“Please don’t go to heaven yet,” I screamed with myknees buried in the snow. I held Sebastian’s head in my lap as if my protecting his head would make him better. Blood was gushing from his left side, so I took fresh snow and put it on his wound, hoping it would stop the flow. I begged Sebastian to say something to me. He didn’t utter a word.
I kept pressing snow against his side. Finally I heard him moan. “Thank You, God,” I cried.
A blue-and-white vehicle that resembled a large snowmobile slid up to us. Three paramedics climbed off, carrying first-aid bags. “Is he breathing?” the larger one asked as they trudged toward me.
“Yes, but he’s lost a lot of blood.”
“His pulse is faint,” the female paramedic said, her bare hand against Sebastian’s neck.
“We’ve got to get him to the hospital stat,” the tall paramedic said. He radioed for a helicopter.
“We’re losing him,” the woman called out.
“Don’t let him die,” I screamed. “Please don’t let him die.”
The large guy ripped open Sebastian’s snowsuit and started CPR, alternating between pressing my man’s chest and blowing into his mouth while holding his nose closed.
I was trained in CPR but forgot everything I knew because I was panicking. I yelled, “He’s bleeding. Are you supposed to press his chest?”
The lady looked up at me and said, “Basic first aid says that you have to get the guy breathing first before you attend to his wounds. Unless you want us to attend to the wounds of a dead guy.”
“Janna, don’t say that,” the tall guy responded.
Janna said, “Well, it’s true, and she’s got to let us do our job.”
Horrified by the thought that Sebastian could be dead, I knelt in the snow and held on to hope.
One of the ski patrol guys got a portable defibrillator from one of the jet skis. He turned on the machine, instructed everyone to move back, put gel on the paddles of the defibrillator, yelled “Clear!” and put the paddles on Sebastian’s chest. He then pressed a button on the back of each of the paddles and they sent an electrical current to Sebastian’s heart, which caused his whole body to jerk. He then checked Sebastian’s pulse and said that there was a faint pulse.
Lord, I prayed, I’m not ready to let him go, but it looks like he’s in a lot of pain, and I don’t want him to be hurting so much. Just take him.
Though the last thing I wanted was for Sebastian to be gone, God’s Word said it was far better for him.
“He’s going,” the female paramedic yelled.
“Let’s shock him one more time,” the tall guy responded. The awful procedure was performed again.
“There’s a pulse,” the female reported, “but it’s faint.”
Just then I heard helicopter blades whirling above us. We all looked up. As the chopper landed nearby, kicking up snow in all directions, the paramedics put Sebastian on a stretcher. They carried him to the waiting aircraft.
The EMT in the helicopter told me I could ride in front with the pilot. I quickly thanked the paramedics and jumped in. As the chopper lifted, the EMT started Sebastian on an IV and dressed his wound.
When we landed at Gatlinburg Memorial Hospital, the doctors rushed Sebastian to surgery. I prayed aloud in a quiet corner of the hospital chapel. Though my whole body was shaking, I had a peace in my heart that came from God.
I went to the waiting room. When I dug in the pocket of my jeans to get money for a cup of coffee, I found Sebastian’s cell phone in my pocket. I should call his parents. But what would I say?
Apparently, the governor of Georgia had invited us to his cabin to have Sebastian assassinated. But why? Did Sebastian know something that Governor James wanted to keep hidden? It made me pretty sick to think that this was connected to the attempt on my life.
Opening the cell phone, I punched the button to display the last number called. When I recognized the number as the one for Sebastian’s parents’ home, I pressed Send.
“Hello?” Reverend Stokes answered, though he had moved out.
“This is Christian,” I said in a tone that hated to be making the call. “I’ve got some bad news about Sebastian.”
“Dear Lord.”
“He was shot. We’re at Gatlinburg Memorial Hospital.”
“Is he all right?”
“He’s in surgery. I don’t know anything yet.”
“I’ll call his mother, and we’ll be there as quickly as we can,” his worried father promised.
I went to the waiting room. A nurse came in and updated me on the progress of Sebastian’s surgery. She advised me that he was doing well, the surgery was going fine, and that they should be finished soon. A few minutes after the nurse left, Detective Hart came in and asked me questions about what happened. I told him everything that I knew and he said that he would keep in touch with the hospital to check on Sebastian’s progress so he could question him when he was awake.
