Chapter Seven: To Have and to Hold for Ever and Ever
Alec
Today is Emma’s bridal shower, and it’s fishing day for me and the boys. My dad rented a huge fishing charter boat for all of us. If your wife or girlfriend is at the shower, then you are with us fishing. We considered golfing, but there were too many guys to golf.
Emma was right about “baby steps, one hour at a time.” Molly and Adam are keeping Raelynn and James today. Although Adam doesn’t live with Molly, he’s there a lot and has proven to be good for her and the kids. When Molly keeps Raelynn, she also keeps James. James and Raelynn are truly brother and sister, maybe not by blood but by love. When Emma and I dropped off the kids today, James was excited to show us his and Raelynn’s bedroom. I was just as shocked as Emma was to see ninja bedding on the bottom bunk of the beds. Molly has accepted James into her heart and into her home.
Emma and I get married next weekend; she is a little anxious. Emma is usually calm and collected, but I can tell the wedding is stressing her out. She wants everything to be perfect. I could marry her at the Justice of the Peace and it would be perfect, but I don’t tell her that.
“There’ll be no daydreaming and no girl talk today,” my dad yells from the bow of the boat. Everyone laughs and I wonder if he was talking to me. Mason, Donovan, and Vincent came, as did Mason’s dad, my dad, and Emma’s, Max’s and even Molly’s dad; my brothers and brother-in-law are also here. My brothers aren’t fishing, but they are drinking and enjoying time away from their wives and kids.
I feel fortunate that Molly’s parents and I remain on good terms. It makes it easier on Raelynn, and even James is benefiting from it. They love him as if he were their own grandson.
“Are you nervous about next week?”
I look up; my dad is taking the seat next to me.
“No, not at all,” I say quickly and honestly.
“Good, Emma’s a great girl.”
I tip my beer back and finish it off. “Yes, she is. This time next week I’ll have everything I ever dreamed of.”
“Have you considered a honeymoon? I know with the school situation and Raelynn, I wasn’t sure if you had made any plans.”
“No, Emma and I don’t want to leave Raelynn. We thought of taking the kids with us somewhere, but Rae isn’t ready for that. To be honest, I just want to marry Emma and have one night alone with her. I don’t need a honeymoon, I just want a wedding night.”
“You can always plan something at a later date, maybe when Raelynn is back to her old self.”
We have a great day of fishing, laughing, drinking, and joking. The crew on the boat luckily clean the fish we caught and package them up for us to take home. We head back to the port and everyone is beginning to sober up. We say our goodbyes and I head home.
I walk into a dark house that I expected to see lit up. When I get to the top of the stairs, I check on the kids; they are both asleep. The bedroom is dark, but the bathroom light is on. I smell lavender and vanilla, and I know Emma is taking a bubble bath. I call her name so I don’t startle her.
“Baby, I’m home.”
“Did you have fun?”
I walk into the bathroom; she is covered in bubbles.
“I did, did you?”
“I had a great day. The party lasted longer than I thought so I was late getting the kids.”
“Molly was fine with that?”
“She was; she actually offered to keep them overnight, but I picked them up anyway.”
I’m glad that Emma picked them up. Molly hasn’t kept the kids overnight yet, although she has everything she needs for them to stay. Baby steps, one hour at a time, I remind myself. I’m not ready for them to stay overnight with Molly.
“I’m going to shower and try to wash this fish smell off in the kids’ bathroom.”
“Toss your clothes in the washer, too, will you?”
“These clothes?” I ask, jokingly, pointing to my lucky fishing shirt.
“Yes, those clothes are stinking up my house,” she says as she crinkles her nose.
I wasn’t going to kiss her until after I showered, but I just changed my mind. I slowly walk over to her with a grin on my lips.
“Kiss me, then I’ll shower.”
“Will you shower first before I kiss you? You stink.” She giggles.
I walk even closer to her and kneel down beside her, as I try to look serious. She laughs and plugs her nose.
“Did you just say, ‘I stink’? We’re not even married yet and you think I stink.” I hold my hand over my heart like her words crushed me.
“Alec, don’t — you stink. You need a shower.” She laughs as she tries to scoot away from me. “On second thought, I think you should burn those nasty clothes. I don’t want them in my washer.”
I laugh and say, “Kiss me and then I’ll shower.”
“I’d rather kiss you after your shower,” she says, laughing.
“Kiss me first, and then I’ll shower.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” She kisses me quickly before she plugs her nose and scoots away from me. I stand up and say, “I’ll shower, but I’m keeping the clothes. This is my lucky fishing shirt.” I walk out the door and close it behind me.
I can hear her say, “We’ll see about that.”
The next morning we wake up and Raelynn is excited. “Daddy, I have to go to Walmart. I have an idea.”
Raelynn still doesn’t leave the house much since the shooting at the school. If my daughter wants to leave the house, we’ll leave. Baby steps, remember?
“Rae, I have some things I need to get, too,” Emma says.
“No, it’s a surprise. You can’t see it, Emma. It’s for you.”
Emma looks to Raelynn and smiles. “Ok, James and I will stay home.”
“I want to go to Walmart, too,” James says.
“Ok, I’ll stay home and…”
“Bake?” I ask hopefully.
“And bake,” Emma confirms.
James, Raelynn, and I go to Walmart and Rae loads up the basket with glitter.
“I thought we just bought glitter the other day.”
“Daddy, I bought the wrong color.”
“What color do you need?”
“It has to be silver. It’s a surprise for Emma,” she says.
James adds, “Momma is going to love it. It’s a surprise, Alec, so we can’t tell you.”
I smile and put more silver glitter in the basket before paying for it and heading home. When we get home, the house smells of pumpkin. I inhale deeply because anything made with pumpkin has got to be good. When I walk into the kitchen, I am pleasantly surprised to find pumpkin rolls on the table.
