Military Daddy (13 page)

He set his glass down and ran his finger slowly around the rim. Sensing a change in his mood, she waited for him to speak. Had he changed his mind? Was he getting ready to give her and their child the brush-off?

Clearing his throat, he looked up and met her gaze with uncertainty in his eyes. “I know this is kind of short notice, but I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor?”

Puzzled, she said, “If I can. You've certainly done more than enough for me.”

“Okay, that isn't exactly where I wanted to go with this. You don't owe me anything, so feel free to decline.”

Waiting a full ten seconds for a further explanation, she finally said, “Spit it out.”

“Do you remember Lindsey Mandel?”

“I'm not sure. Should I?”

“She gave the introduction for the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard at the Community Appreciation Day.”

“I think I remember her. She was a pretty woman with short, curly red hair?”

“That's her. She was a sergeant in my unit until she left the service back in April. Anyway, she's getting married this weekend and I was kind of wondering if you'd like to go with me to the wedding.”

Annie blinked hard. “You want me to come to the wedding with you?”

“It won't be a big affair, but there is a reception after the ceremony. I'd like you to meet some of my friends.” He looked braced for her refusal.

She opened her mouth to do just that but found herself remembering Crystal's words.
Grab a little joy before life passes you by. Happiness takes courage, too, you know.

Had she been letting the joy of life pass her by? Did she have the courage to risk seeking a little happiness with Shane? He would be gone soon and she would be alone again. Knowing how badly she had dealt with such disappointments in the past made her afraid to risk it. She already cared for him far too much.

What do I do, Lord? Should I send him away and protect what's left of my heart? Or do I say yes and gather a few more precious memories to treasure?

Either way, Annie knew heartache loomed in her future.

T
he chapel parking lot was nearly full when Shane pulled in the following Saturday afternoon at a quarter till three. Looking up, he saw the steeple over the bell tower of the old stone building silhouetted against the fluffy white clouds drifting past. Stepping out of his vehicle, he paused to button the jacket of his dress uniform, then nervously tugged it down and smoothed the front of the dark green material. He wanted to look his best today.

The sound of organ music reached him coming through the open panels of stained glass at the bottom of the arched windows of the building. He walked around his newly washed car and pulled open the passenger door. The vision that took his hand and stepped out into the bright June sunlight stole his breath.

Annie wore a simple pink dress with wide sleeves that ended just above her elbows. Her long hair was held back from her face by a band of matching material. Gathered gently at a high waist, the drape of the supple fabric below the vee neckline did little to hide her rounded tummy.
Beautiful,
he decided, didn't do justice to her. His heart swelled with protectiveness and pride.

Taking her hand, he steered her toward the chapel doors.

Inside the cool interior, organ music played softly while they were escorted to the bride's side of the aisle. The scent of candles and carnations filled the air, and white bows adorned the ends of each row of wooden pews. After taking his seat beside Annie, Shane ran a finger under his collar to loosen his tie. Looking around, he recognized a dozen former and current members of the CGMCG. A few of them had wives or girlfriends beside them, but the majority of the young men had come alone, including Captain Watson, Avery and Lee.

Shane almost laughed when he caught Avery's eye. So much for the playboy's assumption that he could get a date at a moment's notice.

A few minutes later the organist fell silent. The minister, followed by Brian and two groomsmen, headed to their places in front of the altar. Brian leaned heavily on a cane, but when he looked toward the back of the church, his face lit up with happiness. Suddenly the first strains of the “Wedding March” rang out. All heads turned toward the end of the aisle.

Lindsey, dressed in a simple sleeveless ivory gown, stood with her hand resting on her father's sleeve. Standing with obvious military erectness, the gray-haired man's face beamed with a mixture of pride and sadness. As Lindsey started down the aisle, a shy smile curved her lips and love shone from her eyes as she gazed at the man waiting to make her his wife.

Shane looked down at the woman beside him. Lindsey made a radiant bride, but to his eyes she didn't hold a candle to Annie. Was he crazy to hope that Annie might someday look at him with the same kind of love in her eyes?

