Authors: Jamie Hill
Hide and Seek (26 page)
"You look beautiful." He admired her.
"So do you." She ran a hand over his stubbly face. "And by the way, after what you said in here today, we don't need to recite vows. Just say 'eh, I'll take her' and that'll be good enough for me."
He chuckled. "I'll try to memorize that. 'Eh, I'll take her'." He leaned in for a kiss, but Fred interrupted them.
"Excuse me," he said sheepishly. "Everything okay in here?"
"Everything is perfect." Maddie put her head on Rob's shoulder.
"Dionne gave us custody of Sophie!" Rob said, still sounding amazed.
"Wonderful! I'm happy for you. But there are a couple of things going on out here that you should know about. First, the judge is here."
"Good!" Rob looked at Maddie. "We have a wedding to get to."
"Second," Fred continued "Coop Senior and the Mrs. just pulled up out front. They aren't alone. Thought you might want to know that."
"Jesus H. Christ!" Rob muttered and went to the front window to look out. "They couldn't have just phoned in their congratulations?"
Maddie looked through the window over Rob's shoulder. She watched Mr. and Mrs. Cooper get out of their Lincoln and glance around. He was dressed nicely in a dark suit and tie. Rob's mother wore a fashionable blue dress. "Maybe we should have put 'casual' on the invitation."
"Who is that?" Rob tried to see who got out of the back seat. Another man in a suit and a woman in a dress.
"Oh my God!" Maddie squealed. She grabbed Rob by the hand and pulled him out the door after her. "Mom!" Maddie let go of Rob and hugged her mother.
"Look at you!" Her mother hugged her tightly.
Maddie tried to blink back her tears, but it wasn't possible. She hugged her mother and felt six years of absence between them slip away.
Her father stepped forward. "I almost wouldn't have recognized you."
Maddie moved from her mother's arms to her father's, and he hugged her in his strong grasp. "But it's really you, isn't it? My baby, my little Maddie."
She sniffed and pulled back. "It's really me, all right." She smiled at her father. He looked well. His thick wavy hair was gray at the temples, but it suited him. He looked trim and well-dressed and Maddie hugged him quickly one more time.
He finally got her at arm's length and said, "You look as beautiful and as happy as I've ever seen you." He smiled at Rob. "I presume I have you to thank for this?"
Maddie wiped at her tears. "Daddy, this is Robert Cooper. Rob, these are my parents Michael and Megan Stewart."
Rob extended his hand. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Sir. Maddie's told me good things about you."
"She has?" He looked at his daughter questioningly.
"Absolutely," Rob added quickly. "And we're honored that you came all this way to be with us tonight."
Maddie's mother added, "Of course we'd want to be here. Our only daughter is getting married, and we received such a delightful invitation."
"Meg." Michael Stewart put a hand on his wife's arm.
Maddie looked at her mother. Time had not been cruel to Meg, she looked better than ever with her mid-length red hair brushed away from her face. Maddie smiled. "I'm sorry we didn't have proper invitations. We've been a little busy this summer."
Andrea Cooper stepped forward. "They got the same amusing little note we received. This is how it is, like it or leave it. Quaint, Robert."
"Hello, mother." Rob smiled at her sarcastically. "You remember, Maddie."
"No, I really don't." Mrs. Cooper looked Maddie up and down. "The tattoo I remember, but the rest looks different."
"Tattoo?" Meg Stewart hollered.
Her husband steadied her with his arm.
Maddie's hand flew up to cover the little heart, but Rob stepped behind her and pulled her hand away. He ran a finger over the tattoo. "I like it." He drew her into his arms. "She's become so respectable with her grown up haircut and the children. The tattoo reminds me of her fun side."
Meg took a step forward and inspected the heart. "That's not so bad," she admitted. "Is that what people do here in Oklahoma?"
Maddie smiled. "Actually, I got the tat when I was at Harvard. I suppose people in Oklahoma get them, too."
Edward Cooper stepped forward and extended his hand. "A pleasure to see you again, Madison."
