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“Alison?”
I looked at him surprised, I was not expecting his proposal right now.
I didn’t hesitate. Even though this wasn’t the dream proposal, it didn’t matter to me. I took a deep breath and smiled at the man that I loved most in this world.
“Yes. I want to be you wife again, Noah.”
He took my face into his hands and kissed me gently.
“Alison, do you realize it’s the second time you agree to marry me at a hospital?”
“Well, yes, it’s true.” I answered giggling into his mouth and he kept kissing me gently.
He managed to make me lose my head, when someone interrupted that this was not the place. We stopped without looking at each other. I couldn’t describe how happy I was and how happy Noah looked. It was overwhelming. A sobbing made us come back to reality, we both turned at the same time and to our surprise, Thomas was trying to pretend he wasn’t crying.
“Thomas, why are you crying?” I asked surprised.
He raised his head to look at me and answered:
“I’m not crying...screw you, yes I’m crying! And I’m crying because I’m happy for you two.”
He came to give us a bear hug that left us breathless. He was like a big kid.
“Would you let them go already? You’re going to choke them.” Cedric said.
He let us breathe and went back to my daughter. She didn’t say anything for a while. She came running and hugged us both.
“Could I be the ring bearer?” She asked smiling big.
“Well, of course Ayleen.”
She ran off, she was dying to tell everyone. Thomas went out with her.
“Congratulations.” Cedric said and he looked excited.
“Thank you.” We answered.
“Alison, are you ready?” Cedric said
I looked at him confused for a moment. Then I realized he was talking about my hand.
“I injected you at least ten minutes ago, seeing you distracted; I took advantage of the situation.” He confesses, smiling in an apologetic type of way.
“I didn’t even notice.” I replied.
There was nothing in the world that could distract me right now, I smiled inside.
An hour later I had the cast on half of my arm and they gave me lots of pain killers. Noah helped me get into the car; our daughter left with their aunt and uncle.
“Noah, I want to go home.” I asked him in a whisper.
“We’ll be at your father’s house soon and you’ll be able to rest in your bed.” She answered putting my arm around his neck.
“I want to go to our house.”
“Are you sure?” He asked holding his excitement in.
“Yes. Completely sure.”
“And I really was. I leaned my head on his chest, I was exhausted. I closed my eyes and let my mind run off.
Daniel’s behavior had me disgusted and disappointed. How far was he willing to go to get me back? I didn’t know and that scared me. But one thing I knew for sure, no one could keep me apart from Noah. I was going to fight anything or anyone that tried to.
I didn’t noticed when I had fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes I was laying in our bed and the arms of the love of my life. My arm rested on a pillow that surely he had put there for better comfort. He was such a charm and he was mine.
I moved my head to see his face. He was sleeping calmly. After almost eight years of knowing him, I was completely in love with him just like the first time I saw him. My pulse accelerated.
“Good morning, love.” He murmured without opening his eyes.
“I’m sorry, I’m sure I woke you up.”
“It’s wonderful to wake up to your crazy heartbeat. Tell me, what were you thinking that got you so nervous?” He asked opening his eyes, and I lost myself in his jade look.
“About you, how crazy in love I am.”
He smiled and moved to face me.
“Umm...I like it when you wake me up like that. You have permission to do it every morning.”
He pressed his lips against mine and I put my good arm around his neck and brought him closer to me. The kiss became more profound, more passionate.
With a light movement I got on top of him pressing myself against him. It wasn’t long until I felt his desire growing rapidly and taking life of its own. I let out a moan. All of the sudden, I felt a huge pain in my hand. I moved back and sat on the bed.
“Alison!” He said scared looking at my painful face.
He sat beside me.
“It’s nothing. It’s just the effect of the pain killers have worn off.” I calmed him down.
“OK, then I’ll get you more...I don’t want to see you in pain, it’s unbearable.”
“Please.” I answered trying to smile.
He helped me to shower and get dressed. He brushed my hair with infinite patience.
“You’re making me feel like a little girl, that’s weird.”
