The Pregnancy Ship
Chapter 20: Forever and Ever Amen part one
This is an A/U story
Disclaimer: These are not my characters they are fully James Duffs. I just love them so much and love to play with them.
The song Forever and Ever Amen belongs to Randy Travis. I just needed to borrow it.
The morning of the wedding the sun shone bright and was pleasantly warm, even at 6:00am. Sharon opened her eyes hoping to see more than lights and shadows but was disappointed yet again. She had been hoping that on her wedding day her sight would come back, but no such luck. She was drawn to the window where she could hear voices and noises coming from the back yard. When Sharon heard Patrice came out of the bathroom after she had taken a shower she said, "morning Patrice. What's going on in the back yard?"
"I think it's the crew Andy hired to get the backyard ready for the wedding, Honey."
"Oh, that's right he told me about that before he left to stay with Nicole, Dean and the boys," she said wistfully.
Patrice noticed that Sharon was standing by the window and could tell by the way Sharon's forehead was resting against the glass with the look of disappointment and sadness on her beautiful face, that she was mourning her the loss of her sight and missing Andy. Patrice knew Sharon well enough by now to know that she had hoped her sight would come back on her wedding day. She hadn't said anything, but she had hoped and was disappointed. Patrice decided to try and cheer her up with a funny story. "Yeah, a night spent playing with Andy's grandson's was not what Louie expected Andy would want to do for his bachelor party, but he went with it. He seemed to enjoy himself. He's really got a soft spot for kids. I got a picture on my phone of Andy and Louie tied up together on kitchen chairs back to back. They were supposed to be the robbers, and the boys were the cops. There's another one with Julio, Mike and Buzz tied up." Sharon pressed her lips together and let out laugh that sounded more like a strangled sob. "Oh Honey, you're mourning the fact that you can't see on your wedding day, and I'm going on about a pictures on my phone. Your sight will come back, it will. The doctors say…"
"It's only temporary!" They said together. "I know it's only temporary Patrice, but it doesn't feel that way! I was really hoping my sight would come back today, on my wedding day! I think I had myself convinced that it would, but it hasn't and quite frankly I'm terrified. What if going down the aisle I trip or veer into the chairs or..."
"Hey, calm down, Sharon. From what I understand Ricky and Rusty are giving you away, so that means they will be walking down the aisle with you. They won't let you fall, or veer into the chairs. I promise. Besides, what happened to simple? Just saying your vows and having some cake?" Patrice asked as she came closer to the window and Sharon.
"Yeah, well it seems to have evolved somewhat from simple. When we started out it was like this. You know, walking down the aisle, family and friends to help celebrate our day. A nice catered luncheon, but then I fell, and since I was unable to finish the planning because of my fall and losing my sight...temporarily, Nicole offered to help. I tried to explain that we'd decided simple was best, but I'm afraid simple turned into something far different. Judging from her own wedding, I doubt if she knows the meaning of the word simple. Nicole seems to feel that walking down the aisle with Ricky and Rusty on either side of me wouldn't be too difficult for me and my Low Vision Occupational Therapist Melinda agrees. Nicole is sweet, I love her dearly, and I'm grateful for her help. I know she's worked really hard on this, but all the sudden the idea of walking down an aisle in front of people, blind not to mention eating in front of them has got me tied up in knots." Sharon hugged herself and started to try to pace. Then she remembered pacing while full of anxiety was what got her in this mess in the first place. She stopped, felt for the window and leaned her forehead against it again. She tried to take deep breaths to overcome her panic.
"Honey, if it's getting you this freaked out I will talk to Nicole. This is your wedding not hers..."
Sharon considered this for barely a second before she shook her head no. "No...you can't. Nicole and Andy's relationship is still so fragile, I don't want to get in the way or get her upset with him. I'm just having a little freak out; I'll deal with it. Besides, it's not the only thing that's got me freaked out. The closer it gets to the babies birth, the more frightened I become. I can't imagine trying to care for one baby, without my sight, much less two! What if I lose them or drop them or..or...poison them in some way!" She gestured wildly with her arms."
