by Roxy Wynn
Of course, the non-operational elevator was also a bummer, but I wasn’t going to let that ruin our day. I needed everything to go well. I needed Bailey to have fun, and see how great our new place could be.
If everything went well with Alfie on our phone call later, it would just be icing on the cake.
“Good thing its only for a few days before the elevator is operational again,” Tiffany said, between gasps for breath. “Climbing five flights of stairs to get in and out of my home every day would be a nightmare.”
Stairs never bothered me, but I did wonder how useful Jax would be with the heavy stuff since he insisted on carrying Chrissy up all five flights.
“I don’t mind,” I said, clenching my butt muscles. “Its good for the glutes, and maybe the stairs will tucker this one out.” I shook Bailey’s hand and tried coaxing a smile out of his adorable face.
Come on, Little Man. Please cheer up.
“I just want to thank all of you for your help today,” I said to the group when Jax and Chrissy finally caught up. “Bailey and I appreciate it, and love you guys, tons.”
“We love you guys too,” Jax said, gasping for breath.
“Let’s worry about the big stuff first and have fun. As long as this dude is comfortable, that’s all that matters. I’ll deal with the little things in my own time.”
“What down time?” Kenneth asked. “You work constantly.”
I glared at him. “Nuh uh. And shut up. I’m trying to have a moment here and thank you assholes for being in my life. You know what? Never mind, let’s just go inside.”
Jax tossed me the key, and I dangled it in front of Bailey. “See this, Bud? It’s our own place, just for you and me.” Instead of smiling and hugging me, he yawned and hugged his stuffed T-Rex. He was so over the peppy mom act.
I took a deep breath, turned the key, and thrust the door open to find four men standing in my living room.
“Hey gang,” Alfie said, grinning at us. Behind him stood three musicians, ready to put on an impromptu performance in the middle of our new condo.
“Hey Alfie,” Chrissy said, wiggling her fingers at him. From the looks of everyone in my friend group, Bailey and I were the only ones blindsided by the sudden addition of people.
“How did you get in?” I asked. “… Or know where I live?”
Alfie looked back to my pregnant, meddling friend, and winked. “A little birdie might have sang into my ear…”
I wheeled around and stared at her with my mouth open, while Bailey ran into Alfie’s arms. “Dude?”
She shrugged and smiled. “I regret nothing.”
“And also, this is the building your bakery is in,” he said, letting Bailey go. “Makes sense if there are condos here that you might end up living in one.”
He turned to his group and nodded, giving them their cue to start playing.
“I know you are moving in, so I got my band together to give you a little housewarming present.”
Feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me, I sat on the floor, with Bailey clutched tight. One by one, the others sat down next to us, swaying to the beat of Alfie’s new song.
I had to admit, the band was amazing. For a group of people brought together by a record company, they meshed like they had been playing together for years. Even the unicorn haired girl on bass was excellent.
The song was one I hadn’t heard before, but it was so much better than anything off Station Girl. The melody was sad, and beautiful, with a great hook. If people thought Alfie was a good song writer before, this one, Heavenly Mamma, would blow them away.
The best part? It was about me.
The tears poured from my eyes freely, and when I made eye contact with Kenneth, I realized I wasn’t alone. Each of my friends were dabbing at their eyes on the down low.
When Alfie strummed the last chord, Bailey stood up and clapped as loud as he could, jumping up and down. Alfie, placed his guitar back on the stand and took a bow.
I stood up, with tears in my eyes. “That was a beautiful song, Alfie.”
He reached out and took my hands in his. “I wrote it for you.” He looked down at Bailey and smiled, before returning his gaze to me. “I love you Sarah, and I love your son.”
Hearing the words, made me burst out in happy laughter. I couldn’t stop the smiling or giggling, Alfie Lane just had that effect on me. “That’s the most wonderful gift anyone has ever given me,” I said, picking Bailey up and leaning into his embrace. “We love you too.”
When I noticed Bailey’s smile, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Alfie, wondering how in the hell I lucked out. First I get the world’s coolest kid, then I fall in love with a rockstar. What’s next? Winning the lottery?
When Alfie pulled away, he brushed the curls away from my face, and pressed his forehead to mine. “You know the song wasn’t the gift, right?”
I stared at him confused. “It wasn’t?”
“Nope. I told the record company they could take their world tour and shove it up their arse.”
I took a step back confused. “Alfie, you were looking forward to that. That’s your life work. I can’t ask you to not tour.”
“Oh, I’m still touring. Just not worldwide yet. I’m going to do a couple of US dates with these guys,” he gestured to his new band. “And then we are going to work on the new album. I have everything written we just need to record it. Next summer, I will tour, but we can worry about logistics then.”
“Thank god,” I said, laughing. “I thought you gave up the touring for me.”
“Don’t be foolish, I love you Sarah, but not that much,” he said, laughing. “Oh, and I have to do a couple of guest judging appearances for that music show too”
Tiffany clapped her hands. “Yay! I so wanted to see you back there. The judges this season, suck.”
