Connected: Part 4 of the On The Edge Series

Billy raised his eyebrows at me as I slid into my seat at the dinner table. I gave him a reassuring smile that was only marginally successful in quelling the worry in his eyes. His fingers tapped my knee beneath the table, beckoning me to grasp his hand, which I instinctively accommodated.

"Mom, before we dig in, do you mind if I share something with the table?" I asked as I squeezed Billy's hand.

"Of course," my mom knowingly smiled.

"So, Billy and I have some news." I began as I met Billy's eyes.

His dimples burst onto his cheeks. "Yes, we do," he agreed.

I glanced around the table, uncertain where to settle my eyes before I let the allure of Billy capture them. "We're engaged," I announced.

"What?" My sister exclaimed.

"You've got to be kidding me?" My brother added.

"We're very happy," Billy added.

"As am I," my mom announced.

Billy's eyes flickered to my mom as he gave her a thankful nod before returning his gaze to me.

"And I'm going to be splitting time between Portland and Duluth. I'll be here a few times a month to check in with the office and, of course, visit," I added.

"As will I," Billy reinforced. "And you're all welcome in Duluth anytime. We have plenty of room," he added to the room.

"Wow." My brother murmured as he sat back hard, causing the chair to creak.

"I think that's all." I smiled at Billy. "Did I miss anything?"

"No," he said as he pulled me to his shoulder and let his lips meet my temple. "I think that's all for now."

The rest of the meal was awkwardly normal. Michael tried desperately to act cool, which made him come across as a complete lunatic, while my sister profusely apologized for any ill-mannered thing her kids did. But my mom did her part to keep the conversation moving. Still, I was glad when everyone sat back in their chairs full from the meal.

"I'll take the dishes," I announced, eager for a reason to escape the room.

My mom followed me to the kitchen with a second stack of dishes.

"You dry while I wash?" She offered.

"Sounds good," I agreed.

We worked in heavy silence for the first few plates before my mom broke. "Lily, I owe you an apology," she began.

"You do?" My brow furrowed to accent my confusion.

"Yes, I was unfair to Billy. I didn't allow you to introduce him; instead, I made my own assumptions based on an impression years ago," she continued.

"Mom, if Billy were, say, a mechanic instead of a famous musician and businessman, would you still be apologizing?"

The plate in my mom's hands slipped into the water with a dull thud as it hit the bottom of the sink. She took in a sharp breath before adding, "I'd like to think so, but I'm not sure."

I gave her a sympathetic smile at her honesty.

"I only want what's best for you, and that man adores you," she added. "It doesn't matter if he's a mechanic or a musician; I can see that he loves you."

Tears welled in my eyes. "It's been hard," I admitted. "I fear how public his life is, and I just don't want that. But I love him so much. I'm miserable without him."

"You know, I was dating a wonderful, sweet, and kind man when I was in college. He always did the right thing, and I knew we'd have a wonderful life together despite some..." she paused on her word choice before settling on "disconnects."