“Don’t act like you didn’t already know what Luke was going to do,” I reply playfully.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she says as she releases me and hugs Luke.
“Hmmm. Playing dumb has never been your strong point, Mother.”
“Okay, fine,” she says, releasing Luke and taking my left hand in hers. “I was in on it, but so was your father.” I look to my dad who chooses this opportunity to join in the conversation.
“Hey, I just go with the flow and do as I’m told,” he says, making us all laugh. He stands up and hands Oliver to my mother so that he can give me a hug. “Congratulations, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I feel tears spring to my eyes again, but they are tears of joy. I have always been close to my parents, but hearing their acceptance of Luke and I getting married makes me feel emotional. I can still blame hormones at this stage though.
My dad shakes Luke’s hand. “I know that you will look after her,” he says proudly.
“I will,” Luke says, determination in his tone.
“Yes, yes, enough with the dramatics,” my mother says, handing Oliver to me. “Who wants a glass of champagne?”
“I’ll just have a small one,” I reply. I haven’t had alcohol in a long time, but it won’t hurt to toast this special occasion.
“Wonderful. Jack, go and pour us each a glass, would you?” my mother says to my father.
“See?” he says with a shrug of his shoulders. “I just do as I am told.” He leaves the room, chuckling away to himself.
“Oh, we have so much planning to do, darling,” my mother says, drawing my attention back to her. “I already have some bridal magazines for us to look through––”
“How did you know that I was going to say yes?” I interrupt.
“I don’t think that there was ever a doubt that you would,” she replies with a wave of her hands.
“There might have been,” I say jokingly.
“Nonsense. Now, if you have quite finished being ridiculous, it’s time to make a toast,” she continues, as my father comes back into the room carrying a tray with four glasses of champagne on it. I place a sleeping Oliver in his moses basket and pick up my glass. With all of us stood in a circle, my father raises his glass and starts to speak.
“To my wonderful daughter and her husband-to-be. We couldn’t be happier that you two have finally decided to make things official, even if it does mean that your mother will drive me mad with wedding talk for the foreseeable future.”
“Jack,” my mother exclaims, whilst Luke and I laugh.
“What?” my father says with a wink in our direction. Luke places his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to his side.
“Do you have to deviate from the toast with comments about me?” my mother says, but she doesn’t say it nastily. They have been married for the last twenty years, and together for nearly thirty, so they know each other inside out.
“I thought it was quite relevant actually,” my father replies, bantering back with her.
“Well it isn’t. If you could continue,” she says with a gesture of her hand.
“Of course.” My father clears his throat and continues to speak. “Charlie and Luke, congratulations.” I am about to clink my glass against my dad’s, when my mother speaks again.
“Is that it?” she asks, a look of horror on her face at the end of his little speech.
“I have to save something for the actual wedding, Sophie. I can’t give away all of my best material.”
“Oh, okay then.” My mother is pacified by this as my father lets out an exaggerated breath of relief. I laugh and clink my glass against everyone else’s. I hope that Luke and I are as happy as my parents are in twenty years’ time.
We all take a sip of our champagne and then my mother goes into a full-blown rant about where the wedding could be held. I roll my eyes and sit by her on the sofa as she pulls out a list of places that she thinks would be perfect for our big day. I allow my eyes to slide to Luke as my mother becomes engrossed in her list. His smile is infectious. I grin back and think how different things are compared to eight months ago.
Eight months ago, Luke and I had separated.
Eight months ago, my heart was broken.
