Font Size:  

Laughing, Emily didn’t refute it. “One of the few things I could control in my life was food. I guess we’re just lucky I didn’t go the other way and become anorexic. That’s dangerous.”

Visibly shaken, Paul didn’t contribute or join in the conversation with Emily and her father. The food issue had taken a toll on her and had the potential to encroach on their relationship. But he bit his tongue and let them work it out, if they could. If they could survive their mothers, they could survive anything.

“I don’t want to mother-bash…” Paul said.

“Right. Us fathers had some responsibility,” the colonel replied.

“Can we change the subject?” Emily asked. “I think Paul’s uncomfortable.”

“Of course. Did you set a date?”

“I want to get married as soon as possible,” Paul said, pulling Emily close.

“I feel the same way,” Emily replied, smiling at Paul. “I don’t want to wait.”

“Well, don’t wait, then. I knew your mother for about four months, and we’ve been married for coming up thirty-three years.”

“You used to ask me what my hurry was when I was nervous about not finding someone,” Emily reminded him.

“You didn’t love anyone then. Now you do, so don’t wait.”

“My dad said the same thing,” Paul said, thinking it was nice that his father, who had an unhappy marriage, was still positive about the union.

“I’m not going to stay long,” Rob said.

After an hour, he left. Emily walked him out to the car without Paul so the colonel could be honest, but he was fine about the engagement, sincerely happy for his daughter.

“I don’t think I should tell your mother your news. She’ll be upset that I heard it first. Come down tomorrow after you go to Paul’s aunt’s house. I’ll say you’re coming for dessert.”

“Okay. Whatever you think.” She handed Rex off and he got in the passenger seat, looking at Emily. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Colonel.”

Paul waited for her in the doorway. It was clear as she walked up the path that she was upset.

“What’s going on? You don’t look happy.”

“The colonel doesn’t want to tell my mother after all. Maybe I should cancel Kathy and Billy tonight. My nerves are trying to take over.” She wrung her hands and then looked down at them, laughing. “I’m a mess over my mother. Who does that?”

“Having Kathy and Billy over will be good for you,” Paul replied. “You want to tell your best friend you’re engaged, right? She’ll be happy for us. Your mother will be, too. You’re getting ahead of yourself.”

“Right, I guess you have a point. Now I see the wisdom of announcing in the newspaper like they used to in the old days when there were papers.”

“We’ll post something on Instagram,” he said, laughing, the joke being Paul didn’t even have an Instagram account.

“I wish we could just run away together.”

“Let’s just relax for a while,” he said, pulling her over. “We don’t have to go tomorrow, you know. It’ll mean pizza for the week without my aunt’s food.”

“We need to tell your mother,” Emily said, determined to pull herself together. “And I guess I have to see mine whether I like it or not.”

On Sunday, after Emily succeeded in transferring some of her anxiety over to Paul, they were both nervous on the trip down to Aunt Roberta’s house.

“For a change I’m glad you talked me into hiking,” Paul said. “We can ease into the chaos.”

The younger members of the family would start the day off on the trail like they did every Sunday. Paul admitted that in the days before they hiked, the energy level in the house felt explosive.

“They’d eat like pigs all day, argue about politics or sports teams, and then fight to stay awake in order to eat more.”

“By the time we eat today, they’ll all be ready for a nap,” Emily said, laughing. “Hopefully, that will keep any passionately negative comments at bay.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like