A Time to Live (28 page)

Nikki returned to her chair.
“Who is going to be your best man, Michael?”

“I’m going to ask my cousin, Chris.”

“I can’t wait to meet Chris and Susan.”

“You’ll like them, Chris and Susan are definitely a pair.”

“What about you, Nikki?” Doc asked. “Are you going to invite anyone from L.A.?”

She shook her head.
“My family is gone, and if my so-called friends couldn’t stand beside me during my cancer, I’m sure not inviting them to my wedding.” She hesitated then decided to needle Rory. “Are you married, Rory?”

He snorted, taking a drink of his champagne.
“To my job.”

“Good you can be in charge of security, we don’t want Taylor crashing the party.”

Rory groaned.

Nikki laughed.
“I’m kidding, Rory. Seriously, do you think you can get off of work?”

“Give me a date and I’ll be there, Nikki.”

“Great, I’ll hold you to that.”

“You promise?” he asked with a wicked grin.

Nikki laughed and Michael jabbed his shoulder. “Don’t hold her too tight or you’ll have to deal with me.”

Doc chuckled.
“Well, that’s settled. You’re perfect for the security job anyway, Sanders, I can only imagine what Nikki will look like as the bride, you’ll have to beat the guys off with a stick.”

“Can I carry my gun?”

Nikki rolled her eyes.

“Doc, you’ll stand with me this time?” Michael asked.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“What about your grandfather, Michael?” Nikki asked.

He laughed softly. “Well, I was going to ask you about that. I would like for him to stand with me, but we’d never get him in a tux. If you don’t mind him in Native American ceremonial garb, I’ll talk to him.”

“I don’t mind at all, Michael.
I think it would be great.”

“You realize my grandfather is going to insist we have a second ceremony on the res, don’t you?”

She hesitated in surprise. “No, I didn’t.”

“If you don’t want to, we won’t have to, but it would mean a lot to my grandfather...and to me.”

She didn’t have to debate the question. “I think a second ceremony on the res would be wonderful.”

Michael stared at her, as if shocked she agreed so quickly.
“And the wedding dress?” he asked softly. “If your friends can repair it, would you wear it?”

“Michael, I would be honored to wear it.
Why are you so worried?”

He fidgeted uncomfortably.
“Nikki, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to….”

She arched an eyebrow.
“What are you not telling me?”

Michael looked at Doc.

Doc drew a deep breath. “When Michael married Laura, she refused to wear the dress, and refused to have the second ceremony at the res.”

“In my grandfather’s eyes
,” Michael said. “We were never married.”

Doc refilled the champagne glasses.
“I told you she was bad news, Michael.”

“That you did, Doc.
I’m sorry I never listened.”

“What do you mean?”
Nikki asked.

Doc’s cheeks colored.
“I’m sorry, Michael, but she deserves to know the truth.”

Michael shrugged
, his gaze locked on the floor.

“Laura,” Doc growled.
“Wasn’t the right girl for Michael. We all knew it, only Michael didn’t see it. She toyed with him at every turn. I heard her telling Jan once that the only reason she married him was because it impressed the people she worked with and advanced her career. She was being politically correct by marrying a man with so much Native blood, one who was good looking, and one who had such a great artistic talent.”

Nikki gaped at him then looked at Michael.

Michael shrugged.
“And I didn’t believe Doc when he told me. My heart blinded me to the facts. But when I was served divorce papers in jail, that really opened my eyes. It wasn’t if she believed me or not, but the fact I was now detrimental to her career. Unfortunately, I learned the lesson too late and at the worst time.”

Nikki’s heart twisted and she gripped his hand tightly.
“I am sorry, Michael.”

“But,” Doc said pointedly.
“There is one thing no one can doubt now. Nikki
is
the right girl for you.”

Michael laughed.
“That she is, Doc.” He pulled her closer and kissed her softly.

Doc cleared his throat.
“I think we should leave these two lovebirds.”

Michael and Nikki both laughed.

“Seriously, Doc,” Michael said.
“We want all of you to stay.”

Nikki nodded vehemently.
“Please, it’s been so long since I’ve been able to celebrate anything - and having real friends around is something I’ve missed.” She watched Rory sitting silently in his chair, his gaze locked on her hand entangled with Michael’s. She saw a flash of pain cross his features, but instantly it vanished. At first, she wondered if Rory wasn’t happy with her marrying Michael. But then a little voice whispered in her head.
He is so alone in this life. He’s married to his job and it makes him into something he’s not almost every day of the week. Aside from the people he works with, the only friends he has are you and Michael. He wants to be a person with real dreams, real love.

Nikki disengaged her hand from Michael’s and moved beside Rory, gently gripping his shoulder.
“Rory?” she asked softly. “Would you give me away?”

Rory stared up at her, startled, again she saw the terrible pain in his eyes.
She glanced at Michael who stiffened, watching Rory like a hawk, then his expression changed. Nikki knew Michael’s instincts had detected Rory’s buried anguish. Michael nodded once, the action almost imperceptible.

“Nikki,” Rory said, still trying to recover his composure.
“I’d be honored, but are you sure?” He looked pointedly at Doc.

“I’m positive.
Doc’s going to be standing with Michael and since my parents are gone, I would love for you to do this. You have become one of my dearest friends.”

He broke into his familiar grin.
“I’d be honored, Nikki, thank you.” Rory lifted his glass and winked at her. “To friendship and to love.”

“Hear, hear!” The group chorused.
Champagne glasses clinked together with a hearty chime.

