First to the Altar Wins (Wattpad Reading List choice)

33. Lilith: Coming Together

It was the same spot where Lilith's mother used to sit, deep in the manor gardens and right in front of the lake. Her father stood there now, looking into the waters which caught the light of a dying sun, throwing them back like star-sparks.

Standing contemplatively with both hands in his pockets, he turned to peer at Lilith as she came up. He faced forward again, inhaling slowly. "You've been busy."

"Regina and I just got back from the florist's." She paused, studying him carefully. It was rare for her father to be out here. When he wasn't out of town or busy attending to business, he loved nothing more than to keep to his study. He valued his solitude, his privacy. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm not quite sure how to respond to that, Lilith."

Her shoulders fell, and she gave out a sigh. "Don't be like this, Father."

"I have a right to be upset. Regina told me about your plans to leave Coser."

"Oh." She was surprised, and actually a little relieved that she hadn't been the one to break it to him. "I meant to tell you myself."

"I'm sure you did."

"And I'm not leaving Coser. It's just, well, a holiday, I suppose. A long holiday. But we will come back."

"So you do intend to settle here, ultimately?"

"I should think so. We haven't discussed the details yet, but I think that's what Brandon would want."

Her father mulled over this.

"Father, I know you want him to take over the reins someday, so to speak, and a part of me would like to see that too. But I will not force Brandon to do so, if he does not want it."

"It's a shame, but somehow, I'm not surprised to hear you say that."

"I'd like to think Mother would have supported me."

"She probably would have."

She hesitated before saying, "I should tell you that I intend to invite Aunt Mara and the kids on that day."

"It is your wedding, Lilith. You must do as you please." He turned, walking away, and Lilith tried to tell herself that this was probably the best she could have hoped for. At least there had been no yelling. With any luck, on the day of the wedding, her father and Aunt Mara would even find a way to be civil to each other.

Early the next day, she went down to her aunt's to tell her the good news.

"Where is it? Where is it?" her aunt asked as soon as Lilith walked through the door.

"Where is what??"

Her aunt grabbed up her left hand, seeing the simple, elegant gold ring on her finger. "Awww," her aunt gushed, with a hand over her mouth. "It's real."

"Of course it's real."

"You and Brandon Moore. Rebecca was so jealous when she heard, weren't you?" She turned, nodding at Rebecca sitting in a corner.

"Yeah, yeah," Rebecca went.

"Right," Lilith said. "I should have known you would have heard all about it."

"But what about your father? What does he think about all this?"

"He's ... coming to terms with things, in his own way."

"I've long been afraid you were never going to end up with anyone, with that father of yours."

"He means well, but Brandon and I - it just feels right."