Note to readers: This chapter is from Mike's point of view.
*****
Dammit. Tonight, of all nights.
I was under no mistaken illusions that there would be no more complications for us, but seeing Josh standing next to mom caught me completely off guard. Had she invited him or had he shown up on his own?
I turned back to Savy, her smile gone. I briefly caught her eyes and she looked almost panicked. I had just enough time to gently squeeze her elbow, trying to reassure her, before Max came to us.
"Mike, may I borrow your sister for a moment?"
Her head swung around to look at Max, sending her hair flying behind her.
I bent down and whispered to her, "Don't worry, I'll be right here."
If I had been any further away, I wouldn't have been able to hear her response, "Okay."
I nodded to Max and forced a tight smile before he held out his arm in front of Savy, directing her towards a group of tables on the opposite side of the room from where our friends and family were.
She took a few steps before I could see her visibly collect herself. She pulled her shoulders back, lifted her head, and walked with more confidence as she approached the tables.
I stood there like a moron, dumbfounded, but impressed with how quickly she turned on the charm for whoever Max had wanted her to speak with.
When I saw that she was okay for the moment, I turned towards mom and walked to the table. My eyes flickered from person to person. Maria and Mia were both wide-eyed and Mia was covering her mouth. Jeff had his arms crossed in front of his chest and while his head never moved, his eyes moved back and forth between myself and the side where Josh was standing.
Before I could completely close the distance, mom stepped towards me. We stopped together about five feet from the table and she gave me a quick hug before staying close to speak quietly with me.
"Can we go outside for a minute?"
"Yeah," was all I could say.
I held out Savy's violin and things for Jeff, who took them from me, briefly grasping my forearm and nodding. I followed mom out into the hall and we walked a bit down the hall to give us some more space in case anyone came to or left the reception.
"Mike, I didn't know Josh was going to be here. I wouldn't do that to Savannah and it's not my place, but she's told me so little and Josh and I talked for a bit after I saw him here."
"What did he say?"
"Max invited him."
I rubbed my eyes, squeezing the bridge of my nose. Dammit. Max didn't know any better. All he knew was that Savy and Josh had been in a relationship and played together for even longer, then it suddenly ended and had repercussions for the music program.
I sighed.
"Mike, I asked Josh what happened between him and Savannah."
My throat closed.
"All he would say was that they hadn't spoken since New Year's. I told him that I knew he had proposed and she had said no. He wouldn't tell me why. Mike, what the hell happened?"
Shit. Savy and I needed to tell her, we were going to tell her tonight, but together. Think fast, Mike, one issue at a time.
"Mom, Savy and I have talked, but I think she needs to be here for this conversation."
"Why? What's going on?"
"I need you to just be patient. This is all going to get sorted out tonight, I promise. Let's go inside and sit down for a bit."
I turned to go back to the reception, but she reached out and grabbed my arm.
"Mike, is everything okay? I'm just worried..."
"Everything is fine, I promise. Let's go be there for Savy now."
I held out my arm towards the door, trying to encourage her to go back inside. She looked at me, entirely unconvinced, but did head back. We had only been gone for a few minutes.
Savy was standing next to Max with a group of people. She turned her head to the side and our eyes met. She was struggling to maintain a smile, but I smiled as broadly as I could at her and mouthed, "I love you," which caused her to noticeably relax.
I went and sat next to Jeff and Mia, across the table from mom and Josh. Josh had his chair turned mostly away from the table and towards mom. I could see that he was watching Savy as she moved about the room. Mom periodically leaned over and whispered something to him, but I couldn't tell what she was saying. Jeff, Mia, Maria and I made small talk, consciously aware of the awkwardness of the situation.
I watched as Savy finally made her way to our table. Even in her somewhat delicate emotional state, she was absolutely gorgeous, perfect in every way. I wasn't the only person in the room, male or female, who was watching her every movement.
Mom got up to hug Savy first. "Savannah, I'm so proud of you."
Savy then came around to our side of the table and took turns hugging Jeff, Mia, and Maria, responding to their compliments.
