Mending Hearts (26 page)

“
I’m starving.” And just
like that she forgets all about her fat toes.

We walk through our home and I admire the
photos throughout the house. Angel was right about Molly; our
wedding pictures are beautiful. Molly does great work. 

After a hearty breakfast and decaffeinated
coffee, we shower and get ready for church. James and Raelynn run
up to us when they see us entering the church. Molly and Emma get
along very well, which has proven to be very beneficial to Raelynn
and to James. We sit with Molly as Adam gives the sermon today. The
topic today is “Live for today for tomorrow may never
come.” 

Emma places my hand on her
belly and I can feel my son kick.
Our
son
. Emma and I are excited to be welcoming
our son into the world right around the start of the New Year. The
baby’s room is almost completely decorated. James thought the
baby’s room should be done in ninjas, of course, Raelynn wanted
rainbows and unicorns. Luckily for me and Emma, we all agreed on
colorful baby dinosaurs.

After church services we say our goodbyes.
We go to the grocery store because this is our week to stock the
schoolhouse with the weekly supply of food. We take turns supplying
the kitchen with Brooke and Brice and each of the grandparents. The
grandparents each insisted they get a turn.

When we go home, we have a leisurely day as
we celebrate our one-year anniversary. Emma and I were a family
with the kids before we got married so other than us becoming man
and wife, nothing really has changed. Except she is now mine ever
and ever and I am hers ever and ever. Oh, and the fact that in a
few months we’ll have a new addition to our family.

We thaw the top of the wedding cake and we
attempt to eat it. The kids like it, and Emma and I decide one bite
should suffice to bring us good luck. Another tradition Emma
believes in. 

Mason and Angel called us to
see if we want to rent a large cabin in the mountains of Tennessee
for the Christmas holiday. Sara, Donovan, Brea, Vincent, and all
the kids will be coming, too. Emma and I discuss it and decide it
sounds like a great time. Emma says it sounds like a
Magical Christmas,
and I
can’t be certain if she is kidding or if she is being serious. It
sounds fun, but magical, I’m not so sure.

Adam

I make sure all the arrangements are made
before our wedding tomorrow. We have a large church upstairs, but I
met Molly in the small chapel downstairs and that’s where I want
our wedding to take place. My father disagrees, but the smaller
chapel is perfect for me and Molly. She is a simple and beautiful
girl. I knew from the first time I saw her she was different and I
was right. I knew I wanted to get to know her and I am very blessed
to be marrying her. 

Molly’s ex-husband, Alec, is my best man. I
know this is unorthodox and some people won’t understand it. Molly
and Alec are both good people who have been able to be friends
after their divorce; this has been very beneficial in Molly’s
recovery and for Raelynn. Emma has also agreed to be Molly’s matron
of honor. Outside of the church, Molly and I have very few friends.
I prefer it that way. 

I’m not jealous of Alec and I have grown to
really like him. He’s a great father to Raelynn and to James and he
is a wonderful husband to Emma. I know he was good to Molly during
their marriage and that Molly has made bad decisions. I can’t judge
her for her poor choices, for I have made them, too.

Molly and I have talked about having
children once we get married and she explained that she’ll never be
able to be a full-time mom to Raelynn and she can’t bring a child
into this world, knowing how badly she failed her first child. I
understand her reasoning although no one holds it against her. Alec
and Emma now include Molly with everything pertaining to Raelynn,
from schoolwork to doctor appointments. Whenever Molly gets
Raelynn, she also gets James. I think Molly likes that and Raelynn
and James have a close bond. I’m happy being a step-parent to Rae.
I don’t need a child of my own to be happy or to feel fulfilled.
Raelynn and Molly fill all of my needs. 

Molly shows up at the church after her photo
shoot and instructs the florist where to put the flowers. It’s a
small area and the pink stargazer lilies fill up the space
perfectly. Mom, Dad, Bridget, and Sam walk in and also help with
the tulle ribbon, lights, and candle placement. It will be a very
small and intimate wedding with my dad officiating.

