by Lisa Mills
His shoulders slumped. “Fair enough. I know I’ll need to prove to everyone that I’ve changed.” He reached up and tugged at his collar. “Do you think that sometime down the road, you and I might spend some time together and talk, maybe try to start again on a clean slate?”
She took a step backward, uncomfortable. Trust was something he’d have to earn and not something she was prepared to give him at the moment. “I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”
“Please, I want—” His hand shot out, reaching as if he meant to grab her. She flinched back, avoiding his touch.
Kevin moved to stand between them and cleared his throat loudly in chastisement. Danielle let him shield her, thankful for his strength and the protective way he jumped to her defense.
Her father stared at his outstretched hand, realization dawning on his face. His fingers curled into a fist before he jerked his hand down to his side and held it there rigidly.
The pastor came out of lurkdom and inserted himself into the group. “William, give her time. She needs to process this and work through her own emotions. You can’t force this issue.”
Her father looked long and hard into the pastor’s eyes, then with a sigh, stepped back and lowered his head. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Danielle breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to go. “I need to get back to Trevor.”
The pastor smiled and nodded at her. “Thank you for listening. If there’s anything I can do for you, please know that I’m available.”
She nodded and hurried away, eager to put the incident behind her and get back to happier thoughts. Kevin’s shoulder brushed against hers as they walked, warm and strong, a comfort. With each step away from her father, adrenaline drained from her body, leaving her weak and shaking. She grabbed Kevin’s hand and leaned into him to steady herself.
As soon as they turned a corner in the hallway, Kevin stopped and pulled her into his arms. She locked her hands behind his waist and let him hold her.
“What’s this for?” she mumbled into his shirt.
He hugged her tighter and lowered his lips to her hair. “I’m proud of you. That couldn’t have been easy, and you handled it like a champ.”
“Then why do I feel so awful?”
He pulled back until he could look down into her face. “Why do you feel awful?”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Because I couldn’t think of anything but how much I dislike him. I said I’d forgive him and would consider his request to work on reconciliation, but the truth is I don’t even want to be around him.”
Kevin sighed and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. “You suffered years of abuse at his hands, honey. A five-minute apology doesn’t erase history. It’ll take time … time for him to learn new ways of interacting with all of you. And time for you to observe the changes and decide whether you can trust him or not.”
She sniffled and scrubbed back the tears on her cheeks. His words made sense and gave a whole new dimension to the situation that she’d never considered. “So I’m not a bad person because I don’t feel have warm, fuzzy feelings for him?”
Kevin laughed. “Remember the saying, ‘Only fools rush in?’ Your dad’s kind of like a recovering addict right now. He needs time to learn how to live without falling back on the crutch of his old behaviors, and the best thing you can do is to stand back and let him experience the separation and distance his behavior has caused between him and the people closest to him. It’s the only thing that will change him.”
She cocked her head and peered up at him through narrowed eyes. “How do you know so much about all this?”
“Brandon gave me a book to read. Said it helped him deal with some of the things you’re going through now. I wanted to know how to be there for you if you needed support, so ….” He shrugged.
“Brandon! I swear he should have been a counselor. He’s wasting all his meddling skills on the golf course.” She shook her finger at Kevin in playful warning. “And you two are getting awful cozy lately, especially when it comes to butting into my life.”
Smiling, he took her hand and led her toward the elevators. “Your brother’s a stand-up guy. I like him.”
“And it doesn’t hurt that he can get you free rounds of golf at the country club next spring, right?”
His eyebrows shot up with excitement. “You think he’ll ask me to play?”
She elbowed him, wiping the goofy look off his face.
When they reached the elevator bay, she turned to him, growing serious again. “So you think I handled it okay?”
He smiled down at her, eyes tender. “You did great.”
She tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder. “Maybe I should read that book. You still have it?”
“I’ll bring it tomorrow.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
“So I get to live with Daddy now?” Trevor asked, his eyes bright with excitement.
“We both do.” Danielle glanced over Trevor’s head and met Kevin’s eyes. The look he gave her contained enough passion to curl her toes. She smiled at him, hoping he could see she was just as eager to get on with their life together and make up for lost time. One more day and one more night until she became Mrs. Kevin Sutherland. She could hardly wait.
“Will I have my own room?”
Danielle placed the last of Trevor’s things in a suitcase and zipped it shut. “Yes. Your dad moved all our stuff out of the storage unit and into his house. He tells me he’s got your room all ready for you.”
Trevor turned to Kevin, bouncing on his toes. “Is it big?”
Kevin placed his hand on Trevor’s shoulder, and smiled down at him affectionately. “Plenty big enough. I used to come stay with my grandma when my dad served overseas. It was my room back then.”
“If I’m in your room, then where will you sleep, Daddy?”
“I moved into the master bedroom.”
Trevor stopped dancing for a moment and glanced her direction. “What about Mommy?”
Kevin smiled and gave Danielle a suggestive wink. “Oh, we’ll make room for her too.”
Blushing, she turned away and tucked her laptop into the leather carrying case Kevin had bought her. “I think that’s everything.” She cupped her hand around the back of Trevor’s head, rubbing her fingertips over the short stubble growing there. “We can go home, baby.”
