Gabe hugged his children one more time and then made his way toward the door. “It’s a long time between now and the time she delivers the baby, Jared. We’ll keep an ear to the ground, but be on alert. Heaven won’t step in until you give them a reason.”
“You mean start a war,” Jared said.
“Figure out a reason, Son.” In that instant, Gabriel was gone.
“Huh,” Bex puffed. “Weird.”
Claire’s shoulders dropped. “He’s never coming back, is he?”
“Probably not,” Jared said with a small, apologetic smile on his face.
Claire sat on the closest pew, beside her mother. She leaned against Lillian’s shoulder and closed her eyes, pushing the remaining tears down her face. “I’m so sorry you couldn’t see him,” Claire whispered.
“She’ll know,” Bex said. “She always knows.”
The windows began to brighten, and light danced down the walls as if the sun were rising.
Eli smiled, kissing me lightly on the cheek. “Congratulations, kiddo. On both counts. See you soon.”
“How soon?”
He smiled. “It’s as I said before. When there is only one question left to ask.”
“But . . . what does that mean? What is the question?” I asked, but I was talking to empty space. He was gone.
Claire stood, taking a deep breath. “I have to get back,” she said, looking behind her. Samuel stood at the door with an outstretched hand reaching in her direction. “You look beautiful,” she said to me with a small smile. In no hurry, Claire ambled down the aisle. Once her hand touched Samuel’s, she was gone as well.
Bex laughed once and shook his head. “That’s so cool.”
4. Little Heaven
Jared took my hand and led me to our former spots at the front of the church. Bex took a position beside his brother. We watched each other as the sun grew brighter, slowly brightening the faces of our audience. From the corner of my eye, I saw movement, and Father Julian shifted his weight, signaling their awakening.
The minister smiled, gesturing for us to turn. We faced our friends and family, and Father Julian placed his hands on each of our shoulders. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jared Ryel.”
Every face in the room beamed, and applause filled the room. Even with the frightening events just moments before, joy consumed me. Jared’s hand enveloped mine, and we walked the few steps to the aisle and then made our way outside. It was surreal to return to the scene of Jared’s trial, this time in the sunshine where birds sang happily, riding the bobbing branches that swayed with the breeze. The plaza at the bottom of the chapel’s steps where Michael and his small army had stood not ten minutes before was now bathed in the warmth of the sun, waiting for our friends to occupy its smooth, rocked surface. The fountain was gushing and the road peppered with townspeople—I felt a bit sick at the sight of it.
“You okay?” Jared said, stopping to smile as Beth took our picture.
“Yeah . . . yeah, I just feel . . . confused.”
“Changing planes is unnatural and unsettling for humans, which is why they typically don’t allow it.”
“That explains a lot,” I said, stopping to pose for more pictures as Lillian, Cynthia, Chad, and Jared’s Uncle Luke and Aunt Maryse filed out of the chapel. “Does it”—I smiled again—“affect the baby?”
“No,” Jared answered, kissing my forehead.
“How do you know?” I said, leaning into his kiss.
He looked down to me and touched my cheek. “Otherwise Eli wouldn’t have done it.”
“Oh,” I said, my eyes wandering until I found Lillian. “Of course.”
Lillian hugged her son and then me. Her sweet, energetic smile lit up the island. I watched and waited, wondering if she realized she’d been in Gabriel’s presence just moments before.
“What is it?” she said, half curious, half amused.
“Nothing.” I smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Not as much as I,” she winked.
Jared and I traded glances, wondering if she’d just given us a clue.
“Cynthia!” Beth called. “Stand beside Nina, and I’ll take a picture of the couple with their mothers.”
Cynthia fidgeted with her hair and then took her place beside me, poised and proper. I hooked my arm around her waist, and she stiffened when I pulled her closer.
“Smile!” Beth said, snapping a picture.
