Page 80 of Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

Seth

My family pestered me the night before to tell them everything about how Vegas went down, but Mae and I fought them off, telling them we were too tired and we’d talk to them in the morning.I managed to sneak Mae into my cabin for the night.No one knows except Abi, who is strangely quiet this morning.

We’re having breakfast with the family first, and then Keith is coming over for our official meeting, where he’ll learn that he only has two options, and only one makes sense.

Mae’s nervous that he’ll never speak to her again, but she’s overreacting.He’ll be mad for sure, but he also loves her more than life itself, so he’ll get over it.

I want to tell Dad what was going on before we confront Keith so he’s not blindsided, which is why we’re having breakfast with them first.

We enter my parents’ house holding hands.

Mom nudges Dad and smiles, but no one else is paying attention.They’re all at the table arguing about something, and Ollie is sitting on the counter, his little hands grabbing pieces of bacon and shoving them into his mouth.Mae lets go of my hand, grabs a plate of pancakes from in front of Mom and places it on the table.I take the massive plate of sausages and bacon, and Dad and Mom bring the orange juice and eggs.

Mae plops down next to Abi, and I sit on her other side, making Mark move over a chair.It may just be newlywed stuff, but I’m not leaving her side right now.

The conversation at the table continues.Something about whether giraffes should become a permanent fixture like the lemurs.My vote is a resounding no.We don’t need to add one more weird thing to this place.Plates are passed around, and soon everyone is eating.Mae reaches for the butter with her left hand, and Abi screams.

All conversation dies.

Abi clutches Mae’s hand, staring at the rock we put there over the weekend.“Did you…are you…”

Mae’s smile widens.“You know what they say about Vegas.”

Abi slaps her on the shoulder.“Tell us.Now.”

Mae looks at me.“Do you think we should tell them?Or keep it a secret a little longer?”

Abi splutters.“There are no secrets with a rock like that.The question is, are you engaged, or are you married?”

Mom gasps, and everyone waits expectantly.

I’d kept my hand under the table, but I figured now was as good a time as any.I raise my hand so everyone can see the gold band that I am never, ever taking off.That band means Mae is mine.

Abi bursts into tears and engulfs Mae in a hug.Lots of shouts of congratulations, and Mom and Dad surround us.Once things calm down, Mom eyes everyone around the table.“Pay up, boys.”

Mae lets out a laugh and covers her mouth.

Everyone grumbles, but soon twenty-dollar bills are flying in Mom’s direction.

“What the hell?”I ask.

“We had bets on what the situation would be when you got back from Vegas.I was the one who said you’d be married.”

“You guys are unbelievable.”Did Mae know about this?She doesn’t seem as surprised as me, although I shouldn’t be.Everyone saw her and I coming long before we did.

“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” Dad says, and everyone goes quiet.“Why all the secrecy?You had to know we’d welcome Mae into the family with open arms.But you two acted like you didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Look, I didn’t want to have to tell you this, but…”

“It was my dad,” Mae says.“He didn’t want us together.”Mae goes on to explain everything about how Keith threatened us and what that meant.Dad’s face gets redder and redder as the conversation goes on.Mom just looks sad, that their very best friend in the whole world would willing to betray them in order to stop Mae and me from being together.

Dad stands up.“I’m going kill that son of a…”

He’s a gentle soul.Always going on about turning the other cheek and “What would Jesus do” and all that.I’ve never seen him so angry before.

I stand as well.“Dad, wait.There’s another reason why Mae and I got married this weekend instead of waiting and having a big wedding here.”

Mom smiles.“I knew you’d find a way around everything.You are a smart boy, Seth.Tell us how you fixed yet another problem.”

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