Just Breathe Again (25 page)

  “I don’t like how he looks at the ground when you are talking to him. That’s, disrespectful. What does he have to hide? And what’s with that name. Daxton?” He asked Carmen one day when they were out to eat.

  “He doesn’t look at the floor, Dad. He was nervous meeting you. You know you can be a little intimidating. His name is an old family name. His great grandfather was named Daxton,” said Carmen. 

  “I don’t give him reason to be scared. I haven’t threatened him, yet.” 

  “It’s how you look at him, Dad, like you want to kill him,” she said, pushing her plate away with half the food eaten.

  “Well, I will see. If he shapes up a little he might sway my opinion,” said Kane. Jeannie knew Kane wouldn’t like any guy Carmen brought home, no matter what.

     Marsha and John decided to divorce. Their decision didn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Marsha was sad for about a day and drank herself back to reality the next day. 

   “Well, I liked John and I can’t have bad feelings for him. He was there for me when I had no one. The other stuff, I don’t know. I wasn’t married to him.” 

  “He’s still a good man. I just couldn’t give him the one thing he wanted, and he held fact I couldn’t have children against me. I’m glad in a way, he’s happy now. We had good times,” said Marsha.

  He moved in with his mistress and they relocated to another state. Marsha was awarded the house, the Cadillac, boat, and lifetime alimony, which she didn’t need. She joked he owed it to her for the years she did without sex. Leave it to Marsha. She was happy and thought she might sell the house and get something a little smaller.

   One evening while they were eating dinner on the back porch, Jeannie pleaded with her to not sell the house. “Please don’t sell the house until after the wedding. This is where I want to marry Kane. This is where I lost Lydia and found Kane. If it hadn’t been for me staying in the basement, I wouldn’t have found the cell phone with Carmen’s number.”  

  “I wasn’t planning on selling the shack until after the wedding. Hell, depending on where you and Michael move, I may keep the damn place. I could rent out the rooms to lowly college boys down on their luck and in need of a place to stay. I may start a home for wayward college boys?” She raised and lowered her eyebrows at Jeannie.

  “Once a slut always a slut,” said Jeannie, laughing at her best friend in the world. She couldn’t imagine where she would be without this wonderful person in her life. It’s funny how you become closest to people not even your family. Marsha was the closest thing to family she had.

  The wedding, planned for April, was Marsha’s new obsession. She loved preparing for this big day, she felt responsible for making happen. They wanted a few people there, and Marsha and Carmen were going to be the maid of honors. Michael was going to be Kane’s best man, and he was thrilled.  

  “I’m not telling you who I invited.  It’s a secret,” she said, one afternoon planning the food she was going to have.

  “What if I don’t like anyone you are inviting?”

  “Trust me, you like them. All but one,” she laughed at Jeannie. 

   Carmen, Marsha, and Jeannie picked out a classy off-white dress that showed her ample breasts and great legs. They shopped at a little boutique in town, overly priced because they bought everything in Europe. The dresses they picked out for Jeannie were exquisite and more expensive than what she wanted to spend. That day she tried on more dresses than she had in a lifetime. When Jeannie walked out of the dressing room, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She wasn’t the same woman so depressed she didn’t know if she would ever be happy again. Marsha started crying when she saw how far her beautiful friend looked.

  “Do you like this one?” she asked, trying not to smile. She already knew this was the one she wanted. 

   “That’s the one,” Marsha yelled, putting her hands to her mouth. 

  “Lydia would say ‘You look hot, Mom.’ Jeannie couldn’t help it as the tears poured down her face.

“Baby, don’t cry. She’s saying that to you now, that’s why you thought of her. Lydia’s right here with us, honey.  Don’t be sad or I will have to do something obscene to snap you out of this and I know you don’t want me doing it in here.” Marsha handed her a Kleenex she had in her purse.             

  “I’m so happy, yet I miss her so much. I want her to be with me on this special day. She would have loved Kane and Carmen,” she cried, as Marsha hugged her.

  “Honey, she’s here, smiling at you. I know you sense her that’s why you are so moved. Enjoy this moment and remember she was right, this happened to bring you to Kane.”

