Catching up

 There was no way Zoey's mom could make it to the wedding. Besides, she might be offended that Zoey would be wearing a red dress. At her mom's last wedding, her mom looked like a wedding topper. She'd always wanted that kind of wedding and it was with her high school boyfriend. They'd retired in the Philipines.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Lexi assured her people got married in so many different outfits these days. Besides, the wedding would be the day after Christmas and Janine's house was full of holiday decor. 

"I'm not," Zoey told her. "It's just I know I won't hear the end of it from her." True, she grew up Catholic and white was the wedding color. Although, she thought now maybe her mom just wanted her to go to the best Catholic schools here. She never liked the public schools. But that felt like another world now and she felt bad that they weren't close. Besides her crush, Dan from middle school would be walking her down the stairs to the wedding in Janine's living room. Truly, a small affair, but it felt as if the crowd was growing. Ivy would be there with baby Angel. 

At the moment, Lexi was looking at the outfit Zoey would wear.

"Is everything OK with you and Phil," Lexi was full of talk about what she would do for a wedding, but then again she and Phil had quite a rushed wedding.

"Maybe you two could have another wedding here?" Zoey smiled. Of course, it might never reach Lexi's expectations.

"Oh, we'll be OK. We don't need that," Lexi's smile was a little weak.

"Something is on your mind, what is it?" Zoey wondered what it could be.

"I'll save it for some other day," Lexi told her she'd tell her next year.

Rafe was glad Lily's Gram could meet up with him and Maddie at the coffee shop. Of course, he was happy for her to meet his girlfriend. Of course, Maddie was as mute as she always was.

"You don't think it's weird, do you?" He asked Gram. Honestly, he didn't know any other name for her and wouldn't ask.

"What?" Gram laughed back as if she was happy he'd surprised her with coffee and pie, and an opportunity to meet his new girlfriend.

"Oh, you know, I mean, Lily and I are over." He reminded her.

"And?" Gram wanted to know about Cade and Mercer. Were they still together?

"Of course, they are. They are growing old together at the library," he snickered. She laughed too and wanted to know about how he met Maddie.  "I can see you're mad about her."

Rafe chuckled and Maddie smiled. He was so afraid she would be her silent self. He wished he knew all her reasons about her shyness, but felt it best to not make much of it. This was Maddie and he knew she'd had to put up a lot with him. 

"Oh, you've grown so much," Gram clasped her hand over his.

"What do you mean? I haven't gotten any taller," he looked at her blankly. She cracked with laughter and so did Maddie.