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"Jackson Steele eats leftovers?" She laughs. "You don't cook every single meal fresh?"
"Do I seem that high maintenance?"
She motionsa little.
My lips curl into a smile. I like the way she sees me. She sees the side I try to downplay, the side I'm not supposed to have, and she likes it. She likes it enough to tease me.
After I put the food away and she hands out glasses, we meet our parents in the foyer. It's not the place I'd suggest a toast, but it works well enough.
Miles pours sparkling cider for everyone, then he stands next to his wife and he raises his glass. "Daphne would never admit this now, but when she was a kid, she loved Fashion Island. Whenever we visited Grandma and Grandma, Daphne demanded a trip to the outdoor mall."
Daphne's cheeks flush.
It's almost as adorable as my mental image of Daphne as a kid, gazing at the giant outdoor Christmas tree.
"She loved the koi pond there. Damon did too. For a while. But he was at that age where hehadto prove he was a rebel,and Daph was at that age where shehadto chase after him. This time, when we went there, he ran off from the koi pond. When she looked up and saw he was gone, she chased him around the mall. She caught him fast, of course—she's the runner—and she tackled him in front of a jewelry store. He asked if she wanted anything. Earrings, a necklace, a ring, a pendant of a koi fish, but she shook her head and said, no, never. And when he asked, 'what about later, when you get married,' she made the kind of face your mom makes when people ask her about Han and Leia breaking up offscreen in theStar Warssequels."
He looks to Daphne's mom, who is making a face of pure horror.
"I caught up to them at about that moment and I asked what was so disgusting. Besides her brother, of course."
Everyone laughs.
He continues, "She said, Damon thinks I want to get married. But why would any women want to get married? I want to be free." His voice softens. "I wanted to tell her, 'hey, I get it, kid, and I want that for you, too.' And I wanted to tell her, 'that might change, one day, when you start to like boys. Or girls.' It never did. Until she found someone who would let her be free. If I had to put my bets on a Steele, it would have been Cassie, but I'm glad you found someone more stable. Lyricists are crazy."
Daphne wipes a tear from her eyes.
Her dad holds his glass. "To you and Jackson."
She raises her glass and takes a sip.
I do the same.
Everyone else joins.
Then my dad takes his turn. He tells his own story about my childhood. How, whenever we played board games, I insisted on explaining the rules. And enforcing the rules. They knew, right then, I'd grow up to be a lawyer. They never worried about howI did in school. I always did my assignments on time and got the best grades.
But they worried about me socially. I was too much like my father. I wanted to be in charge too badly. I wanted to play fair, yes, but only by my definition of fair.
Then I got my first girlfriend, and damn, if I didn't try to stay in charge there. I learned a little until she broke up with me for being too difficult. The same thing again and again. I was always too difficult.
But they can tell already it's different now. Because I never would have gotten married because someone else asked. Because I never would have let someone else take the reins.
But I did.
I can.
We toast.
Then Daphne's Mom talks about her medical skills, the curiosity she always had about the body, then sex, and the hope she has that Daphne fills herself personally and professionally.
My mom keeps it short and sweet. "I saw the wedding pictures. Your kids will take after me. If you have them. Whatever the two of you want. I love you, Jackson. And I love you too, Daphne. I'm happy you're officially a part of our family."
We all drink.
We finish another bottle of sparkling cider.
The takeout arrives. Our parents torture us with stories as we eat. We stay at the dining table late, until they're too tired to embarrass us anymore.
