But if not, then ENJOY! Crazy ass Velvet Delaney! Awwwwww!
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“I have some gifts for the newlyweds.” Velvet breathed, giddy and tremulous. Around her in the living room her family seemed to be enjoying the out-of-season strawberry shortcake and desert wine. It had been a lovely evening.
She’d thought her heart would positively melt when Grey’d kissed his bride for them all. She hadn’t seen the couple behave very demonstratively, Velvet thought maybe Catholics forbade public displays of affection, and to see the tenderness and warmth he’d put into the kiss, and to see the clear adoration in Maggie’s face when she’d gazed up at him, oh, Velvet just couldn’t take how happy she was feeling tonight!
“Gifts?” Grey asked around a mouthful of strawberries.
“This evening has been gift enough—“ Maggie hurried. “Really, you’ve been so generous already—“
Velvet tittered and waved a hand dismissively. “We love you both so much!”
Maggie and Grey met eyes and seemed to be communicating silently. Velvet took the time to seek out her own husband’s eyes. He was frowning across the room at Viola, at something the girl had done or said.
“Jonah?” Velvet called lightly.
He looked over sharply. “Yes Dear?”
Velvet smiled. “The gifts.”
He took a second or two before understanding dawned. “Ah, yes.” He said, placing his bowl of shortcake on a side table and standing to join her by the hearth.
“Mum, Dad, really—“ Grey began, but Velvet cut him off.
“The first one is for Maggie.” She said warmly, lifting a carefully wrapped rectangular box from the wide surface of the mantle and crossing to where Grey and Maggie were seated on the loveseat.
She wanted to give the girl space to open the gift but didn’t want to take her eyes off her for a second, so she walked backwards all the way back to Jonah.
With the gift in her lap Maggie handed her bowl to Grey, who took it dutifully and deposited both their desserts onto the coffee table.
Velvet watched Maggie carefully peel the tape from the wrapping paper and ease the parcel open to reveal the handsomely bound photo album. The girl’s face was serious and maybe faintly puzzled.
“Open it up.” Encouraged Velvet excitedly. “I put it together for you while you two were upstate.”
Maggie’s eyes lifted to Velvet’s and she gave a shy smile before returning her gaze to the non-descript leather volume in her lap. Gently, carefully, as if it were made of gossamer, the girl lifted the front cover open and became very still.
“There’s an inscription—“ Velvet pressed, her enthusiasm making her bounce on the balls of her feet just a little. She felt a hand on her waist and turned to see Jonah’s kind smile. With an answering smile she allowed him to pull her close.
The room was quiet as Maggie read the inscription silently, and Grey craned his neck to read over her shoulder. “Mum.” He said softly.
“Mrs. Delaney—“ Maggie added, finishing just after Grey. Maggie looked up and Velvet was sure the girl’s eyes were filling with tears, which in turn caused her own eyes to well.
“What is it?” Viola demanded, a little flippant.
“A photo album.” Jonah responded, when Velvet wasn’t able to.
“Of what?” Genny asked, trying to peer over the coffee table.
“Me.” Said Grey in a peculiar voice. Then he laughed. “Best present anyone could ask for.” He joked.
Even Velvet laughed. Maggie was the only one who hadn’t so much as cracked a smile. The girl was engrossed, turning pages slowly, reverently, devouring each picture with her eyes, her expression shuttered and somber.
“Do you think she likes it?” Velvet whispered to Jonah. Her husband’s eyes softened as he watched Maggie and Grey on the loveseat for a moment. Grey was quietly adding narrative to some of the pictures, explaining ‘That’s my first day of kindergarten’ or ‘That’s when I got my first bike—“ and “That’s Granny Calder—you’ll meet her soon enough.”
“I think that album means more to her than you know sweetheart.” He said cryptically and then kissed her forehead with a tiny sigh.
“Oh there’s one in here of you and me Ben.” Grey said with a laugh. “On that goddamn boyscout camping trip where you fell into the river.”
“I believe I was pushed, if I recall correctly.” Ben said with a short laugh.
