A few minutes later, she grabs my arm, almost spilling my wine. “Look, look at Tommy. What is he doing?”
All the ladies turn their attention toward Tommy. He’s bent down on one knee next to Gracie, whispering to her.
Gracie starts laughing and running away from him. He chases her.
“They’re playing?” I say, like, Duh, Mom. “Hey, why aren’t you drinking wine today?” I ask, noticing she isn’t drinking any, and that is unusual. I mean, this is a party.
“Oh, I was feeling a little dehydrated, so I’m sticking to water this afternoon.”
“Oh,” I say.
Millie and Peyton are discussing Deron’s abs and how dreamy Damian’s voice is.
Millie says to Mom, “Abby, did you see Tommy? He just took something out of his pocket and handed it to Gracie. Now, he’s whispering to her again. What is he up to?”
Mom smiles and shakes her head. “I have no clue.”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” Grandma Stevens says, and I’m thinking, *&%!!!!! Don’t tell her!
Mom leans towards her conspiratorially. “What?! Tell me!”
“Well, Tommy told us the girls have a special surprise for you, and we were all supposed to be out here to see it. What do you think it could be?”
I let out a big sigh of relief.
All the ladies start speculating about what the surprise could be.
Mrs. Arrington mentions that it is Christmas. Grandma Douglas suggests that sneaky is synonymous with man.
But Mom shakes her head. “No, he’s been working on some deal. He won’t tell me what it is yet, but he did say it will be good for all of us.”
“I heard him and Matt talking about some new script,” Marisa suggests.
“I agree with Aiden’s mom. It’s Christmas,” I say, stating what should be the obvious reason for sneaking around this time of year.
“Looks like you’re about to find out,” Grandma Stevens says, as Gracie starts barreling in our direction, screaming, “Momma, Momma, MOMMMAA!!! Gracie has special rock too! Read it to me!”
Mom sets it down on the table with the others. “Well, honey, it says WILL.”
“YOU, ME, ABBY, WILL? Who’s WILL?” I ask Mom.
Peyton says, “Oh, maybe it’s Prince William. No, wait, he’s already taken.”
Millie says, “Will. I. Am? Do you know him?”
“Uh, no,” Mom says, looking confused.
“I know!” Marisa says, “What about Will Smith? Are you going to do a movie with him?”
“Not that I know of.”
“How about William Tell?” I offer, trying to keep them off track. What is with their one-track movie minds? “Or William Shakespeare, or Will Ferrell or—”
Mom interrupts me. “Why does Tommy look so suspicious? Like, more suspicious than usual.”
“He’s a man,” Grandma Douglas says with a laugh.
“Tommy, get your ass over here,” Mom yells.
Tommy saunters over, looking way too cool for a guy who has planned a surprise wedding and is about to propose.
“What’s up with all the rocks?” she demands.
He stands in front of the table, leans across to kiss her, and then studies the rocks. “Hmmm, well, first off, you have them in the wrong order.”
“I do?”
“Yeah, here.” He rearranges them so they read, WILL YOU ME ABBY.
“Will. You. Me. Abby? That still makes no sense.”
Tommy flashes his trademark naughty grin, leans against the pergola post, and says casually. “That’s because you’re still missing one.” He reaches into his pocket, fishes out another rock, and tosses it to me. “Fix that for your mom, will ya, baby?”
I catch the rock, walk to the front of the table, and pretend to study the rocks.
I slide apart the YOU and ME rocks, making space for the important one I’m about to put down.
I slowly lay down the MARRY rock, so the message is clear.
WILL YOU MARRY ME, ABBY.
Peyton, Marisa, Kym, and the grandmas gasp audibly.
Millie screams in delight.
Mom’s expression is priceless, and you can see a full spectrum of emotions cross her expressive face. From utter shock to understanding, back to utter shock, then to realization, causing happy tears to spring to her eyes.
Then, she does it.
Her mouth turns up at the corners, then her small smile turns into a full-on beaming grin.
She turns toward Tommy, who is now on one knee beside her, showing off a very different kind of rock in a velvet box.
“So? Will you marry me, Abby?” he asks.
She leaps out of her chair and dives on him with such force that she knocks him to the ground.
Now, she’s lying on top of him in the grass, kissing him.
And . . . still kissing him.
“Um, hello,” I cough. “There are children present.”
Mom gives Tommy one more deep kiss.
Then she leans up and says breathlessly, “I would love to marry you, Tommy, my love.”
Everyone has gathered around to watch the spectacle.
We all clap and cheer.
When Mom gets up, Emery asks, “Why did you knock Daddy over, Momma? I get in trouble when I jump on sissy like that.”
“Mommy is really happy. Daddy asked Mommy to marry him.”