talia!" Rayea jumped into my arms.

"Sorry guys, my mother doesn't like children in her building," Isabel pushes herself off the side of the building.

"It's fine! Did you want to go grab some ice cream?" I put Rayea on the ground.

"That sounds perfect!"

-

We got back to the apartment at sunset. Upon walking in I could sense something was wrong. Jane sat on the couch fuming.

"Where have you been?" She asked with her arms crossed. I smiled.

"Isabel and I took Rayea to go get ice cream, then we went to park central. I guess we must've lost track of time," Rayea let go of my hand and sat next to Jane messing with the tv remote.

"What were you doing all the way up there?" I scratched the back of my neck.

"Well," she tapped her foot.

"Well what, Natalia? I thought you were going to the library to study?" I nod my head.

"Well yah."

"So you went to the library in New York?" I shake my head, "so you lied to me?"

"Jane chill," She shook her head.

"Don't tell me to chill!"

I hold up my hands in surrender, "Damn, I'm sorry."

"Why would you lie to me? Are you- are you cheating on me with Isabel?"

My eyes widened, "No! Jane I would never!" I grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the couch and to me.

"Yes you would."

I shake my head, "Once upon a time I would. I was planning a trip. It was supposed to be a surprise."

Her face softened, "a trip?"

"Yes a trip. Since we're out for spring break I thought we could go to California for a few days. Get away from the city, stay on the beach."

She leans into me, "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, that sounds nice babe."

I nod my head and kissing her cheek, "It's ok. We leave tomorrow by the way."

She gasps, "Tomorrow?! We have to pack, get someone to watch the apartment, and water my plants!"

I laugh, "Isabel is going to be checking up on our apartment, I have mine and Rayea's bags packed, all you have to do is worried about your bag my love,"

"Your the best you know that right?" She places her lips on mine.

"Ew cooties!" Rayea jumps up from the couch and places herself in between Jane and I, "don't eat each other! I wove and need you both!"

I laugh and pick her up, "Rayea we're not eating each other!" Jane tickles her stomach from behind me.

"Yah silly girl!"

"Then what were y'all doing?" She looked at us with big eyes.

"That's a conversation for another day," I shake my head. Rayea jumps from my arms to Jane's.

-

"We will be landing in ten minutes," the pilot spoke through the speakers over head.

Rayea gasped and looked out the window, "look!" She pointed out. I leaned over.

"That's were we grew up," she looked up at me.

"Really?" I nod my head.

We land just as expected. Upon getting off the plane we got our luggage. Rayea grabbed both of our hands and we swung her back and forth as we walked out of the airport.

"Did you rent a car?" Jane asked stopping in front of the airports door.

"No," I looked at her.

"Are you sure? That driver is holding up a sigh with your name on it," and sure enough he was. We walked over to him.

"Natalia vanderson?" He asked. I nodded my head, "River sent me to pick you three up and take you to the beach house."

"Oh, um, yes. He didn't tell me anything about it," the man grabbed our luggage and put it in the truck while we got in the back of sleek black car.

"Ouu this is fancy!" Rayea gabbed a jar of candy that laid on the door. The door is covered with jars of candy.

"Help your selves," the driver shut the door and got in the drivers seat.

"How nice of River to get us a car," Jane smiles grabbing a hand full of jelly beans from the jar earring a scolding look from Rayea.

"Yah, mhm it is."

The drive from the airport to the beach house took thirty minutes due to lunchtime traffic. When we stopped the driver opened the door for us, then proceeded to get our luggage. I gave Jane the key and she took Rayea inside while I stayed behind to talk to the driver.

"Did River tell you of our plans for tonight?"

"Yes. I am to pick you up at six and take you to the restaurant."

I nod my head, "Thank you," I pull out my wallet and hand him a fifty.

"No thank you miss," he takes the money then proceeds to take the luggage inside. I wait for him to finish standing at the door I take a deep breathe of the salty air.

Oh how I missed it. The sound of the waves crashing onto the shore, the seagulls that flew up above, but most of all I've missed the ocean. The blue depth and the content it held. I sighed.

"You've missed it as much as I have," I nod my head as Jane comes up behind me. She wraps her arms around my waist, "why did we have to leave?"

"Because we both got accepted into Columbia?"

I turn around to face her, "We should've never left," I shake my head.

"I agree."

Rayea comes running and bumps into us, "I wanna go swim!" She had already changed. She wore her pink one piece swim suit, and her straw hat.

"Hold up little bug. We have to put sunscreen on you so don't burn!" I scooped the three year old up into my arms and started to walk upstairs.

Jane followed behind me rolling our suitcases up. We walked into the master bedroom and I put Rayea on the couch that laid in front of the bed. Jane rolls the suitcases up besides me while admiring the room and the view.

"Wow. How do Camille and River stay away from this place?" She twirled as she looked around.

"Have you see their room at the hotel empire?" She laughed. I threw open my suit case and dug inside for the sunscreen.

"Hurry, hurry!" Rayea rushed me. I pulled out the sunscreen and slabbed some on her, "it's to oily I don't like it!"

"You don't want a sunburn now do you?" She shook her head, "that's what I though. Let's go grab some Sandals," I grabbed Rayea off the bed and out the door. I walked a few doors down and pushed open the door, "this should be your room," and I was right. Although it looks like she had already found if herself.

