The McClane Apocalypse Book Three (54 page)

John calls out, "It's about time!"

The guys shake his hand and so does Herb
which means more than he can say seeing as how disapproving he'd
been of Kelly's earlier inappropriate behavior with Hannah. Grams
squeezes him tight and also has tears in her blue eyes.

"Well, give her a kiss, Kelly!" Sue shouts
above the melee.

Derek is trying to explain to the children
what's going on and why their Aunt Hannah is crying. Kelly gives
her a quick peck on the cheek because he doesn't want to blow his
nanosecond run of approval from her grandfather.

Little Arianna shouts, "I thought they
already were married!"

The entire family laughs uproariously.

"How will this work? How can they marry?"
Derek asks.

"Herb will just have to do it according to
the Good Book, and we'll all bear as witnesses. There's nothing
else that can be done," Grams says so simply.

The actual ceremony isn't something Kelly
had thought of when he'd decided to throw in all his chips and ask
her to marry him. The most important thing to Kelly had been
getting his siblings approval which he had. A few days ago he'd sat
down with Em and had a long talk to her and was surprised when
she'd so wholeheartedly gone along with it. She told him that she
loved Hannah like a big sister and that she never wanted to leave
the farm, ever or to be more exact: ever, ever ever, never. And
yesterday he'd given Cory the option to give his opinion on the
matter and his brother had said the same. To be sure, he'd asked
him again before dinner had commenced.

"Yes, I suppose you're right, Maryanne," Doc
says. "But I'll draw up legal and binding paperwork, as well, by
copying our own marriage certificate. We'll sign it. Someday if
there's ever a courthouse for which to file the proper documents,
we'll have them ready. But I doubt that it's going to happen
anytime soon. So as far as I'm concerned if it's good enough for
Kelly and Hannah, then it's good enough for me," he declares.

With that being said, they all retire to the
music room. Sue leads Hannah by the arm as they laugh and cry and
talk in hushed tones. The kids bound ahead, high on sugar and the
rare, upbeat mood of the family.

Kelly is stopped in the hall by Reagan, and
John stands behind her holding Jacob. She looks like she has
something to say, but she's mostly staring at his chest. If this
goes too badly with her, then he'll tell Grams on her that she's
still wearing her dirty Converse in the house. Reagan isn't afraid
of much, but everyone fears Grams.

"You're still an asshole," she says.

"Nice, Reagan," John scolds her with a frown
as he bounces Jacob on his hip.

"I know, little Doc. But I did tell you that
I loved her," he confesses and snatches Reagan into a monster bear
hug. She doesn't kick him in the balls, but she also doesn't return
the hug. She's come a long way in the five months since they've
come to live here. She pulls free after about three seconds.

"If it had to be somebody, then I'm glad it
was you, Kelly," she says and storms off before anyone can
comment.

He looks at John who raises his eyebrows,
mirroring Kelly's shock.

"Wow, that was almost… friendly," Kelly
remarks with a smirk.

"We've been working on that," John jokes
good-humoredly.

"Mm hm, sure you have. I notice you said
that
after
she walked away," Kelly observes with a laugh
that John echoes so readily.

"I never said I was stupid," John says on a
grin. "But I am happy for you, though, brother. I think you guys
will be good together. And you can quit sneaking around at night,"
John says.

Kelly's mouth drops.

"What? How did…"

"You aren't as stealthy as you might think,
dude. Besides, the one night I was on watch and was in the pantry
looking for Reagan's hidden candy stash when I saw Hannah go by.
Don't worry, though. I never told anyone. I'm the only one who
knew," John says with a confident wink.

Yeah, well John apparently didn't have to
tell anyone. And he only thinks he's the only one who knew. Shit,
who all does know? Is there anyone in the house who doesn't know
might be a better question?

His friend shakes his hand and gives him a
one-armed hug that Kelly returns.

"Thanks, man. I'm crazy about her and for
some reason she likes me, so I figured I'd better snatch her up
before she comes to her senses," Kelly laughs.

"No kidding," John tells him as they walk
together.

