"I wish you were my daddy," she heard Phyllis say.
"So do I," Becky said. "Our real father would never have..."
Alison saw Becky's chin drop, and her heart broke for her oldest. Phillip would have never held his daughter while she was sick. He had rarely touched Becky when she was well. He had flatly refused to come near her whenever she had been ill.
They deserved someone like John for a father. Alison gazed at the man she was in love with. She also deserved someone like him.
"Hi poppet," she called out and pushed into the room.
Becky turned and smiled at her, and Alison smiled back. "Mrs. Baker, would you ask Mrs. Richardson for some water and a couple rags?"
"Yes, madam," Amanda said, and started toward the door.
"Mummy, can Uncle John be my new papa?" Phyllis asked.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Becky turn to face her. Alison heard her whisper, "Yes, mother, can he?"
Alison glanced at her eldest and saw the hopeful gleam in her eyes. Her chest warmed, and a calmness settled over her. When she turned back, she saw the same hope reflected in John's and Phyllis's faces.
Taking one step, and then another, she stopped at his side and held her hand out to him. Without hesitation he took her hand in his and squeezed. A knowing smile passed between them and then she turned back to her youngest.
"He asked for the job a few months ago, poppet," she said, then turned back to him. "And I'm hoping he still wants it. Because I would love for him to be your new papa too."
Chapter 15
"Did you know he asked Gabe for his permission to marry you?" Katie asked Alison.
Glancing over her shoulder, Alison gazed at her friend. The warm feelings she had woken up with spread, making her feel a bit giddy.
"No, I didn't," she said. But it didn't surprise her. John had loved his first wife and respected Gabriel. The two of them were now as close as brothers.
"We're not sure why he did so, but Gabe was humbled by it nonetheless."
Alison turned and faced her dearest friends. "John loved Imogene very much. Just as your husband did. I'm sure he just wanted to honor that connection between the two of them."
Katie smiled back at her. "It is what we thought as well."
She and John had several long talks about Imogene and his marriage to his first wife. He had loved Imogene quite dearly, and she didn’t want to take that away from him. But she was grateful for both of them getting a second chance at love.
Glancing around at the bedroom she had been assigned for the day at Harvest Hill, she was grateful for a number of things. Not least of all John’s loving family that had completely accepted her and her daughters into their lives.
Her heart fluttered and happiness wrapped itself around her. She was more than grateful, she was ecstatic. Alison had never thought to find this kind of happiness again.
Thinking back to last week and Phyllis's illness, she acknowledged for the first time that what she had felt for Phillip had never been what she now felt for John. Phillip had been a young girl's fantasy of love. John was what real love was like.
Love wasn't the parties and carrying on until the early morning hours. Or even the laughter and good times two people had with each other. Although, those were important too. No, love was the walks in the park with special someone, planning birthday parties for your kids, and spending time with your family because their company lifted your spirts.
Alison now knew that real love was so much more than a fairy-tale. It was life. And John had given her that by just simply being there for her and her daughters.
Helen and Lydia, John's mother, walked through the door, interrupting Alison's musings. "Are you ready?" Lydia asked.
Looking over at her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Alison searched for her two daughters. "Are Rebecca and Phyllis ready?"
"They'll be along in a moment," Helen said and smiled. "Phyllis is still a little put-out that she can't be the best man."
Alison laughed. Her youngest had insisted that since she had asked John to be her father, she should have the right to be the best man at their wedding. They had tried to explain why she couldn't, but in the end, they had just had to bribe her with a new puppy and being one of her mother's bride's maids. Alison had a sneaky suspicion that had been her daughter's plan all along.
"Just not enough to give up the puppy John bought for her," Alison replied.
Helen smiled back. "No. Not enough to give up her puppy. But now she wants to be able to walk down the aisle with it."
"No, it can't," Lydia said. "It hasn't been house broken yet."
"Then you better hope she doesn't find John or one of her new uncles before the ceremony, Mother. Because knowing them, they would probably not only allow it, they would encourage her," Helen said, and winked at Alison.
Alison started giggling. Her mother-in-law joined in, and their gaiety spread to the others in the room. Soon they were laughing so hard Alison had tears in her eyes. It felt good to have a family. Being raised as an only child, she had often dreamed of being a part of a large family. And now, thanks to John, she was going to have one.
"Mummy, mummy," Phyllis cried out as she tore into the room. "What is so funny?"
"Nothing, sweetheart," she replied, which sent the others into another peal of laughter.
"Mother," Rebecca said as she walked into the room at a sedate stroll. "Grandpa Netterman said to tell you that things are ready."
