Epilogue

Brock

Six months later

I had to pinch myself to make sure this was really happening. It was early January and the New Year had an entirely different meaning for me this year. It was a new beginning, a new life that I was excited to embrace with Ashley by my side. I didn’t need to make a New Year’s resolution. I was going to be taking vows that committed me to something far more important than an empty promise to change who I was. I already had changed.

After years of heartache and trying to accept that I would never have the woman of my dreams, she was standing beside me, ready to make me her husband. It had taken a little longer than we had initially wanted to get to this point, but life had a funny way of working things out. It was on a schedule of its own choosing, not necessarily that of the people living those lives.

“Ready?” I asked her.

She nodded and smiled. “This is much better than that big wedding we thought we were going to have.”

“Yes, it is. I’m glad I get to share this with the people who truly matter. I feel selfish, and I don’t want to share it with anyone else.”

She giggled. “We are bad, bad people, but I love it. We don’t need anyone getting to see this part of our lives. Lord knows their imaginations are far more creative than reality.”

“You look beautiful,” I told her. “I love you.”

I reached for her and kissed her. The kiss started out innocently enough, but it didn’t take long for it to heat up. I lifted her dress. “We have time for a quickie, right?”

She giggled. “No, sir! I am not going to have sex in my wedding dress minutes before the wedding. I think that is breaking some cosmic rule.”

“Fine, but I really want you,” I said, pouting.

“Later.”

“Damn straight. I reserved the suite at the hotel. We get two whole days to make love without worrying about anybody walking in.”

We were waiting until spring to take an official honeymoon. For now we were going to drive up to Morgantown to stay the weekend. Tanner would be taking care of Jasper while we enjoyed a couple days to ourselves. It was sorely needed after the busy holidays filled with lots of family time.

Ashley kissed me, firing me up all over again. Then she sighed. “I love you. I can’t wait for tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t get to wear the dress. It just didn’t look right.”

I laughed. “No, I don’t think it would. I like this dress better. It suits you and who you are. It is perfect for our wedding.”

She smoothed down the white dress that flowed around her. It was a gauzy material that floated and gave her an ethereal appearance. It was the kind of dress a woman would wear to a barn dance and then to the beach. It was very country and very pretty. I loved it. It was so her. I liked that she was low maintenance. Even though she hadn’t spent hours primping, she was still prettier than any other woman I had ever seen. Yes, I was a little biased.

“You better get out of here before my daddy comes in here and pushes you out the window,” she teased.

“No more windows on our wedding day. I’ll make my escape in a more dignified fashion. Check and make sure the coast is clear.”

She giggled and walked to her bedroom door, pulled it open, and looked up and down the hall. “All clear,” she whispered.

I left her in the room and snuck out the back door. The tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding was being enforced by some in the family, but I’d needed to see her. I had managed to sneak in undetected while they were all busy setting up.

I smiled at Helen as I came through the front door. She looked great and, most importantly, was on her way back to good health. She gave me a scolding look, which told me she knew exactly what I had been up to. I grinned before going to hug her.

“Shh,” I whispered.

She was sitting next to Janna, who chuckled. “Too late. I think all of us know exactly where you were,” she said dryly. “Wipe the lipstick off your mouth.”

I burst out laughing and quickly wiped away the evidence of my secret rendezvous. We had moved out the furniture and put up enough folding chairs for the family to sit in. It was a private affair with only her family, Helen, and Janna in attendance. The minister was some guy we had found in the classifieds. He didn’t know us and therefore would have no interest in gossiping.

Hank stood at the front of the room with Jasper by his side. Anna and Leslie were acting as bridesmaids. Anna looked downright miserable with her swollen belly. She had been complaining that she would need a tent to wear if we didn’t hurry up and get the wedding done.

Tanner cleared his throat and one of Leslie’s daughters pushed a button on her cell phone, cuing up the bridal procession that had been downloaded to her phone.

All eyes turned to Ashley and Tanner as they made their way down the hall and into the living room. She was stunning. I carved the memory of her walking toward me into my brain. I wanted to remember the moment for the rest of my days.

After a brief ceremony, I kissed the bride.

“How are you feeling?” Ashley asked Anna as soon as the official business was out of the way.

“Fat. Swollen. Miserable. You said it got better. This isn’t better, Ashley. This is hell. How come you look so happy?”

Ashley laughed and rubbed her own growing belly. “I don’t know. Maybe the second time around is easier.”

