“I can’t believe this,” dad says as he ends the hug. “Yesterday, I hated this man. But now that I’ve actually met him and see how happy he’s made you, that feeling has left me. It’s so odd how something you’ve felt for a long time can vanish.”
I’m overjoyed to hear him say that, and I fall back into Blaine’s arms. I run my hand over his cheek and smile at my parents. “Things can change in a flash. I, for one, am glad that can happen. And, now, we need to get to the chapel at the hospital where Blaine and I are going to be baptized by the preacher who will officiate the wedding ceremony in a week.”
“Oh, Lord!” Mom says. “Next week! There’s so much to do. How will you ever get that all done in time?”
“Hopefully, with your help, Mom.”
“Count me in,” Kate jumps up and says as she raises her hand.
Tiffany joins her. “You can count on me too, Delaney.”
Kent and Randy look at each other and shrug, then stand up as Kent says, “You have us too, guys.”
Then it’s me who starts crying with the show of solidarity to help Blaine and I become one. “You guys are all the best!”
Blaine laughs and pulls me into his chest to help hide my tears. His kiss on top of my head comforts me. “I think she’s saying she really appreciates your help. With it, this little wedding of ours should go smoothly, and then we can all get on with our lives. There’s so much to get done this week. But with everyone’s help, we’ll manage.”
“We need to go change our clothes. Whoever wants to come with us is more than welcome. And whoever doesn’t, we understand. You all have lives too. I know we’ve taken up a lot of your Christmas day,” I tell them as I turn back to look at everyone and wipe my eyes.
Tiffany tugs at Kent’s hand. “I should stop by my parents’ place. Would you like to come with me?”
His smile says he would. “Yeah. Then we can go look at my new home.”
Blaine further surprises him. “It’s furnished and there’s even food in the kitchen. My staff took care of everything. Take some clothes and stay there. Everything is on and ready for you. And the taxes are paid for the upcoming year too. There are no worries.”
Tiffany’s smile spreads even further across her pretty face. “Wow!”
“Wow is right,” Kent says. “Thanks, Blaine. I’ll do that. We’re going to head out now.”
With a wave, they leave, and Kate says, “I should let Randy go see his family too. Is everything on at my new house too, Blaine?”
“It is. Get you some clothes and go check it out,” he tells her.
She looks at Randy, then back at Blaine. “Is it okay if Randy comes over?”
Blaine laughs as he looks at his sister. “Kate, the house is yours. And you’re a grown woman. If you want him over, that’s your call, not mine.”
“Wow! Okay. I know that sounds stupid to ask that.”
I hold up my hand, stopping her. “Not really. I know how they’ve kept you well-guarded all these years. Go have fun. Be careful driving around. I know the snow has stopped, but now it’s getting dark and there may be ice.”
Kate laughs and comes to hug me. “Yes, Mom. We’ll be careful. Thank you too, soon-t0-be sis. I love you guys. Call me for anything.”
Then I watch them leave and wonder what mom and dad want to do. “You guys want to come with us?”
Mom shakes her head. “To be honest, it’s been a long day and that bedroom with the attached bathroom is calling my name. There’s so much to take in, and I think I’d like to spend the rest of the night alone with your dad, Delaney.”
“I understand,” I say and give them each a hug before we head off to our bedroom to change.
“You guys make yourself completely at home. There’s wine in the chiller and all kinds of things to drink at the bar in the main living area. Feel free to roam around all you want to. My home is yours,” Blaine says, making my heart jump, as I think he’s the best man on the face of the Earth.
Leaning into him as we walk away from my parents, I find myself feeling as if I’m walking on air. “Is this all real, Blaine?”
His arm tightens around me. “If it’s all a dream, please don’t wake me up.”
With a light laugh, I say, “Me neither. I want you to know I think you’re the absolute best man in the world. You’ve given so much this holiday season. I know everything will happen for the best with your newfound faith.”
