Kane
“Fox, grab her!” I shouted as Zandra started to sway, her eyes going so wide I could see the whites all around the iris.
My little boy grabbed his mother’s arm and the contact pulled her out of whatever was happening to her. I stood up and put my arms around her, holding her close. “Baby, are you okay?”
“No.” Her nails curled into my back as she held onto me like she’d never let me go.
I prayed that word meant that she wasn’t okay and wasn’t the answer to my marriage proposal.
“No?” I moved into the apartment with her, still holding until I got her into a chair. Looking at her, I saw her pupils were wide, and there was a lot of fear behind those pretty blue eyes. “It’s okay, Zandra. It really is.”
“How?” Her eyes moved back and forth rapidly as if searching mine for an answer.
“Because I’m here, and so is Fox.” I knelt in front of her, the diamond engagement ring on my pinky finger. I took her hands in mine while Fox stood quietly beside me. “Baby, I haven’t exactly done my best by you. I’ve failed you in many ways. I want the chance to make that right. I know you have some emotional scars that will never heal all the way. I know that you’ve got open wounds that need to be tended to. I can help you. Fox and I are the best medicine for you. No one else can do for you what we can.”
“Yeah, Mom.” Fox went to sit next to his mother, putting his little arm around her. “We want you to be a real part of our family. Please say yes to Dad.”
She watched Fox as he spoke to her then her eyes came to mine once more. “I need to tell you the truth, Kane.”
“Go ahead.” I rubbed her knuckles with my fingertips as I held her hands.
She gulped then said, “When I told you that I loved you, they were only words. I’m not sure I meant them. I didn’t lie, though. I just didn’t have as much feeling behind them as I think I should’ve.”
I’d figured she’d say something like that, so it didn’t hurt as much as one would think. “I believe that you will come to love me in time. And I will come to love you more in time, too. If you come be a part of this family that we created so long ago, I promise that you will learn how to love and be loved again, as you deserve to. We already love you so much. As my wife, you will be Fox’s mother in every aspect of the word. We’ll fill out all the paperwork to make it official. He’ll be yours once again.”
I knew her heart had skipped a beat by the way she looked at our son. “He would, wouldn’t he?”
Fox smiled, then kissed her cheek. “I don’t need no paper to tell me that I’m your kid, Mom. But if you need one, then it sounds like marrying Dad would make that all a lot easier.”
She caressed his cheek. “You’re such a wise little man, Fox.”
Turning her head to look at me, she caressed my cheek next. “You still want to marry me? I thought you’d hate me when I told you that. Even though you saw me break down, you still want to marry me? I don’t know which one of us is crazier.”
“Neither of us are, Zandra. We’re just products of our lives.” Pulling our clasped hands up, I kissed the backs of hers. “Tell me that you’ll marry me and make me the happiest man alive.”
Her lips stayed tightly shut. Her eyes closed. And she said nothing for so long that I wondered if she’d fallen asleep.
Fox and I looked at one another until we finally heard her soft reply. “I would love to marry you, Kane Price.”
Sighs of relief came out of both Fox and me. “Thank goodness,” he exclaimed, making Zandra and me both chuckle.
When Zandra opened her eyes, she said, “I think I need help. Lots of help, Kane.”
“And I will make sure you get it. You will never have to worry again. We can help each other heal the wounds from the past, together, so that we can have the best future possible for all of us. Fox and I need you as much as you need us.” I’d never said truer words in my life.
After a long group hug, Fox said, “Okay, now we go to leave me with Aunt Nancy and Uncle James while you guys go get married.”
Zandra laughed. “It takes a little more time than that for a wedding, Fox.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I got up off my knees and pulled her up with me. “You and I are taking a private jet to Vegas. We’re getting married stat, and then we’ll stick around to enjoy a short honeymoon there. Later, we can plan a longer honeymoon together. Anywhere you want and for as long as you want.”
Fox took his mother’s hand. “And when you guys come back, you’re moving into our home. It’ll be our home. And we will be a real family.”
“This is a dream, isn’t it?” she asked me.
“Nope.” I kissed her cheek as I pulled her toward her bedroom. “It’s not. Now get your purse, and make sure you’ve got your identification so we can get hitched.” In all the excitement, I’d yet to put the engagement ring on her finger. “Oh, let me get this on you.”
“Huh?” she asked as I turned her around to face me. As I slipped the ring on her finger, she gasped, one tear falling down her cheek. “Kane, it’s beautiful.”
“I had to pick out something that would match your beauty, Zandra.” Kissing the ring on her finger, I felt my heart swell. “I love you.”
She looked at me for a long time before she said, “I really do love you too, Kane Price. I really do.”
Shrugging, I said, “Yeah, I know you do. You may not have thought you meant those words, but I knew deep down that you did. You just didn’t want to believe in yourself that you were capable of that love. And you probably didn’t want to believe that I really love you, but it’s true.”
“Yeah, from me too, Mom,” Fox chimed in. “And I know you love me too, ’cause I can see it in your eyes.”
“Oh, hell,” she whimpered as more tears started trickling down her pink cheeks. “I mean, heck. Sorry.” She pulled her hands out of mine. “Let me go freshen up, grab my things, and I’ll be ready to go.”
She rushed away as I called out, “Take only what you really need. I’ll be buying you everything else.”
I heard her sob as she closed the bedroom door. Fox looked up at me with a grin. “Is this what I should expect when I ask a girl to marry me, Dad?”
“I sure hope not.” I ran my hand over his head. “I hope you don’t put the cart before the horse the way I did. I hope you find a girl and you both fall in love and only experience happiness when you pop the question and for the rest of your lives.”
With a nod, he said, “Yep. I think you’re right, Dad.”
When Zandra came back out, she’d changed into a beautiful light blue dress that flowed around her, all the way to her ankles. Her hair was pinned up prettily, and she looked every bit the part of a mother and wife. “You look amazing.”
Fox laughed. “Wow, Mom!”
She spun around, letting the lightweight fabric flow around her. “Thank you, guys. I’m ready to start my life now.”
Putting my arm around her waist, I led her out to the car. “Me too.”
Fox climbed into the backseat. “Yeah, me too.”
As we all laughed, I felt the air lighten around us. Things would be okay. I knew there would be hard times, but there would be more good times than bad.
I would make sure of it.