Cassie turns to me and beams. “Your boyfriend,” she adds. “Just reminding you.”
Boyfriend. Still not used to it. I grin into my fist.
Through the mirror, I catch a glimpse of Patty and Nadine watching us. They look especially twinkly-eyed, and I can tell Patty’s gearing up to say something. She’s got that look. But she’s intercepted by the bridal consultant for some last-minute stitching.
Okay, this should be a thing. Like a service you can order. Someone to sweep your mom away at the exact moment she’s about to say something awkward.
Unfortunately, Nadine decides to carry the baton. “I want to hear more about this rad boyfriend.”
Cassie giggles.
I roll my eyes. “Oh, he’s rad.”
“I mean, I didn’t even know this was in the pipeline,” she adds. “Momo, you’ve been holding out on us. Didn’t even know you liked anyone.”
“I knew,” Cassie says smugly.
I feel warm all over. “Do we have to talk about this?”
“Aww, baby. I’m just happy for you.” She squeezes onto the couch between Cassie and me, and hooks an arm around each of us.
“She’s wanted a boyfriend for so long. Soooooo long,” Cassie says.
I wrinkle my nose. “Okay, that just makes me sound pathetic.”
“What? No!”
“Aww, Momo, why do you think that?”
Because. I don’t want to be that girl. I want to be the other kind of girl. The Olivia kind. Totally cool with being single. Not even interested in a relationship right now.
“Because I don’t want to be a girl who needs a boyfriend,” I say.
“Well, of course you don’t need one,” Nadine says. “But it’s okay to want one.”
I shrug.
“Momo, I’m serious. You get to want whatever you want.” She tugs the end of my hair. “And you know what? Love is worth wanting.”
“Agreed.” Cassie grins.
“I just didn’t think it would ever happen.” I blush. “I guess I’m just a late bloomer.”
Nadine bursts out laughing. I feel the corners of my mouth twisting upward. “What?”
“Late bloomer? Mo, you’re seventeen.”
“Exactly.”
“In what universe does that make you a late bloomer?” She squeezes my shoulder. “There’s no schedule for this stuff. I didn’t have a girlfriend until the end of senior year. And your mom never dated in high school.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
I pause. “I don’t know. Yeah. It just felt like I was waiting forever.”
“Oh, I know, baby. I don’t mean to discount your feelings here.” She disentangles her arms and clasps them in her lap. “Yeah, the waiting sucks. Especially when you start feeling like it’s never going to happen.”
“Exactly!”
She smiles. “Have I ever talked to y’all about when I was trying to get pregnant?”
“I don’t think so,” Cassie says.
I shake my head.
“Yeah. It was a long-ass journey. I mean, we tried on and off for ten years. All kinds of doctors. Nobody knew what was up.”
“Are you serious?” Cassie asks.
And I’m stunned. Maybe I shouldn’t be. I don’t know. I guess it makes sense that my moms didn’t randomly decide to have another baby sixteen years after the first two. But I never realized Nadine was actively trying. For ten years. I can’t wrap my head around it.
“And then it just worked, you know? And I was forty-two. Nobody thought there was a chance in hell at this point, but there you go.”
“Wow. I did not know that,” I say.
Nadine smiles. “I know. I guess it’s weird to talk about, because I never want you guys to feel like you belong to me any less than your brother. You know that’s not the case, right?”
“I know,” I say quickly.
“But your mom and I always wanted three kids. That was our plan. And we thought we were so ahead of the game popping two out at once. Little did we know . . .”
“Xav was fashionably late,” Cassie says.
“Something like that. But you know, there’s an upside here. Because when you spend so much time just intensely wanting something, and then you actually get the thing? It’s magic.”
All of a sudden, I feel like crying. In a good way. In the best way. Because I know exactly what she means. It’s butterflies and haziness and heart eyes, but underneath all that, there’s this bass line of I can’t believe this. I can’t believe this is me.
I can’t quite articulate the sweetness of that feeling.
It’s finding out the door you were banging on is finally unlocked. Maybe it was unlocked the whole time.
