The Road To Forgiveness

by Justine Elvira

  His enthusiasm is endearing.

  “What about your meeting this afternoon? Plus, I have a lunch date with Michelle. I can’t cancel.”

  “You can’t or won’t? Please… The only thing I want to do is spend today celebrating with my girl. My meeting can wait. Your lunch date can wait. What do you say?”

  I don’t even hesitate as I respond, “Yes… Okay, let’s celebrate.”

  I change back into my regular clothes and we leave the private examination room in back of the office. When we get to the front of the office, I schedule my next appointment and glucose test. I watch Sebastian as he pulls out his smart phone and puts the appointments in his calendar. Sometimes, its difficult for me to remember he’s real. That I don’t have to do this alone like last time.

  We get into Sebastian’s Mercedes S-63 and drive down to the marina.

  “I still can’t believe we are having a girl. What should we name her?” I ask Sebastian.

  “I don’t care what we name her. I’m just happy she is healthy and will be here in a few months. How about you? Did you have any girl’s names in mind when you were pregnant with Miles?”

  I didn’t, or at least I can’t recall any names I had in mind.

  “Not really. I was thinking of using my mother’s name as our little girl’s middle name. I think my mother would like that. Is that okay with you? Can our baby girl’s middle name be Melanie?”

  Sebastian reaches out and pulls my hand into his free hand. “That sounds perfect. All we need is her first name and we’re set.”

  “I’ll let you know when I come up with something, “I say quietly.”

  I know whatever we decide will be perfect for our little girl. Who knows, we might not know her name until I give birth. I’ve heard it comes to some parents once they’ve seen their baby face to face. I love that Sebastian is letting me incorporate my mother’s name. My relationship with her has always been a little rocky, but I know this gesture will mean the world to her.

  Chapter Twelve

  We pull up to the marina and an older gentleman comes to great us.

  “Mr. Price, Ms. Dechino. I’ll go park your car. The yacht is completely stocked for you and ready to go. As you’ve requested, the only other people on board is the captain and a member of the wait staff, but he will only be called upon your request. Enjoy your evening and I will see you when you arrive back to port tomorrow.”

  “Thank you, Christopher,” Sebastian answers.

  I nod my head to thank him too as we head down the marina to board the yacht. It’s huge and white. It has no cool name like you see in the movies. On the side of the boat it reads, Price Enterprises.

  “This is your company yacht? It’s huge.”

  Sebastian nudges me teasingly as he gestured for me to get on board the boat first.

  “I need several places to entertain my clients. This is one of them.” He follows behind me until we are both on deck of the gorgeous 40 ft. yacht. Everything looks top of the line and is in excellent condition. Sebastian pulls me to him so that my back is resting on his chest as he whispers in my ear.

  “The upside to being my own boss is that I can use the boat whenever I want.” He kisses below my ear, at the spot he knows makes me instantly hot for him. “Tonight, we will use it celebrate.”

  I turn in his arms so I’m facing him and lift my arms around his neck. “Mr. Price, are you trying to seduce me?”

  He licks his lips seductively while bringing is mouth closer to mine, “Do you want me to seduce you?”

  Before I can answer, his mouth is on mine and we are kissing passionately. My hands are in his hair and move down, past his neck and to his back, as I try to pull him impossibly closer to me. He groans into my mouth as his hands move to grab my ass. He lifts me and my legs move to hold him around his waist. I can feel him hard and pressing where I need him most.

  He walks me backwards until my back is pressed against something hard. We are still out on the deck, in broad daylight, but no one seems to be out here to see us. He brings one of his hands between us to softly cup my breast. I feel a jolt in my core as soon as he touches me. My head moves back and hits the wall as I pant Sebastian’s name. Before it can go too far, I hear someone call Sebastian’s name from behind him.

  I instantly freeze but Sebastian must not have heard him. He is looking at me with concern, wondering why I stopped him.

  “Did I do something to hurt you?”