His parents chartered a plane and arrived in two hours. When they spotted me, his mother rushed up and hugged me. A tear from her face touched mine.
Feeling and sharing her fear, I eagerly returned her embrace. “I still don’t know anything yet. He’s been in there for hours.”
Mrs. Stokes slowly pulled me away and looked me in the eye. “Everything will be all right,” she said in a loving mother’s voice.
A distinguished-looking man in a green surgical gown entered.
“Dr. Barber?” I asked.
“You must be Christian,” he said. “And of course I’ve seen Reverend and Mrs. Stokes before.” He shook our hands. “Sebastian made it through the operation successfully,” he informed us, “but at the moment he’s unresponsive.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“He hasn’t woken up yet. A few of his arteries were ruptured. We had to fix them and get the bullet out. We’ve moved him to ICU and put him on a ventilator.”
I felt nauseous.
“What do we do now, Doctor?” Reverend Stokes asked, his arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“The only thing you can do is wait and pray,” the doctor said.
“Can we see him?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said, “once his vital signs are stable. A nurse will come and get you in about twenty or thirty minutes.” We then thanked the doctor and he left.
“I need to talk to the police,” Reverend Stokes said, “and see if they found out anything about the sniper.” Stokes turned to his wife, who looked harried. “Do you want to go to the hotel and rest for a while?” he asked her.
“No, I want to be here when he wakes up.”
“We’ve been up for over twenty-four hours and we both need some rest.”
“What if something should happen to him while we are gone?”
“Christian will call us if anything happens.” He turned to me. “I’ve been a preacher of the gospel for over thirty years, and when I entered politics almost ten years ago, I lost a little part of my Christianity. Watching you go through so much, yet staying connected with God, has shown me that I want back what I’ve lost along the way.” He touched my shoulder. “I’m trying to say I’m sorry for putting you through so much misery. I’m going through my own hell now, and I’m…”
“I know what you’re trying to say. It’s okay. I’m learning that this Christian walk ain’t easy. None of us will get it exactly right. I just know that God helps me through. And I know he’s gonna help your son. Now you guys go get some rest.”
They both smiled at me. Mrs. Stokes hesitated to leave. Reverend Stokes promised her they would come back to the hospital first thing in the morning, and she finally agreed. Before they left, he looked at me with grateful eyes. “Thank you for looking after my son.”
Mrs. Stokes took my hand in both of hers. “I want to thank you, too. I hate to think what would have happened if you hadn’t called the police right away.”
Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t speak. I was glad to have finally gained their respect, though this sure wasn’t the way I would have picked for it to happen.
A few minutes after they left for the hotel, the nurse called me to go see Sebastian. When I entered his room, I saw that he was hooked up to a monitor that measured his blood pressure and heart rate. He had an IV in one arm, a tube in his other arm, and his face was pale. I also noticed that the room had a place for another bed, but it had been removed so Sebastian could have the entire room to himself. Being wealthy and a political figure did have its perks.
For a moment, my tears fell nonstop. It was hard seeing him so still and lifeless. When I’d composed myself a bit, I kissed his forehead and pulled a chair up next to his bed.
“Hey, baby,” I said, hoping he could hear me. “I love you.” I held his hand so he would know I was there with him.
In the morning when his parents came back, I went to the ski resort to get a bite to eat and give his parents some time alone with their son. I also packed a bag of clothes and personal items to take with me. When I returned to the hospital, I asked if I could sleep on a cot in his room, but the nurse said no. She did say I could sleep in the waiting room, though.
Reverend Stokes told me he had spoken to the officer investigating Sebastian’s shooting, and the officer was going to stop by the next day to question me further and see if Sebastian had regained consciousness so he could question him.
I sat by Sebastian’s bed for eight days, crying and praying. I struggled to keep my faith as I sat there day after day, looking at the man I loved lie there so unresponsive. His face became thinner, as did the rest of his body. The tubes in his nose frightened me. The IV concerned me even more because I had to be careful each time I hugged him. I had never felt so helpless. One of the nurses told me that I should touch his hands and feet occasionally to see if he would respond.
