Take a Chance (14 page)

THREE MONTHS LATER

Willow

Today is the day. Today I will become Mrs. Asher Wellington. I am the happiest woman alive. I’m just starting my six
th month of pregnancy and it’s coming along beautifully. I am monitored closely by my OB/GYN. All my testing indicates it’s a normal healthy pregnancy. My regular testing for cancer has continued to come out clean as well.

My
relationship with my mom has continued to grow and we talk on the phone all the time. We have flown to Illinois a few times, and she has made several trips here. Asher won’t allow me to travel anymore, always being the overprotective one. She and her husband flew in earlier this week for the wedding. Everyone is in full wedding mode.

We are all staying
in a hotel near Alki Beach. My mom, Asher’s mom, and his sisters are rushing around in a frenzy while I sit. The hair dresser and make-up artist are performing their magic. My fingers and toes are painted in a pink French manicure. As they finish up with hair and make-up, there is a knock at the door. Amelia answers and comes back with a small rectangle box with a pink ribbon on top, and a card. Handing me the card first, I open it and read it out loud:

Sweetheart,

In just a few minutes you will make me the happiest man by becoming my wife. From the first day we met, I was captivated by your beauty. I knew that day, that my life would be forever changed. You helped me heal my broken heart and taught me how to love again. You have shown me that love is forever growing and have opened my heart to unimaginable joy. Today I marry my best friend. I promise from this day forward to be the best husband and father I know how to be. I love you with all my heart.

Love,

Asher

Not
a dry eye in the room, I tell you. Samantha is dabbing her eyes with a tissue, Amelia is snorting snot and wipes it on the back of her hand. Ava turned around and is looking out the window, and my mom is staring at me with her mouth hanging open, tears streaming down her cheeks. I don’t even know how I read the whole thing without crying myself. You would think with pregnancy hormones and being the one getting married, I would be blubbering like a baby. But I sit there with a smile on my face. Amelia hands me the box. I open it tossing the paper on the floor. Inside there is a beautiful platinum tennis bracelet with alternating pink sapphires and diamonds. There is a piece of paper under it from Asher, ‘This is your something new. The alternating pink sapphires and diamonds signify everlasting love’. Amelia takes the bracelet and puts it on my right wrist. On my left is the platinum charm bracelet Asher gave me months ago.

Stepping forward
, Samantha hands me a small square box. Inside are sparkling diamond stud ear rings.

“These are your something
old, they were given to me on my wedding day by my mother. Her mother gave them to her on her wedding day.”

“I couldn’t, this is something you should give to one of your daughters, not me.”

“You are one of my daughters, wear them knowing I love you, keep them and pass them down to your children”

My mother steps forward
, “This is your something borrowed, it belonged to my father.” She hands me a silk handkerchief.

“Mom
, thank you.” I stuff it into my bra.

Amelia and Ava step up and hand me a blue garter. “This is your something blue.”

“It’s beautiful, thank you. Thank you, everyone.”

“Can someone take this to Asher?”
I hold up a square box.

Ava offers
to take it to him as a woman tells us we have about twenty more minutes to get ready.

Asher

Today is the day I marry my best frien
d. I am standing in my room with my dad, Willow’s step-dad, and my two brothers dressed in a tux with a pink bow tie and a single pink rose bud in the lapel. Who said real men don’t wear pink? There’s a knock at the door, and Ava pokes her head in, and hands me a gift from Willow. Opening the card, I read:

Asher,

Today I marry my best friend. You stood by me through one of the toughest times in my life, never faltering. You were always strong enough for the both of us. Today I give you my promise to love you for the rest of my life. And not force you to eat chili with noodles. As our child grows in my belly, I look forward to raising him or her with the loving man that I know you are. Thank you for loving me, scars and all.

Love,

Willow

Opening the box is a Cart
ier watch with a silver band and a black face. Turning it over inscribed on the back is ‘all my love all the time.’ I put the watch on as the wedding coordinator opens the door and tells me it’s time.

