The Unexpected

Chapter 39

Tina's POV

Shawn and I stood by the bedroom door, watching Mom wage war against her overstuffed suitcase. She grunted, struggling to forcefully zip it shut, while the bag refused to cooperate.

"Mom, you need another bag for all that stuff," Shawn groaned, arms crossed. "You shouldn't have done so much shopping in the first place."

Mom's head snapped up like a cobra ready to strike. "Excuse me?"

Shawn, knowing he had pushed the wrong button, immediately took a step back. "Uh, never mind," he muttered before making a swift exit, leaving me alone to face the battlefield.

I sighed and stepped in to help. "He's not wrong, though," I said cautiously, glancing around at the sea of shopping bags littering the room. "Mom, you bought enough to open a mini department store."

She huffed and plopped onto the small couch in the corner. "So what? Ladies love shopping!" she declared, flipping her hair dramatically.

I smirked. "At this rate, we'll need to charter a cargo plane just for your stuff."

Mom rolled her eyes but then sighed, looking genuinely overwhelmed. I knew her too well. This wasn't just about shopping something was on her mind.

I took her hands gently. "Listen, Mom, why don't we go pick up my big suitcase from my apartment? It'll give you a chance to see where I live, and on the way back, we can do more shopping," I added with a wink.

Her expression softened. "You're such a sweetheart," she murmured before cupping my face and planting a warm kiss on my forehead. "My baby girl is all grown up."

Yeah, yeah. Emotional moment. Cue the sentimental music. But in all honesty, hearing that from Mom made my heart swell.

She went to freshen up while I hurried to my room to change. Slipping into my thick coat and mittens, I headed downstairs, where Dad was sipping scotch like a king on his throne, and Shawn was lazily flipping through TV channels.

"They have so many channels subscribed," Shawn bragged, his earlier shopping trauma seemingly forgotten.

Mom arrived just in time, looking refreshed and ready for round two of shopping.

"Let's go," I announced.

"Where are we going today, Tina?" Dad asked, his deep voice rumbling like thunder.

"We're meeting Veronica for lunch, then hitting another mall, and finally stopping by my apartment," I said.

"Shopping again?" Shawn whined.

Mom turned to him with a deadly glare. "Look, boy, you're not going to piss me off today. Stay back if you want."

I sighed. Here we go again their never ending love hate sibling dynamic. They bickered like a married couple but would fight the whole world for each other.

"The Uber is outside," I interjected, desperate to prevent another round of verbal sparring. "Can we please go now?"

Miraculously, everyone complied.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the plaza where we were meeting Veronica.

"This building looks so fancy," Dad muttered, taking in the high ceilings and shimmering glass exterior.

We stepped inside a lavish restaurant where Veronica was already waiting. She waved excitedly, and I led my family to her table. After introductions, we settled in as the waiter handed us menus.

"So, how's your holiday going?" Veronica asked, smiling warmly.

Mom wasted no time. "Oh, it's been lovely! But the people here are… strange. They just walk past without even smiling. Back home, everyone greets each other."

"It's because people here mind their own business honey," Dad replied.

Mom scoffed. "Not in our country. We talk to everyone, even strangers!"

"Yes, we noticed," Shawn muttered under his breath. I elbowed him under the table.

Veronica chuckled. "So, did you visit all the cool places?"

Before Mom could start listing them, I jumped in. "Yeah, they've seen the Christmas lights, visited my university, went to Disneyland, and tried skating."

"And did lots of shopping," Shawn added dryly.

Mom shot him another glare, but this time, Shawn was too busy scrolling through his phone to notice.

Dad cleared his throat. "How's your mother doing, Veronica? I hope she's recovering well."

Veronica's face softened, and she glanced at me before answering. "She's doing better, but still in bed. My family is taking care of her."

Mom reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "She'll be okay, dear. If you need anything, let us know."

Before Veronica's eyes could well up, the food arrived, providing a much-needed distraction.

We ate, chatted, and laughed until Veronica suddenly leaned in close and slipped a small package into my jacket pocket.

"From Joe," she whispered.

The name sent a jolt through my heart. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but inside, I was a giddy mess. Joe. His name alone made my palms sweat.

I wanted to tear the package open right then and there, but Dad was watching me like a hawk. Nope, not risking it.

