Rose of Sharon |Courting Trouble BK 2|

Chapter 27 (Part 2)

Baby Sierra Dawn Thorpe entered the world on a Friday mid-morning. She had at least managed to wait for her great grandmother who arrived just on the nick of time and saved her father from being a liar.

Katrina was relieved. Tired but relieved. As she gazed upon her baby's  cute pink face and her husband's glowing one as he beheld his daughter for the very first time,  she could not help but say the words that had until then, had been a taboo to her.

"I love you. " she rasped out from a parched up through.

"Mmmh? " Ryan turned to her with a question in his eyes. Had he not heard her or was he playing dumb just to hear her repeat it?

"I love you. " Slowly the question melted away from his eyes and was replaced by a smirk that told her everything.

" I thought I heard that as well. " he grinned back.

"You obstinate and... "

"Lovable?"

"Yes,  lovable husband of mine. This is where you tell me..."

"I love you too?"

"I am too exhausted for this." She suddenly complained even as she turned away to look away from him.

"Sorry." He said as he handed over the bundle to the grandmother and knelt down to comfort his wife. "Hey, I love you too. " he said as he turned her face to find that tears were now streaming down her flushed up cheeks. "I am sorry. "

"It's not that. It's just that,  I am... I am happy. It was so hard, so painful but I am finally happy." she sniffed out her tears which he wiped away with an handkerchief. He knew what she was talking about. What she meant was not the labor nor the process of child birth, but the series of events that had brought them to this point. To this moment there.

"I am sorry." he whispered again. " I am sorry again.

"Katrina, I know that my first proposal was a sham," he said as he twisted the ring that had somehow found its way back to his finger. Before this, he had been too scared to wear it,  worried about how Katrina would take it. But now, he was convinced that it was the right course of action to take and so he went on with his plan. "I have taken you through  hell in this marriage. I have been cruel and yet, you've been always good to me. You have given me a baby girl," he smiled. "you have given me another chance at being a father again. The truth is, I do not know how to begin to repay you. I don't even know if there is anything that is worth all the sweat and tears that you have shed because of me. I can only pledge the rest of my life to you. To love and to honor. To cherish you, forsaking all others,  I cleave myself to you. I know that I do not deserve it, but still, will you have me? Will you share the rest of your life with this undeserving idiot?"

With these words, it seemed like the dams had finally broken and tears were now streaming down Katrina's cheeks uncontrollably even as the man she had loved all her life continued professing his love for her.

All around them the nurses and the doctor looked on as well. However, the happiest of these spectators was indeed her grandmother. The woman who had brought her up and watched over her from the sidelines even as her love had continued to unfold.

"If you wish we can have another wedding, bigger than the last one. This time I will even take you for a honeymoon, a long one,"

"And let my father take over my company? " she managed to say between her tears and her husband could only laugh.

"You will always have your slave with you and you have that new policy, so I am sure it will be really hard for him."

"Plus I am always here to protect your interests as your lawyer." Alice said from the doorway and Katrina cried out in delighted surprise.

"Mum?  What are you doing here? "

"It's not just me. I brought the whole clan as well."

"The whole clan? "

"First answer him and then rest up and then you will get to meet them. " Katrina nodded as she turned back to her once estranged husband.

"I don't need another wedding," she told him. "but I may need that honey moon or baby moon. After all, like you have just pointed out, we never did have one." she added, blushing at the implications of what she had just said.

"Are you sure? "

She nodded.

"I just need you here by my side and if you can remember your vows every single day of our lives. That alone is enough for me. "

" I can do that." Ryan smiled as he rose up to his feet and leaned over that he was hovering above her. "Am I allowed to kiss you now?" he whispered. "I have been dying to do this for months now. "

At that Katrina blushed beautifully even as their lips merged and she received the very first kiss from her husband outside the simple peck that she had received on her wedding day. It was soft and beautiful, gentle and caring and in that simple meeting of lips she felt all his feelings communicated to her in a special way that mere words could never have.

The Elder Mrs Maracheli smiled as tears grazed over her old but still sharp eyes. It was impossible but she could swear that the new born baby in her arms had also smiled. The angel that had been sent to bring these two broken hearts back together. To bring back a smile to the lips of her gentle rose. The delicate fragrant flower that had been plucked up and forced to show up her thorns. She was back where she belonged. Among the lillies of the valley. And there she would send out new roots and bring up even more fragrant roses.

And so his rose of Sharon, his lily among thorns comforted he with apples and stayed with flagons. His banner over her was love and his right hand did embrace her. For Lo,  the winter was past,  the rain was over and the flowers did appear. The time of singing had come. Until the day break and the shadows flee away, the couple held on to each other as they spoke of even better tidings that were yet to come.