"Hey calm down, Sharon!" Patrice told her friend again. "Remember your blood pressure. It's important you keep calm and not give way to panic. You are not alone in this. You have Andy, Rusty, Ricky, Emily, and your friends. We'll all help you until your sight comes back and beyond. You are not alone like you were when you were married to Jack, and raising your kids by yourself." Patrice put her hand on Sharon's back and started rubbing circles on it. "I think you're having all these anxieties because you're sleep deprived. Honey, have you been having nightmares like you had all last night, a lot?"
Sharon nodded and hugged her very pregnant stomach with one arm and wiped her tears away with the other. Just when she thought she had a reasonable amount of control over her emotions they would overwhelm her again with a vengeance. "They just recently started. I'm fine as long as I'm touching Andy. Listening to his heart beat, but the minute I turn over and our bodies aren't touching, the nightmares start. Mostly they are about being lost, alone and blind in public places like the mall, the PAB or at the wedding. One or two have been about giving birth and not being able to...to see my babies when they're born or not being able to keep track of them once I have them because I'm blind. It doesn't' help that one of my nightmares came true mere hours after I had it. I'm sorry Patrice, you ended up with the short straw, staying with me."
"I didn't end up with any short straw, I volunteered," Patrice told her adamantly. "Quite frankly it was the only way Andy would agree to go along with the tradition of staying away from the bride the night before the wedding."
Sharon nodded, a small smile on her lips with the memory of Andy's vehement protestations when Provenza and Patrice showed up to take him to his daughter's house even though it was just around the corner. Nicole had known it would be a problem for Andy to leave Sharon, so she had enlisted her father's partner to help. When Andy had told Louie it wasn't possible for him to leave her, he had reminded him that Sharon would be surrounded by her kids and if he stayed he would be breaking a cardinal wedding rule and would have bad luck. Andy had countered with the fact that Sharon was blind, and had been having nightmares and one had come true that very day. Andy had finally agreed to go along with it, once he realized that Patrice was going to stay with her. Patrice had realized his concerns for his fiancé were legitimate and had volunteered to sleep with Sharon, with her permission of course. She had agreed for Andy's peace of mind, as well as her own. Inwardly she cringed. She had slept alone for thirty odd years. How had she become so dependent on the idea of not sleeping alone? Of course she would have preferred her sleeping partner to be Andy, but in this situation Patrice's presence was welcome. "But you didn't know what you were getting into." Sharon protested ruefully. "Between me getting up every hour on the hour to go to the bathroom, and waking up screaming the rest of the night..."
Patrice laughed, "Honey, I was getting up right behind you, remember? We're on this pregnancy ship together. Now let's get you ready for your wedding, hmmm? First we'll get you into a nice warm bath, and then we'll do your hair and makeup. I have some plans for those beautiful tresses of yours."
There was a knock at the door Patrice went to answer it, Linda was there. She wore black pants, a red sweater, and a friendly smile on her face. "Good morning ladies, I just thought you might need some help with getting the bride ready for her wedding."
"Thank you, Linda, that would be great!" said Patrice. She had been a little worried about getting Sharon out of the tub once she was in it. She had just come off bed rest two weeks ago, and did not want to go back on and she was feeling tired, not having had much sleep the night before.
"Where is Emily, Linda?" Sharon asked, concern for her daughter in her voice.
"She likes to sleep in, in the mornings," Linda said, ruefully. Sharon frowned, Ricky had always been the lay abed, not Emily. Since she was very young, and she had become so focused on becoming a ballet dancer she'd been an early riser. Doing ballet exercises and honing her skill, Sharon hoped she wasn't becoming depressed, because of the broken ankle. But then Sharon remembered that when on vacation she did indulge in sleeping late, and when woken up before she was ready she could be a bear. "She actually said, go help my mom get ready for her wedding. I'll be ready to wake up when you are finished with her."
