Generation 1 Chapter 7: Amani Vista

“Brock?” I muttered.
“Amani, don’t marry that fool!” Brock instructed.
“Excuse me?” Concord gasped at the insult.
“Don’t marry him!” Brock repeated.
“Why does this concern you, anyways? Aren’t you and Albany dating?” Concord insisted. 

“Amani,” Brock pleaded, brushing off Concord’s commentary, “I’ve loved you ever since we met that one day at the laundry mat. I knew you would be the only one for me. But I was just too afraid to admit it… Too afraid you’d say no… Too afraid I wasn’t good enough…”
“Well you’re too late,” I barked through clenched teeth.
“But Amani-!”

“No Brock, please, just go away. You ruined my engagement…” I confessed, letting the tears roll down my cheeks.
“Amani, I didn’t mean for-!”
“Please. Just go,” I mumbled.
“But-!”
“Go!”

I turned to Concord as Brock trudged away in defeat, “Yes.”
“Huh?” 
“I’ll marry you,” I declared, tears streaming down my face.
Did he really just ruin what was supposed to be one of the most magical moments in my life?

What seemed like in a blink of an eye, the wedding was upon us. Concord hired a professional wedding committee to decorate our side yard into the ideal place for an outdoor ceremony. I must admit, for a guy, he knows his stuff pretty well. Everything looked phenomenal; he supplied every detail I had envisioned, right down to the vanilla frosting on our cake.  

I stood in the bathroom examining my reflection. I really hadn’t done anything all that special for the big day… My hair stayed the same and I refused to wear any makeup. (That stuff could clog your pores, you know!) The only difference, obviously, was my attire, a wedding gown

The guests arrived in a timely manner, and before I knew it, Concord and I were standing under the wedding arch exchanging out vows!

Our first kiss as husband and wife was shared just as the sun was setting…

Eep! How romantic, was that?! 

Guests were awwing and ouuing as the exchange concluded, and I must admit, I think I may have been doing the same thing internally…
All of this just seemed so surreal; I hardly believed that I wasn’t dreaming.

Concord cut the cake surprisingly well. I was a little nervous (of what, I don’t know…) but he managed to serve a delicately proportional slice each time!

“How are you enjoying your cake, Husband?”
“It’s delicious, my wife. And you?”
“It couldn’t be any better,” I smiled, feeding Concord a bite from my plate.

We even had live entertainment! Albany insisted she should play the guitar at the reception to save us some money. I certainly wasn’t complaining… Plus, the guests seemed to enjoy it, dancing the night away like there was no tomorrow.

“I love you Mrs. Vista,” Concord remarked as we lounged on the bed.
“You do?” I teased.
“What of course.”
“Then prove it.”
And so he did.

Generation 1 Chapter 6: Amani Vista

Concord and I have been living together ever since our six month anniversary a few months ago. The two of us get along flawlessly, something I hadn’t initially anticipated. I was surprised by how much our personalities clicked. We had a routine of who’s turn it was to use the easel, cook dinner, clean the bathroom, that sort of thing, which made life a heck lot easier for us.

“Are you ready?” Concord asked chirpily, sitting down next to me as I watched some mindless television.

“For…?” I interrogated, shutting of the TV. 
“A romantic afternoon out with your boyfriend?” he replied suggestively.
My stomach filled with butterflies, “Sure.”

Lunch with Concord was quaint yet romantic. He took me this adorable, little Italian place that I had no idea even existed. I got a delicious plate of chicken parmesan, whereas Concord settled for some pasta covered with melted mozzarella cheese. The only downside to dining with Concord is that he’s an excessively slow eater, meaning I’m usually finished and waiting for at least a half an hour. But I don’t mind, I am with the man of my dreams, after all…

“Do you want kids?” Concord blurted out once he’d completed his meal. “Someday, I mean.”

“Yeah, I’ve always wanted some adorable kiddos to call my own. How about you?”
“Same,” he answered, smiling warmly.

“You know I love you, right?” Concord mumbled, enveloping me in his arms.

“Of course, Silly,” I remarked.
“Good,” he smiled, pulling me into a luscious kiss. 

“You look phenomenal today, Amani,” he complimented.