The look of excitement and relief on his face brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t imagine how he must feel. He’d been cooped up in this room for months, only leaving for medical procedures that brought him discomfort.
Kevin grabbed the suitcase and hooked the strap of Danielle’s laptop case over his arm. “I’ll carry the bags down and pull the car up to the front door. Meet me there?”
“We’ll be a few minutes behind you.”
Kevin breezed out of the room, a spring in his step that said he was a man with a lot to look forward to.
A hospital porter arrived with a wheelchair, and Trevor climbed in, eager to go for a ride. Danielle grabbed their coats and her purse. “Why don’t we stop by the nurse’s station and say goodbye on our way out?”
When they saw him coming, the nurses left what they were doing and came to give him a send-off. MaryAnn, James, and Cindy were on staff today. “Look who’s coming down our hallway wearing his street clothes, ready to leave us,” Cindy said, grinning.
Trevor leaned forward and accepted their handshakes and high fives. “I’m going home today.”
“I heard that.” Cindy stepped forward and planted a light kiss on his forehead. “We’re going to miss you, little one. But we hope you go home and stay well and never come back here. Okay?”
“Thanks for taking such good care of us.” Danielle teared up as she looked into each of their faces. The staff had become like family during the months they’d spent in the transplant unit.
“It was our pleasure,” MaryAnn assured her. “We’re always so glad to see a success story.” Danielle said her goodbyes amidst te
ary thanks and well-wishes.
Trevor grinned and waved until the elevator doors closed, cutting off the sights and sounds of the fourth floor.
She held out a thick winter coat. “Put this on, honey.”
Trevor’s brow wrinkled as he looked at the jacket. “What’s this?” He pulled it from her hands and squeezed it. “It’s kinda puffy. I never seen a coat like this before.”
“We didn’t need them in Florida. But up here, you’ll be glad for a thick, puffy coat, and we’ll want to buy you a hat and boots and gloves before it snows.”
“Snow!” Trevor exclaimed, as if he’d just realized what he had to look forward to. “Can I play in it, Mom? Please?”
She laughed. “Well, not today, because there isn’t any yet. But it shouldn’t be long.”
“Awesome! I wish Cory could come play in the snow with me. I bet we could make a big snowman together.”
Janna’s warm, smiling face popped into Danielle’s mind, and a twinge of sadness rippled through her. She couldn’t be happier that she was getting married tomorrow, but she was sorry she couldn’t share the event with her best friend.
~ ~ ~
“Are we going to Uncle Brandon’s house?” Trevor asked as they turned onto the familiar street.
“Just dropping your mom off,” Kevin explained.
She could feel Trevor’s attention switch to her. “You’re not coming with us?”
“I’m staying the night at Uncle Brandon’s, Trev. I have a lot to do to get ready for the wedding tomorrow.”
Kevin pulled the car into Brandon’s driveway and stepped out to get her travel bag and computer case from the trunk.
Danielle turned around in the passenger seat so she could see Trevor’s face. “That’s okay with you, right? You and Daddy will have some time alone tonight. I’ll move in with you boys after the wedding tomorrow.”
A worry line formed between his eyes, just above the bridge of his nose. “Does Daddy know how to cook dinner?”
Laughter bubbled up from deep in her belly and spilled out. “Is that why you want me around? To feed you?” She rolled her eyes. “I’m sure your dad can manage something edible … or call for pizza.”
Danielle hopped out and opened the back door to give Trevor a kiss goodbye. “You be good for Daddy, okay?”
He nodded. “Will there be cake at the wedding?”
She bit back another laugh. Seeing him with an appetite was thrilling. He needed to eat well and gain some weight. “Yes to the cake. French vanilla on one half, chocolate on the other, ‘cause I know how much you like chocolate cake.”
“Yes!” He pumped his fist in the air.
“Love you.” She closed the door so the interior of the car would stay warm. Kevin waited on the walkway, her bags in hand. With each exhale, his breath made billowy clouds in the November air. Eager to get out of the cold, she made a beeline for the front door.
“It’s going to take some getting used to, living in Indiana in the winter again.” She stopped on the front porch and turned to face him. “Hey, make sure Trevor has enough blankets tonight.”
“I turned up the heat in my house a few degrees. He’ll be fine.”
“Oh, good. And don’t forget, he usually has a little snack before bed, but only water to drink. And limit that to one small glass otherwise he’ll be up—”
He placed one finger gently over her lips, stopping the flow of instructions.
She pursed her lips together and kissed his fingertip. “Sorry, am I being overbearing?”
“You’re adorable.” He smiled down at her, his warm brown eyes caressing her face. “I just wanted you to be quiet so I could do this.” The smell of his aftershave swirled around her as he moved closer, sliding his free hand around her waist. He bent and claimed her lips, giving her yet another thing to look forward to after tomorrow. Passion flowed between them with an intensity that rocked her to the core. She wanted to snuggle closer, rest in his arms and enjoy the feel of his lips all night long, but they both had things they needed to do before the wedding. She put her hand against his chest and gave him a little push.
