I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like I’d peed the bed.
“Cooper.” I shook him. He bolted upright. “I think it’s time.”
I changed my clothes grabbing a towel for the seat before we headed out the door. Once we arrived they did a check and I was five centimeters. They admitted me and wheeled us up to the second floor. The contractions were about three minutes apart and the pain was all in my back I felt like I was being fileted. When the doctor checked me they said the baby had turned sunny side up or in medical terms oxy-posterior, which was the reason for the back labor. Poor Cooper felt helpless watching me crying in pain. I tried to not get an epidural like originally planned but when my mom showed up she said this was no time to play super woman and that is was important that I was able to rest for when I had to push. They paged the anesthesiologist and half-hour later I was happily pain free. I kept trying to nap but the nurses kept coming in to check on me so I wasn’t getting much rest. The epidural had slowed my contractions so now they had to give me Pitocin to start the contractions up again. Finally after what felt like forever and a hell of a lot of pushing we welcomed our son. Mason Lucas Kinley. He weighed eight pounds three ounces and was 21 inches long. He was perfect, he had a full head of dark hair just like Cooper and he hasn’t had his eyes opened for long enough to see what color they are but I know they’re either blue or brown but usually change anyway. Cooper cried like a baby and professed his already undying love even more causing the nurses to break into laughter more than once. He was shouting things like “I love this woman!” “Did you see that? That was awesome!” “She’s better than super woman!” He was high fiving the nurses and even the doctor. As soon as everyone was cleaned up we had a couple minutes with just the three of us before he went to get the rest of the family from the waiting room. They barged into the room and meet our bundle of joy. My dad walked in with a bouquet of flowers and watery eyes.
“I can’t believe my baby just had a baby. He’s beautiful.” He patted Cooper on the back telling him he did good. I cleared my throat.
“Excuse me but remember that conversation we had years ago saying that for five minutes of fun I’d pay for the rest of my life. I did all the hard work he just did the fun part.”
“Hey! It was more than five minutes baby.” He teased
“I don’t want to hear about that stuff.” My dad huffed clearly embarrassed. Luke came over laughing at our conversation.
“Hey Uncle Luke.” I said.
“I can’t believe he just came out of you…” He looked so puzzled and a little green. Cooper patted him on the back and laughed.
“Dude it was amazing. Especially when the head came out.” He made a visual of a circle with his hands making a sheen of sweat form on Luke’s forehead. Alexis was laughing at his side.
“Mason Lucas meet your Uncle Luke.” I beamed. Luke looked at me with a shocked expression.
“His middle name is Lucas?” I nodded. I saw his eyes start to water. My brother never cries. We hadn’t told him before hand we wanted it to be a surprise.
“We’d also like for you to be his godfather.” Cooper said.
“Really? I don’t know anything about babies though.”
“Well this is a chance to learn for when it’s your turn.” I only half joked. “And we’re leaving the position of godmother open to who ever steals the other half of your heart.” I looked at Alexis and winked. I know he’d been thinking about popping the question but wasn’t sure if she’d think that it was too soon. It was Kurt that chimed in saying it’s better too early than too late.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Wedding Bells
I stood in my mom’s room looking at myself in my grandmother’s antique mirror. I looked at my satin ivory dress with a lace overlay. It was stunningly simple but elegant. When we’d gone dress shopping everyone just assumed that I wanted a princess dress with tons of fluff, I didn’t.
When I tried this one on I knew it was the one. It had an empire waist and lace cap sleeves it flowed delicately at the bottom. I had on my bridal Jimmy Choo wedding shoes and a necklace that belonged to my grandmother and diamond drop earrings that belonged to Cooper’s mom. My brown hair was curled into a halo, my face was glowing. My eyes bright with excitement, my cheeks were pink without the use of any blush. My mom stood behind me pinning her great grandmothers lace veil in place adding the final touch to my wedding ensemble.
I couldn’t wait to marry the love of my life. We’d written our own vows and I was positive that Cooper’s were going to make me cry. I looked over at our son Mason sleeping peacefully in the bassinet and realized the full circle of life. It was hard to believe that I’d only known Cooper for just under a year and we weren’t talking for a good part of the first part. It seemed like we’d known each other our whole lives.
We would be honoring Cooper’s mom Holly with a moment of silence during the ceremony. I knew it was going to be difficult for both Kurt and Cooper, I wished so much that I could have had the opportunity to meet her especially being a mother myself now. I would have thanked her for giving me Cooper and for helping make him the man that he’s become and continues to be. When Cooper told me that my engagement ring had been hers it made me proud to wear her ring as my own.
The wedding planner came to tell us it was time to get lined up, I kissed my mom on the cheek and thanked her for all her help with the planning and advice. Both her and my dad would be walking me down the aisle. Kurt was serving as Cooper’s best man, Luke and Carl were serving as his groomsman. My newly pregnant soon to be sister in law Alexis was serving as my maid of honor and Harper and Casey were serving as my bridesmaid’s. My dad looked like he was about to cry at any second.
