Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“You got bigger,” I translate for her.
“Where is Addison?” my father asks me as we walk into the living room. Addison is still looking at the dress.
“Momma, look,” Avery says to her and she looks up at my parents. “Momma and Daddy kiss,” she tells them, and when I look over at Addison, it looks like she wants the room to swallow her.
“Is that so?” my father says, trying to hide his smile. My mother’s eyebrows just shoot up.
“Yeah, on the lips like Uncle Matty and Aunt Sofia,” Avery elaborates, and Addison just closes her eyes.
“This is fun,” I say sarcastically.
“Why is this room so small?” my mother complains, walking into the room. “Markos, did you not book them a suite?”
“It’s the biggest one they had, Vivienne,” my father relays, walking over to Addison. “Hello, dear,” he says. “Sorry for intruding on the family vacation, but—”
“Oh, please,” Addison replies, “the more the merrier.” I can tell she’s one second from freaking out and trying to hide it. “Thank you for booking everything,” she says while my mother goes to her and gives her a big hug, “and this.” She holds up the dress. “We need to perhaps talk about dresses.”
“Oh no,” my mother says, putting her hand to her mouth, “did it not fit?” She looks outraged. “I gave them the measurements we took the last time. I had the whole line made.”
“I’m sorry,” Addison says, “the whole line?”
“Well, the last time Avery said she loved all the princesses, so I called my seamstress, and she made me them all.” She looks at my father. “We have to redo them.”
“No,” Addison says quickly, “I meant they are—” She tries to think of the words and then looks at me.
“Mom, we have to tone it down a touch.” I walk over to stand next to Addison. “We love it, but she can’t wear this.”
“Of course, she can wear this,” my mother states. “She is wearing it today.” She looks over at Avery. “Did you find the shoes?”
“It comes with shoes?” Addison mutters from beside me, but all I hear is my mother and Avery.
“We should go check your room.” My mother holds out her hand for Avery, who grabs it and they walk out of the room. My mother looks over her shoulder as if she just won the lottery.
“Dad,” I say and he shakes his head.
“Listen, I know.” He holds up his hands. “I had the same conversation with her, but this is her first grandchild.”
“There is the guilt I was waiting for.” I put my arm around Addison’s shoulder.
“So I’m assuming,” my father says, putting his hands in his pockets, hiding the smile he wants to make, “you haven’t seen what she bought you?”
“What she bought me?” Addison asks, pointing at herself.
“I might have asked her to buy you a couple of things for the vacation,” I confess, and I can see her head is ready to explode. “Dad.” I turn to him. “Thanks for this.”
“Oh, son.” He walks over to the couch. “Trust me, this makes me happier than you will ever know.” He sits. “Also, you owe me. I stopped your uncle Matthew from coming.”
“Stefano,” Addison says from beside me, “I’m going to need you to take me to the room where the clothes are.”
“I don’t think we need to do that,” I deflect, shaking my head. “You look fine the way you are.”
The knock on the door comes again. “Who is that?” Addison looks at me, and it’s my chance to run away.
“I’ll get it,” I say, walking over to the door and pulling it open, finding five people standing there. “Hello.”
“We are here to set up for the high tea,” the woman in the front says as I move out of the way for them to come in. “Where would you like us to set up?”
“Wherever you think,” I say and Addison comes out of the living room. “They will set up for tea.”
“You should go change!” my father yells from the living room. “I’ll wait here.”
We walk down the hallway past the billiard room and hear my mother and Avery talking in the second bedroom. “I love tea parties,” Avery says from the bedroom. “Do you think I need a crown?”
“Of course, my love.” I hear my mother, and Addison looks at me.
“Fine,” she grumbles, “I’ll give her the tea party, but we have to have limits.” She holds up the dress. I just nod. “Silence isn’t golden,” she mumbles as she walks into the master bedroom. “There are no closets?” She looks around the bedroom and I point at the wall on the side. “Here we go,” she says and I sit on the king-size bed, waiting for her to freak out. I know this is too much for her, but knowing how much my family loves her is everything. Knowing for five years she didn’t have any support and now she has us is, well, there are no words for that.