He eased back and rested his forehead against hers. Their breath mingled in a puff of vapor between them. “Tomorrow can’t come soon enough, Dani.”
“For both of us,” she whispered, reaching up to touch his face. “I love you.”
~ ~ ~
Danielle stood before the mirror, turning from one side to the other, admiring the elegant lines of the wedding dress. The candlelight silk draped gracefully over her curves and swept the floor. It might have been a plain dress but the pearl beading at the scooped neckline and trailing down the small train gave it just the right touch of glamour.
She fitted her veil over her hair and was securing it with a few pins when a knock sounded. The door swung open revealing a visitor that made Danielle’s heart leap with joy.
“Janna!” She flew across the room and pulled her friend into a huge hug. “How did you get here?”
Janna laughed in her sunny way. “Kevin dropped me off, silly.”
“No! I mean, how did you get here, to Indiana?”
“Mack drove me.” She put a hand on her hip and cocked her head to a saucy angle. “Did you think I was going to miss my best friend’s wedding? It’s a little inconvenient that you’re having it in Indiana—where it’s freezing by the way—but what’s a thousand miles between friends?”
Danielle whirled away from Janna and grabbed a wad of tissues from the box on the dresser. “My makeup is going to run all over my face.” She dabbed at her lashes, catching the tears before they had a chance to do much damage. “So Kevin knew you were coming?”
“He called and insisted that we come. Offered to put us up in a hotel and pay our travel expenses if it would get us here. He said you needed a Matron of Honor to stand with you at the ceremony and only your best friend would do.”
The bed frame creaked as Danielle sat down on the mattress. “That man is too good to me.”
Janna perched beside her, straightening the tulle in her veil so it draped more gracefully over her shoulders. “I really like him, Danielle.”
“Yeah?”
Janna nodded. “He’s got character. And when he talks about you, his face glows. He loves you … a lot.”
Danielle nodded, the waterworks starting again. “I never expected this, Janna. I came home to reconcile with my family and find Trevor a donor. I ended up finding the love of my life all over again. God’s been good to me.”
Janna’s eyes widened. “God? Did you just mention the Almighty like the two of you are on speaking terms?” She threw her head back and laughed with delight. “This is wonderful!”
Danielle gave Janna a rueful smile. “I realized I’d been holding a few things against Him that weren’t His fault. We’ve kind of reconciled our differences.” She shrugged. “I’m working on it anyway.”
Janna grabbed Danielle and pulled her into another hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
“You had something to do with it, you know? Your patience, generosity, and your warmth. You were everything I wanted to be. You had something I couldn’t quite grasp. I didn’t want to believe that it had anything to do with God because religion was used like a club in my house growing up, not an olive branch. But I’ve come to realize it’s not supposed to be that way. You, Brandon, and Kevin showed me that.” She dabbed the corners of her eyes again. “I owe you a lot.”
Janna’s eyes glistened too. “Just be happy, Dani-girl. That’s all I want.”
“My heart feels so full, it hurts.” They shared a smile and another hug.
Janna glanced at the clock. “Well, my dear, we’d better finish getting you ready. Brandon wants to leave in ten minutes.”
Danielle rose and crossed to the dresser, picking up her compact and dabbing at the spots where the makeup had washed off. “I think they’ll wait on me if I’m late.”
“But the sooner you’re married, the sooner you can start your
honeymoon.” She wagged her eyebrows at Danielle and grinned.
Danielle feigned a look of shock, then laughed. She’d been thinking the same thing herself for the last few days. For eight years she’d wondered what her life would have been like if she’d married Kevin. She was about to find out.
Her makeup repaired, she turned from the mirror and held her hands out to her sides. “How do I look?”
Janna gave a wistful sigh. “I’ve never seen you look so radiant. Kevin won’t be able to take his eyes off you. Speaking of which, are you ready to go?”
“I need to stop by the kitchen on my way out. My bouquet is in the refrigerator staying fresh.”
They gathered up their purses and left the room, Janna trailing behind to monitor Danielle’s train so it wouldn’t snag on doorways or drag on the walkway outside.
Danielle sat in the back of the limo Kevin had insisted on renting, surrounded by a cloud of silk and tulle. Brandon and Janna sat across from her, happiness shining from their faces, magnifying her own joy back to her.
The half-mile between Brandon’s house and Kevin’s passed in a heartbeat. As they drew close, Danielle’s breath caught in her throat. Kevin’s house stood out from the others. White lights twinkled from the roofline and wrapped the porch posts and tree trunks. Large arrangements of white roses spilled over the brick ledges on the front porch. A beautiful white arch adorned with an array of white roses and gossamer ribbons, stood along the sidewalk, a white runner connecting it with the front entrance of the house. It made a grand entrance for an eager bride.
“Who did this?” she breathed.
Janna grinned. “I told you that man of yours was something else. We helped put a few finishing touches on things, but he did most of it himself.” She reached for the door. “I’ll go inside and make sure everyone is ready. Give us a couple of minutes.” She slipped out and hurried to the door.
