Luke
Luke
“I’m proud of you, Lucas.” Mom pats my arm before taking it. “This is a beautiful spot to marry a beautiful girl.”
I smile down at my mom.
She knows this is a renewal, but since she wasn’t at the real wedding, she insists on treating this as one. Natalie insists it’s cute, so I’m prone to agree.
“Thanks, Mom.”
She squeezes my arm. “She’s a wonderful woman, a good person. But so are you. You’re a good boy, and you deserve her.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I say, quieter this time.
Mom flew up to Minnesota three weeks ago, renting an apartment a few blocks down from our place for the month.
She did it because she wanted to get to know Natalie before our wedding. And I should have seen it coming. Their connection. The instant feeling of family.
It only took two dinners before my mom told Natalie she could call her Mom if she felt like it.
And it only took another week before Natalie did it.
It was simple.
Our own Sunday brunch, as we were all having seconds.
“Would you like some more coffee, Mom?”
Natalie said it, and then all three of us burst into tears.
And now I’m pretty sure Mom is going to go back to Colorado and try to convince my aunt that they need to move back up here.
I take a deep breath of the floral-scented air.
Next to me, Mom straightens her shoulders and takes a deep breath. “I’m ready.”