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“Grab some glasses there behind you,” he tells me. “Let’s try this.”
As I turn and stare in confusion at a cabinet that is stuffed to the gills with glassware, gravy bowls, and platters, I debate what might be considered a bourbon glass. I’m more of a beer guy, and even then, I don’t drink that often. It doesn’t fit into my hockey schedule.
“Sorry for the miscommunication,” Kevin is saying.
I open the cabinet. There are tumblers with Niagara Falls on them. I start to reach for them because the only other thing I see to drink out of is a couple of mason jars and tea cups. Without warning, Nathan’s hand reaches past mine and passes over a platter with a turkey on it, to glasses buried way in the back.
“Not a problem,” Nathan says, his back to Kevin. “The holidays can get chaotic.” He gives me a look of solidarity and hands me two glasses. He takes a third out for himself.
Relieved, I turn and nod, handing a glass to Kevin. “We’re just happy to be here.”
“Mary should have just called and told Dani we weren’t doing a big thing this year instead of sending an email.”
“Kevin, don’t blame me,” Mary says from the kitchen, which is mere steps away. “We discussed it together.”
“It would have been great if you had discussed it with me,” Dani says, pouring herself a glass of wine in the kitchen. “Because now you’ve made Nathan, Michael, and Crew feel completely unwelcome, and I feel like you don’t trust me to know how to live my life.”
“I’m not trying to offend any of you,” Mary protests. “I just need time to process this. It completely caught me off guard, and the idea of meeting all of you for the first time with a whole bunch of family here was just overwhelming to me.”
That was fair, yet her avoidance has us all sitting here feeling awkward as fuck. Worst of all, she’s upset Dani.
“We understand,” Michael says, handing a glass of wine to Mary. “It is a lot to process. I think if we can all just spend some time and get to know each other you’ll see that we care about Dani and want to make her happy.”
“Since we’re clearing the air, I’m just going to come out with it,” Kevin says. “No PDA in my house.”
“What’s PDA?” I ask blankly. I’m still holding my empty glass. Kevin is already sipping from his now-filled glass.
“Public display of affection,” Nathan tells me.
It takes me a second. Then I realize that means we can’t touch Dani in front of her parents.
“You all are adults, and you’re going to do what you want to do,” Kevin says. “Just not in my house.”
I stare at the bourbon, mentally willing it to jump out of the bottle on the table next to Kevin and into my glass. I’m getting nervous that I’m going to say something I might regret. Again.
“And we trust you to know how you want to live your life,” Mary assures Dani, sitting down in an easy chair with her glass of wine and patting the arm for Dani to perch on it. “It’s just like mentally rearranging everything I’ve always assumed. Do you understand, sweetheart?”
Dani nods and leans against the arm. “I do. All I’m asking is that instead of avoiding the situation, you at least try to get to know these guys. They’re good men. Great men.”
Kevin rubs his temples. “Danielle. You know all we want is for you to be happy.”
“That’s all we want, too, Kevin,” Nathan says firmly. “And I think we’ve done a damn good job of it.”
He sounds a little defensive, but Dani smiles warmly at him. “You have,” she says simply. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“Danielle is our miracle baby,” Mary says. “We were married fifteen years before she came along.”
That explains a thing or two, and I can appreciate where they’re coming from, but I don’t get them not supporting their daughter’s choices.
“Mom, I was your miracle baby. I’m an adult now.”
“Of course, you are.” Mary massages Dani’s back. “I just always thought there would be a wedding, grandbabies…” Her voice trembles without warning.
I almost joke that I’ll get Dani pregnant if they want, but I stop myself in the nick of time. Because I’m fucking mature, damn it.
“If I want those things, I can still have those things,” Dani says, sounding exasperated yet sympathetic. “But if I do, it’s because I want them, not because you want them. It’s my life,” she adds gently.
Michael puts a platter of cheese and crackers down in front of us. I stuff a piece of cheese into my mouth, which is a mistake since my glass is still empty.
