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Lucille’s voice is a little shaky as they pause over the threshold. “Let’s all have a few hours to process this, and then we need to talk. Okay?” she asks, and I feel Talia nod against me. “Seven o’clock at the bistro?”
I incline my head in agreement and close the door behind our parents.
The bistro is a cozy,warmly lit restaurant that would’ve been lovely under any other circumstances. But sitting across from our parents in tense silence while the poor waiter tries to make conversation to lighten the mood puts a damper on the nice surroundings. Talia’s knee bounces under the table while I order for us both, and the waiter scurries away to put in our food order and grab our drinks.
I wait a few more seconds, but when nobody speaks, I sigh. I won’t have Talia feeling this uncomfortable all night, and we’re all adults here. We should be capable of having a damn conversation.
“I assume you’ve both taken time to calm down?” I start, resting my hand on Talia’s thigh beneath the table, stroking my thumb against her through the fabric of her black dress.
It’s Lucille who answers to my surprise. She leans forward, elbows on the table, and looks at her daughter with a soft expression on her face. “Are you happy, sweetheart?” she asks, her voice full of motherly love.
Talia relaxes instantly and relief flows through me.
“Yeah, Mom,” Talia answers without hesitation, leaning closer to me so our shoulders brush. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
Lucille’s shoulders drop as she sighs, nodding. “Good,” she says simply, sitting back in her chair with a smile. “Well, that’s all that really matters, I suppose.”
“We took the time to talk about all of this,” my dad adds, scratching his head and looking a little uncomfortable. “It took us by surprise, kids. Surely you can understand that?”
I chuckle, and Talia snorts at that. “Hardly the way we hoped to tell you,” I say.
Dad nods, looking between Talia and me. “While this is hardly the way Lucille or I pictured our kids finding love,” he continues, “neither of us want to get in the way of your happiness.”
“Oh thank God,” Talia mutters in a sigh of relief, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling.
I grin at her, and Dad and Lucille laugh.
“I guess our worries about you guys not getting on were unfounded,” Lucille says as our drinks arrive, taking a sip of her wine.
Talia blushes bright red, which instantly makes my blood heat, and grabs her water, taking a big gulp.
I turn to her mother, inclining my head. “Having Talia in my life is the greatest gift I’ve ever had,” I tell her honestly, making her eyes light up. “I’m glad that both of you have decided to accept it, but in truth, I wouldn’t have let her go even if you hadn’t. She’s everything to me.”
Lucille softens at that, and Talia’s eyes are wide as she turns to me. It takes everything in me not to tell her how much I love her right there and then, wanting to be alone with her when I do.
“You’re a good man, son,” Dad says, offering Talia and me a smile. “I don’t doubt you’ll do right by her.”
The mood feels instantly lighter, though I imagine it’ll take a while for the edge of awkwardness to fade. When our appetizers arrive, talk turns to safer topics like Dad and Lucille’s honeymoon and work.
Talia steals a bite of my bruschetta, which makes me grin.
From out of nowhere, her mom asks, “So when do you have to leave for college again?”
Talia chokes a little, sipping her water while I rub her back. She grimaces a little, and I squeeze her thigh in silent encouragement and reassurance.
“I…um…well, actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that,” she starts, straightening her shoulders. “I’m not going back. I dropped out.”
For a second, nobody speaks, but then both Dad and Lucille talk at the same time.
“Oh, good?—”
“It’s about time!”
Talia’s mouth drops open in shock, but I smile at her.
“Told you they’d understand, cupcake,” I say, raising a brow.
“You’re really okay with it?” Talia asks, frowning at her mom and my dad across the table. “After all the help you guys gave me?”
