been telling people I’m too serious since the day we met. And your family, they’d believe her. They always believe her. That’s just Rachel. Right?”
He looked over at my mother, who was standing by the long table with her hand over her mouth.
“So I waited,” Tom said. “For them to do something in front of everyone. Something they couldn’t call a joke. I didn’t know it would be this. I didn’t know they’d do it in front of the kids.” His voice cracked. “I’m sorry, Jenna. I’m sorry about that. I should have done it sooner. I should have found
a better way.”
“There wasn’t a better way,” I said.
He looked at me.
“There wasn’t,” I said again. “You’re right. They would have called you crazy. They would have called me crazy. They’ve been calling me too serious since I was ten years old.” I held the envelope against my chest. “Thank you, Tom.”