The week flies by, and tonight is our rehearsal dinner. Emma took this week and next week off work to prepare for the wedding. The lawn care workers are here today and mom is outside directing and guiding them where to trim, edge, mow, and spray. I’m sure they already know; it’s their job. I put it in my memory to tip them extra.
After the rehearsal dinner is over tonight, James and I will be heading to my parents’ house for the night. Emma and Raelynn will be staying all night at the house. I know the rule about not seeing the bride before the wedding. It’s superstitious, but I’ll go along with it. Emma believes it’s bad luck, and who am I to argue?
We show up to the rehearsal dinner and Raelynn asks, “What’s mommy doing here?”
I whisper to Emma, “That’s a good question.”
“We needed a photographer,” she whispers back. “Hi, Molly, I see you have your camera.”
Molly hugs Raelynn and James. “I do.” Molly holds up her very large and expensive camera. “I have already started taking pictures. I hope that’s all right.”
“That’s perfect. I want some action pictures and some candid shots as well. Poses are nice, but I did want a variety of mixed shots,” Emma says.
“If you don’t mind later, could I get some shots of me and Rae? It’s been awhile.”
“No, not at all.”
Emma takes my hand and we walk into the already busy banquet hall.
“I didn’t realize Molly was our photographer.”
“She’s the best around. I checked others and no one compared to the quality of her work.”
I smile at our guests and add, “So I should assume my ex-wife will be at our wedding.”
Emma waves and smiles to our guests and says, “You should.” She leaves me and joins our family and friends.
“Is everything all right, Daddy?”
“It’s fine, Raelynn.”
I watch as James and Raelynn run over to the table where the Grannie Nannies are seated. I head straight to the bar where the guys are.
“Need a drink?” Mason asks.
“I may need two,” I say as I watch my ex-wife maneuver around the room with her camera in hand. I nod to the bartender to bring me a double.
Mason laughs and says, “Does this have to do with your ex-wife being here?”
I look at him; he is smiling.
“Don’t start.”
“You didn’t know?”
“You have to ask?”
I tip the shot back and I order another round for all of us.
“Hi, Alec,” Angel says as she hugs me. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I down another drink and decide that should be enough to take the edge off.
“I ordered you a cranberry juice,” Mason says as he hands Angel her drink.
“Great, thank you. I just looked at Molly’s portfolio and she does amazing work,” Angel says as she takes a drink of her juice.
“Alec is a little upset because his ex-wife will be at his wedding,” Mason says.
He laughs and I now can hear Vincent and Donovan laugh, too.
“Alec, if it doesn’t bother Emma, it shouldn’t bother you,” Angel says honestly. “Besides, you’ll have the best wedding pictures out of all of us. I thought our photographer was good, but I think Molly has him beat.”
“Thanks, Angel.” I look around the room and add, “I have to mingle; enjoy.”
I walk away from the bar already feeling better. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or what Angel has said. Emma comes up and kisses me, and I soon forget where Molly is. I am thankful she is blending in with the crowd.
“Are you still mad?” Emma is smiling, and her smile makes me smile.
“Not mad — ‘shocked’ is a better word.”
“Are you still shocked?” she jokes.
“If it doesn’t bother my soon-to-be wife that my ex-wife is at our rehearsal dinner, it shouldn’t bother me.”
“Good, because as odd as all this sounds, now that you worded it like that, I’m fine with it. But would you mind if we call her Molly, or Raelynn’s mom?”
Someone says, “Smile,” and we look at the camera.
“Molly wants us to smile,” I say, almost laughing.
Emma looks at me and she is also laughing. After several pictures, Molly leaves.
“See, this isn’t awkward at all,” I say, laughing.
Brooke
Before the wedding begins, I walk around and make sure everything is in its place. The bar is set up and the bartenders are in place. Drinks before the wedding: This is a brilliant idea. “Champagne, please,” I tell the bartender.
“Drinking before the wedding, are ya?” my husband says from behind me.
I turn around and see Brice. Molly comes up and snaps a few candid shots of Brice and me. “I thought I would; our children are at the sitter’s and I’m not driving tonight. Would you like a glass of champagne?” I ask Brice.
“I’ll have a Corona, please,” he tells the bartender.
“Lime?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Molly and a few other guests join us at the open bar. Molly introduces us to her friends: Bobby and his wife, Leah. I remember the name, but Bobby doesn’t look like what I thought he would. He is buff, tall, and extremely good looking. Mason and Angel come up to us with the twins. Angel introduces the twins to everyone and I ask to hold one.
Ana and Alex are dark-haired babies with dark eyes. Bobby’s wife, Leah, holds Ana and I hold Alex.
“Oh, Angel and Mason, they are beautiful.” I smile and kiss the baby on the forehead.
Angel and Mason stand nearby, admiring their own children. “Thank you, Brooke. We think so, too.”
Bobby takes the baby from Leah and says, “With luck, we’ll have one of these next year.”
Brice lightly touches the babies’ dark hair and says, “Us, too. A little girl would be nice.”
“Or a little boy,” I add.
“Brice and Bobby laugh and Bobby says, “You can’t go wrong with a boy or a girl.”
“How is your book coming, Brooke?” Angel asks.
“Great, thank you. Hoping to have it self-published by the end of the year.”
Mason says, “That soon? That’s very impressive.”
“Thank you, what’ll be impressive is if it sells,” I say, laughing.
Molly takes more photos and excuses herself. Soft music begins to play and we all take our seats. Before sitting down, we brush off the silver glitter from the seats. I smile because I know this is Raelynn’s surprise decorative contribution to the wedding. “Looks like there are going to be some glittery butts at the wedding,” I say, laughing.
