Page 137 of Falling Offsides

“Don’t you dare apologize. Your family loves you, that’s… that’s a wonderful thing.”

On impulse I kiss the tip of his nose. Catching us both off-guard.

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, because I slip my hand beneath his on the table and sit back into my seat like PDAs are the norm for me.

Étienne sits beside Auguste with the twins situated between him and Marley. They paint such a beautiful picture. Their little boys with their light brown eyes and gorgeous curly hair. So perfect and happy, chewing on the breadsticks, Auguste hands each one of them across Étienne.

Auguste’s hand never leaves mine, not even when he falls into conversation with his brother. It’s all so normal.

Dinner passes in a blur of laughter and stories. The noise and joy is unlike anything I’ve experienced. Chaos in the best sense. Laughter like wind chimes. The boys clinking their spoons against the table to add to the melody. They tease Auguste about everything—from his hockey fights to his broody silences to the time he cried during Finding Nemo. He’s blushing but trying to pretend he isn’t.

“Get it right,” he growls, “It was that dumb robot movie.”

“Aw, poor Wally,” Sabine chimes in. “He was so alone.”

Eddie laughs, clutching his stomach. “Like someone else I know.”

“Not anymore,” Sabrina points out. “Courtney’s brought him out of his shell.”

I’m not sure what to say, but they’re all grinning like I don’t have to say anything I don’t want to, and so I grin back.

“Say,” Étienne says, addressing their parents with a proud smile. “We have a little something for you guys.”

“Oh no,” Sabrina starts, only for Eddie to finish, “There’s never a little something where the three of you are concerned.”

Marley hands Étienne a small jeweller's bag at the same time as Sabine calls out, “Speech!”

“No, don’t get your brother started,” Eddie chuckles, waving her down when she clinks her champagne glass with her knife.

Étienne clears his throat.

"Thirty years is a long time to put up with someone," Étienne says, raising his glass. "Especially someone as stubborn as Dad."

“Hey!” Eddie protests, but his smile is wide.

“And as particular as Mom,” Étienne continues, winking at Sabrina who rolls her eyes fondly.

Auguste's hand tightens around mine, his thumb stroking small circles that send tingles up my arm. I lean slightly into him, drawn by his warmth.

“But you two have shown us what love looks like," Étienne's voice softens. "Not perfect, not easy, but worth fighting for every day.”

He reaches into the small bag and pulls out a pair of matching velvet boxes and hands one to each of his parents.

“From the three of us,” he says as they open them and gasp. “A reminder that every anniversary is worth celebrating, and every moment you've chosen each other has made our family what it is.”

Sabrina's eyes glisten as she plucks a gold ring from her box. Eddie isn’t far behind when he slips the ring from his box on her finger and vice versa. There’s an inlay mother of pearl band in the middle to represent their milestone anniversary.

“We wanted something special,” Sabine adds, her smile bright. “To represent everything you have built together.”

“They’re perfect,” Eddie beams at his children while holding up Sabrina’s hand. “Just like your mother.”

My gosh.

The way they look at each other—Sabrina and Eddie—makes my heart ache. There's a history there, decades of inside jokes and shared struggles and triumphs.

Something real.

Auguste's hand leaves mine to drape his arm around my shoulders as he pulls me into him and toasts, “Thirty years. Still in love. Still dancing. And here’s to many more.”