Watermelon Wishes

Epilogue

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Evey asked in her best southern belle accent.

"The pleasure's all mine, m'lady," Brady said, playing along and holding out a potted African violet tied with a pretty lavender bow. "I left work early and I decided what better way to play hooky than to visit my beautiful wife and bring her a new member for the garden?"

"It's beautiful, thank you," Evey said, kissing him. "I love it. But are you sure it's all right to play hooky?"

"When you're the boss, it is," he said, brushing a stray chestnut lock off of her face. "In fact, I gave everyone an early leave today."

"Brady," Evey said. "You're not nervous, are you?"

"Not nervous, just anxious," he said. "Okay, yes I admit it. It's been killing me all day. Do you have it with you?"

"I left it inside the house," she said. "I was just finishing helping Hattie arrange a DIY snack bar for the classic movie that's showing in the parlor in a couple of hours. Let me run in and grab the envelope."

"No princess," Brady said. "You wait here and I'll go get it."

Evey smiled at her sweet husband who wouldn't let her lift a finger if he was around to help it. They had both been so relieved when construction on their new house, a smaller replica to the original farmhouse (complete with a special little room for Evey to practice sculpting in) had been completed just in time, a couple of weeks ago. Even after turning the caretakers' quarters into a family and honeymoon suite, there was still hardly any unused space at the Watermelon Wishes Bed and Breakfast. They had a steady stream of clients and realized that they would need a place of their own although Harvey and Hattie seemed perfectly content to stay nestled amongst the travelers. Evey thought it was a blessing for the couple. Once they might have seemed lonely and now they had no shortage of interesting and wonderful people to meet and talk to. As the last entrepreneur meeting that she had attended, newly-elected Watermelon Cove Mayor Reece Studebaker had congratulated Evey, Brady, Hattie and Harvey for bringing in such an increase of tourism since opening the doors to the Watermelon Wishes Bed and Breakfast and even presented her with a plaque that was proudly displayed in the farmhouse. Reece, Brady and Evey had become good friends recently. They had far too much in common not to be good friends. And Reece relayed that Becca was doing splendidly as a flight attendant. Seeing the world was just what the doctor ordered, according to her and Reece said that she might even get her pilot's license. Yes, there were so many blessings for the residents and former residents of Watermelon Cove. There was so very much to be grateful for.

"I've got it, princess!" Brady emerged from the house, holding a white envelope victoriously.

"Let's go," Evey said, rubbing her hands together.

Brady picked up a cardigan that was left on the back of one of the porch chairs and wrapped it around Evey's shoulders.

"So tell me about your day," he said as they began the walk around the Bed and Breakfast and towards the garden.

"It was great," Evey said. "We have a guest from New Zealand who stopped in today."

"That's pretty far," Brady said.

Evey, Brady, Harvey and Hattie loved to talk about where their guests came from and the farther, the better.

"We've had a lot of booking for the end of summer months, so I've had to refer a lot of people over to Maggie," Evey continued.

"I know she'll be happy about that," Brady said.

Evey smiled. "I got tired earlier and took a nap. The paperwork arrived from the town's legal team about the money that you donated to kick-start Watermelon Cove's first and only animal shelter. Basically, just another day in paradise."

Brady smiled. "Forty-three thousand dollars may not go too far but it's a beginning. Grandma always loved animals. I think she would be happy with the decision."

"I know she would be," Evey said, looping her arm through Brady's offered arm when they reached the garden area. The ground was still moist from watering and uneven from the big truck that had come earlier to haul the giant watermelons that the garden had produced.

Brady reached in his pocket and pulled out a small pocketknife.

"Would you like to do the honors, princess?" he asked, handing the knife to her.

"I feel like you should," Evey said. "It's your tradition."

Brady shook his head. "It's ours now."

Evey accepted the pocketknife and set it on the small surface of the fence.

"Moment of truth," Brady said, retrieving the envelope from his pocket.

He handed the envelope to Evey and she took it in her slightly shaking hands, turned it over and opened it. Brady came up from behind her and hugged her shoulders. Evey opened the single sheet of paper and turned it over so only the blank side showed.

"It doesn't matter to me, princess," Brady said. "Because either way it turns out, we'll try for the other. I just want to know."

"I feel the same," she said.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Are you kidding?" Brady said.

"Okay," she said. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned to paper over.

Congratulations, it read. It's a baby girl!

Evey's chest moved in and out, processing short, shallow breaths.

"Oh my goodness," she said, turning around and sinking into Brady's chest. "Brady."

"My princess is having a little girl," he said. "I can't believe it. I'm going to be the best dad in the world, Evey. I promise you."

"I know you will be," Evey said, wiping her eyes. She picked up the pocketknife and found a bare surface in the wood. After cutting her expected due date into the fence, she carved, Let her be a healthy happy baby girl.

"One thing is certain," Brady said. "She's going to be a little girl with so much love, she won't know what to do with it all."

Evey nodded, rubbing her swollen belly. "She's going to grow up in a house with a mommy and daddy who encourage her to fulfill all of her dreams and wishes. She's going to have quite a legacy on her little hands."

"That's the truth, princess," Brady said, admiring her protruding belly with the caress of his hand.

"And I think I already know the perfect name."

"Already?" Brady asked, surprised.

"What do you think about Cora Riley?" Evey said. "I know that Elisabeth Cora Casteel has been done before but... it's a special name and besides, I think Harvey will more than approve."

Brady laughed and Evey realized that she had never been happier than at this exact moment, watching her husband's face full of joy and planning a future for their child together.

"It's perfect, princess," he said, kissing her lips. "Thank you, thank you so much."

Evey's hands migrated to her belly again where she felt the effects of their incredible love kicking around as she grew.

"I feel like the one who's got everything in the world to be thankful for," Evey said and leaned her head on her husband's shoulder with hands intertwined as they looked towards a beautiful yet simple watermelon garden that maybe wasn't so simple after all.

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THE END.