by Pandora Pine
“Who knew all it would take to get her to accept all of that was an act of God?” Ronan chuckled. “Shit, I’ve been through some blizzards in my time in New England and a hurricane or two, but I’ve never seen anything as intense as that twister.”
Ten nodded against Ronan’s neck. “That’s the thing with a tornado, the weathermen can forecast that conditions can be favorable to spawn a funnel cloud, but you never know if it’s actually going to happen or where it will touch down. With blizzards and hurricanes forecasting has gotten so accurate that you’ve got days to plan and prep for the arrival of the storm. With tornadoes, sometimes you only have minutes.”
Ronan could see how that could change your perspective on a lot of things. “What do you think she’s going to do about our wedding?”
Ten blew out a hash breath. “I don’t know. Things are really going to be different for her when we’re gone in a few days. Either it’s going to be out of sight, out of mind, or the time alone will give her a chance to sort out her feelings and think about what she wants in this second act of her life. What do you think she’s going to do?”
Ronan pressed a kiss to the top of Tennyson’s head. He’d been thinking about this when it was his turn in the shower. “You know, I think Greeley is going to be the wild card in all of this. When I was shot, he wrote to me constantly. He sent me cards, emails, and actual letters. I have no doubt he’ll do the same thing with Kaye, not to mention the book club he said he wanted to start with her. Knowing Greeley, he’ll send her information about Salem and Boston and pictures of him at the beach. I think most of all though, she’ll want to see her son marry the love of his life.”
“I hope you’re right, Ronan. When I was up in Maine, I promised myself I’d let this idea of my parents wanting to get to know me as an adult go and I had. I really had done it. Then I wake up and my father is sitting on the edge of my bed.” He wrapped his arm tighter around Ronan’s chest.
“We’ve been so busy trying to help Kaye and chasing down Shannon Bradley’s killer that you haven’t had a lot of time to process his death yet.”
“No, I haven’t. I think he and I will make our own peace at some point. Right now, David’s focus is on Kaye and I can’t fault him for that.”
Ronan couldn’t either, but there was room for David to have said a kind word to his son. After all, Tennyson was the one who had dropped everything to come to Kansas at a moment’s notice. He wasn’t going to say that out loud though. “I’m sure you’re right about that, babe. It’s my job to be totally focused on you, so I get where he’s coming from.”
Ten pressed a kiss against Ronan’s neck. “Two more sleeps and then we’re going home.”
Ronan couldn’t help smiling at the thought of going home. Back to Boston where the leaves were ablaze with autumn color. Back to his desk where a stack of cold cases were waiting to be solved. Back to Dixie who was probably losing her walnut-sized mind without them. Back to their friends and their neighborhood and their new house.
Back to the wedding that Ronan needed to finish planning.
EPILOGUE
November 1, El Dia de los Muertos…
Ronan O’Mara was enjoying his last few moments of single life by sipping from a bottle of sparkling water and looking out over the ballroom of the Hawthorne Hotel in downtown Salem, Massachusetts.
Right now, the ballroom was set up for the wedding ceremony and the reception. The right-hand side of the room was filled with the tables the guests would sit at for the wedding meal, while the left side had the rows of seats and the aisle he would be walking down to meet Tennyson for the ceremony. After they were pronounced husbands, they’d go outside to the courtyard and take pictures with the rest of the wedding party while the hotel staff turned the altar back into a dance floor.
“Ah, shouldn’t you be getting ready for your big day, Uncle Ronan? I don’t think Uncle Tennyson is gonna say, ‘I do’ if you’re wearing an old Celtics tee and ratty jeans.” Greeley laughed.
“That’s where you’re wrong, kiddo. Ten would marry me in a skimpy fig leaf.” Ronan laughed and pulled his nephew in for a big hug. His tuxedo was hanging up in his dressing room all ready for him to slip into but he’d wanted a look at the ballroom before he got dressed. “Ten really threw himself into the wedding plans once we got back from Kansas two weeks ago. He wanted to be the one to plan out the reception, so this is the first time I’ve seen any of this. The centerpieces, the black and silver color scheme, the little sugar skulls on all of the tables.”
