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“No, Rachel, the party was all Lucy. She did an amazing job.”
Rachel scanned Lucy from top to toe and said, “Oh, hi Lucy. You blended in to the background there, so I didn’t even see you at first.” She laughed. When no one else did, she said, “Oh, my goodness, I was kidding. Can’t any of you take a joke?”
“Was that what that was, Rachel?” Jamie asked. “Because it sounded more like a put down and if it was, you can leave right now.”
Rachel’s eyes widened and her face turned red. “No, it really was a joke, Jamie.” She turned to Lucy, “I’m sorry, Lucy, if I offended you.”
Lucy just smiled. “Have a good time, Rachel.”
“Let’s go find a seat,” Michael said, dragging her away.
Jamie squeezed her waist. “I appreciate all this more than I can say, Luce, but you have to know, life with me isn’t about you having to hang out with jerks and take it. If someone hurts or insults you in my presence, I certainly won’t let it go, and if I’m not there, you’re free to go all spunky pants on whoever you need to.”
Lucy giggled. Honestly, while she’d been tempted to roll her eyes at Rachel’s failed attempt at humor, it hadn’t bothered her beyond that. It was as if, with Jamie by her side and his ring back on her finger, she was made of Teflon.
A few minutes later, however, Lucy saw her own mother and father approaching and felt that old, familiar tickle of apprehension building in her stomach and chest. It settled when her mother grabbed her in a hug and held her tight. When she finally let go, she had tears in the corners of her eyes. “Thank you for including us, Lucy. This is beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
Lucy felt tears fill her own eyes. It had been over fifteen years since her mother had told her she was beautiful.
“Thank you for coming, Mom. We’re so glad to have you.”
Lucy’s father stepped up next. He didn’t look at her dress or her shoes or her hair. He looked directly into her eyes and said, “Thank you, Lucille. You have no idea what this means to us.”
Lucy stepped forward and hugged him, and after a few seconds he relaxed and hugged her back.
There were over two hundred people in attendance by the time the guests stopped arriving and the party got into full swing. Mason’s parents and his sister never showed, and Lucy hated that Milly wasn’t there, but Jamie’s entire family, Grace and Max, Melina, Rhys, and the twins, most of Jamie’s friends and co-workers and their dates or significant others, and at least a hundred others, both rich and not so rich, mingled together beautifully. When the sun went down and the pink, orange, and white lights came on over the dance floor, the band fired up and the real fun started.
And that was when Jamie took her into his arms and danced the night away with her.
