Marriage Matters

Forty-two

Watching her parents together from her spot at the dinner table, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. They were finishing each other’s stories, sharing inside jokes and even holding hands. They both seemed happier than they had in ages, especially her mother.

“Attention, please.” June got to her feet, tapping her fork against her wine goblet. The delicate crystal hummed and the various conversations died out around the table. “Can I have your attention, please?”

Charley took June’s hand and kissed it. “You always have our attention, my love.”

Chloe exchanged a quick look with her mother. Kristine mouthed, “Cute.”

“I just wanted to say . . .” June flaunted her sassy smile, her eyes sweeping over the group. “I am delighted to have my family back together in one room. Kristine and Kevin, our lives are not the same without you.”

“Here, here,” Chloe said, raising her wineglass.

“And . . .” June nodded at Charley, who also got to his feet.

“As you know,” Charley said, smoothing down his light blue button-up shirt, “June and I have been seeing each other.”

Geoff raised an eyebrow at Chloe. “Fire ants,” he muttered. She coughed to keep from laughing.

“So, the other day, as we were sitting out in the garden, we got to talking.” She produced a single white rose and held it up. “Kristine, Chloe, do you know what this is?”

Chloe squinted. “It’s from one of your rosebushes, but . . .”

“Nope.” Neatly, June tucked the flower behind her ear. From that angle, Chloe could see that the petals were dried and browned at the edges.

Of course! It was one of the flowers from the wedding where they’d all caught that bouquet. The dried rose was exactly like the pink one hanging on Chloe’s refrigerator. She felt a tiny pang, remembering how Ben had pretended to give it to her at the beginning of their date. Luckily, that memory soon passed.

“This summer, I caught a bouquet at a wedding,” June said. “We all caught a bouquet at a wedding. And . . .” Dramatically, she stuck out her weathered hand. A stately diamond ring sparkled from her ring finger. “The bouquet was right!”

“Wait, what?” Chloe could barely process the statement. “What?” She looked at her mother. Kristine’s eyes were wide. She moved her mouth as though to speak, but nothing came out.

“Congratulations,” Chloe shrieked. She leapt to her feet, jostling the table. Wine danced back and forth in the glasses. “Grandma! Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe it!”

Rushing over to June, Chloe grabbed her hand and studied the ring. It was a simple emerald cut on a platinum band. Completely different from the extravagant one Chloe’s grandfather had given her so many years ago. That ring now sparkled from her grandmother’s right hand.

For some reason, Chloe thought back to the time when she was in undergrad, when June had called her at all hours of the night. She had chalked it up to her grandmother being wild and ridiculous but in her heart, she’d always known the truth. June needed someone. And finally, she’d found him.

“Grandma, this is so perfect,” Chloe said. “He’s perfect!”

Charley bowed his head. Suddenly, it struck her—this man was going to be her grandfather. She’d never had a grandfather, because Eugene died before she was born and Kevin’s father left his family when he was little. At the age of twenty-five, she would finally have a grandfather.

Kristine put a hand on her mother’s shoulder. Chloe stepped aside as she hugged June tight. “This is such good news,” she whispered. “Dad would have wanted this for you.”

“Well, I think this is bizarre.” Geoff’s voice rang through the room and Chloe turned to him, surprised.

“Bizarre?” she echoed. It wasn’t bizarre that her grandmother was getting married. It was wonderful. “What do you mean?”

Geoff’s handsome face creased in a smile. “The last thing I expected tonight was for your grandmother to announce her engagement. It’s actually rather odd.”

Chloe watched her father eyeing Geoff, as though reevaluating him altogether. Kristine’s forehead was wrinkled and even Charley looked a little perplexed. June was the only one at the table still smiling, as though waiting for a punch line.

Blushing furiously, Chloe walked over to him and murmured, “Geoff, seriously. I think you’ve probably had too much to . . .”

“I haven’t had too much to drink. I just have something to say.” Tugging at his ascot, Geoff took in a deep breath. “Chloe, we’ve only known each other for a few months but I feel like I’ve known you forever. I love you. Your warmth, your humor and your ability to put me in my place with one word.”

Love? Geoff actually said love? Chloe’s mouth dropped open.

“I didn’t expect to do this here in front of everyone.” Geoff gave an apologetic look to Kevin. “I’d rather planned to talk to your parents first and do this the old-fashioned way. But given your grandmother’s announcement I have to admit I’m a bit swept up. Chloe . . .”

Right there on the green Oriental rug in the dining room, the rug Chloe had played on since she was a little girl, Geoff got down on one knee. “From the moment we met,” he said, reaching for her hand, “I have thought of nothing but spending the rest of my life with you. Chloe, will you marry me?”

To her complete and utter shock, Dr. Geoff Gable IV reached into his tailored jacket pocket and produced a light blue box. Snapping it open, he revealed a shiny diamond ring. Apparently, a diamond ring meant for her.

Chloe had never been so surprised in her life. A hundred different memories ran through her head. The moment she’d first seen Geoff speaking on stage, that time in Tiny Tumblers when he’d first said he liked her, and, for some odd reason, the moment Chloe’s and Ben’s eyes met after they’d kissed.

