Page 35

Jo

“ S tarting at twelve on your plate, you’ll find some pear and pecorino ravioli. A pulled pork taco. One samosa. A vegetarian nigiri,” Hugo recited.

“You know I’m not really eating for two, right?” Jo whispered.

Hugo laughed. “I’ve chosen a bit of everything from the buffet, so you can tell me what you like best, and I can get you more of that.”

Jo took the plate, laughing. “I don’t think I’m going to be wanting anything else, thanks. In fact, maybe we should share this plate.”

She felt him tense beside her, then heard a voice that sounded just like Hugo’s but hoarser. “And is this Jo? Nice to meet you, glad you were able to drag my brother to my engagement party!”

“Nice to meet you, Roman,” Jo said. “We wouldn’t have missed it.” She switched her cane over to her left hand and stretched out her right hand. He took the hint and shook it. His hands were as large as Hugo’s, but he was careful not to squeeze tight.

Roman laughed. “Maybe you wouldn’t have. My brother’s a bit of an ass and always working, so he could easily have missed it.” Jo couldn’t be sure if the man was kidding, or if he was really angry at his brother.

“Stop it, Roman,” Hugo growled. “And where’s your fiancée? I want to say hello and introduce her to Jo.”

“I’ll go get her. But first, I hear congratulations are in order. You are very lucky indeed, little brother.”

“I am.” Jo blushed as Hugo put one arm around her and the other on her belly.

“Do you have a name already?”

Jo shook her head. “We’re debating several options. It’s not easy.”

“Just make sure our grandmother can pronounce it,” Roman said, laughing. Jo froze and turned to Hugo. “You didn’t tell me your grandmother didn’t speak any English.” Now that she thought about it, why would she?

“What are you telling your brother’s wife, Roman? And why isn’t she sitting down? A pregnant woman can’t be on her feet all day. You should know that,” Hugo and Roman’s mother said, speaking in heavily accented English.

Jo smiled. “I’m not that pregnant yet.”

“There’s no such thing as only a little bit pregnant, chérie .” Hugo’s mother immediately guided Jo to a seat. As usual, she was a whirlwind of activity. “This is my granddaughter you’re carrying. You need your rest.”

Hugo’s mother would have been easy to like in any situation, but it was impossible not to love the way she’d taken to the news of the baby. They’d been honest with her from the beginning, since Jo hadn’t wanted to mislead anyone, but Hugo’s mother had immediately begun telling everyone who would listen about her granddaughter.

Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped at them with her hand, hoping nobody would have noticed. But of course, Hugo had. “You okay?”

“More than okay.”

Eventually, Hugo’s mother and brother went off to attend to other guests, though Jo knew they would be back soon with Roman’s fiancée. Jo picked at the food on her plate. It was all delicious, so maybe this was a good day to eat for two.

“Don’t forget to check what time your parents are arriving tomorrow,” Hugo said. Although his voice was calm, Jo could hear the underlying tension. “I’ve asked for the morning off so we can go pick them up together.”

Jo nodded. “They’re going to love you, I guarantee it.”

“I hope they will at least recognize how much I love their daughter.”

The thought that she was going to see her parents in just one day … it felt like a dream. Not only that, but her mother had reserved another flight for December already, to make sure she was here for the baby’s birth.

“What are you thinking, Jo?”

She squeezed his hand. “I’m thinking we need to go back to our shortlist. She’s going to need a name, and I don’t want to be worrying about it in the delivery room.”

“Are you sure we need a shortlist?” he asked quietly.

“What do you mean? How else are we going to?—”

“You told me your sister’s name was Becca. The name was short for Rebecca?”

Jo nodded. “You’re saying?—”

“We could call our daughter Rébé, in honor of her aunt.”

Jo's breath hitched, her fingers tightening around Hugo's hand as she processed his words.

"Rébé," she repeated softly, her voice trembling. The name felt both familiar and new, a tender bridge between the past and the future. A reminder of her sister, who would never be forgotten, but a name that was also new.

"Your sister was an important part of your life," Hugo said, his tone steady but warm. "This way, she can always be a part of ours, too."

"She would have loved that. She would have spoiled her niece rotten."

Hugo smiled, brushing a thumb over her knuckles. "Then it’s decided?"

Jo nodded, and this time she didn’t try to stop the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "Yes. Rébé. It's perfect."

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Thank you for reading Hugo and Jo’s story! If you enjoyed it (and I really hope you did!), I would be really grateful if you could leave a quick review. I read each and every review and appreciate them all greatly.