Valorous(56)

I glance at Natalie before I return my gaze to them. “Natalie and I are getting married tonight.”

I’ve rarely seen my parents speechless, but they are truly stunned by my announcement.

And then my mom begins to tear up, and I know it’s going to be okay.

“That’s wonderful news, son,” Dad says. “Congratulations to both of you.”

“Yes,” Mom adds, “we’re thrilled for you.”

Beside me, I feel Natalie relax ever so slightly when it becomes clear that they don’t object to our news.

“What a whirlwind,” Dad says, which is his way of asking if we’re being hasty. He would never use that word with us. It’s just not how he rolls.

“Could I see your ring, Natalie?” Mom asks.

“We agreed I shouldn’t wear it this morning so our news doesn’t get out before we want it to.” Natalie unzips the ring from her purse, slides it back into place and extends her hand to Mom.

“It’s beautiful.” To me, she says, “Well done, honey.”

“All thanks to Hugh. He was instrumental.”

“Where do you plan to get married?” Dad asks.

“We’re going to Vegas for the night.”

“This is so exciting,” Mom says. “Natalie, your head must be spinning.”

“In the best possible way,” she says, looking up at me with a smile.

“We’ll have a party,” Mom declares. “We’ll have it at our house. You have to let us celebrate with you. Sometime in the next couple of weeks.”

I look at Natalie, who seems pleased by the idea. “Sure, Mom, that’d be nice. Nothing too crazy. Just immediate family.” In our case, immediate family includes a couple hundred of our closest friends.

“Of course.” She claps her hands. “I’d given up hope that you’d ever get married again, but after we met you, Natalie, I told Max our boy is going to marry that lovely girl.”

“And you know how much your mother loves to be right.”

“I do enjoy my ability to predict the future,” Mom says, “and I predict you two will be very happy together. Welcome to our family, Natalie, and thank you for making Flynn happier than we’ve ever seen him.”

“He’s made me very happy, too, and thank you for your warm welcome. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be part of a family again.”

“You may be wishing for simpler times after you spend more time with the Godfreys,” I tell her.

“No, I won’t. Show me your worst.”

“We won’t tell the girls she said that,” Mom says, making us all laugh.

We chat with them for a few more minutes until one of the admins tells us the others are here for the meeting. I send my parents along and take a minute alone with Natalie.

“That went well, huh?” I ask her.

“They’re wonderful. They never batted an eye.”

“They never would. They know me, and they understand that, more than anything, I know myself and what I want.” Once again, my conscience rears its ugly head to remind me of the part of myself I’m denying as I enter into marriage with Natalie. “Are you okay with waiting to tell everyone else until after the fact? Although I trust my family and your friends, I’d hate for the word to get out before we’re ready to let it out.”

“That’s fine with me. Whatever you think is best. You certainly know better than I do how to handle that kind of announcement.”

“I wanted to tell you, in the meeting, I’m going to name you chair of the foundation board.”

Her face goes slack with shock. “You’re going to do what?”

“I want you to oversee the entire thing. Everyone will answer to you.”

“You’re serious.”

“Dead serious.”

“But I know nothing about running a foundation.”

“Neither do I. We’ll figure it out together. You know far more than I do about the problem we’re hoping to solve, having worked as a teacher in the city. You’re better qualified than I’ll ever be to head up this effort.”

“You’ve been close to this issue for years, and your name will be on the door. It should be you.”

“Our names will be on the door, and I haven’t been as close to the issue as I’m going to be.”