“I still can’t believe you got this lucky with the hotel being available today.” Greeley shook his head in obvious disbelief.
“Carson knows the owners. I think one of them is a client of his. They had a rocking Halloween party here last night and they weren’t too keen on the idea of having to turn the room over so quickly for a wedding today, but when we agreed to have it in the afternoon and when they found out we were friends of Carson’s, let’s just say that greased the wheels a bit. I think he threw in a free reading or two as well.” Thank Christ for Carson. After he’d seen this place, Tennyson had his heart set on getting married here.
After they hadn’t gotten an RSVP back on Kaye’s invitation, it was one more disappointment Ronan didn’t want to have to deliver to his fiancé. Thankfully, it had all worked out and they’d be getting married here in about thirty minutes. Ronan turned back to Greeley and got a good look at him in his tuxedo. “You look amazing today.”
Greeley stood a little taller and straightened his silver tie. His tuxedo was all black but for the tie and pocket square. “It’s an honor to stand up with you today. It’s been six months since Dad got me into rehab and my whole life has changed. You and Uncle Ten are a big part of that.” Greeley’s eyes were a bit misty.
Ronan hugged him again before he started crying too. It had been nothing shy of miraculous the way Greeley had turned his life completely around. “I love you so much, kid.” Ronan hugged Greeley tight. He felt the teenager squeeze him tighter.
“Love you too, Uncle Ronan. Now go change, you bum!” Greeley laughed.
“You’ve got the ring, right?” Ronan swiped a hand over his moist eyes.
“Right here.” Greeley patted his left jacket pocket. “I got you.”
“Only because I got you first!” Ronan patted his shoulder and jogged back toward his dressing room.
Ronan’s dressing room was set up with his tuxedo hanging on a peg near a free standing rectangular mirror. One of the photographers would be in later to take some pictures of him slipping into his jacket, and of Truman, his best man, pinning his boutonnière to his lapel.
For now though, Ronan was happy to have a few quiet moments to himself. Over on his dresser sitting next to the box with his cufflinks was a cream-colored envelope. He had a feeling it was from Tennyson.
Sure enough, when he was close enough to read it, he could see it was addressed to “My Future Husband.” Feeling his eyes getting misty again, Ronan opened the envelope and pulled out the card inside. Pictured on the cover were two barefooted men holding hands and walking off into the sunset on a beach. The words, “Forever Starts Today,” were written in gold. He blinked back tears before opening the card. “I’m so glad the journey starts by your side,” read the sentiment on the inside. The tears Ronan had been trying to blink back were now rolling down his face. “Jeez, get it together,” Ronan whispered to the empty room. He hadn’t even read what Tennyson had written on the blank side of the card yet.
He took a deep breath and started to read:
My dearest, dearest Ronan,
In a matter of hours, we’ll start our greatest adventure together. I thought I’d be nervous or maybe a little scared, but what I am, is ready. I am ready to be your husband, your forever love, your partner in every sense of the word. Now, hurry up and get dressed. I’m waiting for you at the altar!
Almost all of my love... You’ll get the rest when you put a ring on it!
Ten
Ronan burst out laughing. The card he’d had Truman deliver to Tennyson had been very serious. Leave it to his almost-husband to be the comedian.
Not one to ignore good advice, he dressed quickly in his tuxedo pants and dress shirt. He stood in the mirror as he fumbled with the onyx shirt studs. One of them thumped to the carpet. He bent down to try to find it in the thick pile of the rug. “I wish you were here to do this for me, Mom.” Spotting the stud, he picked it up and regained his full height. When he looked back in the mirror, he wasn’t alone. Erin O’Mara was standing behind him. “Mom?”
“Hello, baby boy.” Erin flashed a bright smile.
Ronan turned around to hug her, but she was gone. “Okay, that was amazing.” He turned back to the mirror and Erin was behind him again.
