Page 58 of An Unexpected Everything
“We’re having a small wedding. No group dances.” She pointed at Emily and Phoebe. “And no flash mobs.”
“That was so ten years ago,” Phoebe said pointedly, and she and Emily burst out into laughter.
My mother sat next to Sophia, her eyes on her knitting project as she worked on what was possibly a blanket. I didn’tknow exactly what she was working on, but I was striving to be a stronger person. I didn’t know what my mother had been thinking in lying to us for so long. But all of this hate and resentment wasn’t going to get me anywhere. In fact, it just proved to me that leaning into that worry and emotion just added to my stress.
“What are you making, Mom?” Sophia asked, following my gaze.
My mother looked up, her cheeks pinking. “Oh, it’s just a blanket.”
“It better not be a baby blanket,” Sophia said quickly, and I choked on my wine.
“Oh. Really?” I asked, surprised she was the one who brought it up.
Sophia snorted. “Cale and I are getting married quickly because we love each other. And we’d rather spend our money on buying a home and going on a trip rather than a long and tedious wedding. But no, I’m not pregnant. Hence the champagne in my hand.” She held it up to the light.
“It could be non-alcoholic for all we know,” Blakely said, fluttering her eyelashes. “But it’s not like we’re going to ask.”
“Seriously. If you were pregnant, you could have just told us when you wanted to. It is none of our business until it’s time for us to be aunties,” Emily said with a grin.
“It’s a marriage blanket. And at the rate I’m going, I should be done by the time you get back from your honeymoon.”
I swallowed hard, tears pricking my eyelids.
“Really Mom?” Sophia asked as she reached forward and gripped my mother’s hand.
“Really. You and Cale are just so happy together, and it’s a tradition in my family, at least with my grandparents, to have a blanket for the marriage bed. And no, it’s not for good tidings and luck with babies and fertility,” she said with a small laughas Emily and I gave each other a look. We really didn’t want to think about fertility when it came to our mother. However, it seemed that being fertile was not a problem when it came to my parents and even Dad’s other wife. And I wasn’t going to think about that anymore then I already had.
“My mother never made one for me for obvious reasons. And no, we don’t need to talk about that at all. However, I wanted to continue the tradition. So, you don’t have to use it or put it near your bedroom. But it’ll be for your home.”
Sophia’s face pinked as tears slid down her cheeks.
“Oh Mom. I love it already. Thank you.”
“You’re so welcome. You and Cale are going to be happy, and I cannot wait to see what you have in store for the rest of us. Between the dance studio, your new home, and your wedding, you are such a bright light for your future.”
Phoebe cleared her throat. “Well, now that I’m crying, does anybody want another glass of champagne?” she asked, moving around quickly. I knew Phoebe would be next, and then most likely Blakely, even though she wasn’t technically my sister. But she would be when she married Aston. Everything was coming full circle.
And I wasn’t going to let panic attacks that hadn’t happened in a while or letters from a man who scared me to no end ruin it.
“Is something wrong?” Blakely asked, muttering under her breath.
“No, why would you think that?” I asked, only partially lying.
“Because I know you better than anyone in this room, even your sisters. What’s going on? Beyond that letter.”
I looked sharply around the room, afraid someone had heard, but Blakely only squeezed my hand.
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just excited for the wedding.”
“I keep thinking about what would happen and what would I say if Aston asked me.”
“Really?” I asked, a small smile playing on my face. “He wouldn’t just order you?”
Blakely laughed, and I squeezed her hand right back. “He might order, but it’s still my choice. And of course I would say yes. I never really thought I would get married.”
My brow shot up. “Why?”
“Because I sucked at relationships. However, I realized that those poor dating experiences and exhaustion from them had nothing to do with me, rather than me not picking the right person. And Aston’s my right person.”