“You look stunning.” He said offering me his arm. We walked down the stairs towards where the rest of the bridal party was waiting.
They walked down the aisle in pairs as I anxiously waited to round the corner. Finally the wedding march started and we walked down the aisle at a snail’s pace. I looked only at Cooper who looked dashing in his new Dolce & Gabbana black suit with a white shirt and slim black tie, his hair looked impeccable, he smiled his panty busting smile and the aisle suddenly seemed miles long, I wanted to burst into a sprint to get to his side as fast as possible. Finally when we arrived at the alter my parents gave me away in front of one hundred of our closest family and friends. The minister gave a small speech about the sanctity of marriage and we had a moment of silence for Holly before it was time to exchange vows.
“My beloved Fiona, on the day I met you, I knew at once that you were the one meant to be my partner, the one whom I shall call my one and only for as long as I live. I could have never hoped when we met and started as friends that we’d end up here, it’s my dream come true. You’re beautiful not just in face, but in your tenacious spirit. I am forever grateful that you chose me.” He wiped a tear that had fallen.
“I, Cooper take you, Fiona to be my wife, my constant friend, my best friend, my lover, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our son Mason and our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner, your protector, to care for you in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and all my love. I love you.” I unsuccessfully tried to hold my tears back.
“Cooper, I fell in love with you for the qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have, and would never try to reshape you in a different image. I promise to respect you as a person with your own interests, desires, and needs, and to realize that those are sometimes different, but no less important than my own. I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my personal worl
d into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face change as we both change in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting. And finally, I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how which is completely and forever.” I tightened my grip on his hand and looked him in his emerald green eyes as I recited the last part of my vows.
“I Fiona, take you Cooper, to be my best friend, my lover, the father of my children and my husband. I will be yours in times of plenty and times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care for you, to comfort and encourage you, to stay with you for all eternity. I love you.”
“Can we please have the rings.” The minister asked Kurt. I’d gotten Cooper a platinum band from Tiffany & Co. engraved with the very clique ‘I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine’. Kurt handed him the bands.
“There is a legend of the wedding band. In a fair and far off country many centuries ago, a kind young King was married to a princess he loved so. Together they lived happily until one day their nation’s worst enemy would force the kind to travel far away. One night before he left, as he walked throughout the palace grounds, he tossed some pebbles into a moonlit pool. As the lovely ripples widened where the little pebbles fell the King stood thinking quietly of the wife he loved so well and remembering the next day the surface he had seen he had a gold ring fit for the Queen. “There is no ending or beginning to the circle on this band.” The King said to his wife as he slipped it on her hand. “And that’s why I’ve chosen this golden ring. To be a pledge to you that my love will last through all eternity.” And so since then a gold ring has been the symbol of beauty, devotion and the endlessness of love. May all the love and happiness you two have found together be like the circle of the wedding band and go on and on forever.”
“Cooper, please recite your ring vows.”
“I give you this ring as I reminder that I will live, honor and cherish you, in all ways, all places (he winked) and in all ways, always. You were my yesterday, you are my today, you will be my tomorrow. All I am I give to you.” He placed a beautiful diamond infinity band on my left hand.
“Fiona, please recite your ring vows.”
“With this ring, I give you my promise from this day forward that you shall not walk alone. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home. May we walk together through all things. May you feel deeply loved, for you are indeed. May you always see the innocence in my eyes. May we feel this joy forever. Always.”
“Without furthers ado I now pronounce Mr. and Mrs. Cooper Kinley. You may kiss your bride.”
Cooper leaned in and kissed me slowly and passionately. I was looking forward to tonight it would be our first time being intimate since I’d had Mason and I was very much looking forward to it. We got the go ahead from the doctor over six weeks ago but Cooper decided that it would be nice to wait and for the honeymoon and I agreed but it wasn’t an easy feat.
My mom and Kurt were keeping Mason overnight tonight that’s if we can both last the night without him, it was doubtful but not impossible.
We walked down the aisle as husband and wife, greeting some of our family and friends.
We had some pictures taken before we made our way to the tents that were set up on the north side of the house by the apple orchard. Each tent had hundreds of tea lights scattered around throughout. The center of each table was adorned with roses and calla lilies my favorites. There were open bars at each corner of the tent. We had a buffet set up serving all of our favorite foods or as I liked to call them comfort foods. Fried chicken, chicken quesadillas, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, we had a carving station set up serving prime rib and spiral ham along with a bread and cheese table that my dad insisted we need. We had two chocolate fountains that had bowls of fruit, pretzels and marshmallows, a dessert table and a wedding cake it was more than enough food to feed an army let alone a hundred people. The middle of the main tent had been set up with a dance floor. Our couple dance was to Jason Mraz’s ‘I won’t give up’. Our song. My dad and I opted for Thurston Harris’ ‘Itty Bitty Pretty One’, which was one of my favorites when I was a little girl plus it was more up beat. My mom chose her and Cooper’s song. She chose The Band Perry’s ‘If I Die Young’, which seemed fitting since she was filling in for his mom. She cried the entire time.
