Page 114 of Forever & Always

Rory and I had a secret. When I’d gone up to see her before her radiation treatment, Remi had gone down to introduce Jonathon Atkins to Josie and Bill. I had a private moment with her. She was so excited when I told her that I wanted to ask Remi to marry me, and I needed help picking out the perfect engagement ring once she was better. She squealed when I told her that needed a princess to help me pick a ring perfect for a princess.

One of my happiest memories of my youth was the day I spent with my dad, and he took me to pick out the ring he was planning to give to my mother. I was so excited that I blurted his proposal before he could. I wanted to make a memory like that for Rory. It was one of the best days of my life, and the day I married Remi would be another.

I also wanted to get Rory a gift of jewelry, too. I’d considered getting her a miniature version of the ring, but she was still so small and would quickly outgrow it. I’d have to think about that one. I’d ask my mother and father for ideas. Chase and Teagan, too. I couldn’t wait to tell my Uncle Ben and Aunt Marin we were going to be married. I loved how the future looked.

I wanted to make love to Remi, but my love for her overwhelmed my heart. As much desire as I had for her, I loved her with everything I had inside me. We brought each other explosive physical pleasure, but out of those beautiful moments, I wanted babies. Not now, but someday, when we were ready. Rory would make a great big sister, someday, whether she was officially ours or not. Remi and I loved her as if she was. What an amazing thought.

I looked into her eyes. “Someday I want to make babies with you,” I said. “Rory can be their big sister even if it isn’t officially.”

Tears filled her eyes and her luscious mouth fell open in a small gasp. “I didn’t think I could be any happier, but having babies with you would be incredible.”

“I’d do anything to make you happy,” I said, staring at her; memorizing this moment so I could call it up for all eternity.

“Anything?” she whispered, sliding her fingers deliciously over my skin and up to thread in the hair at my nape.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“For how long?” Remi asked.

I held her close and kissed her softly over and over. I ran my nose up the line of her neck to her ear. “Always and forever.”

Remi

Everyone who loved us was with us.

Our parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and most of our cousins, except Jackson, was the only one missing. Aunt Kat and Uncle David’s oldest son couldn’t be here because he was in the Marine Corps and deployed overseas, but Jace and Jaylan were able to make it, with their spouses and young children.

I graduated from medical school the month before, and the entire family came to Florida for a vacation. It was time to celebrate, and what better place than The Happiest Place on Earth? Our family was so large, we had to rent out much of an entire floor at Disney’s Grand Floridian hotel.

The look on Rory’s face when she first saw Cinderella’s castle was priceless.

“Mommy, look! I wonder if Cinderella is home?” she said in wonder, and I remembered asking something similar when I’d first seen it. Her eyes were wide as saucers as we walked down Main Street of the Magic Kingdom riding on Dylan’s shoulders. It reminded me of when I was her age and my parent’s wedding was held here.

The past two and a half years were busy and so much had happened. Rory’s birth mother had not been found and it was long enough for the state to terminate parental rights and allow us to put in an adoption application. Josie and Bill loved her to the moon and back, and her Auntie Bethy was a constant part of her life. We’d hired her to be nanny to Rory when Josie and Bill didn’t contest our request for adoption. They realized that they were getting older, and Rory would have a full life as part of our family, and the benefit of two loving parents.

Dylan and I were elated when they told us, and though the adoption wasn’t final yet, we’d begun the process. I was anxious for it to be final because then it would be legal and allow me to take her out of the country for some of Dylan’s games. As it was now, we could go intrastate, but not beyond the continental US.

Rory was enjoying being doted on by Ben and Marin’s daughters, Lila and Lilly, who couldn’t get enough of her. She had just turned five on April twenty first. Josie had managed to get that much information from her daughter, Lori, called a few months after the transplant. It was the only time her daughter had called her in years, but Lori never came home or tried to see Rory, despite being invited. It was obvious that Josie and Bill felt sad and angry over their daughter’s behavior, but they doted on their granddaughter.

It was a sad situation. At first, the judge ordered supervised visitation between Rory and ger mother every Saturday, but she couldn’t be notified. Josie has saved the number, but when she had tried to call it, it had been disconnected.

Jonathon Atkins was still Rory’s social worker, and he thought, as did Josie and Bill, that it was in the little girl’s best interest to stop any discussions about the woman in front of Rory to minimize her confusion and immerse her in her new family.

During the close to two years since, I’d been swamped with school and Dylan had been commuting to Kansas City and flying around the world for competitions. With Bethy’s help, and overnight visits with Josie and Bill often, especially when I had exams, we were able to provide her with a stable home and the overwhelming love she deserved. She was completely immersed in our family and all four of our parents, though only in their late forties, enthusiastically took on the role of grandparent. They visited often and spoiled her rotten. Someday, when she was older, Rory could decide to look for her birth mother if she chose and if so, we would all support her.

Dylan, our fathers, and Uncle Ben were taking the boys to breakfast and over to Universal Studios so I could spend some time with Missy and my mother. Mom had called earlier in the morning and suggested we take a break from the parks and have a girl’s spa day. I had to admit it sounded like heaven. I was having a blast, but we still had a few days in Florida, and we had been going a hundred miles per hour since we landed in Orlando.

Missy said she made reservations for all of us, including Lily, Lila, and Rory to get mani-pedis and then get a healthy lunch. A salad would be amazing after days of funnel cakes, burgers and ice cream.

“Mommy, can I go with Daddy?” Rory asked.

“Well, maybe after lunch we can catch up with them.” I understood how she’d rather ride rides and see shows then get her nails done. “But Lily and Lila are coming with us, so don’t you want to be a good hostess?”

Dylan had dressed in shorts and a T-shirt that showed off his physique to perfection and was putting on a pair of New Balance sneakers. “The rides at universal are mostly for big kids, baby,” he reassured her, running a hand down her shoulder-length, blonde curls. “Remember what we talked about?” he winked. “Our secret?”

My eyebrows rose as my interest was piqued. “What secret?”

“Oh, it’s a daddy-daughter secret. Right, pumpkin?” My husband’s eyes seemed devilish.

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