I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 208

"That's so fast," Sophie murmured, a sudden wave of nerves hitting her.

The last time they met, things had ended in an utter disaster. Even though Gavin assured her he had reasoned with them, the prospect of facing them again made her feel entirely out of her depth.

"Nervous?"

Sophie nodded.

"Meeting the in-laws is a rite of passage, especially for someone as beautiful as you. I promise, no disasters this time."

Sophie smiled and nodded. It felt abrupt, but she honestly wanted to change their impression of her as quickly as possible.

She wanted Gavin's parents to genuinely accept her, not just tolerate her because Gavin refused to compromise.

"My parents just re-did their honeymoon trip to Yellowstone National Park. Thirty years ago, that's where they went. My mom's still glowing from it, so she's in a fantastic mood. There's nothing to worry about."

On the ride back, Gavin continued to soothe her anxiety.

The next morning, Sophie and Gavin headed to the airport to pick them up.

When Sophie came downstairs, Gavin looked at her and broke into a wide smile.

"You wore that exact same trench coat on our first date last year."

Sophie laughed. It had already been a year. Before she knew it, she and Gavin had been together for almost twelve months.

Taking it day by day, she knew that eventually, she and Gavin would share thirty years together.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Just wondering what we'll look like on our thirtieth anniversary."

"We'll go to the exact same spot every year and take a photo in the exact same pose. Ten years, thirty years, fifty years... we'll never stop."

Fingers intertwined, they waited at the airport arrivals gate for Graham and Gillian.

Graham pushed the luggage cart while Gillian linked her arm through his. The two of them were chatting and laughing as they approached.

Gavin leaned in and whispered in Sophie's ear, "Thirty years from now, that's going to be us."

"Mom, you don't need to stress. Gavin's parents know exactly what our situation is. We've already lived through the absolute worst-case scenario. Nothing can be worse than last time."

Sophie had realized halfway through her speech that she, who was just as nervous, was now the one trying to calm her mother down.

When Gavin and Sophie walked into the room with Graham and Gillian, Sarah's anxiety surprisingly vanished.

After exchanging warm greetings, the conversation shifted to their children.

Gillian was the first to speak. "You two can decide on the wedding date and all the arrangements yourselves. I only have one piece of advice. Marriage is full of friction and conflicts. When things get hard, remember how desperately you wanted to be together today. Don't ever make me regret not trying harder to break you two up."

"Mom..." Gavin laughed. "Why are you making it sound so intense?"

Gillian's expression remained dead serious. "Marriage is an incredibly intense commitment. What I just said applies to you, but it applies to Sophie, too. Getting married isn't just about wanting to be together right now. It's about being prepared to hold hands for the rest of your lives."

"I'll remember that, Mom."

"I won't forget why we started this. Don't worry, Gillian."

Gavin and Sophie promised in perfect unison.