“Hold on, everyone,” Maggie says. “I have one more thing I want to say to Hannah and Langley before we enjoy this wonderful meal.” Everyone quiets down while we wait for her to continue. “I want you two to know that I will accept anyone you love. Don’teverbe afraid of bringing them home. If you love them, I will too. And I’m not worried about them not loving you, because how can anyone not love you two?”
“Oh, Mom,” Hannah says through tears.
“Promise me.” Maggie looks at Langley and Hannah when she says that.
“I promise,” they both say at once.
She nods in satisfaction. “Now, we can eat,” she says.
And that’s what we do. We eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal of roasted turkey and sides. As always, everything is delicious, and when dessert is served, I devour the warm apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream that is placed in front of me.
There’s also a dessert table, and Langley takes Carter and Priya so they can choose what they want.
“Why did you let me eat so much?” I ask Drake after dinner. I swipe the chocolate chip cookie in his hand and break it in half. “I have to eat again at my parents’ house.” I put a hand on my stuffed belly and moan.
“That won’t be for hours. We didn’t eat until about ten p.m. last year.”
I swat his forearm. “We ate at six,” I say. “You need to get used to black Thanksgiving.We have our own time zone.”
“Black Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day—”
I swat him again before he can continue.
“And you’re always there stuffing your face,” I remind him.
“Well, I never said the food wasn’t good.” He opens his arms, and I step inside. “Even though I hate this ugly sweater, I’m so happy to have you as my wife. You’re who I’m grateful for the most. I love our family, but there’s no one on this earth that I love more than you.” I lift my head and look into his eyes. “I choose you over everyone and everything else.”
He bends down and presses his lips to mine.
“Me too,” is all I can say after a wave of emotion hits.
The pandemonium in my parents’ house is a direct contradiction to the quiet and calm dinner we just left.
Priya is sound asleep in Drake’s arms when we arrive. My mom takes her and puts her in the crib. Carter runs to his cousins, and they start chasing each other in the living room.
“You look ridiculous,” my dad says to Drake. He points at the sweater and makes a face. “That thing has feathers on it.” He shakes his head and turns to me. “But you look beautiful.” He opens his arms and I hug my dad.
“We’re wearing the exact same sweater,” Drake says. “How come she doesn’t look ridiculous?”
“Because my baby looks good in everything, and you’re the dope who let her make you wear that monstrosity. Be a man.”
“I’ve given you two grandchildren. I’m pretty sure I’m a man,” he says back.
“She walks all over you,” my dad says, gesturing at me.
“Well, before she started walking all over me, she walked all overyou.” Drake points at my dad. “You’re the blueprint.” I snicker at that because it’s true.
“I’m not gonna argue with a fool wearing feathers. Come on,” he says, gesturing to Drake. “You can make the salad.”
“The salad should have been done,” Drake whispers to me.
“Well, we gave the staff the day off, Your Highness,” I say before I curtsy. “Go in there and make the salad, rich boy.” I slap his behind and push him toward the kitchen. “And it better be good.”
Chapter 20
Drake
“Here,” Mr. Nash says right before something hits me in the face. I take it off and notice that it’s an apron. Not only is it an apron, but it matches the one that everyone else in the family has. It says head chef above a picture of Mr. Nash. Underneath that, it says and his minions. There’s a picture of Mrs. Nash, Ray, Nia and now me.