Cain (27 page)

“
I have a business to run
just as you do. I want that clear right up front. I don’t want to
hear how I’m neglecting you.”

Cain stood up. She was saying yes and
he wanted to be close to her when she realized it.

“
Yes. I have patients that
need me as well, and I may have to leave in the middle of dinner
and our children’s dance recitals and plays. Some days, I’ll be
home early, others, I won’t.”

Alyssa turned in her chair and looked
down at him when he dropped on his knees before her. She wasn’t
smiling yet, but he could see she was getting there. He pulled out
the little blue box.

“
I’m going to open a place
where the people on the streets can come and get an education and a
job if they want. I may even hire them for the experience. I’m
going…I’ve opened a clinic, the Rodney Kincaid Clinic for them as
well.”

Cain nodded. “I’ll work the kitchen
lines if you need me. I’ll even see if I can get others to donate
their time as well.” Cain pulled out the ring and put it on the tip
of her finger. “Alyssa, you’ve stalled long enough, tell me
yes.”

She looked down at him and nodded.
“I’ll marry you. But I want you to know, I’m going to make your
life a living hell most of the time.”

“
I wouldn’t have it any
other way.”

Cain went to the meeting with her.
There was some talk about the absence of someone named James, but
he paid little attention. Cain did notice that Drew was looking at
cars on his phone off and on. Alyssa stood up as soon as everyone
was seated.

“
Everyone, I have an
announcement to make. As of ten minutes ago, I just became engaged
to Dr. Cain Waite.”

Drew nearly tossed his phone at her.
The look of shock on his face was priceless as he looked between
the two of them. When he stood up and pulled Alyssa into a hug then
Cain, it was perhaps the greatest moment of his life. The rest of
the people in the room seemed equally happy for them.

“
You work fast, buddy. I
hope you know that I expect a raise for hitching you two up. I did
tell you to come here today.” Drew grinned as he shook Cain’s
hand.

“
I’ll see what I can
do.”

~CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX~

Six months later

The wedding day dawned bright and
beautiful. The caterer was to arrive in two hours and the tents
were all up. Tables and chairs delivered the night before were
being set and flowers fussed with. The wedding cake was put on the
table with large bowls of fruit and chesses. The gift tables,
already groaning with the weight of hundreds of gifts, were being
guarded by the security guards from the Howard Building. Everything
was nearly perfect. Except that the bride and groom were
missing.

The house was in an uproar. Cell phones
were being used to hunt them down. There was a policeman there
taking notes on when they were last seen and what they were
wearing. He was about to put out a state wide bulletin when Thomas
came down the stairs with a note in his hand and an odd smile on
his face.

“
She is all right. She has
taken Cain to meet her father. She assures me that they will be
back in plenty of time.”

“
But…I thought her father
was deceased. I mean, he died some time ago, didn’t he?” Jazzie
said from the couch.

“
So he has.”

~~~

“
Daddy, I’d like you to
meet Roscoe Cain Waite, Jr. He doesn’t like the Roscoe part, so
we’ll leave it out from now on. Cain, this is my daddy, the
greatest…one of the greatest men I knew.”

Cain leaned down and put his hand on
the headstone where Alyssa stood. She had tears in her eyes and he
handed her his handkerchief.

She was beautiful. They were both
dressed in their wedding clothes. She in her long white gown,
heels, and veil, and him dressed in his black tux and cummerbund.
Her flowers were lying on the ground next to them.

“
Mr. Howard. It’s very
nice to meet you. I want you to know that I love your daughter with
all my heart and will make her happy with my dying
breath.”

Alyssa laid her hand over his. “Daddy,
Cain and I went to the pancake house this morning. We caused quite
a stir when we arrived dressed like this. But everyone was so nice.
Cain even ordered a plate of the blueberry ones for you to eat.
Extra bacon too. Then we came here. I wanted…I wish you were here
with us, with me.”

Cain started to step back, to give her
some time. But she pulled him to her and kissed him. Then she held
him again.

“
We are going to have a
good life together, Cain and I, Daddy. We do love each other and
trust each other. I know that I’ve been telling you all about the
things I’ve been doing and how things with the business are going,
but…”

She looked up at Cain and smiled. It
was a watery smile, but happy, he thought. He kissed her gently on
the mouth and brushed away the tears.

“
Daddy can’t be with us
today so I…I’m glad that you didn’t mind doing this with me, so
that he could be a part of my day. I miss him very
much.”

“
No, baby, I don’t mind.
But I made some arrangements of my own. I know that you come here a
lot, to talk to him and to work things out. So I thought it would
be nice if we were married here. We’ll still get married at the
house, but this one, this place, will be for us.”

The minister came out from behind the
large vault and stepped toward them, Drew and Quinn right behind
him. They too were dressed in their wedding clothes.

“
He’s going to be right
here with us, like he will be for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t
give you your daddy to give you away, but I can give you
this.”

“
Oh Cain.”

Alyssa tumbled into his arms and he
held her as she sobbed. Everyone stood back enough to give her what
she needed. When she was ready, Cain Waite married Alyssa Howard in
the cemetery by a big tree with her daddy in attendance.

Before she left, she leaned down,
kissed the top of the marker, and gently rubbed her hand over it.
Cain heard her whisper to her father to make sure he watched out
for Rodney, that she loved him too.

Hello! My name is Kathi Barton and I’m
an author. I have been married to my very best friend Sonny for at
times seems several lifetimes – in a good way, honey. And together
we have three wonderful children and then the ones we brought into
the world - Paul and Dale Barton, Jason and Wendy Barton and
Danielle and Ben Conklin. They have given us seven of the greatest
treasures on Earth. They don’t live at home seven days a week! No,
seriously, seven grandchildren – Gavin, Spring, Ben, Trinity,
Sarah, Kelly and Kian.