I Won't Give Up on You (28 page)

“I promise I will always wipe away your tears. We’re in this marriage together, good times, bad times, and okay times. I will be your strength, no matter what life throws at us. The future is bright, and I can’t wait to see what is next for us.”

I pull her hands up to my lips and gently kiss her palms. “Sabrina, this is my vow to you. I promise you.”

Looking over at the preacher, I nod. She looks over to Sabrina for her to begin.

She takes a deep breath and begins in a whisper, “I love you, Caston. You are my knight in shining armor. We’ve been through so much in the short time we’ve been together, more than most will in a life time. We’ve made it through and we’ll continue to make it. My love is yours. God knows we’re worth it. Our future is bright. I’ll continue to dance for you.”

A huge smile spreads across my face. “I can’t wait,” I whisper.

“I give you my heart and my word that I won’t give up. Good times and bad, sickness and health. I will never give up on us. You are my forever and always.”

Finally we are husband and wife! Kissing her like it’s the first time, there are claps behind us. Still embracing, we turn to look toward the house. Sara, Jon, Beth, Jake, Jules, and Terrance are all standing on the back patio. The girls are wiping away tears.

Then I see the movement in the dark corner beyond the crew, Rose and James. I pull Sabrina closer and smile. They made it. When I extended the invite to James he wasn’t sure if he could talk her into it. Rose is here and the smile on her face makes me know we will be the family I have dreamed of.

“How?” Sabrina asks.

I pull her into a kiss again. Deepening it into a low dip as the cat calls continue. She giggles as I pull her upright again.

Smirking. “You know I have my ways.”

She tisk tisks and shakes her head. “You are too much.”

I pull her to me again, kissing my wife. “Bre, I’m so happy. Thank you. You make the rest of my life something to look forward too. Just us. Forever.”

She smirks pulling away slightly. “Caston, I don’t think I’d be alive right now if it wasn’t for you. You make me whole. But…”

Her sentence trails off and she looks out over the ocean. I take her chin in between my fingers. “But what, Bre?”

“But it’s not going to be just us for long.”

My heart stops. Is she telling me what I think she is telling me? “What?”

She takes my hands in hers and she places them on her stomach. “It’s going to be you, me, and baby.” Tears start falling down her cheeks, but I know they’re happy tears.

I fall to my knees and grab her hips before placing a soft kiss on her still flat tummy. A tear falls from my eyes.

“How?” I look up at her.

“Last time we were here, the time change didn’t agree with my pill. I guess it was meant to be?” She shrugs, before more tears fall from her eyes.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

She nods. “Dr. Dana confirmed it a few days ago. I was waiting for the perfect moment to tell you.”

I stand up and sweep her off her feet before spinning her around. We get lost in each other’s kiss. Life is just getting started for us.

It’s been four wonderful years, since I said ‘I do’ on this beach to the love of my life. Here we are again to celebrate our anniversary. Our life has been crazy since then. In a good way, of course.

Once Caston found out I was pregnant, he told everyone. If he could have gone door to door telling the world, I honestly think he would have. When we walked up to the house to join our friends and family, Caston spilled the news immediately. Beth’s mouth fell open, and Sara screamed almost tackling us to the ground. I still chuckle thinking about it.

“You told me it was Beth’s test, I’m so mad at you.” Sara squeezed.

Beth’s face lights up, like everything fell into place. Turning to Sara, she says, “So that’s why you kept asking me if I should be drinking?”

I twist my hair. “Sorry. I was dumbfounded when I turned that test over and saw it was positive. I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. Technically, it was your test, though.”

Sara flips between looking at me and Beth. For once we caught her speechless.

I’m brought back to the present when I hear the footsteps of my little girl come bounding up the steps.

“Mommy—Daddy and I built a huge castle. Come on!” She grabs my hand, leading me to the beach. I smile at Cass, who’s waiting down at the bottom of the steps.

“Don’t pull on Mommy, Brianna,” he says, reaching his hand up for me to take after a few steps.

My belly is round and full. I’m a lot bigger than I was with Brianna at this point.

He leans over and kisses my cheek. “How are you feeling, Bre? Did you get that nap?”

Our hands lace together as we follow my mini me down the beach toward the ocean. “I got a few winks. I was thinking back over the last four years.”

He looks at me over the top of his sunglasses. “It’s been a journey, hasn’t it?”

I chuckle. “Mommy, Mommy, look.”

We reach the monster castle, where Brianna stands by it with her hands on her hips. “Wow, you and Daddy did this whole thing?”

She nods enthusiastically. Going on to point out the little flags made out of sticks and seaweed, the windows made of sea shells, and the moat that goes around it.

“This is perfect, baby girl. I think you should build us a house.” I scoop her off the ground. “Now, let’s get back to the house. We have guests coming any minute.”

She squeals as Caston grabs her from me, tickling her as she goes into his arms. “Daddy, stop.” Her hair flying all around.

I can’t help but tear up at the sight. “You okay, Mommy?” She asks me while we’re walking up to the house.

Caston leans in and whispers to Brianna, “Mommy has baby sniffles.” I laughed through my tears when she looked at him like he had two heads.

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Well, I’ll never get baby sniffles.”

Caston puffs his chest out. “You’re damn right you won’t.”

“Daddy said a bad word. Daddy said a bad word.” She wiggles out of his hands and runs to the house where Jules has appeared on the patio.

Caston grabs my arm and stops me from continuing. He pulls me into his arms and places a kiss on my lips. I still get weak in my knees from his touch. Just then baby number two kicks.

“Oh boy, you just don’t like when I get close to Mommy do you, little one?” He places his hands on my belly, feeling the movement.

“The calm before the storm,” I state.

