Angel's Hero

Epilogue

"I'm pregnant."
"Oh, of course you are!"
Angel looked at Michelle. Her friend was glowing, and the two women laughed.
They were seated in the upstairs room at the farmhouse, getting ready for the wedding.
Angel leaned forward to fix the flower attached behind her ear, and sat back to look at her, cupping Michelle's smiling face in her palms.
"Beautiful," she said, before kissing her cheek.
"How did you know I was pregnant? I only found out this morning," Michelle asked.
Angel smiled simply. "Call it baby fever, or a sixth sense, whatever you want. I guessed last week already when you said the wine tasted off."
"How would you know, you haven't had wine in ages," Michelle placed a hand on Angel's protruding belly, tapping the mound.
Turns out, she and Conner hadn't had to make another baby, as this little one had dug in and held fast. Due any day now, Angel was well into her waddling days, a fact that Conner loved to tease her about.
She loved her waddle. The clear evidence she would soon meet the little life growing inside her, meant she could never hate it.
"Come along then, Mama. Let's get this wedding started."
The two made their way down the stairs, slowly, and out the front to where all their friends and family, plus half the town were waiting, where less than nine months prior, a fourth of July party had taken place.
The music started up, and Angel stepped from the house into the sunlight, a rare sunny day this early in Spring.
And there he was, at the end of the aisle. Still stuttering her heartbeat whenever she laid her eyes on him. Conner smiled at her as she made her way down with her best friend at her side.
And then she stepped to the side as she handed her friend over to the man she was marrying.
Michelle wore a knee-length strappy number that looked lighter than air, and floated flirtatiously around her legs, with incredible detail in the beadwork on the bodice. The soft blush color of the dress enhanced the tint in Michelle's cheeks, and rosiness of her lips.
Robert looked dashing in his navy blue suit, and Jackson looked adorable in his matching three-piece.
Conner kept his eyes on her as she moved to her spot as the Matron of Honor.
A married woman couldn't be called a maid, and with her swollen stomach, it was pretty damn obvious. Angel kept her eyes on her husband and smiled dreamily at him throughout the short service.
The ceremony concluded, and the happy couple kissed as everyone cheered.
As one they moved to the back of the house, following the newlyweds after showering them in dried rose petals. The backyard had been turned into a wonderland, with the large tent erected for the wedding reception, twinkling lights were strewn all across the roof amongst soft folds of white fabric.
Bales of hay covered in the same material were placed around the tables that lined three sides of the square area as makeshift chairs, that surrounded a raised platform for dancing in the center. This way, everyone seated had a clear view of the couple in the middle as they walked in.
Food was laid out along the back wall for people to serve themselves from, and as food and drink was consumed, everyone enjoyed themselves.
The afternoon turned to dusk amid speeches and well wishes from the many who got up to speak. The cake, a simple vanilla sponge covered in mixed berries, was cut and dished out while a live band set up their station.
Everything was perfect, and everyone was happy; the sounds filling the large tent were of loud voices and laughter. During the first dance, Angel got up, and moved towards the house, breathing evenly.
Not wanting to interrupt the newlyweds, she waited until the song came to an end, and other couples joined them on the dance floor. She stopped Sienna coming out of the house with a hand clasped around her forearm, a little too tightly, and whispered to her, "Get Mavis, would you?"
Sienna, immediately alarmed, wrapped an arm around Angel's back. "What's wrong? Conner!"
Angel grimaced as everyone seemed to stop talking inside the tent, and Conner's head appeared at the back as he stood up from the table he'd been seated at.
"Yeah?"
His face fell as he saw Angel being escorted from the tent, and into the house.
Laughter followed the large man as he moved quickly, knocking into almost everyone he passed. His eyes glued to his wife, groaning just inside the doorway. Some pitied him, for they knew the coming hours were not going to be easy, while others smiled broadly, and clinked glasses with their friends in celebration.
"What is it? Is something wrong?" His shoes slid a little as he came to a stop next to her.
"No, love," Angel patted his cheek, and grunted slightly as another wave hit her. "Just about to have your baby is all."
"Really?" His eyes glazed over as a big grin split his face.
"Out of the way now, please, thank you!" Mavis elbowed her way through the group that had gathered around the laboring woman. "Alright, take a seat here, Angel."
She dropped down heavily just inside the doorway, on a chair in the corner of the large kitchen.
