“Mom, I’d like you to meet your future son in law, Lachlan Curry.” Jessie
squeezed her mother’s hand and smiled, anxiously watching every nuance of her mother’s response. If she pursed her lips and tilted her head it meant that she wasn’t impressed. If she made a clucking sound with her tongue it indicated that she had her doubts about her daughter’s taste in men and that she could certainly do better. But Enid Dalton simply smiled.

“I’m pleased to finally meet you, Mrs. Dalton.” Lachlan’s dimpled grin made him look even handsomer than he already is and Jessie slowly exhaled as he held out his hand to her mother in greeting, unaware up until that very moment that she had been holding her breath while anticipating the worst.

Enid felt a strange sense of amusement over the sudden realization that her opinion of this strikingly attractive young man who had been busy sleeping with and impregnating her daughter held so much importance. She had often lamented the gap of misunderstanding that had culminated between the two of them since Jessie’s father had died just days before her sixteenth birthday, always feeling as if she were somehow to blame for her husband’s untimely death. Jessie had always been closer to her father, and while Enid has often felt like the odd man out during Jessie’s childhood, she was nonetheless content to witness the special bond the two most important people in her life had shared.

After Frank’s passing, however, the gulf that divided mother and daughter steadily seemed to widen. While Jessie had never been openly disrespectful, there were times when she knew that her daughter had wanted as little to do with her as possible. She never took her into her confidence, never bothered to tell her much about her various boyfriends or about her hopes and dreams for the future. Birthday cards and holiday greetings were exchanged religiously, but for the past twelve years Enid had felt that she no longer knew her daughter at all and the only thing keeping them in contact at all was the strange tie of shared blood.

But at that very moment, she realized that something extraordinary had happened and that her daughter suddenly needed her more now than ever. And this appealing shaygets standing before her was responsible for all of it. She certainly couldn’t knock her daughter’s taste in men this time around and she caught herself musing over the undeniable probability that her first grandchild would be the most attractive baby in the known world.

“Oh, don’t try to impress me with that Mrs. Dalton nonsense.” She reached for Lachlan’s hand and pulled him down so she could give him a heartfelt hug. “We’re officially gonna be family in a matter of hours and you must call me Enid.”

Lachlan glanced over at Jessie, his expression clearly stating I told you so. As Enid’s arm snaked around his neck he kissed her check and whispered playfully into her ear. “Now I know where Jessie gets her beautiful smile.”

Enid beamed. “And now I know why Jessie’s been keeping you such a secret all this time; she wanted to keep you all for herself.”

Jessie stood by, relieved yet dumbfounded by this unexpected turn of events. Her mother actually approved of her choice of husband? What would happen next? Would frogs begin to fly?

Enid turned to her daughter and dared to place her hand over the unmistakable soft swelling of her belly. Jessie held her breath again, still unaccustomed to the experience of people other than Lachlan wanting to touch her growing stomach.

“Young people; you’re always so impatient.”  Enid winked at Lachlan and gave her daughter a hug. “Come on you two. I’ve been stuck at the airport for the past two days and I’m dying to change into something more comfortable. My feet are killing me.”

Lachlan went to reach for Enid’s suitcase and she nodded her approval in her daughter’s direction. “And you didn’t even have to ask him,” she whispered as she slipped her arm around Jessie’s waist.

She had been due to arrive two days earlier, but her flight had been delayed due to a tropical storm warning along the gulf. She had finally managed to get a connecting flight from Chicago into Burlington, but not until one day before the wedding.

“Were staying at the Inn tonight, you and I,” Jessie informed her as they made their way out to the parking lot. “Lachlan’s going to spend the night at the house and we’ll give you the grand tour of the grounds the day after the wedding. I wish we could have had a little more time; I didn’t want to feel so rushed.”

Truth was, Jessie was in near hysterics over the possibility that Enid might actually miss her wedding due to unfortunate weather. She’d wanted to show her mother their big hulking Victorian mansion and introduce her to all her new friends and family but with the rehearsal dinner just a few hours away, she reminded herself that it was all just a minor hiccough and that everything was most likely going to be okay.

