The Lullaby Sky

by Carolyn Brown

  “Now, that’s a charmer.” Cal chuckled. “But I have to agree with her. They are heavenly.”

  “Granny, promise me the pictures won’t take too long and make me miss the floats in the parade. They are my favorite part,” Sophie said.

  “I promise. Only about half an hour, tops,” Patsy answered. “So, Darcy, you are planning a Christmas wedding? What day should I book my flight?”

  “We are getting married on the twenty-third. That’s the Friday before Christmas, which is now less than a month away. I would be so happy if you could be there. Would you help Aunt Birdie and Miss Rosie cut and serve the wedding cake?”

  “I’d be honored,” Patsy told her. “How big is the cake?”

  “Huge,” Cal said. “It’ll be four feet from top to bottom. But it has to feed the whole town of Crossing and about half of Gainesville.”

  “And I’m quitting my job a week before the wedding. I’ll be working full-time for Cal as his financial adviser,” Darcy said.

  “And I understand he designed and made your dress?”

  Darcy beamed. “He did, and it fits beautifully, but he still can’t see me in it until the wedding. His assistants did all the fittings.”

  Cal kissed her on the neck. “You are knock-down gorgeous in jeans, sweetheart. I can’t even begin to imagine you in that beautiful creation I made just for you.”

  “Jealous?” Travis teased.

  “Hell, no,” Hannah murmured.

  Everyone had changed into their Sunday best promptly at nine forty-five. They filed into the living room, where the photographer was setting up a tripod with a camera on the top.

  “Y’all go on in and have a seat. I’ve got to run up and help with Sophie’s hair. It’s being a blister to get fixed this morning,” Hannah said.

  “I’ll go with her. We won’t be long,” Travis said.

  Patsy was busy combing Sophie’s hair and putting a wreath of white baby rosebuds on her head like a crown when they arrived in her bedroom. “Well, what do y’all think of this princess?”

  “I think she needs to put on the dress before she’s a real princess.” Travis grinned.

  Patsy unzipped a clothes bag and fluffed out a taffeta dress with beading at the top.

  “Oh. My. Goodness.” Sophie clamped her hands over her cheeks, mimicking Darcy to a tee.

  Hannah dropped down on her knees in front of Sophie. “And I have something I really need to ask you. I want you to be real honest with me and tell me the truth.”

  Sophie crossed her arms over her chest. “I did tell the truth. Laney was at our house and she wasn’t one of my friends that nobody can see but me. And so was them other folks.”

  “It’s not about that. It’s about Uncle Travis. I love him very much and I want to marry him today, but . . . ,” Hannah paused.

  “Oh. My. Sweet Jesus.” Sophie squealed as she dramatically slapped a hand on her forehead. “Then he will be my daddy, right? Do I get to change my name again?”

  “What do you really, down deep in your heart, think of that?” Patsy asked.

  “I think I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world and this is the bestest day of my whole life,” Sophie said. “Do I get to call him Daddy?”

  Travis ran his forefinger across his eye. “I would like that, but you don’t have to.”

  “Well, I want to. Do I get to be in the wedding like I get to be in Aunt Darcy’s?”

  Hannah slipped the dress down over Sophie’s head. “I thought you might like to wear this new dress and stand in the front of the living room with me and Travis when we get married. What do you think of that? It’s Thanksgiving, and I’m thankful for you and for Travis and my mama and all my friends. We thought we’d get married today right here at Lullaby Sky.”

  Sophie shucked out of her boots and skirt and tossed them in the corner. “I love this day, Mama. Now can I please have a baby sister?”

  “We’ll see about that later on down the road.” Hannah smiled and straightened up to give her mother a hug. “Mama, thank you so much for arranging this.”

  “I’m delighted to do it and that you are wearing my dress. It means so much to me.”

  A phone rang, and Travis automatically reached for his hip pocket then shook his head. “It’s not mine, and I need to go get dressed. See you in the living room in a few minutes.” He brushed a kiss across her lips.

  “And it’s not mine,” Patsy said.

  “It’s Mama’s phone,” Sophie said as she fished around in Hannah’s purse and handed it to her. “Answer it, Mama.”

  “Hello,” Hannah said cautiously, since the number came up as unknown.

  “This is Arabella. I have some news. Marty and his dad have been arrested for tax evasion. The government has finally got enough on them to bring down their whole banking system. Everything they own, including their bank accounts and all their credit cards, has been frozen. He’s looking at years in prison if he’s found guilty, and his parents will be right in the same boat with him.”

  “What does this mean for us?” Hannah asked.

  “It means that you were wise to get your child support in a lump sum, because if you hadn’t, there wouldn’t be anything at all. And it means that neither of us has to worry about this anymore. Mama Lita says he is going away for a very long time. He can’t even afford a lawyer. They’ve appointed one of those free lawyers for him.”

  Hannah fell back on the sofa. “Oh. My. Gosh.”

  “Do you think that once the trial is over I could bring my daughter to see you and Sophie?” Arabella asked.

  “I’d like that. I wish you were here today. I’m about to marry Travis,” Hannah said.

  “I wish I was there, too. I’m not one bit surprised that you are going to marry him. I could see the love in his eyes for you,” Arabella said.

  “And your daughter?”

  “She’s doing so well,” Arabella answered. “You go get married and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.”

  “Thank you, Arabella, for everything,” Hannah said.

  Closure had been hers for months now, and she wasn’t sure how she should feel about all the news, but she would not let it spoil the best day of her life.

  “I felt so guilty at first, because I was happy that he finally got what he deserved for the way he treated both of us,” Arabella said. “Now I just feel guilty that I don’t feel guilty. Does that make sense?”

