Chapter and Verse (36 page)

“
You’re not breaking up with me now are you?  The cake alone is worth the wedding, Dor’.  You should see it.”

“
Deke, I’m not breaking up with you, but I need about ten minutes with you, alone.”

“
I’m not sure how we’ll pull that off Dor’.  There’s at least sixty people milling about, between the caterers and florists and wait staff.  This could be tricky.”

“
Tell you what.  I’m dressed and ready, I’m just hangin’ out.  I’ll go on out to the barn.  Meet me there.  They’ll never look for us there.”

“
Okay if you’re sure it can’t wait.  Go on out and I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

I’d placed the two pregnancy tests in a Mont Blanc pen box and wrapped it in gold paper.  A gold satin bow sat on top.  I grabbed the gift and walked confidently through the house and out the backdoor.  No one tried to stop me.  I could see that the guests had started to arrive, but I moved straight past everyone and into the barn without slowing for a second.

I paced a ten foot path until the door opened and there he was.  The love of my life looking like Prince Charming in his black suit and starched white shirt, a yellow rosebud in his lapel.

“
Dor’?  You okay?”

I walked to him with the gift behind my back and a smile on my face.  He looked confused, but he smiled back.  When I was standing directly in front of him, I extended my hand.

“
A gift?  Sweetheart, we don’t exchange gifts until after the ceremony.”

“
This gift is special Deacon.  It’s private.”

He began to carefully remove the paper.

“
Well now I’m intrigued for sure.”

When the box was exposed, he saw the insignia and smiled.

“
I love Mont Blanc pens Dorothy.  Thank-you.”

“
Deacon, it’s a Mont Blanc box.  There’s no pen in that box.  Open it.”

I could tell he was nervous.  He was nervous because he could see that I was nervous.

He carefully opened the box and stared at what lay nestled side by side inside.  His brow furrowed for a second as if he didn’t comprehend what he was looking at.  When his axis shifted, I witnessed it and I was glad I’d chosen to do this when we were alone.

“
Baby, are these what I think they are?”

“
Uh-huh.”

“
Then we’re having a...”

“
Just like you said Deacon.  Sometime in May.”

Complete silence engulfed us for all of about two minutes as we gazed into each other’s eyes.  We were standing in a barn behind his parent’s house about to get married, and it was our first confirmed moment as future parents together.

I smiled at him and it broke his trance.  He lifted me in his arms and twirled me around while I laughed out loud.

“
Dor’?  We’re havin’ a baby.”

“
Yes we are and I can’t wait!”

He stopped twirling but kept me off the ground at face level.

“
You mean it don’t you?  You’re not just saying that for me?”

I kissed him soundly.

“
I mean it with all my heart.  Sometime in May, I’m going to hand you your very own son or daughter Deacon Sloan.  Our son or daughter.  I am so excited about that, I want to shout it from the rafters.”

Neither one of us heard our names being called.  We were wrapped up in our own little world of wedding vows and baby names.  I finally knew what euphoric felt like, and I was enjoying it.

Deacon still held me in his arms, his forearms tucked under my bottom to hold me in place, my arms wrapped around his shoulders.  We were grinning like fools and he was heading for the door.

Now I think he was planning to carry me back in the house, but we’ll never know.  Because just as we were approaching the door, my sister was opening it and Ayla was right behind her.

Deacon kept right on walking and the music was playing.  People were for the most part in their seats and watching us as Deacon carried me down the aisle, my sister and Ayla running to try and get in front of him.  My poor father looked entirely misplaced since he was planning to walk me down the aisle.  Instead, he followed us and grinned at me over Deacon’s shoulder.  I grinned back.

When we got to the porch steps, Deacon placed me gently on my feet and in a moment of weakness, he patted my tummy.

He may as well have held up a sign.  The half of the audience that saw the gesture, gasped.  My father slapped him on the back in some male bonding thing and Anton and Pierce shook hands as if they’d had something to do with it.

I stood there turning various shades of pink.  When Deacon finally made eye contact with me again, I glared and he tugged at his collar and turned to the Preacher.

Father Colby kept his cool and performed a moving and memorable ceremony.  There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  At the end, he said the traditional, “May I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Deacon Sloan”.  That rat bastard Anton yelled out, “And baby Sloan too!”.

Guess what the top of conversation was at the reception?

Eight Months Later...

I’m sitting here ready to pop.  We’ve prepped the nursery, took the classes, and we’ve rehearsed the trip to the hospital a bazillion times.  I could walk it in my sleep.  If I thought it would bring her here sooner, I’d try it.

Yes it’s a girl.  Catherine Bree Sloan will be here by the time this book is published.  Her father is a millionaire CEO and her mother is a best selling author.  She’ll know us as Mom and Dad.

Someday she’ll read this and she’ll know the first part of her story.  She’ll know how much she was wanted and how crazy her family is.  She’ll understand how love really can conquer all - including fear - and how important it is to stick with it when it’s real.  Real love is rare and it’s a gift.  She’ll know all about that too.  We’ll make sure of it.

Because I’m Dorothy Lincoln-Sloan, and I’m a biographer.

THE END