“Thanks, Sweetie. You look quite handsome yourself.”
“What do you say we head over to the park? For old time sake?” Concord suggested out of the blue.
“I don’t see why not,” I agreed, scooping up his hand in mine. How had I managed to get so lucky? 

“Remember the first time we were here?” he asked, kicking around the dirt as we lounged on the swings.

“Of course I do. You told me about how you used to come here all the time and make memories,” I replied.
“Well, what do you say we make one more?”

“What are you talking-?” Before I could finish my question Concord bent down on one knee, and I instantly skyrocketed out of my seat.  

“Amani Vista, I can’t believe I lucky I am to have you in my life. Would you do the honor of marrying me?”
“Oh, Concord,” I baffled, tears welling in my eyes. 
“Wait!” a voice interrupted. Was that…?

Brock?

Generation 1 Chapter 5: Amani Vista

“Wait! You have a boyfriend? Why am I just finding out about this?!” Albany squealed with excitement. 
“Really Amani, you should’ve told us sooner,” Brock stated coldly before covering it up with a hearty, “We are your best friends, after all.”
“I know, guys. I just wasn’t sure if we were serious or not. But last night, he asked me officially!” It was so difficult for me not to jump up and down while delivering the amazing news.
“That’s great, Amani!” Albany marveled.
“Mhmm,” Brock mumbled, looking around as if the wall was more intriguing. 

“And the best part is, you guys get to meet him!” I exclaimed, beaming.

“What?” Brock’s eyes were practically bugging out of his head.
“When?!” Albany insisted, bouncing up and down with enthusiasm.  
“Ten minutes?” I estimated.  
“Eep! This is going to be great!” Albany and I continued to chat on and on about my new romantic interest, neither of us choosing to acknowledge Brock’s distant state.

Just as I was getting to the details about his gorgeous looks, the doorbell sounded, resulting in me shooting out of my chair at lightning speed.

“Hey Babe,” he greeted me, pressing his lips lightly to mine.
I bit my lip, blushing, “Hi.”
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“Uh, sure,” I answered, risking a quick glance inside to make sure everything was spotless. “But before you come in, I just want to let you know that I’m introducing you to my friends today. Like, right now.”
“Any friend of yours is a friend of mine!” he replied genuinely.  

I silently led him into the living room, and first introduced him to Albany. She smiled approvingly as him and Brock exchanged introductions. She and I stood together as the two talked “guy talk”.

“He is cure!” she murmured.
“Well you already have a boyfriend. Besides, he’s mine,” I teased. 

Later that evening I was searching for Brock and Concord to see if they wanted to stay for dinner. The two had been getting along real well, from what I saw, they had barely stopped talking the entire time. My house was tiny and I was unsure of where they’d run off too, and the only place left to search was my bedroom and the bathroom.

I could only imagine what was going on in there… 
As I approached the bathroom door, I heard shouting from inside. 

“I swear to God, Concord, if you hurt her, I will personally make sure you’re taken care of,” Brock threatened.

“What gives you the impression that I’d hurt her? I love Amani, and she feels the same about me,” Concord defended.
“I don’t care what you say! You look at her like she’s a piece of meat!”
“For your information, both Amani and I have morals. Neither of us would think of doing anything like that until we were married!”
“Morals my ass! I’m watching you! So don’t think of pulling anything funny.”
What had I walked in on…?

Concord and I continued to see each other regularly the next few months, and I’m pleased to say Brock’s threats had zero impact on our relationship. Whether it was just spending the evening at home or heading out to a romantic restaurant, Concord managed to surprise me each time with how much fun we had together.

Not everything was perfect though. I still couldn’t treat Brock with the same level of respect I had before I overheard him in the bathroom that night…
Was that how he always acted when he wasn’t around me or Albany?

Life was actually pretty normal for once. I was in a positive relationship, had a few really close friends, and my O.C.D. seemed to bother no one but my subconscious.

Then things took a turn for the interesting…
I was walking out of work a little later than usual due to a printer and toner issue, and I came across Concord and Albany talking in hushed whispers.
“Are you sure?” Concord asked.
I hid behind a nearby wall as I listened to the tail end of their conversation.

“Concord, she’s going to love it! There’s no reason she wouldn’t!” Albany declared.

