Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
I knew I wasn’t the only person in the room tearing up. Emma’s eyes glistened, too. When I looked at Rudy, I could tell he was trying to keep it together. My vision watered as I turned to Neil, and he squeezed my hand.
A change in Michael’s tone gave me a chance to get under control. “Now, the first time I knew Dad loved you was the first Christmas we all spent together. Before you came down for Boxing Day brunch, I asked Dad if he would be watching Man U play. And he said, ‘No, I think I’d like to have a quiet day with Sophie.’”
“Did you check him for a fever?” Rudy interrupted, and Emma laughed. The Brits in the room understood; Runólf’s loud bark rang out above everyone else’s.
“You’re the first woman who’d ever tempted him away from football,” Michael said, raising his voice to get the room under control again. “So, to my father and Sophie, I say, you were made for each other. You have nothing in common, god knows how you stand each other because you’re both terribly annoying, but I couldn’t think of a better match for either of you.” He lifted his glass. “To the bride and groom.”
Emma, eyes shining, lifted her glass and repeated along with the rest of the party.
Rudy, being the best man, didn’t give a speech; he would save his humiliation for the wedding. I thought we were safe from another struggle not to cry, until my mom stood up.
Oh shit. She was the only one from my family who would logically make a toast on their behalf. I didn’t think my mom would embarrass me—not intentionally, anyway—but I was so uncomfortable at the thought she might joke about her disapproval of our marriage.
“The day that Sophie was born, I already knew she would be a handful,” Mom began, looking down at me fondly. “They wheeled one of those clear plastic bassinets in, so she could stay in my hospital room with me. And, in the middle of the night, I woke up, and there was this red-faced, wrinkly little creature, staring at me. I’m not going to lie; she seemed kind of judgmental.”
Neil laughed, and I realized that he hadn’t heard as many stories of my childhood as I’d heard of his. I wondered if that was due to Mom’s discomfort with our age gap. It would be strange, I supposed, to talk to your daughter’s future husband about when your kid was born, knowing it was around the exact same time that his kid had been born.
“She’s always been a rebel. She’s always kept us on our toes. But, when she brought Neil home…” Mom exaggerated a wide-eyed grimace, and everyone chuckled. “I was expecting a twenty-five year old. I could have killed her. Or him. Both of them.
“It took me a while to come around. But I’ve been staying with them recently—” She paused and rolled her eyes as if in thought to correct herself. “No, they’ve been tolerating me staying with them. It’s made me realize that my daughter…” She pressed a hand to her chest, lips clamped together to hold back tears. Then, she completely dropped the act and said, “Is a real pain the ass.”
My family roared with laughter. Neil’s just looked a bit uncomfortable and bewildered. I’d seen Neil and his brothers joke with each other like this before. All the Elwoods had a sense of humor, so far as I could tell, so I assumed they felt the occasion required a bit more gravitas than was being displayed.
“Sophie, you found someone who can tolerate your bullshit. Someone who is willing to grow old with you—or, ahead of you. Someone who knows exactly how surly you can be in the morning, but how sweet you can be to the people you love.” The sudden turn from teasing to loving made my eyes water. I knew my mom loved me; I just liked hearing it.
“Neil, you’re the luckiest man alive to have my Sophie,” Mom said, somehow turning it into a warning.
Neil smiled a slow smile. “I know, Ms. Scaife.”
“Good.” She uncurled her index finger from around her champagne glass to point at him. “But Sophie is pretty lucky, too, to have someone who loves her as much as you obviously do. You make my daughter happy. Your family has welcomed her with kindness. So, on behalf of the Scaifes, I welcome the Elwoods into our hearts and our lives.” This time, her tears were real. She raised her glass. “To Neil and Sophie.”
It wasn’t the most eloquent toast, and she’d managed to work a few cuss words in, but when she sat down, Neil told her, “Thank you, Rebecca. That was beautiful.” And he really meant it.
We chatted over dessert and talked and laughed, and as the night went on, everyone seemed to relax and get a lot more comfortable with each other. I saw Geir introducing himself to my uncle Mike. Rudy had a real, non-snarky conversation with my mom.