During the drive back, Enid noticed the physicality between Lachlan and Jessie. They were forever touching each other’s hands and sharing private glances, smiling and laughing as if they were the only two people in the world, even though they included her in their conversation throughout the trek into Stowe. Time actually passed by quite quickly and before she knew it they were heading up a long mountain road and when the turret of the 1876 Manor House crested above the treeline her breath caught in her chest as the sun seemed to alight the building with a golden amber glow.

“Oh my, this place is absolutely beautiful!”

Jessie glanced at her from within the rearview mirror and smiled. “I’m so glad you like it, mom. Wait until you see our room.”

Enid was caught by surprise at Jessie’s comment. “Our room?”

Jessie bit her lip. “I hope you don’t mind. Since I’m staying at the Inn tonight, I thought it might be nice if we shared a room so we could catch up on … things.”

“She’s trusting me to spend the night before our wedding out of her sight, Enid,” Lachlan joked. “Guess it’s a good thing that I can’t drink right now.”

Lachlan had mentioned that he was weaning himself off of the painkillers that had been needed in the early days of his injuries, and Enid was impressed by his easy honesty. “But if you and the other women want to celebrate, don’t let the thought of me staying in that big house all by myself tonight stop you from having fun.”

“Oh, I’m sure you and Jeff can find some kind of trouble, if you really want it,” Jessie teased. She glanced back over her shoulder at her mother. “You’ll meet Jeff Mitchell tonight mom , he’s both the best man and the maid of honor and he’s also overseeing the plumbing at the house. He’s been staying with us for the past couple of weeks and I just know you’re gonna love him.”

Enid was sure that she would find everyone charming, but her mind was still registering the fact that she and her daughter would be spending the night before her wedding together.

To her enjoyment, the rehearsal dinner was a lavish and yet happily casual affair. Enid was a little bemused to be surrounded by so many handsome and beguiling individuals, finding herself charmed by all the men in attendance who were all almost as attractive as her soon to be son in law, and  touched by the kindness of the equally attractive women who seemed genuinely pleased to meet the mother of the bride. And when she met the slightly infamous Jeff Mitchell that Jessie and Lachlan had spoken so fondly about, she immediately understood why he was held in such high regard. He was absolutely charming.

Later, after all the food was eaten and the details of the wedding ceremony played out and rehearsed to everyone’s satisfaction, Enid stood aside and watched as Lachlan and Jessie said goodnight to one another. She knew it was impolite to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help herself as watched the way he took her daughter in his arms and kissed her soundly, obviously not wanting to let her go.

“Tell me honestly mom, do you really like him?” They had just changed into their pajamas and Jessie sat down on the bed next to her mother, her eyes hopeful.  

Enid looked over at her daughter, thankful over how this wedding and the soon to be arriving baby were magically bringing them closer together. She took Jessie’s hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Honey, he seems like a wonderful young man and it fills my heart to see you so happy at last.”

Jessie seemed surprised by Enid’s answer. “Really? It’s always seemed like none of my boyfriends were ever good enough to pass your sense of measure. Has something changed that I should know about?”

Enid sighed. “Believe it or not, I’ve only wanted your happiness. But let’s face it, you used to have simply terrible taste in men!” She laughed as she remembered a few of the less desirable ones she had met over the years. “But Lachlan; there’s something about him that I really like. And it’s so obvious that he loves you with all his heart and I can see that you feel the same way about him. You’re a grown woman now and soon you’ll have your family and one day your daughter will go from looking at you like you’re the most wonderful person in the world to thinking that you’re the most awful individual on the face of the earth.”

Jessie’s eyes filled with tears in shame over her past behavior. Had she really been so blind all these years not to see just how much her mother really loved her? “Oh mom, I’ve been such a bitch.”

Enid put her arms around her daughter’s shoulders and held her close. “I’m sure I’ve been less than perfect myself, you know. But I’m always here for you, and I want you to know that.”

“Can we try to start over? It’s not too late, is it?”

Enid’s heart filled with joy at Jessie’s words. “It’s never too late for family, honey. Not when both of us are willing to give it another try. I want to be a part of this grandbaby’s life, if you’ll let me. Perhaps you’ll let me come and help you when she arrives?”

Jessie’s ears perked up at her mother’s casual prediction. “How do you know it’s gonna be a girl?”