Walking out on the beach, it’s just a simple ceremony. The
officiate is standing a few yards away from the shore line. In front of him on the left are three chairs, my mom and dad sit in two, as I get closer, I can see the third is vacant. Sitting on the seat is an arrangement of yellow roses. With a smile, I just know that was all Willow’s doing.

On the right are three seats as well
. Willow’s step-dad sits in one, the other to be sat in by her mother shortly. Next to that seat is a pink dog bed with Lucy sitting in it wearing a pink bow on the top of her head. Standing by the officiate, I turn around and my mom smiles warmly as my dad holds her hand.

Ava and Aiden walk toward me arm in
arm, bending over they each kiss our Mom on the cheek. Next come Amelia and Adrian walking arm in arm, they too kiss our mother on the cheek. Next Willow and her mother appear.

Willow is a vision in white
. She looks beautiful barefoot, wearing a white gown with her little baby bump on display. She’s holding an arrangement of pink roses with one yellow one tucked in the center. My parents and her step-dad stand as they make their way over to us. After kissing Willow on the cheek her mother, step-dad, and my parents take a seat. Taking both of Willow’s hands in mine I mouth the words ‘I love you’ to her.

“Ladies and gentlemen
, we are gathered here today to bring together Asher and Willow in holy matrimony. Who gives this woman to be married?”

“I do,” s
ays her mother.

“Asher and Willow have written their own vows and would like to recite them
to you now.”

Squeezing Willow’s hand
, I look into her eyes, and I recite my vows from memory.

“Willow, from the first day we met I became truly alive again. After years of sadness
, you proved to me over and over again that my broken heart could love again. Standing in front of our families, I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for the rest of my life. I promise to be the best father to our child.”

Taking her left hand in both
of mine, I place her rings halfway up her finger.

“
I, Asher, take you Willow, as my friend and my soul mate. To stand beside you in laughter and tears, in sickness and health, through good times and bad. I give you these rings as a symbol of my love and devotion, and with all that I am and with all that I have, I will honor you until the day that I die.”

Slipping both rings all the way on her finger, I raise them to my lips and kiss them.

Willow takes my hands in hers and looks into my eyes and says, “Asher I have dreamt my whole life wishing to find a man that loves me the way you do. Running into you on a sidewalk brought us together, but your love and devotion binds us forever. You made me whole, you accept me for who I am. You make me feel beautiful and loved.”

She takes my left hand in both of h
ers, slips my wedding band halfway up my finger.

“I
, Willow, take you Asher, as my friend and soul mate. To stand beside you in laughter and tears, in sickness and health, through good times and bad, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, and with all that I am and with all that I have, I will honor you until the day that I die.”

She slips the band all the way on my finger
, raising my hand to her lips and kisses it.

“With these statements of love and trust, in the company of family
, I now pronounce Asher and Willow husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

With cheering and clapping
, I place my hands on Willow’s face, barely touching her lips I tell her I love her and kiss her with every loving emotion in my body.

Turning around facing the ocean
, Willow raises her bouquet over her head and throws it. Amelia catches it with a huge smile on her face.

Willow

My wedding day was ripped right out of a fairy tale. It was a beautiful sunny day with only our close loved ones to watch. Having my mom there was an added bonus that always seemed to be missing from my perfect wedding day imagination. Our wedding was simple and it couldn’t have been more perfect. After the photographer left, our family headed over to a restaurant where we would be meeting in a few minutes. I had one more thing I needed to do.

I take
Asher’s hand and the arrangement of yellow roses that sat reverently through our ceremony. It was an honor to recognize and honor Olivia in all aspects of our day. From the single rose in my bouquet to the arrangement that attended the ceremony. Walking to the shoreline the waves splashing at our feet, I hand Asher half of the flowers.

Bending
over I place them in the water, I give his hand a quick squeeze. He raises his to his nose inhales sharply, kisses them then sets them free in the salty water. We watched together as they drifted farther out to sea. Resting my head on his shoulder, I can’t help but remember all that she did to help us along our journey.

