Because of Lauren: A Love Story

by Vivi Underwood

  Annie felt all doubt flee as Josh seconded his brother’s sentiment. Matt was so serious and mature as he spoke. She didn’t want to be the one telling them their father had already made a pretty solid case for marriage, so she suggested that the four of them get together and discuss it. Beaming, the boys agreed then let out ferocious yells of approval.

  Their father heard the yelling and came charging across the hall and into the kitchen. And found both boys exuberantly hugging Annie.

  “Dad,” called Josh, “we have to have a family meeting about Annie getting married to us.”

  “That’s what all the yelling is about? I thought something was seriously wrong.”

  “This is serious, Dad,” said Matt. “We can’t go home until it’s settled. Annie will have to apply for a visa and everything, and that might take time. We don’t want another year without her.”

  “Annie runs a business here,” Cameron reminded them. “She can’t just up and leave.”

  “Couldn’t you sell the business?” Matt wanted to know. “I want us to be together for Christmas.”

  Annie glanced at Cameron, at his face smiling, hopeful face. “Let’s go back upstairs,” she suggested, “where we can talk in private.”

  The boys finished their cake in record time.

  They met Lauren with Camilla halfway up the flight of stairs.

  “Family meeting,” said Josh importantly. “We would like not to be disturbed.”

  Lauren hid a smile. The boy was so charmingly earnest. “I’ll warn the others,” she promised gravely.

  She was standing a couple of steps above them and looked from Cameron to Annie to the boys. Leaning down, she kissed Cameron on the cheek. “My money’s on you,” she said softly and continued down the remaining stairs.

  An hour later, they re-joined the rest of the family. During their absence, the ladies had prepared a light supper of simple, open-faced sandwiches. In a while, Jonas would drive Jan-Erik to the airport. Cecilie would be traveling to London with the rest of them, but Jan-Erik had obligations at court the coming week and was catching a late flight to Oslo.

  They all looked expectantly at the little group. Cameron’s arm was tucked possessively around Annie while the other one rested on Matt’s shoulder. Annie’s arm was around Josh’s neck.

  Her eyes shone.

  The boys looked triumphant.

  And Cameron exuded quiet joy.

  It was clear to everyone that sometime within the last hour the four of them had become a family.

  “We have an announcement to make.” Cameron’s eyes rested first on his mother, then his father, then took in the rest of the group. “Annie and I and the boys have decided we want to be married. We haven’t set a firm date yet. Annie has to apply for the proper visa. But we hope to be a family by Christmas, if not sooner.”

  Nick indicated his approval by moderate staccato clapping. Soon others joined in. Then there were hugs all around. Lilly, whose heart had ached for Cameron these last few years, was fighting tears when she saw the joy on her son’s face. He and Annie were going to make it.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Surrey, England

  Whoever said fairy tales didn’t come true didn’t know Jonas Juul.

  While the sealing of the Juul Family took place inside the beautiful London Temple, the two men had arranged for a guide to show Cecilie, Annie, the twins, and the Andrews girls a pleasant time outside. The beauty of the grounds—thirty plus acres of flowering gardens, lawns, trees and even a stream—was a wonderful surprise and the kids couldn’t wait to explore their surroundings.

  After seeing the Visitor Center, they all stood and gazed at the temple while the guide explained why being sealed in the Lord’s temple was so important to Latter-day Saints. Then she took them on a tour of the gardens, with the children chatting and asking question after question, some gospel-oriented and some to do with the country they were visiting.

  Cecilie and Annie had both enjoyed a short tour of Temple Square in Salt Lake City the year before, but now, as they listened to the children, both women were surprised by their knowledge.

  When Cecilie commented on it, Leah looked at the two adults in surprise and said, “We learn the gospel in Primary at church and in Family Night at home.”

  “Of course,” said Cecilie slowly, her voice softening. “I’d forgotten.” And she remembered that once upon a time her little boy had attended Primary and that Joachim had taught his son, as well.

