Page 87 of Parentmoon

He stands as well, opening his arms to me. “Love you, too, Mom.”

I make it to the staircase when he calls my name once more. With my hand on the banister and Michael standing beside the couch, he says, “You look happy with Dallas. I know there’s been a lot going on in the last forty-eight hours, but I can see he really cares about you. And it seems like you really like him. Maybe you could give him a shot, after the wedding.”

I tip my head and joke, “So it isn’t some weird stepbrother-stepsister thing?”

“So you won’t be alone. And he won’t be either. You’d be good together.”

I don’t really see how he can decide that in two days. Just like I don’t see how Keli can assume the same thing.

“Let’s make it through your wedding first, okay?”

Michael gives me a look I recognize as one I use myself sometimes. A tilt of my head. A puzzle on my face. “Does this mean you’re thinking of marrying Dallas?”

“No one’s talking marriage, honey,” I remind him. Not for me. Not for Dallas. I could flippantly say Dallas and I are just having fun, but if I wasn’t going to discuss sex with Keli, I’m certainly not cavalierly talking about it with my son.

“He’s going to be in your life for the rest of your life,” he reminds me.

Dallas and I will always be bound by our children marrying and giving us grandchildren. However, that doesn’t make us a couple. That doesn’t pave a future together.

“I’m just saying . . .” Michael swallows hard and anxiously rubs his hands down the sides of his pants. “It’s okay with me if you continue to see each other. Or do the long-distance thing. Or whatever it takes to keep the smile he puts on your face there permanently.”

Unable to help myself, I grin. “He does make me smile.”

Michael’s mouth slowly rounds. “Good. I hope he continues to do that.”

If only he could, but after tomorrow we go our separate ways.

“Good night, honey. See you in the morning.”

Michael tenderly laughs. “I’ll be the man in a suit waiting on my girl.”

He’s going to be the best of men for that girl and the children they bring into the world.

Suddenly, I wish Dallas and I were ten years younger, and I was a little bolder. And he’d be waiting at the end of an aisle for me. Which is a completely ridiculous thought.

+ + +

When morning comes, Michael is pacing the sitting area while already dressed for the ceremony. He’s wearing light-colored linen dress pants and a matching vest with a white shirt beneath it. Casual and tropical, the outfit looks good on him. At twenty-seven, he looks so much like his father, but healthier, happier.

“What’s wrong?” I step into the path he’s wearing behind the couch, halting his anxious movements.

Michael twists his wrist to glance at his watch. “I just want to be married to her already.”

Bursting with laughter, I’m relieved his anxiety isn’t anything more than anticipation. The Catholic priest agreed to an outdoor wedding, provided it was in the morning, which was perfectly fine for Michael and Keli. Why wait the entire day, Michael had said. The date would be marked from here on out as their wedding day.

“Laria just texted me. She already dropped off the bouquet with Keli and she’s coming here to bring your flowers next.”

Within minutes, she arrives, and I open the sliding glass door for her.

“You look beautiful,” she says to me. My dress isn’t exactly what I thought I’d wear to my son’s wedding, but it’s one of my favorite sundresses. It’s the same dress I wore the night Dallas first kissed me.

“We’re almost ready.” Excitement fills my tone.

“Okay. I won’t keep you. Just dropping these off.” Laria holds out a small bouquet of tropical flowers.

“For me?” I stare at the bouquet.

“Keli said she wanted you to have one. Do you not like it?”