The Way We Rise

  “Ten bucks says she’s getting a change of clothes to take a shower and wash away the sex smell,” Rory says, holding out her hand for me to shake.

  “That’s a losing bet if I ever heard one,” I reply, dumping out the bag of Knock-Knock Blocks onto a blanket on the floor so Austin can play while he has some energy from his nap.

  “What are we going to do if Tessa shows up at the wedding?” Rory asks while typing something on her phone, as if it’s a casual question that doesn’t require her full attention.

  She’s trying to downplay the seriousness so I don’t get upset. I’m fully aware that she broke the news to me about Tessa while we were at the doctor’s office because she knew it was a safe place. She thinks I don’t know when she’s hiding something from me or when she’s trying to manipulate my emotions, but Rory’s so bad at being deceptive. Her emotions give her away. It’s one of the things I love most about her.

  Of course, the downside is that Rory is easily manipulated. She doesn’t realize there’s a good chance Tessa emotionally manipulated her into getting a wedding invite. It’s possible Tessa did it without consciously knowing what she was doing, so I can’t really be mad at either of them. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to have Tessa anywhere near us on our wedding day.

  “We have two choices,” I begin, handing Austin a black and white block. “You can call Tessa and tell her you don’t think it’s a good idea for her to come to the wedding or I can call her. Your choice.”

  She looks up from her phone, her eyes locking on mine. “I’ll call her.”

  Somehow, in less than six days, I manage to call Tessa and break up with her, make two last-minute trips to the florist, safely lose two pounds of bloat so I can zip up my wedding dress with ease, get Austin cleared of all pink-eye symptoms, pump a week’s worth of breast milk, and not have an emotional breakdown when Kenny gives the most hilarious and beautiful toast at tonight’s rehearsal dinner.

  The wedding rehearsal on the roof and the small private dinner on the second floor went off without a hitch. Sid got some partitions to block the view of the area where the tents were being stored. Then he pushed a few tables together and created beautiful rustic place settings and centerpieces. Since the only people invited to the rehearsal dinner were the wedding party and close friends and family, Sid made eighteen unique place cards, which were actually personalized thank-you cards from me and Houston.

  By the time Houston and I have said good-bye to everyone, the only ones left in the restaurant are me, Houston, my mom and dad, and a few of the kitchen staff who are staying late to clean everything up.

  My dad kisses me on the cheek and pats Houston’s arm. “You two have done a great job. I’m not looking forward to giving my little girl away tomorrow, but I have no doubt you two will make it worth the while.”

  “It’s not too late to take her back,” Houston says, placing his hands on my shoulders. “My refund policy is pretty lax.”

  I shrugs his hands off. “Thanks, Dad. We’ve worked really hard to make this perfect for everyone.”

  My mom smiles. “You’ve done a beautiful job. You should be very proud.”

  She glances at my dad and he glances back at her. There’s an awkward silence, then they both open their mouths to speak at the same time. My mom chuckles as my dad offers to let her go first.

  “Oh, no, you go ahead,” she insists.

  He smiles at her, but not a cordial smile. There is something else in his smile. Something I’ve seen before. My heart races as he gazes at the floor for a moment, lost in thought, before he looks up at me, still smiling.

  “Rory, your mother and I are… We’re engaged.”

  I look back and forth between them, waiting for the punch line. “This is a joke, right?” I reply with a chuckle.

  His smile disappears and my mother’s eyebrow shoots up. “Sweetheart, we wanted to tell you before the honeymoon because we know you’ve been suspicious, and we don’t want you to feel like you have to worry about what your mom is doing while you’re gone.”

  My heart is punching my chest so hard, I feel as if it might explode. I stare at a spot on the wall just to the left of my dad’s face because I’m afraid to look at him.

  “You’re… You’re the secret boyfriend?”

  My dad laughs and my mom scoffs at this characterization of their relationship.

