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Emma looked up, giving her mother a smile that was not strained at all. “Yes. Mom, Dad... I want you to meet my fiancé, His Royal Highness Prince Konstantin of the House of Merikov.”
She peeked up at Kon. “Did I get that right?”
“Perfect,” he said with a warm smile. “Now you tell me their names.”
“Even though you already know them?”
He shrugged. “Etiquette.”
Emma nodded. Okay, then. “Kon, may I present my parents? Ansel and Belinda Sloan.”
Her mother was staring at Emma like a landed fish, her mouth opening and closing with nothing coming out.
Her dad’s eyes widened. “Well, I’ll be damned. And he doesn’t mind about Mikhail?” he then said pointedly to Kon. “You will accept my grandson as your own?”
“Even if he were not mine, yes, I would.”
“You’re the man that...” Oh, her dad’s eyes could still glitter with pure disapproval and it was all directed at Kon. “You seduced our innocent daughter and then abandoned her?”
“I did,” Kon said unequivocally. “That is my mistake to bear, but believe me when I promise you that I will never let her down that way again.”
“I should hope not,” her mother said, sounding discombobulated. “A prince.” She shook her head. “And you managed to keep his identity private?”
The discussion that followed was filled with explanations and updates. Her parents were hurt to learn Emma had changed her name to her birth surname, but had understood the need after learning about the restraining order.
“You just make me so proud,” her mom said. “You’re such a good mom.”
Emma thought her heart would burst at those longed-for words coming from her parent.
“You make us both proud. We don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I hope we can earn it over time.”
“Your daughter excels at extending grace,” Kon said before Emma could assure her parents she would forgive them.
There was a moment Emma found humorous, even if the others did not. Kon demanded promises never to hurt her again from her parents while her father assured Kon that he would be watching the younger man to make sure he never let their beloved daughter down again.
Emma rolled her eyes. “All this posturing is lovely, I’m sure, but please, all of you, remember that I did an excellent job looking out for myself and my son for five years.”
Her mother’s expression turned hungry. “I understand you’re hesitant to allow it right away. We’ll have to prove ourselves... But when do you think we might meet our grandson?”
“You want to meet Mickey?”
“Oh, yes. He’s part of you. He’s part of us. It’s my own fault, but I’ve grieved knowing I had a grandchild out there I did not know for the past five years.”
Emma didn’t remind her mom about the phone call after Mickey’s birth. The older woman was already filled with repentance. She did not need another load of guilt.
“You don’t have to prove yourselves. You’ve said you’re sorry and I believe you. I can still remember all the years of my childhood and how loved I felt. I know who you two are and it’s not people who want to hurt others.”
She might never fully understand what drove them to be the way they were five years ago, but she had some inkling after the watershed talking they’d done.
Her parents meeting with Mickey was emotional in all the best ways. They had relaxed some of their strict attitudes in the five years since Emma disappeared from their lives.
They wanted nothing more than to get to know their grandson and reacquaint themselves with their daughter.
No question, they were a little overwhelmed by the whole royal thing.
However, Emma’s mom readily participated in the wedding preparations with Lady Solomia. Emma overheard the countess tell her mom that parents sometimes made grievous mistakes with their children, but the lucky ones had daughters who understood that they were loved and gave that love back, despite their parents’ failings.
Emma thought there was a story there, but she didn’t go digging for it. She had enough to keep her occupied keeping up with her own life.
