Forever & A Day

by Donalyn Maurer

  I glance at Abigail, and she’s looking at me as she walks over and stops by my side. “Well played, Raleigh,” she mutters and smirks.

  And, so do I.

  21

  A few minutes later, my dad walks in without Nash or Raleigh. He notices her shoes, leans down and swipes them up then takes them to Bella. She must have seen what happened because she seems really worried. Apparently, Garrett and RJ didn’t notice though, which is probably for the best. I doubt Raleigh’s father and brother would appreciate seeing her sad over Nash, or any man.

  “She’s going to make sure he gets home,” Dad informs us when he makes his way over. He shakes his head, then turns around and walks over to Violet and yanks her into a hug. She holds him close for a second or two, before she tilts her back and stares up at him. Dad’s eyes are soft as he wraps her tight, lifts her up off her feet bringing her lips to his. She wraps her arms around his neck then, threads her fingers through his long dark hair and holds on. The kiss turns heated and my eyes widen in suddenness. I’ve witnessed them affectionate, like holding hands and hugging, but nothing like this. Before I can think too much about it, Nick chimes into the scene.

  “Someone’s getting lucky tonight,” he teases.

  Abigail turns pale and glares at him before snapping, “Someone’s not getting lucky tonight.”

  “We’ll see,” he responds, not sounding worried at all.

  “I wonder what kind of onboard activities your parents enjoyed on their cruise,” Abigail remarks, as she takes the ball and tosses it back into Nick’s court.

  “Shuffleboard,” he snaps like she did a moment ago.

  “Mmhmm,” Abigail agrees with a nod, and puckers her lips before going on. “I’m sure your momma shuffled your daddy’s board plenty on that cruise, baby.”

  Max and I burst into laughter, while Nick hangs his head and shakes it.

  Everyone stands around exchanging goodbyes for a while, before Holloway’s actually empties out. When everyone is gone but Milton and Wilbur, Jesse and Allie, and our parents, I walk over and thank Allie and Jesse and assist in the clean-up.

  “Nope.” Acer says from behind me, surprising me. “The place is pretty much done. You all go on home and enjoy the rest of the night. Milton and Wilbur are going to finish whatever needs to be done, and Stone and I will stay behind to help them.”

  “Thank you so much, Acer,” I say, and he gives me one arm squeeze.

  “It was a great night,” he proclaims

  “It really was,” I agree, then walk over to where Max is shaking hands with Jesse. With a final wave, and thanks, we head out the door.

  22

  “Six days,” Max declares, and marks me with a heated expression.

  “Six days,” I repeat with a sigh, overwhelmed by the vibes he’s putting off.

  “Let’s go.” He pulls his keys from his pocket. “By the way, you look beautiful tonight–in case I didn’t I tell you.” But he did tell me. Over and over, all night. When he wasn’t verbalizing it, he was staring at me or touching the areas of my body where my skin was bare. On the ride home Max and I hold hands, but as happy as I am, I’m still worried about how Nash left. Max runs his thumb along my wrist, in an attempt to comfort me over something I haven’t even said out loud.

  “Nash will be okay, love,” he mutters. He knows. I don’t know how, but he always knows.

  “You think so?” I turn in my seat and face him. He glances at me, then gives his attention back at the road.

  “Yup.” He smirks. This is all I get, so I narrow my eyes on him.

  “How do you know and why are you smirking?”

  “You won’t want to know. He’s your brother,” he warns.

  “What does that mean? Of course, I want to know, and it’s because he is my brother that I want to know.”

  “You won’t want to know.” He softly chuckles through his second warning.

  “Sugar bear,” I say, sweetly using my nickname for him, and he outright laughs.

  “Fine, but I warned you,” he says, then goes on. “When they finally quit fighting it, it’s going to knock them in bed and...” his voice trails off. He quickly glances at me and tosses over a wink, and it’s then I get it.

  “Ew, gross,” I reply, then make a gagging sound, “Ack!” He has just proved me wrong, and him very right. I didn’t want to know this. I don’t want to know this. Ugh!

