by K. M. Liss
“He's got a crush on me, that's all. And I guess you'll have to dis-engage us now, won't you? Before Mom finds out, and plans our party at Caesars Palace and chooses her wedding outfit.”
“Do you really want me to dis-engage us?” My heart's pounding. I don't know what I'm saying. I'm putting out feelers, voicing my innermost thoughts.
“I want whatever you want, but at the right time,” she replies a little cryptically.
I'd have preferred a straight yes or no, and not to have the question turned back on me. So being the clever bastard I am, I bounce it back again.
“And I want whatever you want...and what time is the right time?”
She places her finger over my lips.
“It's not going to be now, is it? Think about it. The baby might not survive. It could be a very upsetting time ahead for us. Let's take everything nice and slow. There's no rush, is there? We're together and that's enough for me. Ask me that question when and if you feel it's the right time to ask it. And I'll tell Bren something convincing...to keep him quiet and sweet and off our case, when I next speak to him.”
I snuggle up close and nibble her ear. I really love her ears. I can't keep my teeth off them.
“I guess that's best, for everyone. Right now I just want you to concentrate on getting better and keeping yourself and Joe safe, okay?”
“And I'll try my goddamn best not to have any more disasters.”
“Yeah, you do that. Just stay here in bed, baby. Don't move an inch without me. And Kate...one more thing, did anyone tell you my dad was called Joe.”
“No...oh no...Aaron, you are kidding me,” she whispers.
“No I'm not, and it kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?”
“It's doing more than making me wonder. It's a goddamn sign. A burning bush or something prophetic. I've got shivers running up and down my spine. I don't know what to think right now?”
“I'm feeling the same way baby, believe me.”
She strokes my face.
“Look, I'm not going there Aaron. In an attempt to make this simple for us. I'll just say thank you. Out loud. To you for giving me Joe, and your dad for naming him. However long I have him for.” She rubs her stomach.
I can't help myself and kiss it all over. I couldn't love her any more than at that moment. Despite all the dreadful shocks she has experienced lately she can still think logically about things. Way better than I can. She's beyond wonderful as well as beyond adorable..
I slip down and hug her tight, in a state of near tears at her wonderful side.
I'm almost out-of-my-fucking-head happy. Only one little thing will make me happier. And I pray for him with everything I have.
HER
My world couldn't be a better place, even though I seem to be getting bigger by the day. I can hardly believe how big I am at six months. I'm a baby mountain.
I'm also getting concerned at how big little Joe's gonna be and whether he can actually make his way out without inflicting too much damage on his mommy.
I stand in the ladies restrooms at the airport brushing my hair. My short heavily highlighted blonde bob looks like spun gold under the lights. It's dead sexy. I might keep it shorter like this. I know Aaron likes it a lot. I lean forward toward the mirror, checking my face, and add some more makeup and spray myself with perfume. Then I leave, to join them outside.
His private plane landed ten minutes ago and we're waiting.
Aaron, my Mom and Harry, my much-loved stepdad, are by my side as my real father finally appears before us in the JFK arrivals terminal.
He's so Russian it's just not funny. And I know I have his nose and eyes, but thankfully I don't have the heavy brow and thick dark eyebrows to go with it.
I smile at him as he takes me into his huge arms and hugs me close. He smells of cigars and something spicy, very fatherly. I'm surprised he's still smoking after having had bronchitis, but he always has, I suppose he can't stop, or doesn't want to, despite the health risks. In any case it's kinda nice and very him.
“Hi, Daddy,” I say in a stupid girlish voice. I'm so happy to be in his arms.
“Alexi, honey, long time no see.” I break free as Mom opens her arms and hugs him enthusiastically. He sweeps her off her feet and chuckles at her sweetly. There's such a bond there. I don't understand how it has lasted through the years, and why it never went any further. But that's their business. Their secret. And she's more than happy with Harry anyway. I do wonder about my father though. Is he happy?
We go through the hellos. And he introduces us to his interpreter, Viktor.
“So, my Katrina ees vell?” Dad asks me, trying out his faltering English.
“Yes...much...better,” I reply very slowly.
“Hmmm, zis?” He points at my rounded belly.
“Very...well...too.” He already knew I was pregnant. I couldn't spring that on him at the airport. He also knows it's a boy.
“Joseph Alexi...grand...son...for...you.”