  “Yes, it does.” Hannah said. “I felt the same way that day when I left the courthouse after the divorce. And I kind of have that same feeling today. There’s a sense of relief that I don’t ever have to worry about him kidnapping Sophie.”

  “Or Fiona.” Arabella sighed. “Abuela said that we should call her by her first name, and she does look like a Fiona with her red hair. I hope you don’t mind that I named her after you when it came time for her christening name.”

  “I’m honored, and I really would love to see you again.”

  “When you are ready to tell Sophie, let me know and we will arrange for you to come to Mexico. I never intend to set foot outside my country again. Good-bye, now, Hannah, and thank you one more time. Oh, and I’ll give you the number you can reach me at any time.”

  Sophie twirled out of Patsy’s reach. “Look, Mama. I’m a princess.”

  Later Hannah would get in touch with Arabella, but today, right now, she was about to get married, and that was enough for that day.

  “What was that all about?” Patsy asked.

  Hannah gave her mother a very short version while Patsy helped her into her wedding dress. “You were right. Now Arabella’s daughter and Sophie can get to know each other. But today is my wedding day, and I want to give Travis all my attention and not think about that.”

  “Smart girl. Miss Rosie is going to be so happy, because she is going to win the bet today.” Patsy grinned.

  “What bet?” Hannah asked. “I didn’t know anyone but me and Travis had one going about when Darcy and Cal would get married. And he wo
n that one.”

  “She and Aunt Birdie had a bet going about when you and Travis would get married. Miss Rosie is the closest.” Patsy turned Hannah around so she could see herself in the mirror.

  “That is so funny. There is never a dull moment around those two old gals.” Hannah’s breath caught in her chest when she saw her reflection. “I’m almost as pretty as you, Mama.”

  “You are much more beautiful than I ever was, because today you get to marry your soul mate.”

  Everyone looked up with questions on their faces when the preacher from the Crossing church appeared from the kitchen and took his place at the front of the living room. Travis had been waiting at the door, and now he crossed the room to join the preacher.

  “Hannah and I have decided to get married. We didn’t want anything big, but we did want all y’all to be here with us, so thank you all.” Travis grinned.

  “You ornery devil.” Aunt Birdie shook her finger at him.

  “I win. You owe me a hundred dollars.” Miss Rosie clapped her hands. “And I figured this had to do with more than pictures, so I brought a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle.” She pulled it from her oversize purse sitting on the floor beside her.

  “What?” Darcy asked.

  “We’ve had a bet for the past month. Birdie said Easter and I said Halloween. It’s closer to my date, so she owes me,” Rosie explained. “And she still has to pay up. And we’ve been saving this bottle for this occasion for years.”

  Slow piano music started playing, but it wasn’t the traditional wedding song. “A Fallen Star,” played in true Floyd Cramer style, filled the room as Hannah walked across the living room with one hand in her mother’s and the other in her daughter’s.

  “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to join this family together in holy wedlock.” The preacher’s big booming voice echoed off the walls. “Who gives this woman to this man?”

  “I do because he is going to be my daddy,” Sophie piped up before Patsy could say a word.

  “Enough said.” Patsy smiled and sat down beside Aunt Birdie.

  In less than fifteen minutes, the preacher told Travis he could kiss the bride. He bent her over backward in a true Hollywood kiss, and when they were both upright again, he picked Sophie up on one arm while the other was draped around Hannah’s shoulders.

  “From the courthouse to the Lullaby Sky,” she murmured. “I like this place much better.”

  “But we had to have the courthouse before we could get to this wonderful day. I will always cherish you and love Sophie, too.” He kissed her again.

  “Always and forever,” Hannah said.

  Sophie stretched out her arms to Hannah for a three-way hug. “This is the bestest day of my life.”

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Dear Readers,

  I finished writing The Lullaby Sky with misty eyes. It’s been said that family doesn’t have to have blood ties and sometimes a friend is closer than a brother, and these characters sure proved that to me.

  Sometimes life deals us a tough hand. Each of the five friends in this book had obstacles to overcome, maybe in love, maybe in trust, or maybe with abuse. But with the help of one another, they came through the course set before them and finished with victory.

  As with all my books, there are those who deserve recognition for helping take this from an idea to a finished product. My deepest appreciation to my publisher, Montlake, for continuing to believe in me; to my Montlake editor, Anh Schluep, and my developmental editor, Krista Stroever—you are amazing; to everyone on the team at Montlake who work so hard behind the curtains, and a special thanks to Jessica Poore for all that she does to make me smile.

  Special gratitude to my agent, Erin Niumata, and my agency, Folio Management, Inc. Hugs to all of you!

  I’d also like to thank Mr. B, my husband, who doesn’t complain when we order pizza or burgers two nights in a row so I can finish one more chapter. It takes a special person to live with an author, and he does a fine job. And once again, a big hearty thank-you to my fans, friends, and family, who buy and read my books.

  And a very special thanks to everyone who helps with shelters for abused women. You are appreciated beyond what words can say.

  Until next time,

  Carolyn Brown

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo © 2015 Charles Brown

  Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, historical, and western romance and a RITA Award finalist. The Lullaby Sky is her eightieth published novel. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma, where everyone knows everyone else, as well as what they’re doing and when—and they read the local newspaper on Wednesdays to see who got caught.

  Carolyn and her husband have three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. When she’s not writing, she likes to sit in her gorgeous backyard with her two tomcats, Chester Fat Boy and Boots Randolph Terminator Outlaw, and watch them protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, locusts, and spiders.