I started thinking, I need to talk to him.
On the sixth day I brought in a Bible that I’d found in the hospital chapel and started reading in the Book of Jeremiah.
I must have fallen asleep and unknowingly turned the pages, because I woke up with my head in the middle of Job. I heard Sebastian’s parents talking outside of the door.
“I wish we had that kind of love,” Mrs. Stokes said.
“Me, too,” I heard Stokes say. “I’m sorry I messed up.”
Mrs. Stokes said, “My mother was wrong. She always told me status was more important than love. But when I think about the way Sebastian has defended the woman he loves, I realize that the two of them have experienced more love than you and I have in thirty-five years.”
“You’re right about that,” he said.
As they opened the door, Mrs. Stokes whispered, “Look at her, sleeping by his side. She should go to the hotel and get some rest. She’s been here constantly.”
“She’s not going to leave him.”
I moved a little, then acted as if I was just waking up. I didn’t want them to know that I’d been listening to their conversation. I lifted my head and said hello. Then I pulled down the covers and touched his hands and feet to see if he would respond, as the nurse had told me to do. He didn’t respond, so I pulled his covers back up over him.
“Christian,” Mrs. Stokes said, “why don’t you go to the cabin to get some rest.”
“No, ma’am,” I said. “I want to be here if he wakes up.”
“We’ll stay with him,” Reverend Stokes said. “If he wakes up, we’ll call you at the hotel.”
I finally agreed to go to the Marriott so I could freshen up and get some sleep. Reverend Stokes gave me the key to their room and the rental car key because the Jeep was still at the ski patrol station. After he gave me directions to the hotel, I grabbed my bag and went to the Marriott.
I took the elevator to the fifth floor and found the room. When I opened the door I found myself in a large suite with a black leather living room set, fireplace, large-screen TV, and wet bar. All three bedrooms had king-sized beds. Two of them had clothes in them—his in one, hers in the other. I made myself comfortable in the third one. I took a long, hot bath, put the cell phone on the nightstand, and climbed into bed. I was asleep in seconds.
Sebastian’s cell phone rang, startling me from sleep. I looked at the clock on the nightstand. It said six o’clock. Light streamed in from the windows. How long had I been out?
“Father, give me strength,” I said, bracing myself for the news that Sebastian had taken a turn for the worse while I was away. I picked up the phone with a trembling hand.
“Ms. Ware,” a woman’s voice said, “this is Nurse Washington from Gatlinburg Memorial.”
“Yes?” I said, wondering why the nurse was calling me and not Reverend or Mrs. Stokes.
“You need to come to the hospital. Sebastian—”
I hung up before she had the chance to tell me he was gone. I sped to the hospital.
When I saw Savannah, Steven, Steven’s wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Stokes talking quietly in the waiting room, tears began falling again. The whole family gathering like this could only mean one thing. I had to start imagining my life without Sebastian.
Savannah rushed up to me and hugged me. Then she grabbed my arm and pulled me close. Her heart was beating wildly. “Isn’t it wonderful?” she said.
What? I thought. I know death for believers is supposed to be a celebration, but I was way too sad to think that his going home was wonderful.
“Look,” I said, “I know I’m supposed to be happy about him being in heaven and all, but I just can’t do that right now.”
She smiled. “Didn’t the nurse tell you? Sebastian is awake!”
I stared at her for a moment to make sure I’d heard right. Her huge grin told me I had. I immediately rushed to Sebastian’s room.
When I walked into the room, his eyes were closed but his color looked better. I whispered his name. His eyes opened and he smiled at me.
“There you are, beautiful,” he said, his voice weak and scratchy. “My parents told me you never left my side, but when I finally woke up you were gone.”
“I’m so sorry, I—”
“Come here,” he interrupted.
My tears of sadness turned to tears of joy. I rushed over and kissed him. “Thank You, Lord,” I cried out. “I love you, Sebastian. I love you so much.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“For what?”
“My dad told me about the governor. I can’t believe he hired someone to kill me. Dad said the police caught the guy who shot me. The police are trying to get him to admit that he was hired by the governor and to help them expose the governor’s hand in it.”
