“You don’t need me as much, and that’s how it should be. I never thought our empty nest years would be interrupted by a baby, but here we are.”
“You’ll do great. I have faith in you.” Luna squeezed the hand she held.
“I must say, I did a near-perfect job of it with you, so my record speaks for itself.”
Luna chuckled.
“Next year, you’ll bring Davis with you. We’ll have a big Christmas for once, instead of the quiet ones we’re so used to.”
“I’ll bring him. He wanted to be together this year, but I didn’t want to see his parents yet.”Or ever.
Iris hummed. “I can see why, but you’ll have to face them sooner or later.”
“Preferably later.” Luna stared out the back window at the snow that hadn’t stopped falling since she’d arrived.
“You should speak to his mother and tell her that while you respect her as his mother, she won’t be telling you how to live your life.”
Luna shuddered. “I’d rather stick a fork in my eye.”
Iris tsked. “You’re like your father in that. But if you plan to be happy with the son, you have to make peace with the mother.”
Luna didn’t want to be friends with Sophia. If she could, she’d hide from her for the rest of her life. “He gave me the key card to his building.”
“Good.” Iris patted Luna’s knee.
Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and Luna decided to go up and get dressed. She thought about what her mother said and knew it was true. She’d have to face Sophia if she wanted to be with Davis, if for no other reason than because they couldn’t ignore his parents forever. He would want to visit them, and he’d want to bring her sometimes. She would have to learn to be okay with that, or become one hell of an actor. The truth was, Davis deserved for her to make it right.
She sighed as she pulled on a sweater and thick leggings. The house was a tad chillier than she preferred, but that was how they liked it. She heard the doorbell while she was brushing her hair and assumed it was friends dropping by. Not wanting to intrude, she spent a minute brushing her teeth and finding a pair of socks that would keep her toes warm.
By the time she made it down the stairs again, the living room was empty. She passed through and into the kitchen where she found her mom and dad eating. She sat at the table with them and reached for more tea.
“Who was at the door?” she asked.
Chester smiled. “A delivery for you.”
Luna paused with the teapot hovering over her cup. “What?”
“It’s in the living room. Didn’t you see it? Can’t miss it.”
Luna looked oddly at her father, but got up with her heart in her throat. She hoped it was Davis, that he’d missed her so much he’d ditched his parents to come see her. But she would have seen him when she came downstairs.
She leaned around the corner and saw nothing. Not until she moved closer to the front door did she see a large square parcel propped against the wall. With a frown, she read the sticker in the corner with her name and the address of the yellow house. She remembered Davis saying he’d sent something else, but she had no idea what it was.
She finally decided to go for it and ripped the paper off the object. It was a very detailed painting depicting a garden wedding. There was an arbor covered in flowers, white wicker chairs, and tables with floral centerpieces. She could see motes floating in the sunlight and wildflowers growing in the background. A bouquet of them rested on one of the chairs. She realized she was crying again as she stood there staring at it.
She found a note taped to the cardboard that protected the corners. She opened it and read it. Davis had spotted the painting and immediately thought of the way she’d described their wedding. He wanted her to know he would give her the world, including any kind of wedding of which she might dream. He missed her and wanted her to know someone would be coming by the following day to repackage the painting and take it back to hang it in their bedroom.
Luna felt such an ache in her chest for him in that moment. She wanted everything with him, and he wanted it, too. The only thing that stood in their way was his mother. Could she be strong enough to clear that obstacle? It seemed she would have to, or they were doomed before they made it much farther.
“Oh, that’s the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen.” Iris stood behind her. “It reminds me of our backyard in summer.”
Luna knuckled a tear from her eye. “It is, Mom. It’s the wedding I told him I visioned.”
“Baby, that’s such a sweet gesture.” Iris wrapped an arm around Luna from behind. “Where will you hang it?”
Luna pointed to the note. “He says he wants to hang it in our bedroom and then give me the actual wedding.”
Iris sighed. “Davis is good at grand gestures.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Well.” Iris stepped away again. “Are you going to come eat?”
“Sure.”
She intended to join them in the kitchen, but she couldn’t stop staring at her future.
