by Sharon Coady
Anne smiled and nodded her head. “I won’t,” she whispered back.
“Here you are, slip these on. Oh my, Kim. Look at her. Kyle is going to be speechless.”
Kim and Anne giggled.
“What? He will and you know it,” Nancy declared, placing her hands on her hips.
“He will, Nancy. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. We’re laughing because I just said that exact same thing to Anne.”
“Oh, I didn’t hear you. Now, move so she can see herself.” Nancy waved her arms for Aunt Kim to move
Aunt Kim stepped to the side, and Anne’s breath caught. There, in front of her, stood a stunning, gorgeous woman. The dress complimented her pale skin as her hair pooled around her shoulders, framing her face. Her green eyes sparkled and the makeup was just smoky enough to make her appear elegant. Anne turned her face a little. “What did you do to my lashes?” She was amazed because she had little baby lashes. Now they were voluptuous and full.
“Trade secret, dear. Do you like it?”
“Yes. You’ve both made me look like a fairytale princess. How can I ever thank you?”
“Just make my son the happiest man alive and my granddaughter the happiest little girl alive. That’s all. Oh wait, there is one more thing, maybe another grandchild.”
She hugged both of them, feeling a blush spread over her face. She glanced at the time. “We better get going. I don’t think it would do for the bride to be late to the wedding.”
Chapter Two
Anne’s stomach felt as if someone had released a dozen butterflies as she stood next to Pop, waiting for the music to change to the wedding march.
Pop patted her hand. “It’s fine girl, you’ve waited a long time for this. I’m so happy for you three. Gram would be crying right now because of her joy for you. Did I tell you she would always tell Kyle that she knew in her heart you would one day be a family?”
“Did she know about Melanie?”
“No, he didn’t tell her. I guess he was worried she would tell you. I don’t know what that boy was thinking, hiding her like that. Gram would have loved her just as much as we do.”
“I don’t know either, but it’s over with now. We can’t fault him for doing what he thought best. We’re starting a new chapter, all of us.” She turned to glance at him. “Pop?”
“Yes?”
She leaned closer so she could whisper in his ear, “We’re going to start trying right away for another great-grandchild for you.”
His eyes grew wide as his goofy grin appeared. “You are? Well, well, well. Now, that makes me very happy.”
The music faded, giving them their cue that it was almost time to walk through the church doors. Anne smiled as she saw her little Melanie standing in front, beaming at her. Her little feet danced all over the place as Kyle attempted to keep her from spinning in circles.
“She can’t hold still,” she whispered to Pop.
“Nope, just like you when you were little. Full of excitement and wonder, you wouldn’t sit still for anything or anyone.”
The wedding march began to play and before she realized it, they were standing in front of the altar, with Melanie beaming and Kyle taking her in as his entire face lit up. As the minister began, Anne was thankful for Pop standing beside her, her rock as he had been for years. Suddenly, she heard him say, “I do,” and realized he was moving her hand into Kyle’s. He stepped back, shuffled to sit down on her side the church, winked, and motioned for the minister to proceed. Anne heard giggles from the other side of the church and saw Kyle glance toward his mom and Aunt Kim. His face turned the cutest shade of red as he blushed at the interruption.
The moments flew by and suddenly they were saying, “I do.” Kyle leaned down and kissed her softly as Melanie squealed and skipped to Pop. Everything else was a bit of a blur as they made their way down the aisle to the back of the church. People filed by, shaking Kyle’s hand and hugging Anne in congratulations. Before she knew it, they were getting into the car with Melanie and Pop to head to the reception.
“You look gorgeous. You took my breath away when you walked into the church. My knees even got weak,” Kyle whispered in Anne’s ear as he pulled her closer. “You’ve made me the happiest man on earth.”
Anne felt the heat of the blush spread over her face as she softly kissed him. “I love you so much, and you’ve made me the happiest woman on earth.”