She came to me and hesitated. I saw her glance quickly at Josh. I understood, or at least thought I did. I'd been in his shoes not too long ago, watching the woman I loved in the arms of another man. I reached out and grasped her forearm lightly, more leaning to her than fully hugging her. I leaned just close enough and towards the side of her that was away from the table that I could quietly whisper in her ear, "I love you," before quickly backing away.
She looked up at me through her eyelashes and said smiled softly. "Thank you."
Savy moved away from me and around the table to Josh. He stood up to face her, but made no move towards her. Her back was to me and I couldn't hear, but she seemed to ask him if he wanted to talk. I held my breath as she walked out of the room with him following.
Jeff tried to distract me with some shop talk about NASA while Mia and Maria chatted with mom. I wasn't paying attention to anything, however, as my eyes were locked on the door, waiting for her to return.
I waited an eternity.
The door opened and Josh came in, but Savy wasn't behind him.
Josh walked to our table and nodded politely at the rest of us. Mom looked up at him, apprehensive? Anticipating something? He leaned down and gave her a quick hug, then turned and left. She watched him and then her eyes focused on me. What else could I do? I half-shrugged and mouthed, "I don't know."
Max must have noticed Savy's absence, because he broke away from a conversation and came to us.
"Have you seen Savannah? There are more guests that would like to speak with her."
I immediately stood up, actually jarring the table a bit.
"She stepped out for a minute, but I'll go look for her."
Mom shot me a look, but I couldn't tell what she was thinking, other than it wasn't her usual supportive smile. I didn't expect to see that for quite some time after what would be said tonight.
In the hallway, I looked left and right, but didn't see her. I wandered towards the main entrance, but didn't find her there, either.
I paused briefly, noticing the signs for her performance in the lobby. There was a picture of her on stage, wearing a black dress that I hadn't seen before. It must have been from one of her performances while I was gone. She was gorgeous and I could almost hear her playing.
I had a thought and went towards the hall she had performed in earlier in the evening. I quietly opened the door and went inside, stepping out of the small entry and into the main hall.
Savy was sitting on the edge of the stage.
She looked up and saw me. I could see tears on her cheeks as I slowly approached her. I sat next to her and she immediately slid next to me. She wrapped her arm around mine and leaned on me.
"You okay?"
She tilted her head up to me and I leaned down, pressing my lips softly to hers.
"I will be. I love you, Mike."
We sat quietly together.
I wanted to ask her what had happened, but it was her choice of whether or when she wanted to tell me. I knew her well enough to know that the only thing she needed right now was for me to be there for her. I rested my cheek on the top of her head and closed my eyes.
After some time, she slid off of the stage and stood in front of me. She took my hands in hers and smiled softly at me.
"I'm going to marry you."
I moved to my feet and took her in my arms.
"Yes, you are, because you are the love of my life and that's the only way it can be."
Her fingers intertwined with mine and we walked out of the hall together, back to the reception.
That had been an unexpected and difficult conversation for her, but we were rapidly approaching the most difficult conversation of the evening. At least now we'd be together.
As we approached the door to the reception, I loosened my fingers to let go of her hand, but she held me tightly. Her beautiful eyes looked up at me.
"It's okay."
"I love you"
"I love you, too."
I smiled at her and pushed open the door. We walked in together.
Every eye in the room turned to see her as she walked in. Her forced smile from earlier in the evening was replaced by her perfect smile that I loved so much.
In the center of the room, surrounded by tables on all sides, she stopped and I stood next to her. She looked up at me and stood on her toes. Even with all of those people around, when I looked at her, she was all I could see.
She kissed me.
It was a light and tender kiss, but her lips pressed to mine and with that, she had announced our relationship to the world. As she pulled away from me, her eyes glistened in the lights with the smallest hint of tears, but tears of joy. She was telling me with her actions that there was nothing that would ever come between us. Everything we would ever do would be together.
Max took a step toward us from where he had been standing next to our table, with a look of complete shock on his face. Savy held out her left hand to him, clearly showing her ring. He froze in his tracks.
Every table in the room, except for one, burst into applause. All they knew was that Savannah, the incredibly talented and beautiful violinist that had enraptured the University of Maryland, even beyond the normal music scene, had just effectively announced her engagement on the evening of her solo performance, on Valentine's Day.
At one table, there was only stunned silence.
That single moment lasted a lifetime.