“I never should have gone to the hotel,” I said, shaking my head. An awful lot had happened while I was asleep! I gently rubbed his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Now that I see you, I feel good. Mom told me you read almost the whole Bible to me.”
“Not quite. We were going to start on the New Testament today.”
“Well, then,” he said, “you’d better get to reading.”
At first I thought he was kidding, but when he told me he really wanted to hear the Word, I opened the Bible and started to read.
Before I got very far, a man came into the room. He was thin and balding, dressed all in black, and he introduced himself as Chaplain Burke, the hospital chaplain. I asked if he could pray for Sebastian, then suddenly had a crazy thought.
“Sir,” I asked, “do you marry people?”
Sebastian gave me a confused look.
I took his hand. “I don’t want to wait any longer. I almost lost you. If I could be your wife tonight, I’d marry you right now.”
“Really?” he said, his eyes twinkling.
I turned to Chaplain Burke and asked, “Is that possible?”
He asked, “Do you have a marriage license?”
I said, “No.”
“My father has a friend who’s a presiding officer,” Sebastian said. “I’m sure he can arrange that.” I was thrilled to hear him so excited about my idea.
“You’ll have to get blood tests,” Chaplain Burke added.
“We’re in a hospital,” I said, my smile getting broader by the minute. “Can’t get much easier than that!”
Burke shrugged. “When do you want the ceremony?”
“Tonight,” I said, my heart pounding with anticipation.
“Do you really think we can set everything up?” Sebastian asked. “What about all the plans we made for our big, fancy wedding?”
I laughed. “As long as I marry you, who cares about fancy? You just relax. I’ll make the arrangements.” I turned to Chaplain Burke and said, “How’s eight o’clock for you?”
“Great for me,” he joked. From the grin on his face, it seemed he was almost as excited about this as we were.
“Thank you, sir,” Sebastian said as the chaplain left the room.
When Sebastian’s family came back in, we told them about our decision. His hospital room was so spacious and nice that even with all his family in there, we weren’t cramped.
To my surprise, his mom gave me a great, big hug. Then she stood back, her eyes wide. “We’ve got so much to do!” She grabbed my arm and Savannah’s, then tried to drag us out of the room.
I stopped her and said, “Mrs. Stokes, I can’t leave Sebastian when he just woke up from his coma. I can get married in what I have on.”
Before Mrs. Stokes could answer, Sebastian said, “Christian, I’m going to be fine. Go with Mom and get a beautiful wedding dress and my dad will stay here with me to make sure that I’m okay.”
“I can’t leave you now!”
“Yes, you can. Dad will be here, along with the doctors and nurses. If my condition changes, they will call you on my cell phone. Go, Christian. I want you to be the most beautiful bride ever.”
“Okay, but I’ll call to check up on you.”
The first thing Mrs. Stokes did when we left the hospital was to announce the wedding to all the press who were gathered outside. The reporters all asked if they could have an exclusive. I told them no media would be allowed to attend, but that we would be happy to provide them with pictures after the ceremony.
Mrs. Stokes ended the impromptu press conference and escorted Savannah and me to her rental car. While she drove, I called my mom on Sebastian’s cell phone. “I’ve got great news,” I told her. “Sebastian is awake, he’s doing okay, and we’re getting married tonight.”
“Praise the Lord,” she said. “Congratulations, honey.”
“Can you and Crystal come? I know it’s short notice, but I really want you both to be here. D.C. has flights leaving every day—you could fly into Atlanta and catch a connecting flight to Nashville, then I’ll have someone drive you to Gatlinburg. It can be done, Mom. Come.”
“Honey, Crystal is seven and a half months pregnant and the doctor told her that she couldn’t fly after her sixth month. Besides, I wouldn’t want my first grandchild to be born in an airport or in the middle of your wedding. But I’ll be there if I can get a flight. What time is the ceremony?”
“Eight o’clock,” I told her.
I gave her my credit card information to pay for the flight, knowing how expensive last-minute arrangements could be. “Call me when you’ve made the reservations so I can arrange to have someone pick you up at the airport. And book a room at the Marriott in Gatlinburg with my credit card, too.”
“Have you told Eden yet?” Mom asked.