Brice sits close and runs his thumb across my bare shoulder. I rest my head on his shoulder and he kisses my head. “We don’t have near enough alone time together,” he says.
“No, we don’t. This feels like a date,” I admit.
Brice smiles and says, “Remind me to date you more often.”
“I’ll be right back. I want to check on Emma. A marriage takes precedence over a date.”
“True, but sometimes you need to date your wife.”
Emma
“Emma, I swear you are the most beautiful bride ever.”
I look at myself in the full-length mirror in my and Alec’s bedroom and say, “Thank you, mom.”
The curtains and blinds that are normally opened are now closed. I love the natural light and the view of the lake from the bedroom, but because of the wedding beginning soon, Mom and Cheryl closed all the blinds in the house so I can’t see out and Alec can’t see in.
I want to look outside at the gazebo, but I’m not allowed to see it. Alec, with the help of the Grannie Nannies, was responsible for taking care of the wedding decorations. Oh, yeah, Raelynn and James also helped.
“May I just have a peek outside, please?” I beg. “I just want to see what it looks like.”
“No peeking,” my mom insists.
Molly is also here, taking pictures of us getting ready. “But I will tell you this,” Molly says as she takes more pictures from the bedroom window, “it is totally gorgeous.” Molly takes posed and candid shots as we are in preparation for the wedding.
My mom puts my veil on and I begin to cry. Doris wipes away the tears and smiles. “You know you’ll ruin your makeup.”
“I know, but I can’t help it.”
“Take a deep breath,” Brooke says. I laugh and sniffle and she says, “It’s almost time.” I can only nod. “Do you have your something old, sheer, stolen, and beer?”
“Brooke, shut up.” And I have to laugh. I know she is doing this so I won’t cry. I have my something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Thank you very much.”
“Old, new, borrowed, and blue, that’s it. What do you have old?”
“My grandmother’s monogramed handkerchief.”
“New is your wedding dress. What’s borrowed?” she asks.
“The pearl necklace I borrowed from you.”
“And it looks beautiful, by the way.”
“Thank you, very much.” I giggle.
“Blue? I don’t see blue.”
I say shyly as I clear my throat, “And you won’t see it either.”
“Okay, I know what that would be. Good choice.”
My mom looks out the window and says, “It’s time, Emma. We need to go. Stay here and wait for your dad.”
“Don’t cry, Emma,” Raelynn says as sweetly as she can.
I hug her and admire her beautiful white dress with a silk silver ribbon. Her hair is done up in big loose curls that fall down around her face. “Raelynn, these are very happy tears.”
I hug everyone and Raelynn and I watch as they all walk out the door. I’m thankful that Molly goes with them. I need a minute of alone time. I take several deep cleansing breaths before there is a soft knock at the door and in walks my dad and Danny. Seeing them makes me cry even more. Danny and my dad both have glassy eyes, and I know they are trying to hold it together, too.
I stand when they enter the room.
“Em, you look stunning,” Danny says as he gently hugs me.
“Thank you.” I swallow the lump in my throat and try to blink back the tears.
My dad hugs me next and says, “It’s time, Emma. Are you ready?”
“I am.” I kiss and hug Raelynn and my dad offers me his elbow. I watch as Danny offers Raelynn his elbow, but she takes his hand instead. We walk down the stairs to the back door, and Danny instructs Raelynn what to do. The music begins and she heads out with her small white basket. When the music changes again, my heart races and my palms begin to sweat. My dad is to my left and Danny is to my right. I asked my dad and Max’s dad, Danny, to both give me away. Danny was thrilled and shocked. Danny and Cheryl will always be my family. Even with Max gone, that doesn’t change anything.
“Are you ready?” my dad asks.
I nod. I loop my arms around Danny’s and Dad’s arm. When the song “This I Promise You” by Ronan Keating comes on, we begin the wedding march. The lyrics cause a steady stream of tears to come full force. The backyard is transformed into a paradise. Twinkling white lights and white candles illuminate the yard and the wedding aisle. I see tiki torches down by the lake, lining the cobblestone walkway. As we walk, I see glitter mixed in with the silk lilac petals I chose for Raelynn to toss. I cry and as fast as I blink away the tears they come again. I follow the trail of glittery lilac petals along the red carpet until Alec comes into view.
I stop and just stare at him. He looks so handsome standing there. James is standing behind Alec, looking proud and wearing the same black, long-tailed tux and silver bowtie that Alec is wearing. Raelynn is standing opposite of Alec tossing glitter where I’ll be standing. I remember his proposal when Alec asked me to marry him and Raelynn. This truly is a family affair.
“Come on, Em, your husband-to-be and your children are waiting for you,” Danny says. I smile and begin to walk towards my family who are waiting for me at the altar. As we near, Alec steps down from that altar to meet us. I kiss my dad and then I kiss Danny, before I take Alec’s hand.
“You look so beautiful,” Alec says. I just smile and look at him through blurred vision. Although my tears are distorting my vision of him, I know he looks handsome.
He leads me under the gazebo, which is covered in white lights and tulle ribbon. It is stunning. The sun is just beginning to set on the lake. Alec and I decided to write our own wedding vows. Max and I used the traditional vows, as did Alec and Molly. We wanted something more original for our wedding.
“Emma,” the preacher says and it’s my cue to go first. I turn around and hand Raelynn my bouquet of lilacs to hold for me. I smile and take a deep breath. I didn’t write anything down for fear of crying and not being able to see the words I had written, so I decided to speak from my heart.