"Hmmm, that was rude. You're not a paid caregiver. She doesn't have a right to order you around..." Sharon told her.
"Actually, I am now. Um Emily insisted. She called her grandfather and asked for the funds from her trust to pay me. I told her it wasn't 't necessary, insisted even but she insisted back. Believe me, Sharon I am well compensated. Both Emily and your father agreed I should get hazard pay for poking the bear in the morning and putting my life in danger." She pretended to put quotation marks in the air then realized Sharon could not see her and said instead, "that was a direct quote from both of them."
Sharon laughed and wiped the last bit of moisture from her eyes, "that sounds like dad and Emily."
"Are those tears, Sharon? What's wrong, dear? This is your wedding day, you should be happy." Linda asked worried.
"I'm just having my own little pity party, Linda. I'll be fine," Sharon tried to sound like it was not the full-blown freak out that it really was.
Linda noticed Patrice was mouthing the words, "mourning her sight." Linda nodded to let her know she understood. "Sharon, it sounds like you need to unwind let's get some bath oils, some candles and some soft music if you wish. Then after your bath you can take a little nap before Patrice starts working on your hair. You don't want to be strung out for your wedding to that absolute silverfox of a fiancé' you have in Andy Flynn."
"Thank you, Linda. I'm... I'm really glad you're here. I don't know whether or not I'll be able to get out of the tub without help and I don't want to cause problems for Patrice's pregnancy. I have only used the shower so far. Andy said the bathtub was specially made with a door, but I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet, since I've only had time for showers since I moved here."
"Well there is no time like the present to try this new fangled tub out. You definitely need to mellow out and a bath will do that." Linda helped her get out of her robe and nightgown and into the tub. It was wonderfully easy because she was able to walk into it and sit down on the heated molded ceramic seat. Linda closed the door to the tub, locked it and started the heater in the bathroom then started the water flowing into the tub.
She found Sharon's lavender bath oil and put a little in the tub. Then she lit some lavender scented candles. Sharon hummed, then said in a small voice barely heard over the sound of the warm water rushing into the tub, "you...you won't leave me? Will you?"
"No dear, not if you don't want me too. Where do you keep your towels and washcloths?"
"The linen closet is um the door right across from the shower stall. I believe...I still get my condo layout mixed up with this place."
"No, you got it right. It was just where you told me." Linda put the towels on the table beside the tub and asked, "Would you like some help washing your hair?"
"Would you mind? Andy and I washed it and straightened it yesterday, but last night I kept waking up in a cold sweat with really bad dreams, now it needs to be washed again. My shampoo and conditioner and body wash are in the shower stall. I'm sorry Linda I should have gotten everything organized before getting into the tub Melinda will be so disappointed in me for allowing you to do all this for me. I'm just so tired from not sleeping and addle brained from nerves..." Sharon said apologetically.
"Sharon dear, you are a bride and brides deserve to be pampered on their wedding day. Just relax and let me take care of you," soothed Linda.
The water had reached to Sharon's chest, so Linda turned it off, put the jets on low and made sure they weren't aimed between her legs. She discovered a CD player with CDs right under it. There was everything from classical to country. She found a romantic CD that had the theme from Somewhere in Time, Rachmonainoffs, Rhapsody in the Theme of Paginnini. She put it on softly and dialed the lights down to half strength. She allowed Sharon to soak for a little while and could see her muscles starting to relax as her eyes closed. But then as her body relaxed and she began to float a little she jerked and grabbed the tub. "Linda?" she cried out in panic.
"I'm right here, Sharon I told you I wouldn't leave...I was just trying to be quiet and give you some peace." Linda said in a soft voice.
