“You’re more than welcome,” Rory assured him.
Richard smiled warmly. “We’ll see you on Thursday.”
“Okay,” Rory said simply.
“Lenny.”
Without so much as a backward glance, Lenora stormed out of the room with her husband following.
After they left, Rory turned to James, embracing herself.
“So…” she said simply.
“I’m sorry about mom…she shouldn’t have said all those things—”
“I’m actually glad she did,” Rory interrupted. “She finally let me know how she feels instead of her disapproving stares and microaggressions. What I don’t understand is how you have not been able to see just how much your mother controls your life and how much you make your decisions and adjustments based on what she says. I asked you to rip up that prenup because our love means more than some terms on a piece of paper. We mean more to each other, and that should be enough, but…” Rory paused, looking down at her feet.
James held his breath, waiting on her to continue. Rory looked back up at him.
“Asking you to do that…I watched you struggle with the decision. It was like watching you trying not to disappoint your mother.” Rory sighed. “I love you, James…So. Very. Much. But if you can’t choose me…if you can’t show up for me when I need you, then we shouldn’t get married.”
A pained expression passed over James’ face. “Rory, please don’t say that.”
She shook her head, resolved. “Let’s just get through this Thanksgiving together, and then we can work out the details of…this,” she pointed between them.
“What are you saying?”
“We’ll talk about it after,” she reiterated.
After a few seconds of staring, James nodded.
“I’m headed back out to the barbecue. Are you coming?”
“Yeah. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Rory left the room and headed for the back porch.
“Rory, sweetie, is everything okay?”
Rory looked up from fiddling with her engagement ring to see her mom staring at her worriedly. Andrea handed her one of the soda cans she held. She reached up to accept it, giving her mother a tight smile.
“I saw James’ parents leave a short while ago,” Andrea commented, taking a seat in the empty chair beside her.
Rory took a sip of the lemon-flavored drink, staring out at the buzz of activities. After taking in a large gulp of air, she turned to her mother.
“Mom, there’s something I need to tell you…It’s about me and James…and the wedding.”
ChapterTwenty-Three
Andrea groaned, the incessant ringing causing a disrupting sleep. She reached over unseeingly to stop the alarm before burrowing back under the sturdy covers keeping her warm in its safe cocoon. She just needed five more minutes. It was officially Thanksgiving.
Just as she was about to doze off again, her alarm went off. Punching the pillow under her head, she finally opened her eyes, adjusting to the dimly lit room. She reached over to turn off the alarm before sitting up in bed. She used the balls of her hands to try and wipe away the sleep from her eyes.
It was Thanksgiving. She needed to get up and get downstairs. Even though it was still dark out, she was sure her sisters and a few of her cousins had already risen and were in the kitchen prepping for their big day of celebration. Jo and Cora were both gone from her room, given that they were sharing so that the other family members that had chosen to stay over for the night had somewhere to sleep.
Sighing, she finally slid from underneath the covers and stepped out of bed. After taking a warm shower, she put on some comfy clothes and left the room. She went to knock on Rory’s door, but her hand fell away. She knew James was in there with her, and she wanted to give them their space. After what Rory told her about his mother, she had a few choice words that she wanted to tell the witch. She just hoped they would be able to work it out.
Turning away from the door, she headed down the stairs.
