Forever Awakenings (Awakenings #3)

by Lisa Bilbrey

  “It’s different now. You’re different.”

  “Most of the time,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers. “I couldn’t have done this without you, Elle.”

  “Neither could I,” she whispered, bringing her hand up to his face. “You’re still my hero, Samuel. Always will be.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Elle kissed his cheek. “Now, we’d better get back before they think we’ve run off together.”

  Samuel laughed as he took hold of her hand, waiting until she had a good drip on her cane before leading her through the sand to the large tent that had been set up on the small island off in Fiji.

  Turtle Island had been on Samuel and Lydia’s bucket list for years. It only seemed natural that they’d pick this small piece of paradise to renew their wedding vowels.

  Samuel held back the flap and allowed her to step inside first, her eyes automatically drifting to the right side of the tent.

  “I’ll be right there,” Elle murmured before slipping away from Samuel and hurrying down the aisle.

  “Hey,” Derek said, standing as Elle approached him. His arm slipped around her as he pressed his lips against hers. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” Elle whispered, feeling her skin warm. “Sadie with the girls?”

  Derek nodded. “Trying to keep Willow away from the punch so she doesn’t spill it down her dress.”

  Elle laughed. “She would, too.”

  Samuel walked up to Elle, his hand resting on the small of her back. “It’s time.”

  She smiled as she turned back to Derek. “Guess that’s our cue.”

  He laughed before moving so that he was standing beneath the floral arch. Elle followed Samuel and stood just to his left as they turned to face the family who had gathered together to celebrate Samuel and Lydia. Elle tightened her grip on her cane, still not enjoying being the main attraction.

  Scattered on either side of the aisle were Helina, James, Claudia, Bruce, Carlos, and Felicia. Behind them were Ivy, Nick, Lucia, Aaron, Jonas, and Abe.

  Also present were Gabriel Alvarez and Regina Fisher, Shyla and her boyfriend Trever, Nate and Zeke, who was holding the three-month old baby girl they had just adopted.

  Their decision to adopt had been sudden when Nate’s niece found herself expecting a baby at only fourteen. Not many people knew the details of her sudden pregnancy, but Nate had confided in Elle that she had been drugged and raped at a party, finding out two months later that she was expecting. She wasn’t ready to be a mother, so Nate and Zeke offered to adopt Annabelle, letting Erica be a part of the baby’s life when she was ready to be. Elle had much respect for that girl.

  Behind them were Leigh, Thomas, and Tyson, who had arrived that morning from Georgia. It hadn’t been easy, but the three had a stronger relationship now than before Thomas’s abduction and torture. And, to be honest, her friendship with them had strengthen, as well.

  Elle and Thomas talked on the phone at least twice a week, and were known to spend hours emailing or texting throughout the day. He could have blamed her for the trauma he endured, but he didn’t. Not anymore, at least.

  The music started, and Elle exhaled a sharp breath as her eyes flittered past the audience. The flap to the tent was pulled aside and Elliot, who had just turned eight the week before, stumbled inside. His face was bright red, and he had his lip sucked in between his teeth, his eyes trained onto the ground, and a pillow with two gold bands tied to it in his hands. He hurried down the aisle, stopping when he got next to Elle. She reached over and placed her hand on his back, drawing his attention to her. She winked, causing him to smile and relax just a bit.

  Sadie slipped inside, creeping along the back and side as she made her way to the front of the tent and took the seat Derek had just given up. She looked at Elle and mouthed, “Sorry” before crossing her legs at the knee, causing her skirt to lift.

  Elle bit back a moan and turned her attention to the entrance as Andrew entered with Flora and Willow on either side. Their hands were wrapped around each of his forearms. Unlike Elliot, Flora and Willow were all smiles, their energy radiating off them.

  They each held a banquet of lilies, both wearing matching cream colored dresses that had blush rose sashes around their waists. They had grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years, both physically and academically. They were smart, beautiful, but most important to Elle, they were kind.

  Flora and Willow waved at Elle as they turned to stand on the opposite side of the aisle and Andrew sat in a seat on the front row. Elle’s eyes found his and she smiled. Not only had Andrew’s friendship with Flora and Willow survived the last three years, he had become a member of their family.

  Elle had invited him to a cookout at their house to celebrate the end of school, the end of feeling sorry for themselves, just to celebrate being alive. Andrew had been wary, but Flora and Willow begged him, and he never said no to them. Their family, however, embraced the man who had nearly given his life to keep those girls safe. From that day on, Andrew Flynn was her brother, her friend. It only seemed fitting that he should walk the girls down the aisle.

