Page 92 of The Boss I Can't Stand
“Well,” Larry said, checking his watch. “Soon. We still need to apply for the marriage license before the actual ceremony.”
This was all moving so fast. I waved my hands. “Hang on a second. Can we just…take a pause?”
Mom frowned. “What’s wrong?”
I barked a humorless laugh. “Mom, the last I heard, you were convinced this was all over,” I said, gesturing between them. Inarrowed my eyes, addressing Larry specifically. “How do I know that this is actually what you want? That you’re not going to run off again and end up hurting my mother?”
The front door swung open, and Ro walked in. “Heyo…Oh, it’s a party in here!” she said, kicking off her shoes. “Wait, Maggie?” She raced into my mother’s arms. “What are you doing here?”
Ro pulled back, her eyes going wide as I said, “Mom and Larry are here to have a courthouse wedding.”
“Wooooow…” Ro said, the word lingering between us all. “That’s uh, that’s…” She bit her lip, glancing from me to my mother. “What is that exactly?”
“Yes, thank you. I was wondering exactly the same thing,” I said, turning the question back to Larry with my most intimidating stare.
He took a deep breath, wrapping his arm around Mom’s shoulders. “Look, I know I’m a little awkward, and I’m not great at pulling off big romantic gestures. I also know I really hurt Maggie when I ran off the way I did—and I’ll regret that for the rest of my life. But…I love your mom.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.
“And I know for sure now that I’m not going anywhere. I was struggling with the idea of a big white wedding because being the center of attention like that…It’s just not me. So I took some time away to ask myself if I could pull it together for one day to make your mother happy, because that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
Larry looked at my mother with such love. “But I never should have worried, because as soon as I opened up about what was worrying me, your mother immediately changed her plans forme. I want you to know that the wedding itself was the one and only issue. The idea of being with her has never given me pause, and I plan to spend the rest of my life making her very, very happy.”
“Oh, Larry,” Mom said, her eyes shining as she nudged him. “Look at you with the big romantic speech.”
I hummed under my breath. “Are you really sure this is what you want? What youbothwant?”
Mom nodded. “I know that some people here,” she eyed me, “think I can be a little reckless when it comes to love, diving in headfirst without thinking things through. But I’m so glad I did this time because it led me to Larry’s side, which is where I was supposed to be all along.”
The corner of my mouth twitched with something like a smile. I’d never seen Mom this happy before. Truly. And sure, maybe I’d been worried about red flags, but if Mom was happy, if Larry was who she wanted, and if he was committing to her just as strongly, then who was I to stand in their way? Because Larryhadcome back. And I supposed that’s what mattered in the end.
“All right,” I said. “If it’s a courthouse wedding you want, then you have my blessing.”
“And you’ll come?” Mom asked.
“Of course!” I said. “Besides, I didn’t spend all this time making your wedding dress for menotto see you wear it.”
Mom squealed, grabbing onto me and shaking me. “Oh, I can’t believe this is happening!” She looked so full of joy. It struck me in that moment that maybe Mom hadn’t been reckless all those times she took a shot at love. Maybe she’d been brave, putting her heart out there like that, taking a chance on getting a big love in return. And now, she finally had.
Not for the first time, I wished I was a little more like her.
“Okay,” Ro said, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get this wedding show on the road.”
“You’re coming, too?” I asked.
“Hell yeah. Who else is gonna be Larry’s best man?”
33
FINN
“Where are you?” Jillian asked. I pressed my phone to my ear as I hurried down the hall. “The interviewer is ready for you. We finished with X a few minutes ago.”
“On my way to you now. Just got out of an investor meeting.” Oscar nominations were due out at the end of the week, and Jillian wanted us to have a response prepared. Well,tworesponses.
One thanking the Academy forEvery Day’s nominations and another graciously thanking the cast and crew for their hard work and reaffirming our belief in the project in the event that not a single nomination rolled our way.
I didn’t know how that could be possible judging by the response to the film—I hadn’t felt pride in my work like this in years—but I appreciated Jillian wanting to be prepared.
“We shouldn’t need you for more than a half hour,” Jillian was saying.
