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Grandma Ruth patted Isabella's arm. The two had long since settled their argument from the wedding. Grandma Ruth had apologized profusely to Isabella, and Isabella had forgiven her all too gladly. Since then, the two got along splendidly, and Grandma Ruth had taken Isabella so much to heart that she often jokingly called her "my granddaughter".
We entered the dining room. On the table were a cranberry bundt cake, which I had loved since childhood, and a white chocolate and raspberry torte. My brother Cameron was sitting at the table with his usual sour expression. Our parents had wanted to come too, but they were both in bed with a cold.
"Hello Cameron."
"Carter." The greeting was short and curt. Since Grandma Ruth had announced a month ago that her great-grandson William would inherit the majority of her fortune, Cameron was usually even more ill-tempered than usual. As for me, thanks to Isabella and William, I was managing to get along a bit better with my brother.
"Isn't Hanny coming? Is she sick?" I inquired. The place next to Cameron was not only empty but also not set. His wife must be at home.
"Moved out." Cameron shrugged as if it didn't matter to him at all. I thought about everything he had told me during our argument in the pub nearly a year ago. Had he loved Hanny? Hard to say.
"I'm very sorry to hear that," I replied as sympathetically as I could. I secretly nudged Isabella. She had a big heart. But I didn't want her to get any ideas about inviting Cameron now to join us or including him more closely in our circle. My brother would surely be fine without us. Isabella had obviously understood, because she winked at me conspiratorially and shook her head slightly.
Relieved, I went around the table and pulled out a chair for Isabella. She sat down. Then I did the same for my grandmother.
"Carter!" Grandma Ruth's exclamation sounded almost horrified.
"What's wrong?" I quickly glanced around the room. But everything looked as usual. The dining room with Grandma Ruth's pictures and furniture was unchanged since our last visit. Isabella was sitting at the table with William in her arms. Cameron was also in his chair and looked as normal as someone who had just been left by his wife could look.
"Are you sick?" Grandma Ruth stared at me in horror.
"Sick?" I looked at her, puzzled. How did she come up with that idea? I threw a questioning look at Isabella, who just shrugged her shoulders. So she had no idea what my grandmother meant, either.
"Your shoes!" Grandma Ruth pointed at my feet with her silver cane. I looked down at myself. As always for Sunday coffee at Grandma Ruth's, I was wearing a black suit. This was a tradition that my grandmother held onto firmly. I thought the custom was largely pointless, but since I could please my grandmother with it, I had complied with her wish every time since my teenage years and had appeared in a suit for coffee on Sundays. Today was no exception.
"You're wearing... black shoes! Not sneakers!" Grandma Ruth was obviously stunned. She was still staring at my feet as if I was wearing at least the eighth wonder of the world there. Even Cameron raised himself a little from his chair and tried to catch a glimpse of my shoes.
"I want to know right now what happened!" Grandma Ruth looked at me sternly. "You can't tell me that you just got up this morning and decided to stop wearing sneakers with your suit from now on. Nobody would believe that."
"No. Not even my grandmother believes that." I grinned mischievously at Grandma Ruth.
"Carter!" My grandmother forcefully tapped her silver cane on the carpet. William let out a protesting cry. Isabella rocked him soothingly and patted his back, at which William fell silent again. Grandma Ruth glanced briefly at her great-grandson. Her features softened as she did so. But when she looked at me again, the usual sternness was back in her gaze. "You tell me right now what's going on. Or do you want your grandmother to lie awake all night worrying?"
"Alright, alright." I raised my hands placatingly. "I won't keep you in suspense any longer." I slowly walked around the table and placed a hand on Isabella's shoulder. I cleared my throat.
"Well..." I glanced around the small gathering. "Dear Grandma Ruth, I've decided... how do you like to put it? I've decided to finally settle down. You were right back then. It's really time for me. I asked Isabella for her hand yesterday, and she said 'Yes.' Isabella and I are engaged. And since I do want to wear black shoes to my wedding, I thought I might as well start practicing today. After all, it takes some getting used to after all these years in sneakers." I grinned at my grandmother. Isabella placed her hand on mine and squeezed it gently. She looked up at me.
My fiancée smiled at me.
My fiancée.
For the first time, Isabella had entered the house as my fiancée nearly a year ago, but that had only been a facade. Today it was real.
I felt better than ever in my life.
"James!" My grandmother called her butler, tapping her silver cane on the floor. "Bring champagne for everyone. We have something to celebrate." She looked at me, visibly moved.
I smiled, holding Isabella's hand in mine.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I had arrived. I wanted for nothing. I had more than I had ever dreamed of.
THE END