  “Rory, please, your father and I aren’t secret boyfriend and girlfriend. We’re grandparents, we’re not teenagers.”

  I turn to my dad and he’s looking at the floor trying to hide a sneaky grin, because he knows damn well they’ve been behaving like teenagers.

  He puts on a straight face and looks up at me. “She’s right. We’re partners. And we’re adults, so we have every right to conduct our relationship as we see fit.”

  “Partners…?” I reply, my voice trailing off. “So that means… you’re getting remarried?”

  They turn to each other and my dad nods. She smiles like a schoolgirl who just got an A on her spelling test. Then she holds out her left hand to show me a diamond ring that looks almost twice as big as the three-carat diamond ring Houston bought me more than seven years ago.

  My jaw drops. “Holy shit, Dad.”

  My mom purses her lips. “Rory, language.”

  My dad shakes his head. “Oh, how I’ve missed this.”

  Houston chuckles. “You’ll get tired of it pretty soon.”

  I grab my mom’s hand and bring it closer to my face to get a better look at it. “You guys are serious.”

  “Don’t get any ideas,” Houston says, squeezing my shoulders. “I didn’t get you a new, bigger ring because your old ring is special.”

  I wave off his explanation. “I don’t need a bigger ring. I’m just admiring it.”

  My mom tugs her hand gently. “Can I have my hand back?”

  I chuckle as I let go. “Well, this is weird.”

  “Why is it weird?” my dad replies, a warm smile spreading across his face as my mom links her arm in his. “Your mother and I have loved each other since we were teenagers. But even the smartest people sometimes forget to put love first. I’m sure you both understand that as well as we do.”

  I’m suddenly overcome by a gust of emotion as I think of the years Houston and I denied our feelings for each other.

  I throw my arms around my dad. “Congratulations,” I blubber.

  “Thank you, sweetheart,” he murmurs into my hair as he holds me tightly.

  Once I’ve smeared most of my makeup on his blazer, I let go of him and turn to my mom. “Mommy.”

  She laughs softly as she wipes away a tear.

  I hold my arms out to her. “I’m so happy for you.”

  My mom and I hold each other for a long while, and I spend much of that time wondering how this happened. I want to ask, but I’ll save my questions for later. Right now, I just want to revel in the joy of having my family together. And, I definitely don’t say this aloud, but I’m relieved to know my dad will be around while Houston and I are on our honeymoon. In case my mother’s menopause demon needs to be exorcised.

  Houston and I arrive at our apartment a few minutes before eleven p.m. to relieve our neighbor Janice of her babysitting duties. Houston pays her while I check in on Austin. He’s deep asleep in his crib, his perfect little mouth hanging slightly open. Though his pink-eye symptoms have been gone for a couple of days now, I lay my hand on his forehead just to be sure, and I’m pleased to find he feels as perfect as he looks.

  When I come out of the room, my mom is waiting for me in the hallway. Her back is to me as she watches Houston and my dad talking to each other in the living room.

  I tap her on the shoulder and she jumps. “What are they talking about?” I whisper as she turns to me.

  She smiles as she takes me by the arm and pulls me into the bathroom. “You’re not supposed to know.” She reaches for my hair. “Let me help you with those bobby pins.”

  She begins taking the bo
bby pins out of my updo. I keep my mouth shut as she removes each pin while humming a song I don’t recognize at first. After a few more notes, I smile when I realize she’s humming the theme song to Austin’s favorite cartoon.

  I’ll let them keep their little secret for now, but as soon as Houston and I are in bed, I know just how to get it out of him.

  Rory and I lie in bed together for the last time as an unmarried couple. Both of us stare at the ceiling in silence. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I’m thinking about the conversation I just had with her dad, and I’m worried about how Rory is going to take the news when I break it to her.

  “How does it feel to know this is our last night living in sin?” I say, my voice amplified by the darkness.

  She chuckles as she turns over and lays her hand on my chest as she looks up at me. “I’m so happy I’m finally going to be an honest woman.”

