Chapter Thirteen
Sidney
"Are you nervous?" I ask, reaching for Hattie's hand when she flips open her mirror to look at her reflection for the fifth time in as many minutes.
"Who me? No," she lies.
"It's just my parents and Soph, butterfly," I remind her gently, "and they already love you."
"Says you." She eyes me suspiciously. "Are you sure they aren't mad about you punching Tye in the face?"
"Baby." I grin at her. "Sophie was literally just in the news for slapping her dance partner on stage.
And then Austin was in the news for getting into a bar fight and getting engaged in the same twenty-four-hour span, not to mention the rest of his shit.
Believe me, punching Tye in the face is the least scandalous thing one of their kids has done this month. "
"Well, when you put it that way…" she mutters.
I just chuckle, shaking my head. My parents are going to fucking love her. My mom hasn't stopped blowing up my phone since the photos of us getting tacos hit the news. She's probably already naming our kids by now.
I know Hattie is anxious about meeting them right before we fly out to Aspen for the weekend, but it's important. I want her to know that, even if she no longer has her mom in her life, she has mine. My parents will love her unconditionally. They'll support and protect her, no matter what.
She's closing one chapter of her life, but this is a brand new one, and I want it to start happy, with her surrounded by people who love her. She deserves that.
I pull into my parents' driveway, shaking my head when I see my mom peering through the curtains like a creeper. Of course, she's been stalking the window, waiting for us to get here. I bet she's been there half the morning already.
Hattie sees her peek out and then dart behind the curtains like she's trying not to get caught, and giggles. "Is that your mom?"
"That's her," I mutter. "She's a wild woman."
"She looks like fun."
"She's a fucking mess," I admit, smiling softly. "You ready to go meet her?"
"I think so." Hattie peeks over at me. "Do I look okay?"
"You look as beautiful as ever, butterfly."
She smiles softly, not a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Then I guess we should get this show on the road, Cranky Bear."
I grin at her and then hop out, circling around to open her door.
"You asshole!" Sophie shouts from the front porch.
"What the fuck?" I turn to scowl at her. "What'd I do?"
She huffs and then stomps down the steps toward me, but she's smiling, so whatever I did can't be that bad.
"First Austin, now you," she says, poking me in the side.
"I'm the last Hawkes standing. Our entire fanbase is collectively losing their minds right now, and don't even get me started on the nine times Mom has called me this week, demanding to know when I'm going to get married and give her grandbabies.
" She stares up at me, looking frazzled. "It's a shitshow, Sidney. I blame you."
"So…tell the world to fuck off," I mutter. "You aren't allowed to date anyway."
I dread the day my sister decides to date.
Half the men in Chicago will be lined up at her door, just waiting for a chance.
And, knowing her, she's going to give them hell.
It's what she does. Sophie has never, not a single day in her life, been tame.
She may dance like an angel, but her halo has horns.
"I do what I want," she retorts before peering through the window at Hattie, who is trying to look everywhere but at the two of us. "Is that my future sister?"
"Yeah, that's my girl."
Sophie blinks at me, her expression softening. "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day you used that tone." She slides her arm around my waist, hugging me. "Good for you, you big jerk."
I chuckle, shaking my head before I pop Hattie's door open to introduce them. "Hattie baby, this is my sister, Sophie. Soph, this is my girl, Hattie."
"Hi," Hattie whispers, smiling nervously. "I saw you dance the other night. You're basically my hero now."
"I thought I was your hero," I tease.
"Um, no. You're my second-favorite football player. Keep up, Cranky Bear," Hattie says, patting me on the chest.
Sophie's eyes light up, her smile growing. "Oh, I like you already. You're going to help me drive my brother nuts."
"Cool," Hattie whispers as I lift her from the truck before placing her on her feet. At least, I intend to place her on her feet. I'm not entirely sure they even touch the ground before my mom comes flying down the front steps like a goddamn ninja.
"Hi! You're here!" she cries, lifting Hattie off her feet in a hug.
"Ma," I groan when Hattie squeaks in shock. "You gotta let her breathe."
"Don't tell me how to live my life, Sidney Bronson Hawkes," Ma mutters, not even looking at me. She's too busy beaming at Hattie. "Oh, sweetheart. You're so beautiful! Just look at those gray eyes and all that hair. Oh!" My mom hugs her again. "I hope my grandbabies look just like you."
Hattie stares at me with wide eyes.
