A knot formed in her stomach, and her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She sat up and rubbed her hands on her leggings. “Oh..”
Had Callie been with the Buchanans when Bianca showed? She hadn’t paid any attention. Callie had been at the hospital the night they’d brought Andrew in, but Bianca hadn’t thought anything of it. Of course he and Callie had reunited. How stupid of her not to think of it before.
He pulled her arm. “I mean, I want to marry you. Remember, I asked?”
“But you’re not asking again. I...”
“I’m still a firefighter...if I get better, of course.”
“I know.” She swallowed. “I’d rather have you even for a short time than not have you at all. I want to share my life with you for however long God gives us together.” He was quiet for a while, too quiet, and she felt gripped with fear, until his lips lifted in a smile.
“I don't have a ring with me.”
She sighed, a flood of relief coursing through her. “I don’t care about the ring right now. It’s just a symbol. What matters is our commitment to one another.”
He patted the bed. “The hospital is not where I pictured having a wedding but...”
“We’ll wait until you come out first.” She leaned forward and kissed him again, and his heart monitor beeped faster.
Nothing but hope flooded through her when she gazed into his warm eyes, and she gave another contented sigh.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Sunday afternoons were reserved for family barbeque time with the Buchanans, although it could actually be called Family and Friends BBQ. As the family grew, encompassing more new in-laws and extended family members, Andrew and his siblings took turns hosting the family gathering. That afternoon, Andrew and Bianca were hosting at the home Andrew had purchased right before his injuries.
As they stood surveying their guests, he slid his hand to the small of Bianca’s back, enjoying her nearness. She smiled up at him, then brushed the hair from his forehead. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed the small scar on his forehead, a relic from the falling debris. “I love your scar,” she said. “It makes you even more handsome. Now let’s go eat.”
Andrew breathed in the smell of green chili when he and Bianca joined the back of the line to the pop-up tent, where Carmen had set up a Mexican food buffet.
“Your mom sure went all out on this,” Andrew said, admiring the pans of tamales, taquitos, enchiladas and other fragrant delights that were lined up on portable chafing dishes.
“She insisted on doing this because we didn’t let her cook for our wedding.”
He and Bianca had gotten married the day after he’d left the hospital, a simple ceremony with family and friends. “I wanted her to watch her daughter walk down the aisle instead of her playing Chef.”
Daisy skipped up to them. “Daddy... daddy!”
Pride coursed through him at being called Daddy. He’d begun the adoption process shortly after the wedding, and a few months ago, Daisy had officially become his daughter.
“What's up, Sweetheart?” He crouched, stroking her hair.
Daisy tugged at Andrew's leg and gestured to the far side of the freshly cut lawn, where Mateo was running with the soccer ball toward the portable goal they’d set up for the kids.
“Can you be on our team?” she asked. “Uncle is cheating.”
Andrew looked to where she was pointing and saw Mateo running with Rocky beside him. Mateo’s glistening face held a wide grin as he pumped both fists up in the air in a victory sign. His wife and three kids had legally immigrated to the U.S. two months ago, and they all lived in Bianca’s former house with Carmen.
“I guess it's you kids against your uncle?” Bianca asked.
“Uncle Ez was on our team, but he said he was hungry.”
“I think your dad will do a lot better after he eats, too,” Bianca said.
Bianca no longer worked at the cafe. She spent her time away from her day job attending a vocational college for her undergrad, which was another three years away. She would then have four more years of postgraduate-still a long way , but she was on the right track to achieve her dream.
Andrew was running his dad’s electrical company, hoping to return to firefighting when his shoulder had fully recovered from his injuries.
“Hey, you two?” They lifted their heads to see Renee approaching, her husband by her side, “Jake and I have news for you.”
Andrew glanced at the big disposable plate in Renee’s hand, which held bits and pieces of shredded chicken, a forkful of tamale, and random pieces of corn. Not enough for his one year old niece.
“You’re pregnant!” He guessed when he looked back at Renee.
“Nope.” Renee elbowed her husband, who stared at her longingly before he addressed Andrew and Bianca.
“W...is retiring from the gym, and is selling me the shares.”
“Jake is now the rightful owner of the Parkour gym,” Renee announced excitedly.
“You’ll be running two businesses?” Bianca asked.
Renee’s Interior Design Firm already kept her busy enough.
“I have a few guys in place, and some long term students who can help out,” Jake said.
Andrew shook Jake’s hand. “Congratulations, man!”
“Thanks!”
Leila and Ezra joined them with their little daughter in tow. Adalee was just learning to take a few steps, and Daisy tried to get her to dance while the couples chatted, her soccer game temporarily forgotten.
Hours later, after everyone had eaten and pitched in to clean up, the guests finally left. Daisy was exhausted, so Andrew tucked her into bed and left Bianca reading her a bedtime story.
He flopped on the couch and turned on the TV to catch any baseball recaps, until a movement caught his eye. He lifted his head to see his beautiful wife walking toward him, carrying a box of chocolates, which she set on the table in front of him.
He slid a hand behind her back, curling it around her waist when she plopped on the couch beside him. Pulling her close to him, he listened to the sound of her heart against his.
She wrapped her arms around him and he felt the day’s exhaustion melt away instantly as he rested in her warm embrace. He kissed her forehead. Her hair was still slightly damp, and he inhaled the sweet scent of her conditioner. “Isn’t it too late to eat chocolates?”
“It's never too late to eat chocolates, especially if I’m not under stress...”
She ate candy whenever she was stressed, but tonight she appeared relaxed.
“I think that's an exception.” He planted a kiss on her lips. “Except, your lips are sweet enough for me.” He paused and looked into her eyes, his teasing mood gone. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too,” she said, snuggling against him.
He marveled at the joy she and Daisy had brought into his life—they had filled a void he hadn’t known existed. Having them in his life was what he’d needed all along.
Andrew's life was not how he'd planned it would be—it was much better now. Though he’d been forced to give up firefighting for a time, being with Bianca and Daisy more than made up for it.
Both he and Bianca had lived through dark times—he when his heart had been broken by another, and Bianca, when her heart had been shattered by the loss of her husband.
A door had been closed for each of them, but on the bright side, a new door had opened to a radiant future.
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Also, if you’d like to read Ezra and Leila’s story, or Renee and Jake, check out their inspiring stories here.
This was supposed to be the final book, to seal the Buchanans. However, I’ve already had some requests to bring back some of the characters with their own stories.
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Bright Side Page 24