Chapter Twenty Eight: Acquisition and Mergers

Tamera's Hospital Room

Tam's family, Ana, Christian, and Phoebe had was loaded into Tamera's room. She was sound asleep while everyone talked amongst themselves. Momma Margaret had come back to town and everyone was waiting for Tam to wake up again. She shifted in her sleep and tried to rest on her left side the dull pain was enough to wake her up. As she awakened she was disoriented again. She hadn't realized that she'd gone to sleep. The last thing she'd remembered Teddy's head was in her lap and she was listening to him snore. She rubbed her eyes before trying to shift herself into a sitting position. Imani was quick to her daughter's side and assisted her and fixed her pillows.

"You okay baby?" Tam nodded and looked around the room at the other people talking.

"I can't believe you all stayed. It was minor surgery you really didn't have to make such a fuss," she cleared her throat.

"Tam I don't think you realize how badly you scared the shit out of everyone!" Pheebs said bluntly and Ana nudged her. "I'm sorry for the language but I don't about anyone else but I was scared shitless!" Phoebe got up and hugged Tam. "You like a freaking sister to me man and I watched them roll you into the OR all knocked out. Don't let this happen again!"

"I will try not to," Tam muttered patted her back awkwardly. Ana looked on as she felt the same concern her daughter did. She knew that after everything the two had been through it was odd that she was one of the ones that had shed the most tears. She knew that part of it was bound to be guilt.

"I'm just mad that I was one of the last to find out!" Margaret glared at her son.

"I said I was sorry momma everything happened so fast and I was pretty shaken up." He looked at his daughter and Tam gave him a little smile.

"I'm sorry I worried all of you," Tam said while still holding on to Phoebe. "Pheebs you're on my side can you like scoot a little." Tam was trying not to be centered on one person but she did noticed that her boyfriend was not in the room. She looked at her cousin who had barely said two words to her. She knew that Gina didn't like hospitals they gave her the creeps.

"Gina," Tam reached her left hand out and motioned for her cousin to come closer when she noticed a huge diamond on a very important finger.

"What the hell?" Tam said and everyone noticed the surprised look on her face.

"Wow, that's nice!" Phoebe pulled away from her long enough to gawk at the ring. "How many carats do you think that is?" Gina and Phoebe held Tam's hand prisoner as they examined it. Imani and Ana made their way over to view it too.

"It looks like its three or four carats," Imani guessed. "Who gave you this baby?" Tam simply shrugged her shoulders. She figured it was from Teddy but since he wasn't there to confirm or deny anything she was clueless.

"The ring is five carats," Christian mumbled as he looked up from his phone.

"Is that the ring? I thought he said he was waiting until November?" Ana asked her husband and he just shrugged.

"He asked me if he could do it earlier and I told him yes last night," Isaac smirked. "Do you like the ring baby? It was hell picking it out!" Isaac stayed seated because Tam had a female force field around her at the moment.

"Yeah tell me about it," Christian muttered. "He practically had the thing created for you."

"You … and you … I … he … where's Teddy?" Tam was all sorts of confused.

"I was just about to call him?" Christian said before walking out of the room. It only took Teddy a few minutes to get to Tam's room. He'd been harassing the doctors with all sorts of questions and getting some legal matters straight. He entered the room and everyone looked at him expectantly. He paused and looked at everyone and then to Tam.

"How you feeling?" He asked before kissing her on the head.

"Okay … and hella confused," she stated honestly. She held up her hand and he smirked.

"Do you like it? It looks perfect on you." Teddy took her hand and kissed it.

"What is it?"

"You're a bright girl Tammy you know what it is," he chuckled. "It's an investment on my part really. A legal matter that I needed resolved."

"Okay," Tam scoffed and rolled her eyes. She went to take it off and he stopped her.

"What are you doing Tam?"

"I'm taking this thing off! Teddy … if this is an engagement ring, then you need to ask me! I'm not a piece of property to acquire." Tam huffed and then handed Teddy the ring with a little smirk on her face. "Besides, being asked is kinda the best part." Teddy rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You drive me crazy you know that. Fine you want a proposal … it's more of a demand, maybe not a demand, but it's something I need you to say yes to Tam. This whole thing made me realize connected I am to you. I was planning to ask you in November on your birthday. I love you Tam you know that. It killed me when I couldn't ride with you to the hospital and when they were going to kick me out because I'm not related to you. I don't want to have to go through that again. You're family to me Tamera Black you're my entire world. You're the sun and I simply revolve around you. So will you put this ring back on and be my wife?" Tam took the ring from Teddy and slid it on her finger and kiss him.

"Yeah, now that's more like it," she kissed him passionately and Gina and Phoebe started to cheer which broke them out of their moment. This wasn't exactly how Tam envisioned being proposed to, but with everybody here this felt pretty perfect to her.


Author's Note: First update of the New Year!