  Seeing the look on Cecilie’s face, Leah walked over and took her hand. “Don’t worry about Jonas,” she said in a comforting voice, as though she had read the woman’s mind. “He and Lauren and baby Camilla are a forever family now.”

  Cecilie, touched by Leah’s concern, patted the child’s hand and replied, “You are right, Leah. Jonas is safe and happy with Lauren.”

  After the temple ceremony a smiling, happy group made their way to the waiting limousine.

  “Where is it taking us, Daddy?” Leah said in a loud whisper as the driver pulled away from the temple grounds.

  “To a very special luncheon in honor of Jonas, Lauren, and Camilla,” replied her father solemnly. “To celebrate this day.”

  “Camilla gets to be there, too?”

  “Of course. She is one of the guests of honor.”

  Leah turned her attention to Jonas, seated nearby. “It’s nice that you have a family now, too, huh Jonas? Other than us, I mean.”

  “You’ll always be part of my family, Leah, but yes, having a family of my very own is the best thing ever.”

  “I love you, Jonas.”

  “I love you, too, sweetheart. And I’m very glad your parents brought you all this way to be with us.”

  It was a luncheon for the storybooks. The limousine eventually brought them to an old Manor house, beautifully restored as an exclusive hotel and set in impressive grounds amid parklands, streams, and lakes.

  Melanie was enchanted. This was her first time abroad, and she couldn’t think of enough superlatives to describe her surroundings. Holding on to Nicholas’ hand, she turned to Lauren with sparkling eyes. “I’m so glad Camilla timed her arrival the way she did. I love the Salt Lake Temple, but honestly everyone, from just seeing a picture of the London Temple, I never expected such beautiful, expansive grounds, and now this. I feel like a princess in a fairy tale.”

  Lauren, just as enchanted as Melanie with the location of the luncheon, turned to her husband. “This really is special, Jonas. And so very thoughtful.”

  He smiled as he looked at his wife, a woman who never failed to enchant and amaze him. Wearing a lovely suit in soft pearl and holding their baby, both she and the Camilla looked like they belonged in a place like this. And yet, amazingly, Lauren felt just as much at home on their rugged little island.

  “You can credit Allison,” Jonas replied. “She and Jake stayed here for their tenth wedding anniversary and loved it. When they heard of our change of plans, Allison insisted the luncheon take place here.”

  “And the two of them actually listened,” said Allison.

  “This is such a wonderful beginning to our stay in the U.K. and makes me really appreciate the extra week we will be spending in the country,” said Melanie. “Nick is taking me to Wales where he served part of his mission. It is also where my ancestors came from, so that makes the trip extra special for me.”

  “Lucky you,” said Allison. “You’ll fall in love with Wales. I know I did when Jake and I traveled there.”

  “It was a favorite area of my mission,” Nicholas told them, “so I’m looking forward to showing it to Melanie.”

  “Do we have to go inside right away,” asked Nora, impressed with the surroundings, “or can we explore the grounds a little? I’ve never been to a castle before.”

  “You’ll have a chance to look around after the
luncheon,” her father promised. “But I think you’ll like the inside, too.”

  Their private dining room was decorated especially for the occasion, and the hotel management had created a wonderfully warm, celebratory feeling in the grand room.

  When Josh saw the buffet, he turned to his grandmother in relief. “Oh, good,” he said with a happy grin. “We get to choose what we want to eat.” He moved a little closer to the table already laden with an array of delectable food items. “It looks good though, doesn’t it, Grandma? Like normal food only fancy.”

  His grandmother agreed. Some of the food had obviously been chosen with teenagers in mind. “Very fancy,” she said. “And everything looks delicious.”

  Overhearing the conversation, Jake whispered in Josh’s ear. “We had a conference with the chef. We asked him to include a selection of teenage food for the less sophisticated palate, along with the hotel’s adult specialties.”

  Josh gave Jake an approving thumbs-up then glanced at the uniformed waiters standing at attention, ready to assist them. He had never been to such a grand place before. He thought it was probably a good time to use the manners his father had tried so hard to instill in him and Matt over the years.