Avalon got up from where she’d been perched on the arm of Ben’s seat and crossed around behind the loveseat to see the picture. “I hope Grace does one of these for me.” She said wistfully.
“Maybe you could drop a hint, Mrs. Delaney?” Ben smiled at her.
Velvet grinned back. “Velvet.” She gently reminded the boy. “I’ll tell her all about it at lunch on Saturday.” She promised. “And maybe I can persuade Hector to find some of your childhood photos too Maggie.”
Maggie dragged her eyes off the album and smiled wistfully. “This is beautiful, and so very thoughtful. Thank you.”
“And there’s something else.” Jonah said, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing an envelope. “When you were all young, your mother and I set aside money for you, for the occasion of your wedding or your college graduations.” He cleared his throat. “And, well, here we are.” He smiled.
“It’s for a house.” Velvet announced, unable to keep her tongue in check.
Maggie’s eyes were so wide it looked as if she’d seen a cartoon ghost. Grey’s eyes, however, were narrowed and sharp. Velvet watched her son rise from the loveseat, careful not to disturb the photo album on Maggie’s lap, and cross wordlessly to Jonah.
When Jonah had handed the envelope to Grey and Grey’d opened it to read the amount on the check, Velvet witnessed a puzzling exchange of glances between the two men.
“This is a large sum of money, Dad.” Grey said in a tight voice.
“I suppose it is.” Jonah responded casually.
“And this has been there the whole time? Just sitting somewhere? With my name on it?”
Velvet blinked. What was going on?
“Your mother and I wanted to set something aside for all of you, to help you start your adult lives when the time came.” Jonah explained slowly, and Velvet got the sense that something was going on beneath the surface.
“Sorry to ruin the surprise Ava and Ben!” Velvet laughed sweetly, glancing briefly at her daughter and her fiancé before letting her eyes go to where they felt drawn as if by magnets: to the strangely tense exchange between her husband and son.
“Well this is fantastic.” Grey said in an expressionless tone.
“We hope it helps.” Jonah said softly.
Velvet thought Grey’s face twisted into something angry and spiteful, and she shivered a little at how much he looked like Vaughan. But then he was smiling pleasantly, and Velvet was able to push the image of the boy’s father from her mind. “You’re far too generous.”
“We hope you’ll buy or build around here!” She told him, wrapping him in a hug. “I need to see you privately.” She whispered in his ear as he returned the hug.
He nodded as he pulled out of the hug and then shook Jonah’s hand firmly. “I really wasn’t expecting anything like this.” He told his father, a hard edge to his otherwise charming cadence.
“And this week we’ll see about freeing up your trust, if possible. Now you’re a family man.” He smiled across the room at Maggie, who wore an almost pained expression.
“Maggie, I’m sure everyone will want to peek at that photo album with you- they’re all in it too!” Velvet said brightly.
The room buzzed with conversation and stories and Velvet pulled Jonah aside. “What was that all about?”
Jonah blinked. “You know Grey—“ He pressed his lips into a line. “He’s always on me about freeing up more money from his trust.”
He wasn’t telling her the truth. Not all of it, or not exactly. Velvet quite literally didn’t know how to respond. She’d never known Jonah to be evasive like this. Should she confront him? Because it was very clear to her that he was dodging. “Jonah?”
He swallowed and forced a smile. “Let’s just celebrate this perfect evening you’ve put together for us all.”
Velvet studied him for a long moment before deciding to drop it. She’d think about it later. Right now she had something very important to do. “I’m going to do it now.” She told him and he took both her hands in his and squeezed gently.
“Want me to come?” He asked softly, lifting her left hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss on the delicate skin there.
“Maybe come rescue us if we’re gone too long?” She giggled half-heartedly.
He kissed her ring finger where her wedding band rested against her knuckle. “Good luck, then.” He said heavily, and let her go.
She made a little hand motion to Grey, who’d seemed to be waiting for her, and headed toward Jonah’s study, feeling tense and excited, and nervous and bittersweet. She couldn’t believe this day had finally come.
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