Part 34

Friday, February 19th, 2021

After landing on top of Crystal Tower Hotel, Ryan and Marcus checked into her personal suite. Ryan would join the others when they got there.

"So, can I now ask why you wanted to come with us?" Marcus asked. "I gather there's something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Ryan nodded, nervous and unsure. "It's about Johnny…" He bit his lip. "I know it's only been six months but… I love him. I love him so much and I want to ask for your blessing to ask for his hand."

The gorilla gave him a mock-glare. "Do you promise that you will never hurt him in any way and protect him from any outside threats? Do you promise that you will love him no matter what and you're not going to wake up in ten, twenty years and decide you no longer love him?"

The tiger nodded. "I would die before I hurt him. I would die for him if I had to. And I could never love anyone like I love him. I promise, I will love him until the day I die and even after."

Marcus nodded and smiled. "Of course you have my blessing! Welcome to the family, son!" He hugged the tiger.

"Assuming he says yes. I hope he will," Ryan admitted to his anxiety. "I have to find the perfect ring now. How long until they get here?"

"They'll get here before noon tomorrow. They're leaving tonight," Marcus reminded him of the travel plans.

"Great. I'm going ring shopping," Ryan announced.

"Be careful not to go flashing it around at the jewelry store and don't make it obvious that you've made any kind of purchase," Marcus warned him. "Would you like me to come with you?"

Ryan shrugged. "Sure." Big Daddy had proven himself to be possibly one of the most supportive parents he'd ever known. Klaus was supportive, of course, but not about Johnny. He just needed to grab the bull by the horns and do it, make Johnny his husband and shout it from the rooftops. Or… an even better idea came to mind.

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Suki rushed through her meeting with the board. It was just a formality at this point. She ran from the office to the small tv studio where Linda was just wrapping up her show.

"Oh? Hey everyone! What a surprise before the end. Come out here Suki!" Linda beckoned her bestie.

Suki shook her head. "No, no, I couldn't."

"Oh get out here!" The mare insisted and Suki came on stage. The two ladies shared a friendly hug before sitting. "So, it's great to see you looking great as always. How are you?"

Suki nodded. "I'm doing great, Linda. It's always great to see you. So, we're just over a day away. Out of this World Kaiteiban will premiere Sunday night at 6pm. There have been a few changes. That's why they took so long after recovering. They wanted to do some revisions and make the show even better. And I'm pleased to announce that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to mental health awareness and programs and to cancer research in the name of the New Moon Troupe and Crystal Entertainment Incorporated. Since the paper charges by the letter they just decided to do an umbrella name." The crowd laughed and applauded at the promised donations. "There will also be booths with pamphlets on the subjects and how you can be part of the solution."

Linda smiled. "That is very sweet. Of course, Crystal was always well known for his philanthropy."

The young saluki nodded. "Yes, he was. And I understand Mr. Moon was as well. He is very deeply missed."

"Well, that about wraps us up. We're already twenty minutes over. Sorry!" She laughed. "Good night everybody!" She waved as the director called for "cut." "Oh I'm so happy to see you! Come on, let's go get coffee."

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Thankfully, the hotel boasted a jewelry store since they also had a wedding chapel. Ryan looked at the many rings while Marcus watched surreptitiously, looking at the rings nearest him. He saw one and smiled.

A female panther salesman approached him. "May I help you, sir?" She asked him.

Ryan nodded. "Yes, I'm looking for an engagement ring for my boyfriend. He's a gorilla."

She held up her hand. "Oh! Then you want to look at our Primate's collection of gold or silver bands."

He nodded. "Do you have any with a tiger's eye?"

She shook her head. "We don't have anything in stock but we can make almost anything with twenty-four hour notice." She handed him a form.

Ryan smiled. "Perfect." He filled out the form, taking each question into consideration.

Keeping Ryan in the corner of his eye, Marcus looked at a ring on the top shelf of the jewelry case. A salesman came his way. "May I assist you?"

Marcus shook his head. "I'm just here to keep an eye on my soon-to-be son-in-law." He explained.

