Forever by the Sea

by Traci Hall

  Sydney hushed her daughter, but Sinead blew the little girl a kiss.

  So what if Fianna’s dress was a teensy bit snug, or that Christian had dog hair on his suit? It was finally happening.

  Her. Christian. Celebrating their love for one another with family and friends. Her eyes stung but she blinked back the tears. No way did she want to miss a second of Christian promising to love her forever.

  Rings. They didn’t have their rings. She faltered but her mom tugged her forward to the two stairs up the dais. To Christian.

  “And who gives this woman in matrimony?” The minister’s voice resonated around the church.

  “I do,” her mother answered in clear tones.

  Sinead gave her bouquet to Fianna, who cried softly, and Madge placed Sinead’s hand in Christian’s.

  “These two souls belong together.” Her mom stepped back after that pronouncement and then sat next to Stephan in the front pew.

  Sinead blinked and took a deep breath, looking up to meet Christian’s gaze. His dark brown eyes held a wealth of emotion and it took all of her strength to hold still because she wanted to be in his arms.

  She knew that he would cherish her, and love her—wrinkled or smooth skin, gray hair or auburn. The fact that they didn’t have their rings went with the whole strange process they’d gone through for this marriage.

  She inched closer to Christian. Did he know how much she loved him? He would always be the essence of Christian, no matter what form his body took. As time passed their bond would deepen.

  “I too see the love you have for one another shining like a beacon,” the minister declared. “Shining bright and unbreakable. True love such as yours bends with each misfortune to become even stronger after adversity.”

  She could totally agree with that.

  Christian blinked, his jaw tight as he struggled with his emotions. Rare tears filled his eyes and he gripped her fingers. She stepped closer, offering comfort in the love in her heart.

  “Two hearts as one.” The minister put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Which I can see from how close you stand won’t be a problem.”

  Their friends and family made soft sounds of acknowledgement. Their love pulsed around them, spilling from their hearts in a tangible way.

  She needed Christian to be her best self.

  “I understand that this was a surprise, so should I skip the part where you exchange rings?”

  Xavier pulled two silver bands from his suitcoat. “If you’d like to use these as stand-ins?”

  How sweet, she thought. They really had considered everything. All without their knowledge.

  Christian reached for them but then pulled his hand back, patting his own suitcoat pockets.

  “The last time I wore this was the Breakers,” he said to her, his eyes lighting as he patted the interior pocket and pulled free the box that held both of their rings. “I can’t believe it!”

  The congregation cheered.

  “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” the minister intoned.

  Sinead could hardly argue with that either.

  “Would you take the ring from Christian?”

  Sinead did, her fingers trembling. Christian handed the box with her ring inside to Xavier. The platinum bands they’d chosen over a year and half ago were like well-earned trophies at the end of a long race.

  “And do you promise to love and honor this man for the rest of your days?”

  Sinead could hardly speak over the tears thickening her throat and stinging her eyes, but she said, “Yes. I do.”

  Christian’s hand shook as she gently pushed the ring on his finger.

  “Finally,” he said, his face alighting with a smile, his fingers clasping hers. As if unable to help himself, he leaned forward to kiss her mouth.

  “Ach!” The minister said with a sharp tap to Christian’s shoulder. “No jumping ahead.”

  “Sorry.” Christian winked at her.

  She grinned even as she cried, tears wetting her cheeks. Mine, she thought.

  “Now, Christian, do you promise to love and honor this woman for the rest of your days?”

  “I do.” He slipped the platinum band on her ring finger and it felt as if something had slid into place that had been missing. “I do.”

  “Once is enough. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Sharp.”

  Sinead shuffled her red boots in a happy dance.

  “You may kiss the bride,” the minister said before stepping out of the way.

  Christian caught her around the waist and twirled her, capturing her mouth in a kiss that promised a million tomorrows.

  Epilogue

  Madge and Stephan hosted the reception at his condo overlooking the sea.

  Sinead couldn’t stop holding Christian’s hand and admiring the ring on his finger. “It looks great.”

