Their Second Chance

Chapter 29

Saturday dawned beautifully. Mike remembered being nervous on his wedding day with Christine, despite it just being an elopement. With Andrea, there were no nerves. Just orders from her, Ellie and Lily. The worst part was that Hannah was having a rough day and wanted Mike to stay with her; but he couldn't, which only upset her further. Once Mike finished setting up the yard, he went inside, picked Hannah up off the couch, and sat down with her in the chair. They had about an hour before they had to change their clothes and he was going to take advantage of it. Hannah leaned her head into his shoulder but didn't seem ready to sleep.

"You feel okay?"

"Yeah, my legs and arms hurt though but your all warm, Daddy." Hannah cuddled as close as she could and Mike rubbed her arms and legs as well.

"I'll hold you as long as I can, but we will need to get dressed in about an hour. Will you be okay tonight while Andi and I are away?"

"I'll miss you guys but I'll be okay. And you promise you'll be home tomorrow?" Hannah put her head on his shoulder and played with the button on his shirt.

"I promise, we will. We will miss you and Lily just as much as you guys miss us and probably a little more. So, I wanted to ask, why did you decide to start calling Andi, Mommy?"

"Do you ever have dreams about my mom or Abby? Lucas?"

"Quite a bit, yes." Hannah wrinkled her eyebrows up and nodded. Mike kissed the top of her head, waiting for her to continue.

"I had a dream and my mommy told me that she wanted me to have Andi and I needed to treat her just like I treated my mommy. I needed to let Andi adopt me and call her Mommy. She told me that she was watching over me and you and wanted us to be really happy."

"I see. Well, I'm glad." Hannah nodded at him and kissed his cheek.

"She also told me that I would get my baby brother and maybe someday a baby sister. I didn't think I wanted one of those; but it wouldn't be horrible. I can dress her in pretty dresses and…"

"Oh my Lord. Did she give you a timeframe?"

"Well, she said that you wouldn't bring my brother home with you tomorrow but I would have to wait about nine months for him. I don't know about the baby sister. What are you going to name them?" Hannah looked really hopeful despite Mike's hesitancy.

"I have no idea."

"I want to help name them when they get here. But can I take a nap before we have to get dressed? Like this?" Hannah had leaned her head on his shoulder again and was already tucking her lower lip behind her upper lip.

"Absolutely. I love you, baby girl."

"I love you too, Daddy." Hannah was asleep within just a couple minutes. Mike could hear Andrea and Ellie talking and Lily came in with a book to read. Things were pretty relaxed for the time being.

Mike finally woke Hannah up so they could both get dressed. Ellie had made a cake and there was punch. Mike and Andrea had both opted to not where their dress whites; opting instead for a pair of khakis and a button down for him and she was wearing a light green knee length dress. It made the wedding even more relaxed, which is what they both wanted and Russ was going to do a very simple service. They only really wanted to spend the time with their friends and family.

By two, the house was filled with friends, all from the Nathan James. Since things were so informal, there was not a specific schedule. It had started looking like it could rain so everyone filed outside so the vows could be said.

As Russ had promised; he kept things short and sweet. Within less than five minutes, Mike and Andrea were a married couple. The girls stood by them and held the rings for them until it was time to put them on. Mike and Andrea kissed and then immediately hugged both girls. There was nothing fancy at all about any of it and everyone filed back inside to eat the cake and drink punch. While everyone was visiting, Tom sat at the kitchen island and Mike cleaned the kitchen.

"So, you go back to work Monday?" Tom was eating his cake. Mike paused from his cleaning to just talk.

"Yeah. I'm ready. I wish the schools would open back up for the girls, but Ellie is pretty strict about their schooling."

"Ashley and Sam need to get back to it too. Hopefully with the food shortage ending; they'll open. Maybe things will finally start returning to normal. It's going to be weird for you though, not deploying again." Tom did have a look of concern but Mike nodded.

"I'm sure when I see the Nathan James leave again; I will feel it. But I belong here now. With Andrea and the girls. What about you?"

"I am undecided. But the kids need stability so me deploying isn't an option. The President wants me to teach with you guys. Strategies and such. You're taking care of the hands on stuff, Andrea is taking care of the day to day operations and I can teach. I've done it before. How do you feel about that?"

"I'm good with it. I hate that part of training. I do things on such an autopilot that stopping to explain it to someone grates on my nerves. It's needed and I know that but I am not good at it. I can teach techniques because it's hands on and I can be right in the middle of it." Mike had sat down next to Tom and looked around the room at everyone.