The salesman chuckled. "And yet, you have your eye on our Oval Lab Created White Sapphire Ring in 10K White Gold." He reached into the back of the case and pulled it out. "Specially priced."

Marcus scratched his chin. He smiled. Maybe he was jumping the gun but he didn't need to ask right away. He could wait until they were both sure. He knew he was but she deserved the chance to back out.

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For a party bus, it wasn't seeing a whole lot of party. On the last trip to Redshore, they had used the 9 hours to throw Meena one last big bash as a single elephant but that was different.

Everyone slept most of the way, wrapped in the arms of their loved ones. Ash had even invited Lance and his kids for the fun.

Porsha opened her eyes in the middle of the trip and looked around. The bus was darker than she remembered and she didn't see any of her friends. "Where is everybody?"

"They're asleep, same as you," a gravelly voice made her lip wobble and she turned to see a white wolf sitting in the last seat towards the back of the bus.

"Daddy!" She threw herself at him, hugging him and sobbing. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I'm so sorry!"

The wolf held her, patting her back as he did when she was little and had a nightmare. "It's for me to apologize, Porsha. I'm sorry for what I said earlier that day. More importantly, I'm sorry for everything that happened after. I was so self-absorbed and concerned with looking good or bad that… I missed the most important thing in my life. And I am so, so sorry for that."

She wept. "But it was my fault. I didn't tell you the truth. He didn't fire me… I misunderstood."

"I know that now, but it's not your fault. Even if he had fired you, I was in the wrong," he pet her head. "You are not to blame yourself any longer. It was not your fault. It was mine. I let my grief for your mother change me and I was not a very good father to you. I let money and gifts be a substitute for real love and I'm sorry."

Porsha just rest her head against his broad chest. "Daddy, everyone says you abused me and mistreated me and you did spoil me but I never felt abused or mistreated. I always knew you loved me. So I wish everyone would stop saying that."

"Baby, they're right. I did abuse you, I did mistreat you. It doesn't matter that you didn't feel like it but I did and I'm sorry for it," he rubbed her shoulders. "You're right that I do love you but that's where it gets complicated. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you're not capable of hurting them or abusing them. And I hurt you even if I didn't mean to." He kissed her forehead.

She wept. "I wish I'd gotten to see you before… I know Big Daddy… Mr. Green…"

He nodded. "If you want to call him Daddy now, I understand. He's been good to you. There is something you should know." He sighed. "The choice to jump was mine. Suki had already made it clear that you would suffer if I was punished the legal way. They would have taken all I had to keep me from buying my way out. You would have been left with nothing and possibly out on the streets. That's not the life I want for you. I want you to have a good life. One that is fulfilling beyond money and power. All of it. The money, the power, the luxuries are all worthless. Love is real wealth. I'm sorry I didn't appreciate all that I had."

"It's okay, Daddy. Everyone talks about Mr. Moon. They all miss him so much. They… they hate you for it. But I don't," she reassured him. "I was angry and I miss him too but I forgive you."

"That's good, I wouldn't want you to hate your dad on my account." She sat up and turned to see Buster beside her. "I don't want anyone to hate him. I don't."

Porsha picked him up and hugged him. "Mr. Moon! I'm sorry for everything."

He shook his head. "No more sorries, please. I don't blame you. I don't even blame Mr. Crystal here. It was simply my time. Our time."

She nodded sadly. "What about Mom?" She asked her father.

"She's doing well. She was understandably pissed at me. I spent the first week on the couch," Crystal explained.

Buster nodded. "I got an earful about honesty from my mother and father."

Porsha smiled. "Then you're… friends now?"

"We get together every Tuesday for a game of Cinch," the wolf admitted. "Your mother and his mother are good friends."

She hugged him and Buster as best as she could. "Oh, Mr. Moon, did you hear about Meena?"

He laughed. "Sure did. It's incredible. Now I'm going to let you have time with your dad. See ya round kiddo." He vanished and she felt her chest ache.

