"Do you believe in guardian angels?" I asked, kissing him again.
Epilogue
"One bathing suit, one white dress, and a few undergarments. That's what I've packed for my wedding getaway," I said, watching as Jared effortlessly clicked closed the buckle of my seat belt.
"That's all you need, Sweetheart," he smiled, checking the buckle one last time.
The stewardess went through her routine, and then the pilot came over the speaker, informing us of our place in line for takeoff and the current weather in Nicaragua.
"Should be a pleasant flight, Mr. and the soon-to-be Mrs. Ryel," the pilot said.
Jared's grin stretched the width of his face. "I might have paid him extra to say that."
"I figured as much," I teased. I looked out the window to the dreary Providence weather. In just a few hours, I would be lying on my favorite Caribbean beach with my husband. It didn't seem real.
The chartered jet taxied out to the runway, and within moments gained momentum, shuttering until the wheels left the ground. The lights of Providence became smaller, until they were just a cluster, separated from other cities by the dark countryside.
I relaxed against Jared, my eyes heavy.
Jared kissed my hair. "Do you think you'll have good dreams?"
"Yes," I said without pause. "Maybe I'll dream about our baby. Maybe I'll see what she'll look like."
"She?"
"Yes, it's a girl," I assured him.
"And what if it's a boy?" Jared asked, playfully nudging me.
"It's not. It's a girl."
"Blonde, of course," Jared said.
"With blue-grey eyes," I sighed.
"No. She'll have your eyes," Jared insisted.
Before long, I dozed off, sleeping deeper than I had in months. I didn't dream of our baby, or of Jack or Gabe, or anything at all. I closed my eyes and was lost in a peaceful darkness until Jared kissed me awake when we were about to land.
The pilot made his announcements on the intercom, and Jared checked my seat belt one last time.
"It's fastened," I said, smiling.
"I just want to make sure...." he said, laughing once to himself.
We landed without event, and once we set foot on the pavement, I grinned. "It hasn't changed a bit, except for the number of people waiting on us this time."
"We only have two suitcases, and no tech cargo. It's been an easier trip for me this go-round."
"I'd say so," I laughed.
Jared carried our suitcases to an old, rusted pick up truck, after a short drive, our island chauffeur slowed to a stop beside the pier. As we boarded the small boat Jared had secured for us, it occurred to me how unlikely it would have been for anyone else to have made arrangements at such late notice, and so early in the morning. Jared, however, had enough connections to do whatever he set his mind to.
"It's awfully dark to be wandering around in the ocean, isn't it?" I said, unsure as the boat captain steered in the general direction of the island. The boat was quickly swallowed by the night, and the cool air off the water won over the thin fabric of my jacket.
"Cold?" Jared said, wrapping his arms around me.
"Not now," I smiled.
"He's made this trip enough times, I'm sure he could do it blind-folded."
"When it's this dark, he pretty much is," I said, a bit anxious.
A half-hour later, the boat docked at the small pier of Little Corn, and I sighed with relief. The waves had just begun to rock the boat a little more than I was comfortable with, and lightening had begun to spark across the horizon.
We met another small truck with our luggage, and a small, sleepy man by the name of Jose drove us to the same Casita we'd stayed in during our previous trip.
Speaking above the distant thunder, Jared spoke kindly to Jose in Spanish, and then pulled our suitcases from the back of the truck, opening the door for me.
It had just begun to rain when he set our suitcases on the floor beside the bed, and the smell of the rain combined with the sound of raindrops tapping on the roof and bouncing off the palm fronds took me back to a not-so-distant past when everything seemed innocent and exciting.
Inside was the same simple accommodations, with only two differences: every surface was adorned with glowing candles, and a tall fan stood at the end of the bed. It stood stationary, ready to serve it's purpose while I slept next to Jared's feverish body in the Caribbean heat and humidity.
I covered my mouth with my hand as I yawned. My long, undisturbed nap on the plane left me feeling groggy. "It's beautiful! Better than I remember," I said, trying to muster the appropriate excitement in my tone. Speaking through a yawn dampened that prospect, but thankfully Jared could feel what I couldn't adequately express.
He lifted me off my feet, and carried me to the bed, his body outlining mine. It felt as if we'd never left.
"You should rest, Miss Grey. We have work to do."
"Work?" I asked, sleepy. "What kind of work?"
"We're changing your name tomorrow," he whispered in my ear.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my sister, best friend, cheerleader and number one fan, Beth. You know exactly what to say at the best possible moment, and your encouragements always seem to turn into reality. Without you there would be no Providence;
To my daughters for understanding they are more important than Mommy's work, but sometimes creativity keeps strange hours;
To Brenda for her time, and being excited for every unit sold,
and to Mandy Morris for being a Super Fan! You are always willing and eager to fly the flag and share the story;
I would also like to thank Dr. Ross Vanhooser for his unending generosity and faith
Thank you to Ben Scroggs for his selflessness, flawless work, and patience;
To Trisha Johnson of Shutter Full of Dreams photography for her generosity and talent;
To Justin McClure of justinmcclure.tv for his time, absolute professionalism, and remarkable consideration and aptitude for excellence; and to
Bobbi Washburn for her generosity.
Saving the best for last, I would like to thank all PROVIDENCE fans! The positivity you bring to my daily life is invaluable to me. Your unwavering passion for Nina's story drives the completion of every chapter. You are the reason Requiem came to be, and you are the reason the PROVIDENCE series will continue with a third book! Thank You All!
Thank you for being a part of the Providence series! The third and final installment of Nina's journey is currently in the works. You can find updates on The Providence Series and other works by author Jamie McGuire at www.jamiemcguire.com, and on Facebook by searching 'Author Jamie McGuire'.
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