Alec takes my hands and holds them as he caresses my knuckles. I smile and say, “Alec, I love you, and I love Raelynn as if she were my own. You walked into my life like a storm that I couldn’t control.” People who know our whole story laugh and Alec chuckles. I smile and say, “We have been through so much in just a short time, and I am eager and excited to see where our life is headed, together, as a family. I feel that together there isn’t anything we can’t do.” He squeezes my hand and I add, “I promise to always be there for you, to always be supportive of you and to always love you. I promise to be the wife you deserve, to be the friend you need and to be the best mother to our children that I can possibly be. I will always love you, for ever and ever.” I smile and he leans in to kiss me. Everyone laughs and the preacher clears his throat. I can feel Alec’s smile on my lips
Alec slowly backs away and whispers, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t wait,” to the preacher without taking his eyes off mine.
“It’s all right, son.”
Alec clears his throat and says, “Emma, thank you for accepting the kids’ and my wedding proposal.” I smile and the congregation laughs. “I love you, James, and Raelynn with everything that I am as a man. I would give my life for yours and theirs. I vow to be a man, husband, and father whom you will always be proud of. I give you my word that I will love you every day of my life.” I wipe away the tears from my cheek and Alec leans in and kisses me quickly and then says, “I promise to always love you, James, and Raelynn for ever and ever.”
We exchange rings and he kisses me with such tenderness. When our kiss ends, we each turn around and I kiss and hug Raelynn as he does the same to James. We are united as a couple and as a family. Alec and I stand, and Raelynn, I, Alec, and James hold hands and face our family and friends.
“I would like to introduce you to Dr. and Mrs. Alec Ray Collins and family,” The preacher announces.
The crowd erupts in cheers and laughter, and we lift our hands and smile. This is my family, and I couldn’t be happier.
After the ceremony Alec and I walk around the yard that has been transformed into our wedding paradise. The white tents cover the white linen tables that are adorned with white pillar candles, lilac flowers, and silver glitter. The food buffet is set up to the right of the tent and the wedding party table is front and center.
A band and a makeshift dance floor are set up down by the boat dock. The wedding cake is stunning. Although Alec and I picked out the cake together, it appears to be even more impressive now that it is our wedding cake. It is a seven-layer fountain cake decorated with lilacs.
Alec and I take a seat at the head table with our best man and maid of honor, Raelynn and James. James lightly taps his water glass with a spoon to get the attention of the guests and the glass breaks. The grandpas rush up to the table to help James prepare to make his best man speech. I make sure he isn’t cut from the glass before taking my seat.
My dad tells James to tap another glass to get the attention of the guests. They all look up and James looks scared. Alec moves his chair slightly back so I can see the best man make his speech. My nose tingles and I will the tears not to come. I don’t want to miss this moment. The grandpas stay on stage and James turns around and whispers, “I can do it.” They reluctantly sit down and James holds the microphone. Raelynn stands up and walks over to James. This is unexpected and I have no idea what they will say or what is planned.
“Sissy and I want to thank you guys for coming to our mommy and daddy’s wedding.” James and Raelynn turn slightly to face Alec and me, and I reach for Alec’s hand. “Sissy and I love you ever and ever,” James says as he and Raelynn raise their water glasses, indicating everyone to toast their speech. This has obviously been rehearsed and James and Raelynn perfected it. Alec and I toast their speech with each other and with Raelynn and James. I hug them both and my heart bursts with the pride that I have for them.
We have dinner, cut the wedding cake, and then dance with each other and with the kids. The band is good and plays a variety of music for everyone, including something for the kids.
I slip away from the party and walk down by the water where the tiki torches line the cobblestone path. The skies are clear and the winds are calm. I watch the moon’s reflection off the water and feel a slight breeze blow across my face. I have to wonder if it’s Max. My thoughts drift back to mine and Max’s own wedding day and how wonderful my life was with him. I will always love him and will never understand why he was taken from me so soon. Someone walks up behind me and wraps his strong arms securely around me. I rest my head on Alec’s chest and he whispers into my ear, “I’ll always love you ever and ever.”
I close my eyes and smile. I feel another cool breeze blow across my face again and I know it’s Max’s way of telling me goodbye. A single tear falls from my face and I turn around and wrap my arms around Alec’s neck. I pull him closer and say, “I’ll love you ever and ever.”
Epilogue: One Year Later
Alec
Raelynn is back to her normal, bubbly, skipping-around self after the school shooting. James, although he’s two years younger than Raelynn, has had a growth spurt and is now the same height as Raelynn. I never asked how tall Max was, but I can assume he was well over 6 ft. Sara and Donovan got married on Valentine’s Day and they are in the process of adopting a boy from Spain. Molly’s photography business has taken off, as I knew it would and she and Adam are now engaged to be married. I like Adam and I am happy for them both. Raelynn and James actually spent the weekend with Molly. Molly and Adam are getting married next weekend, and Emma and I are their best man and matron of honor. He is a good guy and is great to Raelynn, James, and Molly. I have come to like and trust Adam. Molly and I are better off as friends than we were as husband and wife.
I lie in bed and watch my beautiful wife sleep. She is so beautiful. She stirs and I lie still, not wanting to wake her. I watch her and her eyes flutter open. She smiles and I have to smile, too.
“Happy anniversary, Baby.” I lean in and kiss her sweetly.
“Happy anniversary, Alec. How long have you been up?” she asks.
“Not long,” I lie.
She smiles; she knows I am lying. I never sleep in, but here lately I stay in bed with her as long as I can.
“Have you had your coffee yet?” she asks.
“No, not yet. I was waiting on you.”
“Give me a minute, and we’ll go down together.”
I watch as my very pregnant wife gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom. I make the bed while she is in there and wait patiently for her to finish. “Do you need help?” I joke, after she has been in there for a while.
“I can’t see my feet,” she yells from the bathroom, and I laugh. She’s in the bathroom, so why does she need to see her feet? “I can’t see the scales either.”
