| Chapter Twenty-Five The next afternoon I found Kevin and my sister’s huddled around the kitchen table talking excitedly in whispers. As soon as they noticed me they stopped talking and tried to pretend nothing was out of the ordinary. It wasn’t working. I gave them all a very stern look, letting them know that I knew something was going on before moving to the fridge to get a glass of iced tea. They’d been acting secretive for the last twenty-four hours and I had heard their whispers and giggles as I passed from room to room. My curiosity was getting the best of me, but I refused to ask. Whatever it was, I knew I’d find out soon enough. “I have a surprise for you,” Kevin said as he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his hands on my belly. “Oh really?” I asked with a touch of sarcasm and a raised eyebrow. “Um-hmm. Come with me,” he said as he removed the glass from my hands and set it down on the counter. He took me by the hand and led me up-stairs, my sister’s following behind us. He stopped outside of the completed nursery and instructed me to close my eyes. I looked at him for one long moment before complying. I heard the door open and then his hands were in mine, gently guiding me forward. I heard my sister’s excited laughter from behind and Kevin shushing them. “Okay, you can open your eyes now,” he said as he released my hands. I opened my eyes and I stared in stunned silence. There in the corner of the room, by the large window was a rocking chair. It wasn’t just any rocker, it had belonged to my mother and she had rocked me and both of my sisters in it. Tears sprang to my eyes as I moved forward. I slid my hands over the polished wood, memories of being rocked and sang to floating through my head. I raised my tear filled eyes to his and a tremulous smile crossed my lips. “Where did you find it?” I asked. “I mentioned that I would like to get you a rocker for in here and Callie said she knew where one was. She showed me where it was stored in the attic and I brought it down,” he answered. “He did more than that,” Carly said as she stepped forward and handed me a Kleenex. “He worked on it late into the night last night, cleaning it and then polishing it.” My tears made it hard to speak and I had to clear my throat. “It’s beautiful, and exactly what I wanted for this room,” I said as I moved into his arms. He held me tightly, rocking me slowly from side to side. “It’s the best surprise I’ve ever been given,” I whispered as I pulled back enough to look up at him. His lips curved into a smile and his lips brushed my cheek. “That’s not the whole surprise,” he said as he took my hand and lead me towards the door. “It’s not?” “Nope! We’re going on a picnic. Now don’t worry,” he explained with a wry smile. “Your sister’s did all the cooking, I kept my hands out of it.” I chuckled as we made our way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Callie pulled a large picnic hamper out of the pantry and quickly filled it full. “Have fun,” she said as she and Carly waved us off. We walked across an empty pasture, heading towards one of the streams that criss-crossed our property. “This looks like a good place,” he said as he proceeded to lay out a large fluffy quilt under a large oak tree. The wind was gently blowing, but the temperature was in the high sixties, making it a perfect day for a picnic by the stream. He stood up from straightening the quilt and then gently helped me down. Within minutes, he had the contents of the hamper spread out before us. My sisters had outdone themselves. There was cold fried chicken, potato salad, green beans, biscuits, a pitcher of iced tea, and for dessert; a chocolate cake with fudge icing. Kevin filled our plates and we dug in. “This is so nice,” I said as I licked the fudge icing off of my fork. “Yes it is,” he said, and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant more than just the food and the weather. I felt the heat that constantly simmered inside of me begin to flare. He must have noticed the change because he gently took my plate and fork from me and sat them aside before pulling me into his arms. His lips closed over mine and a thousand stars burst behind my eyelids as the flame of desire caught and swept through me leaving me weak and breathless. He pulled away and his eyes found mine, our gazes clung and I read something indefinable in his green gaze. The air around us felt charged, and I knew something was about to happen. My heart beat like a drum against my breastbone and my breathing hitched as he rose to his knees and stuck his hand in his pocket. It was then I realized what he was about to do and the look I had seen in his eyes was vulnerability. My heart soared with happiness at the same time it reached out to him. “I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes with our relationship… with you over the last year. I’ve lied by omission…” “Oh Kevin.” “Please let me finish,” he said, his voice going deeper, huskier. “I’ve been gone when you needed me the most, and I made a lot of mistakes just in the last two weeks trying to explain my actions and feelings for you. But through it all, the one thing that never faded was what I feel for you. My love for you has grown stronger, even when months had passed since I had seen you last, it continued to grow.” He took a deep breath and looked down to where our hands were clasped. The pressure on my fingers tightened and I knew in my heart that he was gathering his courage. “I love you with all my heart and knowing that sometime in the next week or so we’re going to have a baby just makes that love so much more precious. Cassandra Rae, will you be my wife?” Tears streamed silently down my face as I struggled to speak past the lump in my throat. “Yes,” I finally managed to choke out in a whisper. “I’d be honored to be your wife.” His strong arms surrounded me and our lips met sealing our promise. As he pulled away I noticed the sheen of tears glistening in his eyes. “When?” “What?” I asked, not sure what he was asking. “When will you marry me?” I laughed out loud, the joy in my heart bubbling over. “Whenever, wherever.” “You mean it?” he asked, and I began to wonder just what I was getting into. I had a week and a half at the most before my due date and something told me that he felt the sooner the better. But the joy overrode my doubts. “Yes, I mean it,” I said as I threw my arms around his neck. “How’s this Saturday sound?” My eyes grew wide and I all I could see was me, the size of an elephant, waddling down the isle in an over sized tent. “There’s not enough time to get everything done,” I protested, trying to buy some time. “Leave everything to me,” he said confidently just before his lips met mine again. CCC Index Chapter Twenty-Six Main Page |