 

As the bride walked by, Annie watched with a touch of envy in her heart. Having given up the idea of a fairy-tale wedding a long time ago, it surprised her how much of that dream she still carried. To have her father walk her down the aisle, to stand in front of a church full of family and friends and pledge her heart to a very special man…what girl didn't want that?

Looking down, she brushed a hand over her bulging midriff. She had given up the right to that dream and so much more. It would be easy to blame the drinking, but the simple truth was that she had thrown away her dreams and destroyed whatever dreams her parents had held for her for a quick buzz. Having seen exactly how much a child could hurt a parent, Annie sent a quick prayer heavenward.

Please, gracious God, don't let my baby make the same mistakes I have made. I think I could face anything except watching her destroy herself.

As the music died away and the minister began to address the couple, Annie glanced at Shane and found him watching her with a look of such tenderness on his face that her heart melted. He made her want to believe in dreams again.

Had God forgiven her sins? Wasn't she asking for too much by even thinking about a life with a man as kind and loving as Shane? In spite of all the Lord had done for her, she still found it hard to accept the goodness in life. So many times she had been sure she'd found someone to make her happy, only to discover that so-called love was nothing more than an alcohol-induced illusion. Trusting her own judgment was sometimes hard. Trusting these new emotions was even harder. Was it love?

As if answering her unspoken question, the minister's words penetrated her mind. “Lindsey and Brian, I know that as a couple you are both in love with one another, but as wonderful as this feels, it is not a perfect love. With God's blessing, you will grow in loving and grow in spirit by loving one another.

“Love is patient. Love is kind. It is never jealous. Love does not brag. It is not arrogant. Love takes hard work. Sometimes love means you will have to suffer. But it is only through suffering that we discover our true strength. I pray that your relationship grows stronger, deeper and more beautiful as you face life's hardships and joys together until you find at last the true ‘perfect love' with our Father in heaven.”

Annie felt Shane take her hand. Meeting his gaze, she basked in the warmth of his smile. Love was patient. Love was kind.
Patient
and
kind
were exactly the words she would use to describe Shane, along with handsome and funny and more than a little determined. If she put her heart in his hands, he would treat it with tenderness and care. Brave or not, foolish or not, she would give herself one last chance at happiness.

When the ceremony came to an end, Annie and Shane followed the newlyweds and the crowd to the reception in a nearby hall. Surrounded by people she didn't know and unable to hide her condition, Annie had expected to feel awkward and out of place, but she soon discovered that Shane's friends were open and accepting. Keeping her hand tucked firmly against his side, Shane moved from group to group introducing her, regaling her with stories about the men he served with and making her feel at ease.

When the bride and groom approached, Shane pulled Annie close and slipped his arm around her waist.

Nestled against his waist, Annie struggled to contain the joy leaping like a fountain in her chest. She smiled at the bride. “The ceremony was beautiful and you look lovely.”

“Thank you. I'm so glad you could come today, Annie. Shane has told us so much about you.”

“Has he?” Slanting a glance up at him, Annie thought she detected a faint blush creeping up his cheeks.

“I might have mentioned you a time or two,” he admitted. “It was all good.”

“I doubt that.”

“Okay, it was mostly good. I can't help it that you're stubborn and contrary, as well as gorgeous.”

“The gorgeous part was a good touch. Keep that up and I'll have to start liking you.”

“So flattery is all it takes to get on your good side? I wish I had known that sooner.”

“What makes you think you're on my good side?”

Lindsey laughed. “I see you are a woman after my own heart. Keep him in line, dear. Please excuse us. I believe it's time for us to cut the cake. Come on, Brian, your surgical skill with a knife will come in handy with this.”

As they walked away, Shane grinned at Annie. “Are you having a good time?”

Happier than she could remember being in a long time, she smiled at him and nodded. “I am. Thank you for bringing me.”

 

Shane battled the urge to kiss Annie there in front of everyone. He knew it would embarrass her, but the sight of her sweet lips parted in a smile just for him was almost too much to bear. Suddenly her eyes widened and she pressed a hand to her stomach.

“What is it? What's wrong?” he asked in concern.

“Nothing's wrong. Someone is just kicking me.”

“Really? May I feel it?”

