AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Just kidding.”
“Good.”
Amber leans back in her seat. I take her hand and kiss it. Hold it until we land.
* * *
Our first stop is my parents.
I call them when we land and tell them I’m coming over. “Have a big surprise.”
Mom squeaks, “Oh, what is it?”
“You’ll find out.”
“Tell––”
I hang up. The suspense will kill her.
* * *
Mom and Dad are standing out front when we arrive. Mom’s arms are crossed in front of her chest, and she’s tapping a foot. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have hung up. But she’ll get over it; in about three more minutes.
My brothers bail out when the car stops.
“You ready?” I ask Amber.
“Yes.”
She shimmies out of the back seat and waits. I follow and clasp her hand. My brothers are standing next to my parents, and Mom is no longer scowling. She steps toward us, arms wide. “Amber, dear, how are you?”
“Fine, Mrs. Dalton.”
They embrace, and by the time they separate, Dad’s beside me. “You made your mother angry.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Back together?”
“Married.”
Dad stumbles backward. Squeezes his eyes shut, then opens them. “You hear that, dear?”
“What?”
“Tell her.”
“We got married.”
“What? No.”
Mom grabs Amber’s hand and examines her ring finger. “What is this?” She’s studying a simple gold band. No big audacious diamonds. “Surely, you could have done better?”
“I think it’s perfect,” Amber comments.
“It’ll be fine, Mom,” I say.
Mom takes a deep breath like she does when she’s about to scold one of her sons. Blake tugs her sleeve and whispers something. By the way she lights up, he must have told her about the rings from Henry Winston. I’m a hero all of a sudden.