"I'm sorry, I trust you. It's just...it just got so quiet in here, except for the music. I had started to fall asleep and then I guess I started to float and it made me feel like I was falling, and it scared me. Oh Linda, it's only been a little less than a week, how am I going to survive six to eight weeks of this? I was doing so well! Or at least I thought I was. I was counting my steps and learning to do things independently. I was starting to feel confident in my ability to handle this, but then Melinda took me to the mall and I lost contact with her for just a moment. Now I feel as if I'm back to square one." Sharon cried into her hands.
Linda rubbed Sharon's back and tried to sound reassuring, "perhaps this is a delayed reaction but you seemed fine last night Sharon. After that episode, I think the missing element here is Andy. You feel safe when he's with you. He's your anchor. He's not here and you are feeling vulnerable, and frightened. Perhaps you fear that he's not coming back? Judging from some of the things said last night, and things Emily has said in conversations we've had, Jack would have left you in a heartbeat, under these circumstances. He did leave, under less angst than you are experiencing now. I can assure you that Andy did not want to leave you, even to stay over night with his daughter and grandsons. I'll betcha that as soon as he can pry his way out from under his daughters watchful eye he'll be back. He loves you dear and nothing, not blindness or unplanned parenthood or anything else will come between you, if he has a say in it."
Sharon let out a breath and relaxed again. "Thank you for that Linda. I guess underlying everything else is the fear that the blindness, the pregnancy and all the angst we've been experiencing lately will drive Andy away like it did Jack. Andy is not Jack, I know that and yet it seems part of my mind hasn't caught up with that fact yet. I keep expecting him to become tired of me or to leave because all the angst isn't good for his sobriety or because I'm no longer attractive to him. He could have anybody he wants..."
"Yes he can, Sharon but who he wants is you. I've watched him; his eyes are always on you. They follow you around the room. His heart is on his face he adores you. You are a very beautiful woman, Sharon and the pregnancy makes you even more so."
"Thank you Linda. I'm sorry I didn't mean to seem like I was fishing for compliments."
"You my friend are welcome and I knew you were not fishing for compliments. Okay let's get this hair of yours washed so you can get a nap in. It's 7o'clock and the wedding isn't till one, you've got plenty of time." She said and began washing Sharon's hair so that she could get out of the tub and lay down on the bed. She handed her the washcloth and the body wash. While Sharon washed herself, Linda washed her hair, rinsed it, washed it again, and rinsed it again. Then she let the water out of the tub, warning Sharon to be careful of the oil on the bottom of the tub. Sharon slid along the molded seat over to the door. Linda opened the door to the tub, and after rinsing then drying her feet off, Linda held both of Sharon's hands as she put her feet out of the tub and into her Ugg slippers. Then between the two them they got her out. Linda handed Sharon a fluffy towel and as she was drying herself, Linda finished cleaning up. She gave Sharon a light shift to rest in. After she helped her comb the tangles out she braided it so that it would dry with romantic waves.
Once that was done, Sharon found her way back to her bed and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow. While she had been in the tub, Patrice had asked Rusty for clean sheets, intending to change the sheets herself. She thought Sharon would sleep better on clean sheets, since she had woke up in a cold sweat several times the night before but knowing Patrice had just come off bed rest, Rusty offered to do it himself. It was one of his chores anyway. Then he had gone to make breakfast for everybody and Patrice had found a guest room to rest in.
Linda covered Sharon and went to find Ricky, to ask him to sit with her while she slept, so she wouldn't have more nightmares. Then, Linda went to the caregiver's cottage, so she could help Emily get ready for the day. As she did she dialed her cell phone, when the phone was answered, Linda could be heard saying, "hello Andy, your bride to be had a rough morning. I think you'd do well to come a little early and reassure her."
Two hours later, Sharon started to wake up to the sound of someone picking a guitar to the tune of Forever and Ever Amen. As her eyes started opening, Andy's rough voice started to sing a little off key…..
