“Well? I just thought that maybe it’s time we start thinking about it?”
I shift on the bed, my legs still feeling a bit dead from the aftereffects of the epidural.
“Why are you talking about the wedding now? Enjoy this moment. Let’s get settled into this parenting thing and find our rhythm. We don’t have to plan this wedding until you’re completely ready.”
“What? You don’t want to marry me now?” I try to pout, but a smug smile plays at my lips as I see him consider taking the bait.
“I’ll marry you the instant you’ll let me. It doesn’t matter if that’s next month or next year. I love you, and it’s the kind of love that isn’t going anywhere.”
I hit the nurse’s call button and wait.
“Hi, this is Nurse Julie. Is everything okay?”
“Hi, Julie. Yes, everything is fine. I was just wondering if you could see if there was a priest in the building that could stop by our room.”
Jeff’s eyes go wide, and he looks at me with shock, mouth agape. The pieces are starting to fit together in his mind, and I’m not sure if he’s panicked or excited about the stunt I’m about to pull.
“Oh sure, honey, I can absolutely see if there is someone available to stop by and bless your baby.”
“Thanks!” I chime into the speaker.
I sit up a little taller and pat the open space next to me on the bed. “Blessing Lillian is fine and all, but I want to show you just how much I love you. This, right here, is all that matters. It wasn’t only a baby born today. It was a family. And with that, I want it to be our marriage, too.”
Jeff continues to stare at me, completely lost for words.
“What?”
“I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Why not? I’ve said all along that I wanted a small, intimate wedding.”
He runs his hand through his hair and watches me intently, trying to get a better gauge on the bomb I’ve just dropped. “This isn’t sleep deprecation and exhaustion overtaking your decision-making abilities, right?”
I laugh, shaking my head.
“And this isn’t some weird new mom hormone imbalance where you’re going to punch me in the junk and shout ‘psyche!’, is it?”
“I’m pretty sure nobody has said ‘psyche!’ since the late nineties. And please, rest assured that I am alert and completely ready for this.” I reach out for his hand and squeeze it tightly. “I have never been more ready for anything in my entire life.”
And the words mean more than simply being married. I’m ready for this new life, our new family. As long as I’ve got Jeff, I have everything I need.
“God, I love you, woman!”
He leans in and surprises me with the kind of kiss that puts all other kisses to shame, even with a baby balanced in his arms.
A few minutes later there’s a soft knock at the door.
“That was quick,” Jeff comments.
I sit up a little taller in the bed, realizing that not only am I about to get married, but I’m about to do it in a soiled hospital gown. Meh … I’ve always felt designer wedding dresses were overrated, and weddings were more a party for the parents and their friends than the couple.
“Come in!” I can hardly contain my smile. It’s a shame it doesn’t last for long.
“Oh, hell no!”
Leo cautiously stands just inside the door and puts his hands up in the air like he’s trying to surrender. In his right hand is a small pink teddy bear. Leo looks different in his street clothes rather than doctor scrubs. If I squint my eyes just right, he looks like the guy I once thought I loved.
“What are you doing here?” Jeff delicately passes Lillian back into my arms, taking extra care to support her neck.
“I just wanted to stop by and see Henley before I head home.“
Jeff stands to meet Leo and extends his arm out for a handshake. “Don’t you think you’ve spent enough time all up in Henley’s business?”
The look in Leo’s eyes tells me Jeff is squeezing his hand just a little too hard.
Good.
When Jeff finally releases his hand, Leo shifts his attention toward me. “Congratulations, Henley. You, too,” he says to my soon-to-be husband. “I’ve always known you’d make an incredible mother, and from the looks of it, I was right.”
It’s the nicest thing he’s ever said to me. And I’m not about to dispute that and take it away.
We spend a few minutes catching up, and it’s strangely nice to see that Leo isn’t all asshole. Deep down, underneath the mocking patriotic songs and obnoxious pet names, there is, in fact, a shred of humanity.
“Ahem,” a man in dressed in black with a white collar clears his throat from the far side of the room. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Is now a good time or should I come back later?” He looks exhausted with dark pools under his eyes, and something tells me that ‘later’ would be tomorrow.
“Oh! No, now is a perfect time, Father. Please, come in.”
He walks in further and stands at the end of the bed with a smile on his face. “I’m Father O’Donnell. Your child is beautiful.” He looks fondly at Lillian. “May I?” he asks, reaching out his arms.
I pass my daughter to him, and he beams down at her. It’s amazing how such a tiny little person can have such a profound impact on a person. “Have you decided on a name yet?”
“Yes, Lillian Elisabeth.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” Father O’Donnell praises.
He asks us to bow our heads as he leads us in a prayer and blesses both the baby and our new family. When he finishes, he makes a small cross gesture on her forehead and passes her gingerly back to Jeff.
“Thank you, Father. That was beautiful.”
“My pleasure, and all the best to your family.” He turns on his heel and starts toward the door before I catch him.