“Anne, Melanie just asked me if she is allowed to call you Mommy for real now.” Pop grinned.
“I would love for you to call me Mommy.” She took the little girl’s hand, giving it a little squeeze.
“I want you to be my real mommy now.” Her small hands were holding onto Pop’s so tightly, Anne could see her tiny, white knuckles.
“I am your mommy for real now. I love you.”
“Poppy, she loves me and she is my mommy for real now.” She clapped her hands and started laughing.
“Told you so. Now, settle down little one. We’ll be at the reception soon, and I don’t want you to fall down when you get out of the car because you are overly excited.” Pop winked at Anne and Kyle as he put his arm around Melanie and pulled her close to his side. “Yep, this is a good day. One of the best since she left us, Anne.”
Anne dabbed the corner of her eyes with her hankie, praying she didn’t ruin her makeup before the reception was over. Kyle still considered it a small affair, but the thirty people made up of his family and friends overwhelmed her. After all, Pop and she were the only ones from her side. She had no idea where her mother was at this point, and her brother had not been able to come since he was overseas. Nevertheless, all she needed was Pop. Well, Kyle and Melanie now.
She said a little prayer again that God would give them a child soon, so Pop would get the chance to have another great grandchild. It meant so much to him, and Anne didn’t want to let him down. Just watching the joy in his eyes with Melanie, she knew it was the right decision.
Their car pulled to the front of the restaurant where she and Kyle had gone for their first date. When the door opened, Kyle helped her out before helping Melanie and Pop. They climbed the wide steps to the front door, one of them on each side of Pop to keep him steady.
“Sure is a fancy place. Why here?” Pop asked gruffly.
“It’s where Kyle and I had our first date, so he wanted to have our reception here. It is a bit fancy, but you’ll love the food. Can you please help us with Melanie?” Anne whispered. She knew giving him a job would help take his mind off feeling overwhelmed. He never was one to frequent restaurants, and she doubted that he had ever been to something as upscale as this one.
When they got inside, they were ushered into a lovely, large room. Anne’s breath caught when she saw the far wall, entirely covered with windows that looked out over the mountains. Lights twinkled in the distance from the ski resort. To her, it looked magical, which was perfect since she felt like a princess today.
The tables were covered in pristine, white linen and each held an impressive floral centerpiece consisting of white and pink roses, baby’s breath, and just a touch of greenery. Glancing at the stone fireplace on the opposite wall, she saw the table that held their tiered wedding cake. That looks a lot bigger than when we ordered it. Glancing sideways at Kyle, she saw him shaking his head at his mom, who was shrugging her shoulders and smiling.
Squeezing his hand, she whispered, “She added to it, didn’t she?”
He sighed and tucked her closer to his side. “Yes, she did. Mother always likes everything to be grand. I should have checked. I’m sorry. She can be a bit overwhelming at times.”
“It’s okay. The cake is beautiful. My goodness, you overlook Pop’s, uh, quirks.”
“Oh, the fun we’ll have with those two.” He shook his head as they made their way to the bride and groom’s table, set off just to the left of the same large stone fireplace.
The center of the room had been left empty so guests could dance to the band Kyle had hired fo
r the reception. The wood floors gleamed as the twinkling lights, hanging from the ceiling, reflected and bounced off the surface. Each table had been placed so they formed a half moon around the dance floor. As soon as they sat down, soft country music started playing in the background. Anne couldn’t help but smile. She loved how he’d not only helped her plan the wedding, but had added his own secret touches to make it even more special.
“Did you order the centerpieces?” she whispered, leaning closer to him. “They’re so lovely.”
“Yep. Mother told you she wanted to order them so that I could. I wanted something elegant and perfect, just like you.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Thank heaven she didn’t change the meals we picked out,” he whispered as their plates were set on the table in front of them. He glanced over at Pop and Melanie, who were already busy talking and eating. “Looks like everything’s going well over there.” He nodded.