“I think so too. And now to go make it official and start a new chapter in my life. One with hope, faith, love, and you, baby.”
I giggle as he picks me up and carries me into our room. He is gorgeous, sweet, and he is all mine. I could not be happier!
Chapter 7
BLAINE
December 30th:
As the light leaves the sky on the day before we’re going to be married, I hold Delaney in my arms as we lie in our bed. “It has been one hell of a week, but it’s behind us now. Tomorrow we start a new day, and by noon, we’ll be man and wife.”
“I cannot believe how exhausted I am,” she says as she snuggles close to me. Her hand rests on my chest as she looks up at me. “I cannot believe this is all about to be over and we’ll start living a normal life.”
“Your parents will be off to Lake Tahoe tomorrow after the ceremony. And you and I will be off to honeymoon in Ireland. I have to tell you, I didn’t think things would turn out quite like this.”
“Neither did I.” She turns and lays her head on my chest. “To think how I started out treating you makes me want to kick myself.”
“I deserved it, Delaney. I thought of no one but myself. And that’s over. This new year is all about change. I plan on making things right. And with what I saw happen at Christmas, I think doing business different will make us even more money. And spreading it out over more people is a thing that makes me happy.”
“I know your parents are proud of you, Blaine,” she says, and that means more to me than I think she realizes.
“Thank you, baby. I hope they are. I hope you are too.”
“I am extremely proud of you. I can’t think of a single thing you need to do to be a better man than you are right now.” Her finger moves in a trail over my bare chest. “I’m going to rest up tonight for tomorrow. But tomorrow, on the jet to New York where we’ll take off on the commercial flight to Ireland, I’m going to be all over you, Blaine. So you should get some sleep too.”
Her words have visions going through my head that call for anything but sleep. But she’s been so busy that it’s almost inhuman what she’s accomplished. She’s managed to get her work done while still going shopping and making arrangements for our honeymoon.
With seeing how hard see’s working to cover all of her bases, her boss had a change of heart and let her have the morning shifts, Monday through Friday, the way she asked for. Plus, she was able to get her a two-week vacation for the honeymoon.
It seems when you stop trying to accomplish things all on your own, things seem to fall into place. We’ve prayed every morning together before heading off to our prospective jobs. And each night before climbing into bed, we get on our knees beside the bed and thank the Lord for what he did for us and all the people we love and care about on that day.
It’s a system that seems to be working. Terry and Colby were released from the hospital on Christmas day. Tammy went home two days ago. Her mom is going to work at our office next week. And little Adam went home today. The only one left in the hospital is Meagan and she’s gained all but one pound, then she’ll get to go home too.
The animosity between her father and me is over. He’s all smiles when I go to visit her every day at lunchtime. I’ve made it a thing I do each weekday.
I go eat lunch with Delaney, then visit at least two kids there and give them small gifts of coloring books and a box of crayons. Not anything to spoil them, as some parents look at gifts that are too extravagant as bad things. But I give them something to help keep them entertained during such hard
times in their lives.
It’s always there, in the back of my mind, that our children might one day be in their shoes. It’s something I hope never happens, but one never knows about these things.
There are no certainties in this life. And into each life a little rain must fall—that’s something I recite to myself at least a few times each day when I see the bad things happening to innocent people. I always remind myself, it’s not for me to understand these things. They happen and that’s that.
I think often of the question I asked Meagan to ask my mother. Why is there suffering?
Her response makes me think all the time about that. Why are there bees? To make things grow, is that answer.
Why are there trees? To make air for the creatures here to breathe.
Why are there mountains? Lakes? Rivers? So many things to ask, but not all can be explained. And I think about what a boring world this would be if we knew all of the answers.
Somehow, I know my children will be inquisitive people, asking all kinds of things, the way I always have. All I can do is tell them the answers to things I know. But there will not be answers for everything.
My hope is that they, too, will learn to see some things are meant to be mysteries. Some things we will only learn the reasons for when we reach the other side, and maybe not even then. I recall Meagan telling me that my mother could answer some things, but she didn’t know everything.
