Dylan’s Redemption(108)

“Claire and Rain got you the dress and shoes. Lynn picked up a bouquet of flowers for you. John and Greg have come to take you away if you don’t want to marry me. If you do, then they’re here to give us their blessing, and John will give you away.” He grinned down at her as Will held her hand on her other side. “I called the caterers. Claire made a cake for us to cut later, and we’ll have a quiet meal. Have I forgotten anything or anyone?”

“It’s perfect. If it were just the three of us and nothing else, it would be enough.” She looked down at Will, who looked up at her, and then to Dylan. “Shall we get married?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” he teased.

“I did. Yesterday.”

“Exactly. You said as soon as possible. I hope in about two minutes is fast enough.”

She slid open the glass doors and stepped out to greet their guests. She’d met Dylan’s cousins and their wives and the girls and babies several months ago. She recognized the men from the sheriff’s department and met their wives.

She greeted Pop and Greg with hugs and kisses for both of them. “I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t think I’d have made it to this day without your help. I love you both.”

She turned to Brian and Marilee and bent to kiss her sleeping nephew in Marilee’s arms. Seeing him made the ache in her heart a little more pronounced, but it was better now that she’d shared the loss of Hope with Dylan. She no longer had to carry the burden alone. Looking down at her nephew, she placed a hand over her own belly and sighed with contentment. Today was perfect. Today, she was happier than she’d ever been in her life. She gazed up to the sky and sent a silent prayer to her daughter, letting her know today her parents would be married and joined by love forever. It’s what Hope would have wanted for them.

After she and Dylan signed the marriage license, everyone got set up. She waited on the patio as Dylan took his place on the back lawn with Will at his side and Greg as his best man. She thought it appropriate the two men who loved her and had been a part of Hope’s life stood together waiting for her to walk down the aisle. Pop stood on her left and Brian on her right. Arm in arm the two men walked her down the aisle to Dylan. Her past and present had finally converged with a clear path ahead of her, leading straight to Dylan and Will.

The ceremony took only a few moments with simple words of love, family, commitment, and connection from the preacher. Dylan slipped another diamond ring onto her finger to complement the engagement ring he gave her not even an hour ago. It came time to give him a ring and she panicked, but Dylan handed her a gold band that she slipped onto his finger with a brilliant smile. She had to put it on his right hand, because the fingers on his left hand were still too swollen. His wrist was still in the brace and would be a few more weeks. He didn’t mind. He just smiled at her with that half grin of his and made her feel like everything was perfect.

He kissed her with so much love her heart filled and overflowed. The preacher declared them husband and wife. Everyone in the crowd cheered and Dylan kissed her again. Will hugged them with his little arms wrapped around both their legs.

The crowd of well-wishers enveloped them and she got separated from Dylan, talking to Rain and Claire. She loved seeing their babies, David and Sean. Dawn and Autumn kept Will busy, playing tag on the grass.

“Jessie, come over here,” Dylan called to her from the patio.

She excused herself from Greg and Pop and went over to Dylan and Owen.

Owen handed her a stack of papers and a pen. “Mrs. McBride, if you’ll sign here.”

“Oh, I like that—Mrs. McBride.”

“There are quite a few of you now,” Owen teased, now that Brody, Owen, and Dylan were all happily married.

She scanned the legal papers and asked Dylan, “What are these?” not believing what she read.

“These are adoption papers. If you sign them, Will is yours. You’ll be his legal mother.”

“If I sign them? There’s no if about it.” She signed her name Jessie McBride. “Fitting the first time I use my new name it’s to make Will my son.”

He kissed her senseless after that beautiful statement.

“I’ll file the papers with the court. We’ll have a court date to finalize everything, but it’s mostly a formality. From this moment on, you’re Will’s mother,” Owen announced.

“You’re the mother I always wanted for Will,” Dylan said.

“Good thing Will picked me,” she said, mimicking his words.

“I love you.” He laughed and kissed her again. “Mrs. McBride.” He leaned his forehead to hers. “We’ve waited a long time to make this happen.”