Almost a Family (16 page)

“That’s never been the issue,” she choked.

“Then I’ll prove it. I’ll put the house up for sale and let Mark buy out my share of the clinic. I can start over again, easily. It doesn’t matter where. I can come to Calgary and be with you, or we can go somewhere new and start over together. Whatever you want.”

He didn’t mean it. He couldn’t. Jason Elliot, Mr. Five Year Plan, wasn’t actually breaking ties and taking unknown chances, was he? She wanted to believe him. She’d never wanted anything more than to believe that he could trust her with their future. But a tiny part of her still nagged that it was too good to be true. She kept the distance between them, still wary.

“You’re just saying that to get me to agree.”

He started walking slowly toward her. “You’re right. I am. Because right now there’s nothing that matters half as much as being able to love you for the rest of my life. I’ll give it all up if you’ll marry me this time, Molly.”

He reached her and she had to tilt up her head to look into his eyes. He was serious. He was willing to give it all up to be with her. On her terms. Nothing ever could have meant more to her than the sacrifice he was willing to make to be with her. She swallowed, suddenly aware that her cheeks were wet with tears and that thirty-odd people were waiting with held breath for her answer. He hadn’t known she’d been planning to come back all along…and he was willing to uproot his life to be with her! She sniffed, laughed, turned to the security personnel and said, “You’d better get these people through. I won’t be boarding.”

A cheer went up through the crowd, voices laughing and hands clapping as she turned back to Jason, dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around his neck. “My answer’s yes,” she whispered, gasping when his arms lifted her feet clear of the floor and he kissed her, fully, jubilantly.

The crowd dispersed and he put her down. “I was so scared,” he murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. “I was sure you’d say no, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage without you. I thought after last night I didn’t stand a chance.”

“You mean it? We can start our life anywhere?”

He nodded. “It’ll take some arranging with the house and business, but nothing a good lawyer can’t handle.” He winked at her and she grinned widely. He dipped into his coat pocket. “I have something for you.”

Stepping away, he knelt down on the cold white tiled floor and opened the ring box with a stiff creak.

“This ring has waited six years to be on your finger. Don’t make it—or me—wait any longer.”

He took it out of the velvet and slipped it over the finger of the hand she held out. It was a perfect fit, even now.

He rose, still clasping her hand, turning the diamonds over with his fingers.

“Jason? You don’t need a lawyer.”

He stopped twirling and furrowed his eyebrows at her. “I don’t?”

“You don’t need legal counsel. You aren’t going to sell the practice or the house. I love your house.”

He stepped back, mouth gaping. Molly laughed, crossing her arms and pressing her fingers against her lips. He didn’t realize. Didn’t see that his willingness to sacrifice was all she’d really needed, and more than she thought he’d ever give.

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“I thought you wanted to stay in Calgary, look after your career…” His brows furrowed in confusion.

“I know that’s what you thought. But I can be a good lawyer anywhere. I love Calgary, but without you, it’s…” She broke off, swallowing the tears that gathered in her throat. “What I wanted, you silly man, is the choice. To know that what I wanted was as important to you as what
you
wanted. A partnership, equal billing. To know that together we could find a compromise.”

“And it took me six years to realize it.”

“Better late than never.”

“You really want to stay here?”

She smiled, feeling all the pieces click into place one by one. “I’d already decided to quit and leave Calgary. I don’t belong far away, in a job that’s cold and unfulfilling. I knew over a week ago that I wanted to come back and be closer to Kim and Sara and…you.” She raised her hand and touched his jaw tenderly. “But I couldn’t tell you. I needed you to offer that compromise so I could be sure. My heart broke last night when I thought I’d never get it. I was sure that if I got out of the way that there’d be room for you and Kim to be happy, because you both deserve that.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know that now. It’s not up to me to try to dictate your lives. It’s not about plans and timetables. It’s about hearts. And what hurt most is I knew without a doubt I’d never love anyone as much as I love you.”

“I couldn’t let you walk away again.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and she closed her eyes.

“Excuse me for saying it, but I’m glad!” She laughed thickly.

“You’re really coming home?”

“I was only going back to take care of business—like selling my condo and quitting my job. I’ll stay with Kim until I get settled but…your house is big enough for both of us. Kim is next door—and it’s high time I started being a sister and aunt, don’t you think? I can’t think of anything more perfect. I can hang out my shingle anywhere.”

At a loss for words, Jason simply gathered her into his arms and closed his eyes in thankfulness.

“Let’s go home,” she whispered against his neck. “I’ve got the whole afternoon off, and this is one celebration that’s long overdue.”

Epilogue

Molly twisted the rings on her finger, trying to ease them off her hand. “Oh, this is ridiculous.”

Jason laughed, picking up the hand and slipping the offending finger into his mouth. “I think it’s cute,” he said, nipping at the pink-colored fingernail.

With a snort, Molly ripped her hand away and turned the rings around until they finally slid over the knuckle. With a sigh, she put them on the coffee table and sank back into the cushions of the sofa.

“Mistake number two.”

“Sitting down?”

“Sitting here,” she complained ruefully. “You’re going to need a block and tackle to get me up.”

Jason leaned over, spreading his hand over the large mound of stomach protruding from the cushions. “It won’t be long now. And you finished work today… We can finish decorating the nursery. Spend a few lazy mornings in bed….whatever you want, angel.”

Leaving work had been hard. Molly had come to love her new job, working as legal counsel to a large non-profit for underprivileged kids. Knowing at the end of the day she was helping make a difference—it was much more fulfilling than endless land and gas leases, the power parties and pointless receptions.

But her due date was only a week away, her feet and hands were swollen, and she felt like a cow every time she moved. Sometimes she felt like all she needed was a damn bell around her neck.