  He turned to Lilly. “Grandma,” he said in a soft voice, “will you tell me if I do something wrong? I don’t want to embarrass my dad.”

  His grandmother lovingly ran a hand over his unruly hair. He looked sharp in his newly cleaned slacks and tie, and with today’s addition of a blazer, he reminded her of a little gentleman. “You’ll do fine, Josh. We are all family. Just relax and enjoy yourself.”

  Leah watched as Lauren gently placed the now sleeping infant in the bassinet. Dressed in a delicate, pure white dress, she thought Camilla looked perfect. Impressed with the ornate room they were in, with its lofty ceilings, tall windows, and elegant furnishings, she looked down at the baby and in a whisper said, “In her special dress she looks like a baby princess, doesn’t she Lauren?”

  “She does, a little,” agreed Lauren with a smile. “Her grandma Cecilie gave her that dress. It seems just right for here, doesn’t it?”

  “Uh-huh.” Leah looked down at her own dress and smoothed the skirt a bit. “I’m pretending I’m a princess too, while we’re here.”

  “And no princess ever looked prettier, Leah.” She held out her hand to the young girl. “Shall we get something to eat while Camilla is sleeping?”

  Everything is so lovely, thought Lauren as she looked around, from the floral arrangements to the beautifully appointed tables and the tempting food. Whoever said English food lacked excitement had never eaten at this establishment. And the thoughtful words Jake expressed in honor of the sacred occasion they were celebrating, touched exactly the right chord with everyone.

  Cecilie knew this day would linger in her memory forever. All who knew Jonas knew he loved and cherished his little family, and his dearest wish was for them to be sealed in the temple. Today that dream had been fulfilled.

  Cecilie would never forget the day Jonas told Lauren he wanted to be baptized and Lauren’s dazed look before the tears came. And today, here they were, surrounded by loving family from two continents.

  Cecilie gave full credit to Lauren for her son’s happiness and would always be grateful that she’d had the courage to love him from the very start. As a mother, she was content.

  The evening was bittersweet. Following the luncheon, they spent some time exploring the grounds and enjoying the various amenities offered by the five-star hotel, including a delightful carriage ride, but eventually, almost reluctantly, they settled into the limousine and the ride back to London and the Savoy, the iconic five-star hotel in central London, where they were staying.

  After dinner, Cecilie, Lilly, and Jonathan opted for a relaxed evening at the hotel, as did Jonas and Lauren, who settled contentedly in their suite with the baby.

  In Cameron’s suite, he and Annie found themselves unexpectedly alone. Jake and Allison wanted to show their daughters London by night and invited Matt and Josh along. They were planning a ride on the London Eye among other things and thought the boys might also enjoy the adventure. Cameron suspected the real reason they invited the boys along to give him and Annie a little time to themselves before they parted, for perhaps several months.

  Annie stood by the open balcony door and looked out on the city and the river beyond. She was fond of London and had spent many weekends here over the years. She smiled as Cameron crossed the room to her. They had expected to spend the evening with the boys. She must remember to thank Allison and Jake for their thoughtfulness.

  Cameron slipped an arm around her. She felt his lips on her temple in a gentle kiss. He is a sweet man, she thought, a man of strength and integrity. She buried her face against him, and in a muffled voice said, “I don’t want tomorrow to come.”

  “I wish I could say come home with us, but I know that isn’t possible.”

  Annie sighed. “No, not at a moment’s notice like that. It’s funny. I always wanted to work in the travel industry, and I have loved it for many years. But today I feel the weight of the responsibility. I would much rather leave it all behind and fly away with you and the boys.”

  He tilted his head and looked at her. She was warm and loving and even-tempered and so easy to be with. He didn’t find it strange at all that his boys had taken to her so quickly. Her eyes sparkled when she talked about them, and the smile she gave him turned his heart to warm liquid. Leaving her behind would not be easy.

  “Once we are married and you have had a chance to settle in, you can decide if you want to continue working in the travel industry, try something different entirely, or stay at home. I’ll support you in whatever you decide.”

