Page 97 of Beautiful Life

“Ignoring you is better than the alternative, trust me,” she bites.

“You have to talk to me.”

She pulls away, forcing me back and swings around, probably more pissed than I’ve ever seen her. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want you to think about it and then I want you to say that you understand.”

As she raises her voice, I realize the room behind me has grown quiet. “All I can do is think about it, Tony. I’ve thought and wondered all night. What you said, the look on your face when you took your vows, to see you kiss her. All of that, Tony, are things I would’ve liked to have catalogued in my head for the rest of my life. Mothers like that kind of thing, you know.”

“Please, Mom.”

“Please what? What do you want from me?”

“I want you to be happy for me.”

She looks exasperated. “Of course, I’m happy for you.”

“I’m sorry. Leigh didn’t want a big to-do. She finally agreed and I didn’t want to wait.”

She narrows her eyes. “That’s what everyone is saying.”

“Mom.” I dip my head to look at her. She’s as tall as Leigh, maybe even a bit taller, she doesn’t have to look far to glare up at me. “Try and understand, especially after all she’s been through. I was only thinking of her, doing what she needed. I’d never cut you out to hurt you.”

Looking away, she huffs and stares at my shoulder. “I understand that.”

“She loves me, Mom. She makes me happy. I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

She looks at me without glaring this time and seems resigned. “You’ll be a good husband and I can tell she loves you. What more could I want in the end?”

I can tell she’s coming around, even if it’s halfhearted. I pull her into a hug, feeling her hug me back, the arms that have loved me my whole life could never hold a grudge for long. Feeling guilty, I decide to throw her a bone. “I think Gabby videoed it.”

My mom pulls away immediately. “She did?”

Seeing the hopeful look on my mom’s face, I add, “She even made us stand for pictures.”

My mom finally gives me a small genuine smile. “Of course, she did. I can’t wait to see them. I’ll treasure them, Tony.”

“Are we good?”

She sighs, completely resigned now. “I guess. Or we will be eventually. I love you. I only want you to be happy.”

I lean down to give her another hug and hear my freaking little sister from behind us. “And all’s good on the home front again.”

My mom laughs as I let go of her and turn to find my wife. She’s standing across the room looking relieved, knowing we averted a Carpino disaster—albeit narrowly.

Chapter 23 – Where Is She?

Tony

“Here’s your mail.” Paige walks into my office with a buddle of envelopes.

“Thanks.” I look up at her as she flops the pile on my desk in front of me. I grab a file on my desk for her. “Wait, I have papers for you to sign for your LLC.”

“Thanks. I’m clueless about this part of running a business but I wasn’t about to admit that the other night. Charlotte can be such a pain in my ass. Why she has to be negative all the time, I’ll never know.”

“She’s not negative, Paige.” I defend my big sister who’s most like me. “She’s a realist.”

“Well, she’s a negative realist.”

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