This is love

epilogue

He was so brooding handsome, the moment like something captured for a magazine shoot with the vineyard background and wonderfully decorated arch they stood beneath. Hand-in-hand, I could barely swallow the lump in my throat. 

"And do you, Frank George Fields, take thee, Theresa Anne Thorpe, to be your lawfully wedded wife?" 

"I do." 

His fingers squeeze mine and I can't look away, so I squeeze them back. A clarifying move to let him know the tears that were streaking my lightly dabbed makeup cheeks were in fact a sign of happiness. A sign of contentment. 

"It's with great honor that I pronounce you both, husband and wife." 

The gathering of all forty people - minus the convicted cousin and mouth piece aunt - erupted into cheers of elation. They drift down the aisle like movie stars, ducking beneath the petals of confetti that rained onto them. 

Friends and family had flown to the island to witness this incredible blessing unravel before them. A second chance for both - a second chance at life, a second chance at love. It didn't go without saying that the adoration was known way before they probably knew themselves and there was no blaming either on the hesitance. 

Dad sat Flo and I down on a late August afternoon, supplying us with a sticky sweet chocolate muffin like he did when we were kids. We knew then that he had found his beyond. He explained to us like we were children, like he needed to justify why he was worthy of love and why he was wanting to propose. 

We embraced him, crying on each others shoulders with happiness. Our mom was never going to be replaced, ever but dad didn't deserve to be lonely. 

Theresa was only too happy when Jason and I offered up our home away from home for the wedding, and she was even more thrilled when Flo and I wanted to help with the plans. She raised two grown up sons, she said she liked to have a girls imput. 

As things began to switch from the sweet ceremony to the sun setting reception, I find the salt and pepper hair between the crowds of well wishers. He doesn't spare a minute before engulfing me into a hug. 

"There's my girl." He whispered in my ear before letting out a gasp and releasing me just as quickly, eyes zoning in on the little cherub behind me. "And there's my other girl!" 

The twinkle in those bottomless brown eyes made my heart completely fall apart as the tiny chubby hands thrust outwards. 

"Ah, so daddy isn't wanted when grandpa is in the picture." Jason teases. "I see - I'll remember that one, miss Sophia."

Sophia Florence Hayes. The seven pound three ounce bundle of dark haired perfection. She was just as I dreamed and more. She had her fathers melting eyes and my caramel hair. Sophia was a dreamboat from the second I found out I was pregnant - no sickness, no cravings and less than ten pound piled on. Jason was smitten from the moment he found out I was carrying our miracle, but never had I seen such admiration or pure love like the minute she was born and the doctor proudly handed him his daughter. 

“Papa!” She grins so happily. 

“Let’s go find uncle Steve.” He says, giving Jason and I a wink and spinning on his heel with his pride and joy hanging from his neck. 

Theresa gently touches my arm. “Go and get a seat. Take the weight of while you can. There’s no way you’re getting her back anytime soon.” 

I eyed dad who stands with his motorbike club friends, each bulky man with handlebar mustaches and chains dangling from the pockets of their suit trousers, turned into dancing teddy bears around our girl. They doted on her and Sophia wasn’t a bit shy to the attention. Her first birthday she was gifted her first leather jacket with the signature club’s badge on the back by the group of grown men, who rolled up in their Harley’s and Kawasaki's.