Page 180 of Loving the Legend
“Thanks! I appreciate you being here today,” I say, turning to Phil and releasing his hand.
“I appreciate the invite. You and Sid make a very handsome couple.”
I find Sid in the crowd. He’s showing his ring to Kaleb’s wife and Nicholas.
“Thanks. Will you hang around? I want to hear about Bob Dylan.”
Phil grins. “Ol’ girl’s still kicking. I’ll be here. I’m famished,” he says, patting his stomach. “And I have a few more science questions for your brainiac friend, Tommy.”
“Amazing! He finally has someone else to geek out with.”
“Go,” he says, “make your rounds. We’ll catch up later.”
I clasp his shoulder and then make my way over to Lily.
“Oh, congratulations, my love!” she says.
“Thank you!” I bend down to kiss her cheek. “Did you know he was proposing too?”
She doesn’t answer, but her smile tells me she did.
“I know I never met them, but every loving parent wants their kids to be happy and loved. To have someone to go through life with. I think your parents would be so happy for you today. Adam told me beautiful stories about how close the three of you were. I hope you know by now that I will continue loving you like an overbearing mama, and there’s not much you can do to stop me. I love you very much, dear.”
She opens her arms for a hug.
“I love you too,” I reply as we separate. “Thank you for loving me.”
She clasps my cheek. “We were meant to be in each other's lives. I just know it.”
I nod. I feel it too.
I’ve thought a lot about my parents this week. They’d have loved Sid. My dad would have cried more happy tears than me. By Monday, Mom would have gone into serious wedding planning mode with lists and spreadsheets. She would have worked hard to make our day special.
“Where’s Malcolm?” I ask, looking around for Lily’s boyfriend. She surprised us when she announced that she invited her new “guy friend” to dinner last month. Sid interrogated the man all night, but he withstood the heat and ended up sealing Sid’s approval.
“Just sent him out to get more beer. We’re running low.”
I nod. “Thanks! I think we stashed a case or two in the house. I’ll grab them.”
After I throw the beers on the ice, I make my way over to the guys.
“Bruh! Congrats! Sick double engagement,” Idris says.
“Let’s see da drip!” Malik says.
I show them the ring.
“It’s beautiful, man! Looks expensive as fuck. Don’t let my wife see it.” Kaleb sighs. “She’ll want to renew our vows just to get an upgrade.”
“Too late. I just saw her eyeing Sid’s,” I warn him.
Idris pats Kaleb’s back. “Sorry, bro! You’re fucked!”
Tevin slings his arm around my neck. “‘Ours is an everlasting love forged only through life’s fires.’ That was fucking beautiful man. I’m cold-blooded, but that made me tear up.”
Cold-blooded, right.Dude’s one of the warmest guys I know. I pat his chest. “Thanks, big bro.”
“Which one of us is your best man?” Kaleb asks.
