by Katie Dowe
“As long as it is tears of joy.” He took the bracelet from her and clasped it around her slim wrist, looking at it as he held her hand in his. “Happy birthday, my love,” he whispered.
“Thank you.” She brought his head down to hers and kissed him with a fervor that stole his breath and caused the trembling inside him!
*****
She ended up in the hospital again two days before her wedding with complications. Once again, Steven had to rush home to take her to the medical center when his mother called and said she was experiencing cramping.
Dr. Whittingham hooked her up to the monitor immediately, a frown creasing his brow.
“What’s the problem?” Steven asked him tersely.
“After the examination, I will let you know. I am afraid I am going to have you to stay in the waiting room while I examine her.”
“Are you kidding me?” Steven asked him tightly.
“Baby, it’s okay,” Alicia told him, her hands clenched slightly as the cramping came on again. “We are not losing this baby.”
He nodded and then left the room.
Steven paced the length of the private waiting room restlessly, his hands shoved deep inside his pockets. Maybe he had been expecting too much at his age. A wife and a family! He had waited too long and he was paying for it! His wedding was supposed to be the day after tomorrow and now this! He looked up as the door was pushed open and tried to hide his disappointment when he saw that it was Bradley and Leesa.
“We heard,” Bradley said quietly as he came over and clasped his friend on the shoulder.
“Any word yet?” Leesa asked him.
“Not yet.” Steven moved away and ran his hands over his face wearily. “I thought everything would be okay after the two months she was supposed to be on bed rest. She is reaching her six months mark and I dared to hope that this is finally going to happen.”
“And it will,” Leesa said firmly. “You have to have hope, darling. This is just a hiccup on the way to victory.”
“You need to listen to my wife,” Bradley said, smiling faintly as he looked at the love of his life. “She knows more about hope than anyone else.”
“I do.” She went over and put her hand through Steven’s arm. “Buck up, darling. It’s going to be fine.”
*******
It was another two hours before Steven would be assured! Doctor Whittingham came back into the waiting room with a weary smile on his lined face. “She is going to be fine.”
“And the baby?” he asked tensely.
“Your son will be okay as well.”
“Thank God!” he said feelingly. “Wait! Did you say son?”
“Yes, I did,” Doctor Whittingham said with a grin. “You are having a son.”
With a whoop of delight, he lifted Leesa into the air and spun her around until she was dizzy.
“Unhand my wife, man,” Bradley said teasingly.
“Sorry.” He planted a kiss on the woman’s lips as he put her back down.
“My! My darling, now I see what Alicia is so all up in the air about,” Leesa said with a wicked smile as she looked at her husband.
“We are leaving,” Brad threatened as he came over and pulled her into his arms.
“Not before we see Alicia,” Leesa told him
“May we see her?” Steven asked.
“Of course.” The doctor nodded. “I am afraid it is not all good news.”
“What do you mean?” Steven asked fearfully.
“I am going to have to keep her here until the baby is born.”
“What?”
“I will have to monitor her closely.”
“Oh.” Steven looked at him for a moment. “But she is going to be okay? They both will be?”
“They will be okay,” he said with a nod.
“We are supposed to get married in two days.”
“I am sorry.”
“What’s stopping you?” Leesa demanded.
“Excuse me?” Steven stared at her.
“Dr. Whittingham has lovely grounds all around the medical facility. I know it is cold and it might snow, but we can bring the wedding here if you and your staff won’t mind,” she said, looking at the doctor.
He looked startled for a moment and then responded, “Not at all.”
“Good,” Leesa said briskly. “Now let’s pitch the idea to the bride to be.”
******
“Nervous?” Donna asked her as she passed her hands over her slight bulge. She was six months pregnant, but it mainly showed in her bust which had become bigger. Her dress was made of iced blue with sparkling stones on the crisscrossed shoulders. Her hair was professionally styled and was wrapped up on top of her head with jeweled pins. Long diamond earrings almost touching her shoulders glinted at her lobes. She was wearing the sapphire and diamond bracelet Steven had given her for her birthday. Her face was exquisitely flawless.
“A little bit.” She went to stand in front of the full length mirror that had been brought from home for her. She was getting married in a medical facility! Nothing in her life was akin to normal since she had met Steven. “I am marrying the man I love in a waiting room.”
“Which looks like the ballroom of a five star hotel. Not as huge but still…” Elaine said with a laugh. She was wearing damask pink while Donna had on ash grey. Grace was walking her up the improvised aisle in a few minutes. “The decorations are lovely and both your bosses are present as well as Allen and several others from work. The place is filled with people who should be here. I understand the original guest list was four hundred?”
“Thank goodness it is cut down!” Alicia said feelingly.
“I actually agree with you.” Grace’s voice sounded in the doorway. “Ready, darling?” She was wearing a lovely Regency styled green dress that looked remarkable against her skin and hair which was curled and styled to drift past her shoulder. Emeralds glittered like wildfire at her lobes and around her neck.
