Angelina [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (21 page)

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They all gathered around the outside of Aubert’s restaurant on the patio. All the men and their Aubert women were standing together. Baby Jessie was in Eloi’s arms and baby Ashlin was in Marcel’s arms. Armand and Remy were on either side of Angelique. Next to them were Mikayla, Michael, Antoine, and Douglas. They were smiling and teasing Mikayla, and she was laughing.

Illeanna was sitting on Johnny’s lap while Julian had his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her and Franco. Louis and Gustave stood around them.

Ellena had her hands on her hips watching this crazy operation take place as Leon shook his head and Mack, Troy, and Roy stood next to Ellena.

Angelina was sitting on Lucifer’s lap with Terrance, Mike, Tye, and Jacque around her.

“This is a mess. Whose idea was this?” Ellena asked, and everyone yelled out “Angelique!”

They all laughed.

“Okay. Now you settle down,” Cherise said. “I’ve got to do this right, so no more bad luck haunt the Aubert women. You all think the hard times and danger are in da past. Da past come back sum times and harbor revenge. Ya mark my words,” Cherise Laveau reprimanded them in an attempt to calm them down. They all moaned and groaned and made comments about the possibility of danger.

“How could there possibly be more danger headed our way, Cherise? Haven’t the gods put us all through enough?” Ellena asked.

Cherise pointed her finger at Ellena and waved it.

“Please don’t anger her. We know she’s not crazy or we wouldn’t be here right now,” Johnny stated.

“We begin now. All da men place a hand on your woman. Dis just as legal and binding as a marriage in the eyes of any God. You all been through a lot together. You survived by the power of love and the strength of togetherness and family. You are bound to one another for eternity as each of your families grow. Aubert sisters, you made your mamma and papa proud. You’ve succeeded in life and still have more joy to come. I’m proud of you, as I’ve thought of each of you as my own. May your marriages be blessed and your children be blessed.” Mother Cherise chanted something and threw tiny bunches of floral-scented powder over all of them.

“Did she say children?” Ellena asked as she shook and so did everyone else.

“I just got the chills,” Illeanna said.

“Me, too,” Angelina replied.

“I think we all did,” Mikayla added and Mamma Cherise smiled wide.

“Da babies are coming. Now let’s celebrate. No moonshine for you four,” Cherise said and pointed to Angelina, Mikayla, Ellena, and Illeanna.

The women looked at their men then covered their bellies with their hands.

They all smiled and laughed, wondering if what Cherise indicated was true.

Angelina looked up at Lucifer, Mike, Tye, Terrance, and Jacque.

“She’s a crazy voodoo priestess right? She can’t tell this type of thing?” Terrance asked.

Angelina smiled. “She’s never wrong. You’re going to be daddies.”

They smiled wide then placed their hands on her belly.

“So it’s official then, we’re married,” Mike stated to Angelina.

“It’s official,” Angelina said as each of her men gave her a kiss. As the others moved around saying congratulations and celebrated their marriage day together, Angelina absorbed it all. She found love on the bayou just like her sisters, and now she would be raising her own family here as well. Life didn’t get any better than this. Orchidea would always be home to the Aubert sisters and their men.

THE END

WWW.DIXIELYNNDWYER.COM

People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind my name with all my readers.

My momma was born and raised in New Orleans. At the age of twenty, she met and fell in love with an Irishman named Patrick Riley Dwyer. Needless to say, the family was a bit taken aback by this as they hoped she would marry a family friend. It was a modern-day arranged marriage kind of thing, and my momma downright refused.

Being that my momma’s families were descendents of the original English-speaking Southerners, they wanted the family bloodline to stay pure. They were wealthy and my father’s family was poor.

Despite attempts by my grandpapa to make Patrick leave and destroy the love between them, my parents married. They recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

I am one of six children born to Patrick and Lynn Dwyer. I am a combination of both Irish and a true Southern belle. With a name like Dixie Lynn Dwyer it’s no wonder why people are curious about my name.

Just as my parents had a love story of their own, I grew up intrigued by the lifestyles of others. My imagination as well as my need to stray from the straight and narrow made me into the woman I am today.

For all titles by Dixie Lynn Dwyer, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/dixie-lynn-dwyer

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