  “Told you so,” he says.

  “That you did,” I mumble, and he laughs harder.

  23

  We pull up at the house and Max parks out front, which is unusual, but I don’t say anything because I’ve been watching our home since in came into view. A few lights in the house are on, along with the ones on the porch. I’m not sure how many run along the ceiling, but Dad installed quite a few. The lights are soft though, not harsh, and don’t take away too much from the beautiful night sky. I sit in the car and stare out the front windshield while I take in how beautiful it all is. Welcoming. Warm. Soft. Safe. Kids. Long happy life. All these thoughts run through my head and heart as I behold its beauty. Max startles me when he hops out of the car and shuts his door, rounds the hood, opens my door and helps me out.

  “We’re not pulling in the garage?”

  “Not tonight.” He leads me up the porch steps and opens the screen door. After unlocking it, he comes back to me. “Wait out here.” He takes my purse from me and walks inside. I hear the alarm being disarmed, then Max is back outside with me. The screen door closes, and he reaches up and begins to unbutton his shirt, and my heart stops. He doesn’t pull it off though, which causes my mouth to go dry as he just leaves it to hang and, my God, it’s sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. My breath hitches and a flush of heat rushes through my veins, making me unsteady.

  “Take off your panties, love,” he rumbles.

  When I raise my dress without protest, he smiles. I tuck my thumbs into the waist of my panties and slowly slide them down my legs, but before they touch the porch floor, Max kneels down and helps me get them over my heels, then tucks them in his pocket before standing back up.

  “Kiss me,” he demands, so I do.

  I lean into him and wrap my arms around his neck, and pull his lips down to mine. I kiss him long and hard, because I’m thanking him for the cakes and dances. My tongue invades his mouth, as I thank him for singing with me and for all his compliments. But most of all, I’m showing him how thankful I am for his love. When I break the kiss, I trace my lips and tongue along his throat. I kiss his Adam’s apple, then trail my lips and tongue down to his bare chest. I push his shirt further back on his shoulders, so I can toy with his nipples.

  “Fuck.” He groans when I gently bite down. One of his hands shoots up and cups the back of my head, holding me there so I don’t stop.

  I run my hands under his shirt and around his back, where I dig my nails in, but not too harshly. It’s when I drag them down his back, because loving Max’s chest has turned me on something fierce, that Max decides it’s his turn.

  “We’ve only christened half the house. We’ll check the porch off tonight,” he informs me, and pushes me back against the wall. “Tomorrow morning we’ll have breakfast on the back of porch, and check it off.” He gives me a chaste kiss as he reaches under my dress and caresses me. “When we check everything off, we’ll start over.” When he feels how wet I am for him, he moans, pleased. “Fuck, love, you’re so wet,” he whispers. “Hop up.” And then I’m lifted, so I wrap my arms around his neck to hold on. Max has one arm under me, holding me up and other is undoing his belt buckle, then his pants. He places himself at my entrance, but he doesn’t invade me like I need him to, so I whimper and beg him with my eyes.

  He doesn’t make me beg long. He takes me right there on our front porch in the night summer air and it’s magnificent. When we’re done, Max sits us down in one of the rockers and cradles me in his lap, while we both catch our breath. My face is tucked in his neck, so I softly kiss him there then relax my he
ad on his shoulder. I’m not sure how long we stay like this, but I realize I need to clean up. I’m about to excuse myself, when Max tugs my panties from his pocket and gently wipes me with them. He tucks them back in his pocket and then goes back to holding me. Tonight, I made so many memories, but this is by far is the best one.

  Later, I wake up when Max gently shimmies my dress from my body. Once it’s gone, he lays me back and slides off my shoes then walks off. I need to get up and take off my makeup, but before I can, he comes back with my makeup wipes. He pulls one free from its container, and begins to gently clear my face of the ton of makeup I wore on my eyes tonight.

  “Sugar bear, I can do it,” I offer in a sleepy voice and reach to take the wipe from him, feeling guilty because I know he’s probably just as tired I as I am.