A few of the locals gathered on the street, their warm, smiling faces interlacing with the familiar faces our friends and family. They began clapping and singing, and then one of the grandmothers waved at us with her hands, encouraging us to walk. Jared tugged on my hand, and we walked to the street. I laughed with surprise and excitement when I realized they were following us, their hands clapping to the beat of their happy song. Our guests’ white faces were littered among the brown, sun-kissed skin of the townspeople. They followed us to a makeshift downtown, where a small group of men played music.
“You did this?” I asked Jared.
He smiled, amazed. “No. This one I didn’t do.”
We laughed together, amazed at the random celebration that grew around us. Jared pulled me to the center of the street, where we danced to the strumming guitars and hand-tapped percussion. Chad and Beth joined us, as did Luke and Maryse. Bex pulled his mother into the dirt street as well. If I didn’t know better, I would have felt bad for Cynthia, but I knew she preferred to stand away from the nonsense. Perfectly still.
The afternoon sun was warm, and my wedding dress wasn’t built to breathe in the Caribbean humidity. Jared sensed my dilemma and nodded, providing me a seat in the shade. An elderly woman brought me a fan with a smile of understanding. The band played on, and the townsfolk and our guests danced into the evening, long after the makeshift street lamps and hanging lights turned on to flicker and twinkle against the night.
“How do you feel?” Jared asked, handing me another glass of water.
“Good,” I smiled, taking a sip. “I feel good.”
“Feel like dancing?” he said. Jared gestured to the band, and it slowed the beat.
I eagerly let my husband take me by the hand to the middle of the celebration. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my cheek against his chest. His heavenly scent took me away from trials and the war we would create to stay alive. It was then that I realized his skin wasn’t the feverish temperature it usually was.
“What is it?” Jared asked.
“You don’t feel as hot.”
“It’s probably because you’re overheating in that dress. I should have arranged for something you could change into.”
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “Quit fussing.”
Jared rested his jaw against my hair, and we moved slowly to the music. A slight breeze moved through the trees that lined the small cobblestone street in the center of the town. I sunk into Jared’s chest and let his arms totally engulf me. I had never been in more danger, and yet I had never felt so safe. The tribulations that we would face upon our return to Providence suddenly seemed so small in comparison to that moment.
I looked up to Jared and noticed his content smile. “Was it exactly what you hoped it would be?”
“Something like that,” he cooed. “Everything and more.”
My head felt heavy, and I rested it against my husband’s shoulder. My eyes swept across the landscape, seeing Beth and Chad dancing. They weren’t talking but smiling as they shared a sweet moment. It reminded me of the first time Jared and I had experienced Little Corn, and it was heartwarming to see the island make Beth and Chad feel the same way.
As the sun set, the villagers lit the primitive lamps that bordered the sidewalk. Jared and I stood with Bex, listening to Cynthia and Lillian discuss how beautiful the ceremony had been. I waited to hear some indication that Lillian knew of Gabe’s presence, but if she knew, she wasn’t letting on.
“Well, daughter,” Cynthia said, dabbing her forehead with a handker
chief, “I have an early appointment that Jared promised I would make. I best be off.”
“Thank you for coming, Mother,” I said, leaning in to hug her. Her embrace was more than the usual awkward squeeze. She held me to her and whispered in my ear.
“Be safe, dearest. I love you.”
Cynthia turned on her heels and walked quickly to a waiting pickup truck. She didn’t look back as the truck slowly faded into the dark jungle. I waited until I could no longer hear the engine, and then turned to Jared.
He offered a half smile. “She loves you.”
“I heard,” I said, stunned. “I mean of course she does. She’s just never . . . . She’ll make her appointment?”
“I’ve made sure of it,” Jared said. “Bex is at the boat dock now. He’s going to ride with her to the mainland and get her on the plane on time.”
“Good. Remind me to thank Bex later.”
“Oh”—Lillian put a thin arm around me and pulled me to her side—“he’s happy to do it. I’m going to catch a ride with Chad and Beth. She’s a sweet girl.”
“Yes, she is.” I smiled.
