"Thank you for the food!" Sienna clapped her hands with a satisfied expression. "Althea, you made these, right? They're bloody delicious!"
"I had my hands in the ham, vegetables and shrimp. The rest is all Desir." My girlfriend shyly responded as she cleared the dirty dishes.
"Still! These are marvellous!" Sienna continued with her complexion blossoming. "This is the best Christmas dinner I've had in a long time! Seriously, you're wasted on Desir. Why don't you come live with me?"
"No can do!"
With a karate chop, I slammed Sienna's delusions away and growled: "Althea is not for sale!"
"Tch, stingy man..." The red-haired bombshell stuck her tongue out somewhat crudely and demeaned me. "Are you sure you want this stuck-up dude as your boyfriend, Althea?"
"Hehe, I wouldn't have anyone else..."
Althea chuckled and leaned her head onto my chest. If we were with outsiders, there was no way that Althea would show her snuggly side to others. Heck, rewinds the clock just a few months back, and Althea wouldn't do this in front of her closest friends!
But time really changes a woman. Embolden by her love for me, Althea wasn't one to mind others looking in as we cuddled. Particularly if they were two of my closest friends.
"Urgh, I'm going to die of heartburn!"
"Haha, you guys sure get on well!"
Sienna and Len smiled teasingly but didn't bother to separate us. Instead…
"Come here, Len! We can't be outdone by some green couple!"
"Haha, coming in..."
The two started cuddling as well, totally ignoring the time and place. Well, I guess Althea was the one who started it, so they couldn't really be blamed. The four of us spent our post-Christmas dinner lazing about on the couch, watching television and slugging about.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!"
The familiar voice of our favourite newscaster resonated through the entire apartment as the four of us sat down quietly.
"I'm sure that everyone is aware of it, but it has been a tough year! The pandemic had hit our shores, the world has changed, people have lost their jobs and worst of all… Some of our loved ones have passed on."
The mood became sombre in an instant. It wasn't something that a television news anchor should be saying, but her weird antics were what endured her to the public. And truth to be told, it was working. All of us had our attention glued to the television and nothing else.
"It has been a tough year… We weren't even able to celebrate Christmas last year due to the lockdown procedures! However, as a collective, we persevered. We didn't let the virus control us, and we didn't let the pandemic define us! We forged our own path, and we had endured!"
The girl continued on with vigour in her voice and heart, beguiling anyone who opened their ears to listen.
"And so! We have managed to beat the virus! Our vaccination program is about to begin, and our country hasn't failed. The number of people who have died has diminished, and our economy is bouncing back up. It goes to show that good things do happen to those who persevere!"
For some reason, the girl's words resonated through our hearts.
"Some of you may not know it, but this is my final television broadcast with this program. I will be marrying my fiance next Spring, and I will be starting my own Primetime Show in the Fall."
This was well-documented news. Everyone knew that the nation's favourite television announcer was retiring from her iconic program and moving on to better things.
"Therefore, as my tenure as KBC's news anchor comes to a close, I shall leave you with this message."
When I first saw her on television, this news anchor was nothing more than another face among others. However, as the tumultuous year went on, this little girl morphed into a mature lady, one that could carry a nation on her back.
Much like the little angel in my arms.
"For every end, there's a new beginning."
With the most beautiful smile on her face, the anchorwoman signed off for the final time.
"This is Evelyn Hope. And from all of us here in KBC, I wish you a Merry Christmas."
Evelyn…
My mother's name.
Perhaps this is why I listened to her every night. Having someone like her on-screen to constantly inform and calm me down… To tell me that everything was going to be alright… It really was an anchor in my life.
"What a special night..."
Sienna muttered audibly for all of us to hear. And truth to be told, she was right.
It was Christmas Eve, and at the same time, it was Len's birthday. The world was slowly recovering and coming into peace. Vaccinations were around the corner. Society was opening up, and most importantly…
All of us were here together.
It really was a special night.
But…
"Is that so?" Len smiled and looked right at me. As our gazes met, he gave me a simple nod, and I returned the same.
"Then let me make it more special."
"Huh?"
The girls were confused by Len's declaration, but it didn't take long for them to get an answer. Separating from Sienna, Len reached into his pocket and pulled out a red velvet box. At the same time, his left knee naturally found the floor and his right leg was extended out.
At this point, even the most brain-dead of women could understand what was going on. Before Althea could let out a yelp of surprise, I covered the girl's mouth and dragged her two metres away. At the same time, I switched the settings on the television, and a pre-recorded video began to play.
It was a photo collage of all the best moments that Len and Sienna had shared during their eight-year relationship. From the first photograph they took together to the first time they went on a date. So many of their special memories were broadcasted for us to see, but none of us really paid attention.