After saying our goodbyes to Veronica, we headed to the mall for Mom's final shopping spree. Or so I hoped. This time, I silently begged Dad and Shawn to just let her enjoy herself.

Surprisingly, they not only helped her pick things out but also bought a few things for themselves. A Christmas miracle.

"Why don't we go for coffee?" Dad suggested suddenly. "My leg's giving out."

I led them to my second-favorite coffee shop, the one I frequented with my friends. Not Love & Latte. I had to keep some secrets from my family.

Jason, a classmate and part-timer, was at the counter. The moment he saw me, he smiled and automatically started making my usual order.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"Yeah, one black coffee, one white, and one espresso."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "That's not your usual order."

I smirked. "My family's here."

"Ahh, makes sense."

I grabbed the drinks and walked to our table, only to find Shawn smirking at me.

"When did you order these pastries?" I asked, eyeing the plate of treats.

"When you were busy flirting with the hot cashier," he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "We go to the same university, genius. He just knows our usual orders."

Dad, who had been on a call, finally spoke up. "We're going to be swamped with orders when we get back. So, Tina…" He paused. "When are you taking over the business?"

I nearly choked on my latte.

I set my cup down and took a deep breath. "Umm… about that. Can I work here for a while after graduation? There's a big import and export company I'd love to get experience from before I come back home."

Silence.

Dad looked at me as if I had grown two heads.

"But your student visa will expire," Shawn pointed out.

"I know. I'll apply for a work permit after graduation," I explained. "It'll boost my resume."

Dad exhaled, rubbing his temple. "Fine. But only for a year. After that, I'm retiring, and you're coming home."

A wave of relief washed over me. "Thanks, Dad. I love you guys."

Mom, sensing the emotions, clapped her hands together. "Okay, enough sentimentality. Drink your coffee before it gets cold!"

I smiled, feeling warmth spread through me. I had a supportive family, a plan for my future, and a mysterious package from Joe waiting to be opened.

My dream was falling into place.

Now, I just had to figure out my long-distance relationship…

I slipped my hand into my pocket and felt the package.

Later. When I was alone.

Tamara's POV

I was excited, no, beyond excited that Justin was finally coming over for dinner. It was a big night. We had decided to make our relationship official. I was tired of keeping it a secret, of pretending he was just a "close friend" when everyone, especially Mom, knew exactly what that meant.

It was the beginning of the New Year, a fresh start. What better way to embrace it than by introducing Justin as my boyfriend? Tonight, Justin's dad was also joining us, which made it even more nerve wracking. Dad had never met him before, and even though he always trusted my judgment, this felt different, like introducing him to my future.

Since the day Justin asked me to be his girlfriend, everything has changed. In a good way.

BE MINE!

The bold, capitalized letters stared at me from a note attached to my Christmas gift from Justin. My heart did an involuntary somersault. I smiled, my fingers trembling slightly as I lifted the lid of the box.

Chocolates. Perfume. A small jewelry box.

I froze.

Oh. My. God.

Was it a ring? Was he proposing? Right now? Already? My pulse raced as I gingerly picked up the tiny box, my mind spinning with questions. I hadn't even planned what I'd say if he ever asked me to marry him. Would I say yes? Was I even ready?

With a nervous breath, I opened the box.

And then I laughed.

How stupid of me.

Inside was a stunning pair of earrings, twinkling under the soft light. Not a ring. Just earrings.

Relief and amusement washed over me. I was getting ahead of myself. But still, they were beautiful, and the fact that he had picked them out himself made them even more special.

The night I told Justin I loved him, he had been over the moon. We had the most passionate night together, and since then, everything between us has been incredible. I had never felt this loved, this seen.

Growing up, after Dad passed away, all the love I had known was from Mom. Mr. Given, my stepdad, had tried his best to fill that gap, and I had eventually started calling him "Dad" out of respect. But there had always been a small distance, something I couldn't quite bridge. Maybe that's why I had once wanted love and attention from Joe, when all along, it had been Justin who truly understood me.

"Tamara, dear," Dad's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Which drink do you think Justin's dad will like with dinner?"

I turned to see him standing in the kitchen, peering into his liquor cabinet like it held the meaning of life.