“No,” I said. “I’m planning to call her next. I’ll have her call you so the two of you can come out together.”
“That sounds wonderful, dear,” she said.
Mrs. Stokes pulled into a parking structure and my connection started to break up. “I’ve got to go, Mom,” I said. “I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby,” she said. “I’ll see you soon!”
I had been in Tennessee for almost two weeks, but this was my first time in historical downtown Gatlinburg. The city was quaint, cozy, and cute. Cable cars and horse-drawn carriages traveled on cobblestone streets between old restored buildings. Since it was Christmastime, the streets were decorated with antique nativity scenes, old-fashioned sleighs, and millions of dazzling Christmas lights.
The three of us strolled down the street, looking into all the boutique windows to see if anything caught our eye. Finally, one shop had a gorgeous dress I just had to try on. It was made of white lace, had a three-foot train, the sleeves had pearls woven into the fabric, and the bodice showed a hint of cleavage.
When I put it on in the dressing room and looked in the mirror, I was stunned by how beautiful the dress looked on me. I knew this was the dress I would marry Sebastian in. When I stepped out of the dressing room, Mrs. Stokes and Savannah gasped. When the salesperson told me how much the dress cost, it was my turn to gasp. But Mrs. Stokes insisted on taking care of the bill.
As the salesperson rang up the purchase, my soon-to-be mother-in-law said, “Christian, I was wrong to treat you the way I have, and I want to apologize. You taught me that love is more important than social status. And you’ve made my son the happiest I have ever seen him.”
“Thank you,” I choked out. The salesclerk handed me the huge plastic bag with my wedding gown in it, and I looked at Mrs. Stokes with misty eyes. “Thank you so much.”
We went to several more stores to buy shoes and accessories, then returned to the hospital. Mrs. Stokes stopped at the nurse’s station to see if they had a room available for me to change in.
The nurse took me to a small room three doors down from Sebastian’s. She asked, “Will this do?”
I said, “Yes, this will be just fine. Thank you very much.”
As I was putting on my makeup, my mom walked into the room. She must have gotten on the first plane coming to Tennessee.
“You made it!” I screamed as I gave her a hug.
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“How’s Crystal?” I asked.
“She’s very excited for you. And for herself, too. Just yesterday she signed the papers to let Eden adopt her baby.”
“Really? I know Eden will be a great mother, and Crystal can be at ease because she knows Eden will take good care of the baby.”
I stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, putting on a pearl necklace and earrings while my mother spoke to me from the bathroom doorway.
“Did Eden come with you?”
“No, she couldn’t get off of work and she didn’t want to leave Crystal, but she was sad that she is missing your special day. She sends her love and she wants you to call her as soon as you can. But I did bring someone with me,” Mom said. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Mom went out of the room and I racked my brain to figure out who she might have brought. She came back in with a man about her age. He had short gray hair, a dark brown complexion, and was dressed in slacks and a long-sleeved dress shirt.
“Hello,” I said politely, because I thought that she had brought her new boyfriend.
“Hey, baby girl,” the man said in a raspy voice.
“Honey,” Mom said, her voice strained, “this is Mr. Flowers.”
I smiled and said, “Hello.”
He hugged me like he’d known me all of my life.
She gave me an apologetic look, silently begging me to understand and accept this man.
“I’ve been watching you on the news,” he said, looking back and forth between my mom and me. “I told your mom that I wanted to meet you, but she didn’t think it was the right time. When she told me you were getting married, I begged her to let me come.”
“That was sweet of you, Mr. Flowers,” I said.
He touched my shoulder and said, “You’re not upset that I came?”
“How could I be upset with the man who makes my mother happy? I haven’t seen her this way since she and my dad split up. Just make sure that you treat her right, okay?”
He smiled and said, “Baby, your mother is the best thing to happen to me in a long time, and I plan on treating her like a queen.”
My mother looked from me to Mr. Flowers with a big smile and said, “I don’t even know why I was worried about you two meeting. I can see that you are going to get along just fine.”
Shortly after Mr. Flowers left the room, Savannah came in to see if I was ready. I told her what had happened with my mom and Mr. Flowers and she told me how thrilled she was for them.