"You may think that I'm talkin' foolish
You've heard that I'm wild and I'm free
You may wonder how, I can promise you now
This love that I feel for you always will be
But you're not just time that I'm killin'
I'm no longer one of those guys
As sure as I live, this love that I give
Is gonna be yours until the day that I die
Oh, baby! I'm gonna love you forever, forever and ever, Amen!
As long as old men sit n' talk about the weather
As long as old women sit n' talk about old men
If you wonder how long I'll be faithful
I'll be happy to tell you again
I'm gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever, Amen!
They say that time takes it's toll on a body
Makes a young girl's brown hair turn gray
But, honey, I don't care, I ain't in love with your hair
And if it all fell out, well, I'd love you anyway
They say time can play tricks on a memory
Make people forget things they knew
Well, it's easy to see, it's happenin' to me
I've already forgotten every woman but you
Oh, darlin'! I'm gonna love you forever, forever and ever, Amen!
As long as old men sit n' talk about the weather
As long as old women sit n' talk about old men
If you wonder how long I'll be faithful
Well, just listen to how this song ends
I'm gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever, Amen!
I'm gonna love you forever and ever, forever and ever
Forever and ever, forever and ever, A...m...e...n!"
Sharon's eyes filled up with happy tears, "Andy, that was wonderful. Thank you."
"You are welcome, my Love. Sorry, I don't sound quite like Randy Travis."
"You sound wonderful, Andy, because I could hear the love in your voice as you we're singing it." She said thoroughly in awe.
"Well good, because that was what I was hoping for. Do you remember the first time we danced to this song?" Andy asked her though he knew she would.
"Mmmmhmm. It was at Gavin's boyfriends ranch. He invited us to come up for the weekend. It was after the Reese, Dunn and Tamika case was solved. We really needed a break. So Taylor gave us a four-day weekend and the whole squad was invited to the ranch. They had a trail ride, a mini rodeo and a barn dance. It was at the barn dance/karaoke party. I remember Randy Travis was there and he sang that song and some of his other hits. I recall I was so impressed that you knew the two-step as well as you knew how to waltz, merengue, salsa and tango. I was also impressed at how you looked in cowboy boots and in that blue and white-checkered button down with the blue bandana wrapped around your neck. Not to mention the cowboy hat and woohoo those tight jeans." Sharon said shaking her hand in a fanning herself type impression.
He took her small hand in his, put the guitar down, and pulled her into his lap. "And I was impressed by you too. You never missed a step, like we'd been dancing together our whole lives. You were adorable in those tight fitting jeans, matching blue shirt, cowboy hat and boots. Then Randy started singing this song and we sang along to each other together. There must have been sixty other people in the room, but they faded into the background and it was just us. When I was singing this song then, and even more so now, I meant every word. The song doesn't say anything about blindness or late-in-life pregnancies but know that I mean those words in those cases too. I'm going to love you forever and ever, no matter what storms in life hit us. l promise."
Sharon pressed her lips together, "I love you too, no matter what." She put a hand on each of his cheeks, brought his lips to hers they kissed long and deeply. When they came up for air, "I guess you heard I was having a major freak out," she said and snuggled up against him her ear to his heart.
"Yes, a little bird told me, actually two little birds. I spoke to Nicole, about your concerns. She said if it's that much of a problem it's our wedding we can do what we want. She just thought that the Sharon Raydor she knew would not allow blindness to limit her in anyway." Andy said. He kissed the top of her head and waited.
Sharon shrugged a shoulder and barked a small laugh. "She's never been blind...obviously, but she is right. The Sharon Raydor she knew wouldn't have. I think I've lost her, somehow. Darth Raydor seems to have faded away to be replaced by someone I barely recognize, Frannie Freakout or Meltdown Mable," she said wistfully.
Andy held her tighter as he said, "Sharon, no one faults you for being frightened about being blind. Even if it's temporary, it's got to be scary not to be able to see. You are right, Nicole has never been blind, let alone blind and pregnant with twins. None of us have, but Melinda does know, at least the blind part. She was blind for 18 months. What did she say?"
