Before the proposal, I’d told my mother my plans, and she’d arranged a family brunch.
“Cancel it,” Samantha told me afterward. “Don’t ask her. Tell her.”
I called Mom and said we weren’t coming. She argued that relatives had changed their plans and money had already been spent.
I should have held firm. Instead, I agreed we would stop by briefly.
“Don’t ask her. Tell her.”
***
The moment we entered, Samantha froze.
Gold balloons filled the room. Our names were written across a cake.
“Surprise!” my mother called.
“Mom, I told you not to do this.”
She reached for my jacket. “At least let me see the ring.”
“Don’t. There’s no ring right now.”
“Surprise!”
Too late.
She pulled out the box and lifted it.
“They finally did it!”
Relatives crowded us with questions about the wedding and children.
Samantha backed toward the door.
“Give her space,” I said, stepping between her and the room.
Too late.
“There isn’t an engagement.”
The room went quiet.
“After 16 years?” she asked. “What else is there to discuss?”
“Something private,” Samantha said.
My mother looked at her. “Private things affect families too.”
“No,” I said. “This doesn’t belong to you.”
“Something private.”
Paige moved beside Samantha. “Let it go, Mom.”
Samantha swallowed.
“I have a heart condition. Pregnancy would be dangerous for me.”
No one spoke.
Then my mother said, “Harry needs time to decide whether he’s willing to give up being a father.”
Samantha looked at me.
“I have a heart condition.”
I hesitated.
Three seconds.
Then she reached for the door, and I finally moved.
***
Outside, Sam pulled her hand from mine before we reached the car.
“You should’ve canceled, Harry.”
“I called her.”
I hesitated.
“You asked. She argued. You gave in. You defend me after someone crosses the line,” she said. “But it’s time to stop handing them the chance.”
“I told her she couldn’t come to our wedding unless she apologized.”
Samantha stared at me.
“What wedding, Harry?”
Again, I’d skipped past her fear and decided the ending for us.
“What wedding, Harry?”
“I’m sorry.”
“You keep reaching for the next answer because uncertainty scares you.”
“It does.”
“Then let it scare you.”
I took the ring box from my pocket and placed it in the glove compartment.
“I won’t ask again until you want me to.”
“I’m sorry.”
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