Chapter 16

Chapter 16
Little Family

Billie – Rae stood in front of the mirror admiring her wedding dress. She was actually getting married. And she was getting married to the man of her dreams. She never thought that would ever happen. She hoped for it, dreamed of it, but this, this was real …
“Ready, big sis?” Kathy asked popping her head through the opened door.
“Yeah…” Billie replied smiling “I’m ready”.
Kathy smiled and nodded “We’ll be waiting, then” and closed the door behind her.
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Richard was nervous. He had never been so nervous in his life. Not even when he took his boards. Not even while he waited for the paternity test results. Was he really doing the big “M” word? Was he getting married? It seemed so. He looked around. They had settled for a small wedding, but there were about forty people in the church still. All of them waiting for him to take this big, scary step: get married. He suddenly felt a urge to run as fast as he could, as far as he could. He felt his best friend nudging him and looked up. Billie was walking slowly towards him, as if counting her steps and Richard could see that she, too, was nervous. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, tell her that everything was going to be fine. That particular moment he realized that he didn’t want to be anywhere else but there, getting married, to the woman walking down the aisle.
When she finally reached her destination, he took her hand and smiled. She smiled back and her deep green eyes lit up with happiness. They turned to the priest and he started. But he barely got through the “dearly beloved” part when little Andy let out a loud wail. Billie and Richard both turned only to see him stretching out his tiny hands towards them. Ellen was trying to calm him down, but he wouldn’t stop crying. Billie squeezed Richard’s hand gently and walked to her mother.
“Here, give him to me” she said reaching out for the baby.
“But, honey, you’re getting married …” her mother said.
“You bet I am” Billie answered and a wide smile spread across her face “to his daddy”. She took Andy from Ellen and walked back to Richard. He smiled and they both turned to the priest, Andy obviously contented to be in mommy’s arms.
As the ceremony continued, Richard couldn’t keep his eyes off of Billie and Andy. They were his family, his beautiful, little family. And when he finally heard the words “you may now kiss the bride” he placed a hand on the back of her neck, gently pulled her closer and before meeting her lips with his, he whispered “I love you”.
He saw her eyes grow wide with surprise but before she could say anything he pressed his lips against hers and she responded to his kiss. They only parted when Andy began to fuss not very happy to be crushed between his parents. The audience was applauding.
“I guess we gave them quite a show” Richard told her and winked “let’s take this little tyke to bed before the reception, shall we?”