  “I can’t speak, I’m so embarrassed at being caught so I make a gesture for Sebastian to turn around. He looks behind his shoulders and sees why I stopped. A man, probably in his forties, is standing behind him.

  “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Price, but I need to know if you want to stay docked for a little while longer or if you want to go out into the open water?”

  Sebastian slowly sets me down as I remove my legs from his hips. He looks me up and down, as if to make sure I am completely presentable. Once he is satisfied, her turns to face the man I am assuming is the Captain.

  “It’s no problem, Roger. Why don't we get ready to depart now? I have something I wanted to discuss with Ms. Dechino. If you could let Marty know that we’ll be ready to eat lunch in an hour or so, that would be great.”

  “Yes, Sir. I let him know. We should be out in the open water in about twenty minutes.”

  “Sounds good,” Sebastian says as he shakes our captain, Roger’s, hand. When Roger leaves, Sebastian turns back to me with a smirk on his face.

  “What is so funny?” I ask him.

  “Your cheeks are red from embarrassment. I was beginning to think you liked voyeurism by the way you were grabbing me in public but I guess I was wrong. You must have just gotten caught up in the moment.”

  “I most definitely would not enjoy people watching us, and I have never watched other’s in the act.”

  He looks at me skeptically, “Never? Not even porn?”

  My cheeks become flushed again, “I’ve seen porn, briefly, but I’ve never watched people have sex before, in front of me. Do you watch a lot of porn?”

  Sebastian drags his thumb slowly across my cheek before pressing his lips to mine in a soft peck.

  “I watched a lot of porn as a teenager. This lessoned as I went to college but picked up again when I got married. I haven’t watched it in years though. And now? Who needs porn when I have you? You’re insatiable.”

  “That might change after I have the baby. I’m insatiable now because of the hormones,” I say, slightly worried I won’t be enough after the baby is born.

  “You were just as horny before the hormones, if I recall. Plus, it’s my duty, as your husband, to make sure you always want it. I will make it so you’re begging me to come, daily.”

  The way he is turning me on has me believing every word he says.

  I pull him closer to me, “I’m sure there is a bedroom on this boat. Let’s go there so you can show me how well you can make me beg to come.”

  He kisses me again, a little harder this time and drags his tongue across my lower lip. “As tempting as that sounds, I have something else planned first. Come with me.”

  Sebastian reaches for my hand and I give it to him. We make our way inside the yacht and into a small room. There is a bar on one side and a wood floor covering the other side. Sebastian let’s go my hand to walk behind the bar. He plays with something inside of one of the cabinets before I hear soft music fill the room. It’s instrumental, something I’ve never heard before, but it’s beautiful.

  Sebastian walks back over to me and reaches out for my hand again. As I place my hand in his, he brings it up to his mouth and places a soft kiss on my knuckles. “May I have this dance?”

  He looks so adorable and young in this moment. Like all the cares of the world have slowly melted away. I’m not much of a dancer but I’d do anything for Sebastian, even make a fool out of myself on the dance floor.

  “Yes, of course. You can have anything you want,” I say honestly back.<
br />
  He grabs me around the waist and spins me on the dance floor. We dance to our own beat. Not necessarily staying in beat with the music but neither one of us caring. In his arms is the only place I want to be. They keep me safe, warm, and protected. In this moment, I never want him to let me go.

  The song changes to an instrumental version of Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. Sebastian slows down his movement so that we are gently gliding from side to side. He lifts my chin with one of his hands so that we are looking into one another’s eyes. I can feel something happening. I can see it in his eyes. Inside, I know this is a big moment but I can’t get my body to register this. I no longer have the urge to run. Whatever happens next, I am going to be present and I realize I’m no longer scared.

  We continue to dance slowly, neither of us willing to break eye contact. Sebastian starts to sing the next lyrics to me, softly.

