“Good evening, sir,” he said.
“Wait, I want pictures. Em, Hunter, come stand with your dad and Rhonny in front of the limo. Gage come get in the picture,” Sophia said, her camera up to her eye, angling the shot. The driver closed the door and stepped out of the picture, smiling indulgently. Gage stepped down from the front porch with a giant grin. He came from the side, moving his way in next to Trent.
“I want a copy of this photo, Sophia. You guys should see it from the inside,” Gage said, smiling as she snapped the picture.
“It’s so big, Gage,” Em said, her little facing beaming up at him for the next snap of the picture. “Thank you for letting us ride in your limbo.”
“It’s a limo, Em,” Hunter corrected her.
“Limo,” Em repeated, but never took her adoring eyes from Gage.
“This is my pleasure, Emmie. Now let’s get these pictures done so we can get inside,” Gage said and scooped Em up in his arms. She hooked her arm around his neck for several more rounds of photos, before Trent stopped Sophia. The driver reopened the door. The kids got in first and the oohs and ahhhs were so loud the adults laughed and were joined by the neighbors standing closer now.
Rhonny scooted in next with about the same reaction. Sophia came to them, standing outside the car, ducking her head in at Em and Hunter’s request. She took a couple more photos of Rhonny, Em, and Hunter inside the car before she rose, facing both Gage and Trent with tears swimming in her eyes. Trent knew the emotion, they shared it. Gage reached down to take his hand as Sophia came in to hug them both.
“Ignore me. Just go, I’m really happy. Go!” Sophia said, taking several steps back, waving Trent off before lifting the camera again to snap more pictures with tears streaming down her face.
“Babe, we have to go,” Gage said, looking between Sophia and Trent. Trent worried about leaving her alone in such an emotional state. At times like this he missed Lynn the most.
“Go, Trent. I’m just very happy, I promise,” Sophia said and retreated again. “Go on, so I can get you guys leaving.”
“Sophia, please email me the pictures,” Gage asked and offered up a hand to Trent encouraging him into the car. Trent slid inside with Gage’s hand on his lower back. Gage followed close behind. Emalynn was in straight up awe, touching everything. He and Gage sat along the back seat, while Rhonny sat on the side of the limo and Em and Hunter sat facing them in the front.
“Look, Daddy, it’s wine chilling. Rhonny said it,” Em pointed to the two buckets filled with ice.
“Very cool, Em. Hunter what’re you thinking about all this?” Trent asked. His son loved anything mobile, and Hunter’s big eyes searched the entire place although he stayed cool, calm, and collected, sitting back in his seat, his hands in his lap. Unusual behavior for Hunter.
“I like it,” he said, his eyes fixing on the neon lights surrounding the roof of the car. They started down the street. Em and Hunter both went to the long side window where Rhonny sat, looking out. Their friends in the neighborhood still stood outside watching them pull away and Em and Hunter ate it up, waving at everyone as they drove past.
“Rhonny, you look lovely tonight. What a great choice in gowns,” Gage said, pulling one of the two bottles chilling in the champagne buckets.
“Thank you for all of this, Gage,” Rhonny said. Em moved to sit beside her.
“Thank you, Gage,” Em said, finally scooting back on the seat, and placing her hands in her lap.
“No thanks necessary, sweetheart,” Gage said, pulling the cork on the bottle. “I got you and Hunter sparkling white grape juice so we can all make a toast.” Gage poured two crystal champagne glasses, with not more than a swallow in each one for Em and Hunter. Then poured three glasses of champagne, handing one to Rhonny and one to Trent, before pouring the last one for himself.
Trent kept an eye on Em, but Hunter held most of his attention. His little boy seemed to be changing in front of him. Maybe this was part of growing up. As he continued to watch Hunter, it occurred to Trent that Hunter mimicked his moves and mannerisms. Hunter sat quietly, his suit jacket unbuttoned, one hand in his lap, the other carefully holding the champagne glass, and he just watched Trent. A smile tore across his face; it amazed him how such a small gesture filled his heart with unbelievable flattery and warmth. His Hunter was trying to be like him. He winked at Hunter who winked back, both eyes closing in Hunter’s sweet wink back to him.
“I have a toast to make,” Gage announced to everyone. They all turned his way as he raised his glass.
“I believe people come into your life for a reason and as important as this night may be to me, having you all here, sharing it with me makes every moment of it better,” Gage said. He lifted his glass higher. “So this toast is for you, Hunter, Em, Rhonny, and Trent. Thank you for being here with me tonight.”
Gage extended his hand and everyone followed his lead. They clinked their glasses together and drank from their crystal champagne glasses. Gage turned on the radio, showed Rhonny how to find the music, and the children went immediately into investigation mode, turning on every light, the television, and touching all the neat gadgets the limo offered them. Rhonny soon went into texting mode, snapping pictures and sending them to her friends and family. She snapped pictures of everything from herself, to the kids, to Trent and Gage together, even proclaiming everything was now documented on Facebook. Trent stayed quiet, his champagne glass in his hand, watching his family as Gage moved around the limo answering all of Hunter and Em’s questions. Gage stayed patient with Em and Hunter through it all. After a few minutes, Gage made it back to his seat beside Trent and took his hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss on the knuckles.