Page 87 of You Weren't Mine Then

Chapter 23

On January first, she took Finn to her parents’ to share their news. Bert and Linda were excited, each in their own way.

“Well, son, I’ve always wanted someone like you for my Anne,” Bert said, tapping his palm on Finn’s shoulder. “I never thought I’d get the actual you.”

Finn’s short, husky laughter told Anne that he was enjoying the irony.

“I’m happy for you both. I’m happy for me and Bert,” her mother said. “The rest will … the rest will be okay. When do you plan on getting married?”

“As soon as possible,” Finn said. “Jane wants to ensure everything’s airtight regarding Max, and after everything that’s happened, I can’t argue with that.”

Anne smiled to herself. “I’d take you to Las Vegas right now if you let me,” he had said the night before.

“You call her Jane,” Linda said, her smile wide and warm.

Anne chuckled. “That’s all you heard from what he said, Mom?”

“I heard it all. And I know what you want to say next, and I agree with you, Janey. We won’t announce it until you confirm the legal part is completed,” Linda said.

They told his mother later that day, and she hugged them both. “I just want you to finally be happy, Finn.”

“I am. You have no idea how much.”

Finn asked Marie to keep it to herself. Not trusting Avery, he couldn’t tell Max and burden him with keeping it a secret until the court finalized everything.

Finn had the mediation session with Avery later that month, and the court verified their agreement soon after. With everything legally sealed, he sat Max down for a talk, while Anne let her parents decide if, and when, and how to tell her aunt and uncle.

“How did it go?” she asked Finn later.

“Word for word, this is what he said, ‘I told you, Dad; I like her. I prefer her over some other lady I don’t know. Or someone who’s a mom from my school, like those two kids I know whose parents got married and now they have to live together.’ Then he asked if he’d have to wear a tuxedo when we get married.”

“The kid has his priorities right.”

“Avery guessed, you know. I didn’t say anything, but she hissed something about how she never believed you and that we deserve each other.”

“We do. Sometimes she gets it right.” She laughed.

Anne wore the ring. While she wasn’t going to confirm, announce, or flaunt it in anyone’s face, she wasn’t going to hide it to please anyone either. Just like years ago, when she had stopped wearing flats just so that shorter men, like Tom, would feel comfortable with her towering above them, now she was done with peace-keeping just for peace’s sake. Not at all costs. Not when it hid this much toxicity behind it. She had done enough of that. It was time others shouldered the burden or learned to deal with it.

Her worst fears regarding Finn were over—Avery couldn’t threaten or take Max from him anymore, and Max himself seemed to accept her as his dad’s fiancée. The only other fear she’d had was her family falling apart, and in a way, it did.

Her mother and Darian weren’t back to their normal connection. No joint Sunday lunches, no daily calls. If they spoke, it was mundane chit-chat that was reduced to the weather. In their usual pattern, they continued to avoid conflict, though it sat there and fermented. They would have to deal with it one day, Anne knew.

She felt bad for her mother, but she was done with getting herself into the midst of it and feeling guilty. She couldn’t avoid some guilt, though. After all, she’d been trained in it all her life, but guilt wasn’t the same as remorse, and she could live with it.

She came over for dinner with Max one evening. All this time, she and Finn spent only the weekends together after he had dropped Max off at Avery’s. They had years of catching up to do outside of bed, too—going away together, eating out, market days, strolling the beach.

“Hey, Max.” She gave him a careful smile. If this was strange for her, how strange would it be for a kid, she couldn’t imagine. “I hope it’s okay that I’m joining you for dinner.”

“Yeah,” Max said with a shy smile. “But should I call you Anne or Jane now?”

She chuckled. Of all the questions she thought he might ask her, that wasn’t one she would have guessed.

“Whichever one you choose. The people closest to me call me by both names.”

“Maybe that’s what I’ll do, because my dad calls you Jane, and I know you as Anne. Don’t you get confused?”

“No.” She smiled. “I’m used to it. And people can be more than one thing. I’m a painter, but I also decorate cakes. Here, I brought one.” She pointed at the box that she had left on Finn’s kitchen table.” She decided to put the cards on the table, and added, “And I’m your cousin once removed but also your dad’s fiancée. Is that weird for you?” She scrunched her nose, letting him know that she’d understand if it was.

---