Page 25
Tonia was secretly glad.
She seems to have unwittingly upset him with what she said the other day. He had been going to the gym every day, and his energy levels had gone through the roof. She wouldn’t have been able to get out of bed if she hadn’t been getting ready for the wedding.
But she still tried to calm them down by adding, “You’re all his good friends. There will be plenty of chances to drink together in the future. No need to go overboard today, as it’s bad for his health. As long as you’re having fun, that’s what matters.”
Someone joked, “Oh, look at that! Tonia feels bad for him!”
Tonia didn’t try to hide how worried she was. “He shouldn’t drink too much because his stomach is sensitive.”
“Oh, my! Someone really cares about you, Sammy!”
Sammy’s vision was already a little fuzzy, but he could hear everything Tonia said. Her voice was sweet and kind, and every word showed how much she cared for him. He was very happy.
“Don’t worry. I know what I can and can’t do,” he remarked on purpose.
Tonia did what he thought she would do: she pouted and lightly punched him in the chest. “Calm down, okay?”
“Okay.” Sammy bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Understood.”
Lincoln finally stood out and said, “Okay, okay. Since Tonia has spoken, let’s give Sammy a break this time.”
Sammy grinned. “Thanks. I’ll buy you drinks another time, and then we can really let loose.”
“Okay! You better do what you said.”
Tonia didn’t move. She wasn’t bashful; she just didn’t want to walk since her feet hurt so much after wearing high heels all day. Staying put was the least unpleasant choice.
“Ton…” Jane immediately patted Tonia on the arm.
“What’s going on?”
“Raph’s here,” Jane whispered as she leaned in.
Tonia didn’t think Raph would come.
Raph had turned down the invitation, even though Sammy had brought it to him in person. He had told her that he would be gone on a business trip. Sammy hadn’t pushed. Raph would just feel weird going to their wedding, after all.
Sammy watched Tonia closely to see how she would respond when he told her.
But Tonia didn’t do much in response. She just said, “It’s his choice.”
She knew that words all too well. When she pleaded Raph over and over again, even threatening to hurt herself to stop him from cheating, he always said the same thing: “It’s up to you.”
…
Raph didn’t get there until nightfall.
At that point, the whole wedding ceremony was over. Sammy was walking Tonia from table to table, making toasts. Raph really didn’t plan on arriving.
He couldn’t even think about Tonia in a wedding dress saying her vows to another guy. Just thinking about it made his heart feel like it was going to break.
Windy had told Sammy, “I have to go to the wedding because I’m his aunt, but I’ll go alone. You do your thing.”
Raph had said yes. He had already made plans to fly to York that day. He felt bad as soon as he got to the airport. He ran back as fast as he could. He was lucky to be there in time to see her.
Tonia looked great. She wasn’t the sweet and gentle girl she had been when she was younger. The 28-year-old version of her had a polished elegance, and she was both girlish and sophisticated at the same time.
Her face was still attractive and delicate, but her body and the way she moved showed that she was a woman of grace.
Maybe she felt calm and at ease now since she’d gone through so many hard times in her life. It made her much more interesting.
Jane was the first person he saw. He noticed her say something in Tonia’s ear, and then Tonia turned to look at him. Raph instantly got frightened.
He stopped for a second when their eyes met. He didn’t know if he should go up to her and congratulate her in person.
But Tonia made the choice for him.
She pulled on Sammy’s arm, and they walked over together, holding hands.
He got a glass of wine from Sammy. “Raph, you did it. Let’s raise a glass.”
Raph respectfully said no, “I drove here, so I can’t drink.”
“I’ve booked the whole hotel. All of the guests are staying here tonight. I’ll get you a room ready,” Sammy said.
“There’s no need,” Raph said. “I was supposed to fly to York today, but I had to come to congratulate you two. I’m leaving for an early flight tomorrow morning.”
Raph appeared set on not drinking this glass of wine.
Sammy grinned and didn’t say anything else.
“Okay. We’ll have a real drink together when you get back from your trip.”
“We’ll see how it goes.”
Sammy didn’t say anything else, but Tonia motioned for Jane to bring over a pitcher of juice.
She filled a glass for herself, and Jane filled another and gave it to Raph.
He didn’t take it.
“Mr. “Blunt, if you can’t drink, let’s toast with juice instead,” Tonia replied in a calm voice. “Thank you for coming to my wedding.” I’ll drink to you with this.
With that, she drank the whole glass.
“Exactly,” Jane said as she pushed the glass into Raph’s palm. You should at least have one toast since you’re here to congratulate the new couple. Isn’t that true, Mr. Blunt? ”
Raph took the glass in his palm and tried to grin, but it was bitter. He looked up at Tonia and said, “You want me to drink this no matter what, don’t you?”
“No,” Tonia said, shaking her head. I drank my. You have the choice.
Raph seemed to accept his fate. He nodded slowly. When he glanced back up, there was a glimmer of something unshed in his eyes, it was either resentment, or maybe longing.
He chuckled softly. “Okay.” Then I’ll drink this glass of juice. You both deserve a big “Congratulations!” Sammy and Tonia! I hope you have a long, happy marriage and a happy life.
