Never Knew We Needed You

13

We're helping my parents get back on their feet. At this point, it makes more sense for them to just live with Gabriel and Tory, who are thrilled to house them. The rest of the family has left, but Wyatt and I are staying back to help with legal matters. We're going to court to try the main suspects that we've found. Mark and Copeland went back home, as much as I love both of them, Mark and I both agree that it's for the best that they stay at home while I work this out.

I fix the button on my blazer and step into my simple black business heels. Not the ones I wore on my first date, these are more modest, after all I am going to a courtroom.

I wind up my long brown hair into a bun and head downstairs where I find my parents, Wyatt and Gabriel. Tory is staying back of course, she has Adele and Joan to watch.
"You all ready to go?" I ask everyone else. Wyatt nods and goes over to hug me. Hopefully this will clear some things up. We all hug Adele and Joan and Tory and head out for the long, stressful drive.

When we get to the courthouse Wyatt starts whispering furiously in my ear explaining what I need to do. Basically I'm just supposed to sit with our parents while Wyatt and Gabriel and our witnesses, our old neighbors, do all the work. I nod, and we go to take our seats.
It's scary, watching this happen. Wyatt is representing, apparently Mom refused a lawyer, and he's battling hard. After about an hour, they've found the guy who did it.
Now the actual battle begins.
I sit silently throughout this, watching both Gabriel and Wyatt debating with the defense lawyer. I just watch all of this, and keep a firm hold on my mother's hand.

There's a recess, at which my brothers go off to discuss something, and I force my dad to drink some water. He hasn't eaten all day or the night before.
During the break, I find myself staring at the accused. Short, blonde-haired man around 29, maybe 30. He's unnaturally skinny, and it looks like he's been abusing some kind of drug. Apparently this isn't his first offense. He's been accused of domestic violence, theft, possession of crystal meth-I knew he was smoking something-and past acts of arson. This guy is a maniac.

The trial goes on and on, and in the end he is convicted. Four years in prison followed by several restraining orders and a year of community service after being released from jail. My parents did press charges, but dropped their lawsuit. My sweet mother cried when she heard his sentence. However, she did whisper under her breath, 'this can't what God planned, I wish I could force him to become a priest.' My mother.

When we get back I call Mark.
"Hey honey! How'd it go?"
"Found the guy, jail for a few years,  basically got his ass handed to him by my brothers," I pause to high-five Wyatt. The best way for us to handle this is to laugh about it, now that the legal and scary parts are over. Mark picks up on this, "Wow you're feeling much better. Seriously, is everything okay? I'm glad everything worked out."
"Yeah, I should be home by tomorrow morning. How's Copeland doing?"
"Awesome! I mean, mostly sleeping and eating, but she enjoys when I lay her on her stomach and talk to her."
I laugh, "You're so cute you know? Be honest, how much of her has the Internet seen?"
A brief silence, "Three pictures on Instagram, one on Twitter along with four tweets about her, and I've mentioned her a billion times in videos. Please don't be mad, I can't help myself! You made a cute kid, I want to brag about it!"
I let out an amused sigh, "Hey you contributed. I know it's lame, but I'm really excited to see what she looks like. She's really too young right now."
"I know what you mean! But you're sure that you don't mind about the pictures, because there is a slight chance that one of today's videos was a cute sketch involving her, Tiny Box Tim, and Chica..."
"Oh my gosh no! Mark that is the cutest thing I can imagine, please send me a link to that!"
"I'm glad you think so. I really miss you, Paige. As awesome as it is with Cope and Chica, I want my fiancée back home!"
"I know baby, I promise I'll be back by ten tomorrow."

"It was great having you here, Paige. Hope to see you soon!"
I wave, and start my way back home.
I'm so excited to see Mark.

I walk up the porch and ring the doorbell, just to be irritating. Mark answers with the baby in his arms.
"Paige! Ah, get inside already!" He kisses my forehead, and I close the door.
"Let me see her," I plead. He hands me Copeland, and I shower her with kisses.
"Ooh, Mommy missed you! Oh, didn't you have a good time alone with Daddy?" I say in a baby-talk voice. She waves her hands around, and scrunches her eyebrows.
"She smiled while you were gone, like an actual smile," Mark says, hugging me from behind.
"Really? That's great," I say. She's growing, definitely. I'm just excited for when she's a few months old. Of course that'll be here before I know it. I'm just so happy that everything is finally working out.

"So I've made some premature wedding plans already," Mark says while we're eating dinner.
"Really? That's awesome. I've been looking at dresses, and there's a few I like."
"Great! How would you feel about maybe getting married on a beach?"
I smile at him, "Okay, a beach wedding in June in California? Yeah that sounds like a good idea."
He gives me an exasperated look, "It would be at sunset, extra romantic, won't be hot, and we don't have to wake up so early."
"Seems you've put a lot of thought into this."
He reaches for my hand and holds it in both of his.
"I want it to be perfect. So?"
I put my other hand on top of his, "It sounds wonderful."

Mark does the dishes while I tend to the baby. I can't help but think about the wedding now. More importantly, the rest of our lives.
"Mark, in a few years, let's say five, just for the sake of conversation, where do you see us?" I ask when I come into the living room. He sighs thoughtfully.
"Well, back in Cincinnati in a family home close to my mom and step mom along with three dogs and two more kids."
I plop down next to him, "That sounds nice. You really think about this stuff?"
He puts his arm around me, "Yeah, I mean it's not weird right? I am engaged to you, right?"
I laugh, "Of course, have you named the dogs and children?"
Mark starts playing with his hair and murmurs under his breath, "Cocoa and Daisy, Marshall and Samantha."
"Aww, that's cute! So two girls and a boy?" I say. He nods, "Yeah, but all of that is negotiable. I know how much you love the name Jasmine."
I snuggle up to him, "Yeah, and maybe we could get a cat? We could call her Jasmine."
"That sounds perfect."
It does. It is.