“Family-owned for over fifty years,” Brax replies, staring at the façade of the building as my parents do. “Handed down for three generations now.”
“That’s impressive,” Dad says as he stands next to my mother and reaches out to hold her hand.
What the hell? In all my years of life, I’ve never seen my parents hold hands. It was too much affection for them to show in public. Growing up with them, I find it shocking I’m not a complete prude.
“Come on in. My parents and family are all here,” Brax says, holding out his arm to usher them inside.
“Everyone?” Mom asks, fiddling with the pearls she always wears around her neck. At least one thing about her hasn’t changed.
Brax laughs. “My family does everything together, and that includes welcoming you to Chicago.”
Mom gives me a smile. “I like him,” she says.
I nearly choke on my own spit. I never ever thought I’d hear my mother utter those words.
“You do?” I ask before we make it to the door.
“Of course.”
I grab her arm. “Hold on. I want to talk to you for a second.” I swing my gaze to Brax. “Can you give us a minute?”
He looks at me and then to her. “Sure. Don’t take long. The natives will get restless.” He leans over and kisses my cheek before he takes my father inside.
“What’s wrong?” Mom asks, her eyes roaming my face.
“What happened to you?”
“What do you mean?” She glances down like there might be something on her pressed white blouse.
“You’re different… You both are.”
Mom chuckles and reaches out to take my hand. “Your dad and I have been going to couples therapy, and then we went to this camp in Upstate New York that’s for married couples looking to rekindle their romance.”
My stomach turns at the thought of my parents at a sex camp. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s what it sounds like. In my mind, they had sex to have a kid, and once the deed was accomplished, they never did it again.
“While I was there, I realized how short life is andhow mine is coming to a close. I decided then and there that I was going to become a better version of myself. I want to enjoy what little time I have left, and that includes letting everyone else enjoy their time too. All that matters is happiness. Yours. Mine. Ours. Does he make you happy, Iris?”
“Who?” I ask, because I’m still processing everything she just said.
“Brax, silly.”
“The happiest I’ve ever been.”
Mom reaches out and cradles my cheek in her hand. “Honey, that is the best news. You look better than you have in years. I can see the joy in your eyes again, and I know that handsome man put it there.”
And if I am honest, this is the first time I’ve ever seen joy in my parents’ eyes too. They seem so at peace with everything, which is the opposite of the people who raised me.
“This is so weird,” I whisper.
“I spent my entire life miserable, and when we went to that retreat, I realized life didn’t need to be that way. I didn’t have to be that way. Your father felt it too. We were both so moved by everything, we came back new people.”
“Are you sure they didn’t drug you or do a brain experiment?” I ask her.
She snatches me into her arms, squeezing me so tightly I practically lift off the ground. “No, baby, this is the new and better me. I’m going to spend my lasthowever many years enjoying every single bit of life, and that includes meeting your man’s family.”
“Okay,” I say, because what else is there to say at this point. I won’t believe she is completely changed until they make it through the entire day with his family without some kind of snide remark.
“Now, can we go inside and meet everyone? It’s too cold to be out here this long.”