THERE’S NO REHEARSAL DINNER. THERE’S no rehearsal anything. But all the out-of-town people get here on Saturday night, and it’s actually starting to feel real.
Grandma Betty is at the Marriott, and my Suso grandparents are staying at the bed and breakfast up the road. I think my moms’ college friends are getting in tomorrow morning.
But Abby’s coming tonight. With Nick. And she’s staying at our house.
I set up the air mattress in my room, and Cassie moves her stuff in. I don’t even care that we’ll basically have to sleep on top of each other. It’s the first Suso slumber party in over a year.
The doorbell rings just as we’re putting dinner dishes away, and I catapult into the foyer. I move so quickly, I actually skid across the hardwood.
“Oh my God.” Abby’s in the doorway, jumping up and down.
“You’re here!”
“I’m here! You’re here!” She inhales deeply. “Ahh! You smell like Molly.”
“Wait, is that—”
“It’s a good thing!”
Which makes me think of Reid. And his deodorant. I shouldn’t blush.
“I can’t believe you’re actually here.”
“I’m here. And look who I brought!” She beams, stepping back. “Molly, this is Nick. Nick, Molly.”
It’s funny the way some people look just like their pictures. Like Simon. But Nick is actually cuter in person. Way, way cuter. He has these magnetic brown eyes that don’t entirely translate in photos.
“Hey.” He stands awkwardly in the foyer with a big canvas duffel bag. “Thanks for letting me come to this.”
“Are you kidding? Of course!”
Outside, I hear the beep of the car locking. Moments later, Isaac appears, dragging two suitcases. “Hey, Mo,” he says, practically kneeling to hug me. Isaac is six foot four. No joke. He makes Reid look short.
It occurs to me that he’s a nice height for Olivia.
But no. Nope. She doesn’t want that. Banish the thought.
Nick and Isaac take the bunk beds in Cassie’s room. It’s actually funny, having Abby and Isaac here without their parents. Uncle Albert and Aunt Wanda are staying in Isaac’s studio apartment on U Street—which is honestly a half step up from a frat house.
“What’d your mom think of your flip cup table?” Cassie asks him.
Isaac grins. “Tablecloth and vase of flowers.”
“Genius.”
As soon as Abby shuts my bedroom door, Cassie bursts out with it. “Molly has a—drumroll please—boyfriend.”
“What?” Abby gasps. “Oh my God. You kissed him. Really? Oh my God!”
“I KNOW,” Cassie says. “And she didn’t even tell me.” She flops backward on the air mattress.
“I didn’t tell anyone,” I say.
“Except our moms.”
“I didn’t tell them! They found out.”
“Oh, I’d like to know this story,” Abby says.
“There’s not really a story. Patty heard us.”
Abby and Cassie burst out laughing.
“What?” I ask. I feel myself smiling.
“Heard you doing what?” Abby asks.
THIS AGAIN.
“Not that. God. Talking. Just talking.”
“Su
re.”
“Maybe kissing.”
“There you go,” Cassie says. She picks up a pillow, throws it at me, misses, picks it up again, and smacks me.
“Pillow fight!” Abby yells, making her voice super high. “This is the fantasy, right? Should I tell Nick this is happening?”
Cassie nods. “Tell him we’re pouring honey on our boobs.”
Abby laughs, pulling out her phone.
“Wait, seriously? Are you texting him that?” Cassie clambers toward Abby, who smoothly twists away from her. “Wait, let me see.”
“Nope.” Abby grins. “This is confidential.”
“My ass is confidential.”
“Let’s hope so.”
And it’s funny, watching them bicker. It’s like falling backward through time. I feel perfectly content. I don’t even want to talk. I just like being here.
I text Reid. I think you’re going to have to dance with me tomorrow.
Three dots.
Ohhhh no. I don’t dance.
AND YET.
You have NO IDEA how clumsy I am, Molly.
I laugh. I have some idea . . .
My dance moves have actually killed people.
“Look at this one giggling into her phone,” Abby says.
I look up, smiling guiltily—and I catch a sudden glimpse of myself in the mirror across the room.
