"Ten more seconds, Everyone!! Let's count down together!! 9! 6! 5! 4! 3!..."
The man's voice is drowned by the sound of trumpet. Merely a second later, the man's appearance in television screen is replaced by fireworks party that brightens up the night sky.
"Happy new year, bro!"
That voice forces my gaze to move from the television screen to Fred's direction. That incredibly genius man is, like most of the time, sitting behind his desk that is placed on the corner of the living room. Despite being drowned into whatever his screen displayed, this time he gives me a wide smile while his hand is holding a beer bottle that is hanging in the air.
I chuckle, before replying his greeting, "Happy new year, Bro" and also hanging my bottle of beer in the air to make a remote toas.
I gulp my beer when my ear hears steps of foot behind the door that connects the living room with the tower.
"Happy new year, King," I greet Sara right when she opens the door.
She gives me a wide smile and replies my greetings and also greets Fred. She then wanders her sight around the room. "The others haven't arrived ?"
"We're here... we're here..."
Out of nowhere, Bruno suddenly appears behind Sara with Lily carried by him. Bruno then walks toward the love chair beside my seat and puts down Lily on it. "Ugh...," he exhales before grinning, "Happy new year, everyone," he says cheerfully.
"Yeah... Happy new year," Lily greets, well grumbles is more like it. "This leg is torturing me!" she then curses while struggling to takeoff her prothetic leg.
"Here, let me help you, Baby," Bruno immediately kneels down on one knee in front of Lily to help her with her prothetic leg. Once the leg is off from her Lily makes a long sigh of a relieve.
"Where did you guys go this year end ?" Sara asks them.
"Spain," Bruno answers her. "I took her to meet my extended family."
"Wow... I hear a wedding bell rings," Fred says in teasing way, making Bruno blushes.
"Actually... we're planning it around next year," Bruno replies then rubing Lily's hair gently, "Isn't it right, Baby ?"
Lily nods. "Uhum. After this baby comes out," she says then kisses Bruno.
"I should prepare a speech then," I say then turn my head to Bruno. "I am your best man, right ?"
"Hey... he said that I am going to be his best man," Fred protests.
"You can be Lily's maid of honor," I tease Fred.
"What ?! No way !!"
Our silly dispute is interrupted by a harsh door opening. All of our heads in instant are turning to Charlotte who is entering the room emotionally. Right behind her is Albert with panic expression all over his face.
"I told you, Sugar. I was just admiring her look. It didn't mean... "
"I don't need to read your mind to know your intention to that girl!" Charlotte spews out her anger.
"What intention ?!"
"You wanna fuck her!!!"
"What ... ?! Since when..." Albert halts his argument. He puts his sight to every man in the room. "Men, please tell Black that we don't necessary thinking of sex when we admire a girl's appearance," He begs for our support.
Both Bruno and I turns our sight to elsewhere, refusing to help him. Meanwhile, Fred... well he is just being Fred, ignoring his surrounding and drowning into his own world.
"Bruno. Come on, man... help me on this..." Albert pleads.
"Well, my gaze is only to Lily..." Bruno defends himself., "So I don't know what you're talking about."
"You..!" Albert scolds Bruno and begs to me instead, "Death... ?"
"Uhum. I see many girls everyday and I don't think of any sex when I did," I says then gulping my beer.
"See, Sugar..."
"But I only saw the girls... I didn't admire their appearances," I add non-chantantly that makes Bruno muffles a laughter.
"What... fuck you, man!" Albert curses me. He then quickly approaches Charlotte that just threw her body on the couch. "Sugar... come on... I'm sorry, okay. I cannot control my sight..."
"They can!" Charlotte snaps him pointing out to Bruno and me. She then crosses her hands in front of her chest. "You just don't love me enough."
"What ??? I love you so much, Sugar. You know that..."
"If you loved me, why haven't you proposed to me ?" Charlotte suddenly switches her topic of argument. It is so sudden that Albert can not utter a word to respond. Actually, all of us is too stunned to respond her.
"Look at Bruno and Lily. They are just having their relationship for a year and they are already engaged. While we... after almost fourteen years, where are we ?!" Charlote asks another qustion.
"Why haven't you said anything ?" Charlotte urges Albert again when he still doesn't say anything after a minute.
"Sugar... we should not talk about this in front of ..."
"When, Albert ?!" Charlotte pursues. Albert, on the other hand doesn't answer. Charlotte stares at him for about ten seconds, then her gaze becomes sad and disappointed.
"Never, right?" she asks in disdain.
"Sugar, I never said...."
"I just read your mind," Charlotte snaps him.
"What ?!! You promised me to not read my..."
"You never want to marry me," Charlottes cuts him back. She stands up and walks toward the stairs, leaving all of us, once again, in stunned.
@@@@@AUTHOR's THOUGHT@@@@@
It's a short chapter and actually it is just an opening of this new... aht should I call it... theme, maybe ?
And yes, I will tell the background story about Lily and Bruno that suddenly being in love and having a baby and a wedding to come. But after the crisis is finished to be told hehe