“I went to see Mummy.” Ben was bouncing up and down with excitement. “She looks like a princess.”
“I bet she does. You’re looking good, too.”
“It’s the suit!” Ben was giggling, stroking Hector, who was beautifully brushed and wearing a festive collar. The two were inseparable, joined at the hip.
Ben looked up at me, his dark brown eyes the same as Emma’s. In the six months we’d been together, Ben had grown dear to me. He’d been solid gold right from the start, and the more I got to know him, the more I loved him. My marrying Emma meant a full partnership. After today we would both be there for him. And I was determined to give it my best.
Now Ben was petting Hector, clearly deep in thought, “Erm, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.” I was putting on my tie, for the third time. My hands were shaking with nerves, and each time I did it, the knot got tighter and tighter. “What’s on your mind?”
“Seeing you’re marrying Mummy, I was thinking, you know, my dad is gone and well, Gavin has a mummy and a biological mummy, and well....”
My voice was coming from a million miles away. “You want to call me Dad?”
“If it’s okay?” Those eyes, so vulnerable.
“I’d love it!” The words ripped from me. I swept him up in a crushing hug. I’d thought that Emma saying she loved me was the pinnacle of my life, but this was right up there with it. “Thanks, Ben. I thought this day was perfect, but this makes it even better!”
While Ben was still laughing and Hector yapping excitedly, the vestry door opened. “Curtis? They’re ready for you.” Sam was looking pink-faced and hot in his grey suit. My best man, of course, and almost as nervous as me, by the looks of it.
“My dad’s ready.” Ben was testing it out.
Sam’s eyes widened, and then he was smiling. “Is he? Awesome! And you? Are you ready, too?”
“Right.” Ben straightened his coat. “Sit at the front. Be quiet. Keep a hold of Hector’s lead. And don’t pull faces at the vicar.”
“Rules to live by,” Sam said seriously.
And then it was time. I stepped out and looked at the sea of people. They turned as one, staring at me. My heart did its best to jump out of my body and got stuck somewhere in my throat. My knees seemed to be put on backwards, too.
“Come on, Dad.” A small hand grasped mine firmly. “Follow me.”
Dear Ben. Just like his mum. He’s got a heart the size of a planet.
I think that walk down the aisle was the longest of my entire life. The sea of faces coalesced and swirled, but I made it, fetching up at the alter where the vicar was waiting, Bible in hand.
“Stand here till Mummy comes.” Ben’s penetrating whisper brought me back to earth. “And don’t fidget!”
That made me laugh. “Thanks, son.”
He settled down on the front bench, Hector at his feet, and gave me the thumbs up. The music swelled, and then Emma appeared. She was wearing an ivory dress, the satin ruching sweetly over the gently swelling breasts, indent of waist, and then flowing to the floor. Sophisticated and sexy as hell.
Suddenly my heart went back to its proper place, and my hands stopped shaking. A feeling of great peace came over me. This was it. The start of the rest of our lives. And it was going to be perfect.
“Emma!” and before I quite realised it, I was walking up the aisle to greet her. “Darling!”
She was laughing as I kissed her. “Hi there. Been waiting long?”
“Forever. But I’ve got you now.”
I walked her down to the vicar, who was trying not to giggle.
Ben was smiling at us. “Told you she was pretty, didn’t I, Dad?”
Emma started at the word and then grinned at me, her brown eyes filled with gentle love. “Thanks, Ben,” she whispered.
“You look pretty. Not at all like a meringue,” Ben, our fashion commentator, continued.
At that, Hector barked, so I guess he was endorsing the opinion.
“Thank you very much.” Emma tried to sound cool and dignified, but we could all see she was trying not to laugh.
“You can start now,” Ben told us.
“Right.” I put an arm around Emma’s waist, holding the delicious curves close to me. “Let’s do this!”
And there you have it. We were married that morning, and the ceremony marked the start of the rest of our lives. It’s a happy one, rich with love and laughter. Ben is a darling, a golden boy who adores Pam, his new little sister, and who has huge plans for the little brother who will be with us in four months’ time.
Hector’s happy, too, settled in comfortably and getting a too-solid look around the tum thanks to Pam, who loves nothing better than feeding him biscuits. He’s definitely part Labrador; Hector has hollow paws.
As for my work, my pagoda is complete. The opening ceremony is next week. It’s as perfect as I’d hoped, and Fitzsimmons love it. I hear whispers that it will get me another RIBA.
While that would be a feather in my cap, I’m actually working on a new project: I got the idea from Ben’s ant farm. I want to build a mound that uses its subterranean structure to maximise energy efficiency. It’s a concept that has its challenges, but I think I can make it work.
“How’s my worker ant?” Emma, dear as always, was looking over my shoulder.
“It’s coming along.”
That perfume, peaches and summer afternoons, swirled around me. I had an arm around her, my hand tracing the perfect swell of rich hips.
Like always, I was solid at her very presence. “I think the kids need an early night.” My voice was hoarse with want.
Emma giggled, setting her growing baby bump jiggling. “Oh yeah?” She bent down and kissed my lips. “I think I can arrange it,” she murmured.
I looked into her loving brown eyes, stroked the silky hair and blessed myself again for the luck of having her walk into my life. My competent woman. Every man should have one.
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