“Relax, honey. Everything will be fine. This is the happiest day of our lives, so let’s just take a breath and remember that.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Look how happy they are.”
Pop’s twinkling eyes crinkled at the corners, as he laughed at something Melanie had said to him.
After they finished eating and the waiters cleared the plates away, the lead singer announced it was time for the bride and groom’s dance. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Shafer.”
Kyle led her out onto the dance floor as the band started playing, “Look at Us.” He took her into his arms and slowly spun her around. “I love you, Mrs. Shafer.”
“I love you, too, Mr. Shafer.” As she looked into his eyes, she saw a range of emotions there and knew without a doubt that he was seeing the same in hers. She had never felt as complete as she did right now, right here in his arms. He pulled her closer and she felt the beat of his heart against her cheek. Everything and everyone faded away until it was just the two of them in that moment.
The dance floor filled with people as their song ended, and the band started something more upbeat. Kyle and Anne made their way to Pop and Melanie. “Are you two staying out of trouble?” she asked, leaning over to kiss Pop’s cheek and give Melanie a hug. “Are you doing all right, Pop or are you getting tired?” She studied his face, looking for signs he was getting over tired.
“I’m fine. We’re just sitting here waiting for our cake.” Melanie clapped her hands as Pop snickered. “I told her we had to wait for a bit. But we sure would like to taste it.”
Anne laughed. “We’ll cut the cake after the next song. I’ll have Kyle let the band know. Would that be soon enough for you two?”
Pop frowned and glanced down at Melanie. “Think we can wait for another song?”
“Sure, Poppy. Daddy always says be patient. Right, Daddy?” She smiled up at him.
“That’s right. So teach Poppy how to do that for me, would you?”
“Sure.” She leaned up, put her little hand around Pop’s ear, and started talking. Anne giggled as she watched Pop nod his head and put his hand around her ear when he asked her a question.
“Those two are so adorable together. She’s good for him.” Anne leaned back against him. “I’m so happy.”
He kissed her neck, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. “I’m happy too, and I can’t wait to expand this little family.”
She turned and put her head against his chest as he pulled her tightly against him. “I can’t wait either.”
He moved her so he could look into her eyes. “Having a child with you is something I have dreamed of for years. Giving your grandfather another person to love is a bonus. He honestly is very kind and loving underneath that grumpy exterior he presents to the world. Your gram knew that.” He laughed and his eyes sparkled.
Anne giggled. “I know. We would be talking on the phone, and she would say ‘Hold on, my PITA calls.’” Her eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “I’m not going to cry today.”
“Her PITA? What in the world does that mean?”
Anne smiled and whispered in his ear, “Her pain in the a.” She giggled. “Can you imagine Gram saying that?” She felt a tear fall down her cheek.
“Yeah, I actually can.” He smiled. “Hey, I miss her too. If you shed a tear or two, it’s absolutely fine. She was a very special woman.” He kissed her gently on the lips, wiping the lone tear away with his thumb before grinning at her again. “The song just ended so we better go cut the cake before we have Melanie and Pop on the war path.” He took her hand and led her to the table. The lead singer announced a pause in the music so the couple could cut the cake.
Anne noticed the expression change on Kyle’s face as his eyes went to a beautiful blue flowered porcelain knife sitting next to the cake. She saw him glance up and meet his mom’s eyes as he lifted the knife; he glanced at his mother’s face again.
She smiled, winked at him, and gave a tiny nod.
He cleared his throat and put his arm around Anne. “Ready?”
“Yes. Are you all right?” She felt his hand tremble slightly as she placed hers over it.
“This was my grandmother’s knife from her wedding. I didn’t know she was going to let us use it. It’s very special to her.”
“It’s beautiful. What a lovely gesture.” Anne turned her head and smiled at Nancy, giving her a slight nod to let her know she appreciated this honor.