“I don’t see you like that, don’t worry.” He responded smiling.
When we were ready, we got down to find the family in the kitchen having breakfast. They congratulated us and hugged us. Breakfast was fine, calm. Thomas joking around and Ashley nagging him as always, Jeffrey looking at Ann lovingly and Ann having a really interesting conversation with Ayleen, it seems like they could not agree on the color of the dress for the big day. I was happy to see everything was just like before, until today I hadn’t realized how much I´ve missed it.
“Alison.” Ashley called.
I turned to face her, she seemed nervous.
“Tell me, what are you worried about?”
“I don’t know if you remember that today...but I guess with your hand you won’t want to go, you should stay and rest.”
“Ashley, the fact that I have a cast on it’s not going to interfere with my job, you know that. They are counting on me.”
I saw her eyes sparkled. Today was Saturday, orphanage day.
“Going where? What have you both agreed on? Are you going to leave me again?” Thomas interrupted.
“I’m going to the orphanage with Alison. I want to volunteer.
Her husband made a puppy face and sighed loudly.
“Thomas, you could come too if you want. You could play with the older kids and have them busy.”
“Me?” He replied, surprised.
“Well that’s a wonderful idea!” Margaret said putting her hand together in a jolt.
“Of course, Thomas. You’ll see how much fun you can have. They are wonderful.”
“I won’t miss that for the world, I want to see how you can manage all those kids. I bet you can’t handle a whole day with them.” Jeffrey said.
He got serious, he stood up went around the table and shook his bother-in-law’s hand.
“And I bet I can.”
I smiled feeling entertained.
“Alison, wouldn’t be harsh on your hand?” Noah asked planting a kiss behind my ear.
“Fine, I’ll go slow today, I promise not to hit anybody.”
He frowned at my bad joke.
“Love, next time you want to play the big super hero, please call me.”
I bit my lip, I was pressing my jaw hard. I could see he would’ve loved to punch Daniel on the face. I understood perfectly and though I hurt myself, I felt great satisfaction by it.
Ashley, Thomas, Jeffrey, Noah, and I left for the orphanage. Ayleen stayed with her grandma, and Cedric left for the hospital. Ann said she had something to do but didn’t say what.
The nuns received us nicely, they hesitated a little when they saw Ashley well dressed, but changed their mind quickly to see how she managed the smaller kids on her own. She had it all under control.
I checked every single kid. Noah was in charge of bringing them for me and putting them back as soon as I finished.
Jeffrey and Thomas took the older kids to paint and draw.
The day went by so fast between laughs, cries, babbles and diapers.
At the last shift hour, screams made me get out of the little consulting room feeling alarmed. I headed to the nursery and found Thomas and Ashley arguing. The baby was on the table without a diaper.
“What’s going on here?” I asked. Thomas turned to me and yelled:
“What’s going on is that I’m telling my wife she’s putting too much powder and she says it’s fine!”
Ashley was looking at him as if saying I know more than you do. At the funny scene between them, I was trying so hard not to laugh.
“You should put him the diaper before he...OOPS!” I said when I saw how a small splash hit Thomas’ face. He jumped back complaining.
“Ewww! He peed on my face! Help, somebody give me something to clean my face now...”
He was jumping and turning on the same spot flapping his arms around the air. I couldn’t hold it in and I burst out laughing. Which made the other come and they burst out laughing as well. I gave Thomas a package of wet wipes and he emptied the whole package while making a disgusted face.
“That happens when you argue with me.” Ashley said to her husband, after that she turned to the little guy and cleaned him again.
The baby babbled and laughed when she kissed his feet. Everyone started tenderly. Later when she finished dressing him she took him into her arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Thomas swallowed.
“Why do you give him kisses and not me?” He made a puppy face to his wife.
“Sometimes you can be a little silly.” Ashley responded tenderly.
She went to him, put her hand on her neck and kissed him. With a touch I asked Noah and Jeffrey to get out. We went to the garden and sat around the table; a nun came and left a tray full of fresh bread and hot chocolate. It was their way of thanking us for our help. It was good, I was starving.
