Page 44 of Better Together

“Yay!” Abby barreled into Colt, and he wrapped one arm around her, keeping the other holding the ring.

When he stood, Remi held out her left hand, and he took his time placing the simple ring on her finger.

“You ready for this?” Colt whispered.

Remi grinned up at him. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

Chapter13

Remi

Remi stood beside Abby in the middle of the Weston County Courthouse. She gripped the small bouquet of roses they’d picked up at the grocery store on the way into town. A few of the petals were wilted over, and a touch of brown lined a few of them.

“Is it my turn yet?” Abby asked.

Remi glanced to her left where briefcase-carrying attorneys rushed toward courtrooms. Then she looked to her right where the long counter ran the length of the room. Three lines for probate, one for marriage licenses, one for driver’s license renewal, one for boating and hunting licenses, and one for business licenses. On the back wall, there were five dedicated to vehicle registrations.

Yep, the romance was in full force on the morning of her wedding. Surely, this was punishment for vowing never to tie the knot.

“Remi.” Abby tugged on the side of Remi’s white dress.

“Oh, yeah. It’s your turn. You look beautiful. Thanks for being my flower girl.”

Abby’s chubby cheeks lifted around her smile, and she wrapped her arms around Remi’s legs. “Thanks. You’re pretty too.”

Remi wasn’t so sure she agreed, but there was no way she would deny Abby anything on this day. The ceremony was purely for the little girl, and it was worth every penny. Abby hadn’t cried for her mom or dad once since hearing the news of the wedding.

But the excitement would soon fade, and Remi would be responsible for helping both of the kids cope with losing their parents. She’d lost hers a long time ago, but abandonment wasn’t the same as death. Both ways left vicious wounds, but they healed differently, if at all.

Abby released Remi’s legs and stepped up to the brown door. The whole courthouse was an homage to the seventies, and there were worn marks around the outer edges of the door. Remi turned the gold knob and stepped back so Abby could enter the judge’s office. The little girl held her chin high.

Remi closed the door and left her hand on the knob. Alone in the middle of a bustling courthouse, she rested her head against the door and let her eyes drift closed.

“Father, I want Abby’s chin to stay high. Help me to lift her up when she feels alone and scared. Show me how to raise Ben to be a God-fearing man like Colt. And…and help me to be the wife Colt deserves. I have no idea what I’m doing. I want to help, but I’m afraid I’ll just make things worse.”

That familiar knot of shame clogged her throat. What did she have to offer Colt and the kids? What if she couldn’t be what they needed?

What if she relapsed? That was a question she hadn’t thought about in almost two years. Getting clean had been the hardest thing she’d ever done, but life had been a bed of roses on the downhill side. Could she know for sure that she’d never think about another hit? Another buzz?

A silent peace released the squeezing in her chest. She could do it. She had people who cared about her now, a job that she loved, and a family who would be counting on her. After knowing what life was like without those things, she couldn’t sacrifice those blessings for a hit. Never.

Remi raised her head and whispered, “Amen.” She could do this. She could be brave for the people who relied on her. Plus, she had the Lord on her side now, and that made all the difference.

She opened the door to face the music, or at least her new family. The lighting in the office was dimmer than the main lobby of the courthouse, but the smiles on Colt’s, Abby’s, and Ben’s faces made up for the lack of light. Half of Abby’s rose petals were scattered on the floor at her feet, Ben fidgeted in his suit, and Colt’s smile beamed like he’d just won the lottery.

The happiness was infectious. Despite knowing the whole thing was born from necessity, her stupid girlish heart wanted to believe the life presented before her was real.

Colt met her halfway down the makeshift aisle and reached for her hand. He pulled her close and whispered tickling words against her ear. “You’re beautiful. I told you you’d make a great wife.”

Remi huffed. “Yeah, right. Sorry you’re settling.”

Colt leaned back and looked into her eyes. The serious expression on his face stopped her mid-breath. “I’m not settling.”

The intensity in his eyes made her want to believe the words, but he was settling. Colt was a good man. Like, he’d probably never had a traffic ticket. Her list of infractions was a mile long, and his was probably limited to instances when his bill payment had gotten lost in the mail.

“Okay, let’s just do this. I’m starting to sweat,” Remi whispered. The sweating part was true, and there was no telling if her perspiration would ruin the silky fabric of the dress she wore.

Colt led her to the side of the small room where the judge waited. He was a portly guy with a white mustache and an amazing combover. Kudos to him for keeping his shoulders up with those wisps of hair covering his bald head.

---