A lump lodged in Alison’s throat. John's parents had insisted that she call them Mother and Father. And that Rebecca and Phyllis call them Grandma and Grandpa Netterman. Alison couldn't have been happier.
With her heart afloat and butterflies swarming in her stomach, they made their way down the hall and descended the stairs. The ceremony was taking place in the front drawing room, as it was big enough to accommodate all of them.
They all stopped in the entry hall, and Lydia and Helen kissed her cheek as they passed by and headed in to join the others. Suddenly Alison felt nervous. She hadn't felt nervous during her first ceremony, which was ridiculous since it had occurred at St. James with half of London looking on. Now it was just the two of them and a few friends and his family.
Nothing to be nervous about. Only this time she knew what the vows she was about to say meant. To have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, till death do we part.
Sadly, she had found that Phillip’s vows hadn't applied to their children as well. He had promised to love her, not any children they might have.
Taking a step forward, she looked across the brightly lit room. John and Gabriel were standing at the far end of the room, talking to the minister and John’s father. Images of him playing with Phyllis and his nieces and nephews flashed through her mind.
John was definitely not Phillip. He already loved her daughters and had spent more time with them than her late husband had during their entire marriage. He would not turn his back on them once the ceremony was over.
Closing her eyes, she prayed, "Thank you, God."
"Mother?" Becky asked, bringing her back to the present.
Unable to speak for fear of crying, Alison nodded her head. And it began. Phyllis was the first to go, and she all but skipped into the room, tossing flower petals as she went. Most of them landed on the guests and not the floor, inspiring many indulgent smiles. Next was Rebecca, who kissed her cheek, then walked proudly in to the room.
"Ali, I'm so happy for you," Katie said.
She squeezed Alison’s hands and kissed her cheek before Katie too turned and walked through the doorway. Alison waited a heartbeat or two and then began a slow walk down the aisle.
Katie was several inches taller than Alison, so she couldn't see John at the end of the room as she walked between the chairs that had been set up. She smiled and nodded to his family and their guests as she passed them. Finally, Katie reached the end of the aisle and
stepped aside, and Alison froze at the sight before her.
Instead of standing to the side as they had been instructed, her daughters were lined up beside John. Phyllis was grasping his hand and beaming. And Becky had her arm linked through John's, smiling knowingly at her mother.
She knew she was gawking at them and couldn't stop herself. Finally, John winked. "Ali, would you like to join us?"
Join them? His words pierced her heart, and she fell further in love with him than she already was. Choking back a sob, she stepped forward and stood in front of the three people she loved most in the world.
He hesitated, then leaned down and gently kissed her lips. When he pulled back a little he whispered, "What do you say, Ali. Why don't we all get married?"
Another sob caught in Ali’s throat. She had planned on telling him about the baby growing inside of her right after the ceremony. A surprise present she knew he would love. But she couldn’t wait any longer. So, she reached over and clasped his hand between hers, and then drew it down to her softly rounded belly.
“All four of us would love to marry you, Mr. Netterman”
His eyes clouded over for a second and the lit up with understanding. “Ali?” he asked on a whisper.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she could only nod enthusiastically. But even through the tears she could see John beaming back at her.
And so, with him grinning down at her, he placed Phyllis between them, and with each of them holding one of Phyllis's hands, and Rebecca on his other side, she became Mrs. Alison Renée Netterman.
* * *
THE END
Other Books by Julianna Hughes
Book #1, Fallen Angels series,
To Save a Guardian Angel
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RELEASED September 29, 2018
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Book #2, Fallen Angels NOVELLA series (a Christmas Novella)
The Christmas Promise
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RELEASED November 23, 2018
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COMING IN 2019
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Book #2, in the Fallen Angels series
To Save a Fallen Angel
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Scheduled for release February 2019
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Book #3, in the Fallen Angels NOVELLA series
The Earl’s Night of Being Wild
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Scheduled for release April 2019
About the Author
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Julianna Hughes is a retired police sergeant who has spent her life creating romantic stories about pirates and heroic women who are powerful and capable of saving the men they love. After more than thirty years in law enforcement she is now sharing her thrilling and romantic stories with the world.
See what other books and events Julianna has coming up by signing up for her Newsletter at: http://gem.godaddy.com/signups/0b6974a4a25e43e3ab4e09e62a17ef8d/join
Visit her webpage at: www.juliannahughes.com
Like her on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/LoinheartsDreamworld/
Follow her on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/author_julianna
Alison's Scandalous Affair (The Fallen Angels NOVELLA series Book 1) Page 13