It’s the weirdest thing. My hair is unbrushed. I’m wearing what may actually be one of Nadine’s maternity shirts. And pajama pants. And there’s a spot of toothpaste in the corner of my mouth.
But for the first time in maybe ever, I feel really beautiful.
I’M TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP. I keep thinking about the wedding and Reid and the centerpieces and my outfit.
I’m in love with my dress. The design is so simple: soft and blue green, with short sleeves, and a layer of tulle under the skirt. That’s it. But it fits me in exactly the right way. It doesn’t make me look skinny. I think it makes me look fat on purpose.
I keep touching the fabric. I can’t wait to get dressed.
There’s something in the air. I feel this buzz of anticipation. Outside my window, I see my moms lining two long tables with chairs. There’s definitely no tent. Maybe Nadine talked Patty out of it. But it’s sunny and warm. I almost sigh with relief.
My whole morning is devoted to decorations. I think I’ve finally nailed it: vintage Coke crates for height, painted mason jars at different levels, and flowers—mostly baby’s breath, but some hydrangeas. I’ll stagger Olivia’s painted animal figurines all around, plus family photos, framed in painted wood. Then I’ll drape the fabric garland over the ceremony space, kind of like a scraggly chuppah, and Isaac says he’ll help me hang twinkle lights from the trees.
And I actually think I might cut up my bead string. Because I’m suddenly obsessed with the idea of magazine bead napkin holders.
Seriously, I could do this for a living. Maybe one day I will.
Though these stone-cold bridezillas can be a little challenging. I’m fielding texts from both my moms every few minutes.
Sweetie, can you remind Isaac to tip the rentals guys?
Momo, I need you to find the laptop charger
Mission abort! CHARGER HAS BEEN LOCATED.
The caterers just arrived. Maybe you could get them set up in the kitchen? Thanks!!!
I mean, I’m still in pajama pants, but I guess that’s almost like pants. I run down the stairs and almost bump directly into one of the caterers. “Oh God. I’m sorry.” I look up. And my whole face goes warm. “Julian?”
“Oh, no way! You’re Elena’s friend. Molly, right?”
My eleventh crush. Julian Portillo of the Experimental Breakfasts. And now he’s a caterer. Go figure.
“So your moms are getting hitched,” he says.
“Yup.” This is surreal. “Wow. How are you? How’s Elena?”
“Aww, she’s good. I’m good. I’m at Georgetown. Just finished my sophomore year, and I’m catering this summer. I love it.”
“That’s so great.”
He smiles, and hey: there are those dimples. Maybe I have a thing for dimples.
“Oh, and I should introduce you. This is Carter Addison,” Julian says, touching my arm lightly.
As if on cue, this lanky, curly-haired white guy sets down a covered tinfoil pan and ambles over. “Hey,” he says, smiling. And he’s sort of cute, too. He has this big, open smile. “I’m the sous chef,” he says.
“And the boyfriend.” Julian grins. “Carter, this is Molly. She’s the daughter of the brides.”
Boyfriend. I did not see that coming.
“Really nice to meet you,” I say.
“You too. And mazel tov!”
I walk them through our kitchen and show them the appliances and my cupcakes and everything I can think of. “I don’t know if this is helpful.”
“It definitely is,” Julian says. “This is great.”
“Good.” I nod. And for a minute, we all sort of stand there, smiling awkwardly. I’ve never really been good at forming words in the vicinity of Julian Portillo.
“So, I don’t want to rush you or anything,” Julian says, finally, “but maybe you should get dressed? Don’t get me wrong, I dig the plaid pants . . .”
“Oh, crap,” I say.
“Oh, she’s blushing!” He hugs me. Julian Portillo hugs me. “Man, you’re the cutest.” I catch him winking at Carter. “You know, if I’d ever liked girls, you’d have been the one, Molly.”
I don’t think there are words to explain how I feel.
Okay, you know the emoji that’s laughing and crying all at once?
It’s that. I am that.
