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IVY
One Year Later
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BRIAN HAS BEEN WATCHING things closely, and in the past year, there haven’t been any changes to history, further confirming to us this was our destiny. Too many things just don’t add up otherwise.
A few weeks after David came home to me, we found out I was pregnant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy. A few weeks later, we tested the waters and applied for a marriage license and had no issues. We were married on the same day we said our vows all those years ago. It killed David to wait six months, but when I reminded him that I would be visibly pregnant in our wedding photos, he was all for it.
His name is still David. Brian gave him David as a middle name and my last name. So, he is officially Astor David Collins. Brian gave him a weird first name so people would understand why he went by his middle name. We decided to give him my last name for a few reasons.
One, less paperwork with me not having to change my name. Two, my last name is pretty common. But most importantly, we now don’t have to worry about changing the kid's last names. It was a quick process to add him to the kid's birth certificates.
So, by the time we had baby James Scott Collins, everything was in order. He was born at home, surrounded by David Miller, just like his brother and sister were. Scott took care of the kids for us and cried like a baby when he heard the name of his newest sibling.
David loved every moment of my pregnancy, and just like he said, he couldn’t keep his hands off me. Brian, Kevin, and Scott laugh it off now, and even the kids find it funny when he starts pulling me toward the bedroom even though they have no idea what is going on.
Brian and Kevin have moved into the house they built down the road, but they are over here daily. Brian and Kevin have been with our kids so much and can’t seem to stay away. They adopted twin girls whose parents died in a car accident. Kevin was on call that night and delivered them via emergency C section at thirty-one weeks. They had no family, so while still in the hospital, they started the process to adopt them, and it was finalized before they were released four months ago. There are plenty of babies to love on around the house now.
James comes to visit every few months for a long weekend and updates us on what’s happening. It seems Anna has crawled away and is leaving him alone, and Clint has been keeping a good eye on Scott. He has the museum starting and has this glint in his eye when he talks about all of David’s accomplishments. I can tell he loves being able to show them off.
David had gone back with his dad twice just to help with this or that for the museum, and the dates he has gone back match when the rumors of the sightings have happened, so that is always a running joke now.
We attended little Clara’s school play last month, and there were so many people there. David was nervous; it was his first big gathering, but he refused to miss her play. He said he missed so much already. He had been working with Brian and picked up a bit of a Southern accent to mask his famous voice.
One older lady stopped him and mentioned that he looks a lot like David Miller. He thanked her and said he has been told that before, but he’s checked, and there is no relation. She laughed and told him about seeing one of his concerts when she was younger. David loved to hear it.
I asked him that night if he missed singing and performing. He said he does a little but when he was there singing and performing, he missed me and the kids a whole lot more, so he doesn’t regret giving it up even for one moment. I smile at myself in the mirror at that before heading out to find David and the kids.
They are watching cartoons in the living room and still their PJs being the first one up. When David sees me up and dressed, he smiles.
“Where are you going, beautiful?”
“Well, first, Happy Birthday, and second, I’m going to Ivy Hill. Remember that Ivy Hill on what would be your eighty-seventh birthday. Got it?”
“I’ll be there, Ivy, always.” He smiles, knowing exactly what I mean.
I meet Scott at his office, and he walks over to the grounds with me. Ivy Hill always does a celebration for David's birthday. This year it isn’t as big as his eighty-fifth was, but it’s still busier than a normal day.
We walk in and notice the piano bench is perpendicular to the piano.
“What’s going on there?” I ask him.
Scott smiles. “We found some new information that my dad would sit with the bench perpendicular to the piano when he was writing music or playing, but only here at Ivy Hill. Interesting, isn’t it?”
I laugh. “Yeah, his small quirks helped make some great music.”
I follow him to the backyard and off to the side where there are fewer people, and I start scanning the crowds.
“Calm down, Ivy, he will be here. Dad would never let you down.”
That's something else that makes me smile. Scott has started to call David dad, and the first time he did, David cried. Now he still smiles every time.
Finally, over by a bench, I see him. I smile when my eyes lock with his. He nods his head to the part of the garden where we talked the last time we met here. An area that gets us away from the crowd.
When we are out of sight of the public, I reach over and hug him. He holds me tight and laughs.
“I never get tired of seeing that smile on your face, my beautiful girl.”
He hugs Scott too and smiles. “Thank you for being there for her when I couldn’t be. I don’t think I ever thanked you for that.”
“Of course, Dad, she is family.”
David smiles when he says dad and to know that one little thing still makes him smile means everything.
“You found your way back to me.” I smile at him.
“I did. I’d never leave you, my sweet Ivy.”
Just then, the opening chords to our song starts from the stage.
“Dance with me, beautiful?”
“Of course.”
He holds me close, and when the chorus starts, he sings, “Stay with me now, it’s now or never...” in my ear, and it makes me smile.
“You didn’t answer me last time, but I’m going to ask again. Are we happy?”
He smiles. “Deliriously happy. This isn’t the life I pictured growing up. I never thought I’d be a famous movie star or a singer. All I wanted was a wife who loved me as much as I loved her and kids to spoil. You gave me that with a twist. This life is so much better.”