"I say she needs to do what makes her comfortable." Melinda said to both of them then she focused her attention on Sharon. "If it were later on in your therapy, and you weren't in the middle of a late in life pregnancy I'd say you should walk down the aisle, but perhaps I've pushed you too hard. I forget about the late pregnancy part, you look so much younger than you are. We can't let your blood pressure go up and cause you to lose the babies, by making you do something you truly are not comfortable doing," Melinda said. Both Sharon and Andy jumped, not expecting her to be here quite so early. When she saw them startled she explained, "um Sorry, Rusty let me in. I came early because I figured there would be a lot of nerves after yesterday, but I take it that is an understatement."
Sharon nodded and said ruefully, "I'll say! Even knowing Rusty and Ricky will walk me down the aisle didn't seem to help. It's not just the walking down the aisle, it's eating in front of people. I can eat pretty well blind, thanks to you, but if I get nervous my hands shake. It makes me uncomfortable to be watched."
"Nicole called me the other day and asked about that. I told her finger foods would be best. When it comes time to eat, someone will put together a plate of foods they know you like and that won't end up all over you. Our goal is not to humiliate you Sharon or cause you stress." Melinda tried to reassure her by saying, "your family loves you and just wants you to have the wedding you were going to have before all this happened. Do you think having a little bit of practice would help? Before you make a final decision about whether or not to go down the aisle or stay on the patio."
Sharon thought about it. With everything that had happened yesterday they had not had an opportunity to have the rehearsal they were supposed to have. Perhaps that was the source of her anxiety. "What time is it? Do we have time for a rehearsal?"
"We have plenty of time, it's only 9:30am but we still need to eat breakfast." Andy told her. "Which one do you want to do first?"
"I'll think about it while I'm changing." Sharon said as she walked to her closet counting her steps. She felt through her dresses picking a royal blue stretchy maternity jersey sundress with a built in bra. Then she used the wall to guide her to the bathroom, dressing pretty quickly. She slid her feet into white sandals. Melinda helped her with hair. It had gotten messed up when she napped. "Okay, I'm ready," she said. There was a low rumbling sound that came from her stomach. Sharon blushed. "I think the babies are telling me they want to eat first." She said sheepishly and rubbed her stomach.
"Okay, we'll eat first. The babies have spoken," Andy said playfully.
They went into the dining room, where they could smell a stuffed french toast casserole coming out of the oven. Rusty was putting the casserole on the table and Ricky was pouring drinks. "Rusty! Ricky! That smells delicious." Sharon said appreciatively as she breathed in the heavenly scent.
"Thanks Mom, Ricky and I thought a casserole would be best, that way everybody can help themselves and eat in shifts. I took some out to Linda and Emily earlier. We heard we are going to be rehearsing a little bit so we wanted to be available for that and not tied to the kitchen." Rusty told his mom.
"I'm so thankful for you Rusty and Ricky. Where has Gus been lately?" Sharon asked.
"Oh, he's outside. His company is finishing up the landscaping preparations for the wedding. He's the one that put the canopies up and planted the flowers Ricky helped some too. Mike, Julio and Buzz put up the buffet table and helped set the chairs up under the canopy."
"That is nice. The team did that?"
Her youngest replied, "yes, and Amy is going to do your make-up while Patrice does your hair.
She felt a little out of the loop of her own wedding plans but at the same time was overwhelmed by the team and their family's involvement in the preparations for their wedding day. They had all come so far in four years. From the hated captain of FID to beloved by Andy, the hothead of Major Crimes Division and her team. "You are all pulling together so nicely. Thank you all," Sharon said. Her voice started to crack as happy emotions overwhelmed her. She grabbed a napkin to stem the tears. Good grief! Was there never an end to the tears? She wondered. Well at least they were happy tears.