“Thank you for coming today,” Tonia added.
She seems to have unwittingly upset him with what she said the other day. He had been going to the gym every day, and his energy levels had gone through the roof. She wouldn’t have been able to get out of bed if she hadn’t been getting ready for the wedding.
But she still tried to calm them down by adding, “You’re all his good friends. There will be plenty of chances to drink together in the future. No need to go overboard today, as it’s bad for his health. As long as you’re having fun, that’s what matters.”
Someone joked, “Oh, look at that! Tonia feels bad for him!”
Tonia didn’t try to hide how worried she was. “He shouldn’t drink too much because his stomach is sensitive.”
“Oh, my! Someone really cares about you, Sammy!”
Sammy’s vision was already a little fuzzy, but he could hear everything Tonia said. Her voice was sweet and kind, and every word showed how much she cared for him. He was very happy.
“Don’t worry. I know what I can and can’t do,” he remarked on purpose.
Tonia did what he thought she would do: she pouted and lightly punched him in the chest. “Calm down, okay?”
“Okay.” Sammy bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Understood.”
Lincoln finally stood out and said, “Okay, okay. Since Tonia has spoken, let’s give Sammy a break this time.”
Sammy grinned. “Thanks. I’ll buy you drinks another time, and then we can really let loose.”
“Okay! You better do what you said.”
Tonia didn’t move. She wasn’t bashful; she just didn’t want to walk since her feet hurt so much after wearing high heels all day. Staying put was the least unpleasant choice.
“Ton…” Jane immediately patted Tonia on the arm.
“What’s going on?”
“Raph’s here,” Jane whispered as she leaned in.
Tonia didn’t think Raph would come.
Raph had turned down the invitation, even though Sammy had brought it to him in person. He had told her that he would be gone on a business trip. Sammy hadn’t pushed. Raph would just feel weird going to their wedding, after all.
Sammy watched Tonia closely to see how she would respond when he told her.
But Tonia didn’t do much in response. She just said, “It’s his choice.”
She knew that words all too well. When she pleaded Raph over and over again, even threatening to hurt herself to stop him from cheating, he always said the same thing: “It’s up to you.”
…
Raph didn’t get there until nightfall.
At that point, the whole wedding ceremony was over. Sammy was walking Tonia from table to table, making toasts. Raph really didn’t plan on arriving.
He couldn’t even think about Tonia in a wedding dress saying her vows to another guy. Just thinking about it made his heart feel like it was going to break.
Windy had told Sammy, “I have to go to the wedding because I’m his aunt, but I’ll go alone. You do your thing.”
Raph had said yes. He had already made plans to fly to York that day. He felt bad as soon as he got to the airport. He ran back as fast as he could. He was lucky to be there in time to see her.
Tonia looked great. She wasn’t the sweet and gentle girl she had been when she was younger. The 28-year-old version of her had a polished elegance, and she was both girlish and sophisticated at the same time.
Her face was still attractive and delicate, but her body and the way she moved showed that she was a woman of grace.
Maybe she felt calm and at ease now since she’d gone through so many hard times in her life. It made her much more interesting.
Jane was the first person he saw. He noticed her say something in Tonia’s ear, and then Tonia turned to look at him. Raph instantly got frightened.
He stopped for a second when their eyes met. He didn’t know if he should go up to her and congratulate her in person.
But Tonia made the choice for him.
She pulled on Sammy’s arm, and they walked over together, holding hands.
He got a glass of wine from Sammy. “Raph, you did it. Let’s raise a glass.”
Raph respectfully said no, “I drove here, so I can’t drink.”
“I’ve booked the whole hotel. All of the guests are staying here tonight. I’ll get you a room ready,” Sammy said.
“There’s no need,” Raph said. “I was supposed to fly to York today, but I had to come to congratulate you two. I’m leaving for an early flight tomorrow morning.”
Raph appeared set on not drinking this glass of wine.
Sammy grinned and didn’t say anything else.
“Okay. We’ll have a real drink together when you get back from your trip.”
“We’ll see how it goes.”
Sammy didn’t say anything else, but Tonia motioned for Jane to bring over a pitcher of juice.
She filled a glass for herself, and Jane filled another and gave it to Raph.
He didn’t take it.
“Mr. “Blunt, if you can’t drink, let’s toast with juice instead,” Tonia replied in a calm voice. “Thank you for coming to my wedding.” I’ll drink to you with this.
With that, she drank the whole glass.
“Exactly,” Jane said as she pushed the glass into Raph’s palm. You should at least have one toast since you’re here to congratulate the new couple. Isn’t that true, Mr. Blunt? ”
Raph took the glass in his palm and tried to grin, but it was bitter. He looked up at Tonia and said, “You want me to drink this no matter what, don’t you?”
“No,” Tonia said, shaking her head. I drank my. You have the choice.
Raph seemed to accept his fate. He nodded slowly. When he glanced back up, there was a glimmer of something unshed in his eyes, it was either resentment, or maybe longing.
He chuckled softly. “Okay.” Then I’ll drink this glass of juice. You both deserve a big “Congratulations!” Sammy and Tonia! I hope you have a long, happy marriage and a happy life.
“Thank you for coming today,” Tonia added.