“I suppose you’re right…” Concord agreed. I stepped out from around the corner, giving the illusion like I had just walked out of the building.
“Amani!” Albany greeted cheerily.
“Yeah, hey!” Concord immediately followed.
Sheesh, what was up with them?

Generation 1 Chapter 4: Amani Vista

“Um, Albany? You made at least ten errors in these accounting plans,” I examined, shuffling through the papers as I entered her cubicle. I glanced upward to see her staring contently at her day planner. “Albany?”

“Tonight was supposed to be our first date…” she frowned.   
“Oh, Sweetie,” I cooed, setting down the papers. “It’ll be okay. I promise. What do you say we spend the night together?  Head out to a bar or something?”
She sighed, “Okay, I guess.”
So the two of us slipped out of work early, eager for a night of fun.

“I’m serious!” Albany giggled. “Who wears sandals to an executive meeting?!” I laughed at my friend as she downed yet another glass of wine while continuing to dis everyone in our office building. “And don’t even get me started on Tim!”

“Okay, what do you say we play some foosball before you get heavily intoxicated?” I suggested.
“Fine,” she agreed, reluctantly leaving the bar.

“Goal!” I cheered, spinning around and doing a little dance.

“Oh come on! I was totally not paying attention, that does not count!” Albany protested. I stuck out my tongue in response and continued with my dance.
“Actually, I’m afraid it does,” a familiar voice interrupted flirtatiously.  

“Not now, Brock. Please,” I begged, inching closer to Albany.

“I thought we had a date tonight, Albany. You didn’t answer me when I called…” Brock explained.
“Maybe because you lied to me?!” Albany practically shouted.
“What? What do you mean?” Brock inquired, confusion in his voice. 

“Amani told me what you said to her!” I instantly felt my cheeks redden; I had betrayed one friend to assist another. “She told me how you don’t really like me. How she tried to convince you to ask me out, but you refused.”

“Oh,” Brock remarked. “That. Well I didn’t think of you that way when I was talking to Amani. But the more I thought about it, I realized I really do care about you in that sense. I like you Albany. A lot.” 

“Really?” Albany smiled.

“Really.”
I didn’t believe his excuse for a minute, but as long as Albany was happy with the end result, I guess that’s all that matters. Besides, my position in this whole fiasco couldn’t be any more awkward, so I excused myself before slipping out the door. “Well I’ll just let you two be alone.”

Concord and I were progressing quite nicely in our relationship; we’d try to get together at least two to three times a week. He was such a sweet guy. These past few weeks with him have been phenomenal, he makes me feel so… special.

Tonight he was taking me out to the park for a quiet date, so I wasn’t dressing too fancy or anything. I loved how he could make me feel like a teenager again, like if I didn’t look perfect it would be the end of the world. Even though I felt that way all of the time already… 
I practically sprinted to the front door when the doorbell chimed.  

“Concord!” I marveled, a huge grin developing on my face. “Don’t you look handsome tonight.”

“Why thank you. You look stunning, as always, Amani,” he responded. I blushed in return. “Shall we?” He scooped up my hand and shut the door behind me, leading me to his car.  

“I don’t really have anything planned, I hope you don’t mind,” he admitted as we entered the neatly kept park.

“Not at all! We can just talk, or whatever it is you want to do.”  
“Sounds good to me,” he agreed, motioning for me to follow him towards a swing set. 

“It’s so peaceful here,” I shared.

“I came here all the time when I was a kid.” 
“That must’ve been fun,” I smiled, wiping some dirt off of my jeans.
“It doesn’t compare to the time I’m having here with you.” Aww!
We sat in silence for a few more moments before he suggested, “Why don’t we go for a walk?”
“Lead the way!”

“I’m so happy I met you, Amani.”

“I’m happy I met you, too.”
“I just don’t know how to show how much you mean to me.”
“What you’re doing is fine. Taking me on these quaint, romantic dates, treating me like a queen, if you-!”

Out of nowhere, he kissed me. He simply leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I was caught off guard, but that certainly didn’t prevent me from kissing him back. 

“Amani,” he gasped as we broke apart. “Will you be my girlfriend?” He finally said the words I’ve been longing to hear!

“Oh, Concord! Yes!”