Andy watched her try to pull herself together and squeezed her hand. They made quick work of breakfast then went out the back door that was not attached to the patio. Andy kissed her and said; "I'll see you on the patio."
Just as Sharon was about to take the arms of her two sons for the first practice trip down the aisle, Andy's grandsons came running toward her screaming, "Gramma Sharon! Gramma Sharon!"
As they got closer Sharon braced herself, but Rusty stopped them in their tracks. "Freeze, boys! Devlin! Ian! What did Grampa Andy and I tell you last night? You cannot tackle Gramma Sharon like that. She's got babies in her tummy, and she fell and hurt her head, so she can't see you."
The boys, who were six and five stopped in their tracks. Devlin was tall for his age and Ian who was five just the month before was a head and a half shorter than his brother. They were both lean and lithe with dancers bodies. They both had short caps of dark brown hair, freckles and big blue eyes. Devlin was missing his two front teeth. Sharon had been smitten the moment she met them. They had both fallen in love with her too.
Rusty grabbed a chair from inside, so that Sharon could sit and be at the boys level without stooping. He put the chair up against her knees and gently guided her onto it. Then he handed her some tissues. "Is that true, Gramma? You can't see us?" Devlin asked with wide eyes.
Sharon swallowed hard and said in a low voice, "It's... it's true Dev, I can't see you, but I can hear you and I know your voice from Ian's." She said kissing and hugging both boys.
"Really? You can tell my voice from Ian's?" Devlin asked pleased and amazed that she could tell them apart even though she couldn't see. "Gramma Sharon, Grampa said it's ...tempo-larily. What does that mean 'xactly?"
"I'd love to know what that means...exactly myself," Sharon said ironically then she tried to explain her situation in words they could understand. "What it means is that while Grammas head is healing inside. My eyes don't work, like when you fell off your bike and broke your arm Devlin. You couldn't use it very well until the cast came off. They can't put a cast on Grammas head, but when the swelling goes down inside, my eyes will work again. It won't last forever is what temporary means."
"What's it like, Gramma Sharon? Not being able to see?" Ian asked curiously. He leaned on her thigh, his little chin in his hand.
Sharon thought about a way to give them a word picture they would understand. "Do you remember playing the piñata game at your birthday party, Ian?" She asked.
Ian who was five, answered. "Yes. It was fun."
Sharon smiled at his enthusiasm. "Do you remember when Daddy put a blindfold over your eyes and you tried to hit the piñata? Well...being blind is... like not being able to take the blindfold off." Sharon's eyes had teared up again and her voice cracked a little She swallowed around the lump in her throat and tried to get control of the tears threatening to spill down her face.
The boys kissed her cheeks and hugged her. "Don't worry Gramma, it'll be alright, we'll help you."
Sharon's battle with tears was lost. They spilled down her face, at the sweetness of the boys. She wiped them away and smiled, "Thank you. I know you will," she said and hugged both boys.
Ian the younger one was hugging her when one of the babies kicked him in the chest. His eyes got round and his bottom lip jutted out. "Why did you do that Gramma?" He said rubbing his chest. Thinking his beloved gramma had pushed him away his feelings were slightly hurt.
Sharon barked a laugh. "I'm sorry Honey, that was one of the babies kicking. I have no control over it. "She rubbed the spot where the baby was kicking, "give me your hand boys. They gave her their hands and she put them where she was feeling staccato kicks. She wished she could see the looks on their little faces. Ricky had been snapping pictures with his phone since the boys started running towards her and Rusty was taking video of it with his phone. They knew their mother would love to see their faces, but since she couldn't the pictures would preserve the moment for when she could.
"Gramma, how did they get in there?" Ian asked.
Sharon blushed and she pressed her lips together as she tried to form a response that would not give them too much information. "Grampa and Gramma love each other soooo much, it spilled over and gave us these babies," she said.
