Page 38 of Love in the Lab (Delaneys in Love #2)

Chapter thirty-one

Molly

A s the shock from our news wears off, my parents and sisters seem to calm down. We have a relatively normal dinner before watching a Hallmark Christmas movie and going our separate ways for bed. Nicole bunks with Olivia, while my parents assign Adam to Nicole’s childhood bedroom.

My dad seems to be back in good spirits after his disappointment earlier about missing my wedding.

I would have loved to have my family there, but I also love how simple and intimate our ceremony was.

It was all about me and Jonathan— no stress and no one to impress.

I would choose an elopement in Vegas all over again.

“Well, we did have the couch reserved for you, sir,” my dad tells Jonathan. “But given the, uh, circumstances, I’m guessing you’ll be more comfortable with Molly.” He looks distinctly uncomfortable with this situation but pretends to be laid back about the whole thing.

Jonathan and I get ready for bed in the attached bathroom, falling into the already-familiar patterns we’ve established in just a few days of marriage.

I climb into the double bed next to my husband, and he playfully rolls toward me.

“We’re not going to do anything in my childhood bedroom at my parents’ house with my sisters in the next room,” I hiss.

“But we’re newlyweds,” he pouts, as if we haven’t spent the last four days holed up in our Las Vegas hotel room together.

I heave an exasperated sigh. “It’s been a long day. Let’s just get some sleep.”

“Carrots, if you really don’t want to ‘do anything,’ you shouldn’t get mad. That makes it so much harder for me to resist you.”

I can’t help but laugh. I kiss him softly on the lips. “Good night,” I tell him pointedly.

“Good night.” For all his talk, he’s asleep in minutes. My brain isn’t as easy to turn off.

I creep into the kitchen once everyone’s asleep, and the lights are all off.

I’m startled to see Olivia sitting at the kitchen table, the shine from her phone screen lighting up her face as she scrolls.

She has a spoon sticking out of her mouth and an open container of chocolate pudding in front of her.

“Hey,” I say quietly.

Her head snaps up. A flash of guilt crosses her face when she sees it’s me. “Hey,” she says.

We’re quiet as I rummage through the pantry and pull out a Pop-Tart. When I sit down across from her to eat, Olivia looks at me with a grimace.

“I’m sorry I overreacted,” she blurts. “Earlier.”

I smile at her gently. “I wasn’t going to bring it up, but since you did … are you okay?”

She sighs. “Yes. No. I don’t know. I’ve been feeling lost since I graduated. Probably before that, if I’m being honest.”

I take another bite of Pop-Tart and wait.

“It’s just another way you and Nicole have your lives together where I don’t,” she continues, waving the spoon to punctuate her words.

“Nicole isn’t engaged yet, but let’s be real, she’ll be walking down the aisle sooner rather than later.

You turn up married without telling anyone.

You both have these successful careers. And what am I doing?

Living with Mom and Dad. Earning pennies as a youth soccer coach.

It’s not hard to feel left out, left behind. ”

I put my hand over my sister’s. “First of all,” I start. “You’re a lot younger than either of us—”

“Yeah, but you both have always known what you want to do.” She shrugs. “I have no idea.”

“I really think that Nicole and I are in the minority on that. Most people are like you, still figuring it out after college.” I break off a piece of my pastry and pop it in my mouth.

“Fine, but you walking in with Jonathan, making your big announcement, it just hit me hard that both you and Nicole are all in love while I’m sitting here playing third wheel to our parents.” She makes a face, and I laugh.

“Annie’s not getting married,” I remind her.

“Annie has a boyfriend,” she says, raising her eyebrows.

“Ah. Well, again, you’re a lot younger than us. You’re twenty-two. You still have so much time to find the love of your life before we have to start calling you an old maid,” I tease.

Her nose wrinkles, and she shakes her head. She mumbles something that sounds like, “Or maybe I’ve already missed my chance.”

“What was that?” I ask.

She shakes her head again. “Nothing. Anyway, I’m really sorry. And despite how I reacted earlier, I’m really happy for you, sis.” Standing, she bends down to give me an awkward hug.

I squeeze her hard. “Love you, kid,” I say through brimming eyes.

“Love you.”

My family is apparently still getting used to the idea of Jonathan as they take turns staring at him the next morning at breakfast. We’re all sitting around the table with a spread of breakfast casserole, cinnamon rolls, and fresh fruit in front of us.

“So, Molly,” Nicole starts, “with all the excitement yesterday, I didn’t get to ask you about your presentation.

How’d it go, Dr. Delaney?” She pauses, an uncertain expression on her face.

“Or now is it Dr. …” Nicole trails off as she stares at me and then darts her eyes over to Jonathan.

“I just realized, I don’t know …” Her cheeks turn pink, and she leans toward Adam sitting next to her, as if for support. “Jonathan, what’s your last name?”

Jonathan has a mouthful of cinnamon roll, so I answer for him. “It’s Stanch. But I’m not changing my name. I’m still Molly Delaney.”

Nicole nods, while my mom gapes at me. “You’re not taking your husband’s last name?” she asks.

Jonathan wisely takes another large bite of his breakfast. Under the table, he lays his hand on my thigh and squeezes.

