Page 95 of Twisted Trust

My life as an event planner usually has me in Marcella’s position where I provide the options and someone else picks the answers. Planning this wedding has shown me pretty quickly that when it comes to planning something like this for myself, I hate it.

Planning the engagement party was easier because my goal was to impress Marcella but with this wedding, I’m smothered and surrounded by people telling me it’s all about me. For some reason, that makes me feel terrible. I don’t want to be the center of attention, I don’t want to think about centerpieces or flowers or table drapes or lighting thatI’dlike. I have no preference either way, but it’s not because I don’t want to get married. The way I feel about Levi now makes it pretty exciting, but if I could choose, I’d have a quiet ceremony with just the two of us and Scott.

Sadly, I can’t get away with that.

“What do you think?” I ask Marcella, once again putting the choice onto her. “You’ve done so much for me already that you definitely have a much better grasp on how all these colors will weave together than I do.”

“Definitely the oyster,” she replies immediately. “Good choice.”

Letting her make the choices has been rather freeing and she seems to be enjoying it. A sweet relief considering everything she’s been through. Marcella notes down in the binder which color of centerpiece we’ll go for and then she stifles a yawn.

“Are you sure you want to keep going?” I ask, lightly touching her arm. “It is late.”

“Darling, your wedding is a handful of days away and we’re nowhere near close to ready! I’m fine, I promise.”

“Mmhmm,” I hum with a note of disbelief. “I’ll make some fresh coffee.”

Marcella waves her hand at me and flicks to the next page of the binder as I stand and head into the kitchen where Chip and Scott are engrossed in an intense staring contest.

“Who’s winning?” I ask as I set the coffee machine in motion.

“Me!” Scott declares gleefully. “Chip is weak.”

“Scott’s a cheater,” Chip scoffs softly.

“Am not!”

“Are too.”

“Not!”

“Are!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“No—ahh!” Scott yells his displeasure as Chip leans across and tickles his tummy, leading to a complete failure in the competition. “You cheated!” Scott yells between his giggles. “You’re a loser. A loser!”

“It’s not my fault you’re just too adorable and it makes me lose.” Chip laughs. He sweeps Scott up in his arms and spins him around, tickling him and then setting him back down. “I had to win.”

“Again, again!” Scott demands, only to yawn so wide I can almost see down his throat.

“I think you’ll have to resume tomorrow because that, mister, is a sign that it’s past your bedtime.”

“But I’m not tired,” Scott whines as I scoop him up into my arms.

“Mmhmm, sure. Let’s go say goodnight to Grandma and then it’s bedtime.”

“Fine,” Scott groans and he swivels in my arms to glare at Chip. “Rematch tomorrow.”

“Sure thing, kiddo.”

I carry Scott through to the lounge where as expected, Marcella leaned back against the pillows, closed her eyes, and seemingly fell fast asleep. “See? Even Grandma’s asleep. That’s how late it is.”

“But I’m not… tired…” Scott tries again while yawning out his words.

“I totally believe you.” Kissing his cheek, I carry on walking through the apartment to his bedroom. Thankfully, Scott accepted Marcella as his grandma and Levi as his dad rather easily. The huge speech I prepared to explain it to him wasn’t needed because in his heart, he’d already accepted that they cared about him and that was all that mattered.