Meeting our families at the restaurant, we all ate and laughed celebrating our happy day. T
omorrow my mom and step-dad are flying back to Illinois. Asher and I rented a beach house for a week not far from the restaurant. Samantha and Samuel are staying one more night at the hotel. Asher’s brothers and sister are all heading home tonight. Lucy is going home with Amelia. Saying our goodbyes to everyone with hugs and kisses, we drive to the beautiful beach house.

Bringing in our bags
, Asher makes me wait on the porch. Picking me up, he carries me over the threshold.

“Asher you’re supposed to carry your bride over the threshold of our house not a rental.”

Looking at me with a huge grin he says, “I just did.”

“Wait. What?”

“It’s ours. Well it’s not exactly ours just yet. We’re in the process of buying it. We go in next week to sign all the paper work.”

“EEEEeeeee, are you serious it’s ours?”

“I knew you’d love it, it’s my wedding gift to you.”

“And
all I got you is a lousy watch,” I say teasing him.

Setting me own on my feet, he shows me around the home. It has five bedrooms each with an en suite. A family room with a floor to ceiling fire place set in large boulders. A gourmet kitchen and the wall facing the oce
an is nothing but windows. Large French doors open up to the huge wrap around deck. Stepping out on the deck, the wind is gently blowing. The sun is setting and the sky is hues of orange and pink. Asher wraps his arms around me from behind, holding me tight. We watch the sunset into the horizon.

“Asher
, thank you for today. Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.” Lowering his hands to my swollen belly, he lowers his head to whisper in my ear.

“Willow
, thank you for today. You have made all my dreams come true. You gave me my life back, you gave me your love, and you are giving me a child.”

Turning in his arms, kissing him on the lips I walk back in the house
, making my way into the master bedroom, and grab my sexy lingerie. Putting on a white sheer top that just covers my breasts then opens exposing my pregnant belly and falls to my hips paired with a white thong and the blue garter from the girls, I perch myself in the center of the bed. Asher comes into the bedroom. With a growl, he strips at the foot of the bed. On all fours, he slowly crawls up and hovers over my body.

“You are
so beautiful, Willow. I want to make love to my wife.”

Placing my hand on his cheek
, I say, “You are most handsome, and I want my husband to make love to me.”

Bending his elbows on either side of my head
, he kisses just under my ear trailing my jaw to my lips. Opening my mouth for his tongue, he sweeps it in and gently kisses me. He moves down my chin and throat, between my breasts over to the fading scars on my left breast. He kisses each one with love, he moves to my right breast taking my nipple in his mouth twirling and sucking until it’s a hard pebble. He places his ear on my belly, then kisses every inch. Continuing downward, he kisses my inner thigh, where he finds my garter and pulls it down my leg, with his teeth.

Kissing back up
my ankle to my knee, then up my thigh, he spreads my legs licking and sucking, inserting two fingers as his warm tongue continues to love me. The familiar tingle takes over as I’m thrown into an orgasm, he continues to lap and lick as his fingers thrust in and out. A second wave hits as he moans sending me over the edge with the vibration. Kissing his way back up my belly, licking up my throat, he thrusts his tongue in my mouth. I love the way I taste on his lips.

Placing my hands on his shoulders
, I gently push him down and straddling his thighs. I love the way he kisses me, always with a slow and burning desire, never rushed. Each time is like he’s making love to my mouth, telling me a story of his love and gratitude. Taking his ear in my mouth, I exhale a soft moan and shower feather soft kisses on his neck, making him shiver. Licking down the center of his chest, over his rock hard abs, I take him into my mouth, he inhales sharply as I swirl the tip with my tongue. I take him all the way in my mouth until he hits the back of my throat, and he whispers my name. Loving the soft silky skin, I bob my head up and down his length slowly. He pulls me up switching positions. Lying underneath him, he slowly enters me, filling me completely. I reach my hands around his back and dig my nails into his skin and slide them down, ever so slowly. He moans loudly, “Do that again.”

Repeating the motion again
, I can feel another orgasm releasing, with a loud moan, I call out his name.