  Jeannie nodded and sniffled. She was afraid her mascara would run on the dress she couldn’t afford and hadn’t even bought yet. She wiped her eyes and smiled at Carmen. 

  Marsha smiled and slapped her on the ass as she walked back into the dressing room. “Get your ass back in the dressing room and let’s buy this dress.”

  “I love you,” she said, sticking her head out the door.

   “I know you do and I love you too,” laughed Marsha.

  The day of the wedding was perfect. The weather was warm, sunny, with a light breeze in the air.  Marsha was in rare form, fluttering around the house, and supervising the crew there to decorate. The caterers were arriving and they were aggravating her with how slow they were being.  Her home was transformed into a beautiful arena of white and cream flowers, tents and twinkling lights everywhere.

      The guests began to arrive and Jeannie was still unaware of who was coming. Marsha did a good job keeping it a secret.

  Jeannie was nervous, overjoyed, and sad at the same time. The night before she spent alone in a hotel Marsha arranged for her and spent the whole night thinking, crying, and putting the two people she missed and loved in her memories forever. She had to put the grief and pain behind her, but never forget.  She loved Vince with all her heart; he was her first love. No one could ever take his place. She missed her daughter so bad and wanted to have her there on that most special day. Marrying Kane was so right. The pain and suffering she endured brought her to him where she belonged. She was supposed to grow old with him and make a new life with him.

 Jeanie wanted her wedding at dusk. The day was beautiful and led into an amazing night. Father Dave arrived, and he set up on the little area they used as an altar. Kane came down the steps and everyone turned to look at him and Michael. Kane looked like something from a magazine. Marsha nearly fainted.

  “You should see what you are sleeping with tonight, you bitch,” she laughed as she straightened her dress for her.

  “Does he look good?”

  “Good, is not the word. Lickable is more like it,” they both laughed.

  “Are you okay?” Marsha asked.

  “I’m more than okay. I’m so fortunate to find someone as wonderful as Kane. You know I was thinking last night, I’m one lucky woman. I’ve had two great men in my life and that’s incredible.”

  “I, on the other hand, am still waiting for my one great man,” Marsha said.

  “Honey, you will find him. I know he is out there waiting for you or hiding from you. Poor guy,” Jeannie joked.

  “Funny, doesn’t Kane have a brother or cousin, hell I would take his dad.”

   “You’re sick. His dad is ninety. Didn’t you see them wheeling him in the house?” she said.

   “Does he look as good as his son, and the bigger question is, can he still get it up?”

  Jeannie busted into hysterics. “I…I…don’t even know how to respond, you sicko.” Carmen came in looking like a model. She was wearing a lace off-white dress and high heels.  She had her hair in bun with flowers placed around.

  “Hi, you two. I talked to Dad, he’s so nervous and it’s not like him.”

  Marsha wanted up to her and pulled her into a hug. “You look stunning, by the way.”

  “So do you when you aren’t wearing that hippy crap,” said Jeannie.

  “I may get my old outfits out later in the evening. Janis must make an appearance sometime tonight.”

  “Please, not till much later. I like you dressed like this.”

  Marsha pulled a bottle of Sambuca and three shot glasses out of her oversized bag. “By the way, ladies look what I brought. We must have a toast Jeannie before she becomes the wife of such a hot man downstairs.” She poured them each a shot, and lifted hers to toast Jeannie.

  Jeannie declined. “My stomach is too upset for shots, Marsha. Have mine for me.” Carmen held out her shot glass for another and Marsha drank Jeannie’s without argument. 

  “I see you two already tripping down the aisle.”  All three of them laughed as Jeannie took one last look at herself in the full length mirror.

  “You two go and I’ll be down in a minute. I have to make an entrance you know,” said Jeannie.

 The two of them headed downstairs, giggling as they left. It was going to be one fantastic night.

  When Michael led her down the aisle, everyone gasped. As Jeannie walked to her new life, she noticed the guests. She started crying when she saw Hooty smiling her big grin, blowing her a kiss. Dr. Navarro was there with his wife, Steven, his parents, her friends from church, and Lydia’s friends were there to be with her on this special day. In the front row sat the biggest surprise. Jeannie’s mom was there with a much younger man. As Jeannie walked past her she reached out and squeezed her hand, wiping away a tear.  For the first time in a very long time, Jeannie could feel a tiny tinge of love from her mother.