They cut the cake together and fed each other the first small pieces. Aunt Kim stepped up to finish cutting the cake so the couple could take Pop and Melanie both a piece.
Melanie grinned. “Poppy, look how big my piece is!”
“Wow, you better be careful eating that, you might just bust your zipper.” He chuckled.
“No I won’t.” She turned to her daddy, eyes wide. “Will I, Daddy?”
“Only if you keep eating a lot of it.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
“Well, I don’t think I’ll have to worry about any popped buttons, judging by the piece I got,” Pop grumbled.
Melanie leaned over and looked up at Pop, her brow furrowed. “Your piece is bigger than mine, you might make a button fly off if your tummy gets any bigger.” She patted his tummy as Pop snickered.
Anne and Kyle roared with laughter.
More music and laughter followed. Glancing over at Pop and Melanie, she noticed Pop was looking a little worse for wear as a huge yawn spread on his face. She tugged on Kyle’s arm and whispered into his ear, “I hate to do this, but I think we need to get Pop and Melanie home now.” She nodded toward them.
“He does look beat. Let me tell Mom and Aunt Kim. The room is rented for another hour and she can make our excuses for us. Don’t you dare tell him we want to leave because we think he’s tired.” He grinned.
“Oh goodness no, we’d never get him out of here!”
Chapter Three
“It was nice of your mother to stay with Pop and Melanie tonight. Pop didn’t seem to mind too much, which actually surprised me. I hope he doesn’t talk her ears off.” She giggled, suddenly feeling shy as they stood in their room. “You know how he gets.”
“I’m worried it will be the other way around. She can talk nonstop.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hopefully, she won’t let Melanie stay up too late tonight.”
“If you want to call her, you can. That way we can make sure everyone is okay.” She glanced around the bridal suite again. “Who would have ever guessed the inside of a log cabin hotel could be this amazing? It’s so beautiful, I feel like I’m in a palace.”
“I wanted tonight to be just for us, something special for you before we hit the ground running with Pop and Melanie.” He shrugged his shoulders and gave that smile she adored with both dimples showing.
“It is special,” she said as she slipped out of his arms and walked over to the windows, taking in the sight of the lights twinkling on the mountains. She felt the heat spread over her just thinking about the rest of the night with him.
“You almost knocked me off my feet when you walked into the church today. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, but good Lord, in that dress and those heels? I wanted to pick you up and carry you out of there.”
“Stop, you’re making me blush again. Your mother and your aunt certainly worked wonders. I almost didn’t recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. They are miracle workers.”
He moved across the floor and took her in his arms. “Miracle workers? Nope. All they did was take what was perfect and make it spectacular. Don’t ever sell yourself short.” He kissed her softly. “I can’t wait to see our son or daughter. If they look anything like you, we’ll have the most beautiful child in the world.”
“You aren’t so bad looking yourself. We’ll make a beautiful child no matter who he or she looks like. Look at your little girl! Speaking of, have you talked to Melanie about it yet?”
“No, I thought that was something we could discuss with her later when the time comes. I think she’ll be very excited about it.”
“I hope so.” She stood on her toes, put her arms around his neck, and pulled him to her so she could kiss him softly. “I love you. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of saying that to you.”
“I’ll never tire of hearing it, and I promise to tell you every day. One thing Melanie has taught me is you can never say I love you too much.”
“What a smart little girl.”
“She sure is.”
***
Anne woke to Kyle’s arms around her; she scooted a bit closer and sighed as his embrace tightened. He kissed the back of her neck and murmured, “Good morning, beautiful. How did you sleep?”
“I slept better than I have in a very long time. How about you?”
“I slept peacefully with you in my arms. Add the fact that I didn’t have a five-year-old pouncing on me this morning, I would say it was pretty darn near perfect.”
“She comes in and pounces on you?” Anne giggled, picturing Melanie bouncing and startling him awake. “Does she do that every morning?”
