#Chapter 88 – Meeting the Family

When we arrive over an hour later, the boys are thrilled, but everyone else is, I think, feeling the strain. The boys spent the rest of the ride continuing to needle Amelia about little things, despite Victor and my equal attempts at intervention.

I may not like the girl, but it’s her wedding – she doesn’t deserve to be tortured just because the boys are bitter that their father has chosen her over me.

I bite my tongue at this thought, unwilling to admit…well. That’s all beside the point.

As I climb out of the van I can feel a little mist in the air. Curious, I walk a few steps around the van towards a great rushing sound and gasp, taking in the sight of the gigantic waterfall that plunges from a cliff face several stories above us. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

“Whoaaa!” Ian shouts, running over towards the rail that separates the wedding facility from the plunging cataract. “That’s incredible!”

“It’s so cool!” Alvin shouts, following him. “Mom! Can I go over it in a barrel!?”

“What!?” I shout, horrified at the idea. I stride over to them, grabbing both their hands.

“It’s safe!” Alvin whines.

“We watched a documentary about Niagara Falls!” Ian continues the protest.

“None of that,” I say, stern, eager to knock this idea out of their heads. “Absolutely no more conversation on that point. Waterfalls are for looking, not for touching.”

I haul them back to a smirking Victor, who stands by the van. “To be fair,” he says, “at their age I would have had the same impulse.”

“Encourage them any more,” I mutter, “and I’ll shove you into the barrel myself.”

He laughs and then turns away to help Amelia begin to unload the bags. Spotting our own luggage by the side of the van, I bring the boys over to grab it. As we turn back towards the venue, we see a man dressed in black tails walking over to us.

“Madame Ortega, I presume?” He asks.

I say in my head,

and gesturing towards the face of the venue. “We have a suite prepared for you and your sons.” I pop up

abutting the waterfall. The main drive circles at the foot of the falls but the building itself climbs several stories into the air, a beautiful hodgepodge of terraces and balconies from individual rooms and suites.

to see it. Amelia’s excellent taste has again won out.

calls behind him,

pointing to the butler. I peek over my shoulder and see that Victor is laughing again, clearly happy.

the lobby and then immediately to a stand of elevators which stretch to the left and the right of the front desk. We take the leftmost elevator, all shiny brass and ivory buttons. The butler presses 12 – the top floor

a few rooms ahead of us. Seeing my confusion, the butler explains, “the family suites, madame.” He opens the leftmost door and bows slightly as we enter before him. “Mademoiselle Jones had you listed for a more junior suite, in the floors below,

he gives me a small smirk. I laugh a little, pleased, and remind myself to ask Victor

the top of the couch, his hands and face pressed against the windows behind it which – oh, wow – look directly into

“Don’t touch the

butler calls after me. “If I may, the falls deserve to be admired, and we have staff who are

the boys down nonetheless. I think I’m going to like this

anything else, madame?…” the

and starts for the door, but I stop him with a hand on his arm. “Really,” I say, holding his eyes.

me a warm smile and nods. “Of course. Anything for a lady, such

that, he goes, and I heave a deep sigh, steeling myself for what is surely going to be a

must have caught it when the butler left, before it closed. She’s a tall woman, about twenty years older than me, with light brown hair coiled into a neat chignon at the back of her neck. She wears a stunning blue dress. It’s refined, but doesn’t shy from taking the sensuous curves of

she says, the corner of her mouth lifting into

I say hesitating. “I’m sorry, I don’t know

be my grandchildren.” She kneels on the ground and opens her arms

been long dreading meeting Victor’s family, though I knew it would be inevitable. I just never imagined

you our other grandmama?” Ian says, eagerly looking over

little bit ago!” Alvin chimes in, following close on his

“Well, I am pleased to hear that I am better. But

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