Christmas past to present!

Epilouge

We head home again 12 weeks latter for a gender reveal. "What are you doing about the wedding?" Paige asks sitting with me at the kitchen island.

"Actually we talked about that. Were going to do that this Christmas. Maybe the 22nd."

"Aww, the day you kissed." She gushes

"Exactly. Baby will be a few months by that point, and a bonus is that I won't be a whale anymore." I laugh

"Speaking of, I can't wait to see what you're having. Any guesses?"

"I haven't a clue."

"I am firmly on team boy. You already have two girls, and Daniel could use a brother."

"Oh, Daniel has been crossing his fingers for weeks now." I tell her, and she laughs

"Are you going to have any others after this one?" She asks

"Let's get through this one before we talk about that." Keaton chuckles, walking into the kitchen.

"Agreed." I laugh. "Everything set?"

"Yup; Mama has the reveal handled, and your daddy has the food. Ms. Abby insisted on baking us a cake, and I believe the kids are organizing the blue and pink necklaces now. Are you ready?"

"Not much for me to do. Since I've been banned from lifting a finger." I pout. "I mean, seriously, I'm not fragile." He chuckles but doesn't argue already realizing there would be no winning the argument.

Two hours later, we pull up to the hotel. The ballroom is covered in blue and pink balloons and streamers. All of our guests are wearing blue or pink to show their teams, and it doesn't take long to see half the town has shown up for it.

Soon, we are standing in front of the room, the kids standing at our sides as we hold two long ropes. Daniel is in blue and the girls predictably in pink. The room counts down, and at one, I hold my rope while Keaton yanks his. The gender isn't announced, but a banner falls reading.

'Moving home baby Brown FALL 2022'

"What?" Keaton gasps

"Were moving!" Daniel yells happily. Keaton looks to me as though asking if it were true. I nod.

"In a little over a month. Before I can't travel. I'm tired of us being so far." I admit. His face lights up like a kid in a candy store. The room shouts in cheers. "But let's see what this baby is now shale we?"

"Yes!" The room yells, and I start the count down again. This time, at one, I pull my string, and blue confetti falls from the ceiling. Daniel can not contain his excitement jumping up and down right beside Keaton the girls are so excited they don't even care their team lost. The whole room goes wild.

December

"Are you ready, my dear?" Daddy asks, holding out my large bouquet of white lilies, red poinsettias, and sprigs of mistletoe. Shifting my dress to lay flat, I smile shyly.

"I'd say I've had long enough of a wait." His smile warms my nerves as he signals for the bridesmaids Kim, Kate, Georgia and Paige dressed in sleek forest green numbers there hair pinned with mistletoe and the groomsmen in forest green vests with black bow ties to start the procession.

Following them are our mothers in red assisting our flower girls Maddy and Claire in red and white plaid dresses tossing sprigs of holly and red and white rose petals and our boysin green and white plaid vests and black slacks Daniel holding a wooden box and pushing a 3 month old Christopher in his stroller. When the music changes, I hold tight to my fathers arm. Making our way down the snowy white aisle in the park.

Keaton looks handsome as all hell in his white suit. His red vest and black button up. The red poinsettia and mistletoe botiner pinned to his pocket. The music comes to an end as everyone takes their seats.

"Who gives away our bride today?" The pastor begins

"I do." Daddy answers, kissing my cheek, then my hand before placing it in Keaton's. His eyes on me in my gown; sleeveless with a sweetheart bust and gorgeous beading laying over me like snowflakes. The dress is poofy hiding underneath are about five layers of crimson red material.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered today to finally bare witness to this union between two I dare say soulmates." He announces."So if anyone here has any reason to object ... Well, keep that to yourself because you'd need to be blind not to see the passion and heart these two have always shared." The audience chuckles along with us.

"Now the couple has chosen to write their own vows." We both glare at him. "Okay, so I volunteered them. The least they can do for making us wait." More laughter.

"So Ms.Greene let's flip for it." Keaton suggests holding up a shiny silver quarter.

"Heads," I call watching it land tails. "Ha." I tease "Your up." He smiles, placing the coin back into his pocket and looking back to my eyes.

"Holly, what can I say to you now that I haven't said before? When we were just some Love struck kids without a clue or over this last year when you gave birth to our beautiful boy I have told you of my love almost everyday and apologized for all our time lost but today I'm not sorry because today I watched as our family walked down that aisle together. Had other choices been made I wouldn't have Daniel so kind-hearted and sweet, Claire who is outspoken and courageous, Maddie so curious and fun and now little Christopher who is just as charming as his daddy if I say so myself." The audience chuckles though he continues."So today I promise you never to break your heart again, to love you and our family, old and new." he glances behind him at Dylan standing with his groomsmen.

Dylan gives him a nod Who would have thought those two would turn out to be great co-parents and even friends. "I promise to keep surprising you and always put you before and above all others." he vows, kissing my hand.

"Beautiful. now miss Greene." the pastor says I wipe away a stray tear and clear my throat, looking up again into his shining green eyes.

"Keaton Brown, I have dreamt of this day since I was only 15. Writing your name in my diary. Soon to follow where the notes written in third period English. Most of which I still have hidden under my old mattress. Shortly after came dates and dances and after ten years apart last year I found pictures of me through your house and later even one in your wallet. I learned you'd actually been pinning for me. I had been so wrapped up in the things I thought I had to do I never realized..." I stop reach into my cleavage and pull out a paper handing it to him. "That I had pined for you too," I tell him in his hand now a photo strip of us at the mall only weeks before we had spilt. "Today, I promise never to deny my feelings again. To love our family fully to be the mother Maddy has always deserved and the wife you've yearned for. I promise to always play with you on the holidays and vow to always stay by your side forever." I finish his smile so bright, his eyes glowing.

"Very good, now Keaton Brown do you take Holly Greene to be your wife for richer foror poorer for better or worse in sickness and health till death do you part?"

"God yes!" he cheers

"Holly Greene, do you take Keaton Brown for richer or poorer for better or worse in sickness and health till death do you part?"

"Of course!" I smile

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife you may finally kiss the bride." he announces, and I'm claimed by my new husband theatrically dipping me ruffling my red skirts to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, they did it!" The pastor calls, and everyone jumps to their feet, clapping and cheering

Standing to my feet, I look to my children all of them. One year ago, I never had dreamed of this life. My husband takes my hand, Christopher is put into his arms, and the kids take our hands. As a family, all six of us walk the aisle together just as it should be.

The end