  “I feel wonderful

  Because I see the love light in your eyes

  And the wonder of it all

  Is that you just don’t realize

  How much I love you”

  I feel a single tear fall from my eyes as his words speak to me. I want to capture this moment in my mind and never let it go. It’s the most wonderful moment of my life.

  “Mia?” he whispers softly to me.

  “Yes,” I whisper hesitantly. I don’t trust my own voice at the moment.

  “I’ve loved you for so long, I think I even loved you the moment I met you. I’ve watched you grow so much as a person and I’ve loved seeing you become the woman you are today.”

  His hand slowly caresses my back before he lets go of me and kneels on the floor, on one knee.

  Oh. My. God.

  This is happening. This is realty happening, right now. I internally wage war with my thoughts because I sound like a giddy sixteen-year-old girl.

  Sebastian reaches inside his pant pocket as he pulls out a little black box. Never breaking eye contact with me.

  “I’ve known you are the woman for me since the very start. It kills me that you will forever know that I was married before you. I didn’t know what I was doing then. I didn’t believe in marriage until I met you. Please know that, you are the only person I will marry out of love. You mean everything to me and I’ve known I wanted to marry you since the first time you let me in. Since the first time you let me see the real you. I promise to make you happy. I promise to be faithful to you, honor you, respect you, and love you, until the day I die.”

  Sebastian opens the black box and inside sits a delicate, basic ring. It’s not too flashy, with a small diamond placed in the center. It’s exactly what I would have wanted, if I were to choose.

  My hands start to shake as more tears begin to fall down my face.

  “Mia Dechino, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

  In that moment, there is no hesitation. I know exactly how I see the rest of my life playing out… It’s with Sebastian. No matter where life takes me, no matter what roadblocks are ahead, I know I want to get through them with Sebastian.

  I drop down on my knees in front of him as I sob out, “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Sebastian slowly breaks out in to the largest smile I’ve ever seen on him as he places the ring on my finger and kisses me hard. I can taste the salt from my tears on our lips. The kiss starts off slow but grows hungry as Sebastian pushes me back on to the wooden floor. His hands are everywhere. I feel his touch all over my body but yet it’s not enough. I need him inside me, now.

  “Sebastian, make love to me,” I moan out as his hands trail down my sides. His eyes open to lock on mine, as he shakes his head no.

  “Marry me… today… right now.”

  My head is a little foggy from the kiss but I still know how crazy he sounds.

  “Sebastian, what? No… we can’t. Our family isn’t here and… and who would marry us.”

  “Roger can marry us.”

  “The captain? How?”

  Sebastian kisses my lips again and I’m lost in the feeling of him. My hands move to rub his erection when his body stills. He stops kissing me a second later and I’m ready to beg him to make love to me.

  Sebastian needs to understand that you can’t mess with a pregnant woman’s hormones.

  “He’s ordained. He can do it right now.” Sebastian’s hand moves to gently caress my face. “I don’t need our family here or our friends, all I need is you. I can’t imagine living another minute not married to you. Let’s do it now. We can spend tonight as Mr. and Mrs. Price.”

  I know how crazy what he is proposing sounds. It sounds crazy to me, too, but I can’t help the excitement I feel about being Mrs. Price. I have no real arguments as to why we should wait. I love him and he loves me. What more do we need?

  I kiss him for reassurance before I break the kiss and look into the beautiful blue eyes of the man I love.

  “Yes, yes I’ll marry you. Let’s do it.”

  He grabs me from behind my head and pulls my mouth to his. We kiss, rolling around on the hard wood floor, not caring who might walk in. In a few hours, I will be Sebastian’s wife. I will be Mrs. Sebastian Price. Nothing will ruin the feeling of complete bliss coursing through my veins.

  *****

  I don’t have any dresses for this kind of occasion with me but luckily, Sebastian planned ahead. He had a white cotton sundress waiting for me in the master bedroom aboard the yacht. I make a mental note to tease him for thinking I am a forgone conclusion, but who am I kidding, I was.