That explains it. I walk into the bathroom and say, “Let me see.”
She carefully steps off the scales and smiles at me. Emma never lets me see her weight. “Nice try, Mr. Collins.”
“What? I was just trying to help, Mrs. Collins,” I say, laughing.
“Do my feet look swollen?”
She lifts up her white eyelet nightgown so I can see her feet. I look and they are fine. Emma is six and half months pregnant, but she looks pregnant only in her belly. To see her from the back, you could never tell she was expecting. “No, Baby, your feet aren’t swollen.”
“Are you sure, because my toes feel fat.”
I want to laugh because I have no idea what fat toes would feel like. “Are you hungry, Emma?”
“I’m starving.” And just like that she forgets all about her fat toes.
We walk through our home and I admire the photos throughout the house. Angel was right about Molly; our wedding pictures are beautiful. Molly does great work.
After a hearty breakfast and decaffeinated coffee, we shower and get ready for church. James and Raelynn run up to us when they see us entering the church. Molly and Emma get along very well, which has proven to be very beneficial to Raelynn and to James. We sit with Molly as Adam gives the sermon today. The topic today is “Live for today for tomorrow may never come.”
Emma places my hand on her belly and I can feel my son kick. Our son. Emma and I are excited to be welcoming our son into the world right around the start of the New Year. The baby’s room is almost completely decorated. James thought the baby’s room should be done in ninjas, of course, Raelynn wanted rainbows and unicorns. Luckily for me and Emma, we all agreed on colorful baby dinosaurs.
After church services we say our goodbyes. We go to the grocery store because this is our week to stock the schoolhouse with the weekly supply of food. We take turns supplying the kitchen with Brooke and Brice and each of the grandparents. The grandparents each insisted they get a turn.
When we go home, we have a leisurely day as we celebrate our one-year anniversary. Emma and I were a family with the kids before we got married so other than us becoming man and wife, nothing really has changed. Except she is now mine ever and ever and I am hers ever and ever. Oh, and the fact that in a few months we’ll have a new addition to our family.
We thaw the top of the wedding cake and we attempt to eat it. The kids like it, and Emma and I decide one bite should suffice to bring us good luck. Another tradition Emma believes in.
Mason and Angel called us to see if we want to rent a large cabin in the mountains of Tennessee for the Christmas holiday. Sara, Donovan, Brea, Vincent, and all the kids will be coming, too. Emma and I discuss it and decide it sounds like a great time. Emma says it sounds like a Magical Christmas, and I can’t be certain if she is kidding or if she is being serious. It sounds fun, but magical, I’m not so sure.
Adam
I make sure all the arrangements are made before our wedding tomorrow. We have a large church upstairs, but I met Molly in the small chapel downstairs and that’s where I want our wedding to take place. My father disagrees, but the smaller chapel is perfect for me and Molly. She is a simple and beautiful girl. I knew from the first time I saw her she was different and I was right. I knew I wanted to get to know her and I am very blessed to be marrying her.
Molly’s ex-husband, Alec, is my best man. I know this is unorthodox and some people won’t understand it. Molly and Alec are both good people who have been able to be friends after their divorce; this has been very beneficial in Molly’s recovery and for Raelynn. Emma has also agreed to be Molly’s matron of honor. Outside of the church, Molly and I have very few friends. I prefer it that way.
I’m not jealous of Alec and I have grown to really like him. He’s a great father to Raelynn and to James and he is a wonderful husband to Emma. I know he was good to Molly during their marriage and that Molly has made bad decisions. I can’t judge her for her poor choices, for I have made them, too.
Molly and I have talked about having children once we get married and she explained that she’ll never be able to be a full-time mom to Raelynn and she can’t bring a child into this world, knowing how badly she failed her first child. I understand her reasoning although no one holds it against her. Alec and Emma now include Molly with everything pertaining to Raelynn, from schoolwork to doctor appointments. Whenever Molly gets Raelynn, she also gets James. I think Molly likes that and Raelynn and James have a close bond. I’m happy being a step-parent to Rae. I don’t need a child of my own to be happy or to feel fulfilled. Raelynn and Molly fill all of my needs.
Molly shows up at the church after her photo shoot and instructs the florist where to put the flowers. It’s a small area and the pink stargazer lilies fill up the space perfectly. Mom, Dad, Bridget, and Sam walk in and also help with the tulle ribbon, lights, and candle placement. It will be a very small and intimate wedding with my dad officiating.
“I guess we’ll shower and meet up at the restaurant at 7:00 p.m.,” I say. Molly and I don’t live together and we haven’t made love yet. I am a man of God and believe premarital sex to be a sin. I have surely sinned in the past, but I try very hard to be a man whom God would approve of.
“Sounds good and you can bring over another carload of your things if you want after the rehearsal dinner,” Molly says.
“It’s already loaded, I just need to drop them off.”
The rehearsal dinner is beautiful. We have a set menu of shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, petit filets, baked potato, and house salad for the main course and lemon meringue cheesecake and coffee for dessert. We also added mushroom ragout with pasta as a vegetarian alternative. We have sparkling cider for toasting.
Molly
Raelynn and I wake up to my wedding day at my parents’ house. I think it’s the first time Raelynn has stayed with me without James. This is a nice girly day. We are getting a mani/pedi and then getting our hair done — orders from my mother. Who am I to argue? Mom made appointments for her, Raelynn, me, Emma, and Adam’s mom, Teresa.
Raelynn and I have never had a girly day together before. Emma meets us all at the salon, but she looks tired. She sits in the chair and closes her eyes as she soaks her feet. “Aww, I forgot how much I like these.”
