Page 117 of Truly, Madly, Deeply

She scoffed, or tried to, but all that came out was another weak sob that had her pressing the heels of her hands harder against her leaking eyes.

What a silly question.

This was everything she’d wanted and exactly what she’d been too terrified to let herself hope for these last few weeks. Worried that, like a birthday wish spoken, it might not come true. That if she so much as breathed wrong, this fragile little flame might snuff out.

“Of course I’m happy,” she said, once she could open her mouth without blubbering. “I’m...” She grappled for the right words to do her elation justice. “This is The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened.”

Sondheim was good for something after all.

Dad passed her a tissue, which she quickly used to blot her tears and blow her nose.

“I really am So Happy.”

She couldn’t wait to tell Colin.

Mom looked at Dad, all soft eyes and warm smile, and said, “A Love Like Ours is worth fighting for.”

“We should celebrate. With champagne or something.”

“One step ahead of you, kiddo.” Dad ducked out of the room, returning a moment later with a chilled bottle of brut that he popped open right in the doorway, spilling champagne all over the hardwood. “Bang!”

Mom shrieked with laughter. “Stanley! You’re making a mess.”

Dad smiled, downright roguish. “Didn’t complain about that last night, sweetheart.”

Truly choked on her spit. “Dad!”

Mom giggled—giggled—and kissed the corner of Dad’s mouth. “Turnabout’s fair play, Truly.”

“Ah, that’s right.” Dad snapped his fingers. “What was that you told us? Something, something, no shame in intimacy issues?”

“I never asked for details.” She snatched the champagne from Dad’s hand and brought it to her lips, sipping straight from the bottle, bubbles burning all the way down her throat. She took a good look at the bottle, noting the vintage. “This Is Nice, Isn’t It?”

“And not cheap, you menace.” Dad bopped her nose and stole the bottle back. “Now, I’d like to make a toast.” He drew Mom against his side. “To Diane—with you, Life Is Happiness Indeed.” He kissed her temple. “To Happily Ever After.”

Truly blinked back happy tears. “To Happily Ever After.”

Epilogue

One Year Later

Colin

Colin rapped his knuckles against the bridal suite’s door.

“Just a second!”

A promised moment later, the door opened, a sliver of sunlight spilling out into the hall. His breath caught, trapped in his throat.

She was breathtaking.

Backlit with the early-afternoon sun, bathed in shades of burnished copper and rusty red, dark chocolate hair falling down to her shoulders, tiny pearl bobby pins pinning back her unruliest strands, Truly looked like the subject of a Renaissance painting, down to the halo of light behind her.

“You can’t be here,” she hissed, drawing the door shut, only her eyes, the tip of her cute-as-a-button nose, and the purse of her red lips visible. “It’s bad luck.”

“Come on,” he implored. “It’s a vow renewal, baby. Stan just wants to see Diane for a second.”

“The same rules still apply.” She looked past Colin to where her father stood, fussing with his little sapphire pocket square. Her smile softened and he felt his heart thud, extra hard. Enough that he pressed the heel of his hand against his chest, suddenly breathless. “Dad, you can’t wait five more minutes?”

---