She leaned ahead, huffing, and picked up the rings. “I didn’t think I’d ever take these off.” She pouted.

Jason reached behind her and unclasped her gold chain. “Here. We’ll thread them on your chain and you can wear them close to your heart.”

Molly stared down at the rings in her hand. The first, winking with diamonds, had waited six long years to sit on her finger, and she hated having to remove it, even for a few short weeks. The second was newer and even more precious because of the promises it held. “It doesn’t seem right,” she whispered, fingering the smaller band with three diamonds inset.

Jason strung the rings on the chain and re-hooked the clasp. Smiling, he pulled Molly backwards and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m glad you’re so attached,” he teased. “But as long as you don’t get rid of
me,
we’ll be just fine.”

Her hand covered his, felt their baby move beneath their fingers. “Are you kidding? I waited far too long to have you to get rid of you now.”

“So you did. But we got here, that’s what matters.”

The back door slammed; Molly angled her head to send her husband a knowing look. “We have company.”

“Aunt Molly! Uncle Jason!”

How awkward Molly had felt the first time Sara had paired their names together well over a year ago. Now it was music to her ears.

“Hey, pumpkin,” Molly called out. “Your mom with you?”

Sara bounded into the room, her blonde hair in bouncy ringlets and brown eyes sparkling with devilment. “She’s coming. She’s got brownies and fudge crackle ice cream.

Molly groaned in anticipation. “That’s good. Junior hasn’t had his chocolate fix today.”

Jason reached down, jiggled the rings, mocking her. “Are you sure that’s not what got you into this problem to begin with?”

Molly scowled darkly. Really. Jokes about weight gain were not a good idea right now.

“That would be water retention.”

Kim’s happy voice intruded and Molly sent her a thumbs up for the female solidarity. “Ah, the Estrogen Brigade has arrived. I heard you brought my daily fix. Help me up, will you?”

With Jason’s hands pushing and Molly’s gripping Kim’s, she got to her feet.

With a popping sound.

Kim laughed, Jason raised his eyebrows, and Molly said, “Oops.”

“Sara, honey, put the ice cream in the freezer. We’ve gotta go.”

Molly smiled at Jason, unfazed by the contraction. They’d been happening all day, off and on, varying in intensity. “Could you get me some dry clothes, honey?”

“Now?”

“Right now.” She put her hand on his, looking up into his awed, frightened eyes. “My water just broke. Besides, it’s about time this show got on the road, don’t you think?”

Jason’s heart hit his throat.

His wife was standing there, calm as you please, in the middle of labor, and all he could do was stare at her dumbly.

The fact that she was laughing at him shook him out of his stupor. “Right. Bag. Hospital.”

He was guiding her to the truck, Kim and Sara going to Kim’s car to follow, when a contraction hit.

“Mmmm.” She paused, pursing her lips.

“Mmmm?” He peered into her face.

“This one’s a little stronger than the others.”

Dear Lord. A contraction and all she could say was
Mmmm
? His wife was made of tough stuff.

“Let’s go,” she murmured, but he heard the underlying urgency in her voice and quickly got her in the truck and out the drive.

At the hospital she was taken immediately into a room for monitoring while he looked after paperwork. He tried to rush through admitting, hating every moment he had to spend away from her.

“Relax, Mr. Elliot.” The clerk smiled up at him. “First babies take a while.”

Easy for you to say.
It wasn’t her wife up there going through it. It wasn’t
her
baby trying to come into the world.

When he returned, breathless from jogging up the stairs, Molly was sitting up on an angle, dressed in a hospital gown and chewing on ice chips from a clear plastic cup. A nurse went to the light switch and dimmed the lights in the room, creating a cozier atmosphere.

“Jason.”

“I’m here.”

He moved to her side, leaned over and kissed her forehead. “What can I do?” His fingers stroked her face and she relaxed.

“You’re doing it.”

Another contraction hit and she squeezed his hand.

“Good,” said the nurse, checking her watch. “Three minutes. You’re progressing nicely.”

“Nicely. Great. I’m
so
glad I’m doing
nicely
.” She punctuated the sentence with a very ripe word.

The nurse looked at Jason, unfazed, a wry grin spreading on her face at Molly’s acidic tone. “And we’ve hit transition. Not long now.”

Until this moment, they’d almost been a family, but after tonight, there would be a baby, one that was part of both of them, a living testament to their love, their commitment. He thought he’d understood what that meant. There’d been the joy and fear of discovering Molly was pregnant. The knowing that he was going to be completely responsible for another life. There was that first heartbeat in the doctor’s office, the first movement beneath his hand, the beautiful rounding of her as their baby grew. But nothing had made him realize how
big
this was, how magnificent and humbling, until he sat beside her, seeing her labor to deliver their son or daughter.

When their daughter, Alyssa Joy, came howling into the world, he hadn’t known his heart was big enough to hold so much.

And he knew that if she’d asked, he would have made any sacrifice to be with her. Because together they
were
a family.

“Thank you,” Molly whispered, dangerously close to tears.

He pressed his forehead to hers, damp with sweat.

“For what?”

“For giving me my happily ever after,” she whispered.

He leaned back as the nurse placed a white wrapped bundle in Molly’s arms. Two tiny pink lips sucked in and out, the tiny nearly-black eyes barely open, a scratch mark on one precious cheek.

“Now you see, that’s where you’ve got it wrong.” He smiled down, his eyes suspiciously damp as his lip quivered. “Because it’s you who’s given me what I always wanted.”

“A family.”

“Not just any family. Our family.”

He kissed her then, with the baby between them. When their lips parted, he felt her smile against his mouth. “You have no idea, Elliot,” she murmured. “This is just the beginning.”