Blooming (34 page)

“I love you
Todd.”

Jen looked
across the grass at Lily rounding third base, a bright breathless smile on her
face as her new fiancé Ben frantically raced to try and get under the ball that
Todd had just batted wild.

Hugh chased
along at her ankles barking furiously in excitement.

It had taken
more than two years for the police to fully investigate and bring together all
the threads of the rape case that had changed all their lives. Then just when
the press frenzy mounted again as the trial date approached they were left
reeling in a limbo of denied justice when Neil Fitzpatrick was found hanging in
his cell.

It came as a
huge shock since he had not once shown any remorse or shame for his actions. In
the end he really was just a depraved, selfish coward who couldn’t face life
imprisonment.

It had taken
Lily another year to finally accept that that chapter of her life was over and
that Ben wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But things were good
now, she seemed free again and happy. Even if she didn’t have quite the same
effervescence she’d gained a new maturity and confidence about her that only
somebody that came out the other side of adversity could understand.

Carly never
intentionally intruded on their lives again. It seemed she’d gone back to
modelling and from time to time when she popped up on TV or appeared in a
magazine spread Jen contented herself with a surreptitious two finger salute,
and changed the channel or flipped the page. But it was more of an inside joke
to herself than actually harbouring any ill will towards her, she knew who was
the winner in the grand scheme of things.

A soft warm
breeze whipped Jen’s hair across her face interrupting her daydream; she tucked
it back underneath her cap and simultaneously lifted her face to the sun in
pleasure.

 She had been
relegated to the position of referee, due to the six and a half month bump
currently stretching out the front of her elasticated shorts. The tank top she
had on kept dipping low over her expanding breasts and her scar peeked out from
time to time, she’d never quite make peace with it being there but that was ok
and she didn’t mind so much around family anymore.

Jen stroked
her tummy gently trying to picture what the baby boy she was carrying would
look like. Surprisingly the only thing she tended to worry about was if he’d
want to be a boxer when he grew up, that would really scare her to death.

Her mind kept
wandering from the job in hand because it was hard to keep her eyes off her
husband who was playing with his shirt off and god she still never got sick of
looking at him –he was laughing and sweaty and running at full pelt, best of
all he was 100% hers. The knowing looks he’d been throwing her the whole
afternoon meant he’d come looking for some private attention long before
bedtime, that she was certain of, and she was always happy to accommodate him.

It was three
years since they’d married; three and a half years since he’d insisted on their
engagement. She’d not needed much convincing at all in the end.

Jen smiled
remembering the couple’s therapy sessions they’d gone to in that first six
months. Where she’d learned how to accept being loved and desired, and Todd had
learned she was no longer going to run away at a moment’s notice.

It was the
best thing they could have done.

The wedding
had been held in this same spot at the cabins where they were now playing
softball. Sean had designed the dress, which miraculously survived the whole
day in one piece, and still held pride of place in her wardrobe.

Jen decided
not to tell Todd when she stopped taking contraceptives. He had, true to his
word, never pressured her to try for a baby. So it was her happy secret the day
there was an almost audible click inside and she realised she desperately
wanted his child and set about making it happen.

When she told
him he was going to be a daddy a myriad of expressions had passed over his
handsome face, joy, masculine pride, then fear that it was an accident and
she’d be upset.

He’d been so
happy when she told him the reality that he didn’t stop crying for an hour, and
then he’d made love to her over and over again.

Now here she
was with everyone that she loved and every bit of fear and doubt had been worth
it, the hard part was over.

THE END