Perhaps there will never come a time when any of us know everything there is to know. In a way, that comforts me. It lets me know there’s no need to worry about what I don’t know or understand.
The main thing in life is to live it the best way you can think of. Not taking from others is a huge thing I had no conception of before my father passed on.
In the name of good business, I made my deals with people who could care less about the humans they employed. That’s over, and if I could shut them down, I would. That’s also a thing that’s out of my hands.
So many things are out of our hands, and I know I’m not the only one who wishes more could be done. I do know this. I know my money will not help the people who practice such terrible things. Crimes against humanity are things I will watch for in any company I do business with. The slightest infraction will have them earning my business no longer.
And from what I’ve seen of my sales in all of my Bargain Bin stores, people are okay with paying a bit more for something made by reputable companies who value their employees and treat them well. Sales have gone up and the hate reviews have gone down.
Walking on the right path feels so much better than walking on the wrong path. This path is full of people who I love. The other one had me alone and secluded.
I’ve spoken with Delaney’s father a few times about how he thought I’d made a deal with the devil to gain my money. And he wasn’t that far off. Of course, I made no direct deal with the devil, but I did make deals with those oh whom I asked no questions.
In the back of my mind, if I wasn’t absolutely sure that people were being treated terribly by the companies I did business with, then I was absolved of any guilt about that. I was wrong. I was hiding my head in the sand, and that’s just as bad as knowingly participating in the business of making money off the mistreatment of people.
I won’t be doing any of that again. And as Delaney makes small snoring sounds, I can see I had better get myself to sleep too.
Tomorrow is a big day for us!
DELANEY
December 31st:
“Mom, did I give you the ring?” I call out, as I forgot who exactly I gave the wedding ring to that I’m supposed to put on Blaine’s finger in a matter of minutes.
“Yes, dear. You gave it to me,” she says as she smooths out the pale-blue dress I got for her to wear today.
This morning, at the crack of dawn, Mom, Kate, Tiffany, and myself all started the day with massages, pedicures, and manicures, and then hair and makeup were done at our place. We waited until getting to the hospital to change into our dresses.
I was relaxed, and now I’m turning into a disaster. Worry is consuming me, as I can’t seem to find one of my shoes and I have to keep stopping what I’m doing to sit down as a sweat threatens me.
“Dear, Kate found your shoe.” Mom produces my shoe, and I fan myself with relief.
“Good. I didn’t want to go down the aisle in my bare feet, but I was preparing myself to do just that if the thing had been left at home somehow. This is nerve wracking, Mom. I wish I would’ve done what Blaine wanted and just gone to Vegas and gotten drunk so I wouldn’t care what I looked like.”
“I’d have been so disappointed if you’d done that.” Mom helps me get my shoe on as the big white dress full of fluff hinders my progress. “And you’re going to have such beautiful pictures to hang in your entry room now. You just need to settle down.”
Kate enters the empty hospital room where I’m getting dressed, and she has a red cup in her hand. “Here you go, Nurse Richards. A much-needed calm-you-down drink.”
“You snuck alcohol in here?” I whisper.
She nods. “I did. You need to chill, girl!”
Mom laughs as I take a sip and find it’s a delicious margarita. “Oh my! I did need this. Thank you.”
Mom takes a seat on the vacant hospital bed and plays with the string of pearls we bought her which hang around her neck. “Things have really turned around, pumpkin, haven’t they?”
“They have,” I agree and take another sip of the delicious drink.
“Your father and I got the settlement squared away, and later on, we’ll be going by private jet to our new home. I’m just kind of going through the motions. It feels like a dream to me.” She looks at me as I take another sip. “And when are we to expect grandchildren?”
I nearly choke with her question. “Mom! Give us a minute or two. Okay?”
Kate laughs and Tiffany walks into the room, all ready and looking lovely, too, in her matching blue dress, just like Kate’s and Mom’s. “What’s so funny?”