“Who would’ve said that Thomas would get jealous of a baby.” Jeffrey mocked.
“He’s going to have to get used to it, something tells me Ashley will come more often.” I responded with a smile on my face.
“We have to understand Thomas, he had always had his wife all to himself and it must be tough not being the center of her world anymore.” My husband said and I looked at him.
“Ashley’s desire to become a mother is so strong and I know it’s what she wants the most. But I don’t think she’ll leave him aside, actually I think she’s going to get him involved in everything and she’ll teach him to love him as much as she is growing to love the little guy.”
“That would be amazing for them. I hope Ann’s plan works.”
Jeffrey jumped.
“Ann! Oh God...I haven’t called her all day. She’s going to kill me.”
He took out his cellphone and dialed with his fingers shaking.
“Calm down, we’ll tell her you haven’t had time to do anything and you’ve been a total professional with the kids.” Noah told him.
He however, did not look calm. He stood up and got away from us to call Ann.
“Love, you know? It is incredibly generous of you to come here and check these kids. I admire you so much.” Noah murmured in my ear.
I shook when I felt his warm breath on my neck.
“It’s the best thing I can do for them, I wish I could do more, but I don’t know what.” I confessed feeling a little frustrated.
“You’re already doing a lot for them.”
“It’s not enough. More than half of these kids won’t be adopted because people are stupid and they don’t want anyone that doesn’t have their blood in their veins. If there was a way of bringing them here so they could see how adorable they are.” I swallowed.
“Then that’s what we’re going to do.” Noah said.
“What are you talking about? Please explain.”
“We could organize a charity event and we can invite a lot of people.”
“I think it’s a great idea, but I don’t see how.”
“Alison, we’ll take the kids so people can see them. They probably won’t see it coming. Margaret, Ashley and Ann will happily help us. I could play the piano to raise funds and we could also, I don’t know...we can have an auction with objects from the mansion. It’s filled with objects from last century; surely we’ll be doing my mother a favor. I will talk to my parents tonight.”
I thought for a while. I smiled and raised my head to see his face.
“I think it’s an excellent idea.”
“You’ve inspired it, love.” He responded, pressing his lips against mine and kissing me until my head was spinning.
Everyone thought it was an excellent idea and they helped. The following week went by so fast between organizing event and looking for objects to auction. Margaret was more than happy to get rid of that stuff. Cedric helped too, donating rare editions that were way too expensive, I told him it was too much but he was happy to do it. Ashley donated a very antique pin, it was very generous.
We rented vans to transport everything until the hall the city council provided for the event. The invitations were sent.
And the big day had come.
I bought myself a black dress with great cleavage and an elegant piece underneath my breasts. It was long sleeved, simple yet elegant. It was perfect.
Ashley did my hair; it was half down with waves. She also did my make-up; a light eye shadow to brighten my eyes and a little blush for my cheeks and lip gloss. I took a foulard around my neck to support my arm. It didn’t hurt as much as before. I went down to meet with Noah who was waiting down the principal staircase. The way he looked at me slowly made my stomach tickle.
I felt blushed.
“You are beautiful, love. As always.” She said with admiration, his eyes sparkling.
“Thank you, you look good too.”
He was wearing a black tux with a white shirt. His hair was still wet and I could tell he tried to comb it backwards without success. Gel and Noah did not get along. When I got to him, I gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you.” I murmured.
He looked at me surprised.
“Why are you thanking me for?”
“For making this possible. This is all thanks to you.”
He suddenly blushed, it was weird and I smiled.
“Did you know you look sexy when you blush like that? I love it.” I murmured flirting with him.
He looked at me intensely.
“I think those words are mine, and hearing them from you is really naughty for me. You have no idea what that provokes in me right now and we better get going before I change my mind and kidnap you in our room until morning.”
I laughed with my heart beating fast. He put my coat on shoulders and we headed towards the door. The night was promising and full with emotions. I was hoping that tonight Ashley and Thomas would decide to adopt the little guy.