“I am,” Alicia said with a nod.
*****
Steven came to attention the minute the music changed indicating her arrival. At first he had been against them getting married while she was still in danger of losing their child and it had taken some persuading from Alicia and Leesa and a lot of reassurances from the doctor to convince him to go along with it. He had wanted to have the big wedding to declare to the world that his choice was Alicia Barnett and that there was no doubt that he was in love with her! But looking around the waiting room which had been transformed into a delightful chapel complete with a raised dais and flowers and rose petals strewn on the carpeted floor he had to admit that it was something to behold. He straightened his shoulders as she came forward slowly on his mother’s arm. She was radiantly beautiful, he thought achingly as he unconsciously moved forward to meet her.
“Thanks, Mother,” he whispered, bending to kiss her cheek.
“You are welcome, darling.”
He took her hands in his and stared down at her. “Hello, beautiful,” he whispered.
“Hello, handsome.” She smiled up at him. “Ready to get hitched?”
“Ever since I met you.”
They turned and walked forward slowly, stopping as they came to the minister.
“Please be seated,” the elderly man said with a smile.
“This is such a splendid opportunity and privilege for us to witness the love and fortitude of a man and a woman in a setting such as this. I looked around when I first came in and was amazed at how transformed the place is! A wedding in a medical facility is such a wonderful idea. It tells of hope and love and new beginnings that we all need to hear.” He turned to the couple. “We are to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. As the law clearly states, I have to make the following inquiry: If there is anyone here who thinks that this ceremony should not happen, please stand and speak now or forever hold their peace.” He waited a beat before continuing. “You may go ahead with your vows, Steven.”
“Alicia Ambe
r Barnett, from the first moment I saw you in that restaurant, I knew that you were the woman I had been waiting on all my life. You took my breath away and since meeting you I have never been the same. You are beautiful, independent, strong, and sometimes a pain when you cannot get your own way.” He waited for the laughter to die down and grinned at the look on her face before continuing. “I never knew I could meet someone like you and for the rest of my life I am going to love and cherish you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated.”
“Steven Dillon Hughes, when I first met you I realized that the myth was in fact real! Men like you really exist. A real man who was not afraid to show their true feelings, a real man who put the needs of others first, a man who cared so much that it was hard to fathom that you were a world apart from other men. I was career bound, having no idea what I was missing until you showed me.” She gripped his hands in hers. “I love you, baby, and trust me when I say that I want to shout it to the world!”
Chapter 11
“The rings please,” the minister said to Bradley. “Now I am going to ask you, Steven, to place the rings on your bride’s finger and repeat after me: with this ring I thee wed.”
“With this ring I thee wed,” he said clearly as he placed the rings onto her slim finger.
“I promise to love, honor, and take care of you. I promise to be there for you through thick or thin, in sickness and in health until death parts us, so help me God.”
Steven repeated the vows.
“Alicia, your turn. With this ring I thee wed and I promise to love, honor, and respect, and obey you. I promise to be there for you no matter what until death parts us.”
Alicia repeated the vow and put the ring onto his finger.
“Let us pray: Almighty God, we stand before you to witness this matrimony between this man and this woman. You said in your words that marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. Help these two to always put their union and their family into your hands for you very good direction. In your name we pray. Amen.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I now put before you Mr. and Mrs. Steven Dillon Hughes. Steven, you may now kiss your bride.”
Steven’s hands trembled as he pulled her gently into his arms, his movements slow and deliberate as he looked down at her before taking her lips in a kiss that had her clinging to him. They had not been together for close to four days and the pressure was building up. He eased away from her slowly, his dark blue eyes darkened to almost black as he looked down at her.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please stand and greet the Hughes with a round of applause!”
********
They had the cutting of the cake and the sumptuous meal. It had been announced beforehand that the ceremony would be a brief one due to the circumstances. Steven watched her like a hawk making sure she was not tiring herself out. Then it was time for their first dance as husband and wife. He led her onto the dance floor and took her into his arms slowly. He did not think about the fact that after everything was all finished her would not get to make love to her. He would be sleeping on the bed next to her because he had told Henry that he refused to sleep away from her. He had made the decision to move some of his things into a room that had been made up for him. He would be commuting from here to work until their baby was born and when it was getting nearer to her delivery date in April he was going to take some time off.
“Hey you, Mrs. Hughes,” he whispered as he circled with her around the small dance floor.
“Mr. Hughes, what can I help you with?” she asked softly as she looked up at him. He had worn a dove grey suit for the wedding and had tulips in his lapel.
“You just did by marrying me,” he told her with a smile. “Have I told you that you happen to be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen?”
“You did not!” she retorted. “Where are your manners, darling?”
“I am so sorry.” He tilted her chin up. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“In the world?” She wrinkled her small nose. “I am inclined to agree with you.” She wrapped her hands around his neck. “You happen to be the most handsome man I have ever known and certainly the best.”
