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I just mumble something unintelligible in agreement,
because I feel like I'm seeing myself from the end of a long
tunnel, almost like the moment's an out of body encounter.
"And he makes you happy?"
Tears sting my eyes, because this is classic Aunt Edna.
She breezes right past the shocked accusations, the
thundering question of why. Instead, she goes right for the
hard truth, whether or not Max will treat me right.
"Oh, yeah," I agree on a sigh. "I'm...really happy, Edna.
Like I never thought I'd be."
"Good. Then I'm happy, too."
And I begin the whole, strange story of how I fell in love
with another man.
My man, the one I plan to spend the rest of my life with.
* * * *
The afternoon of our engagement party, things are hectic
down at the studio. There's some situation with a Jackie Chan
movie I'm working on, something related to the stunt people
and a wall that has to give way pretty easily when Jackie
kicks it.
So I'm rushing around, trying to coordinate things, but
finally I have to give up on meeting Edna at the airport. Max
is the perfect fiance, willing to reschedule his entire workday
just to go pick her up for me.
But my heart aches when I'm talking to him from one of
the sound stages, actually trying to balance the cell phone
against my shoulder while working a Skil saw, and he says,
"I'm still hoping my folks might show up tonight." He added
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them to our guest list in a burst of optimism, despite my
gentle suggestion that he leave them off.
"Maxwell, I wouldn't plan on that." I turn off the saw,
squatting there amidst shavings and noise all around. Juan
Valdez, at least that's what I jokingly call him, grabs the saw
from my hand, and I try to hear what Max says over the din.
"They might come. There's still a chance."
"By whose odds?" I wonder if he's talked to Leah, who
already told me there's no chance in hell his old man's going
to show tonight. Even Leah and John had to stay home
because of work commitments, so nobody's going to be
representing his tribe.
"I mean, it's last minute, but they could still show up," he
says, sounding kind of small. I rake my hand through my
hair, wishing I weren't surrounded by so much damn
testosterone in every direction. Especially when I spy Jackie
Chan walking right toward me.
I start hurrying him off the phone. "Gotta go, Maxwell.
Thanks for getting Ed."
"No problem." Oh, no. He's pissed; I can hear it in the
tight way he talks to me.
"I want to talk, I just can't right now."
"Talk to you later, then." The phone goes dead, and I sigh,
rubbing a hand over my tired eyes as Jackie booms one of his
friendly greetings.
Hell, I just wish the day were over, party included at the
moment.
* * * *
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Taking You Home
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The shindig actually comes together, there in Louisa's
backyard. By the time I make it, especially after all the last
minute Jackie Chan problems, well the party is already hitting
its stride.
I figured Maxwell would be really pissed off by then, but he
gives me one of the sweetest kisses imaginable, and my heart
just leaps.
"Thought you were mad," I say, glancing around Louisa's
dark backyard. It's after nine, and I really am very late.
"I can't ever stay mad at you." He's shaking his head,
looking toward Edna, who I spy laughing with Veronica and
Louisa. "Never could."
"Good thing, because I was afraid the wedding might be
off."
"What?" He waves a hand at me with a kind of
exaggerated gesture. That's when I realize he's already been
hitting the champagne, and pretty damn hard.
"Where is it?" I ask with a devilish grin.
"What?" I smell the good stuff on his breath, and I know
by the besotted little grin he gives me that I'm not wrong.
"Whatever happy sauce it is you've been helping yourself
to."
"It's a celebration, don't you know?" He laughs way too
loudly. Uh oh. He's more than happy, and perhaps moving
toward sublime.
"Yeah, I know." I glance around, and wonder if his ecstasy
is a good thing or not. Louisa catches my eye right as Edna
looks my way, and there's a painfully knowing look between
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us. "I'll be back in a jiff, babe," I promise him, moving out of
his drunken grasp.
Louisa covers the distance separating us as fast as I do.
"What's going on with Maxwell?" My voice is urgent, but low.
"He couldn't let go of the idea that his parents were going
to come," she tells me, holding me by the arm. "And when
they didn't, well..." She looks pointedly at Max, who has
managed to lay his hands on another flute of champagne. "He
went a little wild."
"How's Aunt Edna?" I ask, watching her slow progression
in my direction. She's laughing with Veronica, just nodding
her head knowingly about something. That long, gray braid is
bobbing up and down the length of her back.
"She's having a blast. Apparently she and Max shared
wonderful bonding time. He took her to lunch on Rodeo."
"I'm in love." I breathe a sigh of relief, and Louisa laughs,
giving me a sudden hug.
"He's fine. You're both fine, so just relax, okay? Edna
adores him."
"He's drunker than a skunk."
"Yeah, well, so what? His parents aren't coming and his
heart's breaking in two."
"Why are they hurting him like this?" My voice kind of
cracks harshly over the words. "They could've come, for
crying out loud." Louisa says nothing, just reaches her hand
to Edna as she joins us.
"Is this my wayward nephew?" Aunt Edna asks, smiling up
at me. I always forget what a small woman she really is, but
it stands out to me because she and Louisa are shoulder to
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shoulder, nearly the same height. "Couldn't even get away
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