Angel's Mission
Page 19
They were seated in the crowded auditorium with hundreds of other well-known actors, producers, and directors, all of whom were waiting to see who went home with this year’s Diamond awards. They chatted politely with some of the people near them while Angel fielded text after text from their children wanting to know if their favorite star had won an award yet.
Kevin laughed at some of their questions. “Thank God we stopped at six!” He sniggered and turned back to the stage. Angel bit her lip as they started the next category of the show.
An hour later, they were getting down to the award that Kevin and Angel were there for.
“Now it’s time for the award for the best director of a drama movie,” said the host. “And here to announce the nominees is one of the best in the business. Let’s give a big round of applause for our very own Arthur Johnston and his lovely wife Evelyn.”
Arthur and Evelyn took the stage to a round of applause. “Thank you so much,” said Arthur.
“Yes, it is such an honor to be here and especially to be asked to give this award,” said Evelyn.
“We know all the nominees personally,” started Arthur.
“And are proud to be able to call all of them our friends,” finished Evelyn.
The two began to call out the nominees.
When Kevin’s name was called, the spotlight found its mark, and Kevin and Angel smiled proudly for the guests and the cameras at the honor of his being nominated. Kevin gave a small nod, the next nominee was announced, and the lights, the cameras, and the crowd turned away from them.
Angel leaned toward Kevin. “Um, sweetie, I have something I need to—”
“And the winner is…Kevin Martin, for the best director of the drama, The Tide is Turning!”
The crowd applauded, and everyone turned to see the winner. Angel looked slightly stricken for a moment when the spotlight found them again, but she recovered quickly and beamed at the camera and the celebrities who were congratulating her and her husband on his win.
Kevin smiled. “It’ll have to wait a few more minutes, sweetheart,” he murmured, rising to his feet. He gave her a kiss on her lips and headed to the stage.
Kevin took his place behind the microphone for a gorgeous blonde in a deep-blue evening gown to hand him his award. He hugged Arthur and Evelyn before turning his attention to the podium and the crowd.
“Oh wow! This is amazing. To be here, to be nominated is such…such an honor. And to win, well…words simply escape me. I’d like to thank the people who helped to put this whole movie together. Ralph Crenshaw, who is an amazing producer. Marty Boyle, who did an astonishing job with the camera. The camera crew; all of the staff who put these amazing sets together and made it all look so easy. They were all incredible.” Kevin named half a dozen other people and then paused to look directly at Angel.
“I’d also like to thank my family, especially my wife, Angel, who has been very supportive. My children, who have made my life so special and better than I ever dreamed possible, and last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank God…”
Kevin hesitated, looking for the right words. Most people let those words roll off their tongue without ever thinking about what it meant. Now, in this crowded auditorium, with hundreds of people watching him give thanks to his family and friends, Kevin finally understood what it meant to be grateful to a force, a presence, a living God that was so much bigger than him. He took a moment to compose himself.
He went on. “I’d like to thank God for putting me in the right place at the right time, because my life looks so very different now from what it did a few months ago, and I am a better man for it.”
Angel watched in astonishment as Kevin continued his speech. “Angel, honey. Thank you so much for choosing a life with me and for allowing me to be a father to the six best kids on this earth.”
Angel smiled and tears welled up in her eyes.
“When are you expecting number seven?” Max shouted from the back of the theater. The crowd laughing at his query, he leaned back against the wall and waited for Kevin’s answer.
“I think six is enough, don’t you, honey?” Kevin asked Angel.
Angel turned pale and hesitated in her reply. She looked around the room at all the people who were staring at her expectantly. Then she bit her lip and turned back to face Kevin.
Angel blushed with embarrassment, and he repeated himself. “Don’t you think so, honey?”
Angel shook her head.
“No?” Kevin ran his hands through his hair as he struggled to understand what was happening.
Angel shook her head again, put up one finger and mouthed the words one more.
“One more?” he asked. “Are…are you telling me that...that…that we’re, that you’re…”
Angel cringed slightly, and the color drained from her face. She stood and headed for the door.
Kevin’s head began to spin, and the crowd disappeared. When his vision cleared, he saw Angel’s pale form leaving her seat.
“Wait!” He handed his award to Arthur and ran down the stairs. “Stop,” he shouted since there were no microphones to carry his voice over the din in the room.
Angel stopped in the middle of the aisle but didn’t turn. She put her trembling hand to her forehead, hoping her cool fingers would help ward off the nausea. Kevin stopped a few feet from her.
“Angel,” he said, his tone imploring her to turn around and face him. She didn’t move. He walked the last few feet and slowly turned her to look at him, his fingers bringing her chin up so he could see her face. “Angel, sweetheart, is this what you’ve been trying to tell me? That you’re pregnant, that you and I are going to have a baby?”
She looked up into his anxious face. “Yes.”
A smile slowly lit up his face, and he threw his arms around her. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her. His Angel was going to have a baby! He stepped back to look at her.
“Honey, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Um, I’ve been trying.”
Kevin hugged her close. Then he turned to the crowd who was still staring at them with open curiosity. “Folks, I’m going home. We have a family to break some wonderful news to. We’re going to have a baby!” Then he turned back to Angel. “Let’s go home.”
Max stepped forward and started to clap, at first by himself and then followed by a few of Kevin’s friends as Kevin and Angel walked down the aisle arm in arm. Before they could get through the door, there was a standing ovation—the crowd shouting out their congratulations. Max smiled as they passed, and Kevin gave him a fist bump on the way out as he escorted Angel towards the exit and into their limo.
Epilogue
Kevin peeked into the bassinet. His two-month-old son, Logan Maxwell Martin, was in his crib making cooing noises and spit bubbles.
“Hey there, buddy. What are you doing awake?”
Logan smiled up at his dad as Kevin picked him up and walked over to sit in the white wooden rocker on the other side of the master suite. He slowly rocked his son, inhaling the sweet smell of baby lotion. His son grabbed his finger and opened his eyes wide to stare intently at his dad. Kevin stared back, equally intent on taking this moment in. Angel quietly watched them both from her side of the bed.
Finally, Kevin looked up and caught her eyeing them. “Well hi there, beautiful,” he whispered. He picked up his son and laid him carefully on the bed between them before lying down and giving her a soft, leisurely kiss. “And what are you doing up?”
“Just watching,” she answered.
“Just watching, huh? Just watching what?”
“Just watching you.”
“Watching me? Now why would you do that?”
She smiled. “Well it’s kinda in the job description when you’re married to America’s sexiest actor.”
Kevin grinned. “Is that right?”
“Yep” She nodded. “It’s in there. Signed, sealed, and official.”
“Really? And exactly where i
s this contract that you speak of?”
“Somewhere in Mexico,” she answered.
“Hmmm,” he said thoughtfully. “And are there any rules and regulations that apply to me in this contract?”
“Oh, yes. Absolutely,” she answered.
“And what would those rules be?”
“That you have to love and cherish every moment with us forever and ever.”
Kevin looked at her with all the love in his heart. “I always do.”
About the Author
Author Bio: Pamela Nerren has been writing for twelve years. The unexpected urge to write swept upon her one night as she was lying in bed. That desire remained with her, and she followed the demands of its urgency. Angel’s Mission will be her first published novel. Pamela derives her inspiration from life, which she knows can be both beautiful and callous. She writes to connect—to inspire, to show her readers that you’re never truly alone.
Always on the go, Pamela is a writer, a network marketer, and a dental hygienist. She has three children and four grandchildren. A native Mississippian, she and her oldest son maintain a hobby ranch with three horses, a donkey, a mini donkey, a mini horse, a potbelly pig, three dogs, and a cat.
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