  “I know, but I want to,” he decrees, kisses my hand, and lays it back down. “Going to cherish you. Always going to take care of you,” he murmurs.

  “Okay,” I relent, because I admit I love that he wants to cherish me, and because I know first chance I get I will cherish him right back.

  When I wake in the morning, I make coffee and breakfast, then take it out on the back porch where Max has been enjoying the morning. When we finish eating, we check it off his list, then head inside to the shower. Again, under the warm spray, I take the opportunity cherish him.

  24

  It’s Tuesday after work and Aunt Paige is picking me up instead of Grandma. We are heading over to her to house to meet with Aunt Savannah and Violet, for what is hopefully the final fitting. Abigail wanted to be here so badly, but she had to help Nick out on the ranch and attend class, so we’ve promised to send pictures.

  “I, umm, have I something for you,” Aunt Paige shares as we pull down my grandma’s street.

  “You do?” I ask excitedly. “What is it?”

  “I made you something.”

  “You did?”

  “I have to admit. I’ve made a lot of things and never been so nervous. God, I hope you like it,” she mutters as she turns into the drive, pulls in front of the house and parks.

  “I’m sure I’ll love it Aunt Paige,” I reply softly, surprised at her being so anxious.

  “I do worry. I know you’re wearing your mom’s veil with the magnolias during the wedding ceremony, but I thought of something and well…” she mumbles. “I made something to represent Siobhan on at your reception, but, I mean, you don’t have to wear it if you don’t like it,” she rambles nervously, but I can see she’s really worried.

  She gives me a look, but reaches into her purse sitting next to her and pulls out a box. She hands me the box, and I open it, then gasp at what I see inside. It’s a beautiful magnolia hairpin.

  “It’s beautiful, Aunt Paige. I love it.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Really. It’s perfect. This will go perfect with my reception dress. Thank you,” I praise, and lean across the seat and give her a hug.

  “Let’s go,” Aunt Paige says, and sighs relieved.

  I grab my wedding shoes from her backseat. I had to take them to work today, since Max dropped me off. Before I stored them in my locker, I just had to show Kaitlin and Bernice, and they loved them. Yesterday, Max and I both took half days off, so we could go to the courthouse and get our marriage license. Afterwards, I drug him to the mall with me while I searched for a pair of shoes. The ones I picked are white pumps, and they’re extraordinary. Rhinestones cover the heel, where the shoe itself gives off an impression it’s made of lace. I didn’t want Max to see them, so I shooed him to the electronics store.

  After I purchased them, I wandered through the mall, but stopped to window shop at leather store. Some men’s belts were displayed behind the glass, and I thought of Max, so I decided to check them out. When I walked in though, I got sidetracked by some beautiful leather-bound notebooks. A tan one caught my eye and I picked it up. While running my fingers along the edges, I imagined Max writing in it and I had to get it for him. I turned and took it to the counter where I noticed a sign that said, Engraving and branding provided at an addition cost. I rang the call bell sitting there that said, ring me for service. An older man with salt and pepper hair and thick beard came out from the back. He had some tool in his hand and was wearing a heavy leather apron.

  “Howdy, young lady,” he greeted gruffly. His voice was deep and rough. Maybe even a little tired too. We talked for a few moments and I told him what I’d like. He wrote down what I wanted branded on it, and he said he’d have it ready for me the following day.

  After leaving the leather shop, I went to find Max. He was ready to go, but we weren’t done. I explained, to his dismay, we needed to find gifts for those in our very small wedding party. Max ended up buying Johnny a very expensive bottle of scotch, and I picked a necklace with a diamond heart pendant that had, sister, engraved in the center for Abigail. For Callie, I bought a pair of little heart earrings, that have a tiny diamond in the center. While I did that, Max searched Google for gifts for six-year-old boys, because both of us were clueless. The search pulled up a list of toys, the first being a Nerf gun. We both quickly decided against that, because we weren’t too sure if his parents would approve. We ended up going to the mall’s toy store and Max found a toy called a stomp rocket, the super deluxe version. I mean, it appeared harmless enough, so we bought that.