"Thank you, Sir." She shook his hand.
His wife stepped next to him and extended her hand as well. "I meant it in a nice way. You look much different than the last time we saw you. You're a very beautiful girl."
"Thank you." Maddie smiled and shook her hand. "That night was not my finest hour. Meeting Dionne threw me off, I'm afraid, but with good reason."
Rob said, "That's all settled now. Dee just left here. Did you know she's giving us custody of Sophie?"
"Full time?" Andrea exclaimed.
"Yep." Rob grinned, and looked at Maddie's parents. "My five year old. Her mother lives in Oklahoma City. Now Sophie can go to kindergarten here, and be home with Maddie instead of in a daycare every day."
Meg looked at her daughter. "You're not working anymore?"
Maddie shook her head. "Rob swept me off my feet and took me away from all that. I get to stay home and be a mommy." She touched her stomach reflexively, and her mother exchanged a glance with Rob's mother.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meg asked Andrea.
Rob's mother nodded. "She's not showing yet, so she can't be very far along. Maybe a month or two?"
Maddie looked over her shoulder at Rob. "Have I got something written on my forehead? This is the third time today someone's guessed I'm pregnant, and I know I'm not showing yet."
"You're positively glowing," her father said.
Edward added, "A phenomenon I've heard about, but never really seen before. There's definitely something to it."
"Just complete happiness." Maddie leaned back into Rob. "Hold me down so I don't float away."
"I'm not letting go of you, don't worry." He tightened his grip on her.
Fred called from the side of the yard, "Coop? Judge is wondering if there's still going to be a wedding tonight?"
"Yes, there is!" Rob yelled back. "Don't let him get away, we'll be right there."
"I need to fix my face." Maddie stepped aside.
"You look beautiful," he assured her.
Meg stepped forward. "You have prejudiced eyes. Thank God you do, but she does need to fix her face. Can we go inside and I'll help you, honey?"
"Sure." Maddie smiled at her mother.
Andrea Cooper stepped forward. "I know we need to get the wedding started, but we were really hoping to meet our grandson."
Rob nodded. "Why don't you all go inside? I'll ask the judge to give us a few more minutes, and bring Sam in. He's gorgeous, just like his mama."
"Thanks, baby." Maddie headed into the house. "Come on in, everyone." She stopped in the living room. "This is the house that Rob built. It's so beautiful, we just love it. In fact, he's starting an addition in August. Two more bedrooms, a family room, an office and a bathroom."
"He has an office," Andrea remarked, and they all looked up as Rob carried in Sam.
Maddie smiled. "Samuel Robert Cooper ousted his father from his office. Hey, baby boy, meet Grandma and Grandpa Cooper and Grandma and Grandpa Stewart."
"Oh my word." Andrea looked over the baby, and Rob offered him to her. She took him gently and held him so they all could see. "He's just beautiful."
"Look at that blond hair," Michael commented. "Matthew's girls both have red hair and freckles."
Maddie looked at Rob. "My brother," she explained.
He smiled. "I want a girl with red hair and freckles! Promise me we'll keep trying until we get one."
She chuckled. "No promises. But the odds seem pretty good in your favor."
"He's just adorable." Meg Stewart took Maddie by the arm. "But we need to get you ready, now. Show me where your things are."
Maddie nodded and glanced at Rob one last time. "Sure you want to go through with this?"
He gave her a look and she laughed. She kissed him. "Then, get out there. I'll be the one walking down the aisle."
"And, I'll be the one waiting for you at the end of it. I love you."
"I love you too, sugar." She headed toward her room. She stopped and turned around one last time. "Mrs. Cooper, would you mind watching Sam during the ceremony? A friend can do it if not, but I just thought…"
Andrea smiled brightly. "I would love to look after him."
Maddie looked at her father. "Daddy? Would you like to walk me down the aisle?"
He got a funny look on his face, and for a moment, Maddie was sorry she'd asked.
Maybe six years can't be erased in the blink of an eye.
