The Crying Bridge

The Crying Bridge--Chapter 34

 Later, as they were having dinner at one of the resort's many restaurants, Del reached over and took Evan's hand. "Does all this seem almost surreal to you?" She asked, smiling. "I'm afraid I'm in the middle of a really good dream and I'm terrified I might wake up!"

"It does seem too good to be true," Evan agreed. "But I think those two little beings inside you would argue that it's all quite real."

Del touched her abdomen, something she had done every few minutes since discovering she was pregnant. "True. They are most definitely real."

"Are you feeling sick again?" Evan asked. She had gotten through most of the day without incident but then had gotten sick just before they were leaving for dinner.

She shook her head. "No, I'm okay," she told him. Her meal of broiled shrimp and steamed vegetables was mostly gone and seemed to be sitting on her stomach with no issues. "I think I just went too long without food. We were just a bit distracted." She giggled.

"Yeah, distracted," Evan echoed. "That's one word for it."

"I've been thinking about something," Del said.

"Me, too. About how I'd like to take you back to our suite and see if we might get distracted again.

Del laughed. "Well, I won't say it's not on my mind but I was thinking of something else, actually."

Evan raised his eyebrows. "Okay, lay it on me."

"I know we decided not to talk about this until we get home, but I've been thinking about Emma."

"And what exactly is on your mind, Mrs. Drake?" Evan asked, grinning. He liked how that sounded.

Del liked it too. "Well, dear husband, I'm sort of stuck on the journal. What if Emmett Steinhurst found it after he killed Emma and took it or destroyed it? Emma told me she spent a lot of time with him before things became inappropriate. If she kept a journal, Emmett might have known about it."

Evan shrugged. "Possible, I guess. I still don't see how there's any way to know."

"There isn't," Del sighed. "But it would sure make telling Emma's story easier. Although with the journal or without it, I have no idea where to begin with the telling. I mean, does she just mean word of mouth or something more formal? There are still so many questions with no clear answers."

"Are you thinking of trying the communication with Emmett, with the special medium?" Evan asked.

"I think it could be worth it if we found out what happened to Caleb. I just don't want Emma to be tormented by him." Del said. She was quiet for a moment. "But I have been thinking of something...what would you say if I told you I was thinking of writing a book about all of it?"

Evan's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. That's a big idea. What sort of book? Like a novel, fiction? Or non-fiction?"

"I'm not sure," Del admitted. "I think the truth is worth being told. But there's a lot of blanks that might never be filled. And Emmett Steinhurst still has living family around. I guess legally, I'd need permission from them? I don't know. This is pretty new to me."

"Well, maybe you should talk with an attorney," Evan suggested.

"Maybe," Del agreed. "It's just a thought."

"It could be a good way of getting Emma's story out there," Evan ventured. "It'd be great if Emmett's living relatives would agree to be a part of it, to give statements, interviews..."

Del nodded slowly. "Yes, exactly...I think non-fiction would be the best way to go...and I think I really would like some ice cream..."

"Ice cream?" Evan asked, signaling to the waiter.

"Oh! No, let's go to the frozen yogurt place!" Del said with excitement.

Evan just laughed and signed for their meal. This was an all-inclusive resort, so everything had already been paid for. Evan finished his beer and took his new wife for frozen yogurt.

**********

Del was slowly wiggling herself back towards the head of the bed, she and Evan having just made good on promises they had made regarding things they would be doing to each other on their honeymoon. Evan was still breathing a bit heavily with a contented smile on his face. Del curled up next to him, her hand on his chest and his arm curved along her back.

"I hope that was satisfactory to you," Del said, laughing.

Evan laughed, too, but it was weak. He was weak. "Once again, you left me just shy of dead, but what a way to go." He gave her a brief squeeze. "And I hope my attentions to you were also sufficient."

"Ahh, I can promise you, brain cells were sacrificed," she told him.

They lay together quietly for a long time, long enough that Evan thought Del might have fallen asleep. "You awake?" he asked softly.

"Mmm hmmm...just barely," she said sleepily.

"Have you thought of any names? For the babies?"

Del raised her head up and smiled at him. "Have you?"

He shook his head. "No, but I was just thinking that since we have to name two kids we might want to start throwing a few out there."

"Do you have any preferences?" she asked.

"Not yet. You?"

Del thought but just for a moment. "Well, if we have a boy and a girl, I'd like to honor my parents by including there names in some fashion."

"What were their names?" Evan asked.

"Maude and Orville."

Evan's mouth opened, closed, opened again. "Umm...I don't...I'm not so..."

Del burst out laughing. "I'm kidding, Evan! Oh, but your face!" She laughed for a good while, Evan patiently holding her. When she had some control again she said, "Okay, my mother's name was Jane. And my dad was Owen."

Evan thought a moment. "Those are nice names," he said. "I like them."

Del was very quiet for a bit then said. "I have another idea but I'm not sure how you might feel about it. I still want to use my parents' names, but maybe as middle names," she paused. "Would you consider 'Emma' for a girl? And 'Caleb' for a boy?"

It only took Evan a second. "So 'Emma Jane' and 'Caleb Owen'?" he rubbed his jaw. "Sounds pretty good, actually. Emma Jane Drake and Caleb Owen Drake. Yes! I really like that!"

Del smiled. "Well we still need one other girl and boy name, in case we get two girls or two boys."

"Okay," Evan said. "We could make it easy. Your middle name as a first name for a girl, mine for a boy. Then we just need the middle names."

"Elizabeth and Matthew," she said out loud. "Yeah, that could work. I've always liked the name 'Faith.' Elizabeth Faith?" She looked up and Evan was nodding. "And a middle name for a second boy...Okay, I read this book years ago and there was a little boy named Gage. Matthew Gage?"

"I think we just named our kids," Evan said. "Now, can we get back to the fact that we're naked and on our honeymoon?"

"Hey, you brought up the name thing. I was just waiting for you." She rolled onto her back. "So get yourself over here and show me what you've got."

Evan did just that and afterwards, they discussed what sort of baby gear they might need to get for twins before they finally slept.

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