“That’s no way to refer to your father,” Melanie chided him playfully. “You haven’t been calling me by my first name, so you’ll have to learn to do the same for him. He won’t tell you, but it’s been bothering him that you haven’t been calling him Dad.”
“I guess it is still kind of weird to think about,” Darwin admitted, scratching the back of his head gently. “I mean, I already had parents, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did, and they will always be your first parents. However, with them having passed on, now we can step in to take their place. Do you think they would object to us making sure you can be loved and taken care of in their absence?” Melanie inquired, her hand petting the top of his head absently.
“No. I think they would be happy,” Darwin said kindly. “You are going to want to get out there pretty quickly. Dad looks like he is about to come back here to get you himself if you keep him waiting any longer.”
His face told her it was strange for him to use the word, but it was a good first step. She stepped away from the mirror and strode across the room. She gave Iris a long, lingering hug. “Thanks for not sobbing uncontrollably at my wedding. If I see you cry, it isn’t going to be long until I join you.”
“There is still plenty of wedding left,” Iris said breathlessly, tears glimmering in her eyes. “Thank me for not crying when it is over.”
Melanie giggled good-naturedly at that, stepping through the doorway as she heard the sound of the pipe organ begin to play. She gave Peter an apologetic smile where he stood at the end of the aisle with the preacher. He was dressed in a stylish black suit with an interior trim that was almost the same shade of green that she wore. Darwin walked down the aisle with her, stepping aside once she reached the stage.
“Are you feeling any last-minute regrets?” Peter asked, lifting her veil gently so that he could have an unobscured view of her face. “I will understand if you do.”
“You aren’t getting out of this that easily,” Melanie teased, wrapping her arm through his gently. They turned toward the pastor as he began his sermon, Melanie’s entire body trembling with excitement. She had never had so much trouble staying still before. How could she be calm when she finally got to experience so much happiness?
She stood with Peter on the front porch of her house the night he had proposed, gazing into one another’s eyes. “I promise you, Melanie. I will protect you for the rest of our lives. I might have dropped the ball with Johnny and Edward, but I refuse to be fooled a third time.”
“I hope not,” Melanie replied. “I don’t think I’ll survive a third incident.”
When they finally got to the good part, Melanie didn’t even hesitate. She and Peter held one another’s hands and looked right into each other’s eyes as they replied to the preacher’s final question in unison with an, “I do.”
Then she felt his hands cradling the back of her head. He was mindful to step carefully around her bad leg, his chest pressing up against hers even as his lips pressed against hers. Melanie wrapped her arms around his waist as best she could, her head tilting upward as she pressed back into his kiss eagerly. There were no hesitations this time, no fears of someone coming along and ruining what they had. It had been an interesting five months since she had moved to New Mexico, but she didn’t regret a single moment of it. Just like her father had promised her a long time ago, she had found the man who made her feel like a queen.
“I know that there is a reception planned, but I was sort of hoping that you and I could sneak away by ourselves. I have a secret spot I like to go to that I want to share with you,” he muttered softly, giving her a gentle squeeze after his arm wrapped around her waist.
“I’ll happily go anywhere as long as it is with you, my love.” Melanie turned with Peter to face the rest of the congregation, the applause that rang throughout the chapel making her blush. Iris and John whistled from where they stood, their children dressed in matching suits and dresses that Iris had made with her spinster club. “Any place will be paradise if you are there with me.”
“What did you say about not getting completely domesticated?” Peter teased, earning himself a slap to the chest by Melanie.
“I am not domesticated. I just don’t see why we need to fight at every occasion,” she countered, sticking her tongue out at him.
“I like seeing how fiery you can get.” Peter shrugged. “What can I say? I like to see you angry. You are cute when you are angry.”
“I’m not sure how I should take that. I think that my husband might be just a wee bit strange.” Melanie chortled, giving him a gentle shove. “Not that I mind your strangeness. It will at least keep things interesting for me.”
“If you think it is interesting now, wait until I make you have a child of our own.” He grinned, returning her playful shove and tapping her on the end of her nose. “You didn’t think I was going to be satisfied without you giving me at least one heir, did you?”
Melanie sighed dreamily. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The Extended Epilogue
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A Thank You Note to Starfall Publications
Dearest Reader,
Writing a book is harder than I thought and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the valuable help of Starfall Publications.
I am eternally grateful to this Publishing House for believing in my ability of creating beautiful stories for you.
Therefore, with the most sincere sentiments, a special Thank you to Starfall Publications.
With Love & Respect,
Melynda Carlyle.
About Melynda Carlyle
Melynda Carlyle grew up in Billings and studied Sociology at Montana University.
Her studies and love of communicating with people led her straight into writing! She delights in creating heroines who found love through hardships in the Wild West.
A mother of three, Melynda spends her days managing her loving little monsters and her nights writing. Thankfully, her cowboy husband is a great support.
If she can spare a second after spending time with her family and writing, you can usually find her stitching clothing material with other women in the community center, or swimming at her favorite lake even when the weather is cold!
Melynda is a peoples person and loves to connect with her readers!
So, join her on her journey, and share her immense love for creating exciting and heart wrenching stories where Love is always the winner.
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