“Thank you. Are you tired?”
“Steven, come on, this is my wedding day!”
“And also mine, but I have to think about your health as well as that of our son,” he told her gently.
“I hate this!” she whispered.
“I know, baby.”
He made his speech shortly after they had finished the dance. “My wife and I will be leaving the party in a few minutes.” He bowed at the sound of applause to his use of the word wife and then continued. “I want to thank you so much for being a part of this special occasion. It is an unusual one and the plans of going to Ireland for our honeymoon won’t materialize just yet, but we will go as soon as we are able. Thank you, Leesa, for your persistence in convincing me that this could happen.”
“You owe me!” she called out.
“And I am sure you are going to collect,” he responded with a smile. “I have come to know this wonderful woman I am married to and know that she has a stubborn streak a mile long! She will insist that she is okay because she wants to make the best of the situation, but I am here to take care of her and I intend to no matter what she says.” He looked down at her with a smile and then went on. “I would like you to stay back as long as Henry allows and enjoy the meal and the ambience. Thank you.”
*****
He undressed her as soon as they went back to her room. He had allowed her to greet the guests before they left because he had no intention of allowing her visitors after.
“Into bed.” He plumped up her pillows as she laid back and closed her eyes. “You lied to me.”
“What?” Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him.
“You said you were not tired and you are. Baby, I would like you to be honest with me at all times.” He sat on the side of the bed and ran his fingers through her thick hair to loosen it.
“You worry too much,” she told him softly.
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” he asked her hoarsely.
“I think so.”
“It scares me. Everything about you and me scares me right now, Alicia Hughes. I am new at this and I got into the game pretty late, so forgive me for behaving like this.”
“You are forgiven.” She lifted her hands to cup his face tenderly. “I am scared too, baby.”
“Good, so I am not alone.” He bent his head to hers. “I am going to change so we can both get some sleep.”
*****
“Are you sure we are allowed to do this?” Allen asked cautiously as he pulled up a chair and placed his lap top on the table. “Honey, I have to tell you that I am scared of that husband of yours.”
“My husband is a teddy bear and as long as I do not set foot off this very comfortable and confining bed then I am fine. Thanks for coming.”
“That airplane ride was something I would not said no to, honey,” he said with a smirk. “You look very well. Marriage and motherhood certainly agrees with you.”
“Thank you.”
“The ceremony was excellent. I tweeted about it on my page and got a lot of likes. The new venue for weddings is one done in a medical facility. It gives a feeling of humanity and hope.”
“You tweeted about my wedding?” she asked him darkly.
“Honey, even if I did not, the reporters were on it like white on rice! Have you seen the pictures? They are still running it and talking about it even though it was two weeks ago! You are more popular than Princess Debbie and her darkly handsome husband.”
“Just what I was hoping for,” she said dryly. “Let’s get to work. If Steven comes back and see me still working, he is going to have a fit!”
“Look at you all domesticated!” Allen crowed.
“Don’t make me hurt you.”
“Truce, darling. Okay, here are the figures and projections. ColaCo is officially a
favored brand!”
*****
“So how does it feel?”
“How does what feel?” Steven asked blithely as his secretary came into his office.
“Stop playing dumb, Steven, it certainly does not suit you,” she told him mildly. “How does it feel to be a husband?”
“You mean to the most wonderful woman in the world?”
“Okay, fine. I get the picture.” She sat opposite him. “It was truly a wonderful ceremony. I cried when you guys were saying your vows.”
“Why, Marjorie, I thought you had a hard heart,” he teased her.
“Normally I do,” she said with a nod. “So how is she?”
“Still working even though I asked her not to.”
“She is not your average stay at home wife, Steven, you know that.”
“I know. I cannot wait for this waiting period to be over.”
“In the meantime, you are living at the hospital with her.”
“Where else would I be?”
*****
“Mr. Hughes!” Allen got to his feet as soon as the man entered the room.
“Please, call me Steven. We are all family here. Why else would you be here bothering my wife at this time of evening?”
“I am sorry-”
“He is kidding. Darling, Allen is going to think you are serious.”
“I am. Get out,” he said mildly.
“Of course, sir! Steven!” Allen gathered up his laptop and the documents hurriedly and without saying goodbye left the room.
“Steven, that was rude.”
He came over and kissed her on the forehead. “You promised that you would not be doing anything after three. I asked one of the nurses to let me know what you were up to, darling.”
“Time got away from me.” She pouted at him feeling a warm glow that someone cared enough to step in for her. “It won’t happen again.” She looped her hands around his neck.
“If it does, I am going to ban him from coming here. How are you?” he asked, brushing her hair from her forehead.
“Apart from feeling controlled, I am just fine.”
“You call it control. I call it caring.” He bent and kissed her slowly. “I missed you.”