Two Years Later

Michael stood back and surveyed the new porch with satisfaction.
The repairs on Nikki’s cabin were finally finished to his high standards. It had taken two years of working small projects at a time, but it was finally done. Michael still had his cabin, but the old Stafford place was now their home. He went inside and grabbed a glass of ice tea, looking around the living room.

Together, he and Nikki had completed the darkroom in the basement.
She resumed her photography and the pictures adorning the walls, along with Michael’s paintings, grew in number almost daily.

His favorite of Nikki’s photos hung in a place of honor over the fireplace mantle.
It was a large 11 x 14 color print close up of him, which he had matted and framed. Nikki had been kneeling on the ground, shooting upward. But Michael wasn’t looking at the camera. He had his arm slightly extended and Cetan back-winged in for a landing. The photo had caught the hawk’s wings in the up and back position. Her talons were only inches from his arm, her head arched down as she looked to her perch and he was watching her. His lips were lifted in tiny smile that he had never seen from himself in a mirror. There were snow covered trees behind him, but the sun had been out and the light had refracted slightly in the lens giving the photo a brilliant, ethereal glow.

Slowly
, his gaze traveled over the walls, stopping on the portrait he had painted of their wedding. It was a classic pose of just the bride and groom. Nikki, thanks to her friends in Los Angeles, had worn the restored antique wedding gown that had been in the Roumare family for generations. Their wedding had a Victorian theme, and Michael’s tux was also of the period. It seemed as if all of Shadow Mountain turned out for the event. Rory kept his promise and gave away the bride.

Michael’s cousin, Chris had been his best man, and his wife, Susan, Nikki’s matron of honor. They hired a professional photographer and Michael had ordered an extra copy of this photo.
Using Renaissance and Flemish techniques, with the photo as a basis, Michael painted the portrait giving it an antique feel with a stunning glow that was no longer seen in modern portraits.

The wedding, a scant six months after Nikki’s test results in Denver, had been magnificent.

Michael sipped his tea, smiling fondly at the memory and marveling at the turn his life had taken since then. He had found his place in the great circle, the place where he belonged and knew happiness. It was a simple life and one he savored each day.

With the discovery of Josh Starwell’s guilt, the town had finally forgiven Michael.
He could once again walk among the people of Shadow Mountain without hatred and without judgment. But it was because of a young woman who never succumbed to the fear and lies.

He marveled at the strength of Nikki’s spirit.
She had been doing well these past two years. But now she was at Doc Blackthorn’s office. For the first time, Nikki insisted she could do this herself. Michael wasn’t sure what to think. She had left this morning, saying repeatedly that she could do this alone. It was only a checkup.

Michael had promised her he would be with her every step of the way and he had been.
There had been more tests and two other bronchoscopies. He shivered. Those things were awful. He understood completely why she was terrified. Thank God they did them under general now instead of local like before. The fact that she had gone through the tests and the chemo alone....How could a person do it? He wished valiantly that he had known her then. But they were together now and Michael knew they always would be.

At least today proved Doc had finally earned her trust.
Michael grinned. That had not been an easy feat to accomplish, but Doc was a good man. Nikki’s cancer was gone and did not seem likely to reappear.

They had traveled once to Los Angeles with Rory so Nikki could testify in Harris’ trial.
That had been difficult for her, but she performed admirably on the stand, despite the high dollar, no holds barred lawyer that Harris had hired. Harris had been convicted for using the experimental drugs on Nikki. He had lost his medical license and was in jail, and Nikki had a huge civil suit pending as well.

Although Harris was wrong for what he did, the drugs had ultimately worked and cured Nikki.
Their development had huge ramifications for other cancer patients and opened the door to a new future. Doctor Rashid proceeded with Harris’ research, but he did it the right way. Perhaps the awful things Nikki endured would actually help others. That success would be most fitting. Both Michael and Nikki hoped Rashid could perfect the medications.

The Bronco pulled into the driveway
. Michael walked out and stood on the new porch.

“You did a great job,” Nikki said, pulling a bag of groceries out with her.

“Thanks.” He took the bag in one arm and grabbed her with the other, kissing her soundly. “How’d the appointment go?”

“Just fine,” she said with a smile that spoke volumes of intrigue.
“My lungs are doing so well that Doc thinks surgery won’t be necessary at all.”

He breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s wonderful, Nikki.” She had moved to the point where she no longer took any medication. Michael was overjoyed to see the changes within her. She was vibrant and beautiful, with a strength that ignited a powerful flame within him.

“Now that I’ve finished here,” he said. “I was wondering if I should fix up my place a little more.”

She frowned slightly. “I don’t know, Michael. I think you might find this cabin will suit our needs much better. It is bigger.”

He stared at her.
“We really don’t need bigger with just the two of us.”

“Three of us,” she corrected.

He opened his mouth to reply then suddenly snapped it shut. “What?”

“I was thinking the extra bedroom upstairs would make a good nursery.”

He suddenly needed to sit down. His legs buckled and he plopped on the step.

“Michael?”
Nikki said crouching beside him. “Are you all right?”

“Nursery?
But I thought the chemo—” His voice broke and he tried again. “I thought people who undergo chemo couldn’t have children.”

She smiled at him, joy igniting her eyes.
“Doc told me that it isn’t always permanent. Whatever the case, nothing’s going to change the fact that I’m pregnant now.”

Michael closed his eyes, unexpected tears threatening.
Never had he imagined it could be like this. Not only had he found the perfect woman, but she was going to have his child.