"It's not fair, Daddy. I miss you so much. I miss Mr. Moon… Jerry misses you something awful… Aunt Suki misses you," her tears renewed and she cried into him. "I don't want to do this show. I don't want the company. I want you!"

He nodded. "I miss you too, baby. I know what I said in my note but if you don't want to take over the company, I understand. I want you to be happy." He sighed. "As for the show, I hope you'll do it. I pretty well missed it last time. You have a beautiful voice. I'm sorry I couldn't fully enjoy it then. Now, tell me about your new life. I know you have a new school."

"Yeah, I love it! I don't have to be the rich princess who has to buy her friends," she said. "I made the cheerleading squad and Dance Team with my new little sister, Nooshy. There's this German shepherd in my home room and he's so cute."

Crystal's head tilted. "Boys… honey, stay away from the boys while you're in school. They only want one thing. You're there to learn, not to fill up your dance card." He hugged her again. "It's almost dawn, you'll be arriving soon. It's time for me to go. I love you, baby girl. You'll always be my baby, no matter what."

Porsha hugged him back. "Thank you for coming to see me, Daddy. I miss you so much. Tell Mom I love her."

"I will. I'm always with you, I'm always watching over you even if you can't see me." With a last kiss on her forehead, she opened her eyes and saw the bus was lighter now. A line of sunlight was just peaking over the horizon. The others were waking up too. She wondered why they hadn't been in her dream but figured that was just the dreamworld.

A tissue appeared under her nose and she realized she was crying. "Thanks Johnny. Just had another dream about my dad…" She wiped her eyes. She wouldn't tell them she thought it might have been real. Seriously, who believes that dreams could be real? They'd lock her in a looney bin.

Johnny hugged his sister. "I still have dreams too. I don't think the pain ever really goes away. You just learn how to cope." He rubbed her shoulders in an attempt at giving comfort. His dad, Ryan and Suki had gone ahead of them via helicopter to make sure everything was ready.

"Hey, Johnny, did Ryan say why he rode with Big Daddy?" Nooshy asked curiously.

Johnny shrugged. "Just that he wanted to help and he wanted to talk to my dad about something. I don't know." The rest of the bus just chuckled quietly to themselves at some private joke that he didn't understand. He shrugged. "Hey Meena, how are you holding up?"

Meena sat on the back bench curled in Alphonso's arms with a bucket beside her. "I'm doing my best. Oh good gosh how long does morning sickness last?"

Sitara came over to her daughter and helped Alphonso rub her back. "At least the first seven months. I'm sure the bus ride isn't helping."

Alphonso shook his head. "We're almost there. I can see the towers of Redshore. Then you can rest in the hotel bed." He reassured her. "Tyler said they're having a good first day back at Crystal Plaza." He tried to cheer her up.

"That's good, Alphie. Ughhh," she leaned over and got sick. She swished with a little mouthwash and spit it into the bucket before her mother picked it up and took it to the bathroom. "I'm just going to try and sleep the rest of the way. Hopefully I'll feel better." But she didn't hold out hope.

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After coffee with Linda, Suki returned to her suite. Marcus was reading the paper. "Where's Ryan?"

"Oh, he went to book the other honeymoon suite. I know you're giving one to Meena and Alphonso. He's doing it," he chuckled.

Suki smiled and sat down beside him. "That's wonderful. I wonder what he'll say. Did he say how he wanted to propose?" She loved proposals.

Marcus bit his lip. "He didn't but I didn't ask. It's personal… but… Suki… I…" Suddenly, he was shy. He wanted to ask. He wanted to know. But what if she said "no?" No, he needed to be sure it was the right time. So he just smiled. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you." He put his arm around her. Besides, he should talk to his son. Could he accept Suki as a stepmother? "I love you…" he whispered just loud enough for her to hear and she sighed in contentment. She had yet to say it back but he was determined to be as patient as she needed him to be.

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AN: Alright, I have an early day and need to sleep. I have a brilliant idea for the proposal scene. And I could see Marcus and Suki just marrying at the Hotel Chapel. I don't see Suki being interested in anything fancier.