  “Yours, too.” He kissed her finger, and the ring, and then sent her a look that promised a more thorough kissing later.

  The front room of the condo was decorated with poinsettias and red velvet bows. A three-tiered ivory frosted cake with red and green trim adorned a table by the slider doors leading out to the balcony.

  “Mom, thanks. I can’t believe you guys were able to pull this off. Seriously, I thought you and Stephan were going to, you know.” She shrugged. “Announce your engagement.”

  “We’ve decided to try living together,” her mom said, a glint in her green eyes. “After the first of the year. We’ll see what happens.”

  Stephan, who stood behind her mom, smiled like a man who wasn’t worried that his woman was going to run off.

  Fianna and Xavier came over with flutes of champagne for Sinead and Christian. “Well? How does it feel?” Fianna asked. “To be official?”

  “It feels like it matters,” Sinead answered from the heart.

  “Because it does.” Christian’s hand dropped down from her lower back to tap her on the butt.

  “What a surprise. I’d kind of lost hope, you know?” Sinead sipped the fizzy champagne, content.

  Collette and Ferguson joined them in a huddle near the couch. Collette’s brow arched as she pinned Sinead and Christian with her I know what I’m doing look. “We knew you’d given up and that broke all of our hearts. You two belong together.”

  Christian lifted their joined hands. “She can’t get away from me now.”

  The smell of roasting turkey and rosemary came from the kitchen and Fianna swallowed hard, her hand to her mouth.

  “What’s wrong?” Sinead asked.

  “Morning sickness.” Fianna lowered her hand to rest it over her belly. “They lie to you. It happens any hour of the day.”

  Xavier put his champagne down on a small round table. “Can I get you a ginger ale? A saltine?”

  “I don’t know.” Sweat broke out on Fianna’s upper lip. “Neither. Just make it stop.”

  Sinead looked at Christian with dismay. Was this what it would be like for her? Collette led Fianna to the sofa and helped her sit. “My mom said that a cool washrag helped.”

  Xavier darted down the hall before Collette finished speaking.

  “Sweet,” Sinead said, giving Xavier points for caring.

  “He is.” Fianna closed her eyes and fanned her flushed cheeks. “The doctor said its hormones.”

  Xavier came back with a damp towel and put it on Fianna’s neck. “Better?”

  “Yes.” Her sister wouldn’t look at her.

  “Did you tell them?” Xavier asked.

  “No.” Fianna’s voice was a low murmur, taking the cloth from the back of her neck.

  “Tell us what?” Sinead asked, looking from Xavier to Fianna.

  “We had our first ultrasound yesterday.” Xavier folded the washcloth and put it over Fianna’s wrist.

  “Is everything all right?” Sinead stared at her sister with concern.

  Fianna burst into tears. “We’re having twins.”

  Christian clapped Xavier on the shoulde
r. “Congratulations!”

  “You’d better get started if you want to catch up.” Xavier, kneeling by Fianna’s side, brushed his knuckles against his chest.

  Collette pushed Christian and put her hand on her hip. “Getting married and having babies is not a competition!”

  “I know,” Christian said, immediately contrite. Then he put his arm around Sinead’s waist to pull her close. “But it will sure be fun trying.”

  Sinead rolled her eyes. “Really?”

  Fianna shifted on the couch, her expression miserable. “The rush of hormones will pass and then it will be fun.”

  “Who told you that?” Collette asked. “The male doctor?”

  “You should talk to Sydney.” Sinead looked around for Christian’s step-sister then she stopped and her smile widened. “You realize that we are all officially sisters?”

  Collette dropped her arms and spread them to her sides. “Cool, huh?”

  “I’m so happy,” Fianna sobbed.

  “I can tell!” Sinead sat at the other end of the sofa and put her arm around Fianna. “It will be okay.”

  She didn’t know what else to say to her poor sister. Her mom brought over a small plate with saltines. “Just a nibble. Until your tummy settles.”