After the dances Kurt stood up to give his best man speech. He nervously cleared his throat.
“Good afternoon everyone. For those of you that don’t know me I’m Cooper’s dad, Kurt and for those of you that do…well I apologize.” The room filled with laughter. “In my extensive research to find out how to deliver a great best man speech I learned that I am expected to sing praises of the groom and tell you what a wonderful guy Cooper is. Unfortunately, I’m awful at both.” He looked at Cooper and I and winked. “I’m also told that the best speechmakers follow three simple rules. Stand up. Speak up. Then very quickly, shut up. I’ll try to stick to that advice. First, I’d like to thank Levi and Gabby for putting an awesome reception together. It’s amazing how many people will come out of the woods for free food and booze. Second you need to set guidelines in your marriage, you need to establish who’s boss, then do everything she says. Fiona you’re a beautiful, smart, funny, and loving young woman. You really deserve a great husband, Cooper thank god she married you before she found one. I want you to know that I couldn’t have hand picked a better daughter in law. But all kidding aside I love both of you so much and I am so proud of both of you. Cooper I’ll never forget the first time I saw you when you came into this world you’ve grown into an amazing young man and I am so proud to call you my son, I wish more than anything that your mom could have been here today but we know she’s watching over us. Everyone please raise you’re glasses and join me in toasting Cooper and Fiona.”
The crowd lifted and clinked glasses. Everyone was laughing. I loved his speech it had Kurt all over it. We spent the night dancing and eating until everyone had left. Cooper and I had gone in and kissed Mason one more time before leaving to go to the bed and breakfast he arranged. We spent the night into the wee hours of the morning consummating our marriage.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Epilogue
Ten Years Later…
Cooper was looking sexy as hell flipping steaks and chicken on the grill drinking a beer with Luke. My mom, now a Mrs. Kinley too was sitting with Kurt. Her and Kurt had been married for just about five years now. They were sitting with my dad and his new wife Rosemary at one of the picnic tables out back watching their grandkids play. I was putting the macaroni and potato salads on the buffet table trying to make room for them along with chips, corn on the cob, baked potatoes.
Rosemary’s sixteen-year old son Jacob and his girlfriend Vanessa were playing ring around the rosy with our brood. Our ten-year old Mason Lucas, our eight-year old Savannah Holly and our four-year old Zachary Levi and Luke and Alexis’ nine-year old Natalie Grace and five-year old Brandon Cooper (yep the middle name became a tradition). Five in total, so far…
Our family had expanded yet it was perfect. Cooper’s bike shop was doing great he opened two more in neighboring towns and Luke was tossing around some branding ideas but the company was doing really well. We were celebrating my graduating from nursing school and the recent addition we’d added to the house along with a complete overhaul of the backyard. We’d had a custom made swing set installed, we had a trampoline and an above ground pool which was completely fenced in with no ladder attached thanks to my nervous nelly of a husband. Once I had everything arranged on the table I tried getting Cooper’s attention but apparently steak is very interesting.
“Hey Luke can you take over grill duties for a couple minutes I need help inside.” Luke made some oohhh sounds as
Cooper handed him the tongs over and ran over to me. I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bathroom off the kitchen.
“Ooohh an afternoon quickie. I like.”
“Don’t be a pervert.” I joked placing something in his hand. “You would think you would be familiar with these by now.”
“Is this what I think it is?” He asked grinning like the Cheshire cat.
“Yes baby daddy it is looks like number four will be here in the spring.” He picked me up and wrapped my legs around his back while kissing me and carrying me back outside. Jeez I wonder why I keep having babies... He opened the door without breaking the kiss and placed me down on top of the table. He held the pregnancy test in the air like it was a magic wand.
“Little Cooper and I would like to announce that number four will be here in the spring.” I playfully slapped his chest.
“You stole my thunder you bastard.” Luke joked jabbing him with the tongs. I loved that my two favorite men had become best friends over the past ten years. They were more like brothers now.
“What are you talking about?” Cooper laughed confused.
“I was going to wait until dinner but we’re pregnant again too.” He looked adoringly at Alexis who smiled shyly.
“Oh boy two more Prescott-Kinley’s.” My mom was bouncing up and down clapping her hands like a crazy lady in her seat. She loved her grandkids. Her and Kurt kept all the kids overnight once a month so that Cooper and I could go out on a double date with Luke and Alexis. She was happy to have a use for all the spare rooms at the house.
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