by J. L. Drake
He gives Savannah a kiss on the head and follows the nurse and their daughter.
Cole grins, thinking everything about their baby is Savannah. That’s why she’s perfect.
After a rather rough bath, so Cole thinks, finger and footprints are done, and everything that can be measured and poked is complete, and he finally gets to hold her again. He’s told to hang out in the room in a rocking chair to wait until Savannah is moved to her room.
The wooden rocking chair has a soothing creak to it, and soon he finds a rhythm she enjoys, and they both settle in.
Her little hands are free, and one is jammed in her mouth, making the cutest sucking noise. The other rubs his shirt back and forth. He sticks his finger into her palm, and she quickly latches on, making an adorable cooing sound. This breaks the dam, and he starts to cry. He’s emotionally exhausted, something that never happened until Savannah came into his life.
“You have some guests.” The nurse points to a viewing window.
Cole carefully stands and brings her over to the window where his mother, Abigail, and June are pressed against the glass. He laughs as they all melt over her.
“Oh, sweet one, you are going to be so loved,” he whispers into her tiny ear. “Mostly by your mother and me.” Her dark eyes peek up at him, almost like she understands. “Daddy’s little girl, aren’t ya?” She makes a tiny squeak, making his heart squeeze.
Savannah is staring out the window when he returns to her room. She looks beat, but when she spots them coming in, her face lights up.
“How is she?” she whispers, holding out her arms.
“Perfect, of course.” Cole waits for the nurse to park the rolling cot next to Savi, then places her in her eager arms.
“Oh,” she sniffs, “hello, my little girl.”
Cole sits so he’s next to them, wrapping his arm around her back. He holds out his finger to the baby, pressing it back into her grasp and loving the bond they already have.
Savannah looks up at him, showing him her beautiful face. “We did it, Cole. We made it to the other side. We’re going to be okay now.”
Cole kisses her shoulder and looks at his little family. “Yeah, baby, we’re going to be just fine.”
Mark
To say Mark was grinning like a fool was beside the point. He made a thousand dollars since Baby X was born at 12:15 a.m.
“What can I say? It’s a gift.”
“How?” Paul mutters from across the cramped waiting room. “How the hell do you do it?”
He shrugs because he really doesn’t know. Sometimes he just gets a strong feeling on things. Maybe it’s because he had such a dose of bad for so long it’s fate’s way of paying him back. Whatever it is, he’s damn pleased with the results.
“What are you going to do with the money?” Keith asks, but most of his attention is on his phone.
Mark smiles wider. “I’m going to put it right where it belongs.”
He looks up. “Which is?”
Mark shakes his head, happy with his plan. They’ll find out soon enough.
Mike rubs his bald head like he’s antsy, then he makes the mistake of picking up a birthing magazine.
Jesus Christ!” He drops it like it bit him and covers his eyes. “Ah, some things just can’t be unseen, and that was one of them!”
“Drama,” John says, laughing.
“Really?” Mike flips it open and graces them with a woman giving birth to a baby. It’s still half inside of her.
Oh! Come on, man!” John is turning to leave when the door opens.
“Oh my God!” Sue bursts into the waiting room with a proud Daniel behind her. “She so perfect!”
The whole room bursts into excitement. Sue cries, Daniel cries, the guys are cheering, but best of all, Mark’s brother is so incredibly happy. It is perfect.
Chapter Thirteen
Mark
Two Days Later
“Keep walking. Just a little farther.” Mark holds Savannah’s hand as she blindly follows him downstairs to see their gift to her. Cole follows but won’t let anyone blindfold him. Mark understands. He’s been through too much to feel out of control, even if they are in the safety of the house.
Mark opens the door, and there are Mike, John, Paul, and Keith ready to show off the room.
“Okay, we’re here.” Mark carefully unties her blindfold. “Open your eyes.”
Savannah reaches out for his arm. “Oh…wow!” Cole is speechless too as they take in their daughter’s new playroom.
Cole steps around Savannah with Olivia in his arms. “You guys did all this?”
Keith nods before Paul takes over, showing who did what to the room.
Savannah starts to cry. She cries a lot now. Something about hormones and such. Mark chose to tune out Abigail when she decided to educate him on it.
“This is the best present you could have given us.” She starts to say something else but stops when Mark hands her an envelope. “What’s this?”
“My gift to my niece.”
She grins and rips open the top then pulls out the paperwork. “Is this from the bet?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“I know, but I wanted to.”
She stands on her tippy-toes and kisses his cheek. “Thank you, Mark. This means so much.” She tucks the papers in her pocket and joins the tour Paul is giving.
John sits Livi on the giant teddy bear so she stays propped up and disappears behind the puppet stage and returns a moment later dressed as Kermit, and Mark joins him as he jams a Miss Peggy mask in his hands.
Seriously? John gives Mark a dirty look, so he pulls it on.
Meanwhile, Keith is building a Lego fort, and Savannah is eyeing a troll shelf with other toys.
“Wow, you guys really thought of everything.” She dabs a tear away.