  Sinead scooted over to make room for her mom to sit between Fianna and herself. Lilly, dressed in a white and red striped dress, crawled up to sit in Sinead’s lap.

  “Mommy said to leave you alone.”

  Christian laughed.

  Sinead settled Lilly so that the child didn’t cut off the circulation in her thigh. “You aren’t bothering me.”

  Lilly grinned. “I knew Mommy was wrong.”

  “Well, let’s not tell her that, okay?” Sinead looked up at Christian. Large family gatherings equaled chaos—but she could see why her husband was a fan.

  “She’s feeding the baby,” Lilly explained. “ Emmet’s s’posed to be watching me but he was sneaking cake.”

  “Boys,” Collette said, turning to find Emmet under the table with a napkin of treats.

  “Mom, did you know Fianna was having twins?”

  “What?” Madge put her hand on Fianna’s stomach. “What are they?”

  “Human,” Xavier assured her as he straightened from his crouch at Fianna’s knees.

  Collette shoved him in the shoulder. “I will never understand what Fianna sees in you.”

  He grinned, far from apologetic. “You’re just jealous because Ferguson has no sense of humor.”

  “What? He has a refined sense of humor. As in, grown up.”

  “Probably would never laugh at a fart joke.” Xavier looked to Christian, who nodded.

  Sinead sighed. “Hard to see how that’s a bad thing.”

  Collette waved to Ferguson, who broke off his conversation with Stephan and walked toward them.

  “Wait for this. This will be the true test.”

  She tapped her toe.

  Ferguson smiled. “Hey, congratulations on finally getting it done. We tried, we really did. But Mother Nature…”

  “It wasn’t Mother Nature, it was a shellfish allergy.” Christian shook Ferguson’s hand. “But this jacket is the one I wore to the Breakers, so it had our rings in the pocket. Crazy how things have come together.”

  “Yeah, that’s not important right now,” Xavier interjected. “Ferguson, how’s this for a pick up line? Hey, did you just fart? Cause girl, you totally blew me away.”

  Sinead bowed her head and bit her lower lip. Fianna groaned and buried her face in her hands. Collette’s chin lifted so high she was in danger of pulling a muscle in her neck.

  “You’re a moron,” she said.

  Ferguson proved he did have a sense of humor. “Honey, you told them how I got you to go out with me?”

  Collette’s annoyance showed in the snap of her brown eyes. “Don’t encourage him. Xavier is a child.”

  A crash sounded from the table by the window. Sinead jumped up, spilling Lilly from the couch to the floor. Her mother stood, eyes wide. “Oh, no.”

  Stephan held the cake in both hands, somehow keeping the frosting away from his maroon shirt, as Emmet pushed aside the table cloth.

  “Ta da!” Emmet bowed.

  “Mommy is going to be soooooo mad.” Lilly crossed her arms. “She told him no magic.”

  Sinead started laughing. “I think that trick might need some work. Good catch, Stephan.”

  The photographer smiled in response and brought the cake to the larger dining room table. “Should we eat this before it disappears?” Stephan asked.

  Sinead searched for Christian, and found him at her right side. He took her hand and kissed her fingers, pulling her close.

  Fianna struggled to her feet, Xavier at her elbow. “You know, something sweet sounds good.”

  Safe within the circle of Christian’s embrace, she watched their intermingled families talk and laugh and clean up Emmet’s mess while Cousin Misty helped Stephan and her mom with the cake. Sinead lifted their joined hands and studied their platinum rings.

  “This was the perfect wedding for us. For who we are now. We’ve grown up since kindergarten but our hearts are the same. I wanted everything to be perfect, but you told me way back then that I didn’t need to color in the lines.”

  She turned within the circle of his arms.

  “You were right.”

  “Say that again?”

  Sinead stoop on her tip-toes and kissed him. “You. Were. Right.”

  His eyes turned darker brown with desire. “We should go. Check on Alfred.”

  “Alfred is fine.”

  “He might need to go out.”

  “It’s only been a few hours.” But she let herself get dragged toward the front door. How much better was their sex life going to be now that they were married?