Then the doctor came in and said, “I heard that you guys have planned a wedding in the chapel tonight.”
“Yes, we have.”
“Well, Mr. Stokes isn’t well enough to go down to the chapel for the ceremony.”
“Oh my God, what are we going to do now?” I said as I sat on the hospital bed.
Savannah said, “Don’t worry about anything—it’s going to work out. I’m going to go and speak to Sebastian. I’ll be right back.”
The doctor left the room and I sat there praying that the Lord would provide a way for us to be married tonight. I was also glad that Savannah had volunteered to speak with Sebastian, because I didn’t have the heart to tell him.
She returned and said that Sebastian didn’t want to postpone the wedding.
“Let’s just have it in his room.” I suggested.
Savannah bit her lip. “But that’s so small and—”
“I know it’s not a chapel, but God will bless it. That’s the room where the Lord restored him. It’s a perfect place for me to give myself to him in marriage. Will you go ask him if that’s okay?”
“Sure,” she said, then left the room again.
While she was gone I paced the room, wondering what he would say.
Moments later she returned with a big smile. “Sebastian said he’d marry you in jail if need be, but he is definitely marrying you tonight!”
I thanked God for sending me such a wonderful guy. Then I asked Savannah to go to the chapel and tell everyone about the change of plans and bring them up to his room.
While she was gone I put on my dress, veil, stockings and shoes, and made a final inspection of my hair and makeup. Under normal circumstances I would have had someone to assist me, but these weren’t normal circumstances! Savannah came back in the room and told me that everyone was in Sebastian’s room, all ready for me. Mr. Flowers stepped from behind her with my bridal bouquet in his hands. He told me that he had purchased it from the hospital florist. The bouquet was lovely, composed of roses and baby’s breath. He said that he wanted to get me something for my special day.
“You look gorgeous,” Savannah said as she kissed me on the cheek, pulled my veil over my face, and headed out the door.
Mr. Flowers gave me a fatherly kiss on the cheek. “Your soul mate is waiting for you.” He held out his arm for me. I took it and we walked down the hall to Sebastian’s room.
When we entered the room, I saw that it was crowded. Chaplain Burke stood at the foot of the bed. The people in attendance started humming the bridal march, and Steven was taking pictures. I also noticed that everyone in the room carried a single red rose.
Sebastian was still hooked up to monitors and IVs, but in addition to his hospital gown he wore a top hat and a black bow tie. It looked pretty silly, but that didn’t matter to me. He was so handsome, and he was soon to be my husband.
Mr. Flowers kissed my cheek and put my hand in Sebastian’s; then he stepped aside.
I stood beside Sebastian’s bed, holding his hand. Never could I have imagined that my mom and his parents would be happily present at our wedding. Also in attendance were Savannah, Steven and his wife, nurses, doctors, and the clergyman. It was a tight fit but we managed to get everyone into the room.
Sebastian and I said the traditional wedding vows, and his mother sang “Endless Love.” When the chaplain said it was time to exchange rings, I suddenly realized I hadn’t bought him one. But Reverend Stokes opened his suit jacket and brought out two platinum bands. He gave the thinner one to his son and the wider one to me.
“Consider this a token of my approval,” he said.
After we placed the rings on each other’s fingers, the clergyman pronounced us husband and wife. We kissed passionately, in spite of all the medical machinery that got in the way.
Everyone applauded and congratulated us.
A nurse announced that one of the waiting rooms had been set up as a reception hall. Everyone applauded again, then left to go celebrate.
When our family and friends were all gone, Sebastian pulled me close. “Hello, wife,” he said.
“Hello, husband,” I replied.
We laughed. But when our eyes locked we began to kiss the way we had when we first started to make love. Sebastian tried to maneuver me onto his lap and ended up wincing. I hurried out of the room to get the nurse, and when we returned I saw a pained look come over his face.
The nurse gave him some morphine and said it would make him sleepy in just a few minutes.
“I’m sorry,” he said to me.
I stroked his hand. “Hey, we’ve got a lifetime to be intimate. I’m just glad to be married now.”
“Me, too,” he said, already starting to sound groggy. “After this, I know we can make it through anything.”