Mavis held up her watch and timed the contractions.
She frowned. "Five minutes apart. Baby is coming fast."
"What, no!" Conner's face paled. "Hospital?"
As he said the word, there was a sound of liquid hitting the floor as Angel stood up, her water's breaking rather dramatically, in the middle of the wedding party.
"No time, darling. Get ready to meet your little one," Mavis smiled into his dazed face.
Mavis called for someone to go get Doc, and his bag. She shrugged when Angel sent her a querying look. "I had a feeling."
"Ah, bless you, Mavis. You're my hero."
"I thought I was your hero?" Conner pouted teasingly.
"You," Angel huffed, her hands clenching in the material of her yellow dress. "You don't have the drugs."
More laughter spread through the group. Angel grimaced at them all. Charlie leant forward and handed her a pretty pink flower. She took it and sniffed it briefly before slipping it into her hair, smiling her thanks. Sienna eyed him thoughtfully. He blushed.
Michelle snuck around the group, and came to sit on her haunches next to her friend.
"You alright, sweet?"
"This hurts already," Angel groaned. "Sorry about baby-crashing your wedding."
"Are you kidding? This is the best! You want me in there with you?"
"Are you kidding?" Angel laughed. "It's your wedding, go have some fun, and come check in a few hours."
"You sure?" Michelle placed a hand on her friend's cheek.
"Positive," Angel huffed. "Conner will have to do."
She winked at Conner, who still looked a little nervous. He smiled and rolled hiss eyes.
"Love you," Michelle smiled happily and kissed Angel on the forehead.
"Love you," Angel leaned into the kiss, drawing energy from it.
"Alright, let's go. Upstairs." Mavis led the way, Doc on her heels, and Angel leaning heavily on Conner's arm.
He looked down at her, and kissed her with passion, with happiness. "I love you, Angel."
"And I love you, Conner." His name rounded out on another groan halfway up the stairs.
"Oh, boy," Conner said, holding her up as she bore down on the biggest contraction yet. "Here we go."
After two long hours of contracting, and the most wonderful, colorful, swearing he'd ever heard as Angel progressed very quickly through the labour, Conner watched in awe as their little girl slid into the world, screaming.
Mavis, marvelling at the speed of it all herself, took her away to clean up a little, before bringing the infant back, and placing her in her mother's waiting arms. Angel, exhausted, cried happy tears all over her daughter's face.
She looked at the pink, squished face, and then back up to her husband who now lay beside her on the bed, wonder all over his expression, feeling her insides explode in joy.
"She's perfect," Angel kissed the little fingers, and rested her head against her husband.
"You both are. God, I love you, Angel. Thank you for this wonderful gift, this magical treasure."
Angel handed the little bundle over, and marveled at just how tiny she looked in her father's enormous hands.
He fumbled slightly, and the look of worry mixed with sheer bliss as the baby squeaked bringing fresh tears to her eyes. Lying back, and taking it all in, Angel wondered at her life, as Conner whispered to their child, serenading her with his smooth voice.
Her bakery was on it's way to being a success. Her husband made her happier than she thought possible, and now, she had her daughter.
Her best friend had saved her life, and was dancing with her new husband at their wedding, probably telling him their own wonderful news. Jackson had asked Robert that morning if he was allowed to call him Dad now that he was marrying his Momma, and Robert's bright smile had forced Angel to leave the room, to avoid crying loudly and ruining the beautiful scene.
Angel smiled now, as Mavis and Doc left the room, giving them their privacy. They'd started a tradition of joining Angel and Conner for Sunday lunches, and Angel considered them family, too, and hoped they would enjoy the title of grandparents to her child.
She and Conner had chosen to live in her cottage, but had decided to fix up the house he had bought, and just that morning, Robert had bought it from them as the new home for his family.
She'd brought Bo on as full partner at the bakery, on the condition that Shelby join the bakery team as their front of house person, who would be stepping in more now while Angel took her maternity leave.
Sienna's coffee shop continued to thrive, and Angel and Conner had decided they wanted Sienna as godmother to their child, and she'd cried happy tears as she'd accepted the role.
As the sounds of celebration outside at the announcement of the birth resonated through the air, Angel sighed happily. She took her daughter back into her arms, and settled into the embrace of her husband, feeling safe and secure, and completely at peace. He pressed his lips to her temple, and told her he loved her.
Her life was perfect. So full of joy, with so many adventures already behind them. What else did it have in store?

She couldn't wait to find out.

The End.