  The dress was an off-white color, fitted to my body. It was strapless and stopped right above my knees. I had no other jewelry on except for the engagement ring Sebastian gave me an hour ago.

  I look in the mirror and take a deep breath. In a few short minutes, I will be Mrs. Sebastian Price. I can honestly say that before I met Sebastian, I never pictured myself getting excited over taking someone else’s name. Now, I couldn’t wait for it to be official. I send off one more silent prayer in my head and make my way over to the bedroom door.

  It’s a quick walk up to the deck of the boat. Sebastian informed me he would be up there waiting for me with the captain. When I get to the top step, I can see him. His back is to me. I take the few brief moments I have before he sees me, and I look over at my future husband. He is wearing a pair of Khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. He is barefoot on the deck so I decide to ditch my sandals on the top step and go barefoot with him. This might be the most casual I’ve ever seen him look.

  He must hear me take off my shoes because he stands up a little taller and slowly turns around to face me. He is the most gorgeous sight I have ever seen. The sun is up behind him casting a glow over his shoulder. I’m in awe of his perfection.

  Sebastian walks over and takes my hand. “You look radiant,” he whispers for only my ears to hear. “Are you ready to become Mrs. Price?”

  “Absolutely.”

  We walk over to the captain, Roger, and stand before him.

  “We’re ready when you are, “Sebastian tells him as he gives my hand a quick squeeze.

  “When you asked me to bring you out on the water today, I never imagined I would have the privilege of marrying you off,” Roger says jokingly to Sebastian and then turns to me. “You’re marrying him willingly, correct? Blink twice if he is forcing you?”

  I giggle at this strange man in front of me, who obviously has a good relationship with Sebastian. Otherwise, I’m sure Sebastian would not be taking his joking around so well.

  “Yes, I am marrying him willingly. I love him.”

  Sebastian turns and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, “I love you too, Honey.”

  “Okay, then let’s get you two hitched.”

  The ceremony lasts only a few minutes. We say the traditional vows, both of us adding in a few words here and there. It goes by in a blur. I’m honestly just so mesmerized by the man next to me. It still shocks me that he can love someone as broken as me.

  I would have though
t that not having my mother and Charlie at my wedding would be a disappointment. I was wrong. Knowing that it was just us, partaking in something so personal, makes this day complete. Our only witnesses being the Captain, Roger, and a member of Sebastian wait staff.

  “Since there is no one to object to this union, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Sebastian, you may kiss your bride.”

  Sebastian grabs me around my waist and dips me dramatically, so my back is horizontal to the floor. His mouth meets mine and he kisses me passionately. It’s slow and sweet. The perfect way to start our union.

  He pulls me back up as he continues to place small kisses all over my face. I smile bigger than I’ve ever smiled before, loving the fact that Sebastian is mine, forever.

  “I love you, Mrs. Price,” Sebastian whispers against my lips.

  “I love the sound of that. Say it again,” I beg.

  “Mrs. Price,” he says as he kisses me on my lips. “My wife,” he says as he kisses my cheek. “The woman I’m spending the rest of my life with,” he says as he places a trail of kisses up my neck. He reaches my ear and whispers, “Mrs. Price, my beautiful wife and mother of our child. I will love you forever.”

  I melt into his arms as he holds me tightly to him. “I love you, too.”

  We stand like this for a while. Neither one of us willing to let go. It’s not until the captain comes back, with flutes of champagne, that we separate.

  “To the happy couple,” he toasts. “May you live a long life together, support one another, love one another, and realize that true happiness will only come when you are together.”

  We all raise are glasses in toast. Everyone takes a sip but I hold back because I’m pregnant and shouldn’t drink alcohol.

  “It’s bad luck not to partake in the toast, “ Sebastian says to me. “Roger put sparkling apple cider in yours, you can take a sip.”

  I smile at my husband, who is always so thoughtful. “You think of everything don’t you, husband?”