  She planned on being very inventive so that he wouldn’t get bored.

  “Wait, we can’t just sneak out. We aren’t children anymore.”

  Collette saw them leaving and hurried toward them. As Christian’s older sister, she was used to bossing him around.

  “You guys can’t go. This will be the fourth time that these folks have wanted to eat cake with you and toast your health. Please stay?”

  Sinead felt Christian’s shoulders slump.

  “We were just checking on something in the hallway.” Sinead kept her hand in Christian’s.

  “You’re a terrible liar, Sinead.” Collette tapped her black heel.

  “We’re staying!” Christian caved, his hand on Sinead’s lower back.

  “Honestly?” Sinead wrapped her arms around Christian and hugged him close. “At this moment there is no place else I’d rather be.”

  BLUE

  CHRISTMAS

  by the Sea

  Tamsyn Lee balanced a tray holding five plates of steaming turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and green beans on her arm, waiting for the diners to clear space on the table for their Thanksgiving meals. Her arms ached and she snuck a glance at the brass clock hanging over the inside entrance of the Village Grill. Only four?

  “This looks delicious,” the dark-haired father said. His wife, and mom to the two cuties under ten with her shade of teal blue eyes, helped the children with their napkins while Grandma shifted the salt and pepper shakers to make more room for the plates Tamsyn set down. A drop of hot gravy splashed Tamsyn’s wrist but she bit the inside of her cheek and smiled through the pain.

  “It smells like home,” the mother said, distracted by the youngest boy fidgeting on his seat as he reached for a fluffy biscuit and almost toppled his water. “Sit back, hon.” Mom righted the glass. “Let me help.”

  Crisis averted. Tamsyn eyed the table—slabs of real butter, extra napkins, silverware. The noise level in the restaurant rose as the hostess, Nina, seated another family in the opposite booth. Tamsyn lowered the empty tray to her side. “Anything else for you?”

  “No,” Grandma said with a pleased air. “This is perfect.”

>   Perfect. The happiness in the older woman’s voice made Tamsyn long for her own family. So not happening this year.

  Tamsyn dared a look at the front door and bit back a groan—the line for turkey dinners spilled out into the festive streets of their beachside downtown. Why weren’t these people eating spiral ham and green bean casserole at home? In comfy pants, stretched out on the couch to watch Holiday Inn while finishing pumpkin pie...

  “Enjoy your meal.” Tamsyn grinned as the older boy swiped his finger through the mashed potatoes. “I’ll be back to check on you. And don’t forget to leave room for pie. A slice comes with the turkey special.”

  Tamsyn’s family owned an Italian restaurant in New York, but they’d always closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Family used to mean everything. She brought her tray to the drop-off station, her energy flagging.

  “How’s it going, Monica?” Three waitresses handled thirty tables, including the bar-grill next door. The two buildings were connected by an interior hall. Linda’s section was on the bar side farthest from the kitchen which meant she had to really hustle—Tamsyn watched the petite blonde pile a tray with turkey dinners, the tie on her apron trailing behind her back.

  “Fine. But I was smart enough to take a half shift today.” Monica, thirty to Tamsyn’s twenty-six, turned toward the kitchen’s warming area and gathered plates for her next order. “Of course, I’ve been at the Village three years and I know how crazy the holidays can be.”

  “The tips are good,” Tamsyn said, looking for the bright side. “Just like Michael promised.”

  “You’ll need the money to buy a foot massage.” Monica rolled silverware into a napkin. “Live and learn. How are you doing?”

  “I’m fine.” Tamsyn’s plan had been to suck it up for a lonely Thanksgiving in Florida and then fly to her family home in New York for Christmas, but her parents had decided two weeks ago that a divorce was more important than the holidays. After forty years of hanging stockings together? How could they?

  “Tamsyn—table three is ready for their drink order as soon as you drop off the lobster clubs at table two,” Michael said.

  “Got it.” Tamsyn headed toward the waiting plates as she met her manager’s harried gaze. “Thanks.”