I smiled, walking over to him. "Why don't we all have red wine with dinner? Then later, you can open your favorite whiskey, it's freezing outside anyway."

His eyes twinkled with approval. "Good idea."

I touched his arm lightly. "Thanks, Dad. For all of this."

His throat bobbed, and I saw the emotion flicker across his face. "Anything for you, my darling."

Uh-oh. Emotional Dad alert. Any second now, he was going to tear up.

Thankfully, Mom intervened. "Okay, enough of this emotional drama, my drama queens! There's still a lot to do."

I laughed. She was right. We had work to do.

We continued our preparations until the doorbell rang. My heart leaped into my throat.

Showtime.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. And there they were.

Justin and his dad, both looking ridiculously handsome.

Justin held three gift bags, and the moment he stepped in, he handed one to my dad, another to my mom, and then, oh, surprise, kissed me before handing me mine.

Mom beamed. "Oh, you didn't have to bring all these!"

Justin chuckled. "Actually, they're from Dad."

Mom turned to Mr. Miller with genuine appreciation. "Thank you so much, Mr. Miller."

Dad led everyone to the dinner table, and to my surprise, he opened his most prized bottle of wine, one he only shared with people closest to him. My heart warmed. He was welcoming Justin and his dad not just as guests, but as family.

Dinner was filled with laughter and unexpected connections. Turns out, Justin's dad and mine had gone to the same business school. Mr. Miller had even been Dad's senior! They shared old stories, reminiscing like lifelong friends.

Meanwhile, Justin was busy being a menace.

He kept teasing me, using nothing but his eyes and lips. The way he smirked, the way he licked his lips slowly after sipping his wine. It was unfair. I tried to ignore him, but at one point, Dad caught me blushing and, mercifully, chose to pretend he didn't see.

After dinner, Dad and Mr. Miller moved to the lounge while Justin and I helped Mom clean up. To my utter shock, Mom was impressed with Justin. She liked the way he stacked the dishes in the dishwasher. She literally stood there watching him like he was some sort of rare species.

Finally, we joined the dads in the lounge, and before long, Dad subtly suggested that I show Justin around.

I knew what he meant.

Justin followed me up to my room. The second we stepped inside, he shut the door, grabbed my wrist, and pinned me against it.

My breath hitched.

His body caged mine, his heat overwhelming me. His voice was low, teasing. "Permission to kiss?"

I smiled and nodded. He captured my lips gently at first, then deepened the kiss. Heat surged through me. My body pressed closer to his.

And then, suddenly, he stopped.

I frowned. "What happened?"

His eyes softened. "We're not going to do that."

I blinked. "Why? Is everything okay?"

He leaned in, kissing my forehead. "If we're going to have sex, it's going to be perfect and passionate every time. I don't just want to do it because of lust. I want every moment to be special."

My heart melted.

I hugged him tightly, tears prickling in my eyes. How did I get so lucky?

To lighten the moment, he smirked. "Aren't you going to show me your room?"

I chuckled. "You've already seen it."

"Yeah, but this time, it's different."

He walked over to my bedside table and picked up a photo frame. It was a picture of us taken the day I confessed my love for him.

Then his phone buzzed. He checked the message, slid the phone back into his pocket, and sighed. "It's time to go. Dad has a flight tomorrow."

He kissed me once more and grinned. "By the way, those earrings look even better on you than they did on the model wearing them."

I blushed. He noticed.

"And there's another surprise for you," he added, eyes twinkling.

I raised an eyebrow. "What surprise?"

"That's what I said. It's a surprise."

We walked downstairs, where we bid them goodbye. After they left, Mom brought over the gift bags.

Dad unwrapped his. A Rolex. "Whoa."

Mom opened hers. A Louis Vuitton handbag. "Oh my God."

Then it was my turn.

Inside my bag were two boxes. The first held a diamond necklace.

I gasped. "Justin, what the.."

And then I opened the second box.

A note.

Two dolphin pendants one gold, one silver intertwined on a necklace.

And the note?

It had bold, unmistakable words.

MOVE IN WITH ME!

I stared.

Mom and Dad stared.

My stomach flipped.

Justin, what have you done?

________________________________

"The unexpected is life's way of reminding us that adventure begins where certainty ends."