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“Mom!” Sophie’s lips parted with surprise. “You’re early!”
Sophie then cleared the space between them, flying into her mother’s arms, bringing with her the scent of her jasmine perfume. Sophie hadn’t hugged Katrina like this since she was a girl. Katrina’s heart melted.
Grant and Ida wore big smiles, watching Katrina and Sophie hug. The radio was playing a Top 40 hit, and the guitar chords jangled happily.
“What did I just hear you say?” Katrina asked, drawing away from her daughter to look her in the eye. “Jared got down on one knee?”
Sophie laughed and wiggled her left finger in front of Katrina to show off a large engagement ring. Incredibly, it was even larger than the one Grant had given Katrina all those years ago.And Grant was one of the proudest and wealthiest guys Katrina knew!
The size of Sophie’s ring meant many things. Namely that Jared had enough wealth to take care of Sophie and that he loved her enough to give her the very best.
More than that, Sophie was healthy enough to accept. She was healthy enough to recognize that this was the correct path forward.
Katrina could see it in Sophie’s eyes. They were clear and white, without any of the red capillaries that had so often appeared during Sophie’s heavy drug years. Katrina nearly gushed with happiness.
“Darling, that’s wonderful,” Katrina said, squeezing Sophie’s hands.
“We have to celebrate,” Grant said. “I was thinking of a big Coleman celebration this weekend. What do you say? Jared? Sophie?”
“Whatever my bride wants,” Jared said.
“Of course! I want to celebrate with as many people as possible,” Sophie said.
“When were you thinking of having the wedding?” Ida asked.
“As soon as we can,” Sophie said. “Maybe New Year’s Eve?”
“That sounds magical!” Ida said. “We’ll have to get started right away.”
Grant disappeared briefly to order pizzas to the house. It was a gorgeous, eggshell-blue autumn day, and they decided to eat on the back porch, watching the sun fade over the sound. Katrina hugged Jared and said, “I’m so thrilled to see you back in Nantucket!”
“Sophie and I have been talking about moving back here all year,” Jared said.
Katrina caught Sophie’s eye. Sophie read her expression immediately and took Jared’s arm.
“Neither of us wanted to be broken up,” Sophie explained. “But Jared was brave enough to come find me in Boston.”
“I knew I’d lost the best girl in the world,” Jared said. “And I couldn’t rest until I made her understand just how important this relationship is to me.”
“It’s so romantic,” Ida said.
From upstairs came the sound of Ida’s baby crying. Ida disappeared to tend to her, and Rick followed shortly after, unsure of himself around Ida’s family. This left Jared, Katrina, Sophie, and Grant in the living room, gushing about the upcoming union of their families.
Only hours ago, Katrina had thought her daughter’s life was in jeopardy. This was the about-face of the century.
That weekend, Grant invited Aunt Jessabelle, Roland, Estelle, Sam, Hilary, Charlie, their partners, and Agatha over for an engagement party. Ida took everyone’s coats as they entered and passed them a glass of champagne to start. Katrina waded through the party dressed in an elegant emerald green dress she’d purchased just for the occasion, keeping an eye out for Sophie. There was enough champagne present to field a fraternity party. She was terrified of Sophie imbibing and making a fool of herself. It had happened before at other family parties. Why not this one, too?
Sophie wore a modest white dress with a vintage feel. Every time Katrina passed her, she carried no glass of champagne and smiled demurely, nervously. It seemed clear she wasn’t accustomed to all this attention.
“She looks so happy,” Grant said as he passed by Katrina, touching Katrina’s lower back tenderly.
“I can’t remember the last time she smiled so much,” Katrina agreed.
When Katrina retreated into the kitchen to refill a bucket of ice, she found Sophie at the sink, washing her hands and gazingout the window. Sunlight glinted across her face and made her freckles pop. Katrina remembered Sophie as a little girl, begging her mother to take her freckles off. “I don’t want them!” she’d cried adorably.
“There’s the bride!” Katrina said.
Sophie flinched and cut the water. A split second later, she smiled.
