WILLIAM

 

Bringing my mom wasn’t a part of the plan, but now I’m glad I did it. Bel loves her, and Mom was right; it was time for our families to finally meet. We’ve known each other for more than two years, dated half that time. Meeting at the wedding would be really awkward.

I’m not sure why we didn’t do it before. I guess it just never came up. With our crazy schedules and limited amount of time we had to spend together, we were just too wrapped up into our own private, little world. Selfishly, we wanted to spend it together, alone, and in the process, we forgot there are other people around us who might be effected by our decision.

After family lunch where Mom was “properly”—Bel’s words not mine—introduced to Bel’s parents and younger sister, we all went out to explore the city. I’ve already seen it all on my previous visits, but Mom wanted to see where Anabel grew up, so we complied.

We took a walk around the town and Bel showed Mom her elementary school, the park where she played, her favorite ice cream shop and other little things, giving her a look into her past.

I could see her, my Tinkerbell. A little girl with fair skin, long black hair, and the biggest, brightest blue eyes there are on this planet. I could imagine her running around and playing on the swings in the park. The images evoked this funny, warm feeling I couldn’t name to spread in my chest.

Mom didn’t want to say too long in Croatia, after all she had somebody who was waiting for her to go back home. I still can’t believe. Mom and Daniel Shelton. How did we not notice them sneaking behind our backs? Granted, J.D. and I aren’t home much, but neither Zoe nor Nate said anything. But I’m happy for her. Happy for them. They deserve to have somebody in their lives. Somebody who loves them and makes them smile.

Bel’s parents had to work, so in the morning Bel took us to the capitol for sightseeing but afternoons were reserved for women to sit down in the living room and discuss wedding plans. I would have probably run away if it wasn’t for Bel’s big puppy dog eyes and Mom’s stern look. So, I stayed with them, kept my mouth shut, and nodded my head when necessary.

“Have you two talked about how you want your wedding to look like?” Elena, Bel’s mom, asks looking expectedly at us from the other couch.

We’re all seated in the living room for afternoon coffee. Igor, Bel’s dad, is snoring lightly in the recliner next to us, but both women are attentive. Open notebooks in their laps, pens in their hands ready to write down all the details.

The truth is, we never talked about the wedding. All I cared about was putting the ring on her finger and making her officially mine. Not about the flowers, guests, venue, or cake.

Just us.

Just our forever.

Bel turns to me with wide eyes, and I shrug, leaving it all to her. Whatever she wants I’ll give her. If she wanted to get married right this instant I would take her in my hands and out of the door to the nearest church or office where they could make us husband and wife.

“Do you have a date maybe?” Mom looks warily between us and Elena. “Or do you know where you want the wedding to be?”

Bel nibbles at her lip, and I squeeze her hand letting her know it’s okay and not to worry. Blue eyes find mine, and she smiles softly.

“I was thinking maybe June?” Her voice is tentative. “I started working on my final thesis and with free time I’ll get now when I don’t have classes anymore I think I could finish it by then and graduate early. That way we can get married before Will goes off to the training camp later in the summer.”

My smile widens at her words.

June.

Four more months and she’s mine.

“June sounds amazing.”

Ignoring our audience, I lean down and give her a soft kiss on the lips. I keep it painfully short, but sweet.

Being in the same house not with just her family but mine too makes it hard to be together. Anabel’s still shy about PDA so I have to behave and we both have to keep it quiet. The last thing I want is our parents hearing our moans and the bed banging against the wall late in the night. Talk about the cold shower.

We stop the kiss but don’t break the eye contact. Bel leans her cheek into my palm and I can see so much love in her blue eyes that all I want to do is kiss her more. Kiss her harder. Kiss her longer.

Throat clearing reminds us that we’re not alone. I tug a stray strand of hair behind her ear and move away only so far so I can pull her closer in my embrace.

Both of our moms are smiling, although they try to hide it. I don’t care they saw us. I’m not afraid of showing the whole word how I feel about Anabel Majer.

“As for the venue, I’d like to keep it small. Intimate. Maybe something like what Si and J.D. had?”

She looks at me with questions in her eyes. I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles softly. “Whatever you want, babe.”

“That can be arranged.” Her mother nods her head in agreement. “What about the—”

“I think we should marry in the States,” she stops her mom mid-question.

I turn sideways and look at her. “Are you sure? I don’t mind us getting married here. We can put everybody on a plane and bring them to Croatia. It’ll be like a destination wedding or whatever that shit’s called.”

“William Josh Price! Do I need to wash your mouth with soap? I think I taught you better than that.”

“Sorry, Ma.” I flash her my apologetic, boyish smile. She shakes her head at me.

Anabel puts her hand on me tightly to draw my attention so I turn back to look at her.

“I’m sure. I don’t have a lot of family. Just my parents, sister, Val, and if she wants to bring her boyfriend.” Bel looks at her mother, nervously nibbling at her lip. “What do you think, Mom?”

Elena watches us for a minute. I think it’s the longest minute of my life.

I get it. She wants her baby to get married here. In her country. In her home. It can’t be easy for them to let Anabel go all the way across the word, but at the same time I know they’d do anything to make her happy. Including letting her go.

I’ll never be able to thank them enough for that. For giving me this amazing, brilliant, beautiful woman to love. All I can do is try to be the best person I can be. To give her everything she needs and wants.

I can see reluctance shine in her eyes, the tight set of her chin, her hands playing with the pen. Slowly, she breathes out and smiles at us. “Of course. It’s your wedding, baby. Whatever makes you happy.”

Her brown-green eyes meet mine, and I mouth, “Thank you”. Which is nothing compared to what she’s doing for me, but her eyes soften, and her smile widens if only for a bit.

“Then it’s set.” Bel’s smile is so big and bright it’s almost blinding. “We’ll have a small, US wedding in June.”

“Not so fast, missy!” Elena chimes again.

“What?”

“That’s just the beginning. Now we have to arrange details. Exact date, although I think we better leave that until Emily gets to the States, where the wedding will happen, guest list, cake, decorations, the dress …”

“Wait!” Anabel raises her hands in the air in surrender. Both woman shut up and look at her.

“Why don’t we give you the list of the people we want to invite and between the two of you, you take care of the rest?”

“What?” Mom’s brows shoot up in surprise.

“You want us to arrange your wedding?” Her mom is surprised all the same.

“Yes. I have to take care of finishing my new book and writing the thesis to graduate on time, and the last thing I need is added stress about the wedding.”

“But … it’s your wedding.” The disappointment in her mother’s voice is as clear as day.

“And it’ll be the most beautiful and romantic day of my life because I’m going to marry the man who is my everything. My family and friends will be there with us. That’s all that matters.”

Our moms share a look but finally nod in agreement.

“We’ll take care of everything.”

“Great!” Anabel claps her hands excitedly. “That leaves me with the internship, writing my new book, my final thesis, and finding the perfect dress. Now, for the guest list.”