Cole
Later That Night
Cole checks the time and sees it’s 2:00 a.m. Savannah is in a deep sleep, completely exhausted, so he decides not to wake her to breastfeed. He goes downstairs to warm a bottle of pumped breast milk.
Abigail made sure to keep the fireplace on since they are up so much during the night. After the milk is warmed, he tucks Olivia in his arm and rocks her as she drinks. Her black eyes stay on him the whole time. They have a draw to them, one that makes him certain she knows who he is.
“What are you thinking, little one?” he whispers as she makes a noise and grabs his thumb with her chilly hand. “How can something so tiny hold so much love in my heart?”
Her eyes grow heavy, but the moment he stops moving, they pop open. She loves to be moving, and he is fine with that. This is the one time when it is just the two of them.
He glances around to make sure he’s alone. At first, he starts to hum the tune, but as her attention to his voice grows, he decides who the hell cares. With a smile, he starts to sing You Are My Sunshine, and to his surprise, she begins to make more noise. “Oh, someone likes music. Your mother will be very happy to hear this.” He holds her up to his face and kisses her soft cheek.
“I didn’t know I could love anyone as much as I love your mommy, but you know what, my little love? You have proven just how wrong I am. I may be overprotective, I may have your Uncle Keith chip you, but know it’s all coming from the right place.” Slowly, her dark eyes close, and her breathing evens out. He sinks into the couch and pulls a blanket over the two of them. He’s fine with sleeping here for the rest of the night. Some alone time with his daughter is worth being tired in the morning.
Right before he gives in to sleep, he kisses her head. “My promise, one you can hold me to forever, is that I will love you to the stars and back, my beautiful little Fritter.”
Savannah
I head to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water. The morning walks Abigail and I have been taking make my body feel like it’s mine again.
“Morning.” Mike races into the kitchen.
“Hey, so, um…” I b
ite my lip to hide my grin. He hates this topic, and every so often I tug at the subject. “You know I love the playroom and am incredibly thankful, but there is still one thing you could give me since I made you an uncle.”
“Which is?” He runs water over the apple and dries it on his shirt.
“What does your mom send you every so often that you won’t share with the rest of us?”
His shoulders go stiff before he leans over and kisses my cheek. “I guess it’s too bad you had Livi first. No backsies.” He winks before he races downstairs.
“No fair!”
“Love you!” he shouts from somewhere.
I shake off my fun and remember what I was about to do before I gave Mike some shit.
I tap the counter, debating. Do it, or don’t? It’s just sitting there taunting me, calling me to use it. I never have before, but it’s the only way to find him on this massive property. My fingers twitch then retract.
Come on, Savi, do it.
Fine!
I pick up the radio, turning it to channel seven.
“Keith?”
“Savannah?” His voice is confused. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, umm…can I see you?”
“Yeah, I’m outside by the stables.”
The sun is hot, finally, making my face flush as I walk down the pebble path. My long skirt hugs my legs as a breeze swirls around me. My hair blinds me momentarily, and my nose detects a heavenly scent. I love the mountains. Everything feels so fresh and natural. No city smog to ruin the crisp air. No car horns or buses, just nature.
I find Keith fixing the gate but stop to laugh when I see one of the horses nuzzling his pocket. He keeps grumbling at her to move it along. Finally, he gives up and turns to pat her nose. “You’re needy today, Winnie. I don’t have time to play.” I rest my arms over the rail and watch. The black pony, Winnie, nips at his pocket again. “Really?” He sighs. “Fine, but don’t tell anyone.” He pulls out a half-eaten peanut bar and holds it to her mouth.
“I saw that.” I grin and duck under the rail, heading toward them.
“She wouldn’t leave me alone.” He shrugs, acting like it was nothing.
“Whatever, softy, your secret is safe with me.”
He rolls his eyes and grabs a hammer. “So, what’s up?”
I dig my sandal into the dirt and think about how to start this conversation. Keith and I are close, but this is a big deal.
He turns to look at me since I haven’t said anything for the past fifteen seconds. “What’s the problem?”
“The wedding is in, ah…two weeks.” I stumble over my words. “I, umm, I’ve been thinking.”
He closes his eyes. “You don’t have cold feet, do you?”
“No!” I laugh. “God, no.” I sigh and move closer to him. “I don’t have any family left—from, you know, my side. You’re the one I’m closest to, the one I consider my big brother.” He sets the hammer down and turns his attention on me. Screw it. “Keith, will you walk me down the aisle?”
His face changes as my words sink in, and his eyes soften then gloss over. “It would be my honor, Savannah.” I leap into his arms, and he gasps at the force. “Thank you, Keith, so, so much.”
He hugs me hard before he clears his throat and steps back. “Right, well, you tell me when and where, and I’ll show up.”
I shake my head at his comment. Men. I step back but smirk. “You better.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He grabs his hammer and heads back to the gate. I turn on my heel, feeling so pleased with our conversation.
“Savannah?”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“Wow,” I whisper in the mirror. I hardly recognize myself. “Mel, you did an amazing job.” My makeup is flawless, and my hair hangs in long curls with one side pinned up.
“Here we are.” Abigail beams, holding my garment bag. She hooks it behind the privacy divider. “Would you like anything?”