Devlin started to ask another question, not completely satisfied with her explanation. Their father Dean had overheard the conversation and put his finger to his lips and shook his head, indicating they should not pursue the subject. "Boys, you and Gramma have to practice walking down the aisle and then you all have to get ready for the wedding. Stand in your places, here is a pillow you can hold to practice carrying the rings." He handed each boy a creme colored pillow with pretend rings tied to them. The real thing would be added later.
They all got in their places again and began to practice walking down the aisle. They went down the aisle five times, resting briefly in between each trip. Melinda gave her instructions the first two times and then let her do it without verbal prompts the last three and finally Sharon said, "Okay, I can do this. I'll stick to the plan. Thank you, boys. Thank you, Melinda. What time is it?"
"It's 11 o'clock, Mom." Ricky said.
"I need to start getting ready then, we'll meet back here at a quarter to one. Okay?" She pointed a finger in the general direction of her sons and grandsons.
"Okay!" they all said and went their separate ways.
Sharon reached for Andy, "you too. We'll meet back here?"
Andy put his arms around her hugging her. "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. By the way, I loved your explanation to the boys, about how the babies got in there. It was priceless. Devlin wanted to ask more questions, but Dean stopped him."
"Thank God! That's all I had that was fit for someone his age to comprehend."
"He's a curious one that Devlin, not satisfied with pat answers," Andy mused.
"Yeah, he's going to give Dean and Nicole a run for their money. I'd love to be a fly on the wall for the conversation, about the birds and the bees. Which I'm sure they're in for."
"Well don't forget, we'll have our turn again in about six or seven years with Natalie and Madison, "Andy said, rubbing her tummy.
"Don't be so sure, it will be that long. I picked up Emily one day from preschool she was three and Ricky was five months old. I could tell she was very upset. Emily wouldn't speak to me or look me in the eye for quite awhile." Sharon said and buried her face in Andy's chest, giggling a little. "Finally while she was taking her bath she told me what was bothering her. One little girl in her class had told her mommies and daddies get their babies from a cabbage patch, another little girl had disagreed, and said they came from a stork. Emily repeated what I told her, that the love between mommy and daddy was so strong it spilled over making her, and her baby brother. Another little girl who was from...just let's say a different culture than us told her that babies come when mommies and daddies bump their uglies together. For some reason this did not appeal to Emily as an explanation for where babies come from, but being the smart girl she was even at three she had a hunch that Keisha's explanation was closer to the truth at least as far as the mechanics of it."
They chuckled together," What did you tell her?"
"I told her that the way Keisha described it was a very crude way to describe a beautiful adult way of expressing love for one another and when she was older we would discuss the details of it if she wished. Also that at this time in her life all she needed to know was that her mommy and daddy loved each other when they made her and her brother."
"Did she accept that?"
"Well, yes but then she wanted to know if I still loved her daddy even though he had left us. I told her I would always have love for her father because we had made her and her brother together. That the two of them were the best part of my life. She was satisfied with that answer and went on to tell me how one of the boys in her class had put beans up his nose and had to go to the doctors to have them taken out. He had brought the beans in a jar to school for show and tell and wasn't that just gross?" Sharon giggled and he chuckled.
Thoroughly caught up in their own private world of Sharon's memories, and just being in each other's arms. It didn't matter what they were talking about, they were so wrapped up in each other that they were startled when Patrice appeared. "Sharon, it's getting late we need to do your hair for the wedding. You need to freshen up and get dressed," Patrice said.
Sharon nodded and gave Andy a quick peck on the lips, "meet you back here soon," she said and patted his chest.
"I'll be here, waiting for you," he said dreamily. Still caught up in the moment.
"Hopefully wearing something besides shorts and a t shirt," said Patrice, with a meaningful look at his present attire.
"Uh yeah. Definitely." Andy backed away watching until Sharon and Patrice disappeared into the house. Then and only then did he make his way over to his daughter's place to get ready himself.
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