She had done it wrong. We’d both been wrong. Time and time again we’d fought against our own stubbornness. She could have been more maternal. But when I’d needed her most, she’d been there for me. She’d been the one to take care of me during the miscarriage. No matter her own feelings on the subject. She’d had to be there for me. And she didn’t have to be here now. Actually happy for me.
“I’m glad you’re here, Mom.”
“Me too.” She brought her hand to her own cheek and swiped at the one lone tear that tracked down her face. “Look, I’m leaking.”
I laughed at the joke. She’d always said that about me as a kid. It had made me giggle and stop crying instead. “You leak beautifully.”
She joined me in soft laughter. “You love him?”
“With all my heart.”
“Even with everything that’s happened with the press?”
“You followed that?”
She shot me a look that was purely Pamela. “You’re my daughter. I’ve followed everything about you. I’ve watched all of your accomplishments.”
Now tears came to my eyes. “I thought you weren’t happy about my blog.”
“It’s so much more than that now, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “So much more. And yes, I’m happy with Campbell despite everyone knowing about the miscarriage.”
“I wrote to that magazine about their incorrect information, I’ll have you know.”
God, that was so my mom. “You did what?”
“They reported incorrect information. I sent in a correction as a firsthand witness to the events.”
“Oh Mom, you didn’t have to do that.”
“I know, but I’m glad I did. I know that things with us are…not like other people. I can’t help who I am. But I can take my own advice and try to be better.”
“I love you. Will you come to Vegas for our elopement?” I looked to Hal too. “Both of you?”
“Yes,” she said at once.
Hal nodded too. “We’ll be there.”
“I’m going to invite Dad too.”
“As you should,” Mom said. “Now, can I properly meet my soon-to-be new son-in-law?”
I laughed and brought her over to Campbell and his family. He charmed my mom as I always knew he would if he got the opportunity. His eyes were bright and happy for me. I’d been worried and now all the pieces were finally falling into place, exactly how I’d always wanted them to.
Hours later, Campbell was in a black suit, and I’d donned a dress to match the blue of my eyes as we watched Morgan Wright tie herself forever to Patrick Young. Wrights lined either side of the aisle to celebrate their sister and CEO.
Only Patrick’s best friend and Morgan’s older brother, Austin Wright spoke out of turn in the middle. “It’s about damn time.”
Everyone laughed and the happy couple just shook their head. Then they were kissing in front of what felt like the entire town. We got to our feet and cheered for their happy union. It was good to see so much love. To see love prevail above all else. Despite the adversity they had gone through.
Morgan and Patrick headed back down the aisle to a ringing round of applause.
Campbell leaned down and whispered in my ear. “That’s going to be us in a week.”
I glanced up at him. “I can’t wait.”
“I actually don’t want to wait.”
I laughed at him. “What? You want to run away without telling anyone?”
“There’s a courthouse.”
“Campbell Abbey,” I said, nudging him. “I’ve waited all my life for you. I think I can wait another week.”
He slid an arm around my waist and kissed me deeply. “I’d wait for you forever.”
It was our turn, and we walked down the aisle together. I couldn’t wait for it to be our turn to do this in a week. To tie my life to him forever. We’d had our ups and downs. Our trials and hardships. I wasn’t naive enough to think that everything would be smooth sailing from here. The album release and tour and long distance was going to be hard.
But it would all be worth it because I was doing it with him.
Just the two of us forever.
Epilogue
One Year Later
“Are you ready?” Piper asked as we stepped through the front doors of Wright Vineyard.
“So ready!”
“Even though the whole album is about you?”
I laughed. She wasn’t wrong. The new Cosmere album would officially be out tomorrow, and the release party was being held at Wright Vineyard. It was becoming a tradition to have their big events in the barn. A small thing before the bigger events in LA. But this one was special because it was the album that he’d written and rehearsed in that tumultuous few months when we first started dating again. Half of the songs were the happy falling in love songs, and the other half were heartbreak songs, written in that terrible week we’d been apart. It was a masterpiece, and already, the critics were giving it rave reviews. Everyone said the Grammys were knocking on Cosmere’s door for this one.