I laugh and I have to agree. “Nothing is more relaxing than a pedicure.” I think Emma sleeps through hers and Raelynn giggles as they massage her feet. Teresa and mom talk about the wedding and the reception.
When we are done, we all go to the church to get ready. Raelynn’s dress fits her perfectly. It is ivory silk and lace with a pink sash tied around her waist. I am so happy, and my little girl looks beautiful. Emma leaves to go check on James, our ring bearer, who is getting ready with the guys. Teresa and mom place my veil on me, and I stand in front of the full-length tri-fold mirror and stare at each angle it has to offer. My dress is a long cream-color formal gown, and my floral bouquet is made of the same pink stargazer lilies decorating the church.
“Molly, you look beautiful,” Teresa says, and my mother agrees. Adam has never been married and his parents are thrilled for us. Adam and I are marrying late in the afternoon because we have a flight to catch. Adam has arranged for us to honeymoon in the Bahamas. We’ll fly over and take a cruise ship back. Since we live in Florida, this is a very affordable trip.
“Molly, we must go and take our seats,” my mother says. She and Teresa kiss me and Raelynn before exiting the room.
My dad stops at the door and just stares at me. “Molly, you look beautiful.” He walks over to me, closing the distance between us. He takes my hands and looks at me and says, “You look just like your mother on our wedding day.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
Emma comes in and says, “It’s time.” I hug Raelynn and Emma and thank Emma for all she has done for me and Raelynn. We leave the room and wait outside the chapel doors. Raelynn walks in first, but she turns around and waves to me. I smile and wave back. I mouth, “I love you,” before she leaves. Emma walks out next and she also looks behind her at me. She gives me a big smile before she disappears. My dad squeezes my hand, but doesn’t say anything. Our wedding song, “Because You Love Me” by Jo Dee Messina, begins to play, and dad and I enter the chapel.
The church is small and packed. The first thing I notice is the glittery flowers that Raelynn dropped. I follow the pink glittery trail until Adam comes into view. I am happy to see his blond hair is still spikey. I was afraid he would comb it down. He is smiling, and I think my heart just skipped a beat. I look at Alec and James before I look at Emma and Raelynn. They are all smiling at me.
I look at the pews and see my friend Bobby and his wife, Leah. I smile and say a silent prayer of thanks to God for letting each of us find our piece of happiness and the happiness of peace.
As soon as the wedding is over, Adam’s dad, Wesley, who is officiating the wedding, introduces us as Mr. and Mrs. Adam Wesley McDaniel. Adam looks over at me, takes my hand in his, and says, “Well, Mrs. McDaniel, I do believe that this is the ultimate high.”
Books by Brenda Kennedy
Mending Hearts is Book Three and the final book of The Freedom Trilogy.
Book One: Shattered Dreams
Book Two: Broken Lives
Book Three: Mending Hearts
Other books written by this author include:
The Starting Over Trilogy (Featuring Mason and Angel)
Book One: A New Beginning
Book Two: Saving Angel
Book Three: Destined to Love
The Fighting to Survive Trilogy (Featuring Bobby and Leah)
Round One: A Life Worth Fighting
Round Two: Against the Odds
Round Three: One Last Fight
The Rose Farm Trilogy (Featuring Abel and Savannah Mae)
Book One: Forever Country
Book Two: Country Life
Book Three: Country
Coming Soon:
The Forgotten Trilogy… Coming Soon
Book One: Leaving the Past. Coming… Summer 2016
Book Two: Living for Today. Coming… Fall 2016
Book Three: Seeking the Future. Coming… Winter 2016
Prologue to A Life Worth Fighting
Robert
I kiss my wife, Leah, goodbye before I head out for my morning run. I’m currently training for my first boxing match in almost two years. Life interfered with my dreams, wreaking havoc on everything I once held near and dear.
I dress in gray sweats and a gray hoodie. Before I head out the door for my roadwork exercise, I secure my iPod to my arm. Sure, running builds endurance, but I also do it to clear the thoughts from my head. I double-check the time on my watch, lock up the house, and I’m off. The song “The Eye of the Tiger” is set on repeat on my iPod and pounds in my ear through the earbuds. I know it’s cliché, but what can I say? I’m a Rocky Balboa fan. When I hear that song, I feel like I can take on the world.
I let my feet pound into the pavement and let the music set my running pace. It’s a 15-mile run, and I have the time down to a science. Midway through my run, I stop at the local florist, as I do once a week.
“Good morning, Bobby.”
“Hello, Mrs. Ford.” Mrs. Ford is the elderly woman who owns and runs the floral shop.
“It’s a beautiful day today.”
“Yes, ma’am, it is. May I have a dozen pink roses, please?”
“I have them all ready for you.”
I pay for my purchase, thank her, and head towards the door. “Bobby, will I see you next week?”
“Yes, Mrs. Ford. Thank you and have a nice day.”
“You, too, dear.”
I run the short distance to the cemetery and kneel in front of the black and gold tear shaped tombstone with the name “Jamie Sue Grether.” I place today’s fresh roses down and remove the flowers from last week. Deep breaths help me to keep my anger under control as I wipe the tombstone off with the clean cloth I carry in my hoodie pocket just for this purpose. I kiss my index and middle fingers and press them gently to her name that is engraved in gold.
I turn to leave, and I swear another piece of my heart stays there with Jamie. I turn up the music on my iPod and pound my feet into the cement in time with the music until I reach home.
“How was your run?”
I look up and see that my wife, Leah, is in the kitchen having a cup of coffee. She is standing at the stove wearing a white blouse, a gray pencil skirt, and gray heels. I smile as soon as I see her. I look at my watch, and I am pleasantly surprised that I shaved off another minute from my running time.
“It was good. I made better time today.”