  I walk into the house and proceed to Grandma’s room, and see my dress hanging up from a hook on her closet. I run my hand along the beautiful beading as I take in its beauty.

  “Aunt Jaycee!” Callie calls out and rushes to me. I pick her up in my arms and give her a big kiss on her cheek. Soon, I won’t be able to do this, because she’s growing up so fast. “We have my dress too.” She wiggles from my arms and runs out of the room. She comes back with a sweet white princess dress, similar to mine. “I get to be a princess too.” She beams.

  I wanted to go with them to pick out her dress, but Max and I, both have been working extra hours seeing it’s summer and a lot of or co-workers are on vacation. When they return from theirs they’ll be covering for Max and me when we take a week off.

  “Callie, you’re a princess every day. That’s a beautiful dress, but not as beautiful as you,” I tell her the truth, and she blushes. Her silver eyes sparkle, and her little dimples pop out. “Let’s try on our dresses. Want to?” I ask, and she squeals.

  Before we begin with the fitting, I pull out the magnolia flower and show everyone. Like me, they gush and praise Aunt Paige. It was such a beautiful gift. After Max and I marry, I will store the beautiful magnolia hair pin and veil in my mother’s hope chest, and leave it for my daughter to maybe wear someday.

  She runs off to the other room in excitement. “Princess time, Mommy!” she exclaims at the top of her lungs.

  While Aunt Paige helps Callie, Aunt Savannah pulls me to the chair in front of my grandma’s dresser. “We’ve been talking about hairstyles. Do you think you’d be okay wearing it down or up?” she asks.

  “Max loves my hair down, so down.” I say, and she smiles.

  “Okay, relax. We’re just going to get a feel for it.” She picks up a curling iron and begins making long loose curls down my back.

  After about half an hour she sets down the iron and picks up a comb. I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of her working with my hair, when I feel a little hand touch my leg and shake it gently.

  “Aunt Jaycee? Are you asleep?” Callie whispers. I hold back my grin and open one eye and peek down at her.

  “Oh God, Callie,” I gasp as my head snaps to her, and my jaw drops. She’s a true princess. Her dress is shimmering, and her hair is pinned back, flowing down her shoulders and back. Tiny sparkling flowers are placed all throughout her hair.

  “I have no words, Callie, other than you’re beautiful.” This little girl should have her own fairy tale. No. This little girl will have her own fairy tale.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Callie says, blushing. “Your turn.” She points
to my dress.

  “Yes, let’s get it on you, then I will put the finishing touch on your hair.” Aunt Savannah says.

  I step over to the bed and undress. Grandma ushers me into her bathroom and has me take off the bra I’m wearing, then pulls out beautiful corset with garter belt from a hanger in the linen closet. I gasp, and she smiles. She then pulls two packages of stocking from the shelf. Both nude in color, but have lace at the top with different patterns. Next, she brings out garters. One is a lacy white garter. It’s vintage, and adorned with tiny rhinestones. A second, not as fancy, lies next to it.

  “That’s the one he’ll use for the garter toss,” she explains, pointing to the second one. She’s thought of everything.

  “Grandma, it’s all so beautiful,” I gush.

  “And sexy,” she says grinning. “I have several pairs of panties. You can have them all.”

  “Thank you,” I reply softly, touched by it all.

  I think this is definitely something a mother would do with her daughter, and I can’t help but get a little choked up. She slips the corset around me then fastens the hooks that run along my lower back. Next, we head back into her room, and I step into the hoop skirt. Violet stands on a chair and with the help of Aunt Paige, they manage to get the dress over my head and situate it on me. Violet works at the few buttons, then ties up the silk ribbon laced through the corset on the back. When she’s done, I turn and study myself in the mirror, but catch Violet’s reflection first. She’s ready to break down in tears.

  “Oh, Violet!” I exclaim, and turn to her.