Page 80 of Let Me

She narrows her eyes and continues inside.

We enter behind her, greeted by our parents’ spirited conversation about their back-in-the-day stories.Autumn emerges from the hallway, looks at Riley and screams.

“Riley!Judah, you didn’t tell me Riley was going to be here.”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Ahh!”She rushes over and throws her arms around her.“Hey, girl!”

“Hey, boo.I finally made it over here.It looks so nice and feels so cozy.I would never leave this place either.Y’all are on to something.And it smells good up in here, too.”

“It sure does,” Nico says.

“Hey, Nico,” Autumn tells him, then hugs him as well.

“Hey, Autumn.How are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m doing just fine.This one right here,” she says grabbing my arm, “He keeps my heart full.”

“That’s so sweet,” Mrs.P.says.

I say, “Since we’re all here, Dad, can you pray over the food?”

“I sure will.”

We bow our heads.

He says, “Lord, thank you for allowing us to get together as a family to celebrate this special occasion for Judah and Autumn.They are wonderful people who deserve the best that life has to offer.Bless this food to give us nourishment for our bodies and bless this association that we have to be able to come together with family and friends.May love forever live in this home.In Jesus’ name, amen.”

“Amen,” I say among the others.I’m all set and prepared to fix plates for everyone and when I tell them this, Mrs.P says, “Nonsense.We can get in line and pick up what we want.”

“Yeah, that’ll work,” Autumn says, then flashes a smile at me.

I smile back, walk over to stand behind her and whisper in her ear, “You smell like heaven.”

“No, that’s this food you arranged.”

“No.It’s you.I’d much rather have you than anything up in here.”

She turns around and says discreetly, “Stop making me blush.”Then she rises to her tiptoes and gives me a peck on the lips.“Thank you for the flowers.Every single time I looked at them while I was working today, I thought of you and smiled.”

“Good.That’s what I wanted you to do.”

After we prepare plates, we go to the living room.Our parents are sitting at the dinette.Riley and Nico are still in line talking, or maybe arguing?Depends…

I tell Autumn, “I think our best friends don’t like each other.”

Autumn smirks.“Yeah, for now.They’ll probably end up together.It always starts like that, doesn’t it?”

“With the people hating each other’s guts?”

She grins.“Yes.”

“We didn’t start like that.”

“Yes, but that’s us, babe.We’re built different.”

“I still can’t believe we’re married,” I say.

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