“Actually, Father, if we could trouble you for just one more thing before you leave…”
“Yes?” He turns back around to face us.
How on earth do I even broach this? I know you think you were here just to bless our little bundle, and I’m pretty sure we’ve broken at least four—maybe five—of the Ten Commandments recently, but would you mind marrying us? I’m fairly certain if I were to step foot in a church, lightning would strike and engulf the building in flames.
Catholic guilt suddenly grips me, and I bite my tongue.
“Father, I am madly in love with this woman. Have been since the moment I met her last year. Every morning I wake up and thank my stars for how lucky I am to have her in my life.”
My heart doesn’t melt at his words. It soars.
Father O’Donnell folds his hands in his lap, listening intently. And out of the corner of my eye, I see Leo shifting uncomfortably.
“Nothing about our relationship has ever been conventional, but I know that she’s the one for me. We’ve been engaged for a few months now, and the only thing that could possibly make this day more remarkable than it already has been, is to spend it with my wife. Sure, we don’t have all of the legal hodgepodge filed, and we don’t have rings here with us, and heck our family doesn’t even realize we had the baby today. But it would mean the world if you would marry us. Right here … right now.”
I hold my breath and await the condescending look…
But it never comes.
“I am not one to judge you or your definition of conventional. I have always believed that love knows no bounds, and it’s clear by the way you look at her that this is meant to be. Besides, when you know, you know.”
He looks to Leo, questioning his presence here and simply asks, “Would you mind serving as their witness?”
“Uh … sure,” he says unconvincingly.
Thank you, I mouth to him in appreciation.
“Since we don’t have all of the formalities in place, maybe we can just hit the highlights, Father?” Jeff smiles.
> A light flickers in Father O’Donnell’s eyes. He’s clearly amused by this whole scenario. “I suppose we can do that. Under the promise that you’ll take care of the license and come back to see me with your families?”
“Absolutely,” I say.
“Of course,” Jeff agrees. He comes to sit down next to me on the hospital bed with Lillian in his arms. She’s just as much a part of this celebration as we are.
Father O’Donnell begins with a short prayer before cutting to the chase. “I’m sorry, what were your names again?”
I giggle, realizing we never actually told him our names, just Lillian’s. “I’m Henley. And this is Jeff.”
“Ah yes. Okay.” He clears his throat and begins. “Before you declare your vows to one another, I need to hear you confirm that it is your intention to be married here today. Henley, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Jeff in marriage? If so, please answer ‘I do.’”
My cheeks feel hot, and I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life. “I do,” I repeat confidently.
“And Jeff, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Henley in marriage?”
“I do.” Jeff wraps one arm around my waist, trying to pull me closer to him and Lillian.
“Now, do either of you have vows prepared or…?”
“I can wing it,” I say to Jeff. Because if I’m being honest, all those nights where I couldn’t fall asleep because I had a baby bouncing on my bladder, I was running through one million and one scenarios of what my vows would be.
“Me, too,” Jeff says.
“Okay then.” Father O’Donnell gestures to me to look at Jeff.
I take a deep breath and look him in the eyes. I love the sincerity on his face and wish I had a picture to capture this moment.
“Jeff, you are my light. You’ve shown me more love than I’ve ever known before. I promise to have the patience that our love demands, to speak when words are needed, and appreciate the silence when they are not. I look forward to laughing with you and crying with you. Caring for you, and sharing with you. I love that I get to build with you and live with you. And I promise to be faithful to you all the days of our lives.”
“Henley, the day I sat down next to you on that plane, my life finally took off. You gave me the kind of feeling that was instant and so powerful and utterly indescribable. Just like you. You’re indescribable. I promise to stand by your side, even when our legs are tired and broken. I promise to never sing America, the Beautiful to you,” he laughs knowingly which makes me blush. “And I promise that I will never be perfect. Because while neither of us is perfect, we are perfect for each other, and together, we share a perfect kind of love. And really, that’s all that matters. I swear to you that I will live each day loving you more than I did the day before. Thank you for allowing me into your life.”
We sit there in silence for a moment, savoring each other’s words.
“This is typically the part where you’d exchange rings.”
“Eh, semantics,” Jeff interjects.
“Okay then … By the power vested in me by God and man, I pronounce you husband and wife. Those whom God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Jeff looks at me desperately, his lips aching to taste mine. And in an instant, our mouths meet in perfect harmony.
Father O’Donnell laughs. “You may now kiss your bride!”
* * *
“Congratulations again, Henley.” Leo leans down and kisses me on the cheek before placing the pink teddy bear into the bassinet. He then turns to Jeff and exchanges another firm handshake. “She was the one who got away. Take good care of her, will ya?”
“I will. And I’m glad she got away.”
“I am, too,” he responds honestly. “I never saw her this happy when she was with me.”
“That’s probably because you called her Fire Crotch and sang patriotic anthems at inappropriate times.”