“Grand..son. Mmm. Zis good.”
I hold his hand tightly as we go to the car.
I'm so pleased he's here. Cool and aloof, and so Russian, and goddamn wonderful.
I couldn't get married without my dad giving me away. Even though he never really had me around much during our lives so far, we need to do something right going forward.
The last five and a half months have been life changing.
My body healed so fast, with Aaron by my side. He dedicated himself to getting me well and up on my feet, as he's out of the day-to-day running of his company. He's been marketing my song writing to all the contacts he knows and I've been improving on my style and technique. It's all going so well, I'm stunned. We grew even closer, and he asked me to marry him two months ago. That's one moment I will never forget. The sight of him as he suddenly appeared at my side, one evening, in his smart and sexy suit. He led me to my closet and handed me my Chanel dress and best shoes, insisted I put them on, and took me to the most perfect spot in Venice. I cried with happiness in the moonlight.
And Bren has become one of my best friends. He thankfully now sees me as a sister, and I love him dearly as a brother. Despite the heated way he and Aaron first met, they rub along okay when they meet. I think they've come to an understanding anyway. Kelsey has become the sister I never knew. She's been visiting us in New York and we've visited her in Austin and Las Vegas. She has a new hot boyfriend. Fingers crossed for her. She's taken to my mom in such a lovely way, I'm really touched. I guess part of that is because she can see how happy her dad is with her. Mom and Harry are still pretty hot and all over each other, but I've kinda got used to it.
It feels as though our newly formed family has been together for much longer than just six months.
The ceremony is tomorrow. Everyone is in New York now, and staying at the best hotels we could arrange for them. This is our chosen location, the mid point between everyone and where we're based. Our home.
My friends, his friends, our families. And more than a few famous singers and movie stars are attending the wedding. I'm so over the moon. This is going to be such an event. It's cost us a fortune. Our dream wedding. My dress alone cost ten thousand. I feel guilty at the cost of it, but I'm going to auction it off afterward, at the forthcoming Grammy awards, for charity. It's a Roland Mouret custom design. The finest antique lace and silk and literally covered in seed pearls. It's a shimmering orgasm of a dress, and I can't wait to wear it. It flows out subtly from under the bust and almost conceals my bump. Not that I want to hide it particularly, but as Roland rightly pointed out, it's my day, not the baby's...he'll have his day soon enough and I'll know all about it.
I laughed at that.
So true.
My sweet rose tattoo survived its incarceration in plaster and looks so, so fine I could lick it myself. I still can't get over his face when he first saw it. Although I'd told him it was there, it was like the grand unveiling at the hospital. He kisses it every day. Multiple times.
HIM
Jack is faffing with my tie. Getting “the little bastard to sit right,” he says. I've always been useless with ties. He's finally happy with his efforts and he slips my arms into my silky white waistcoat and black morning jacket while I look in the mirror.
Is this me? Dressed for my wedding? Something I never, in a million years, thought I'd do?
I'm stunned I'm here. But so grateful and so happy with my lot I'm almost delirious.
I touch my short hair with pride. I chopped it all off just after her accident, so we could grow it together. I knew she felt bad having no hair.
It's strange having a crop after years of long hair, but I kinda like it.
And hell, she loves it! Can't keep her hands off it apparently...so it's staying dead short.
“Right bud, all set?” Jack looks at me for a serious moment.
“Yep. All set and ready for the off.”
“You look great. She'll pass out while she's licking your feet at the altar, man.”
“Without a doubt.” I laugh, in full agreement.
I admire myself shamelessly.
I am kinda hot. Make that real fucking hot.
“Jack...I know I've said this before, but please don't go overboard with your obscene brand of male humor when you give your speech, okay?”
“For fuck’s sake...I'll be as clean as I can.”
“That's what I'm worried about, you don't have a clean bone in your body.”
“I might surprise you today.”
“As long as you don't surprise Kate and my mother in the wrong way, pal.”
“I'm saying no more about it. It's my little secret. Our little secrets, eh?” He taps my nose and winks. I'm wishing I hadn't done all that bad stuff now. He's got a goldmine of inappropriate material to draw on.
“That's cool. How about you keep everything our little secret. Don't say a thing, period. No dirty Jack-style reminiscences at all. The quickest, shortest best man speech ever. 'Cheers' will do just fine.”