After taking in many deep breaths, Len calmed himself before saying:
"Sienna, all my life, I've been searching for someone. Someone that can make me feel whole. Someone that can give my life a deep colour. And before I met you, I'd never thought that I would meet her."
"..."
"But you came into my life! And ever since then, I have been on multiple adventures. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But there's one thing for sure. I never want our adventures to end."
"..."
"I've thought long and hard about it, and I now know for sure… Sienna, I can't live a life without you anymore. So, Sienna… My love."
Len opened up the ring box and unveiled the most gorgeous diamond ring that I'd ever seen. Even Sienna, a designer who knew all of the fashion trends, couldn't help but open up her eyes wide.
"Sienna Robins… Will you marry me?"
"You… moron! Of course, I'll marry you!!! Stupid Len!!!"
Unable to hide her emotions anymore, Sienna leapt into Len's arms, ignoring the oversized jewel that cost as much as a small car. In her mind, there was nothing more valuable than the lovable idiot that had just proposed to her.
❖❖❖
A few hours passed since Len had popped the question in my apartment. Understandably, the couple had returned home just moments after becoming engaged. They had to inform their parents; they were probably going to plan the date and perhaps even engage in some nightly activities that they couldn't do over at my place.
Naturally, they cut the birthday cake we prepared, and Len even joked about how it was the best birthday of his life.
And as the high of the Christmas party and proposal began to die down, Althea and I experienced the lethargy of coming down from a bout of happiness.
We laid silently in bed, snuggling close to each other as the warmth of our bodies was shared between us. I was only wearing the bottom of my pyjama as it was the most comfortable sleepwear for me, while Althea had put on a white-laced nightgown that was both innocent as it was sultry.
Usually, it would be our sexy time, but there seemed to be something weighing on Althea's mind, so I refrained from making a move.
"Is something wrong?"
"No," Althea responded honestly while her hands were still rested on my chest. "I was just wondering how life will change now that Sienna and Len had gotten married."
"They're not married yet."
"Well, they basically are, aren't they?"
"Haha, you're right."
While the pair had only recently gotten engaged, they have been together for about eight years now. They already had their own apartment and had already signed multiple joint accounts and insurance policies. The only thing that would change was Sienna's surname.
"Nothing will change," I replied honestly. "Being married doesn't change the commitment they had, and they will always love each other."
"Oh? That's surprising!"
"Hmmm? What is?"
"When I first met you, Desir. You didn't believe in love! To think that the mighty Desir Snow will change his creed!"
"Haha, you're right..."
Ah, how nostalgic. There was a point of time earlier in the year where I believed that love was unnecessary in the journey called life. I believed that love was only a pheromone created so that men and women would come together to make a new life.
And to a certain extent, I still believe that it's true.
But…
"I misunderstood… Love isn't just a mere chemical hook in the brain. Love isn't something that corrupts your life. It's something that sweetens it."
I was under the impression that the world was better as a bachelor. The problems that my mother faced during her remarriages, the problems that I faced as a child… They were all things that made life… Life.
So was Love.
And the reason why I figured it out…
"Thank you, Althea… Thank you for coming into my life."
"Hehe, is that a proposal?"
Oh? Has Althea been influenced by what happened earlier? But then again… A proposal, huh?
"You could take it that way."
"H-Huh?"
Blushing, my precious lover was stunned into silence. Honestly, after hearing Len's confession, I realised something…
The way he felt about Sienna… I felt the exact same way with Althea.
She was my everything. She was my muse. She was the angel that saved me.
And I can't imagine life without her anymore.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm in no rush to get married, Althea. You're still very young. You have yet to start your career, and there are still many things that we have to work out, but..."
My hand reached for her supple neck as I gently stroked her pristine cheeks.
"If I'm ever going to get married… It will be with you."
"!!!"
I confessed what I genuinely felt. It didn't matter that we'd only been dating for a few months. It didn't matter that Althea had yet to graduate and find a financially stable job. It didn't matter that Althea was five years younger than me.
I loved her.
And if anyone was going to be my wife…
It would be her.
"Desir..."
Althea brought her head into my chest and started flailing her long legs about. There was a distinct joy in her actions, and her happiness was extremely infectious. I felt like my heart was filled to the brim with an untold about of love and happiness.
Have I ever been this happy in my life? I don't know. But one's things for sure…
I'll never let go of this happiness.
"Desir… I feel the same way."
"I'm glad..."
Mother. I finally understand. I finally understand why you've been chasing love your entire life even though you've failed so many times. I finally understand why you asked me to seek love, to get a partner that I can share the rest of my life with.
So rest easy, mother.
For I have been blessed…
With an Angel in the Pandemic
~~~ End of Angel In The Pandemic ~~~