Generation 1 Chapter 3: Amani Vista

I laid in bed that night contemplating what I should do. Should I tell Albany what Brock said about her? That’s what good friends do, right? Or should I keep it secret? After all, she was drunk; she could’ve just been making things up out of the blue.  

After a few hours of bickering between me, myself and I, we concluded the best move would be to keep it on the down low. Right now I need to focus on my career; I don’t need the drama of my friends’ lives keeping me off task.

Ever since my promotion, work’s been really hectic lately. I’m tackling jobs that don’t even fit my job description because we’re so understaffed. I’ve been heading in early, coming home late, and finishing up the day’s work on my computer at home. Life’s been a little stressful, and I can’t wait until this little bump in the road passes.

Unfortunately, since I’ve been so busy with work, my house has become a pigsty. My bed’s only been made once this week, the counters haven’t even been scrubbed, and I don’t even know when the last time I polished the toilet was!
So I broke down and did the inevitable: I listened to my subconscious and agreed to hire a maid.

“Maria’s Maid Service, Maria speaking, how may I be of assistance?” a chirpy voice inquired.
“Hi, I’m Amani Vista. I’m looking for a full time maid. I was wondering if you had any staff that would be interested?”  
“Ms. Vista, I’ll need you to define ‘full time maid’ for me, please.”
“Daily.”
 “Let me check and see if we have some space in our schedule for you.”
“Thank you.”

“Does gender matter, Ms. Vista?”

“Not particularly, why?”
“I have a few maids who will be able to do it; I’m just not sure which one will want to accept the job.”
“I don’t mind who it is really.”
“In that case, I’ll send them out tomorrow afternoon between three and four. Make sure you’re home so you can tell them exactly how you want things done. They’ll also provide you with an estimated weekly fee. Thank you for choosing Maria’s Maid Service, have a great day.”
“You too.”

Albany let me come home from work a little earlier the following afternoon, and I was preoccupied doing some accounting when the doorbell rang. 

“Come in!” I hollered, continuing with my work. I made out the faint noise of the door opening then clicking in place as it shut. Echoes filled the room as the person walked up behind me, evidently wearing high heels.
“You forgot to carry a one,” a masculine voice reviewed. “Right there.” 
I followed his pointer finger, only to discover I did indeed make an error. “Oh, thank you.” 

I craned my neck around to see a nicely built man in a maid uniform hovering above me. Promptly, I stood up and extended my hand. “Amani Vista, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“I’m Concord Statera. I’ll be your maid for as long as you need me.” His smile was gorgeous, and his voice sent butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I ducked away shyly to attain the hand sanitizer while I hesitantly began explaining the things I wanted done around the house.

“Miss Amani, your house is already sparkling,” he commented, while examining the bathroom. “I don’t see much I can do. The place seems as spiffy as can be!”

“That would be the result of O.C.D. Mr. Concord,” I stated, somewhat amused.
“Ah, I see.”   

“You have a gorgeous place, though. It’s almost as gorgeous as you…” he shared, looking away bashfully.

Was he… flirting? With me?
“Really?” I teased. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
It went on like that until the end of his shift. Nothing too serious, just some shameless flirting in between conversing about dust bunnies and germs.
But can you blame me? He’s so cute!

“Eeeeeeeeeeppppp!” Albany squealed when I answered my cell.

“Albany?!” I giggled. What was up with her?
“You’ll never guess who I asked out!”
“Who?”
“Brock! And he totally said yes! He said he felt the same way about me this whole time; he just didn’t know how to ask me!”
“W-wow.”
“I know!”

Crap. If only she knew the half of it! “Um, Albany? There’s something you should know…”

“Well, what is it, Amani? You’re sort of killing my mood here!”

“Can you come over?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“See you.”  

“Well?” Albany insisted when we finally sat down.

“Brock doesn’t like you.”
“What? Of course he does, Silly. He said yes when I asked him out.”
“Well remember when you were drunk the other night?” Albany nodded in confirmation. “You told me that you thought he was cute, so I called him up that night. I tried to convince him to ask you out, but he said he never thought of you like that. I kept saying he should give you a shot, but he got all defensive.”
“You mean? He doesn’t actually like me?” Her eyes grew wide and she looked at me with a confused, pleading look. I simply nodded.