𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆:
𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗵'𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘃

"are you sure you want to do this at home dad?" ivor asked his father for the millionth time. the smile on the older soto man's face says it all, he wanted to propose around his children in a his healed, sacred space. i watched my dad go over his speech last night, before his late night radio gig. giddiness and joy was all i could muster up harley was actually a bit sad, dad could always find a way to grab her attention, be in harley's face compared to me. we've got different relationships with our pops  but we all love him the same. lucian soto is the prime example of a father in our eyes no matter our flaws or mistakes.

❛object of my desire❜

peeking in on the woman i'm about to call stepmom, my smile never wavers. viv looks stunning she arrived about 20 minutes ago in a mesh satin combo pantsuit. "viv" i smile at her.

"hey, lili"

"hi i wanted to gauge if you have any idea why you're here today"

"your father said a family dinner like usual" i nod as my phone rings in my pocket excusing myself i pick up not even looking at the caller id. "hello"

"i'm outside li"

"really?!" racing to my window quick to see if i heard rafe correct. he's standing by his car with these flowers, in a beautiful pale blue suit. beaming with joy i head to greet him almost knocking ivor out my way.

"lilith, watch it!"

"sorry!"

"you look ... impeccable..shit" rafe is staring at me with those darkened blues when he gets fired up. my skin heats up as i match his gaze when he hands me this bouquet that needs to be painted. his cologne permeates my senses making me want to get lost in him.

"thank you, prince" i kiss him quick before we head inside. i'm in a purple satin dress that falls in all the right places, a cowl neckline, that doesn't give much away.

"rafe, happy you could join us. i actually wanted to know if we could talk after all the festivities. nothing serious just about f&f conspiracies, cooking too" my father and rafe exchange a hug and words on what he had just spoken about.

harley and i are setting up the dinner table on the patio it's a nature theme mixed in with vivian's favorite color pink.

"are we almost ready?" harley asks i nod as i realize that the table is finished "we're done" we hug at our beautiful work.

"can you believe it, dad remarried" harley's question lingering in my head as i answer "i can since we always wanted to have a stepmom. plus vivian is the woman he was meant to find in my opinion"

harley seemed to agree with me as we head back inside to our humble abode.

rafe is smiling at me as he heads to the kitchen to grab something for my father. ivor is trying to facetime kie quickly before we start dinner. i follow rafe wanting to sneak a moment alone.

"tryna get me alone. mmm" he smiles as he says that making me laugh. i kiss him as he grabs whatever he needed, "later tonight these lips will be begging me"

"you think so, sir" i whisper as i leave him to stew over my comment.

❛ object of my desire ❜

ivor and i are texting reminders to everyone coming to the house should arrive by 4, when the doorbell rings. ivor stutters "m-m-mom what are you doing here?"

freya wallace smiles at her son as she said, "may i come in?" ivor moves to the side to let my mom in. i am stuck in my place, the floodgates of memories hit me all at once. it's been a minute since we've seen her but each and, every time it's like a truck hits me.

my breathing starts to become erratic, my vision blurry if it isn't tears that'll never fall, it's anger.

i turn away from the rest of their interactions and race to my room. i slump by the door trying to calm down. i start humming my song that always calms me.

"lili, love are you alright hmm?" rafe's voice is calm against the door. my mind races as i try to figure out if i should let him in.

"can you open the door for me" i lift myself up off the floor slowly open the door for rafe. "li" he hugs me as i exhale a huge breathe. ready to face whatever it is all because of him.

"your mother popping up unannounced must have set this in motion," i nod as he continues "but she's is incredibly honest and sweet right now. she's actually about to leave she just wanted to see you guys without the supervision. how you're living not to cause trouble"

"you spoke to her" i look up at him as i ask he nods.

"you're the last person she has to see before her boyfriend starts honking"

laughing i head down with rafe once i get myself together.

❛ object of my desire ❜

"honey, my lilith come" my moms arms are wide open and i hug her. it's been heartwarming to receive these, and to see her in a good place finally. "mom, how are you doing?"

"good, feeling great about everything honest. i'm here to just see you before i leave for the trip. i know what your thinking was it approved by the facility. it was"

"i am happy you're doing good ma. sorry about earlier seeing you freaked me out a little. we have a special occasion going on, it was unexpected"

"i know sorry i didn't call, i love you bunches ok lili" i stare at my mom for a few seconds because it's our fourth/fitth new memory. ejecting the toxins to flush in anew. i smile at her as i say "i love you ma." she leaves a few minutes after that whatever tension i've held for her dissipates. it's been a slow moving process but i'm starting to forgive.

"should we wait any longer to start or we are good now?" ivor asks harley and i.

dad is smiling at us as he says, "i got an idea, you guys bring vivian to the location i send you. ok"

looking at each other we agree handing me his keys ivor and my dad head out. "you think he has something planned"

"of course"

"viv! we have to head out together" vivian is coming down the stairs. a vision she looks radiant.

"i'm ready to go i'll just leave my purse here and take my phone"

"let's go"

❛ object of my desire ❜

by the end of the proposal viv is a wreck, she was holding back tears of joy for almost ten minutes. dad gave a mini vow to her as he got down on one knee. the place was a field of tulips, and lilies. pink, white. it was the perfect location.

vivian is asking us if we knew about all these we just smile at her. we help set up half of the day, i was laughing as i took the photos to commemorate the moments "time check har"

"2:30!"

"good on time" rafe smiles as he whispers to me. my look makes blood rush to his cheeks, a rosy pink color adorns them.  "a bashful rafe," using fake shock i continue "never seen this side of you"

"you haven't" rafe scratches his head before kissing me quick. i take as many photos as possible before we have to make our way to the house. once we get inside my dad starts to prepare the food he cooked last night, things in the oven some already hot. moving like a well oiled machine we get everything in place by 3:25.

harley says "li!!! emergencyy come upstairs"

heading to her room i find her dress with a huge hole, "did you just buy this?" shaking her head no "want to use something of mine?"

"please life saver"

"ok let me go check my closet" as i think to myself i had this pantsuit i'd been waiting to use. or this dress that i haven't worn since i purchased in February. i give both options to my sister she'll choose whichever she prefers.

going downstairs i check to see if my dish is almost ready when my dad comes in the kitchen. a ball of nerves even though he already proposed, assuming it's the people coming to see them. celebrate their engagement, "dad you gotta just breathe follow me"

"in" we inhale for eight counts "out" we exhale slow continues for about five minutes.

the bell rings as he smiles at me before kissing my forehead. the night goes off without a hitch, conversing with family & friends. feeling the love in the air, rafe is attached to me through it all.

if not by an arm wrapped around my waist, holding my hand, standing super close to me. he tried to tie our wrists with two napkins at one point. questions thrown at us, "how'd you  meet?," "so rafe, being with lilith who's of a darker complexion does this bother you ever?,""are you in love?" etcetera. 

we took it like a champs and had the best night ever.

❛ object of my desire ❜

✎𝗌𝗎𝗇𝗃𝖾𝗐𝖾𝗅☀︎︎ 𝗍𝗒𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 ．．．

I'm still stuck on my ending but I know I want it to be a happy one, like surfing off into the vast ocean with hopes for more.

Are Lilith and Rafe enjoyable?

I feel like I can never live up to my book Captive but idk..

thanks for letting me do my short TED Talk. ❤️

love SunJewel, xoxo

✩ 𝖽𝗈𝗇'𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝖽𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗌, 𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 ✩