‘You and Naomi?’ Ethan was sideswiped, sure he’d heard wrongly, but Abe nodded. ‘When did this happen—last night?’
‘No, it started on the day this little angel was born,’ Abe said, stroking Ava’s cheek, and then he looked at his brother. ‘Would you mind if I borrowed your nanny on New Year’s Eve?’ Abe checked. Not only was it the hardest night of the year to find a babysitter, there was more bad news to come. ‘Oh, and I shan’t be returning her.’
* * *
It was atruefamily Christmas.
Naomi’s first.
And a true family Christmas meant happy bits, amazing bits and more sadness than you dared to show, because grief and its journey was the price of love.
But a life well lived garnered wisdom, and there was plenty still to be shared.
Between the celebrations, congratulations and festivities was a man they all loved, who watched quietly as they chatted about the upcoming nuptials that were now scheduled for New Year’s Eve.
Or rather he watched Naomi.
She didn’t want a church, and she didn’t want anyone other than her and Abe present, even when he suggested they get married here at the hospital.
Ethan would be best man, Ava a flower baby, Merida the matron of honour...
But no.
‘We’ll get married quietly.’ Naomi shook her head as she smiled. ‘Just us, and then we can have a drink back here.’
And that suited some. It worked for Ethan but...
‘Can I speak to Naomi?’ Jobe said. ‘Alone.’
‘Are you kicking us out?’ Abe checked.
He was.
‘Why no fuss?’ he asked when everyone was gone. ‘Is it because of me?’
‘I don’t need a big wedding.’ Tears were pooling in her eyes and she did not want to spoil the happiest day of her life, but he had such wise eyes and they had clicked on that very first day, so she told him the truth. ‘Jobe, there’s no one to give me away.’
‘Could I?’ Jobe asked, and he looked at the kindest, sweetest woman who had come into their lives and changed them all. ‘Because nothing would make me prouder.’
* * *
It wasn’t such a tiny wedding.
There were an awful lot of nurses and doctors all helping them to achieve this day and there was Bernard in a suit and Barb in a hat and even a sheikh prince, but today he wore a suit.
And as for the bride, she wore white, because she deserved to.
‘It’s a myth that people with pale skin can’t wear white,’ Felicia had told her. She had been forgiven for losing Naomi at the ball.
Just as Abe had moaned about the many shades of black, Naomi had, with Felicia’s help, pored over whites and found the perfect one. A snow white that was as pure as the love that had saved them, in the softest silk faille.
The dress hugged her curves and silhouetted her fuller figure, and a Bardot neckline revealed her creamy décolletage to perfection.
She wore her dark hair down and it fell in shiny coils, with only minimal make-up. There was no point in wearing more as she knew she’d cry.
Merida looked gorgeous in a lavender dress and she had taken care of the flowers herself. Purple lilacs for first love, lavender roses for love at first sight, and white heather for protection. ‘It also means wishes that come true,’ Merida said.
‘They’re beautiful,’ Naomi said, taking her wedding bouquet with shaking hands.