I shake my head. “It doesn’t make sense to change my name. I already have so many publications under Delaney. It’s easier to just keep the same name.”

Plus, just thinking about all the bureaucratic processes and paperwork changing my name would entail makes my head hurt.

My mom pinches her lips together but makes no further comment.

“To answer your question, Nicole,” Jonathan cuts in, his mouth finally empty, “the presentation was fantastic. Molly knocked it out of the park, hence the Charleston job offer.”

I blush. “I wasn’t the only one presenting. Jonathan and our boss were great, too.”

“Tell us more about the Charleston job,” my dad says.

Nicole claps. “You’ll be so much closer to me now! Charleston’s only about four hours from St. Anastasia. Adam and I will have to drive up to help you get unpacked.”

“It’s an exciting position—an opportunity for me to lead my own lab studying harmful algal blooms in a cooperative way with other labs around the country. They want me to start the second week of January. I’ve heard Charleston is a beautiful city.”

“No beignets though,” Jonathan teases.

I wave my hand. “I’m sure Charleston has other delicious baked goods.”

“Biscuits,” Olivia offers. “Charleston is known for biscuits, both sweet and savory. The team always looked forward to it when we traveled to Charleston for games.”

“What about you, Jonathan?” my mom asks. “What are you going to do about a job after this move?” The question could be based in curiosity, but it sounds more like disapproval.

Jonathan glances at me, and I see a rare glint of uncertainty in his eyes. I jump in to answer. “Actually, as part of my contract, I’m going to negotiate a job for Jonathan, too.”

My dad looks surprised. “You can do that?”

“Yep. It’s called spousal accommodation and is more common than you’d think.” I hold my chin high. “We think I’m enough of a commodity that the Hollings Lab will be pretty open to giving me what I want.”

“ You think; I know. They want you bad.” Jonathan grins. “You might even be able to get them to pack up your stuff and move it for you.”

I gasp. “Someone else can pack for me?” I’m so dreading the packing and unpacking part of moving. “But anyway, spousal accommodation is one reason, but certainly not the most important reason, we decided to get married.”

Neither of my parents look pleased with that explanation.

Jonathan must notice, too. “I know it might sound like I’m just out here riding Molly’s coattails, but you need to know that I love your daughter, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make sure we’re together.

I don’t care where I am as long as I’m with her. ”

“Jonathan is actually turning down a job in New Orleans—PI at a new lab at NOSU—to move with me. He has options.”

Jonathan bumps his shoulder against mine and holds my gaze. “Any option that isn’t with you isn’t really an option for me at all.”

Nicole and Olivia simultaneously let out a reflexive “awww.” Even Adam looks impressed.

We finish breakfast, and I help clear the table, taking dirty plates into the kitchen to wash. I’m bellied up to the sink with my arms half-submerged in hot, soapy water when my mom finds me.

She leans back against the kitchen counter and folds her arms. “I have some concerns about your new plans.”

My mom and dad are still acclimating to our news, but they’ll come around. Last night, I thought my mom was actually excited, but after she talked with my dad and heard about our less-than-traditional plans, she must have realized some fresh doubts.

Without taking my focus off washing the dishes, I say, “I’m sure you do. I’d be surprised if you didn’t. But I’m happy with my decisions, and they were my decisions to make.”

“But that’s just the thing, honey. It’s not like you to make such a big decision so suddenly.”

I turn to look her full in the face now. “Actually, impulsive decisions are exactly like me, only I’ve been subduing that part of me, a lot of parts of me actually, for a long time now.”

She frowns. “What do you mean?”

Pulling my hands from the sink and drying them off, I share with her, for the first time, what I went through that first semester I spent away from home. She knows about my grades, of course, but always chalked it up to the adjustment to college-level academics. I never corrected her.

“Ever since then, I’ve been trying to be as not ADHD as possible. But I’ve come to realize that while, yes, ADHD makes my life harder in a lot of ways, it’s also a huge part of my strengths. It makes me who I am.”

Mom rests her hand on her chest over her heart. “I had no idea you felt that way. I hate that you felt that way all those years. What made you realize that you’re perfect just the way you are?”

I smile, my eyes almost overflowing. “My husband. There’s nothing about me Jonathan doesn’t love. Makes it kind of hard for me not to love myself, too.”

Her eyes gleam with tears. “I can understand why you married him, in that case.” She hesitates.

“Honey, when you were growing up, I know I wasn’t always the best mother for you.

You were my first baby, and you were so challenging.

We had to learn how to parent you, usually through trial and error.

I know I made mistakes. I’m so sorry if I contributed to you feeling like you needed to change who you are. ”

I shake my head. “You didn’t. I always felt loved and supported. I still do. How could you know what was going on inside me when I didn’t even know most of the time?”

My mom leans closer, a smile touching her lips. “Can I admit something?”

“Of course.”

“There were so many times, even after your sisters were born, when you would say something insightfully wise beyond your years or something so witty I’d laugh out loud, that I would stop and think ‘this little person is my favorite person on the planet.’ I love you so much, Molly. And I trust you.”

I wrap my arms around her in a hug, blinking to keep the tears from falling. I sniffle, then laugh. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell Nicole or Olivia.”

“Or Dad,” she cautions.

“Or Dad,” I agree.