We head home again 16 weeks latter for a gender reveal. "What are you doing about the wedding?" Paige asks sitting with me at the kitchen island.
"Actually we talked about that. Were going to do that this Christmas. Maybe the 22nd."
"Aww the day you kissed." She gushes
"Exactly. Baby will be a few months by that point and a bonus is that I wont be a whale anymore." I laugh
"Speaking of I can't wait to see what your having. Any guesses?"
"I haven't a clue."
"I am firmly on team boy. You already have two girls and Daniel could use a brother."
"Oh Daniel has been crossing his fingers for weeks now." I tell her and she laughs
"Are you to going to have any others after this one?" She ask's
"Let's get through this one before we talk about that." Keaton chuckles walking into the kitchen.
"Agreed." I laugh. "Everything set?"
"Yup; Mama has the reveal handled and your daddy has the food. Ms.Abby insisted on baking us a cake and I believe the kids are organizing the blue and pink necklaces now. Are you ready?"
"Not much for me to do. Since I've been banned from lifting a finger." I pout. "I mean seriously I'm not fragile." He chuckles but doesn't argue already realizing there would be no winning the argument.
Two hours latter we pull up to the hotel. The ballroom covered in blue and pink balloons and streamers. All of our guests are wearing blue or pink to show there teams and it doesn't take long to see half the town has shown up for it.
Soon we are standing in front of the room the kids standing at our sides as we hold two long ropes. Daniel in blue an the girls predictably in pink. The room counts down and at one I hold my rope while Keaton yanks his. The gender isn't announced but a banner falls reading.
'Moving home baby Brown FALL 2022'
"What?" Keaton gasps
"Were moving!" Daniel yells happily. Keaton looks to me as though asking if it were true. I nod.
"In a little over a month. Before I can't travel. I'm tired of us being so far." I admit. His face lights up lie a kid in a candy store. The room shouts in cheers. "But let's see what this baby is now shale we?"
"Yes!" The room yells and I start the count down again. This time at one I pull my string and blue confetti falls from the ceiling. Daniel can not contain his excitement jumping up and down right beside Keaton the girls so excited they don't even care there team lost. The whole room goes wild.
December
"Are you ready my dear?" Daddy asks holding out my large bouquet of white lilies, red poinsettias, and sprigs of mistletoe. Shifting my dress to lay flat I smile shyly.
"I'd say I've had long enough of a wait." His smile warms my nerves as he signals for the bridesmaids Kim, Kate, and Paige dressed in sleek forest green numbers there hair pinned with mistletoe and the groomsmen in forest green vests with black bow ties to start the procession.
Following them are our mothers in red assisting our flower girls Maddy and Claire in red and white plaid dresses tossing sprigs of holly and red and white rose petals and our boys Daniel holding a wooden box and 3 month old Christopher in green and white plaid vests and black slacks. When the music changes I hold tight to my fathers arm. Making our way down the snowy white aisle in the park.
Keaton looks handsome as all hell in his white suit. His red vest and black button up. The red poinsettia and mistletoe botiner pinned to his pocket. The music comes to an end as everyone takes there seats.
"Who gives away our bride today?" the pastor begins
"I do." Daddy answers kissing my cheek then my hand before placing it in Keaton's. His eyes in my gown; sleeveless with a sweetheart bust and gorgeous beading laying over me like snowflakes. The dress is poof hiding underneath are about five layers of crimson red material.
"Ladies and gentlemen we are gathered today to finally bare witness to this union between two I dare say soulmates." He announces "So if anyone here has any reason to object ... Well keep that to yourself because you'd need to be blind not to see the passion and heart these two have always shared." The audience chuckles along with us.
"Now the couple has chosen to write there own vows." We both glare at him. "Okay so I volunteered them. The least they can do for making us wait." More laughter.
"So Ms.Greene let's flip for it." Keaton suggests holding up a shiny silver quarter.
"Heads" I call watching it land tails "Ha." I tease "Your up." He smiles placing the coin back into his pocket and looking back to my eyes.
"Holly what can I say to you now that I haven't said before? When we were just some Love struck kids without a clue or over this last year when you gave birth to our beautiful boy I have told you of my love almost everyday and apologized for all our time lost but today I'm not sorry because today I watched as our family walked down that aisle together. Had other choices been made I wouldn't have Daniel so kind-hearted and sweet, Claire who is outspoken and courageous, Maddie so curious and fun and now little Christopher who is just as charming as his daddy if I say so myself." the audience chuckles though he continues "So today I promise you to never break you're heart again, to love you and our family old and new." he glances behind him at Dylan standing with his groomsmen. Dylan gives him a nod. Who would have thought those two would turn out to be great co-parents and even friends. "I promise to keep surprising you and always put you before and above all others." he vows kissing my hand.
"Beautiful. now miss greene." the pastor says I wipe away a stray tear and clear my throat looking up again into his shining green eyes.
"Keaton Brown I have dreamt of this day since I was only 15. Writing your name in my diary. Soon to follow where the notes written in third period English. Most of which I still have hidden under my old mattress. Shortly after came dates and dances and after ten years apart last year I found pictures of me through your house and later even one in your wallet. I learned you'd actually been pinning for me. I had been so wrapped up in the things I thought I had to do I never realized..." I stop reach into my cleavage and pull out a paper handing it to him. "That I had pined for you too " I tell him in his hand now a photo strip of us at the mall only weeks before we had spilt. "Today I promise to never deny my feelings again. to love our family fully to be the mother Maddy has always deserved and the wife you've yearned for. I promise to always play with you on the holidays and vow to always stay by your side forever." I finish his smile so bright his eyes glowing.
"Very good, now Keaton brown do you take Holly greene to be your wife for richer foror poorer for better or worse in sickness and health till death do you part?"
"God yes!" he cheers
"Holly Greene, do you take Keaton Brown for richer or poorer for better or worse in sickness and health till death do you part?"
"Of course!" I smile
"Then I now pronounce you man and wife you may finally kiss the bride." he announces and I'm claimed by my new husband theatrically dipping me ruffling my red skirts to the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen they did it!" The pastor calls and everyone jumps to their feet clapping and cheering
Standing to my feet I look to my children all of them. one year ago I never had dreamed of this life. My husband takes my hand, Christopher is put into his arms and the kids take our hands. As a family all six of us walk the aisle together just as it should be.
The end
YOU ARE READING
Christmas past to present!
RomanceTecently divorced mother of two heads home for the holidays where she comes face to face with her high school sweetheart Keaton Brown. Can she resist the old attraction? Does she even want to try?