  “An honest woman? Does that mean you’re finally going to be one hundred percent honest with me?”

  She gasps. “I’m always honest with you.”

  I laugh louder than I probably should, considering it’s almost midnight.

  “Okay, so I may have forgotten to tell you about Tessa,” she concedes.

  I clear my throat. “Honest woman.”

  “Okay, okay. I deceived you. And I’ll always be honest with you from now on. But the same goes for you,” she says, trailing her fingers down my abs until she reaches the waistband of my boxer briefs. “You have to tell me everything. No more secrets.”

  I grab her face and tilt her head up to kiss her tenderly. Her hand slides into my boxers, slowly inching downward until her fingers are wrapped around the base of my cock. I thrust my tongue into her mouth and she whimpers as her hand glides up and down the length of my erection.

  She pulls her head back and looks me in the eye as she lowers herself off the bed so she’s standing at my bedside. “Sit up,” she whispers.

  I smile as I realize I’m getting a BJ the night before my wedding. This almost feels like cheating.

  She sinks to her knees then slowly pushes my boxers down and tosses them away. Spreading my knees, I suck in a sharp breath when she grabs the head of my cock and slides her fist down the shaft.

  “No more secrets,” she repeats just before she licks the tip.

  “Fuck,” I hiss as she takes my cock deep into her mouth.

  She’s not wasting any time. Her head bobs back and forth like a well-oiled piston. I lean my head back and close my eyes, biting my lip to keep from alerting Patricia in the next room.

  Her right hand twists as she moves it up and down in time with her mouth. I reach down and move her hair away from her face, then I watch as she takes me in and pulls me out. I twist my fingers in her hair and slide my hand to the back of her head, holding her steady as I get closer to climax. As soon as I do this, she pushes off.

  Licking her lips, she looks up at me. “What were you talking about with my dad?”

  “What? I don’t know. I’m… fuck.”

  She leans forward and traces her tongue around the tip of my cock. “What were you talking about?”

  “Shit,” I whisper as I realize this was a trap, and I fell for it.

  She lightly runs the tips of her fingers up and down the length of my erection as her other hand massages my sac. “No more secrets.”

  I chuckle as I shake my head. “You literally have me by the balls. This is not fucking fair.”

  “You’re the one who said you wanted one hundred percent honesty,” she replies, then she takes me into her mouth, pushing me farther inside until I hit the back of her throat.

  She pulls away again as she feels me getting close.

  “This is cruelty to animals,” I say.

  She laughs. “Are you calling yourself an animal?”

  “You’re damn fucking right,” I reply, taking her by surprise as I reach down, pick her up, and toss her onto the bed next to me.

  She laughs as I position myself between her legs and lean down to kiss her neck. Sliding into her, I let out a groan of relief that makes her laugh even more.

  “You think it’s funny that you almost gave me the bluest balls of the century,” I say, lifting her leg as I thrust into her.

  She smiles as she looks up at me. “I almost had you.”

  I shake my head as I place her ankle on my shoulder and push her leg back until I’m close enough to kiss her. She whimpers into my mouth and I groan into hers as I plow into her, releasing my load in the free-loading zone. God, I love it when she’s pregnant. After this one shoots out in nine months, I’m going to convince her to do this a few more times.

  When we arrive at Barley Legal in the afternoon, the restaurant has been closed down for the day and the rolling gate entrance to the back parking lot is locked. A security guard stands just outside the gate, letting in only wedding guests and members of the wedding party. Houston’s parking space is open for him as he pulls in, and his aunt Melissa is just stepping out of the car in the next space.

  As he pulls the key out of the ignition, I’m hit with the sudden realization that this is really happening. I’m getting married. And not to some guy I settled for. I’m getting married to the boy I used to write stories about. The guy whose name filled the pages of my journal for more than a decade. The man who commissioned my mother to write a fairy tale about us. I’m literally marrying my Prince Charming and I still haven’t written my wedding vows.