“Mark wanted you to have this.” June hands me a martini. “It will help with the nerves.”
Oh, I love Mark.
“Hand it over,” I say then take a long sip. I’m not nervous about getting married, but the thought of standing in front of everyone gives me the jitters. Thankfully, we kept it to a small number, not that a hundred and fifty is small.
Sue gasps when I step out to show them my dress.
“Holy…” I jump at the sound of John’s voice from the doorway. “Sorry, but you look great, Savannah.”
I look down at the form-fitting white dress that hugs my curves. A slit stops at mid-thigh. The beading starts at the right hip, spreading up and across to my left shoulder and scattering up the halter strap. It’s the only piece of New York I would allow on this day. Sue called in a favor from a friend when she got word about the dress I wanted. Four weeks later, I found it hanging in my old closet with a note.
Your mother would have gotten it for you. I just helped her.
~ Sue
Needless to say, I sobbed.
“Sue,” John motions with his head, “Zack is here with his crew to set up the food. Would you show him where to go?”
“Yes, of course.” She turns to me. “It’s perfect, honey.” I lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you, Sue.”
June appears from somewhere with a secret little smile. She opens a velvet bag and pulls out a deep red garter outlined with black lace. “A little something for later.”
I laugh as she pushes my dress back, slipping the garter over my shoe and up my leg, just above where the slit in my skirt stops.
“I love it.” I wrap my arms around her, thinking this day couldn’t get any better.
“Okay,” June starts to fan her eyes, “I need to grab my camera. I’ll see you down there.”
I move toward the mirror, taking one last look at myself. I start to feel a little emotional. I would sell my soul to have my mother here with me today. The more I look, the more I see her in me.
“All right, ladies, the show is about—” Keith stops at the door. I catch his reflection in the mirror. His mouth drops open. “You look very pretty, Savannah.” I smile and press my lips together. He stands a little straighter then steps forward, offering me an arm. “Miss Miller, it is time.”
I thread my arm through his and take a deep breath. “Don’t let me trip.”
“Never.” He grins down at me. “Come on. Your future waits downstairs.”
This is our day, our moment, our time. I beam up at Keith, feeling complete.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
Chapter Fourteen
Sue and Daniel have outdone themselves with decorating the entire house and grounds for our outdoor wedding. Yellow roses line the walkway leading outside to the rows and rows of chairs full of eager people patiently waiting for my arrival.
I hear Abigail scold Mark for dipping into the appetizers. I chuckle and think that only Mark would hold things up at our wedding because he’s sneaking food. Bottomless pit.
I hear her behind me, and the warmth that spreads right down to my toes is worth the possible spit-up that comes along with that sound. I whirl and see her dark eyes peeking out from her tiny white hat. “Hello, my little love.” I lift my daughter out of Sue’s arms, cradling her, breathing in her scent. She warms my heart from the inside out. “Are you going to behave for Mommy and Daddy today?”
“Fat chance.” Mark grins and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “She is, after all, half you,” he jokes then steps back to take in my dress. “Oh, Cole is gonna love this.”
“Mark!” Abigail hisses from the doorway. “Go.”
“I am, I am,” he mutters, heading outside. “Relax!”
“Come here, Olivia.” Sue holds out her hands, taking her from me. I feel my heart squeeze when I hear her name. My mother’s name. “Come on, Grandpa,” Sue calls. “You and I need to help this little thing throw some flower petals. Let’s make a mess!” She throw
s some in the air, laughing and hugging Olivia to her. It’s hard to believe she’s already six weeks old. “Let’s not make Daddy anxious by keeping him waiting, or he’ll get Uncle Keith to stick a tracking device on you.” Sue laughs at Keith, who gives a nod with a deadpan expression.
Daniel grasps my elbow and leans down to whisper in my ear. “I wanted to give you my gift now. Lynn got life without parole.”
I lean back to look at him. “Really?”
“Yes.” His face lights up as his news sinks in.
The fact I’m not overly saddened by this makes me see I’ve made progress. My past is behind me. I give a little smile and know I’ll be all right.
“Now,” he gives me a kiss on the cheek, “it’s your turn to live.” I wrap my arms around his waist and mutter a heartfelt thank you.
“Have no fear, your Male of Honor is here.” Jake comes strolling in, looking like he jumped out of a tuxedo ad. “I’m ready when you are.”
“You’re late.” I raise an eyebrow.
“Sorry.” He blushes, and I don’t even want to know. Graham slips through the door, not making eye contact. I smack Jake’s arm and roll my eyes.
“Really?”
“He surprised me with a trip to L.A.” He shrugs, but I see his excitement just below the surface. “We’re going to be staying with his cousin, Pete. It’s getting serrriiious.”
I give him a hug. I know how important Graham is to him. “I’m so happy for you, Jake. I am.”
Suddenly, the music starts, which brings on the butterflies. This is it. Keith hooks my arm and nudges me forward.
“You’re up, sweetheart.” He smiles down at me. Jake walks behind Sue and Olivia, with Daniel beaming beside them. Talk about excited grandparents; I can’t help but grin. Then the aisle clears, and my heart stops.