“You can always escape to the room if you need a break. I must insist when you do that you take me, though.” He flashes me his sexy panty-dropping smile.

“Caston, you’re naughty.” I lean closer to his ear. “But I love you naughty, and you bet your ass I’ll pull you with me.”

I feel him harden at just the thought. “Easy there, cowboy, people should be here any minute.”

No sooner did I say that than a mass of people come barreling out the door to come find us.

James, Rose, Sara, Jon, the kids, Beth, and Jake have arrived.

Beth and Jake tied the knot two years ago in the huge princess wedding that reminded me of my almost wedding. It took Beth a long time to agree to marry Jake. Not because she didn’t love him, but she always said why ruin a good thing. She went on for months on how she didn’t need that piece of paper to tell the world they were together. Jake didn’t understand Beth’s aversion to marriage. I eventually had to tell him, feeling like I was betraying my best friend. It should have been her telling him, but she was so hard headed, I knew she wouldn’t. Jake went home that night and somehow got her to finally realize he wasn’t going anywhere. I couldn’t be happier for them. They make the cutest couple.

Caston completely made peace with James and Rose. The change in Rose is so uplifting. She has made so many strides to getting back to a ‘normal’ life. She still struggles with being away from home and being in crowds, but it’s amazing how an active toddler can distract her. I’m happy because now my baby girl has a set of grandparents in her life, something I never had and didn’t think was a possibility for Brianna. Rose has taken the roll of grandma to heart and spoils the kid rotten.

Sara and Jon are still going at it like rabbits. Their teenagers think it’s gross when their parents kiss in public. If they only knew. I shake my head when the teens sit outside and immediately plug into whatever game is popular now. I am so not looking forward to when Brianna and number two are that age. Is it so bad for them to stay babies forever?

Jules has been doing duties of nanny when I can’t be here. A lot has happened since the wedding.

Going back to Black Hollywood was great, but there was something missing each day. Even though I was pregnant, I worked out in the home studio every day. I even hired Professor Lee to come and help me work some of the muscles that needed to be re-trained. So many times I thought it was going to kill me. I’d cry at the end of our sessions, but what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

Once Brianna was born, I didn’t want to go back to Black Hollywood. I stayed home with her for a year. Then the day came when Caston came home to find me crying in the studio.

I was sitting in the middle of the studio with little Brianna toddling around the room in her little leotard and tutu. She was hanging on the bars and trying to put her little leg up on them just like I’d been doing before. Tears were falling down my face. I wasn’t sure why I was so unhappy. I had the most amazing life. Perfect husband, amazing little girl, and anything I could ask for. When Caston walked in, he was immediately by my side.

“Bre, did you hurt yourself?”

He’s touching my legs, looking over every inch trying to find the problem.

“No, Caston, I’m fine.”

Sitting down he pulls me into his side. “Obviously, things aren’t fine. Sabrina, you need to talk to me.”

More tears fall down my face. “I’m not happy, Caston.”

“With us?” I could tell he was hurt.

I move to straddle his lap. “No, Cass, we’re fine. Something is missing for me, though.”

Looking around the room, I chuckle as she runs toward us and slips falling on her little diaper butt.

“This, Caston,” I gesture to the room, “I miss this.”

“Dancing? But, Bre, you dance every day.”

Taking his face in my hands I kiss him. “Caston, I just want more. I think I know how to do it, but I need your help.”

He holds his hand out to accept Brianna into our little family circle. “You know I’ll do anything for you.”

“I want to open my own studio. I think that would help me. Since I can’t dance, I could teach. Pass on my skills to others.”

His face lights up. “Bre, that is a fantastic idea.”

The very next day things were rolling to get Hollywood Stars up and running. It immediately took off. I was in heaven. It was exactly what was missing. Professor Lee helped me teach a few classes until I got established enough to get a staff. It didn’t take long. Girls and boys were flocking to my studio. We have a waiting list and in only three years are looking to add another location.

Caston is still working hard at Black Hollywood, but Jon has taken over some more of the daily responsibilities because Caston decided he wanted to be home more with Brianna. It melted my heart that he wanted to be so hands on and actually took the initiative to follow through.

Beth started to work in the business side of my studio, so I could focus on teaching. So, I get to see her every day. I love it. Sara is still working at the club, and she couldn’t be happier.

“Sabrina, everything okay?” Caston whispers in my ear, snapping me out of my day dream. I have the goofiest grin on my face.

“I’m more than perfect.” Linking his arm, we head into the house.

The sun is setting and the lights around the pool turn on. I know it’s getting close for the big surprise, but I’m trying to remain calm. Jules has made an amazing meal for us to celebrate Caston’s and my four year anniversary. Taking our seats, I lean over and kiss Cass.

“Thank you, baby.”

He smiles and stands. “Thank you everyone for being here. Not just today, but year after year. We are so blessed to have you all in our life and to share with you all our ups and downs. Thankfully, the last four years have been up.” We all chuckle, knowing exactly what he is referring too.

“We have a few surprises planned tonight, but let’s eat dinner before we get to them.”

Smacking him lightly on his arm, I stand to take my place next to him. “We wanted to reveal what baby number two is going to be tonight.”

Sara and Beth squeal, making me laugh. Jon just shakes his head, and Jake looks like he’s about to puke at any minute.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to start with dessert first.”

Jules carries out a cake, and Brianna follows her out of the kitchen. Caston scoops her up, and we take the handle of the cake knife and cut in. Sliding out the piece, it’s bright pink.

A large cheer goes up in the room, scaring Brianna, making her cry. Caston pulls her on to his shoulder, comforting her. I’m misty eyed again. He looks like he’s going to burst with pride.