Everybody laughed; Truce pulled Charlee in tighter.
“Nana,” I said, glancin’ at her, “who raised two knuckleheads and still had enough love left in her to steer us right when we wanted to do wrong.”
She waved her hand, but her eyes were wet.
“Everybody in here…” I continued. “All y’all show me different versions of love. None of ‘em perfect. All of ‘em real.”
I looked down at April.
“And then there’s you,” I said, my voice goin’ a little rough.
Her eyes shined instantly.
“I’m still scared sometimes,” I admitted, speakin’ into the mic but really just talkin’ to her. “Scared of failin’ you. Scared of not livin’ up to what you deserve. But I’d rather be scaredwithyou than be safe by myself wonderin’ ‘what if.’”
The room went quiet in that good way.
“So thank you,” I said. “For lovin’ me in my fear and lettin’ me love you in yours. Thank y’all,” I added, lookin’ around again, “for holdin’ us down, talkin’ sense into us, callin’ us out when we need it. This right here is the last time we all gon’ be in one room before we say ‘I do.’ And I wouldn’t wanna spend it any other way than exactly like this.”
I lifted my glass.
“To love that’s not perfect,” I said. “But honest. To bein’ scared and doin’ it anyway. To family. To my wife.”
Everybody raised they glasses.
“To my wife!” Truce yelled extra loud.
“To my wife!” Roman echoed, lookin’ at Melissa.
“Sit down,” Melissa yelled, but she was grinnin’ hard.
We drank.
The music slid back up, somethin’ slow first, then switchin’ into a groove.
Later, I was on the floor dancin’ with April.
Her arms around my neck, my hands on her waist.
Roman and Melissa were a little to the left of us, swayin’ close.
I caught a glimpse of Trend behind Fee, hands on her belly, head bent as he whispered somethin’ in her ear that made her smile.
Truce had Charlee twirlin’ like she wasn’t pregnant and cursin’ him out for it.
Nana was in her chair, clappin’ along, shoulders rockin’ like she was dancin’ sittin’ down.
Charlie Mac was leanin’ near the bar, talkin’ to Roman in between songs, noddin’ like some silent blessing.
Everything wasn’t perfect.
We still had fears, fights, and futures to figure out.
But in that moment, with my girl lookin’ up at me like I was exactly who she wanted, my brother finally lookin’ peaceful with a woman in his arms, our friends steppin’ into parenthood together…
I felt somethin’ I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Sure.