Three weeks later, Sebastian and I were back at his place in Atlanta. It was Inauguration Day, and my mother-in-law had helped me pick out the perfect outfit. It was a red suit, tapered at the waist to show off my figure. The skirt came to my knees and had a slight split up the back. I wore matching red shoes and a diamond brooch Sebastian had given me for a wedding present.
Sebastian was still not one hundred percent. He complained of pain occasionally, especially when we tried to be intimate. Though I’d slept in the same bed with him for the last three weeks, our marriage still hadn’t been consummated.
The inauguration was held in the coliseum on Georgia Tech’s campus. Banners, flags, and balloons waved in the breeze, and thousands of people sat in the stands. Sebastian’s parents, who were still working through their reconciliation, were seated in the front row.
My mom was there, sitting next to Sebastian’s parents with Mr. Flowers. He was wearing a well-cut gray suit, pink shirt, pink-and-gray striped tie, and gray shoes.
Before the ceremony started I went to my mom, Mr. Flowers, and Sebastian’s parents and thanked them for coming, then hugged them all.
As I hugged Mr. Flowers, I whispered in his ear, “I’ve been hearing how good you are to my mother.”
He kissed me on the cheek and said, “Baby girl, I gave you my word.”
Steven and his wife were also in attendance. The brothers had a nice chat before we arrived at the building.
Steven said, “Sebastian, I just wanted you to know that I’m working on the problems in my life—in fact, my wife and I are going to counseling. When you were shot it made me realize that I haven’t been a good brother or husband. I also wanted you to know that I’m proud of you and the man that you’ve become.”
When Steven turned toward me, all I could say was, “I love you and I’m proud of you for realizing that it was time to make some changes.” I hugged him tightly.
Sebastian would tell me later that this was the first time his brother had ever expressed pride in him.
Savannah and Bruce were also in attendance. I spoke with them and she pulled me over for a brief chat.
“Girl, I sat my parents down and told them about my relationship with Bruce and instead of getting mad, they invited him over for dinner.”
“Well, after Sebastian got shot it seemed as if they reevaluated their beliefs in terms of love and relationships.”
“I want to thank you for that, because your love for Sebastian showed them how it could be.”
“You don’t have to thank me—just be happy that you don’t have to sneak around to be with the man you love.”
They finally had her parents’ support. I looked forward to having Bruce as my brother-in-law.
Eden and Dion were seated in the front row in front of the stage with the rest of our families. They couldn’t make the wedding, but I was elated that they came to the inauguration. Crystal stayed in D.C. with church members since she was due any day.
I hugged Eden and she said, “Look at us—you’ve just become a wife and I’m going to be a mother as soon as Crystal gives birth.”
“You’re going to make a great mom to your son,” I told her. “Mom told me Crystal’s having a boy. Congrats.”
“Dion is thrilled. He can’t wait to get a basketball in his hand.” We laughed.
“Is everything okay with Stone?” I asked.
Eden smiled. “Dion went to see him in jail. You know he got fifteen years for selling drugs.”
“Wow,” I said.
“He signed the papers that said that he willingly forfeited all parental rights, and he thanked Dion for adopting his child. Stone told Dion that his father wasn’t in his life when he grew up, and Stone wanted his son to have a good father.”
“Are you coming to D.C. when the baby is born?”
“I promise Sebastian and I will be there,” I said as we hugged.
I went backstage with Sebastian, and when he was introduced, we came out on the stage and sat down.
Since the governor could not be there because he was still under investigation, a presiding officer swore Sebastian in.
Presiding Officer Mathis said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to the inauguration of Sebastian Stokes as lieutenant governor of Georgia. Normally, the lieutenant governor is sworn in by the governor, but since the governor is indisposed at this moment, I will be swearing in Sebastian Stokes.”
When my husband took the platform, I felt so proud. He gave a speech, telling the people how much he appreciated their support. He thanked them for all the concern they’d shown during his recovery, and he vowed to serve them with dignity and honesty, and to make Georgia a better place to live. My heart was overjoyed when he also thanked God for the good times and bad that helped prepare him for this great endeavor.
There were more flags and balloons at the reception. In addition, there was a huge banner that proclaimed Sebastian as lieutenant governor. As we mingled with the guests, the presiding officer came over and asked to speak privately with us.