"You were always my best operator. I sometimes hated having you as XO because it meant you didn't leave the ship typically. You could teach those young guys something. They have no patience on missions and for you being such an impatient person; you were patient while you were an operator."

"Thanks, I think. I hated being the XO. But I had to do that to be a Captain. Now I just want to be home." Tom nodded in understanding. The prominence they both had now was disconcerting at best. At worst, it was embarrassing.

"I understand that. You were a great XO and an even better Captain. That was not a shock, but the shock came with you and Andrea. Course, once you moved in together to take care of Hannah; the betting pools got pretty high. It didn't take long at all. My guess is after your date?"

"Yeah. It just kind of happened. I was holding back because I didn't feel right, with Christine and all. But…it's hard to explain and you'll think I'm crazy. Do you have ever dream about Darien?"

"Yes. Not so often now. Did Christine give you permission?" Tom had gotten up and gotten himself a glass of water and then sit back down.

"Yes. That night. I've not dreamed about her since. Makes me wonder if I will again. Hannah's dreamed about her too and I've also dreamed about Abby." Despite the happiness of the day; Mike was feeling a bit depressed thinking about it.

"Not Lucas?"

"No. I don't figure I will. After Nostos, those dreams or hallucinations were pretty rough."

"You wanted to go back. What about now?"

"Yes and no. To hold them and tell them I love them, one more time. Abby, Lucas and Christine. The only problem with going back would be that I would want to stay, and what I have now is pretty great too. It's like I'm caught between two worlds and two families and Hannah is the connecting link." Mike was playing with a napkin and looked over at the kids trying to teach Clumsy how to play fetch, not successfully.

"How is she handling it, you and Andrea? She seems happy." Tom was also watching the kids with the puppy and laughing at them.

"She loves Andrea. She was good with us marrying but Andrea wanted to adopt her. Hannah was afraid that since Andrea and I were getting married and she loves Andrea, she wasn't allowed to love or miss Christine. I think her memories are getting a bit foggy too, which I hate for her. She felt like loving Andrea and allowing the adoption to happen meant she was cheating on her mom. Since her dream; she's fully on board and has even called Andrea mom. I just have to figure out to help with the memories."

"Pictures? You have a lot of them. Sit down with her on a regular basis and talk about them. You may think it will hurt but it'll help you just as much as her. So wild night tonight?" Mike smirked at Tom.

"Yeah, nice hotel, river views, room service and I even managed a bottle of scotch."

"Scotch? Not wine or champagne? You like scotch but Andrea?"

"She prefers it. Champagne gives her a headache and I don't want that tonight. Wine makes her sleepy and…"

"Enough. No more information. Hannah did tell me something earlier."

"What?" A sense of dread was washing over Mike because he had a feeling that it had something to do with a baby boy.

"Well, Andrea better enjoy that scotch because she can't have any more after tonight; for at least nine months and longer if she breastfeeds."

"Yeah, Hannah is pretty set on having a baby brother and later on, a baby sister." It was easier to just let it out.

"Well, you'd better go make that happen for her. I'll help Ellie clean up. Crowds thinning out anyway. No liquor here." Mike and Tom both stood up and Tom grabbed a trash bag.

"I only came up with one bottle of scotch and I wasn't interested in sharing it with anyone but Andrea. And I am not sorry." Both Mike and Tom laughed but Hannah had seen them stand up and had run up to Mike, who immediately picked her up and kissed her forehead. Andrea was also gathering her purse and their bags were by the door.

"You feeling better, sweet pea?"

"Yeah. Will you call me before bedtime?" Mike saw Tom smile hugely. Hannah's request would be an issue if Mike and Andrea didn't agree that the kids were a priority but chances were, Mike would want to anyway.

"Of course." Mike sit Hannah back on her feet so Lily could give him a hug and kiss. Mike hugged the girl, tightly and gave her a kiss on top of the head, then bent over to give Hannah another hug. Andrea gave both girls and Ellie a hug and instructed Ellie to call them if the girls needed them and that they would call before bedtime. What was left of their visitors, wished them well and Mike and Andrea left.

"Hey, Mike, look." Andrea was pointing towards the living room window as Mike backed the truck out. The girls were sitting on the back of the couch, waving excitedly. It made Mike smile.

"You ready?"

"Yeah, I looked up that hotel; they have these really nice, big bathtubs. I was thinking a nice, relaxing bath, and…"

"I have other plans and you'll enjoy them too."

"I'm sure I will." Mike reached over and squeezed Andrea's hand with a huge grin on his face.