He gave her an evil smirk. “Don’t you worry, Love. I plan to give that Sylvester bloke a run for his money.”
Bailey tugged at his hand, and Alfie crouched down to him again. “I missed you, Little Man.”
“I missed you too Alfie.”
“I know you guys just got your own place, but I was hoping you and mom would come back home with me. There is a really cool dinosaur bedroom that’s been very lonely without you.”
“Alfie?”
“What’s up, kid?”
“Are you gonna be my daddy?”
Crying in front of other people was one of my least favorite things, but I couldn’t help myself. Every time I thought the tears has stopped, something started them right back up again.
Alfie picked Bailey up and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, velvet box. I froze. Oh no, that awful ring.
“What do you say? Can I be Bailey’s daddy?”
I held my breath, anticipating the giant, gold monstrosity from our first proposal, but when I opened the box, I was surprised. Inside was a delicate blue zircon, with tiny diamonds on each side, set on a silver band. The ring was perfection.
“Alfie, this is gorgeous. What happened to the other one?”
He laughed, and got down on one knee. “A little birdie also mentioned that the old ring might not have been to your taste.” He took the box and placed the ring on my finger. “This one was my grandmother’s, and now it’s yours if you’ll have me. I know I’m not perfect,” he continued. “But, I am smitten with you and have been since the moment I saw you. Will you promise to be by my side, and slap me upside the head when I fuck up, for the rest of our lives?” Suddenly remembering he had Bailey’s undivided attention, he winced. “Sorry, should have blocked your ears for that…”
“Yes.”
He looked back to me, smiling. “Yes, you’ll marry me?”
I nodded. “Yes! I’ll do it. But only if you help me live a little and stop me from being so uptight.”
He pretended to ponder it for a moment before picking me up again and kissing me. “I think I can handle that.”
And just like that, Bailey had a da
ddy.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Alfie
Signing my name to Bailey’s birth certificate was one of the happiest days of my life. I took my time with the signature, making sure it looked perfect, while Sarah stood by my side, giggling like a loon. When I was done, I handed it to the clerk who stamped it.
“Congratulations, Dad,” she said. “The old birth certificate will be closed out, and the new one will be sent to you in a few weeks, but as of right now, you are legally his father. Congratulations, Mr. Lane.”
I looked to the tiny, crazy haired woman at my side and picked her up, covering her face in kisses.
“You know, you really have made me the happiest bloke around.”
“Oh, balderdash,” she said, kissing me back.
After I set her down, I turned to the heavy set man, glaring at us from the other side of the hallway.
“You can go now, Mate. You signed your right’s away, your job here is done.”
He ignored me, and instead, glared at Sarah. “Can I at least see him?”
“I don’t think so, Eli. At this point, seeing you would confuse the hell out of him.” She looked around the clerk’s office. “This is what you asked for when you walked away from us six years ago. But I’ll tell you what, when he gets a little older and has questions, I’ll send him your way.”
That’s my feisty little tart.
I almost felt sorry for the bloke. Losing this lovely lady and her son for a week nearly broke me. I couldn’t even imagine how heartbroken I’d be if I knowingly walked away from them forever.
“That’s not fair,” he said. “Ain’t fair at all. I should get my son and child support. I deserve a cut of that money…”
Cheeky fucker.
“No you don’t, Mate,” I said cheerfully, cutting him off. “And now that you signed your rights away, you can go back to an ungarnished paycheck from the convenience store. Congratulations on no longer owing child support, by the way.”
The man was furious, but knew we had him by the bollocks. Outside of Oliver, I had never seen someone want to hit me so badly.
“I’m sure Candy will be happy,” Sarah said, trying to brighten his mood… or crush his soul completely, I never did know with that one.
“It was Aimee, and she left me once she found out you wasn’t gonna pay up.”
Sarah shrugged and leaned in to me. “Bummer dude. You better get going though, I know a certain first grader who is in desperate need of a brown butter chocolate chip cookie, and a hug from his daddy.”
Eli waved us away, and exited the building. Presumably to get a six-pack of water beer and drown his sorrows with the boys reminiscing about ‘the good old days’.
Wanker.
I looked down at Sarah. “Can we go get him now?”
“Of course!”
I opened the door where my son waited patiently with a family mediator, and hugged him tight when he ran to me. I felt good. Complete.
Who knew Alfie Lane was a soft-hearted family man after all?
We stalled the tiny goblin for a few moments giving his sperm donor plenty of time to vacate, but when the three of us walked outside, he was sitting in his truck, engine running.
Sarah gave me a look, no doubt wondering if he was about to make a scene. I held my breath waiting, but Eli just flipped me off and sped away, leaving a thick trail of exhaust in his wake.
Bailey looked up at Sarah confused. “Who was that mommy?”
She shook her head and began walking. “No one, Peanut.”
The day was oppressively warm, but the weather was growing on me. I was beginning to think daily doses of vitamin d were quite nice actually. Much better than the endless grey days back home.
The walk only took a few minutes, but we took our time, enjoying each other’s company. When we arrived at Ruby’s, we stopped.
