FIRST GLANCE

27

We ordered our food and waited. Juanita came out to congratulate on our new daughter and my win. We ordered ice tea as we waited for our food and beverages. My nieces, brothers,  sister in law and Maura's brother and his wife showed up and joined us for dinner.

Laura: Julianne welcome to the Rizzoli family.  Frankie proposed to me so this is why we are here with our daughter and nieces and my soon to be brother in law.
Julianne: Congrats I am so happy for you. I know Avery was hoping this would occur.
Jane: Ah Frankie I am so happy for you three.
Tommy: MA plans to have our Sunday brunch to be a huge celebration for Julianne being a member of our family,  Jane's huge win and their wedding. We came to figure out what to do and make a list.
Laura: I just wish my family was still alive.   I have asked Mathew Juanita's husband to give me away. It's not going to be anything fancy. Just something small and simple.
Jane: Laura no we will have it at our place. I will ask my aunt's and the rest of us have a nice lunch with the works. I know Maura will love it. I know we don't have much time to do it. There are enough of us to get it done.
How many people?
Frankie: The two of us figured 125 to 130 people maximum.
Jane: Frankie is this why you moved out of our parents home?
Frankie: Yes I didn't want MA to try to control how we raised our daughter nor cause more problems for us.

We all nodded because we knew how our mother could be very controlling and her being bi polar didn't help.

We started assigning people who did what. I text my cousins, aunts, parents and my angel. They all agreed on their assignments. Katelyn and Maura would be in charge of the liquor and other non alcohol beverages.  Izzy who was once married to our aunt Gloria's wife would make the wedding cake and all desserts.   My mother was in charge of the flowers.  Tommy would get one of his friends to do the DJ.The food would be catered by Juanita.  We finished our meal and left.

Julianne: Mom this is going to be one hecka of a party.  I wish that have it on Saturday.
Jane: Sunday was the original day for our lunch. Plus some of your cousins and their spouses work on Saturday.  Everything will work out.  Your mom wants to buy them a house. She has some already picked out for us to see after you get out of school. This will be our wedding gift to them.  So you cannot tell anyone.
Julianne: I won't.  I cannot wait to see what mom has chosen for us to see.

We finally were home and it was late.  We both took a shower and went to bed. I stayed up reviewing the homes Maura had chosen. Some were way to big. I knew my brother and my sister in law wouldn't accept it. Frankie being a homicide detective and Laura being an accountant. It wasn't them.  I would just have to be nice about it when I told Maura about it. I had already bought an engagement ring for Maura but haven't had the guts to propose to her. I was confident in my job and my love for her. I was scared to ask her. Barry and my auntie Kiki said I shouldn't be.