“Fuck off. I've got a lot more to say than cheers. You're my best pal. More than my best pal. I've got a lot to say about you. But don't worry, I've sent it to the dry cleaners, so it's nice 'n clean...ish.”
I smile at him. I'll have to trust him, I guess.
Either that or murder him right now.
My stomach's rolling and jumping pleasantly as we leave my apartment and get in the black Mercedes parked up outside.
I'm on my way, Kate...on my way.
HER
This is my moment. All eyes are on me as I'm walking up the aisle on my father’s arm, feeling like a potential princess about to wed her royal prince. I'm aglow with glimmering wonderfulness and inner happiness. I've never felt so special or so high.
Christine, Paula, and Kelsey trail behind me in their cream silk dresses. They are sublime, stunning, and even Kelsey has managed to look demure. Everything's tucked away neatly and her hair is toned down to a natural shade of blonde.
My wedding couldn't be any more perfect.
My smile is as wide as it'll go without being painful as I see him before me. I don't notice anyone else. I don't want to look anywhere else. My vision is blinkered straight ahead.
I'm staring at him with a passion beyond all passion. He's so beautiful. How can any man be so beautiful? Not only to look at, but inside. There's a deep well of love inside him. It just needed the right person to uncover it. I'm so glad it was me. I thank God for him every second of every minute of every day and night.
I look at her in a state of loving rapture. How can any woman be so stunningly beautiful, amazing, and wonderful? And so goddamn sexy as well? She's rounded in all the right places and so cute, adorable, kissable and huggable...and something else that I try not to think of while I'm standing next to a man of the cloth.
I know I'm a soft-in-the-head idiot as far as Kate is concerned. She can do no wrong in my eyes.
She's my little piece of female perfection.
And this is the moment I become a little more perfect as well.
My heart is pumping like crazy as she arrives at my side, gliding to a stop like a pause in my beautiful daydream. We lock eyes, and the love flows between us like a river.
I hope my dad is watching every second of this and raising his favorite glass of vintage Chianti to us.
Saying the “I do” part is easy. And wearing her ring for the first time as her husband is heart-stoppingly wonderful.
But the vows are so damn hard. My throat is so tight with emotion I'm almost speechless as I look in her eyes. I'm so choked I can barely repeat the minister's words.
“I, Aaron Alexander...take thee, Katrina Eloise...for my lawful wedded wife...to have and to hold...from this day forward...for better, for worse...for richer, for poorer...in sickness and in health...as long as we both shall live.”
I finally get there. With a deeply felt inner sigh of such relief I want to cry.
Thank God and hallelujah I haven't fucked any of that up.
My tongue was acting so strangely. It suddenly wouldn't work when I needed it most. I've never felt so nervous in my whole life.
I'm finally calming down and I listen as she says her words to me, so, so sweetly. It makes my heart flip over and over like crazy. Her eyes are welling up. A tear trickles down her cheek and I wipe it away with my fingertip as mine well up in response.
I'm lost and drowning in her eyes. I take her in my arms, the hard lump of our baby pressed between us, and kiss her for an age. I don't want to let go. She's where I want her, in my heart and my arms, forever.
Holy mother...I've said it! All of it. Word perfect.
How I did, I'll never know. Saying my vows was the most emotional thing I've ever had to do. My throat was burning with the need to cry.
He wipes the stray tear from my cheek, which I couldn't stop escaping, and I'm so choked.
Those words. The traditional vows of love. The oh-so special, terrifying words that have been rolling around in my head for months since he proposed to me, in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs.
Our eyes are glued to one another’s. Oblivious to everyone else. He holds me close, his hands gently on the back of my waist. Our baby squashed against his stomach.
He kisses me and my heart flies away with his.
I don't know why but my mind rolls back to the first time I saw him, when he hijacked my cab.
I thank all the stars in the heavens for his bad manners.
They've brought us to a point in our lives I could never have imagined when I first sat beside him in that taxi.
He was just a hot guy then...who'd have known he was going to be the one for me?
Everything he is, I now possess. And there's so much I love about him.
He's my Italian angel. I don't want to let get go of him, ever.
So what if it's a very heated matrimonial kiss.
It's what and who we are. What we feel inside. The raging passion of love.
I pray we always will.
Amen.
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I also write under pen name Jessica Miles (Jessie M) in the paranormal romance genre.
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