“Did you make all your stops today?” Leah is referring to the stops at the florist and to see Jamie.
“I did. Let me shower, then we’ll have breakfast together before you leave.”
“Sounds good.”
I walk over and kiss her before I disappear the back room. When we bought the house, Leah and I turned a room in the back of the house into a training room for me. It has everything I need to train, plus a shower. It was Leah’s idea; she didn’t want me stinking up the house with my sweaty clothes.
Leah and I dated in high school. She went on to college, where she took business courses while I trained to be a pro-boxer. It was my dream, even as a small child. I honestly believe I would have reached my goal of being world champion by now if life hadn’t interfered in the cruelest way.
After my shower, I return to the kitchen, and Leah is just finishing making breakfast. We eat together in the eat-in kitchen and talk over a breakfast of oatmeal, whole-wheat toast, and fresh strawberries. Leah knows that while she works I’ll spend the majority of my day training.
“What are your plans today?” I ask.
“I thought I would go to work, then stop by the store on my way home. I need to get a few things.”
“I can go to the store after my workout if you want.”
“Good, I need an ovulation kit and some tampons.” She smiles, and I know she is laughing on the inside.
I smile, too. I’m not going to the store for that kind of stuff. “Is there anything else you want me to do today?”
“After you go to the store?” she asks.
“Instead of,” I correct.
“Don’t want to go to the store?” she asks.
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. I have a shipment of books and supplies coming in today. Do you want to come over and help me put those away?”
“I can do that,” I say as I finish off my orange juice.
“Good, it’s going to be a significant delivery.” Leah stands and takes our empty bowls into the kitchen. I stand and follow behind her with the juice glass and empty coffee cups.
Leah turns around and hugs me. “I need to go before I’m late. I’ll see you around 6:00 p.m.?”
“Six it is. I love you, Sweets. Have a good day at work.”
“Have a good day at home.” She giggles. “I love you, Robert.”
Leah and our parents are the only people who call me Robert; everyone else calls me Bobby. I kiss her one last time, inhaling her scent of buttercream and vanilla. Since she owns a bakery, coffee shop, and bookstore combined, her scent is unique to her. “Be careful, Sweets, and I’ll see you at 6:00,” I say as I hold the door open for her.
“Sure you don’t want to pick up my tampons and ovulation kit for me?” she teases.
“Positive.” I watch as she gets into the Tahoe, buckles up, and pulls out of the driveway.
My phone rings and I’m surprised to see it’s from my trainer, Gus.
“Hey, Gus, what’s up?”
“I have some news.”
“Did Kennedy accept my challenge?” Abel Kennedy is the heavyweight champion.
“Haven’t heard anything back from him, and I won’t because you’re not a contender yet. Two years ago you were a contender; now you are opponent. Remember: This is your first fight in two years. Kennedy will ignore you until you do something impressive — in more than just one fight — that makes it impossible for him to ignore you. I’m calling to remind you of the scheduled fight for Friday, 8:00 p.m., in Chicago, against Bailey — John Bailey. Not that you need reminding, I should hope.”
I laugh and say, “He sounds like a sissy.”
Laughing, Gus says, “Don’t let his name fool you. They call him ‘Stone,’ because he hits like a rock. He’s a good fighter. You still have a reputation, so I was able to get him to fight you. He is a much better fighter than anyone else you would get a fight with after such a long layoff. If you can defeat him, I can get you a better fighter for your next fight. If you lose, it will be difficult to work yourself up to contender status. Remember: You lost one of your best fighting years to drugs. Make that two years: It took another year for you to recover from drug addiction and to get back into fighting shape.”
I think back to the year that I lost Jamie. It was by far the toughest year of my life. Leah and I both fell into comas after the car accident. When I woke up, I learned my daughter was dead and her funeral had already passed. Leah was still in a coma. I remember thinking that she won’t wake up and if she did wake up, she would blame me for the accident that took our Jamie from us, forever. I ran away and turned to drug abuse and addiction that almost killed me. Cheating on my wife was another huge mistake. I guess almost dying from a drug overdose is what ultimately saved me and saved my marriage. Well, not the overdose; what saved me was that Leah found me, with the help of the police, in the hospital. Luckily for me, Leah loved me unconditionally. She helped me detox, forgave my infidelity and encouraged me to fight again, although she hates it.
“What time do we leave?”
“We fly out Friday morning at 8:00. Make sure your dad is going, and I’ll get him a seat.”
“I’ll call him and get back with you. Leah’s dad may want to go to.”
“Meet me at Upper Cut tomorrow morning for your workout, and do your homework on John Bailey before the fight. There’re some online videos of him that I want you to watch.”
“Sounds good, see ya tomorrow.”
Note
David Bruce allowed me to use a few anecdotes from his books. The Josephine and Carl Bruce anecdotes appear in his book The Kindest People: Be Excellent to Each Other (Volume 5). It can be downloaded free; search for it on the web. The Mister Rogers anecdote appears in The Kindest People Who Do Good Deeds: Volume 2, which is available for sale.
Martina Donna Ramone and David Bruce allowed me to use the story about playwright and screenwriter Charles MacArthur and his wife, actress Helen Hayes, and the death of their daughter, Mary, from polio. It appears in their book Honey Badger Goes to Hell — and Heaven. It can be downloaded free; search for it on the web.
By the way, David Bruce wanted me to put this here:
“In January 2015, I, David Bruce, had over 11,000 free downloads of my books (many are permanently free) and approximately 100 sales. To whoever bought 50 copies of my books on 11 February 2015, thank you. PS: I love you.”
I support Indie Authors. If you read this book, please take the time to go on the purchasing site and give it a review. Independent authors count on your reviews to get the word out about our books. Thank you for taking the time to read our books and taking the extra time to review them. We all appreciate it very much.