“
I guess we’ll shower and
meet up at the restaurant at 7:00 p.m.,” I say. Molly and I don’t
live together and we haven’t made love yet. I am a man of God and
believe premarital sex to be a sin. I have surely sinned in the
past, but I try very hard to be a man whom God would approve
of.

“
Sounds good and you can
bring over another carload of your things if you want after the
rehearsal dinner,” Molly says. 

“
It’s already loaded, I just
need to drop them off.” 

The rehearsal dinner is beautiful. We have a
set menu of shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, petit filets, baked
potato, and house salad for the main course and lemon meringue
cheesecake and coffee for dessert. We also added mushroom ragout
with pasta as a vegetarian alternative. We have sparkling cider for
toasting.

Molly

Raelynn and I wake up to my wedding day at
my parents’ house. I think it’s the first time Raelynn has stayed
with me without James. This is a nice girly day. We are getting a
mani/pedi and then getting our hair done — orders from my mother.
Who am I to argue? Mom made appointments for her, Raelynn, me,
Emma, and Adam’s mom, Teresa. 

Raelynn and I have never had a girly day
together before. Emma meets us all at the salon, but she looks
tired. She sits in the chair and closes her eyes as she soaks her
feet. “Aww, I forgot how much I like these.” 

I laugh and I have to agree. “Nothing is
more relaxing than a pedicure.” I think Emma sleeps through hers
and Raelynn giggles as they massage her feet. Teresa and mom talk
about the wedding and the reception. 

When we are done, we all go to the church to
get ready. Raelynn’s dress fits her perfectly. It is ivory silk and
lace with a pink sash tied around her waist. I am so happy, and my
little girl looks beautiful. Emma leaves to go check on James, our
ring bearer, who is getting ready with the guys. Teresa and mom
place my veil on me, and I stand in front of the full-length
tri-fold mirror and stare at each angle it has to offer. My dress
is a long cream-color formal gown, and my floral bouquet is made of
the same pink stargazer lilies decorating the church. 

“
Molly, you look beautiful,”
Teresa says, and my mother agrees. Adam has never been married and
his parents are thrilled for us. Adam and I are marrying late in
the afternoon because we have a flight to catch. Adam has arranged
for us to honeymoon in the Bahamas. We’ll fly over and take a
cruise ship back. Since we live in Florida, this is a very
affordable trip.

“
Molly, we must go and take
our seats,” my mother says. She and Teresa kiss me and Raelynn
before exiting the room.

My dad stops at the door and just stares at
me. “Molly, you look beautiful.” He walks over to me, closing the
distance between us. He takes my hands and looks at me and says,
“You look just like your mother on our wedding day.” 

“
Thank you,
Dad.” 

Emma comes in and says, “It’s time.” I hug
Raelynn and Emma and thank Emma for all she has done for me and
Raelynn. We leave the room and wait outside the chapel doors.
Raelynn walks in first, but she turns around and waves to me. I
smile and wave back. I mouth, “I love you,” before she leaves. Emma
walks out next and she also looks behind her at me. She gives me a
big smile before she disappears. My dad squeezes my hand, but
doesn’t say anything. Our wedding song, “Because You Love Me” by Jo
Dee Messina, begins to play, and dad and I enter the chapel.

The church is small and packed. The first
thing I notice is the glittery flowers that Raelynn dropped. I
follow the pink glittery trail until Adam comes into view. I am
happy to see his blond hair is still spikey. I was afraid he would
comb it down. He is smiling, and I think my heart just skipped a
beat. I look at Alec and James before I look at Emma and Raelynn.
They are all smiling at me. 

I look at the pews and see
my friend Bobby and his wife, Leah. I smile and say a silent prayer
of thanks to God for letting each of us find our piece of
happiness
and the happiness of
peace. 

As soon as the wedding is
over, Adam’s dad, Wesley, who is officiating the wedding,
introduces us as Mr. and Mrs. Adam Wesley McDaniel. Adam looks over
at me, takes my hand in his, and says, “Well, Mrs. McDaniel, I do
believe that
this
is the ultimate high.”