I put my hand on her belly and smiled. “Or because this time it’s a little girl.”

Ashley winked. “You don’t know that, and I’m not going to let you find out.”

“I already know,” I said with full confidence.

“Who’s ready to eat?” Leslie asked.

There was a cacophony of shouts. We were all starving. The smells that had been coming from the kitchen all morning had made us all hungry. Leslie’s friend had started a catering company and we were the first clients. If it tasted as good as it smelled, the woman was going to be hugely successful.

We all filed into the formal dining room and sat around the table. The meal was served, and for the first fifteen minutes or so, no one spoke. The only sound that could be heard was the clattering of silverware against the plates. Even the kids were quiet as they ate.

“How’s that addition coming along?” Hank asked around a mouthful of prime rib.

“Almost done,” I answered. “Tanner has got a very nice setup out there. He picked out all the cabinetry and the flooring.” I turned to Tanner for my next comment. “I think you could have had a job as an interior designer,” I teased.

He laughed. “When you are as old as I am, you know what you like and what you don’t. I didn’t want carpet. Too much dirt. I think those floors we put in there look great.”

“They do look really good. We may have to redo the floors in the living room here with that same hardwood.”

Ashley was vehemently nodding her head in agreement, but her mouth was too full to say anything.

We had decided to live at the farm, but Tanner had insisted he wanted his own place. He didn’t want to intrude. With the sale of my house, we had the money to build a guest house on the property. It was a one bedroom with a full kitchen. I saw it as an excellent investment that would raise the value of the property—not that we were interested in selling anytime soon.

“So, when are you going to tell us what the baby is?” one of the kids asked.

Jasper rolled his eyes. “It’s a baby.”

We all laughed at his serious answer.

“We are keeping the gender of the baby a secret,” Ashley said. “It’s going to be a surprise.”

“What she means is she knows, but none of the rest of us can know. She’ll slip up one of these days,” I said with a sly smile.

She shook her head. “Nope. My lips are sealed.”

“How’s school going for you, Jasper?” Hank asked.

“I like it. The kids are real nice. My teacher lets me bring my rocks on Fridays and we talk about them.”

We chatted for the next hour as we filled our stomachs. Hank and I quickly transformed the living room back into order before everyone started to leave.

Ashley and I sat on the couch, her legs stretched out over mine. I rubbed her feet as we relaxed together. Tanner and Jasper had gone out to the guest house to show Anna the progress and to finish painting some of the trim.

“You ready to get out of here?” I asked her.

She smiled and nodded. “You don’t have to ask me twice.”

“Ash?” Anna said, coming into the room with a look of horror on her face.

Ashley bolted up. “What’s wrong? What happened? Is Jasper okay?”

She nodded, then started crying. “I peed my pants and I can’t stop.”

Ashley jumped up. “What!” She spun around to face me. “We’re having a baby!” she squealed.

I immediately looked down at her belly and almost choked. It was too soon. She was only six months along. I knew that was not good.

“Not me!” she said with frustration. “Anna. Go get the truck! We’re having a baby!” She clapped her hands. “Go tell Dad, then get the truck,” she ordered.

I jumped to do as I was told, first racing out the back and then running to the front to start my truck. Ashley walked out on the porch, her arm wrapped around Anna.

She was grinning like a fool. “We’re having a baby,” she repeated.

“Yes, we are. I guess our honeymoon can wait.”

Anna growled, “You already knocked her up. Yes, your honeymoon can wait. I need her.”

I obediently nodded my head. “Of course.”

“I’ll follow you guys,” Tanner said, hoisting Jasper into his truck. “In case this is going to be a long ordeal, I can leave and bring Jasper home.”

Anna growled again. “It’s not going to be a long ordeal. I’ll die or cut it out before that happens!”

We all laughed, which Anna did not appreciate. I helped her and then Ashley into the truck. I sped down the driveway, listening to Anna shout and complain about how stupid it was that women had to have babies.

I couldn’t wait until I got to make this same drive again with Ashley in labor. We planned on having lots of kids and filling up this big house. We were ready to add on if we ran out of room. It was a future I was excited for, especially the part where I got to get her pregnant. That was the best part of all. I chuckled to myself at the thought.

“Stop laughing and drive!” Anna screamed. “I need drugs!”

I laughed again and put my foot a little heavier on the pedal. By the end of this trip, I was going to need drugs. I prayed Ashley was far more pleasant when it came time for her to deliver our child.

***

END OF THE FIRST STORY