Michael Stewart wiped at his face and Maddie realized he was crying. "Yes, Madison, I would love to walk you down the aisle."
She grinned, the widest grin of her life and pointed to the bathroom. "Fix your face, right through there. Mom and I will be right back." She led her mother to her bathroom, and they touched up Maddie's make-up.
Meg looked around the bathroom and nodded to the razor on the sink. "So he does own a razor."
Maddie smiled. "It's mine. If he gets in the mood to shave something, I let him use it on me."
"Madison Michelle!" her mother said in horror.
"Just yanking your chain, Mother. I like his beard, I asked him not to shave."
Her mother shook her head and finished powdering Maddie's face. "After all this time, you still feel the need to 'yank my chain'?"
Maddie grinned. "You wouldn't want to come here and find a completely different person, now would you?"
"I suppose not," she admitted, and had to smile at her daughter in the mirror. "I do like the hair. I've thought about cutting mine, but I just don't know."
"Your hair is beautiful." Maddie smiled at her mother. "I can't believe you're really here."
Meg looked through the bedroom window into the backyard. "I can't believe you're getting married in a yard with a dog and a bunch of people in jeans!"
"Come on, Mom." Maddie put her arm around her mother's shoulder. "He's a really nice dog. His name is Bo. He's your grand-dog, now."
They walked to the living room where Michael stood waiting for them. "My two beautiful girls." He beamed.
"I'm so glad you're here, Daddy." Maddie hugged him.
"There's nowhere I'd rather be in the world," he said.
"Did you hear, Michael?" Meg asked him. "We have a grand-dog, now. His name is Bo."
Michael looked from Maddie to his wife. "I like dogs," he said slowly.
Maddie laughed. "Let's do this thing, shall we?"
Chapter Eleven
Maddie stepped out on to the porch where Sophie waited with Rosa and Smoky. "Mrs. Stewart?" Smoky extended his arm to her mother. "I'm Robert's friend, Leonard Dean. May I take you to your seat?"
"Certainly." Meg nodded, and Smoky led her to the front row of chairs.
Maddie grinned at his formality. Her mother ate it up.
Rosa pushed a button on the C.D. player and the music began.
"You're after me, kid," Rosa said to Sophie, who nodded.
Rosa smiled at Maddie then walked down the aisle to where Rob and Fred stood with the judge.
When her friend got to her place, Maddie said, "You're on, Sophie Belle."
Facing Maddie's father, Sophie put her hands on her hips. "Who are you, and how come you get to walk with Maddie?"
He blinked a couple times, then composed himself. "Why, I'm Madison's father, my dear. It's my privilege to walk my daughter down the aisle."
"How come I've never met you?" Sophie persisted.
"Sophie." Maddie smiled through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry you haven't been properly introduced. I promise, as soon as the wedding is over, I'll make it up to you. But right now you need to scurry down the aisle and sprinkle your rose petals like we practiced. Please? Before the judge gets unhappy and takes off."
"Only for you, Maddie." Sophie nodded, turned and walked down the aisle, majestically.
Maddie bit back her laughter and watched the child gallivant. When Sophie got to her spot at the end, they started down the aisle.
"Is there really a dog?" Michael asked out the side of his mouth.
"A
big
dog. Be nice to him, he's very protective of me."
"I'll remember that."
Maddie smiled at her guests then finally at her fiancé as she reached the end of the aisle. Her father took her hand, placed a kiss on the back of it, and offered it to Rob.
Rob smiled at Michael and took Maddie's hand in his. "Hey there," he said softly.
"Hello." Maddie smiled up at him.
"Finally made it."
"Finally," she agreed, and they turned to the judge.
The patient, silver haired man began. "We are gathered here tonight to join in the bonds of matrimony, Madison Michelle Stewart and Robert Edward Cooper. Marriage is a serious and reverent state, and one that should not be entered into lightly or inadvisably. Maddie and Rob, have you given this union earnest consideration and deliberation?"