“We’ll be up soon. It’s so nice to meet you, Mae. I can’t wait to give my future daughter a hug!” Mom says.
“I can’t wait either,” Mae says, her cheeks rosy from talking so much.
I hang up the video call, and Mae groans, throwing herself over my lap. Naomi is playing with her toys in her own little world.
“Don’t sound so excited to tell people you get to marry me,” I say, looking down at Mae, brushing hair out of her face.
She huffs. “Um,youget to marryme.You’re the one that should be screaming it from the rooftops.”
I chuckle. “I am.”
She smiles up at me and picks her phone up. “My mother is going to talk your ear off, and I guarantee you they will all be here within the week. Are you sure you want to do this now?”
I shrug. “No time like the present.”
“Here we go,” she says and sits up.
“Well, there’s my long-lost daughter,” her mom says.
“Hey Mom, how are you?” Mae asks her.
“We’re good. Your father and I just got back from the store. What’s up?” she asks.
“Sounds like it’s been a good day,” she says, watching her expression carefully.
“It has. Did you figure things out?” she asks.
She glances at me, then back to the phone. “So I have some news…” Mae says, trailing off.
I give her a little nod of encouragement.
“Are you okay, tesoro? What’s wrong?” she asks quickly.
Mae holds up her hand to the phone. “Mama, I’m getting married!”
Everyone shrieks and yells and talks at the same time. I’m not sure what’s going on.
“I haven’t met him. How do I know he’s good enough for my daughter?” her father says, stopping the screams in their tracks.
“Daddy, I know — that’s how. Also, Uncle Leo knows him, so talk to him.”
“When do we get to meet him?” her mother asks.
Mae tilts the phone to keep both of us in the picture. “Mom, Dad, this is Cooper Hayes. Cooper, meet my parents, Isabella and Gio.”
They both stare at me, and I wave. “Nice to meet you both,” I say and dip my chin.
Isabella starts rattling off questions, and while Mae and Isabella talk, Gio stares at me through the phone. But I don’t back down. I’m marrying his daughter whether he likes it or not. I’d like for him to approve, and had we gotten the chance, I would have talked to him directly? But since I couldn’t do that, maybe I need to do the next best thing.
“Let me talk to your dad one on one,” I whisper in Mae’s ear.
She glances at me and nods to something Isabella says.
“Are you sure?” she asks.
I wink and she blushes.
“Dad, Cooper would like to talk to you directly.”