Jacob stretches for Kelly who takes him from
John. The kid is growing like a weed. Having food and milk readily
available on the farm instead of whatever his mother had been able
to scavenge has obviously helped with his growth. He giggles and
gurgles, and Kelly smiles down at him before he presses a kiss to
his nearly bald head.

When they get to the music room, there is a
lot of planning going on in the women's corner, and Grams is
suggesting that the Reynolds come over. Sue proposes that they
should hold the wedding on Saturday which is five days from now.
Talk about a rushed ceremony. No going back now.

"I think that would be just fine, Maryanne,"
Doc offers. "It will be a relief to finally celebrate something
instead of mourning and death and the vast negativity that our
world's come to. And I think the Reynolds kids could use a break
from it, too. We'll radio them to let them know."

"It
will
be so nice to celebrate
something!" Grams announces happily to which everyone heartily
agrees.

Kelly takes a seat next to his Hannah on the
floral print sofa. He reaches for her already outstretched hand,
taking it into his own. It's so nice to be able to finally hold her
hand. He'll save the kissing and the rest for after the ceremony.
He doesn't want Doc to shoot him just yet.

The next four days fly by in a blur of
planning, decorating, cooking and preparing for her wedding, but
all Hannah can think about is Kelly. Yesterday morning he'd stolen
her away for a walk through the woods. She'd worn her baggy
blue-jeans and a sweater to guard against the cool autumn air.
After a short distance, Kelly had hefted her onto his back and just
piggy-backed her the rest of the way. She hadn't minded in the
least. She also hadn't minded the kiss he'd given her before
leaving her in the kitchen and going out to work on welding a
headstall in the cow barn.

"This is almost done, Hannie," Sue
announces.

Hannah snaps out of her trance about Kelly's
fine kisses. Sue chuckles quietly.

"Your veil, sort of. It's almost done. This
ring of flowers will look just lovely on you, Hannah."

"Thanks, Sue," she offers. "You guys have
done so much for this. We really didn't need to go to such fuss.
Kelly and I don't need anything fancy."

Reagan scoffs unladylike. "Duh, you're only
gonna do this once. Besides, Grams wouldn't have allowed us to
half-ass it anyways."

"Reagan," Hannah scolds. Grams is in the
kitchen with Em, luckily for her potty mouth sister.

"What?" Reagan asks, incredulous of the
swear.

Knowing Reagan like she does, her sister
probably doesn't even realize she's done it again.

Without missing a beat, her sister just
continues on, "Grandpa talked to Wayne's family yesterday and
they're coming, too. He also said that Bertie actually smiled for
the first time he's seen since it happened."

The 'it' Reagan refers to is the murder of
three of Bertie's in-laws. She'd been deeply depressed about her
miscarriage, as well. So many people in their country are probably
dealing with such similar, devastating events.

"Might get to spend some time with Chet,
Reagan," Sue hints.

There is a smile, probably an ornery one, in
her older sister's voice.

"Yeah, I want to talk to him about breeding
the goats again in the spring," Reagan says with absolutely no
clue.

"Reagan, don't just throw them in a ball.
Fold them like Grams showed you," Sue corrects her crazy, brainiac,
clueless sister who has been given the duty of folding the linen
napkins that they'll use tomorrow at the wedding dinner.

Reagan snorts. She is probably wishing she
was studying one of her books instead of folding antique
linens.

"If we're just gonna wipe our mouths on
them, then what the hell's the point?"

Sue groans in reply. "The point is you are
going to earn Grams's wrath. Is that what you want?"

Reagan must not because she doesn't respond.
Hannah smiles at her sisters' interaction. It feels so normal, so
nostalgic and she's just happy to have any time with them when the
children, other family members, chores, or life-threatening turmoil
aren't interrupting their time together. They just don't get much
of it anymore, and Hannah realizes just how much she's missed it.
It used to just be the three of them all the time, but not after
Sue got married and moved away. And also not after Reagan went away
to college which had left Hannah extremely depressed for a while.
She'd never told anyone about it, especially not Reagan because she
would've quit school and come home to her. Reagan would never have
allowed her to feel that way. Sometimes her sister is so protective
of her that it almost frightens Hannah. And now the house is always
full of a ton of people and children, not that it is such a bad
thing. But it is hard to find sister time.