“See you at home. Come over for dinner soon, okay?”
“Promise,” Jared said, kissing her forehead.
“I love you both!” She waved, following Beth and Chad to another waiting vehicle.
“Where is our car?” I asked.
“I have the bike I drove over.”
I looked down to my dress. “You’re kidding.”
Jared laughed once. “No. Not at all.” He crouched and then brought up a bunched wad of my dress in his hands. “It’s a nice night. It’ll be fun.”
I shook my head and shrugged. “Why not? Cynthia’s not here to freak out about it.” I took the bunched tulle and silk under my arm and then took Jared’s hand. He led us past the band to a small dirt bike. We took several back roads that led us through a village or two—it was so dark I wasn’t sure if it was tin buildings passing by or just shadows cast by the trees. Before long, the trees thinned, and Jared slowed to a stop. Sounds of waves caressing the shoreline weren’t far away.
Jared took my hand, and we walked beyond the trail until I could feel wet sand breaching the borders of my sandals. The half-moon stubbornly glowed behind a thin, broken layer of clouds. We ambled to where the ocean met the sand, and walked along the beach. We didn’t talk, just walked hand in hand, listening to Little Corn.
The moon finally broke free of the clouds, and its silver light danced on the water. We came upon a large rock, and Jared motioned for me to sit.
“You must be exhausted,” he said, sitting next to me.
“I’m tired, but you only get one wedding day. I can feel a second wind coming on.”
Jared eyes turned soft, and they lingered on my lips. “I just wanted to be alone with you and the island for a little while.”
His eyes seemed to glow in the silver light, and suddenly I was nervous. It was silly to feel that way—I was pregnant, after all—but the pressure of our wedding night made it new again. We had no constraints, no worries about a pregnancy, or being walked in on, or nightmares. It was just us and the knowledge that we were about to consummate our marriage. For whatever reason, that made me incredibly anxious.
“What is it?” Jared asked.
Knowing I couldn’t comfortably explain my feelings without some embarrassment, I pulled him to me and touched my lips to his.
He pulled away, laughing once. “I’m a bit nervous about tonight. Isn’t that ridiculous?”
“No,” I said, tugging on his shirt. “I’m right there with you.”
“Yeah?” he said, relieved.
I nodded and then looked behind us. I returned to him, biting my lip. “How far are we from the casita?”
“It’s right there,” he said, nodding behind me.
“Maybe we should . . . I don’t know . . . get it over with isn’t the right word.”
Jared cleared his throat and then offered an ornery smile. “Get naked and get the nerves out of the way?”
My mouth fell open and I laughed out loud. “Jared!”
He laughed and lifted me into his arms, walking in the direction of the casita. “I didn’t say it was a bad idea.”
He carried me a few yards, past the trees, to the familiar surroundings of our casita. He opened the screen and then brought me inside, softly leaning me against the mattress. The moonlight faded away, and the wind picked up. With a hand on each side of my shoulders, Jared hovered over my body. Distant thunder rolled somewhere over the ocean. He leaned down and touched his lips to mine just as the first raindrops began to spatter against the tin roof.
Jared’s lips traveled in a line down my neck, and he anchored himself with a knee as he lifted me with one hand and unzipped the back of my wedding dress with the other. With both hands, I pushed back his jacket and slid the sleeves off of his arms and then unbuttoned the first two buttons of his white dress shirt. Impatient, I grabbed the hem and pulled it over his head.
Watching his bulging muscles tense and move under his smooth skin did nothing for my nerves. Determined to enjoy the comfort I usually enjoyed when we made love, I focused on undressing him. I worked on the button of his slacks and then ripped down the zipper.
“I said it was a good idea, but I didn’t promise not to take my time,” Jared said, kicking off his pants. He bent his elbows, letting his body press against mine.
“You can take your time,” I said. “We have all night. I think if I just get past this part I can relax,” I said, pressing my fingers into his back.