Disclaimer: People and places in this book have been used fictitiously and without malice.
Acknowledgments
My husband, Rex: Thank you for supporting me and for coming with me on this ride. What a year it has been! I will always love you.
My Children: Carey, John, Derek, Nikki, Chastidy, Rex, Brittany, Amanda, and Katie: Thank you for reminding me what is important every single day. I love you.
My Grandchildren: Desmond, Samantha, Autumn, Evan, Derek, Dayquan, Darius, Draden, Alyssa, Hailey, Lucca, Tanner, Giovanni, Cain, Lelila, Kylie, DeVonte’, Adrienne, Amaya, Dominic, Damien, Caden, and Gemma: Thank you for reminding me that I am somebody; I am your grandma and nothing else matters. I love you all.
My sisters and brothers: George, Martha, Rosa, Carla, and Frank: Thank you for your support. I love you.
My other brother, David: Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to publish the first book. Thank you for making my ideas better and for all you do. Editing, proofreading, polishing, formatting, ideas, articles, and research websites. See, I do pay attention. Thank you. Thank you for pushing me until I get it right. Maybe someday, I’ll learn the right place to put the commas. I love you and I can never thank you enough.
Thank you to my daughters Brittany and Amanda Kennedy: Thank you for all your help at book signings, and with the book swag. I couldn’t have done them without you.
Christina Badder, Owner and Operator of CBB Productions: My P.A., and friend. Thank you for taking care of all of my promotional needs. The blog tours, author spotlights, book cover reveals, give-a-ways, Rafflecopters, Thunderclap campaigns, ARC’s, and everything that I don’t know that you do or things I forgot to mention. I hope you know how much I appreciate your hard work and dedication.
Thank you to my Beta readers: Cathy Stotts, Lorraine McDonald, Natalie Neck, Nichole Taggart, Raelynn Chambers, Heather Ross-Cicio, Dove King Bailey, Heather Osborne, Heather Leach Schrader, Heaven Potter, Lou Ann Mohler, Jenni Crawford, Jessica King, Rhiannon Matthias, Sherry Gainey, Nimia Bradford, and Melissa Harvey. I appreciate you all, more than you know. I appreciate your honest opinions and reviews. I love the bond that we have developed and I appreciate that I can trust you.
Thank you to “Brenda’s Street Talkers,” for pimping my books, making teasers and banners, and just for the support I receive from you every day.
Thank you to Beth Maddox at Cover It Up Designs for the book cover. I love your work and your vision.
Missy MacKenzie Swain, owner of Noodle Noo Jewelry/Watches. Thank you for making and crafting my professional book swag. I love your framed charms, bookmarks, and key chains. To see Missy’s designs, go to Noodle Noo via Facebook. Thank you, and I look forward to seeing what else you come up with.
Thank you to all the bloggers who shared in the author’s spotlight and the blog tour for Mending Hearts. I appreciate you more than you know.
A very special thank you to my fellow author friends who help me every day, even when you don’t realize you are: Diane B. Jones, C.M. Hutton, Arden Aoide, David Bruce, ML Steinbrunn, Savannah Grey, and Layla Stevens for teaching me things that I am clueless about. I love each of you.
Raelynn Chambers: Thank you for your endless support and for having the cutest name ever. You inspired little Raelynn in my book and I love her and you.
All my family, friends, internet friends, and the Manatee County Jail nursing and corrections staff: Thank you all for your support and ideas. I have used many of your names in Mending Hearts.
My close family and very close friends: You may recognize many names and places in Mending Hearts. I had so much fun incorporating family names and some of my favorite places into this book. You all have definitely helped inspire many of the characters in this book.
To my readers: Thank you a million times over for reading and reviewing my books. Thank you to my loyal readers who have followed me from the beginning and to those who are new to my books.
About the Author
When I first started writing, I wanted to write about real people that others could relate to with real life problems and real jobs. I love to read about the billionaire 20-something-year-old, but knew this wasn’t the kind of story I want to write. When my first trilogy, The Starting Over Trilogy, took form, I was thrilled to be able to make the book as close to realistic as I could.
I wanted to touch on real-life problems. Not because I want to show the weakness in my characters, or to show the disturbing truth, but because I wanted to show my characters’ strengths. The Starting Over Trilogy dealt with domestic violence. A problem all too familiar for too many women and men.
Then came The Freedom Trilogy, a spinoff of The Starting Over Trilogy. My book started off with the All-American military family and the real problems some face during deployment. I picked my daughter’s brain and used her real emotions during the deployment stage. Thank you, Amanda.
I was also fortunate enough to add another real crisis in this series: drug abuse and addiction — problems all too common in the county I reside in and all across the globe. I had a very dear online friend who opened up and shared her very sad story with me. I attempted to make Molly’s drug problem as realistic as I could. I’m not one to judge and much like my characters in my book, I try to be understanding in realizing that everyone deals with stress differently. I know that life isn’t fair and we all are not born equally. I won’t mention any names, for it’s not my story to tell, but a BIG THANK YOU goes out to my friend and informant. You know who you are and please take a bow. You are truly amazing and my hero.
I hope in my future books I am able to continue to write about problems most of us face while continuing to give my characters their Happily Ever After.
One a lighter note: I moved to sunny Florida in 2006 and never looked back. I love fresh squeezed lemonade, crushed ice, teacups, wineglasses, non-franchise restaurants, ice cream cones, boating, picnics, cookouts, throwing parties, lace, white wine, mojitos, strawberry margaritas, white linen tablecloths, fresh flowers, and Pinterest. I also love to read and write and to spend time with my family.
My books, thus far, have been inspired by the things I love and the people who influence me, every single day, to be a better person.
You may follow me on:
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