“I’ll be home late, give me a kiss, Little Man,” she said, crouching down to Bailey’s level. Before long, she wouldn’t have to crouch down at all. The lad was growing faster than a bean sprout.
When it was my turn, I grabbed her ass and kissed passionately.
“Hey, watch it,” She said, giggling and brushing my hands away.
“What? Can’t I grope my wife on the sidewalk in front of an eager crowd?”
She, turned and noticed the eager crowd watching the exchange.
“You are going to be the death of me. Don’t forget, Bailey has his first day of first grade tomorrow. So bed time is seven thirty, sharp.”
“Yes, mom,” Bailey and I said in unison.
“Jinx,” He yelled, punching me in the leg. “You owe me a Coke!”
I gave him a look of indignation. “Is it too late to take the adoption back?” I asked them both.
Sarah rolled her eyes and walked into the bakery leaving us to our own devices.
“Wanna go to the fair?” I asked, taking him by the hand and heading to the parking lot.
“But, mom said I have to go to bed early.”
“She said seven thirty. That gives us at least three hours to get our faces painted, eat corn dogs, and ride the spinny puke machines.”
Bailey looked up at me with a big, evil grin. Like father like son. I ruffled his hair. “Yeah, I thought you might like that. Let’s go get into some trouble”
Epilogue
Sarah
When I was a little girl, I used to spend hours planning the perfect wedding. I envisioned bridesmaids in pink and purple dresses and groomsmen with blue kerchiefs. When they brought me into the church, I wanted to be led in by a unicorn drawn carriage while Hanson sang ‘Here Comes the Bride’.
And when I got to the altar, I pictured my husband, Johnny Depp, weeping tears of joy over how beautiful I looked.
Needless to say, signing my name on a piece of paper in the courthouse the day after Alfie proposed, didn’t quite live up to that fantasy. The giant wedding we threw for ourselves six months after Alfie returned from his US tour, however, did.
Our wedding day was one of the best, most entertaining days of my life. And that’s saying a lot for someone who married a rock star.
While we slow danced in the center of the room, Alfie’s eyes were glued to his parents. “Bloody hell. Look at him,” he said, pointing. “Mum is right there and he’s flirting with Nadine.”
I laughed while he spun me in a circle. “Your dad is too charming for his own good. Now I see where you get it from.”
“What are you getting at?” He asked with a smile.
“I’m saying your dad is a stud, Alfie.”
He winced and shook his head as Albert Lane Sr. approached us. “You’ve done well for yourself, son.” He pried Alfie’s hands off and placed his own hands in their spot, swaying to the music. “This one right here is a gift from the heavens.”
I smiled and giggled my eyebrows at Alfie, wondering if he was going to let his father whisk me away.
“You know who else is a gift from heaven? Mum. That’s who!”
“Bollocks, find someone else to dance with. You’ve been hogging this angel all day.”
I looked over his shoulder and noticed a stunning Tiffany by herself pouring punch into a glass. “Mr. Lane,” I said, spinning him to where we could both appreciate how beautiful she looked. “Have you met my friend Tiffany?”
His eyebrows arched.
“I don’t know if that was brilliant or cruel. She’s never going to be rid of him, you know?”
I stood on my tiptoes and kissed my husband. “That’s okay. She’s chatty and loves attention, she’ll eat his affection right up.”
Looking around for my mom, I found her standing at Chrissy and Jax’s table snuggling their daughter, Evelyn.
“Is this woman bothering you?” Alfie asked smiling and kissing his mother in law on the cheek.
Joyce handed Evelyn to me. “Smell her. She smells so good.”
I took the fat baby and squeezed her, inhaling the fresh baby scent while the little nugget squirmed in
my arms. “She does smell great.”
“Say that again when she blows out a fresh diaper all over your arms,” Jax said. The sentence explained the Saints jersey he wore perfectly.
“Is it weird that I’m already planning Bailey and Evelyn’s wedding?” I asked Chrissy. “I had so much fun planning this one, I want to keep the momentum going.”
She laughed and reached out for her daughter. “Not at all. They’re going to love each other so much.”
Mom looked at Alfie and I. “Now that the two of you are married, when can I expect my third grandchild?”
“Last time I counted, you only had one. Do I have another sibling somewhere?” I asked, laughing.
Mom gave me a look and stole Evelyn back again. “I have two, this one and Bailey, and now I’m ready for number three.”
Alfie brushed the hair off my shoulder, and my skin puckered at his touch. “What do you say, Love? Are you ready to have another kid?”
I considered it for a moment. “Depends on when your next tour is. Can the groupies go without you for a while?”
He kissed the spot below my ear and whispered. “Oh, I think they can manage.”
I looked at my captive little audience and shrugged, smiling. “Ok, let’s do it.”
Alfie took a deep breath, before crouching down and throwing me over his shoulder. “Be right back guys, I’m gonna go take my wife up to the penthouse and put a baby inside her.”
“You’re crazy” I protested.
“Only crazy in love. Hey, that sounds like a great album name…”
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