“Thanks, Gigi,” Ryan says, and Sienna giggles next to him.
I look to my mom. “By the way, why was it so important I be here tonight?”
I’ve been curious to know but am also wondering if I was fooled once again, since this seems like a normal Friday family dinner.
Except that the stakes are bigger this time, since I brought Luke with me. Although it hasn’t been so bad.
“Yes,” my mom says. “Ryan, don’t you have something to tell us?”
“Right,” Ryan says, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He reaches over and grabs Sienna by the left hand, lifting it up. “I asked Sienna to marry me, and she said yes.”
There on her fourth finger is a large sparkling round diamond.
I blink, caught off guard.
“Finally,” Gigi says, clapping her hands. “I told that boy to marry you the first time he brought you home, Sienna.”
“Well, it took him two years, Gigi,” Sienna says, smiling brightly.
Everyone is clapping now and telling them congratulations. Even Luke.
“What’s wrong?” he says, his mouth close to my ear.
I shake my head. “Nothing,” I tell him.
“You seem . . . upset.”
“No,” I say. “I just had no idea, that’s all.”
“We should celebrate,” says Gigi. “Gregory, get out the champagne.”
“You’re not drinking anything, Mom,” my mom tells her.
“Spoilsport,” Gigi says.
“Her meds and alcohol don’t mix,” I tell Luke.
Later, after we’ve had dessert and Luke and I are ready to head out, my entire family walks us to the door. Even Gigi, who most of the time can’t be bothered to even give me a goodbye hug.
But she gives Luke one. “You come back next week,” she tells him, her skinny arms wrapped around his waist.
“I’d love to,” Luke says, hugging her back.
My mom pulls me in for a hug then. “I like him,” she says in my ear.
I just shake my head at her when we pull apart.
It takes a minute to actually get out the door; everyone is shaking Luke’s hand, and Gigi goes in for another hug before I can finally rip him away from her so we can leave.
“I like your family,” Luke says as we finally get in the car.
“Thank you for putting up with them,” I say, pressing the “Start,” button.
“Gigi is something else,” he says, chuckling.
“She’s a little crazy.” I pull away, looking in my rearview mirror as my whole family watches us drive off. Another thing they’ve never done before.
“Nah,” he says. “She’s great.”
