A surprising bolt of anger runs through me, and I head over, pushing my way through the crowd.

“Uncle Frank,” I say, resting a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m busy, kid,” he says, tightening his hold on Josie.

“Not anymore, you’re not.” I add pressure to my grip, and Uncle Frank sighs in defeat, but not before planting a sloppy kiss on Josie’s cheek.

“Oh, thank god,” Josie says, once she’s safely in my arms. The relief in her voice makes me stand up straighter, and I find myself pulling her closer. To my surprise, she lets me, her body relaxing as she sighs, a sound that makes my collar feel tight.

This is the first time we’ve been on the dance floor together all night, and I wonder why I waited so long. Swaying back and forth with Josie in my arms is a hell of a lot better than schmoozing with my parents’ friends.

Nearby, my parents are dancing, too, and Mom’s beaming as she watches me and Josie. Two of my brothers and their wives are over at the bar, openly staring at us. I discreetly shake my head and return my attention to Josie. The material of her dress feels as soft as her skin, and I find myself mindlessly running my hand up and down her back, trying not to think of what’s underneath.

Someone clangs a fork against a glass, and I’m disappointed when Josie releases my hand as my mom steps up to the front of the room.

“Hello, party people!” my mom shouts into the microphone. She’s clearly been overserved but is having the time of her life. My dad chuckles and takes the mic from her hands.

“Thank you all for being here to celebrate our golden anniversary,” he says. “Fifty years of marriage teaches you a lot about love, patience, and most importantly, the art of pretending to listen. Just kidding, babe.”

The crowd laughs as my mom playfully elbows my dad. She looks at him with such love and adoration, even after all these years. They set the bar impossibly high, I’m afraid.

“Despite a few questionable decisions, like that mustache in the eighties, my gut hasn’t steered me wrong.” Dad pats his slight beer belly, and the guests laugh again. “Like they say, when you know, you know—and the moment I saw Merrie in our high school cafeteria with her golden hair and that yellow dress…” He pauses and looks down at my mom like he’s still seeing that girl. “It was like the rest of the world faded to black and white, and she was the only thing in color. I knew that very moment she was the one.”

There’s a collective aww from the crowd. They all know, like I know, that the love my dad has for my mom is as authentic as it gets. None of this is for show.