Presiding Officer Mathis said, “I have some really great news. I was just told that the governor resigned. Sebastian, you are now the governor of Georgia. Congratulations—you’ve became the lieutenant governor and governor on the same day.”
Sebastian’s mouth fell open and he squeezed my hand. Suddenly he turned to me and hugged me.
“Presiding Officer Mathis, you have made me one of the happiest men in Georgia. Besides marrying this lovely woman, this is the proudest day of my life. Thank you so much for telling me.”
I said, “This is the greatest news. I know that you will be a superb governor.”
The presiding officer then told us that my friend Troy and several other FBI agents had found a connection between the Mob’s attempt to frame me and the shooting of my husband. He added, “He discovered that Governor James partnered with Governor Holmes of New York to get the Mob to help him build a gambling dynasty. Both of these men were behind all that happened to you with the money scam. Whenever someone got in their way, they did whatever it took.”
The presiding officer congratulated us and left.
“You’re going to be the first lady of the state.” Sebastian picked me up and twirled me around in the air.
“And she’s going to make a fine first lady,” his mom said as she came up and gave me a big hug.
“I wish I had your class,” I ventured.
“Oh, you’ve got more than class,” she said. “You have integrity—and heart.”
“Having your support means so much to me.”
“Don’t you worry, my dear,” she said, straightening the lapels on my suit jacket. “I’ll get you ready for the big house in Georgia.”
“Thanks.”
Everyone in the room crowded around my husband to interview and congratulate him.
The next thing I knew we were back in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in our own rented cabin. We sat on the floor in front of a crackling fire, sipping sparkling cider.
“Eden gave me a wedding present,” I said, tracing Sebastian’s lips with my fingers. “Would you like me to try it on?”
His eyes lit up, giving me my answer.
“I’ll be right back.” I went into the bedroom and dug into my suitcase for the one-piece white lace teddy my best friend had given me after the inauguration ceremony. When I posed in the doorway between the bedroom and the living room, my husband smiled appreciatively. He joined me in the bedroom, where he gently but passionately removed my lingerie.
After we made love, we lay in bed holding each other. I couldn’t believe such a wonderful man was all mine.
“So,” he said, stroking my arm, “what have you decided to do about your work?”
“I don’t want to quit,” I said.
“Oh.” His voice sounded sad and disappointed.
“But I could request an assignment protecting the new governor of Georgia. He’s quite young, you know, and incredibly handsome. So he’s going to need some very close and personal attention.”
He sat up and looked me in the eyes. “You really love me, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.” I kissed him briefly. “If you want me to be your first lady full-time, I’ll gladly turn in my gun for you.”
“I’ll only be governor for two years.”
“If you run for office after that, I’m sure you’ll win,” I assured him.
He pulled me closer.
I didn’t know where life would take Governor Stokes and me, but I’d always lived in the valley and wondered what it would be like to be on the hilltop, enjoying the good life. Now I had fame, fortune, and a wonderful husband, but none of that came close to the joy I felt in my relationship with Christ. My husband and I prayed together and thanked God for all of our blessings. Then I thanked my husband for loving me so much.
He put his arm around my waist. “I hope you’re happy.”
“How could I not be? My mom’s got a good man, my sister is a believer and has a great family for her baby, my husband is the governor, your parents like me, and though my earthly dad walked out on me, my Heavenly Father has healed my wounded heart. I’m ecstatic!”
He played with the platinum band on my finger. “I know we can’t stay on this mountaintop forever. Every life has its ups and downs.”
For so long, I’d been chasing something, unable to put my finger on just what I was searching for. As I listened to my husband proclaiming of life’s uncertainties, it was clearer than a shining goblet that I had been searching for true peace, hope, and love all that time. Now that search was over. On my journey, I found the Lord is the only One that can fill me. Since I’ve let Him into my heart, I have total faith that everything else will work out fine.
So with my index finger I covered his lips, then kissed them, “Wherever we go, though, God will be with us. We’ve got everything we need. And I want you to know, my love for you won’t ever change. ’Cause no matter what happens, being with you is like a piece of heaven.”