Her bag laid discarded on the floor with the contents inside spewing out, "pick you stuff then go ask Jane to take you to the beach."

"I don't wanna," Rayea frowned.

"I don't care. Pick it up, or your not going to go play in the water," Rayea huffed but began picking up her stuff.

I rolled my eyes. Even though she is three she hasn't grown out of her terrible two stage yet.

-

"Do we have to go out?" Jane asked me for the second time.

I roll my eyes, "Yes. We already got dress," I go up to her and lay my lips on hers, "we both look smoking hot, who would want to waste all this," I mumbles into the kiss.

Jane pulls back, "I guess your right," she sighs, "the sun just kicked my butt. Rayea didn't want to leave the beach."

"I know babe. Sorry I wasn't out there with y'all. I was making sure we still had our reservation," I pouted out my lip.

"It's fine, we had fun without you."

I gasped as she smirked.

"Whatever, let's go," we walked down stairs, "Rayea! Let's go!" We made sure Rayea was dressed before the both of us. She wore a Light aqua blue high low dress and had her hair pinned to the side.

"I'm right here," she came down running down the stairs with two Barbie dolls in hand.

"Where did you get those?" Jane asked.

"In the closet. There's tons of them!" She smiled and proceeded to brush one of the dolls hair. Jane shook her head and I laughed at the two.

"Ok let's go. The cars waiting out front," we pile out the door and into the car.

"Hey, we're almost match!" Rayea points putting her hand up against Janes dress.

"Look at that we are!" They we're no where close to matching, but Jane went along with anyways.

"Why aren't you matching us momma."

I looked down at my dress.

"I'm to cool to match with y'all."

Jane slapped my shoulder.

We got to the restaurant fifteen minutes later. Everyone was already waiting for us.

"Guys why are y'all doing here?" Jane gasped at the sight of all our high school friends.

"We heard y'all were in town so we decided to crash the party," River unexpectedly sat at the head of the table.

"Hey brother. I didn't know if you'd make it not!" I walked around to him and pulled him in a for a hug.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," we took a seat next to him in front of Camille.

"How's Brooklyn treating y'all?" Lindsey asked from in front of Jane.

"It's pretty busy," Jane spoke for the both of us.

"Y'all are looking a bit pale. Is there no sun up there?"Carley sat next to Lindsey.

"College means spending a lot of time inside studying," Jane fixed Rayea next to her.

"How is our sweet little Rayea doing?" Camille asked cooing at her.

"Honey, she's not a baby anymore," River reminded her.

"I know, I know," Camille rolled her eyes and we chuckled.

"Is Sam coming?"

I shook my head at Rivers words, "I don't know. Last I heard he was somewhere in Rome."

He sighed. Our waiter came out, "can I get you all a drink? Maybe a glass of wine?"

"I can I get a bottle of Merlot," I was the first to make a request.

"Of course," he looked the looked around to see if anyone else wanted something.

"I'll have a whiskey," River places his drink next.

"Ok, will you ladies all be drinking from the same bottle?" He asked referring to the whine. I looked at them.

"Yes, can I have a sprite for the child," Jane spoke when no one else did.

"Ok coming right up!"

He came back minutes later with a freshly opened bottle of Merlot, and drinks for everyone else. After pouring our drinks he took our order and we begun the small talk.

Everyone sipped their wine while conversating. When the main course arrived the wine seemed to disappear after and faster until Jane poured herself the last drink and something fell into her glass.

Everyone stopped talking and I began to sweat. River looked at me with a questioning look as Jane pulled the diamond ring out her glass. She looked up at me.

"Ou its a pretty princess ring mommy!" Everyone looked at Rayea.

I however kept on starring at the ring. That not mine.

"Ah miss, I am so sorry! I gave you the wrong bottle," our waiter quickly walks over. I took a deep breathe, "they just had all the bottles in one place. Apparently this one is for a couple coming in later. I am, uh, so sorry."

Jane sigh nervously laughing.

"It's fine," I mentally face palmed. That just ruined the whole night.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I quickly got up and walked away.

In the bathroom I leaned up against the sink, "Natalia," Lindsey followed after me.

"That ruined everything!" I put my face in my hands.

"Your not proposing tonight?"

I nod my head, "I am-was but ugh!"

"It's fine. It was a misunderstanding. Go back out there. You got this. It was a minor inconvenience. Now she definitely has no clue your gonna propose."

I shake my head, "no I can't do it. I have to call it off."

Lindsey laughed, "Natalia I will drag you out the bathroom and strap you to your seat. You are going through with this proposal."

We walked back out to the table and sat down. A light conversation had already fallen upon the table. I sat down and River offered me a small smile.

"We have the last course ready for you," the waiter stands behind Jane and my eyes widened. This is to soon. Oh no!

"I don't think we-" she turns around and stops mid sentence, "um, do you have the right table?"

"Yes, he has the right table this time," I speak. The waiter sets the glass container in front of her and pulls off the glass.

She looks at me with big eyes, "is this for real?"

I nod my head, "I mean we all saw it coming," I spoke softly as a huge smile broke onto her face.

"I mean of course it's a yes!"

I had no clue what to do for a marriage proposal. Sorry for the long and boring chapter. This is the longest chapter I have ever written.

So,, what's next?