Page 39 of Be My First

My parents passed away a few years ago. They weren’t bad parents or anything, but they were a bit cold. It seemed as though I was always inconveniencing them. I don’t have much extended family, and we didn’t spend time with them anyway. This is what I want – all of this. It makes my chest hurt a bit watching them. I don’t know how to create a family like this, but they did it. I know it’s possible. They give me hope.

Juno comes to the table and sits down. She takes a big drink of her water. “I haven’t danced this much in ages. Why did you stop?”

“I needed a break,” I answer.

She looks over at me. “Me too, and I hear they are about to cut the cake.”

Before I can say anything, she leans in and says, “You think it will be as good as the gelato?”

“The Pope’s gelato?”

She nods.

“Doubtful. Don’t tell Eli because he’s still annoyed over the whole thing, but that was probably the greatest food moment of my life.”

She grabs both of my arms, her face completely serious, and says, “Me too.”

Someone clinks a glass, and Juno lets go of my arms. “Cake time.”

Declan and Maggie cut the cake and feed each other and then Maggie says, “Do I throw the bouquet?”

“Is it single women or unmarried women?” Declan asks.

“I think it’s just unmarried so technically Zadie and Brooklyn can catch it too.”

Zadie huffs. “I’m not the marrying type.”

Ethan nudges her. “Indulge them.”

She points at him. “Don’t get any ideas.”

He holds his hands up and says, “I won’t get any I didn’t already have.”

She shoots him a look that’s part annoyed, and part amused.

“That’s you,” I say to Juno, nudging my head Maggie’s direction.

“I guess so,” Juno says, standing up. “Come on, Celeste. You’re in this group too.”

They stand in a line, and Maggie turns around.

She tosses the bouquet in the air. Juno, Celeste, and Zadie move out of the way.

“Really?” Brooklyn says as she catches it.

Kip raises his hands in the air. “Knew you’d do it, Brooklyn.”

“Well, I guess it’s decided then,” she says.

“Yes.” He pumps his fist in the air. As soon as she’s close enough, he pulls her in for a hug and kisses the top of her head. It’s no secret that Kip has wanted to marry Brooklyn for a year, and she wanted to wait. I get it. They just had twins together. Weddings can be stressful. Twins are stressful. She’s made it clear that she wants to get married, but she wants the timing to be right.

Juno picks up her piece of cake and sniffs it. “Almond, maybe?”

She takes a bite and her eyes light up. “Yummy.”

She cuts a piece with her fork and holds it out for me.

I hesitate. Should I let her feed me?

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