  Unexpectedly her eyes filled with tears. Cameron pulled her fully into his embrace, lifted a hand, and with a tip of a finger gently brushed away the moisture from under her eye. “Still scared?”

  Annie shook her head. “I’m just trying to understand something. How in the world could Kellie leave someone as good as you?”

  It wasn’t prying, he sensed, she genuinely wanted to understand. He sighed, wishing he had an answer that made sense. But the truth was he had never been able to understand his ex-wife’s behavior.

  “What we had together wasn’t enough for her,” he said and decided to share some private things with Annie, things only his father knew. “We married shortly after graduation from college and then moved to Denver where I had a good job offer. Once we were settled in our first apartment, Kellie was also able to find a good job. We were careful with our money and after a couple of years bought our own home. We were deliriously happy and so proud of ourselves.

  “Then Kellie got pregnant. I was beyond excited at the idea of becoming a father. Kellie cried. She loved our life, she said, and a baby would change everything.

  “Eventually she came around, of course. And then we found out we were having twins! Kellie cried even harder. Her mother came for an extended visit and helped her set up and decorate the nursery. Some of her mother’s excitement rubbed off on her and, by the time the twins were born, she seemed enchanted with them.”

  Cameron looked at Annie apologetically. “Am I boring you?”

  Annie shook her head. “No, don’t stop, please. Unless it is painful for you to talk about.”

  “It’s part of my history, Annie. I don’t mind you knowing.” He kissed her lightly and continued. “Kellie quit her job to be home with the babies. Caring for them was more than a full-time job, so we hired someone to come in and help a few hours a day. And I helped in the evenings and with nighttime feedings. We established a routine that worked for us, including regular date nights so Kellie could have a break from the kids, and things were good.

  “I had been moving up in the company I worked for, and at about the time the boys were ready to start Kindergarten, I was offered a very nice promot
ion. The increase in pay was substantial, but it would mean the occasional night away from home. We talked about it, and Kellie decided with the boys in school, she could handle the travel if it was only occasionally. She encouraged me to accept the promotion.

  “Accepting that promotion was the worst decision I could have made and marked the beginning of the end of our marriage. I just didn’t know it at the time. And as it turned out, I didn’t know my wife nearly as well as I thought I did.”

  “I’m so sorry, Cam,” said Annie softly. “Lots of people travel for business though. I do myself occasionally. What made it so difficult?”

  “The new job was more demanding, and I often put in long hours, so I didn’t have as much time to devote to Kellie in the evenings. And though she enjoyed our very comfortable financial situation, it wasn’t long before the complaints started. I tried to make it easier for her by bringing work home instead of staying late at the office. That way I could have dinner with the family and be available if I was needed in the evening. That wasn’t good enough for her. Over time she changed so much I hardly recognized my own wife. She became cold and distant and sniped at me constantly. And her resentment spilled over to the boys.”

  Memories of those long-ago days flooded Cameron’s mind. He had been completely puzzled by Kellie’s resentment of his work. He had discussed the job offer with her, had pointed out the pros and cons. Even though he was excited and somewhat flattered by the promotion, he would have turned it down if his wife had objected. She had encouraged him to accept.

  Cameron thought of the day he arrived home from a two-day conference in Saint Louis. His sons came running to him with ‘welcome home’ hugs and kisses. His wife did not. Later that evening Matt took his Dad by the hand and led him into his home office. There, in the large, comfortable leather chair, little Matt curled up in his dad’s lap. Feeling safe in his father’s embrace, he told him about the previous night: He’d had a bad dream, was scared, and couldn’t get back to sleep, so he went to Mom and Dad’s bedroom seeking comfort from his mother—and discovered a strange man in the bed. Because his mother was so often cross these days, he didn’t dare say anything, just allowed his mom to comfort him before tucking him back into his bed. She didn’t explain about the man in the bed, and he didn’t dare ask. But he knew he would tell his dad. Matt didn’t fall asleep for a long time.