"Besides, it's going to be lovely when we're
all done with everything," Sue tells them both.

Hannah is busy braiding ribbons together
that they'll run down the middle of the long tables which will be
placed outdoors for the dinner tomorrow. It seems to be one of the
few things that she can help with in all of the preparations.

Sue says on a raucous laugh, "Anyways, I
wasn't talking about Chet to bring up goat breeding, you
doofus."

Reagan replies with confusion written into
her voice. "Then what did you mean?"

"Well, I just thought you might be happy to
see him for other reasons," Sue clarifies but doesn't receive an
answer. "Reagan, I mean like you might be
into
him."

"What?" Reagan asks in a high-pitched voice.
"Get real. He's basically a dullard. I just need his goat. I'm not
'into' him. I never was. Why are you even insinuating that? You
know I wasn't ever interested in him or any of the other boys
around here."

"Or anyone else, ever!" Hannah verbally jabs
at her high-spirited sister who snorts in return.

Sue gives a short laugh. "Hm, maybe you're
into someone else," her sly sister suggests. "Seems like you and
John have been spending a lot of time together."

"No way," Reagan mumbles.

"You're blushing!" Sue exclaims.

"Shut up. I am not," Reagan retorts
angrily.

This is getting interesting. Yep, just like
old days.

Reagan defends herself quickly enough, "I'm
not blushing, Hannie."

"You are. You're blushing, Reagan McClane,"
Sue says again, antagonizing their feisty sister. "What the heck
happened in the city, little sister? We haven't really had much
time to talk to you since you guys got back—what with those people
being here and all. Is there anything you want to tell us?"

"No," comes the abbreviated, annoyed
response.

Hannah chuckles.

"Come on, Reagan," Hannah prods. "You know
everything about me and Kelly. It wasn't like I had a choice,
either."

She's referring to the bladder infection, of
course, but Hannah also hopes that Sue doesn't question this.
Nobody but Reagan knows of her and Kelly being promiscuous before
their wedding.

"Nothing happened. Well, not much happened,"
Reagan says slyly.

Hannah can tell that her sister is frowning.
It's one of her signature expressions.

"What do you mean?" Hannah pushes.

"I don't know really. I just saw a lot of
stuff about John that made me look at him differently," Reagan
acknowledges.

"Like what, Reagan?" Sue asks more
seriously.

They are sitting in their grandparent's
bedroom suite working on decorations and wedding items. They are
using supplies from a large box of silk flowers and ribbons that
Sue found in storage. The children are outside playing and enjoying
the last vestiges of daylight while the men work on evening chores.
The babies are being watched by Grams. Grandpa has been holed up in
his study a lot lately, and Hannah isn't sure if it is because he
is working on the wedding ceremony or something else. He's been in
there more than the usual amount of time even back before the
visitors came or Kelly had proposed. The house is unnaturally quiet
and still. Hannah and Reagan are seated on the floor while Sue sits
at their grandmother's writing desk.

"For one, he saved my ass like a dozen
times," Reagan tells them.

"Yeah? Well, he is a Ranger. That's kind of
what they do," Sue says with a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess," Reagan says unsurely.

"Were you scared spending the night with
him?" Hannah inquires.

"No," Reagan answers too quickly.

"I would've been. It's not like we go around
sleeping with strange men all the time. That would've been
awkward," Hannah says honestly.

"Not really. That wasn't too bad. It was
just a lot of other things I didn't like," Reagan says.

She's opening up but only a smidge.

"What do you mean?" Hannah asks her.

"He's just different than I originally
thought. He has such a strong moral conscience it's unbelievable. I
mean, he didn't have to take in Jacob like he did. But it was so
surreal. He didn't even bat an eye. He just grabbed him up and
assumed a hundred percent instant responsibility for him," her
sister explains.

She is talking as if her mind is
side-tracked by memories. It doesn't sound to Hannah like her
sister dislikes these things about John at all.