Page 127 of The New Place

We’re inviting Chris and Susan, Abbot receives back from his father and yes, wonderful, why not have him take the initiative to invite others without asking Abbot?

Another message appears. This is Liesl, it reads, and then a selfie of her making a face in the passenger seat of the rental car.

He softens at that. Yes. Chris and Susan. He should have thought of them to begin with.

“You have everything?” Cheryl tips the phone away to ask as Abbot puts his list into his bag.

“I believe so.”

“I’m going to run an iron over Peggy’s dress and then we’ll be on our way too. If you think of anything at all, just let us know.”

“I will,” he says and slips out of the house.

It’s quiet in his car. Wonderfully so, and he wants to sit for a moment, but he checks the time and quickly puts the car into reverse. He’ll hit Friday traffic getting out of the city, skiers heading to the mountains, families leaving early for their weekend. And him, driving up to Portland yet again. Toward his wedding.

Excitement thrums through him. Married, to Ned. Who wants to marry him. Who suggested it.

Abbot still can’t grasp that in its entirety as he drives north like he has so many times in the past year, this trip nearly the same as any other yet so very, very different.

When he can, he taps his phone screen, half expecting a notification from Ned. I realized you’re a mistake, he’s ready to read, but it hasn’t come and he’s beginning to think it might not.

When he finally parks, he doesn’t have to run to make their appointment, but he does have to hurry, and he lets the buoyancy of the day carry his steps.

He spots Ned as soon as he opens the door to the office suite, him and Peggy sitting in chairs in the waiting area, the room beige and drab. Was he afraid Ned wouldn’t be here?

Yes, a bit, he realizes, but here he is, greeting Abbot with a smile.

Abbot has never pictured his wedding day, so this is good enough to fill in the blank, a worn carpet and a poorly framed picture of downtown Portland hung on the wall. It’s Ned. The details don’t matter. He wants to marry Abbot, which is impossible and true all at once.

“You made it,” Ned says.

Abbot lets the door fall shut behind him. He should say something significant, he’s sure, to Ned and to Peggy especially, but all he can manage is, “I found a parking spot out front.”

“We had to walk,” Ned says.

“At least it’s not too cold.”

“No, it isn’t,” Ned agrees.

Abbot perches on the chair next to him, his body humming. “Did you talk to Beverly?”

“I left a message,” Ned says.

So is she coming? Abbot could ask, but no, he doesn’t want to know, he’s sure.

Peggy swings her feet, her hands folded in her lap, looking around with wide eyes. “Will you own half of Baxter?” she asks.

“I—” Abbot looks at Ned for help.

He smiles. He’s happy. Right? “I want the front half.”

“Then you’ll have to feed him,” Abbot says.

Peggy giggles and Abbot relaxes back into his chair. Peggy’s certainly happy and of everything going on just now, that feels particularly important.

This is only for Newbury, repeats in Abbot’s head.

It is, but Ned said he wanted to marry him. Again, he examines that thought, and again finds it as warm and confusing as he has all day. “Ned,” he starts, but a woman comes out to greet them.