Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six: The Engagement
Leo proposed to Maya on a rainy Tuesday in March.
Lina found out about it when Maya called her, crying, her voice high and breathless.
"He asked me," Maya said. "He asked me to marry him."
Lina sat down at the kitchen table.
"He did?"
"He did. In the garden. Under the stars. He had a ring and everything."
Lina's eyes filled with tears.
"What did you say?"
Maya laughed. "I said yes. Of course I said yes."
Lina cried. Happy tears.
"I'm so happy for you," she said. "I'm so, so happy for you."
---
Leo called an hour later.
"I proposed," he said.
Lina smiled. "I know. Maya told me."
Leo was quiet for a moment. "Was it okay?"
Lina's heart ached. "Was what okay?"
"The proposal. The ring. The timing."
Lina thought about the question.
"It was perfect," she said. "Because it was you."
Leo was quiet again.
"I love her," he said.
Lina's eyes filled with tears.
"I know, baby," she said. "I know."
---
The family celebrated.
The penthouse was filled with people—Victoria and Victor and Katherine, David and his half-siblings, Lily and Jake and Grace, Emily and Hope, friends and neighbors and the particular chaos of a family that had something to celebrate.
Maya showed everyone the ring. It was small and simple—a single diamond on a silver band.
"It was his grandmother's," she said. "His father's mother. She gave it to him before she died."
Lina looked at Leo.
"Your grandmother's ring," she said.
Leo nodded. "She would have liked Maya."
Lina pulled him into her arms.
"She would have loved her," she said.
---
Lily was thrilled.
"My brother is getting married," she said, hugging Leo. "I never thought this day would come."
Leo hugged her back. "Neither did I."
Lily looked at Maya. "You're going to be my sister. For real."
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
"I always wanted a sister," she said.
Lily pulled her into her arms.
"Now you have one," she said.
---
Grace was the flower girl.
She was three years old, with curly hair and a gap-toothed smile. She practiced walking down the aisle, dropping petals, looking back at her mother.
"Again," she said.
Lily laughed. "Again."
Grace practiced again.
Lina watched her and felt her heart swell.
---
The wedding was planned for the following spring.
Maya wanted a garden wedding, like Lily's, but smaller. She wanted flowers and fairy lights and a string quartet. She wanted her mother to walk her down the aisle.
Lina helped with all of it.
She did not complain. She did not interfere. She just showed up, again and again, and did what needed to be done.
"Why are you doing this?" Maya asked one day.
Lina looked at her.
"Because you needed someone," she said. "And I needed to be that someone."
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
"You're a good mother," she said.
Lina shook her head.
"I'm just your mother," she said. "Trying to do the right thing."
---
Leo was nervous.
"What if I trip? What if I forget my vows? What if she changes her mind?"
Lina took his hand.
"She won't change her mind," she said. "She loves you. She's loved you for years. She's not going anywhere."
Leo nodded slowly.
"Okay," he said. "Okay."
---
The wedding day arrived warm and clear.
Lina sat in the front row, Ethan beside her, Victoria and Victor and Katherine behind her. David and his half-siblings were there too. Lily sat with Jake and Grace. Emily came with Hope.
Lina's heart was pounding.
Her son was getting married.
She thought about the first time Leo had brought Maya home. They were in middle school, quiet and awkward, holding hands when they thought no one was looking. She thought about the first time Leo had said "I love her." She thought about the first time she had realized that her son was capable of deep, lasting love.
And now this.
She was not ready.
But she had to be.
---
The music changed.
Maya appeared at the end of the aisle, her arm hooked through her mother's.
Her dress was white and simple, with flowers in her hair and a veil that trailed behind her. She was smiling. She was crying. She was beautiful.
Lina watched her walk down the aisle and cried.
Maya's mother handed her to Leo, who was waiting at the altar, his own eyes wet with tears.
"Take care of her," Maya's mother said.
Leo nodded. "With my whole life."
He took Maya's hands.
They turned to face the officiant.
---
The ceremony was simple.
The officiant spoke. The couple exchanged vows. They exchanged rings. They kissed.
Leo and Maya were married.
Lina clapped until her hands hurt.
Ethan whistled.
The crowd cheered.
---
The reception was chaos.
Dancing and laughing and speeches that went on too long. Lily gave a toast that was funny and sweet and perfect.
"Leo," she said, "you've been my brother for twenty-six years. You've been my friend. My protector. My champion. I couldn't have asked for a better sibling."
Leo cried.
Lily hugged him.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you too," he replied.
---
Lina found Leo on the balcony, looking at the stars.
"Are you okay?" she asked, standing beside him.
Leo nodded. "I was just thinking."
"About what?"
"About everything. About growing up. About starting a new life."
Lina put her arm around her son.
"Are you scared?" she asked.
Leo was quiet for a moment. "Terrified."
Lina held her son.
"Me too," she said. "But you're going to be okay. You're going to be more than okay. You're going to be wonderful."
Leo leaned into her.
"I love you, Mama," he said.
Lina's eyes filled with tears.
"I love you too, baby. More than anything."
---
The reception ended.
Leo and Maya drove away in a car covered in streamers and tin cans.
Lina stood in the parking lot, watching them go.
Ethan put his arm around her.
"He's married," he said.
"He's married," Lina agreed.
Ethan kissed her forehead.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
Lina thought about the question.
"Empty," she said. "Not in a bad way. Just... empty. Like I've been carrying something for so long that I forgot what it felt like to put it down."
Ethan pulled her into his arms.
"That's called love," he said.
"Is that what this is?"
"I think so."
Lina leaned into him.
"He's gone," she said.
Ethan kissed her forehead.
"He is," he said. "But he'll come back. They'll always come back."
Lina closed her eyes.
She thought about all the years ahead. The visits. The phone calls. The moments she would hold her children and the moments she would have to let them go.
She was not ready.
But she was learning.
And learning, she was beginning to understand, was the most important part of love.
---
End of Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six