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Cricket swung by and dropped off their drinks. Iced tea for him and Charlotte, chocolate milk for Ivy, and cat poop coffee for his mother. He only wished Cricket had a cup of warm cow shit to give her instead. Bastien knowingly waited with bated breath for her to take a drink, and when she did, he took great pleasure she had no idea what she was drinking.
Annette cleared her throat, bringing them both out of their thoughts. “Oh.” She picked up the cup and took another sip. “Kopi Lewak. I love this stuff. Finding it here is quite a surprise. It's rare and expensive.”
Leave it to his mother to know just about everything, including about civet coffee. He placed his hand on Charlotte's. “Even better are things and people who are rare and priceless.”
She smiled almost sincerely. “Let's get back to the wedding. How far along were your plans?”
“It was a work in progress. I had my dream wedding dress, but it was ruined by rusty pipe water from a leak next door to my shop.” Charlotte closed her eyes as if she was envisioning it. “Ivory silk, with a train and hand-sewn beads that glittered in the light. The bodice was trimmed in lace so soft it felt like a lover's caress.”
“Why was your wedding dress at your shop?” Annette asked. “What kind of business do you have?”
“Mom,” Bastien replied. “Charlotte is the town's wedding planner.”
“How convenient,” she said with an air of suspicion.
“Plus, she's pretty and nice,” Ivy added dreamily as she looked up at Charlotte as if she were the most amazing person in the world.
“That she is. Beautiful inside and out,” Bastien said.
“Ivy, honey. Why don't you wash your hands before you eat,” Charlotte said.
Somehow, Charlotte always had his back. She had Ivy's, too, by protecting her from hearing a conversation she was too young to understand.
Ivy climbed under the table and stopped beside him. “Can I have money for the jukebox?” He gave her a handful of quarters and watched her walk to the corner.
He hadn't considered how this might affect Ivy, but Charlotte had an impeccable sense of what he needed and when he needed it. Right now, he needed a frank conversation with his mom that wouldn't be heard by a five-year-old. He was confident that Tiffany wouldn't have had the maturity to see the situation for what it was—potentially upsetting and confusing to Ivy. Tiffany reminded him of the eager-to-please interns at his company. He was thankful that Charlotte had yanked him away from what would have been an unpleasant and unsatisfying connection, however short it may have been.
“When do you plan to get married?” Annette asked, jolting him from his thoughts.
“I'd marry Charlotte tomorrow if that were possible,” he said.
“How about this weekend?” his mother suggested with a smile. “Just a small ceremony to make it official, and if you two want to have a bigger event later on, you can do a renewal of your vows.”
Bastien was not expecting that. “What part of Charlotte being a wedding planner did you forget? She doesn't want a rushed wedding. If she wanted something fast, we could have gone to Vegas.”
He glanced at Ivy dancing to “Everlasting Love” in front of the jukebox and cleared his throat. How poetic, he thought. He knew some of the lyrics. Something about opening your eyes and realizing that you’re standing with your everlasting love. Chloe loved that song and played it for Ivy often. It seemed that Chloe wasn’t the only one sending him a message. “If we marry this weekend, will you stop pushing for custody of Ivy?”
Annette sat back and smiled like a cat who'd devoured a canary. “Are you saying you're only getting married to get custody?” she asked.
“I have custody. I don’t need to get custody. Chloe already gave me that. You’re trying to take it away. I don’t need to marry to get something I already have.”
“If you want me to give up the custody fight, I need to know this is more than just a business arrangement. How would it be for Ivy to have someone come into her life just to abandon her once they got what they wanted?”
Bastien and Charlotte exchanged a look. Had they gone through all the machinations for nothing? He knew his mother was sly. She'd even hired a private investigator.
“No one is going anywhere,” Bastien said quickly. “Charlotte and I are perfect for each other.” His face flushed with heat as he spoke the words aloud, knowing they were true. “What did your private investigator say?”
“He said you paid his monthly salary and sent me this picture.” Without even a smidgeon of shame, she pulled out her phone and showed them the picture of them kissing on the beach. “When I showed up, I saw you with that other woman. I thought you were faking it.” She stared at Charlotte. “Now, I'm not sure.”
Charlotte reached for his hand and looked into Bastien’s eyes. “I can assure you, I'm hopelessly in love with your son. While our relationship grew quickly, my love for him has been a slow burn since we met. He is kind, loving, intelligent, honorable, and steadfast.”
His chest tightened as he heard her words. He knew she was probably reciting them for the money, but somehow, they made him feel so alive, and seen for the first time. Charlotte saw in him all things he strived so hard to be, but thought he often failed. He tried to push down his growing emotions, but he couldn't deny how incredible he felt with Charlotte at his side, describing all the things she’d gleaned in a few encounters to his mother, who had somehow missed them for a lifetime.
“How many times have you been married? You look a little mature to be holding off for a white wedding and bridesmaids,” Annette quipped.
“Mother, how dare you!”
“It’s OK, Bastien. It’s a fair question if we are trying to get to know one another. I’ve never been married. I didn’t see the point in settling when I knew my one true love would find me if I stayed true to myself and lived my life with kindness. What’s the point of marriage if not to celebrate life in love together with all its trials? Bastien is the tiller in my roughest seas and the sunshine lighting my face in every waking moment.”