“You can try. It's very faint.” Taking his hand, she pressed it against her belly.

Shane thought he detected the tiniest tap beneath his palm, but he couldn't be sure.

“Wow, did you feel that?” Annie asked.

His son or daughter had kicked his hand! There was a real baby, his baby, nestled under the heart of this beautiful and brave woman.

A sense of profound wonder and delight poured into his heart, followed quickly by gut-wrenching panic. With painful certainty, Shane realized he had absolutely no idea how to be a father.

God, I know You and I are just getting acquainted, but You've got to help me. Please don't let me mess this up.

“Yeah, I felt it,” he admitted weakly.

She frowned. “Are you okay?”

He met her worried eyes. “I've been talking about having a son or a daughter for weeks, but until this minute it wasn't real.”

Another faint thump-thump fluttered against his fingers, causing a slow grin to spread across his face. “That's some kid we've got there. Does he do this all the time?”

“
She
does it a few dozen times a day.”

“It feels so weird.”

“You're telling me. You should feel it from the inside.”

“It must be a boy. With that kind of kick, he's sure to be a soccer forward.”

“Girls play soccer, too.”

“My little girl is going to play house with her dolls and have tea parties. She isn't going to be a jock.”

“I know your detachment reenacts things from a bygone era, but you are going to have to come back to the present, buddy. Girls can play house
and
soccer.”

“All kidding aside, Annie, it doesn't make a bit of difference to me if it's a boy or a girl. I just want the two of you to be healthy.”

“We are. Don't worry.”

Reaching out, he brushed back a strand of her hair and let his hand cup her cheek. “That's the funny part—I can't help but worry. You have become very important to me, Annie.”

She covered his hand with her own. “I feel the same way about you.”

“You do?”

Grinning, she said, “Don't sound so surprised.”

“I'm not—I mean, I'd hoped, but I wasn't sure.”

“I wasn't sure myself until today.”

“I hope you know how special you are and how happy I am whenever we're together. You've changed my life in so many ways. I want to spend every minute I can with you, Annie. I think we have something good going on.”

“Really?” The shy uncertainty in her tone touched his heart.

“Really.”

Looking down, she said, “Because of the baby.”

With one finger beneath her chin, he lifted her face until she met his eyes. “Not because of the baby.”

His transfer back to the First Infantry Division and his deployment to Germany loomed like a dark cloud over his delight in knowing Annie returned his feelings. There was so little time left for them to be together.

“Look, the color guard is leaving again early Tuesday morning, and we'll be gone another week. Maybe we could spend the day together tomorrow?”

Her smile faded. “I'd love to, but I have to work.”

“Okay, what about Monday? I could get away for a few hours in the afternoon, but I'd have to be back at four. It's my turn to have the duty.”

“I work until one. After that, I have a doctor's visit scheduled at two o'clock.”

He tried not to sound disappointed. “Then we'll make time after I get back from our tour in Missouri.”

Annie bit her bottom lip, then raised her chin. “If you want, you could come with me to my doctor's appointment and maybe stay for the sonogram. That way we could both see our soccer player's first photos.”

“Do you mean it? Of course I'll come with you.”

“You will?”

“Wild horses couldn't keep me away.” Shane knew he was grinning like a fool, but he couldn't help it.

“I'll have to take your word for that since you're the horse-and-mule expert.”

Someday he would tell her how much he adored the twinkle in her eyes when she teased him. He needed a distraction—fast—or he was going to have to kiss her.

As if she were reading his thoughts, she took a step to his side. “I think they've finished cutting the cake.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I'm five months pregnant. I'm always hungry.”

“Then I'll go get some for both of us.”

“Don't forget the mints,” she called after him.

Shane headed toward the linen-draped side table where several women were dishing up slices of white wedding cake onto clear plastic dishes. After requesting an extra-large slice and extra mints for one of his plates, Shane turned around to see Annie engaged in animated conversation with another young woman who was also obviously pregnant.

He stood for a moment, drinking in the sight of her. He loved the way she touched the roundness of her stomach with such tenderness. He loved the way she smiled at him from across the room. God had given him Annie and a child. He couldn't imagine feeling happier.