Still convulsing he follows with his own release
, shouting my name. Lying side by side breathing heavy, he pulls me up and into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, we stand in the hot water just holding each other close. Turning me towards him, he squirts my shampoo in his hand and lathers my hair, massaging my scalp with his fingertips. Soaping up his hands with body wash he washes each arm, my breasts, and my baby bump. Washing both legs and my feet, he rinses the shampoo out of my hair. Squeezing conditioner on my head he smooths it all over my hair.

Handing me his shampoo
, he tilts his head so I can wash his hair. Gently, I wash his hair then turn him into the water, so he can rinse off. Soaping up my hands, I wash his body the same way he washed mine. I rinse the conditioner out of my hair. Turning off the water he grabs a fluffy soft towel, and gently dries my body then his own.

Exhausted from the emotional day and the pregnancy hormones
, he carries me to bed. Laying me down, then covering me up, he climbs over the top of me and gets under the covers with me. Lying in our ‘night time position’ we are both fall fast asleep.

Our honeymoon was all about spending time with each other. Only leaving to go for walks on the beach
, we cooked at home every night and ate on the deck. I was sad to leave our new beach home, but knew we would return soon.

Asher

The next few months flew by
. Willow’s belly grew, and she was the most beautiful pregnant woman I had ever seen. She continued to work for Amelia saying she wouldn’t dream of taking a different job. Which Amelia loved, because I don’t think she could live without her. Every night, I would rub her feet and smear coco butter on her round belly. She never really had cravings, only a few times did she send me out at midnight for Chinese. I would have done anything for her.

Recently we started working on the nursery
. We didn’t want to find out the sex of the baby, so we chose a neutral yellow color for the walls and decorations. One night, I woke and found that Willow wasn’t in bed. I found her asleep sitting in the rocker in the nursery with her hand on her belly. I still remember the first time I felt the baby kick in her belly, the feeling of knowing we created an actual life, and it’s growing inside of Willow is amazing. I carry her back to bed, she’s been so tired I wish she would stop working and take it easy. She said she wants to work a few more weeks, I can give her a few more weeks but no more.

Now thirty-eight weeks pregnant this is her last week at work.
On Friday Charlotte buzzes in and says Amelia called, and I needed to get down there right away. Not even wasting time with the elevator, I ran down the flights of stairs, two sometimes three steps at a time, it’s a wonder I didn’t end up breaking my neck. Reaching her floor, I run to Willow’s desk but she’s not there. Rushing in Amelia’s office she’s sitting with her back facing me, Amelia is kneeling in front of her holding her hand.

“What’s happened?”

“Her water broke. We need to get her to the hospital.”

“NO! I can’t walk out
of here like this. I look like I just took the biggest pee of my life in my clothes!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, we need to get going NOW!”

“Asher, please, I don’t want anyone else to see me like this.”

Thinking fast
, how do I get rid of a hundred employees fast? I know, a fire drill. We haven’t had a fire drill in a while.

“Amelia
, go pull the fire alarm.”

“What, you can’t do that Asher the fire department will come
,” Willow shouts.

“Amelia
, call the fire department tell them we are going to do a scheduled fire drill, then send out an urgent company memorandum saying we are doing a fire drill. Everyone has their designated meeting spot. Willow and I can exit out of a door no one else does.”

“Asher
, that’s brilliant! You two make your escape. I’ll call the rest of the family and tell them that it’s birthday time.”

Waiting
until Amelia arranged everything with the fire department and for all the employees to get the memo, I pull the fire alarm. Waiting another thirty minutes for all the employees to get to their designated check in point, Willow and I make our escape. Simon is waiting for us at the door with the car. Helping Willow in the car we make our way to the hospital.

Checking in is a breeze, Willow had already pre-registered, she’s in a little bit of pain but seems to be handling it well. Getting her situated in a bed
, nurses are fluttering in and out monitoring her condition. Ava, Adrian, Aiden and my parents show up and visit for a little while. My parents and brothers make their way to the waiting room, wanting to give us privacy. Ava stays as per Willow’s request.