“Don’t move, Ro Your Boat,” Erin laughed. “For some reason, this miracle only works with the mirror.”
“Mom, how?” Ronan couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Erin was dressed in a perfect mother-of-the-groom dress. It was light blue, making her eyes pop.
“I’m not sure, but I’m not going to look a gift miracle in the mouth either.” Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Look at you. So handsome. I can’t believe today is your big day.”
“I know. Do you have any advice for me?” Ronan chuckled. He had a lot of flaws.
“We’d need hours, honey!” Erin laughed.
Ronan laughed with her.
She set her hand on his shoulder. “Listen to your husband. Try to see things from his point of view, and for God’s sake, Ronan, let the man win an argument from time to time. It won’t kill you.”
Ronan started to laugh again. “Okay. I’ll try. Hand to God.” He held up his left hand. Catching movement out of his left eye, he turned his head a bit and saw a young woman with flowing strawberry-blonde hair. He only saw her for a second before she vanished. He looked back up at Erin in the mirror, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Do you want me to tell you or would you like to guess?” Her tears were back, but the smile on Erin’s face was the most beautiful thing Ronan had ever seen, with the possible exception of the strawberry-blonde.
“It’s her, isn’t it?” His voice was barely above a whisper. He couldn’t bear to say the word “daughter” out loud in case he was wrong. He’d spent the last month hearing so much about how Erin, Bertha, and even David Grimm had been to visit his and Tennyson’s future daughter that he was starting to wonder if he would be the last person to meet her.
Erin nodded. “I didn’t want you to be the last one to meet her.”
Ronan bit his bottom lip. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He ended up doing a bit of both. “Is that how you see her?”
Erin nodded. “You will too, someday.”
“Mom, I...” Ronan didn’t have the words for this moment. The fact that Erin was here, that she’d brought his daughter. It was too much. He was blessed beyond measure.
“I know, Ronan.” Erin squeezed his shoulder. “Bertha says the veil between the physical world and the spirit world is thinner today with it being The Day of the Dead and tomorrow being All Souls Day.”
“Is Bertha here too?”
Erin nodded. “I think she’s using some of her power so you can see and hear me.”
“I love you so much, Bertha Craig.” Ronan laughed.
“She says she loves you more, Handsome.”
“Does Bertha have any advice for me?”
Erin laughed. “I can’t tell him that, Bertha. He’s my son. I diapered that little bum.” Erin blushed fiercely.
“Oh, God!” Ronan groaned. He had no idea what Bertha was suggesting, but knew it was super dirty if Erin couldn’t say it out loud, she’d never shied away from talking to her gay son about gay sex.
“Just have a lot of sex, honey. I’m sure you and Tennyson will get to what Bertha thinks you should try, eventually.”
“Okey dokey, Bertha.” Ronan bounced his eyebrows. “Are you gonna walk me down the aisle, Mom?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“Is she going to be here for the ceremony?”
“Ronan, we all know what her name is. You can say it, you know.”
“I don’t want to jinx it. Not until she’s real.” He shook his head, sending a fresh wave of tears down his cheeks. He and Tennyson had discussed what they’d name their daughter on their last night in Kansas. It had been surprisingly easy to decide. It still gave Ronan chills every time he said it in his head.
Erin nodded. “Your little miss will be here. She’s curious about Tennyson too.”
“Will he be able to see her?” Ronan wished he could have one more glance. The first one had been all too brief.
“I think we can arrange that.” Erin winked at someone Ronan couldn’t see.
“Oh, God, she’s a Grimm-O’Mara already!” Ronan laughed. “We’re gonna have our hands full.”
“You’ve got that right.” Erin beamed at her son. “Truman and the guys are going to be here any second now. I just want to tell you how proud I am of you. Not just of the detective, but of the man you’ve become. You impress me every single day, Ronan Michael O’Mara. A mother couldn’t be more proud of her son. I love you to Dublin and back.”
Ronan laughed. He’d nearly forgotten about their goodnight words. He’d make sure he’d say them to their little princess every single night before she fell asleep. “I love you too, Mom and you too, my little miss.”