  I can feel Houston watching me as I stare at the dashboard. I flinch when he grabs my hand, then I chuckle as he gives it a gentle squeeze.

  “You getting cold feet?” he asks, though the confident smile on his face tells me he knows damn well I’m not having second thoughts.

  “Just thinking,” I reply.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  I smile as I take his hand in both of mine. “I wrote a story when I was twelve. It was about you and me.”

  He chuckles. “Is it in that box of stories in your storage unit?”

  I shake my head. “It got lost during one of the many times I changed dorms after we broke up.”

  His smile disappears. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. I should have taken better care of it.” I smile as I rub my thumb over the palm of his hand. “I guess that’s a lesson I had to learn twice.”

  He closes his hand around mine. “Are you okay, Rory?”

  I look up at him and nod. “In that story, you and I got married and had three kids. One of them was named Hallie after her aunt.”

  His smile returns. “Knowing Hallie, she probably forced you to name our fictional child after her.”

  My gaze falls back to our hands. “She never read the story. She never read any of the stuff I wrote about you. I was too afraid to show anyone that stuff. It was like… my deepest shame. I was in love with a boy who would never love me back. Somehow, I thought that made me defective, and I didn’t want anyone to know.” I look up again and sigh. “I think I finally understand why she didn’t tell us… If I was ashamed of being in love, I can’t even begin to fathom how she felt.”

  He stares at the steering wheel for a moment before he replies. “Everyone deserves to have their story heard.” He looks up at me, his gaze filled with intensity. “You’re the only one I trust to tell Hallie’s.”

  I let go of his hand, chuckling as I wipe away a tear. “Too bad I’m pregnant. I could really use a few drinks to get through this wedding.”

  He smiles as he glances over his shoulder at the Barley Legal building. “I think Wilma might have a few virgin drinks you can enjoy in your condition.”

  I grab my purse and lean over the console to kiss him. “Let’s go get married.”

  The entire first floor of the restaurant has been decorated for the wedding. Small, lush floral arrangements dot the center of each dining table, surrounded by twinkling garlands of twig lights. More strings of twig lights hang from the ceiling and along the edge of the staircase
leading up to the second floor, where Houston and I are headed.

  The white silk tents have been moved out of the second-floor dining area, taken to the roof to be set up. The second floor has been partitioned into four separate dressing areas with silkscreen dividers that seem to glow from within.

  Houston brings my hand to his lips and plants a soft kiss on my knuckles. “Next time you see me, I’ll be standing underneath that star you wished on.”

  It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about the time we got locked in the cemetery and I made a wish on a shooting star. “Next time I see you, you’ll know if I got my answer.”

  He smiles as he bows his head then disappears into the dressing area on the right. I head into the dressing area on the left and find Kenny dressed in a slim nude Gucci three-piece suit and a soft wine-colored tie to match my floral crown and the lilac arch. He’s setting up my makeup on the dressing table as my mom sits on a settee in the corner with Austin on her lap. Skippy lies beneath the dressing table as if he’s waiting just for me.

  “Where are the bridesmaids?”

  Kenny looks up at the sound of my voice. He opens his mouth to reply when I hear two voices coming from the dressing area next to us.

  “We’re in here!”

  Within seconds, Jenna and Misha come rushing into my dressing area. Though no one could ever take Kenny’s place, Jenna and I became friends last year when she started working for Hallie’s Hope as a bookkeeper. She’s a year older than I am, and she has a three-year-old son who isn’t quite keen on playdates with Austin yet.

  Misha came to Hallie’s Hope in December, trembling and bloody after being brutally raped by her boyfriend. She was eighteen and I’d never seen anyone so frightened. We worked with the authorities to get her boyfriend arrested, then we worked with her family to make them understand she hadn’t brought this upon herself. She helps out with general office work at Hallie’s Hope occasionally, and she’s starting community college later this month.