  Kane couldn’t believe what was walking towards him. At that moment, he knew they were meant to be together. She was going to be his wife and he couldn’t believe how much he loved her. She was such a strong woman and a great example for his daughter, Carmen. This was the woman he waited for. Everything the two of them had been through was to bring them together.  

  There wasn’t a dry eye during the ceremony as Jeannie and Kane read their vows they wrote to each other. 

  “Kane, you are who I waited for. When Lydia was sick she used to tell me, ‘Mom, don’t be sad’. There’s a reason it’s happening, and she was right. The reason was you. I promise to love you and take care of you when we are both old and gray. You, Carmen, Michael and I are a family and I cherish the moments we have together. Kane, you are everything good in my life. You are my life. I loved you before I even met you. You made me breathe again when all I wanted to do was die. Thank you for coming into my life.” 

  “Jeannie, I was dead inside before I met you. You came into my life and walked on my porch and I knew something amazing was about to happen. I was awakened to what love is. I felt something between us that was so strong, I knew my life wasn’t going to be the same. You made me realize that I can pick myself up and live even though I thought my life was over. You gave me a second chance at life and you are why I get up in the morning. I love you so much it hurts my heart. Through all the good and the bad I have trudged through, you were meant to be my wife. Fate brought you to me just in time. I love you.”

   When they were pronounced officially married the guest jumped up and cheered.  

  The evening was something you read about in novels. The moon was full, the stars were out and the entire porch was lit by twinkling lights and candles. Marsha hired a band and everyone danced the night away. Finally, after so long, Kane and Jeannie slipped away for a moment alone.

   They snuck downstairs to Jeannie’s room. “Well, Mrs. Spinelli, how do you like being my wife?” He grabbed her in his arms and kissed her.

  “The best part is I can fall asleep with you every night and wake up with you next to me every morning.” She gazed into his beautiful blue eyes dreamily.

  “Tonight you know we aren’t going to be sleeping. I bought some interesting toys we can play with” he winked at her.

  “Uhm, I can’t wait,” she winked back.

  “Think our sex life will be different since we’re married?” 

  “Probably better, though I don’t know how making love to you could get better.”

  Kane grabbed her hand and led her back up the steps. “We better get back to the guests.”

  Jeannie resisted and stopped at the bottom of the steps. “Wait, I want to tell you something.”

  “This is when you tell me a deep dark secret you couldn’t have told me before we were married.”

  “No, it’s not. You know everything about me. Sit down for a second. They aren’t going anywhere,” Kane sat on the step and Jeannie sat on his lap. She couldn’t help but notice what was in his pants getting bigger as she sat on him.

  “Sorry, I get hard every time I get close to you, it’s uncontrollable. What’s the secret you want to tell me?” he kissed her.

   “Remember, the night we had at your house, when I came back to you?  Something happened when we made love.”

  “How could I forget? I’m doing an encore tonight. I have handcuffs this time,” he kissed her again, long and hard as she squirmed on his lap. 

  “Listen, this is serious. Something did happen. Something wonderful happened.”

  “What, tell me?”

   “I’m pregnant,” she said, looking into his eyes.

  Tears rimmed his eyes and rushed down his cheeks.

  “Are you sure?” he asked

   “I’m sure. I saw a doctor last week, and it’s official. I’m due in September. I didn’t tell anyone because of the difficulty I had with Lydia and Michael. I kept it a secret until I knew it was going to be okay. Yes, that is why I have this little bulge right now. Jeannie patted her stomach. You have no idea how hard it was keeping this secret from everyone, especially you. And yes, I will be over forty and having a baby. That’s my wedding present to you.”

  He cried and buried his face in Jeannie’s neck. “You are having… my baby…our baby?”

  “I don’t know what’s wrong. Are you happy or sad?” she asked. He lifted his head to look at her.

  “Today, I married the love of my life and she told me she’s giving me a baby. I’m the luckiest and happiest man in the world. Jeannie Spinelli, what have you done to me?”

  “I love you,” she kissed his face as she tasted his salty tears.