“Great. You know Sasha’s engaged. Sasha knows Luca asked for her hand. And I know I’m hungry as hell. Can we eat?”
Mom went back to her seat, leaning over to slap the back of Dad’s head. “That’s for keeping secrets.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Eat your dinner.”
Reluctantly, Mom cut off a piece of pork chop and popped it into her mouth. Dad nodded and took a bite.
We ate in silence until Dad reached for seconds. Mom sighed and said, “I’ll need to call Rosa tomorrow so we can get the engagement party planned.”
“What party?” I asked with a mouthful of mac and cheese.
Luca cleared his throat, balling his napkin in his fist. “My mom said she’d be happy to host at the house.”
“Hello? Didn’t you hear me? Am I invisible?” Dad made eye contact with me, discreetly shaking his head. The man never willingly got in the middle of any conversation.
“Oh! That’s wonderful. I love your mom. This is going to be fun!” Mom bounced in her seat, pushing her plate away and jumping up from the table. “I’m going to go grab a notepad and pen.”
“Mom, that’s not—”
“I want to make sure we have an idea of what you guys want so that we can make this perfect,” she said over her shoulder as she disappeared into the den.
I was invisible. Luca put a diamond on my finger, and I’d become invisible.
Mom sat back down and quickly jotted some notes. “Okay. What are we thinking for colors?” Her gaze finally fell on me.
Wide-eyed, I shook my head, and she pressed her lips into a thin line. Tapping her pen on the paper, she swung her focus to Luca. “What about you? Any ideas?”
Luca’s expression went blank. “I figured Sasha would have some ideas. I’m a pretty basic guy.”
“Understated elegance.” Mom wrote something down. “I like that.”
“Green.” I blurted out.
“I’m sorry?”
“Green. I like the color green.” For someone who made their living creating unique and personalized aesthetics, my mind blanked when it came to imagining my own wedding and the apparent prerequisite engagement party.
“We can do green.” Mom grinned.
“Can we finish dinner before you grill the kids about this party?” Dad leaned over the old oak table and snagged another pork chop.
She set the pad of paper next to her and pulled her plate back. “Fine. We have all night.”
“All night?”
* * *
Luca pulled away from my parents’ house well after midnight. “Okay. Let me have it.”
“Hm.” I crossed my arms and looked out the window. Too tired to lay into him—my silent disappointment would have to do.
“I asked your dad for your hand.”
“Mhm.”
“I knew you’d be pissed.”
“Mhm.”