He reached under the skirt of my dress, and pulled the thin lacy fabric of my panties down my thighs, over my knees, and then past my ankles, letting them fall to the floor.
His hand traveled back up my leg, disappearing under the layers of silk. My legs tensed, and I sucked in a quick bit of air. A few moments later, I couldn’t help but close my eyes and let myself sink into the mattress.
“I’m glad you said that,” he said against my lips. “I fully intend to take all night.”
5. The End
I sat on the beach, listening to the waves. The last time I had come to this island, I pretended to be Mrs. Ryel. Now it was reality. I sighed and placed my hand on my belly. I wished things could be different, that I was like any other new bride, enjoying the beauty surrounding me on my first day as a wife. Wishing wouldn’t help and I knew that. Another life would mean the absence of Jared. If we had never met, most of the chaos wouldn’t have happened, and the worst-case scenario would have been to find out my father was a different person than I believed him to be. Apart from that disappointment, life would have continued on—mundane and mediocre. I would have married Ryan, worked at Titan, and borne a child or three. We would have lived day in and day out with respect and love, facing the day-to-day challenges of ordinary life.
My nose wrinkled. A life without Jared was unimaginable. Coupled with that stipulation, I didn’t want it. Chaos, a constant state of being on alert and uncertain, was a respectable tradeoff for a love like his. He didn’t ask for this, either, after all. The danger was what we went through to be together, and it was worth it for him. He never questioned it, and I grudgingly accepted it. It might not make sense to everyone, but then again, they could never understand. Most hadn’t experienced what I had. I’d been waited for, longed after, for years. The safety, security, and calm I felt with Jared were unmatched; no one else on earth made me feel that way. No one was held as sacred by their husband as I was, so they couldn’t fathom what one might endure to protect it. Our love, in all its imperfection, was perfect.
It was then that a moment of clarity came over me. From the moment I’d learned the truth, I had fought with the feeling of loss for a normal life, but without Jared, that life wouldn’t have as much meaning. Sure, I was an individual. I was a strong person. I didn’t need someone else to complete me, but I was happier with Jared than without him. More than happy. Why settle to prove that I was free? I wa
s—with and without him. Being with him was a choice—a choice to love and be loved and exist in an affirmative state with someone. Even with the chaos going on around us, it was more than I could have hoped for. More than most hoped for. His love was the purest example of anything a human could feel for another. The more I weighed the options in my head, the less appealing normal became. It was downright insulting to compare the two. Suddenly, I couldn’t remember why I had missed it in the first place and scolded myself for ever letting Jared feel that I was anything but grateful for every moment he was in my life.
“How are you feeling, love?” Jared said from behind, bringing a tall glass of ice water.
“As if you have to ask. I feel really good. It seems like every day I feel better and better. Is that normal? Aren’t I supposed to feel sick or tired or both?”
“Not necessarily. What is normal when you’re carrying our child?” Jared said, taking a seat beside me.
We watched the surf together. The storm from the night before had raged until the early hours of the morning, and there was a good reason I knew that for a fact. Jared had kept his promise to take his time. I slept for an hour, maybe two, after the sun breached the horizon, before venturing to the beach. The ocean was endless, stretching out until it met the sky. The only way to tell one from the other was the slight difference in shade. I took in a deep breath and leaned against my husband.
“What is it?” Jared said, grazing his lips across a small patch of skin on my forehead.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said closing my eyes. I wanted to focus on the sounds of the waves rushing the beach, and the way the breeze blew my hair forward. If it were possible to block the frightening thoughts from my head, I would have. I wanted to pretend that the truths I had come across in recent years weren’t real. But they were, and inconceivable, nightmarish things waited for us at home. Those thoughts made it difficult to relax and enjoy my honeymoon, even with Jared’s tireless reassurance. I had finally accepted my life for what it was, but that didn’t make it less frightening.
“Look,” Jared said, nodding to a spot up the beach.
The Providence Trilogy Bundle: Providence; Requiem; Eden Page 67