Always and Forever (24 page)

Lisa looked around the table at all the people who meant so much to her. As the sun started to set, making the sky a fury of dark pinks and soft reds, she cleared her throat and stood, holding her champagne glass tight. She took a sip for an extra burst of courage.

Everyone was silent as they turned to watch her, and she looked at every face, every single person who’d traveled to gather with them. Her sisters, Kelly and Penny, her gorgeous nieces, who were such strong-willed, beautiful girls; her parents and Matt’s dad.

“Ten years ago, Matt and I stood amongst the vines with you all and pledged to spend the rest of our lives together,” Lisa said, smiling down at her husband and taking his hand, her heart skipping a beat when he stood, still holding her hand, beside her. Close enough that their hips were touching. “We took vows that for better or worse, we’d stay together.” She took a shaky breath, nodding her head. “I’m proud to say that through thick and thin, this beautiful man has stood by me. One year ago Matt and I came back here, and I didn’t think I could get through what was a very dark time, but we did. And I’m so grateful that we’re standing here, together, today.”

Matt tucked his arm around her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear, just for her.

“I couldn’t have made it without every single person here, and it means so much to us that you came to celebrate not only our sixth wedding anniversary, but also my first year of being in remission. I’m blessed to be so loved. Thank you.”

Matt held up his glass and she did the same, smiling at him through tears. Happy tears that she was okay about shedding.

“You okay?” he murmured.

“I’m good,” she whispered, just for him, before clearing her throat. “To us, to all of us. I’m so proud to call you all family, and I’m so proud to have this man as my husband,” Lisa said, in a louder voice this time.

Everyone clinked glasses. The table was covered in food, the air warm, peaceful in a way that only Napa Valley could be, as they sat together amongst the vines, surrounded by twinkling fairy lights in the near-dark.

“I’d like to say a few words.”

Lisa looked up, sat down as Matt’s father rose to his feet. She glanced at Matt but it was obvious he didn’t know what his dad was up to either.

“None of you knew Matt when his mother passed away, but I will be forever grateful to Lisa. The day he met you, Lisa, something changed inside of him, and I used to wonder if his mom had sent you to save him. You gave me my boy back, and when I saw him struggling with your cancer, when I saw the pain he was going through and knew what that felt like, my heart broke.”

Lisa held on tight to Matt’s hand, leaned closer into him. The tears in her eyes now weren’t happy tears—they were full of heartbreak. Because she knew now that Matt still suffered, that his heart had a crack through it that would never mend, one his mom had left when she’d passed. And she hated that she’d brought him back to his knees again when she’d been so close to leaving him, too.

“So to you, Lisa. For loving my boy, for being there for him and making him the man he is today. And to both of you for coming through this stronger than before.”

Matt cleared his throat and stood again. “To Lisa,” he said, giving her a tear-filled wink. “And to kicking cancer’s butt so you could be here with me today. We lost a lot, but we still have each other. And I say cheers to that.”

They all held up their glasses and Lisa watched as Matt sipped from his before putting it down and walking around the table to his dad. They embraced, Matt holding on to his dad tight, hugging him like they had a lifetime of them to catch up on.

She was happy. So happy. And no one and nothing could take that away from her.

The End.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Photo © 2014 Carys Monteath

Soraya Lane was born in New Zealand. Despite being accepted to university at only sixteen years of age and graduating with a law degree, she decided to follow her dream and become a writer. Following a successful career as a freelance journalist, she became a bestselling, full-time author—and a full-time mother to two sons. Along with her husband, two dogs, and four horses, she lives on a small farm, where she is passionate about animal rights, spending time with her family, and reading. She hopes to be writing stories for the rest of her life.