Erin pressed a kiss to the side of Ronan’s head and vanished. A second later, he felt a feather light touch against his right cheek. A kiss for good luck from his daughter-to-be on his wedding day.
Tennyson
Tennyson Grimm was seeing spots in front of his eyes. It had been Ronan’s job to hire the wedding photographer and he hoped to God this guy wasn’t getting paid by the picture, otherwise this wedding would be the most expensive in history.
He was standing in front of the altar, with his back to the seated guests, checking for the hundredth time that everything was perfect for the ceremony that was scheduled to begin in ten minutes. Actually, that wasn’t the real truth. He knew Kaye wasn’t here and he didn’t want his eyes glued to the door watching for her to walk in like an orphaned puppy hoping to get adopted from the pound. Today was about his future, not about his past.
“We’re about to get started,” Carson said from behind him. “The justice of the peace is here.”
Ten turned to face his best friend and best man. “I’m so ready for this.”
“I know you are.” Carson took his arm and led Ten over to their side of the altar. He waved to Truman, Greeley, and Kevin who were standing on Ronan’s side.
All they were missing was the other groom. Ten had spoken to Erin earlier in the day and knew she’d be walking Ronan down the aisle. Unfortunately, only Cole, Carson, and himself would be able to see her. To everyone else, it would look like Ronan was walking down the aisle alone.
“Now you know that isn’t strictly true,” Cole said. “Today of all days, people with even a glimmer of psychic ability might be able to see Erin and Bertha.”
Ten laughed. He was about to ask if the Craig brothers thought it would be possible for Ronan to see Erin when the violinist started to play Ronan’s entrance music, a gorgeous Irish ballad. All of the guests stood up as the double doors swung open and the groom stepped forward.
Now Tennyson wished he could say it was the sight of Ronan on Erin’s arm that took his breath away, but it wasn’t. It was the strawberry-blonde girl standing to Ronan’s left with a hand on his arm. In a heartbeat, Tennyson knew who she was. Involuntarily, he took a step toward her, before Carson grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
“What are you doing?” Carson whispered.
“You don’t see…” Ten couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Of course I see your daughter standing with Ronan. Let her come to you.” Carson grinned.
“Oh, Jesus, Carson, she’s beautiful. I-”
Ten felt a rogue tear slip down his cheek. “I just wish Ronan could see her too.”
In that instant, Ronan turned to his left and smiled. It almost seemed to Tennyson that Ronan could see her. But that wasn’t possible, was it?
“Uh, Ten, I don’t mean to distract you, but we’re not the only ones who can see her.”
“What are you talking about?” Ten still couldn’t take his eyes off his future daughter.
“Greeley,” Carson whispered. “He can see her too. Either that or the boy’s eyeballs are really about to fall out of his head.”
Okay, that got Tennyson’s attention. He reluctantly pulled his eyes away from Ronan and his entourage of redheads and turned to Greeley. The boy indeed looked like he’d seen a ghost. He’d have to pull the boy aside later and ask him what he’d seen.
When Ten turned back to the aisle, Ronan was only a few steps away from him. The only problem was that Ronan wasn’t looking at him. He kept swiveling his head from the left to the right, as if he could see the women escorting him toward Ten. To everyone else he probably looked like some kind of loopy owl.
“Who gives this man to be married?” The justice of the peace asked. He’d been prepped ahead of time that there would be guests of the paranormal kind in attendance today. He was a JP in the Witch City, needless to say, that news hadn’t come as shock to him.
“We do!” Erin and the strawberry-blonde answered. They each held Ronan’s hand out to Tennyson.
Ten couldn’t help brushing his hand against his daughter’s. The girl smiled at him and whispered something in his ear before stepping back to stand with Erin.
“You can see her, right?” Ronan whispered to him. Tears glittered in his blue eyes.
Ten nodded. “You can too.” He couldn’t help but think this made up for the fact that his own mother couldn’t bother to make it out here for her own son’s wedding. This made up for it in spades.