Books by Brenda
Kennedy
 

Mending Hearts
is Book
Three and the final book of
The Freedom
Trilogy
.

Book One:
Shattered Dreams
 

Book Two:
Broken Lives

Book Three:
Mending Hearts
 

Other books written by this author
include: 

The
Starting Over
Trilogy
 (Featuring
Mason and Angel)

Book One:
A New Beginning
 

Book Two:
Saving Angel
 

Book Three:
Destined to
Love
 

The Fighting to Survive
Trilogy
  (Featuring Bobby and
Leah)

Round One: A Life Worth Fighting 

Round Two: Against the
Odds   

Round Three: One Last Fight 

The Rose Farm
Trilogy
 (Featuring Abel and Savannah
Mae)  

Book One: Forever Country 

Book Two: Country Life   

Book Three: Country

Coming
Soon
:

The Forgotten Trilogy…
Coming Soon
 

Book One: Leaving the
Past. Coming…
Summer
2016
 

Book Two: Living for
Today. Coming…
Fall
2016 
 

Book Three: Seeking the
Future. Coming…
Winter
2016
 

Prologue to A Life Worth Fighting

Robert

I kiss my wife, Leah, goodbye before I head
out for my morning run. I’m currently training for my first boxing
match in almost two years. Life interfered with my dreams, wreaking
havoc on everything I once held near and dear.  

I dress in gray sweats and a gray hoodie.
Before I head out the door for my roadwork exercise, I secure my
iPod to my arm. Sure, running builds endurance, but I also do it to
clear the thoughts from my head. I double-check the time on my
watch, lock up the house, and I’m off. The song “The Eye of the
Tiger” is set on repeat on my iPod and pounds in my ear through the
earbuds. I know it’s cliché, but what can I say? I’m a Rocky Balboa
fan. When I hear that song, I feel like I can take on the
world. 

I let my feet pound into the pavement and
let the music set my running pace. It’s a 15-mile run, and I have
the time down to a science. Midway through my run, I stop at the
local florist, as I do once a week. 

“Good morning, Bobby.” 

“Hello, Mrs. Ford.” Mrs. Ford is the elderly
woman who owns and runs the floral shop.  

“It’s a beautiful day today.” 

“Yes, ma’am, it is. May I have a dozen pink
roses, please?” 

“I have them all ready for you.” 

I pay for my purchase, thank her, and head
towards the door. “Bobby, will I see you next week?” 

“Yes, Mrs. Ford. Thank you and have a nice
day.” 

“You, too, dear.”
 
 

I run the short distance to the cemetery and
kneel in front of the black and gold tear shaped tombstone with the
name “Jamie Sue Grether.” I place today’s fresh roses down and
remove the flowers from last week. Deep breaths help me to keep my
anger under control as I wipe the tombstone off with the clean
cloth I carry in my hoodie pocket just for this purpose. I kiss my
index and middle fingers and press them gently to her name that is
engraved in gold.
 
 

I turn to leave, and I swear another piece
of my heart stays there with Jamie. I turn up the music on my iPod
and pound my feet into the cement in time with the music until I
reach home.  

“How was your run?”  

I look up and see that my wife, Leah, is in
the kitchen having a cup of coffee. She is standing at the stove
wearing a white blouse, a gray pencil skirt, and gray heels. I
smile as soon as I see her. I look at my watch, and I am pleasantly
surprised that I shaved off another minute from my running
time.  

“It was good. I made better time
today.”  

“Did you make all your stops today?” Leah is
referring to the stops at the florist and to see Jamie. 

“I did. Let me shower, then we’ll have
breakfast together before you leave.” 

“Sounds good.”  

I walk over and kiss her before I disappear
the back room. When we bought the house, Leah and I turned a room
in the back of the house into a training room for me. It has
everything I need to train, plus a shower. It was Leah’s idea; she
didn’t want me stinking up the house with my sweaty
clothes.  

Leah and I dated in high school. She went on
to college, where she took business courses while I trained to be a
pro-boxer. It was my dream, even as a small child. I honestly
believe I would have reached my goal of being world champion by now
if life hadn’t interfered in the cruelest way.