Behind The Church

XXVI

Christina

"Mommy's calling guys, be quite!" I tell the kids.

"Hey, you. What's up?" I answer.

"Where are you? I didn't see you leave."

"I've just taken the girls to run some errands. We'll be back in a few." I tell her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" she asks, I can hear the offense in her voice.

"Oh, sorry, babe. I'll make sure I don't forget next time."

"Okay. Say hi to the girls for me-"

"Hi, Mommy!" Ruth and Zoey interrupt.

"Hey, kids. You be good for your Mama. Okay?"

"Okay! Bye, Mommy!"

And with that I hang up the phone.

"I can't wait, Mama! She's gonna have the best birthday ever!" Ruth grits excitedly.

"Maybe not the best since we're in quarantine, but we'll definitely do our best to make sure she has a good birthday. Do you have your masks?" I ask, pulling up to the store.

"Yes, Mama!" they reply, attaching their masks to their faces.

I put my own mask on and we head inside the store.

It's Kate's birthday tomorrow, twenty-eighth of May, she turns eighteen. I plan on making the day as fun as possible. Even though we're stuck inside.

Kate is very simple, low maintenance. She likes the little things.

She loves baking with us. So, instead of buying her a cake, we're gonna make it and decorated it, together.

Kate loves watching movies. We're gonna have a movie marathon of all her favourite movies.

She loves to play the guitar and write songs, so that will be in tomorrow's plans. Writing and recording.

Kate adores the jacuzzi we have outside. We can spen the late evening together and just cuddle.

And last but not least, Kate wants a proposal.

She hasn't told me directly but I see it in her eyes and the way she talks about marriage and our future. It's something she wants and I will be stopping by at the jewellery store to pick up a nice ring for her.

"Oooh, Mama. Let's make a chocolate cake!" Ruth tells me.

"Yeah, get the stuff." I shrug.

I watch as Ruth and Zoey place things into the trolly and talk amongst themselves. I wanted them to have a choice in what goes down. They're also gonna buy Kate some jewellery and other gifts. But all in good time.

Zoey take a hold on the front of the cart and leads me to the stuffed animal section.

"This one, Mama." she points at a teddy which is a golden labrador.

"Put it in the trolly, then." I tell her.

"Mama! I found this mug." Ruth exclaims as she holds up the cup she has just found. My eyes go wide as I read the rainbow text.

VAGITARIAN

meaning: massive lesbian.

Someone found the pride aisle. I giggle and put it in the trolly. She'll enjoy that.

Leave that store with all the thoughtful presents and the decorations and the cake stuff and head to the clothes store that Kate likes.

We pick out some shirts, pants and accessories she will like.

"Oh, Mama! Mommy will like this." Zoey gasped as she held a Queen shirt in Kate's size.

"Yes, she will."

"Mama! You're on this tshirt!" I hear Ruth squeal.

I made my way over to her and sure enough, there's a short with the band on. And beneath that shirt, there's ones with each member of the band, on their own. I get all of them because I want to wear Kate's shirt and made sure that each member had the band tshirt. They used the photos from what we call the 'shadow photoshoot'. The right side of our faces are in total darkness and we all pull a straight face. Kate's one is my personal favourite.

"Mama! Look at this one!" Ruth shouted from the end of this aisle, she's looking at a hoodie with Kate and I posing like the Men In Black.

"It's Mommy and Mama! Can we get them. For me and Zoey, please?"

"But you'll grow out of it." I pout. I only say that because I know they'll love these hoodies and will cry. A lot.

"Get them in your size and then we'll grow into them!"

I do some thinking. What if I get them in just a few sizes too big and then get two others that are my size. They'll be able to have the hoodies now and in years to come. I get the sizes needed and we decided that we were done in Hot Topic.

"Ring shopping!" Ruth cheers from her back seat.

"Mama? When are you going to propose to Mom?" Zoey questions.

"At some point tomorrow."

"That's so soon!" she smiles.

"I know. I'm so excited."

Zoey starts to squeal and stim in her seat. I chuckle and continue the journey to the jewellers.

"Alright, I'm gonna need your help to pick out the perfect ring for Mom, okay?" I request.

"Yeah!" they both cheer.

We make our merry way into the building and like everywhere else, it's disturbingly quiet. Normally you have all the rich folk bustling around here but there's little to none of that.

Zoey finds the engagement ring section and we start browsing through the rings.

"Mama, what about this one?" Ruth points to a silver ring with a small, circular diamond in the middle. I grimace, it seems too simple and common.

"Maybe not that one, kiddo. Keep looking."

"Mama, this one?" Zoey points to a white diamond ring, the diamond is too big and would hide the future wedding band.

"It's too big." I shake my head.

But then, we all simultaneously gasp.

"That one." we all state at the same time.

We get it in Kate's size, look for other jewellery she will like, pay for it all and go back home.

Once we get, I give the stuff to the girls to hide in their room, since Kate very rarely goes in there. I set myself on the sofa, sighing and noticing how quiet the house is.

I pull out my phone and text Kate;

I'm home

Seconds later, our bedroom door opens and Kate emerges with a smile on her face.

"Hey." she grins.

"Hi. Come here." I open my arms to the woman.

She sits on my lap and we just stay there, in each other's embrace and enjoying the comfortable silence and the occasional kisses.