I get dressed quickly and run back downstairs, just as Mina and Olivia are arriving. They’re pretty early—I actually think they carpooled. Olivia hugs me as soon as she sees me. “Congratulations!”
Cassie wanders over to meet us. “So, I just had the best conversation with Grandma.”
“Really?”
She grimaces, and I laugh.
“Grandma has just informed me that when a bisexual woman marries another woman, she becomes a lesbian.”
“Oh no,” Olivia says.
“And I’m like . . . Grandma, just no. No. Infinite side-eye.”
Mina laughs. “She’s very well-intentioned, though.”
“And she’s not even drunk yet,” says Cassie. Her eyes drift sideways, and she nudges me, grinning. “Hey. Your boyfriend’s here.”
I blush. It’s just weird. Maybe it’s the fact that everyone knows. I mean, it is never-ending, this weirdness. I’ll never have a handle on this.
Reid is standing near the back steps, wearing a button-down shirt. So, now I know: Reid is ridiculously cute in a button-down shirt. He smiles at me, and I smile back, and it’s like someone put the world on pause. Just for a moment.
I think I like not having a handle on this.
It feels like six o’clock will never come, but it does—and all of a sudden, we’re lined up beneath the garland chuppah. Cassie, Abby, and me, plus Isaac, holding Xavier. Xavier, who is wearing a tiny gray suit.
He is perfect.
“Welcome, all,” greets my aunt Liz.
She isn’t technically my aunt. She’s not technically a minister either, but she got certified online. “Patty and Nadine have asked me to keep this short and sweet and relatively PG-13, which . . . we’ll see.”
Everyone laughs.
“Anyway, I’m Liz, and I was Nadine’s roommate at Maryland, roughly, I don’t know, a billion years ago.” Nadine snorts. “So, true story: freshman year, we get our class schedules, and Deenie is pissed. Because they’ve put her in Biology 101—which she’d already taken in high school, and this was fucking bullshit—”
There’s this burst of laughter from the tables, because you can totally picture Nadine saying that. I sneak a glance at Abby’s parents—Uncle Albert looks stern, and Aunt Wanda is smiling brightly with raised eyebrows. Abby glan
ces at me sideways and grins.
“Anyway, she huffs off to class, muttering and raging under her breath. And then she comes back around lunchtime, and I ask, ‘Okay, so, are they going to let you transfer out? Are they going to accept your credits?’ And Nadine is like, ‘Ohhhhh. Yeah. I like that class now.’”
Nadine covers her face, laughing.
“And I’m like, what?” Liz continues, eyes glinting. “So, this morning, you were ready to chain yourself to the door of the dean’s office over this, and now you’re like, ‘Oh, this class is the best.’ And I’m just totally baffled by it.” Liz pauses for dramatic effect. “Until a few weeks later, Nadine introduces me to Patty Peskin. Her TA.”
There’s clapping and whooping from the tables, and Nadine and Patty are looking at each other and giggling. There’s something weird about seeing your parents so openly adoring each other. I’m not saying it’s bad. Just weird.
For the millionth time today, my eyes find Reid.
He smiles.
And I smile.
“So, do you, Nadine, take this woman, Patty, to be your wife, to have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” Nadine says. I’ve never seen her smile so widely.
“And do you, Patty, take this woman, Nadine, to be your wife, to have and to hold, to honor and cherish, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”
Patty sniffs. “I do.”
Warm fingers thread through mine—Abby. I squeeze her hand tightly.
“Should we put a ring on it?” asks Liz.
I laugh. Everyone’s laughing. And Patty’s sobbing, which isn’t surprising, but even Nadine is crying a little. That’s kind of a big deal. I’ve only ever seen her cry once, and she was literally giving birth at the time.
“So, by the power vested in me by the state of Maryland, I now pronounce you legally and awesomely married.”
Then they break the glass, and everyone giggles and yells mazel tov, and a few people whistle.
And then. Well.
There’s a single moment in the life of parents when they get to make out in front of their kids. This is that moment. It can’t be stopped.
I wouldn’t stop it if I could.
Reid finds me straightaway and hugs me. “That was really awesome.”