Page 30 of Lovestrung

“I promise I’m fine,” I reassured him. “Let’s enjoy ourselves for the rest of the night.”

Not wanting my brother to ask any more embarrassing questions, I pulled him after me and downstairs. The minute I saw Mama and Dad at the landing, I released his hand and ran down faster, enveloping them in my arms when I reached them. Feeling my mom’s arms around me sent a surge of melancholy trough me, and my throat clogged with emotion.

“Oh, Mama,” I sniffled.

“Hey, what’s all this?” Her hand rubbed soothing circles on my back.

“I think it finally hit me that I won’t see you for a long time.”

“Don’t get your mom started,” Dad chuckled, and I smiled weakly up at him. “There’ll be no tears tonight. Save them for when we drive you to the airport on Monday.”

I nodded and stepped away from Mama to give him another hug. I sighed against him and relaxed when I felt his arms give me a gentle squeeze. Dad was my rock and the foundation of our family. When I was little, I’d thought he was as big as a house, and now, standing here, the comparison came back to me. He was a big man, and even though he was now in his late fifties and a had a slight pouch, he kept in shape and was as bulky as he’d always been.

“Come on, Pippa,” Mama said. “Why don’t you introduce us to Louisa?”

I stepped away from Dad and took her hand. For some reason, I needed to find strength tonight, and Mama, although small in stature, was the strongest woman I knew.

I took a deep breath and only now took in the moss-green dress and the way it fitted her small frame.

“You look lovely,” I complimented.

Her eyes smiled as she raised our linked hands, making me twirl slowly.

“The prettiest girl in the world,” she whispered. “I love the bohemian style, sweetie. It suits you.”

I’d found my dress in a second-hand shop in Charlottesville a long time ago. It was loose-fitted, with a demure neckline, and had a brown/orange print with green stripes that accentuated my eyes. I loved that it made me feel relaxed but festive at the same time. The dress looked really cute with a pair of black leggings as well, but tonight, my legs were bare.

“Thanks, Mama.”

The three of us went to the dining room opposite the kitchen. I saw Louisa sitting on the couch next to Gramps and I steered my parents toward them. Dad had already met Louisa a couple of times when he’d been visiting Gramps every Monday, but Mama hadn’t. I was sure they’d get along from the get-go, and when Louisa noticed us and greeted us with a wide smile, I knew I’d been right.

“Mrs. Montgomery, how nice to meet you,” she exclaimed and stood up.

Mama reached out her hand. “You, too. Please, call me Vivian.”

“All right.”

Mama looked behind Louisa’s back and my eyes followed hers. Gramps was surrounded by my other brother, Parker, his wife, Teresa, and their twin daughters, Kiera and Kayla. He was in his element. Ethan sat down next to him on the couch, and when the twins saw their chance to climb from Parker’s lap to his, it was beyond hard to stop myself from swooning at the blinding smile he showed them.

I missed that smile.

Louisa touched my arm briefly and I turned my head back to hers.

“Do try not to worry about Frederik, Pippa. We’ll be fine.”

I nodded and tried to let go of the tension in my body, willing it away.

“I know.”

Mama put her arm around my shoulders. “Has Pippa told you about the time she dared Max, Parker and Ethan to race her to The Sanders-Monticello trail and they ended up having to carry her back to our truck at the entrance because she slipped on some rocks and sprained her ankle?”

“Mama,” I protested. “We were kids.”

Mama winked at me before she went on to talk with Louisa about the wild heathens her children were. I zoned in and out, unable to focus on her tales for once. My stomach twisted and turned, and it was no longer butterflies I felt – it was dread.

How the hell had I been so stupid to think I could go through with this?

When the conversation lulled, I excused myself.