Forever Yours: Mini Sequel

The Wedding Part II

"Oh, oh, how nice," she patted my hand, nodding her head. She had an accent... I struggled to place a name to her face, trying to remember those long-forgotten Christmases from when I was little and we'd visit family members in Brooklyn to eat rice and gandules and platanos; but as hard as I tried, I just could not remember her name. "And you have de babies, no? Lots of babies. Very beautiful ones, because you husband, you know, he's very guapo." She smiled encouragingly, nodding towards Ryan. I glanced at him, trying to hold back my laughter. He was about fifteen feet away, talking to an older woman, who looked identical to Diane, his mom, and – as if he sensed us watching him – he turned slightly, caught my eye, and winked. I smiled.

"Yes. He's very guapo."

"Ah!" She exclaimed, delightedly, nudging my hip. "You speaky the Spanish, verdad que si?"

"A little," I flushed, and the woman was all grins as she turned, flagging down another nameless, distant cousin; suddenly, my hand was arrested.

"Can I steal her away?" Ryan's eyes twinkled down at the two cackling women and they were all preening, flirtatious acquiescence.

"Ah, yes, your beautiful wife, you steal her away from us! To makey de babies!" The second woman pronounced, waving a hand in the air. I blushed this time, as everyone and their mother heard that one, and as every guest within a thirty foot radius burst into laughter, Ryan pulled me away.

For some odd reason, I thought he was shaking with anger but when he finally turned to look at me, he was laughing.

"What do you say, Maureen? Shall we jet off now? 'To makey de babies?'" He leaned down to nuzzle my neck and I was pretty sure I was every shade of red known to mankind.

"Shut up!" I tried to push him off of me, but he just laughed harder, squeezing me closer.

"You know you want to," he teased.

"Ryan."

"Mmm?"

"I'm sorry I have to tell you this... it's just-" I let my voice tremble a little.

"What?"

"I'm barren."

"You're what?"

"I just found out. And I didn't want to tell you here; I was going to wait until after we got on the plane, it's just – the doctors, they said there was no hope, it's partially hereditary – which sounds crazy, I know – but it's almost like I've had a hysterectomy, that's how impossible it will be for me to ever conceive..."

Ryan stared at me, his eyes searching mine suspiciously, as he waited for the punch-line. I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Wait." His voice sounded strange. "You're serious?"

"Yes."

"This isn't funny, Maureen."

"I know."

"But..."

"So I was thinking... we could adopt?" My voice sounded feeble and weak. Ryan seemed speechless.

Then his face twisted, as if it was finally sinking in.

"Of course we can, if that's what you want," he suddenly enveloped me in his arms, his grasp tight. "You should have told me, but it doesn't matter – we'll make it work, they have surgeries for these sorts of things-"

I know it wasn't funny; it was a terrible joke – but he set himself up for it.

I was shaking with silent waves of laughter. He almost instantly realized, and pulled back, his expression dumbfounded.