Leo simply shrugs. “What can I say? I never claimed to be a good guy. But don’t underestimate the power of America the Beautiful when it comes to Henley.”
“Duly noted.”
Jeff follows Leo to the door and closes it behind him. That went significantly better than I ever imagined it going.
“So now what, wifey?”
“I guess we call our parents? I can’t imagine that’ll go over well. I got you a special surprise, Mom! How about a granddaughter and a son-in-law!”
“Nah, we’ll call them tomorrow. This is our honeymoon period, right? You know what they say about honeymoons?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“They say you have to wait six weeks—at least!”
“I’m counting down the days. Because Lillian needs a baby brother.”
“You’re just looking for another reason to joke about a penis being inside of me.”
Jeff winks.
“I love you, woman.”
“I love you, too.”
About the Author
B.L. Berry grew up telling lies. Eventually, those lies turned into elaborate stories and when she grew older, she started writing them down. When she’s not hiding behind her computer writing, you can find her spending time with her family or catching up on her favorite TV shows. Rumor has it she’ll sleep when she’s dead.
Residing outside of Kansas City, she lives with her husband, two children and black pug. Each day her family thanks the makers of e-Readers, because without which they would be living amongst stacks and stacks of romance novels. Conversely, each day B.L. Berry thanks the makers of e-Readers for hiding her book-hoarding tendencies.
B.L. Berry loves to hear from her readers — you can connect with her at
[email protected], or on Facebook, Twitter - @blberrywrites and Instagram @blberrywrites.
Also by B.L. Berry
An Unforgivable Love Story
The Art of Falling Duet
Love Nouveau
Love Abstract
Stilettos and Broken Bottles
By Gina Whitney
Copyright This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is purely coincidental. Copyright © 2013 Gina Whitney www.Ginawhitney.com. All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, no part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
CHAPTER ONE
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my kimono—an annoying reminder I was running late. Keira, Summer, and Laney would be here soon. It was the first Thursday of June, and the official kickoff of Manhattan’s social events. Not only a big deal socially, as it kicked off the season, but also an opportunity to shine. The city was humming to life with swanky rooftops, artsy wine bars, and outdoor cafes. Tonight, people of Gotham spilled into the streets in celebration, and soon, the girls and I would be, too. Keira found a new place across town. The euphoric pull of a new man was a powerful drug to a single girl working the social scene. An unknown face was the latest drug to mainline. Intoxicating. Potent. Raw.
Keira: ETA 2 minutes.
Me: What’s the name of this place again?
Keira: Jugs & Stokers
Me: Live bands?
Keira: No, it’s a new biker bar
Me: New? You say that like we’ve been to an old.
Keira: Georgia…just be ready and stop acting like a geriatric. Get some balls.
Me: I intend to.
Keira: Atta-girl xx
Keira, Summer, and Laney were my friends. However, Keira was more like a sister. She was spirited, bratty, foul-mouth, and driven by sex. Even though she infuriated me to the point of violence most days, I loved her.
After touching up my makeup, I dressed and decided to wait for the girls downstairs.
***
When in doubt, Uber your ass across town...
The sun made its way across the eastern horizon and the moon battled for its place in the sky. The darkness of night crept along the busied streets and any apprehension along with it. Humidity weighed heavily in the air and majorly threatened the precision style of my natural curls. Without the massive amount of product in my hair, I’d be fucked.
I carefully ran my fingers through my hair to separate the strands, attempting to keep it from clumping. Screw it. It was a waste of energy and I refused to spend another minute fretting over the shitty hair I was born with. I looked up and out the window of the darkened SUV. A billion twinkling stars torched the heavens. It was a gorgeous night—warm, but cloud free. I decided to wear an outfit from Free People, my favorite designer. A stylish, white, multi-embroidered strapless bohemian top and black G-Star skinny jeans. I added a thick ankle cuff, which paired with my beloved rose-gold Jimmy Choos. Brilliant. Just the right amount of uptown style without looking too eager for the downtown crowd.
The ride to Jugs & Stokers was fragranced with perfumed body washes vying for supremacy in the confines of a mid-sized SUV.
“Driver, you need to tell a bitch what your idea of ‘mid-sized’ is,” Keira’s dissention rang out. “I mean, I have long legs. Where am I supposed to put them?” She turned in my direction looking to drape them across my legs.
Without moving, I peered at her out of the corner of my eye, stilling her movements with one intimidating glance. “I will cut you.”
“You can be a real maniac, Georgia. Sometimes you scare me,” she complained with a frown.
I didn’t take the bait. “My God, really? What…? Are you the only one with long legs? Who do I look like—Lieutenant Dan? I’m wearing white. Don’t even think of putting your filthy shoes on me.”
“I have an idea,” Summer chimed in and turned to Keira. “Just tuck them behind your head. It seems to be your most comfortable position.” Summer’s sarcasm filled the tight cabin and I began to sweat. Hopefully, we’d make it to the bar without a fistful of each others hair.