“You barely know me,” Chloe whispered, gripping the edge of the oak table. “This is crazy.”

Geoff smiled. “I’m a psychologist. I think I’ve earned the right to do something a little crazy.”

June clapped her hands in delight. “Ha!”

“Imagine our future together.” Getting to his feet, Geoff stepped forward and closed the small gap between them. “Can you see it?”

A series of abrupt images skipped through Chloe’s head. Sharing a practice with Geoff, discussing their work late into the night, Mary Beth running up and hugging her legs . . . Actually, she could see it. Chloe sucked in her breath. She could see it very clearly.

Looking around the room, Chloe took in the sight of her family. Her mother’s lips were pressed tightly together and both Kevin and Charley seemed impressed. June’s eyes were wide with delight. Don’t be foolish, her expression seemed to say. Say yes!

“Yes.” Chloe’s voice sounded disembodied. “Yes,” she said again, louder. “I would love to marry you.”

As Geoff leapt to his feet and pulled her close, Chloe felt removed, as though the moment was happening to someone else. Then there was chaos. Hoots and hollers and hugs and kisses. Her father was shaking Geoff’s hand, Charley was clapping Geoff on the back and June had unearthed a camera from somewhere and was taking pictures. Her mother was the only one standing off to the side, looking pale and confused.

“You know I don’t like to share the stage . . .” June rushed forward, hastily filling a champagne flute. “But for this, I will. To two weddings!”

“To two weddings,” Chloe breathed. Suddenly, a burst of cold sweat covered her body. They were getting married. Getting married! Chloe couldn’t wait to tell Sally and all of her friends. Except Ben. She had a sneaking suspicion that he would not see the romance in all this. Not one bit.

Kevin cleared his throat. “I have something I’d like to say.” The celebration stilled and he smiled at Chloe. “I, too, am a very happy man. In Italy, your mother and I—”

“Kevin,” Kristine said, her voice sharp.

Chloe knew that tone. It meant, Drop it right now.

“Honey, it’s not taking away from their thunder. It’s just adding a little lightning.” Looking around the room, he grinned. “While we were in Rome, Kristine and I decided . . .” He lifted her right hand. A new diamond ring sparkled from her finger. “We decided to renew our vows.”

“Oh, my gosh,” Chloe cried. “Really?”

“While you two plan your weddings”—Kevin kissed Kristine’s forehead with a loud smack—“this beautiful lady is going to be plotting out our vow renewal ceremony.”

“Love is in the air,” Charley sang.

“And I thought I was the only one with news,” June cried.

“Wait!” Chloe cried. A wild idea had just hit her. “Mom, Grandma . . . since we’re all getting married, what if we did it together?”

For probably the fifth time that night, everyone in the room fell silent.

“Absolutely not.” Kristine shook her head so hard her new haircut swung back and forth. “I’m sorry, but I want your wedding to be about you, not about us.”

“A wedding’s about love,” Chloe said. “And I love you two more than anything.”

“That’s true.” Geoff put his hand on her back. “I see nothing better than all of us celebrating together.”

If there had been a flicker of doubt in Chloe’s mind about saying yes to Geoff’s proposal, that statement sealed the deal. Taking his hand, she held on tight. “I love you,” she said for the first time ever in her life.

Geoff smiled, squeezing her hand. “I love you, too.”

“Love is a wonderful thing and a very compelling reason, but . . .” June looked vaguely distressed. “There is one tiny problem. It simply might not work to share a wedding.”

“Why not?” Chloe demanded.

“You see . . .” June’s hands fluttered and her eyes met Charley’s. He flashed a perfect, gleaming white smile. “Our time line’s a little different than yours. We would like to have a shotgun wedding.”

“Are you pregnant?” Chloe gasped. Off her mother’s look, she held up her hands. “Look, nothing would surprise me with her.”

June beamed. “Of course not. It’s just that . . . well . . .”

“We’re old,” Charley said. “We could drop over dead at any moment. Why waste time?”

June and Charley looked at each other and cracked up. They laughed so hard that they had to grab on to each other to stay upright. “Well, it’s the truth,” June said once she realized everyone was staring at them in horror.

“It’s not funny,” Kristine said.

Chloe nodded. The thought was not funny at all.

“Oh, but it is.” June waved her hand. “It’s like the sixties all over again. Back then we lived every day like the world could end because of the war. But this time . . .” She giggled, poking her fiancé. “We have to do it that way because we’re old.” Once again, Charley and June laughed like loons.

Kevin finally chuckled, too. “What?” he said. “They make a good point.”

“Life is short,” Geoff agreed. “I’d walk down the aisle with this girl tomorrow.”

Chloe’s heart danced. “Tomorrow?” She beamed. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

“I just don’t know,” Kristine hedged. “A triple wedding?”

“Come on, Kris,” Kevin said, squeezing her hand. “You’ll love this. Come on.”

“Yes, Kristine,” June echoed. “I’m the bride and I want you to do it.”

“I’m the bride,” Chloe said, “and I command you to do it!”

Kristine gave a tight smile. “Then it’s decided. I guess we’d better start hunting for a church.”