  “Oh, my God,” Samuel murmured and Elle followed his gaze to the back of the tent where Callum and Lydia had just entered. “She’s exquisite.”

  “She is,” Elle agreed.

  Wearing an emperor waist, white dress, with capped, lacy sleeves, and a jewel encrusted lining under her breasts, Lydia was gorgeous. Her blond hair had been twisted into an elegant French twist, but it was the smile that made the difference. The road hadn’t been easy for the two of them, especially over the last few years and more than once, Elle wondered if they would make it, but they loved each other with passion and need, and that alone would see them through anything.

  Her arm was wrapped around Callum’s, who looked just as happy as his mother. Like Samuel, he was wearing a pair of khaki pants and a white button up. His eyes roamed around the tent before finding Elle’s, his lips curving upward.

  “It was worth it, wasn’t it?” Samuel asked, watching as his son lead his wife down the aisle. “Letting go of all the pain and anger, just letting it go.”

  “It was,” Elle whimpered.

  Samuel shifted his eyes to her and reached for her hand, which she gave. “Thank you, Elle, for not letting me go, for not giving up on me. I love you.”

  Elle squeezed his hand. “I love you, too.”

  Their family stood and turned toward the aisle as Callum escorted his mother to the front. Samuel reached for her, but Callum released her and embraced him.

  “Love you, old man,” Elle heard him say.

  “Love you, too, son. You’ve made me proud to be your father.”

  They parted, and Elle tried to whip the tears away discretely, but when Callum leaned over and kissed her cheek before settling into the seat next to Sadie, she knew she failed.

  She worried that Callum would begrudge her for standing up as Samuel’s ‘best man,’ but as he always seemed to, he surprised her. He, Derek, and Sadie had learned to accept that there would always be a part of Elle that needed Samuel. They’d gone through hell together and survived.

  “I’m so nervous,” Lydia laughed as she shifted so that she stood on the other side of Samuel.

  He reached out and took hold of her hands, bringing them to his lips. “Me, too.”

  Derek cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “When Samuel and Lydia asked me to serve as their officiant, I was stunned. I knew they thought of me as family, as a son even, but to ask me to be the man to bind their lives together once more was an enormous honor that I really hope I don’t fuck up.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Sorry,” he chuckled. “Guess I shouldn’t have said that. Let’s get started, shall we?”

  “Yes, please,” Lydia snickered.

  Derek smiled. “We’re gathered here today to celebrate the reuniting of Samuel and Lydia. For more than half a century,
they’ve proven that love never dies, even if it’s tested in unimaginable ways.”

  Derek’s eyes shifted to Elle for just a second before turning his attention back Samuel and Lydia. Elle knew that was his subtle way of reminding her that no matter what they dealt with, they were stronger together than apart. Time after time, he, Callum, and Sadie had proven their love was bigger than anyone’s hate.

  “Samuel and Lydia have written their own vowels. Thankfully, because I couldn’t remember them.”

  Everyone laughed again before Derek gestured to Samuel.

  “It doesn’t feel like fifty-three years has passed since the first time I saw you. To me, you’re still the beautiful, nineteen-year-old sitting in the library with her nose stuck in a book,” Samuel said with a chuckle.

  “I was studying!” Lydia insisted, looking over her shoulder at Flora, Willow, and Elliot. “Because grades matter. Don’t forget that.”

  “We won’t, Nana,” Willow giggled.

  “Momma tells that us all the time,” Flora added with a roll of her eyes.

  “Yeah, me too,” Elliot grumbled, and Elle bit her lip to keep from laughing.

  Lydia snickered before turning back to Samuel. “I knew you were watching me.”

  “You did?” he asked, his eyes widening as did his smile.

  She nodded. “How could I not? You were the most handsome boy I had ever seen, and you were looking at me.”

  “Because you’re beautiful.” Samuel released her hands, cupping her face instead. “I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you. Needed you. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs. More than once I was sure that I’d lost you forever. I let my pride and fear get in the way of how much I needed you. Today, as I stand here in front of you, I’m thankful that you refused to let me go. I love you, Lydia, and I always will.”

  “I love you, too,” she sputtered through her tears. “You’ve always been the love of my life, Samuel. You gave me a son, who in return gave us the most unusual, but amazing family.”