“Delaney nearly choked to death with her mother’s question of when they were planning on having kids,” Kate informs her.
“Kent told me they were already trying,” she says, and Kate and I shush her.
Mom looks at me with narrowed eyes. “Delaney Richards, you’re keeping secrets from me! You two are already on that?”
I nod and blush. “I’m afraid so. Blaine’s in a real rush to get our family started. He wants a big one, so I assume time is of the essence in his eyes.”
“A big family?” Mom asks as she shakes her head. “We’ll see if you go that route. I was not about to go through that process again. One was plenty for me.”
“I know,” I tell her as I finish off the drink and do feel a whole lot calmer. “But Blaine wants a big family. Who am I to tell the man no? It’s pretty obvious what that man wants, he gets.”
In the hallway, I hear a commotion and the sound of heels echoing in the empty hall. “I heard he’s going to be in the chapel for his wedding. Let’s get him there,” a woman’s voice calls out.
Kate looks at me, then hurries to the door, peeking out of it then quickly closing it. “Damn!”
“What’s going on?” I ask as I get out of the chair.
“There’s a news crew out there. I bet they’re looking for Blaine. I need to warn him,” she says as she takes her phone out of her bra to call her brother.
“I’ll handle this,” I say as rage runs through me.
The press has been in contact with Blaine’s office, asking for an interview since the news was leaked about the five miraculous recoveries of the kids he was visiting. I’m not sure who would’ve alerted the press to that, but someone did, and the reporters have been wanting to get him in their clutches. A thing I think will end in disaster.
Just as I get to the door, I feel a bunch of hands on me, holding me back. “No,” Mom says. “Delaney, you don’t want to end up on the news. Or even worse, in jail for assault.
I can see the fury in your eyes. You’ll knock that woman out if you get the chance.”
“I will do that. She can’t ruin my wedding day with this.” I can’t go anywhere, though, as they all hold me back.
“Blaine!” Kate shouts as he answers his phone.
“What? You sound pretty excited, Kate,” he says. “Don’t tell me Delaney is getting cold feet.”
“No, it’s not that. Where are you? You need to hide. A news crew is looking for you and they know you’re going to be at the chapel.”
“Shit!” he hisses. “I’m in a room two doors away from there. I can’t believe they knew about this. This is totally private. Tell, Delaney I’m sorry about this. I should’ve given an interview before this so this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Don’t apologize, Blaine,” I call out. “This is no one’s fault.”
“She’s slurring,” he says. “Did you slip her a drink, Kate?”
“I’m slurring?” I ask, as I don’t feel drunk. Well, maybe a little. Yeah, a little. I lean on the hospital bed and hiccup. “Damn, I’m drunk.”
“Kate, you’re in so much trouble. She hasn’t eaten a thing since lunch yesterday. She was too busy packing and being nervous last night to eat a thing. Get her something like some crackers or something to help sober her up,” he orders her, and she bolts out of the room.
“She’s in trouble,” I say, then lay on the bed. “And now I’m really tired.”
Mom’s eyes roll, and Tiffany looks worried as she says, “Delaney, you need to snap out of it. Try to sit up. Your eyes are looking very heavy. You should’ve told her you hadn’t eaten.”
“I know that now,” I tell her as my eyes close. “But I need a little nap. Just a little one.”
I hope this is still real when I wake up!
Chapter 8
BLAINE
“He’s not here yet,” I hear the preacher tell the news crew in the hallway. “And you can’t be here. This is a sacred place. I can call security to see you all out.”
“We’ll wait outside for him to leave then. I’m sure he has plans for after the wedding—to go on some extravagant honeymoon with his new bride. We’ll get him then. He owes the world an explanation for how he gets everything he wants. First, he becomes a billionaire by selling crap, and then the kids he was visiting all have miraculous recoveries. Sources say he has an in with the devil, preacher. Is that the kind of person you want in your church?”
Under Her Skin Page 96