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At the swoosh, Glamma spins to face us, her pointer finger ready to dish theoretical and emotional damage to anyone who gets on her bad side. “Kenya! You got here quick. Let’s go.”
I nod and wait for her to advance toward the door.
“Not so fast, Nyxie.” Pedro’s voice is hard like marble and just as cold to the ear.
“Nyxie?” I mouth to Glamma.
She glares at me and Pedro.
From what I recall none of Glamma’s husbands or boy toys built up the nerve to give her a cutesy nickname that stuck. When the name isn’t glamorous, Onyx rejects everything, the name and the person, until the offender stops using the name.
The way Nyxie slides off Pedro’s tongue is not new. From his bearing, he is comfortable calling Onyx by the name. The tension in the room doesn’t seem like it’s due to Glamma spurning him over a name.
“I have two things to say and something to show you before I’ll let you walk out of my door.” Pedro stares her down until her body relaxes and she plops onto a chair.
“Fine, speak.”
“Maybe I should wait outside,” I suggest, silently beseeching Pedro to save me.
“No, you being here is good.” Pedro spares me a glance before lasering in on Onyx. “You’ll be a necessary witness. And depending on Onyx’s reaction, your memory of tonight’s events will help you console her or celebrate with her.”
“Okay,” I meekly respond and head to the furthest corner to make myself invisible. “So awkward,” I mutter.
“Well, Pedro?” Onyx challenges.
For the next two minutes, they engage in a staring contest. Tension fills the room, nearly choking me. All I want is to go home and watch more anime, but a granddaughter’s duties supersede comfort television.
Pedro is inscrutable, yet I sense under his stiff posture, he is vulnerable and maybe a little hurt by my glamma’s behavior. Onyx emits hostile vibes that should warn Pedro it’s time to throw in the towel on whatever is going on between them.
“Two weeks ago, I had a vasectomy.” Pedro launches a grenade that snaps Onyx’s mouth closed and has me covering my mouth to hide my gasp.
“W-wh-why would you do that?” Onyx jumps from her seat. Anger, disbelief, and guilt take their time flitting her face.
“Why wouldn’t I? No matter how often I told you that I didn’t want children, you refused to listen to me. You keep pushing some bullshit dream on me that isn’t mine. And I won’t let you use some imaginary family as a reason for you to end our relationship.”
“But you’ll regret—”
“Don’t tell me what I’ll regret. I may be younger than you but I’m not a child. I know my mind, and for better or for worse, my mind is set on you.”
“Oh, Pedro,” Onyx laments. “This thing between us is supposed to be temporary.”
His lips firm. “Do you not see me as a man? Am I not worthy of your respect?”
“Wha—of course I do, and you are.”
“Don’t mind me,” I mumble beneath their hearing. “I’m just the forced third wheel wishing I was anywhere but here.”
“Then what are you afraid of? The next guy can’t give you what I will.” Pedro shoves his hand into his pocket and extracts a jewelry box. “The next guy won’t spend every waking moment obsessing over your happiness the way I do. He won’t feel empty when he doesn’t hear your voice or see your face because his job requires him to work long hours or travel away from you the way I do. He—”
“Enough, Pedro!” Onyx clutches at her chest.
“No, Nyxie, the world isn’t enough when it comes to making you happy. I want my eternity to be by your side, and I know you’re tired of searching for the one person who will be there for you no matter what you’re going through. You’ve found him. Now, you just have to be brave enough to accept me.” Pedro opens the box. “Will you marry me?”
Even from across the room, the size of the center diamond blinds me.
“Pedro…” Onyx whispers.
“Don’t answer yet. Let me show you what I’ve been planning for over a month.” He glances in my direction and hesitates. “Since you’re here, you might enjoy this, too.”
