The Journey Home(77)
Author: Kelly Elliott

“She’s so beautiful and perfect,” I said.

Cale ran his fingers through my hair and kissed my forehead. “Yes she is,” he said. “Just like her mother.”

I looked up at him and I couldn’t believe how my heart felt. It was as if this was the moment I’d been waiting for since that day I first walked away from him.

My journey home was finally complete.

“Maddie, stop turning around and checking on Evie, she’s fine.”

I chuckled as I spun back around and looked out the window. It had been two months since she was born, but I couldn’t help myself. “I thought we were going to pick up Lily from your mom’s?”

“Mom decided to bring Lily to Crystal Bridges to play outside. Since it was such a beautiful April day and all. You know how much Lily loves the flowers there.”

I smiled and nodded. I’d stopped by the library last month with Evie and introduced her to everyone. I’d quit my job when Cale had his accident and had loved being home, but I did miss it sometimes. I glanced down and looked at the charm bracelet Cale had given me last year on Mother’s Day. I spun it around on my wrist as I thought back to the moment he gave it to me. I hardly ever took it off. Cale had added another bird to the charm to represent the birth of Evie.

We pulled up and parked at the front and Thomas, one of the gardeners, greeted us. “Cale, Maddie, how are you both?”

I stepped out of the car and smiled. “Wonderful! How are you doing?”

He chuckled and said, “I can’t complain. The flowers are beautiful right now. Mary and Lily are down playing by the large field.”

“Great. Thanks, Thomas.” I turned and looked at Cale. “You’re not leaving the car here are you, Cale?”

“Um…”

“Let me park it for you,” Thomas said. “I have nothing else to do right now and the three of you can head on down.”

I gave Thomas a huge grin. “That is so sweet of you.”

Cale handed Thomas the keys and winked. “Thanks so much. For everything.”

I gave Cale a funny look as he reached into the back and took out Evie’s car seat. He held out his hand and we started our way over to one of the paths that lead to the trails surrounding Crystal Bridges. I was instantly brought back to the night that Cale had asked me to marry him next to the LOVE sculpture. Cale and I chatted about Lily’s first official Easter egg hunt next week. She would be two in July, and last year she hadn’t been walking enough to do any kind of hunt at Easter. This year, she was ready. My father’s company was planning a huge event for all of the employees and their families. I smiled as I thought about how different my dad had become. But my smile faded when I thought about the letter I’d sent to my mother telling her about Evie. She’d sent me a reply that simply stated, “Congratulations on the birth of your first child.” That was it. I ended up sitting on the back deck with Monica and burning it in a small trashcan as we toasted to not being like our mothers. Then we both got drunk. I was pretty sure I’d had amazing sex with Cale that night, too.

“What are you so deep in thought about?” Cale asked as we walked along the trail. The smell of the flowers was washing over my senses—it had such a calming effect.

“Last month, when Monica and I got drunk. I’m pretty sure we had some hot sex and it kind of pisses me off I don’t remember it.”

Cale smiled and nodded. “Oh, I remember it. Believe me, it was fucking amazing.”

I hit him on the shoulder and laughed. We rounded the corner and I gasped as my hands came up to my mouth. “Oh my. Cale, I…it’s…”

There was a beautiful white arbor sitting in front of the LOVE sculpture. White lilies were everywhere as my father, his wife Michelle, Cale’s parents, and Jack and Monica all stood to the side. Lucy and Craig were now seven months old and they were both sitting in a playpen. Lily was running around the playpen, making Lucy laugh.

Lily was wearing a darling, light green dress that matched Monica’s. I moved my eyes over each person. Jack was dressed in jeans and a dress shirt and light green tie. Mary was wearing a long, flowing dress that was a shade darker than Monica’s. Mitchel was wearing jeans and dress shirt with the same tie as Jack. I looked at my father and he was dressed the same way. Michelle’s dress matched Monica’s. It all hit me.

“Our wedding,” I said as Cale walked up and set Evie’s car seat on a chair. He cupped my face with both hands and brought my lips up to his. When he pulled away, he looked lovingly into my eyes.

“Maddison Powers, today I will make you officially mine.”

I started to cry as Cale wiped my tears away with his thumbs. Before we’d left the house, he’d insisted I wear a long white dress that his mother had bought for me. I couldn’t figure out why he was being so insistent, but when he said his mother had been feeling down and that it would cheer her up to see me in it, I didn’t think twice about changing. It was now that I realized my white dress matched Monica’s and Michelle’s.

Cale was wearing jeans and a white button down shirt, and I hadn’t even questioned it. Mitchel walked over and handed Cale a light green tie. He put it on, the whole time keeping his eyes on me.

I finally found the strength to speak. “We’re getting married?”

He nodded his head and reached for Evie. “Yes, we are.” He took my hand and led me to where Pastor Leonard was standing. Monica handed me a bouquet of white lilies.

I looked back and saw Mary ushering Lily to stand next to me. She tugged on my dress and said, “Mommy? Up, peese?”

I looked at Cale who smiled and nodded. I turned and picked up Lily, holding her as Pastor Leonard began the ceremony.

Lily was perfectly quiet. When I turned around, Mary was holding Evie and feeding her a bottle. My heart almost exploded. Cale’s mother had been such a huge part of my life over the last two years. She was the mother I’d never had, the mother Cale had never known, and a grandmother who loved our children with every ounce of her being. I mouthed, “I love you” to her and she mouthed it back as she wiped away a tear. I turned back around and listened to Pastor Leonard. Cale and I exchanged vows as we both stared into one another’s eyes. When I thought Pastor Leonard was going to pronounce us husband and wife he paused, pointing.

“Maddie, Cale would like to present you with two gifts.” I let out a sob and attempted to wipe my runny nose in a ladylike manner.