  Once more, everyone laughed. Their unique relationship had brought a lot of people together, Elle admitted. Not in the same way that Elle, Callum, Derek, and Sadie were together, of course. Well, except for Leigh, Thomas, and Tyson. But by letting Callum and Derek love them, Sadie and Elle were able to finally be honest with their parents about who they were, about how they loved each other. The road hadn’t been easy, but love rarely was.

  “Thank you,” Lydia continued, “for loving me and always loving me.”

  Samuel took hold of her hands once more as they turned and faced Derek, who asked, “Do you, Samuel, promise to always love, honor, and respect Lydia? Through the good times and bad, sickness and health, no matter who or what tries to come between you?”

  “I do,” he said, quietly.

  Derek turned his attention to Lydia. “Do you, Lydia, promise to always love, honor, and respect Samuel? Through the good times and bad, sickness and health, no matter who or what tries to come between you?”

  “With everything I have,” she whispered.

  “Can we have the rings?” Derek asked, turning to Elliot. “Please, of course.”

  Elliot turned bright red as he took the few steps so that he was between Samuel and Lydia, who quickly untied the other’s rings from the pillow.

  “These rings symbolize the love and commitment that you vowed for the last fifty-three years. By placing them on each other’s fingers, you’re promising to continue that vow.”

  Samuel slid the diamond anniversary ring along Lydia’s left ring finger until it rested against the engagement and wedding rings she’d worn for the last fifty years. He brought her hand up to his mouth, placing a soft kiss on top.

  Lydia followed by sliding the platinum gold ring onto his finger. She brought her hand up to his face, wiping away the tears that fell freely.

  “It’s with great honor that I now pronounce you revowed,” Derek announced. “You may kiss your wife, but no tongue. Cal’s eyes can’t take it.”

  Everyone, but Callum, laughed as Samuel crushed his lips against Lydia’s. Once they parted, they wrapped their arms around each other and damn near ran down the aisle. Elliot, Flora, and Willow followed.

  “Beautiful,” Derek said, offering her his arm. She grinned as she accepted and wrapped her fingers around his biceps before following the others down the aisle.

  As the people inside the tent began to emerge, Elle felt overwhelmed and slowly slipped away. She once again found herself standing on the beach with the tide caressing her feet.

  “Figured you’d be down here,” Sadie giggled as she wrapped her arms around her from behind. “This reminds me of our first night in San Francisco. Do you remember?”

  Elle nodded, her arms covering Sadie’s. “We spent all night searching for the beach. When we finally found it, it was too cold to go in, so we sat in the sand and kissed. It was the first time we didn’t have to worry about who was watching, or getting caught.”

  “That’s right.” Sadie kissed the side of her neck. “Just like the night we went to Club Venom.”

  Elle moaned.

  “You changed our lives that night, Elle,” Sadie whispered, shifting so that she was facing her. “You said yes, you took a chance, and look what’s happened? We have amazing husbands and two beautiful little girls.”

  “How’d we ever get so lucky?” Elle whimpered, leaning her forehead against Sadie’s.

  “Pretty sure we’re the lucky ones,” Callum said as he and Derek wrapped their arms around them. “I mean, we get to love you.”

  “And watch you eat pussy,” Derek added.

  Elle and Sadie laughed.

  “I swear all you think about is sex,” Elle snickered. “Personally, I like watching you suck cock.”

  “Hmm, and I like sucking it. Win-win,” he quipped. “But, you know, if it hadn’t been for you and Sadie, for the way you loved each other so freely, I don’t think Callum and I would have admitted our feelings to each other.”

  “Me, either,” Callum said, quietly. “I was scared to let myself love him.”

  “But you’re not anymore,” Sadie murmured.

  “No, we’re not.” Callum leaned over and kissed Derek. “We’d better get back before Flora and Willow come looking for us.”

  Elle nodded and allowed her lovers to lead her away from the beach. One night had been all it took to awaken feelings locked away. A chance on a forbidden relationship, forgotten fears had led to a life together forever.

  Her works Include:

  Life’s Unexpected Gifts

  A Season of Change

  The Apartment

  Broken Hearts & Dusty Dreams

  The Journey Collection:

  The Journey Home

  The Journey of Champions

  The Journey to Forever

  The Journey to a New Life

  Angel’s Heart Series:

  Angel’s Heart: The Keeper

  Angel’s Heart: The True Enemy

  Awakenings Series:

  Forbidden Awakenings

  Forgotten Awakenings

  Zoe Mack Novels:

  The Deck of Cards Killer

  Coming Soon: The Clover Girl Murders