"I tried to warn you," I murmur to her. There is no containing my mother. She's loud, bright, and will absolutely kick my ass. She also loves with her whole heart. Hattie needs that. There isn't a single other person on this planet I trust to love her the way a mother should, other than my mom.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Hawkes," Hattie says sweetly. "Um, thanks for having a son like Sidney. He's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Oh, sweet girl." Tears spring to Ma's eyes as she cups her cheeks. "Thank you for giving the big oaf a chance."
"Ma! Jesus!" I grumble. "I'm standing right here."
Soph throws her head back, cackling.
"Well, it's true, dear," she says, waving one hand dismissively. "Honestly, Sidney, I had two sons, and both of you are the biggest pains in my—"
"Ma!" I growl.
Hattie covers her mouth with her hand, trying to hide a smile, but there's no hiding the way her entire body shakes.
"Oh, so this is funny to you, huh, butterfly?" I ask, cocking a brow at her.
"Who me?" she asks, trying to play innocent. The act is spoiled by the way she giggles. And that sound? Fuck. I could die happy, hearing that sound.
"Yeah, you." I sweep her up into my arms, planting a hard kiss on her mouth. "You're lucky I love you, butterfly. Otherwise, we'd be having a talk about you siding with my ma."
"But…I like your mom," she says, her eyes bright and bottomless. "She gives the best hugs, Sidney."
Ma grins at me like she just won a war.
"Doesn't matter. You're supposed to be on my team."
"I don't see a ring on her finger, Sidney Bronson," Ma says. "You aren't the boss of her."
"Yeah, Sidney Bronson," Hattie says, smirking. "What she said. There's no ring on my finger, so you aren't the boss of me."
I grunt, taking a step back. She wants a ring on her finger? Done.
Ma gasps, her hands flying to her lips when I drop to my knees in the driveway at Hattie's feet, reaching into my pocket.
"W-what are you doing?" Hattie asks, her eyes wide.
"You want a ring on your finger, Hattie baby?" I ask, meeting her gaze as I pull hers out of my pocket. "Will this one suffice?"
"Sidney," she gasps.
"Holy shit," Soph mutters.
My mom just covers her mouth, sobbing quietly.
"Didn't plan on doing this here," I murmur, my voice a thick rasp.
"I wanted to wait until we were in Aspen.
But I've been carrying this around since the day after you asked me to date you.
" I swallow hard. "I've been dying to put it on your finger.
Hearing you talk about it…I can't wait." I reach for her hand, mine shaking.
"You're everything I've been dreaming about, and so many things I never would have thought to ask for.
You complete me in ways I didn't know it was possible to be completed.
I love you, butterfly. And I'm going to keep on loving you for the rest of my life. Marry me."
She nods wordlessly, tears streaming down her face.
"I need to hear you say it, Hattie baby," I whisper. "Tell me that you'll be mine forever."
"Yes," she sobs.
Who knew you could contain the entire universe in one tiny little word? I didn't until this very moment, but mine is right there, quivering on her lips.
I choke out a breath, slipping the ring onto her finger.
She blinks at it and then at me, and then she dives for me, flinging herself against my chest like the beautiful storm she is. I catch her, wrapping myself around her.
"You s-still aren't the boss of me," she sobs, smiling and laughing and crying all at once.
"Wouldn't dream of it," I breathe, pressing my lips to hers in a hard kiss. "I just want to be the man lucky enough to stand at your side, butterfly."
The rest of the morning is a dream.
Ma disappears with Hattie for a while. When I try to follow, they both tell me to go find something else to do. God only knows what they're doing, but when it's time to go, Hattie is smiling bigger than ever.
"I love your family," she whispers as I help her into the truck.
"They love you too, butterfly."
She beams at me, the brightest smile I've ever seen from her. It's still firmly in place when we get to the airport. It wavers slightly when she spots Tye.
"It's okay," I murmur, leading her forward to greet him.
He scrutinizes her expression, and then his gaze falls to the ring. Something drifts through his eyes that I can't read. But he doesn't hit me. Instead, he swallows, pulling his sister into a big hug.
"Tye!" she sobs, clinging to him like a little koala.
"Are you happy, Half Pint?" he asks.
"So h-happy."
"Then I'm happy for you," he whispers, his mouth close to her ear. "You deserve someone who looks at you like he does. You deserve to know that you're perfect. Don't ever forget that."
She cries into his chest for a moment before pulling herself together. "Promise you aren't going to fight anymore?"
"Promise, baby sister," he says, holding his pinky out for her to hook hers through.
As soon as she does, it's like the final weight falls from her shoulders. The last lines of worry vanish from her expression. Her body relaxes.
She shines like a fucking star.