I Will Sing You a Lullaby
Chapter 3
Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! They mean so much to me and help to keep me motivated. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Thanks again to the usually suspects, especially Asia and Agus!
Deacon finishes his song, Beautiful Baby, and looks over at Rayna who has moved to sit closer to him on the sofa. Tears run down her cheeks but she is smiling. Deacon returns the smile, then, after placing his guitar on the table in front of him, leans over and wipes away her tears.
"We have a daughter together," he states matter-of-factly.
"Yeah we do." Her smile broadens. He caresses her face and she sighs happily. "Sounds like your song's written. I guess we should head back to Nashville."
"Well, it seems my to do list just got a little shorter. If you don't have anywhere to be, maybe we could head back tomorrow…" He trails off, one eyebrow raised flirtatiously.
"I don't have anywhere to be," she flirts back, unabashedly. "Maybe we could add a little something else to that to do list of yours."
They lean into one another, slowly, cautiously, pressing their lips together. Their moves are tentative. They are careful not to scare the other one off by moving too quickly. Deacon is the first to break their kiss. He rests his forehead against hers and she leans into him, arms wrapping around his back, burying herself in his warmth. They remain like that for a while, comforted by one another, before Rayna speaks.
"Do you think you'd be willing to give us one more shot?" Rayna asks, almost inaudibly.
Deacon takes in a deep breath and lets it out. He scoots away from her so he can see her face. He takes her hands in his before answering. "Only if you marry me."
Rayna looks at him, eyes wide, completely stunned. Another tear escapes and rolls down her cheek.
Deacon smiles brightly, eyes clear and blue. Rayna's hands start to shake but she can't take her eyes off of him.
"Ray, you are the only one I have ever wanted. 6 more months of dating isn't going to change that. I want a life with you. This is our last chance. Let's do this right." He gets down on one knee if front of her. "Rayna, I love you as much today as I ever have. I've worked hard to be the man that you deserve, and I hope I've achieved something close to that. I will never stop striving to provide you with that- life that's good. Rayna, will you marry me?"
She nods slowly at first and then more vigorously. Tears roll down her cheeks and she throws her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately.
"You're all I've ever wanted, too. I love you Deacon. So much."
"Do you still want that 3rd baby?" he teases.
She nods, grinning sheepishly. "I do. I really do. Do you?"
"Yeah," he says through kisses. "If you'd asked me when I woke up this morning whether I thought my day would go anything like this I'd have said you were nuts, but yeah, this is what I want. I want to build a bigger family with you. But for the record, I couldn't possibly love Maddie and Daphne any more than I already do."
"I love that about you, and that's why I'm feeling a little greedy, wanting one, or two, more," she says while kissing him and beginning to unbutton his shirt.
"Well, I'm not getting any younger, so we should probably get started as soon as possible."
She nods and moves to his buckle. "No time like the present. Another 6 months isn't going to change how I feel about you." She winks, tossing his words back at him.
He pulls her sweater over her head.
"Are you sure you're all in for this?"
"I'm in 110%" he tells her while nibbling on her ear, just before pulling her onto his lap. "I am fully on board with all of this, for all 3 kids. I am ready to be a diaper changing soccer dad."
"Soccer dad? Oh really?"
"What? You don't think I can do this? I can drive car pools and make lunches and change diapers one handed, while eating a sandwich."
"You might want to put the sandwich down if you're changing diapers."
"Yeah, probably," he admits, still kissing her.
"But you standing in the kitchen, making lunches, with a burp cloth over one shoulder, is so unbelievably hot."
"Yeah?
"Yeah." She stands up, tosses her tank top at him and heads towards the bedroom. "You comin?"
##
An hour later they are in the master bedroom, lying in each other's arms.
"Let's get married here."
Deacon looks down at her. "Really?"
"I can't think of anywhere more special, plus you've done all of this work here. It could be something intimate, just us, the girls...Scarlett, too. I know how much she means to you. Just our family."
"Will I still have to wear a tux?"
"You can wear whatever you want, babe!" He kisses her again, softly, sealing the deal.
##
6 months later Deacon is giving an interview with Ed Stubbs on Opry radio.
"So this new song, it's on a children's album but it's topping the country charts! What was your inspiration?"
"Yeah, it's called Beautiful Baby. Rayna and I were talking one day about this song I needed to write-"
"For those who don't know, Deacon is speaking of the Queen of Country, Rayna Jaymes, who is here in our front row today."
Deacon's smile lights up the room. "I am indeed. That's my beautiful wife, Rayna, right there, and I am happy to announce we have a beautiful baby on the way."
"Congratulations to both of you!"
"Thank you. We are looking forward to a baby boy arriving in just a couple of months. But this song is about his sister, when she was a baby. It was written after we got to talking about how kids can just light up your world, and their laughter sounds like music to your ears. And then before you know it they're all grown up."
"Isn't that the truth?!"
"It seems like the blink of an eye!"
##
The interview finishes and Rayna and Deacon head to Teddy's to pick up the girls before driving up to the cabin. The truck is already packed. This would be their first holiday with the girls since getting married last May, and they are looking forward to a big Thanksgiving dinner with all of the trimmings. Tandy and Bucky would be heading up later in the week and Scarlett had convinced her mother to join them as well. Scarlett had worked out some issue with her mother while she was in town for the wedding, and they were getting along well these days.
Their wedding last May was the last time the whole family had been together. They'd gotten married at sunset by the lake and the entire day had been beautiful. They'd hung lights in the trees and a chef came in to set up a lobster bake. They dined at long tables in the field next to the house. Deacon had even surprised Rayna by wearing a tuxedo, which she kept whispering to him throughout the day that she couldn't wait to get off of him.
While they'd planned on the affair being just the 5 of them, in the end Rayna couldn't leave her sister out, and that meant Bucky joined as well. Having Tandy there also meant they had needed to invite Deacon's sister. Watty had been their biggest advocate for years, and Rayna was thrilled to have him join the party. Liam came along as Scarlett's date and since Juliette had been such a true friend to all of them, she and Avery joined the celebration. The night ended with them sitting around the fire pit on chairs and outdoor sofas, playing guitars and singing while fireflies danced around the yard. It was at that point Rayna whispered in Deacon's ear "I'm pregnant."