He Sent You

EPLIGOUE

Juniper

Everyone is busy around us, placing plates and napkins on tables, flower arrangements in every corner of the room, even the children - Marshall and his friends are helping with decorating the isle between the head of the room to the door.

"What are you doing here?" Says a frantic voice between me. I whirl to see Kendra hurrying down the isle coming from outside.

I shrug and shoot her an apologetic smile. "I was on my way to get the dress but figure I'd check in."

"Its supposed to be a surprise, you goof!" She says placing her hands on my back and rushing me out the same way we came. We get outside, the sun beginning to set between the trees. "I just want to say I'm so utterly happy for you." She says tears beginning to well, she always cries, it's something I love about Kendra from the very beginning.

"Thank you, Kendra. There hasn't been a day where I don't think about Chris." I reassure her.

"Oh, I can tell, sweetie. This is the same chapel as Chris's funeral, only now it'll be full of life and love and new romance, Chris will be here." She says leaving her hand on my shoulder.

"I know" I sniff and wipe my nose with my hand.

She looks up toward the doors of the chapel, as if to remember the day filled with so much pain in letting Chris go, everyone wearing black, grim outfits, they're heads hung and tears staining cheeks. But now, light forms in every corner of this chapel, everyone wearing shorts and color, they're skin kissed by the California sun, and lots of giggling from children and adults, even. Finally she looks at me with her stern face on. "Well? Get going, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

I smile and give her a nod. "Alright, I'm leaving this time." I laugh and jog down the stairs to my waiting vehicle, dress hanging in the back window.

***

"Do you Aiden Memphis take Juniper Hansley as your lawful wedded wife?" Says the minister standing before us.

"I do, forever and ever." Aiden says, loud enough for me and the minister's ears.

"And do you Juniper take Aiden Memphis as your lawful wedded husband."

I sniff and let a happy ear roll down my cheek. "Yes, I do." I choke out.

"You may kiss the bride."

Aiden steps forward, lifting my veil covering my face and cups my face with his large hands, and his presses his lips to mine, filled with passion and promise. The crowd below us cheer and applaud at our new marriage and I smile against his lips. "Finally." I whisper against him.

"Finally." He whispers back before pulling away to face the crowd. "Thank you!" He cheers along with them, earning my laugh.

We're at the after party, changed out of my wedding dress and in something a little bit more comfortable, Aiden too, he's in the corner dancing with Marshall, swaying his hips a little too much.

"You still look so beautiful!" Kendra calls coming beside me looking at Aiden dancing. "You've found a good one, again. He's very handsome." She tells me.

"I know." I whisper, clutching my drink a little roughly.

We stand like this in silence watching Aiden and Marshall giggling like there's not a care in the world, but suddenly as if hearing my thoughts his eyes find mine and he smiles and starts over here, leaving Marshall swinging his arms wildly by himself.

"My lady, and hello Kendra." He nods towards Kendra who gives him a sly smile.

"Congrats tonight, Aiden, I've known Juniper a long time, you're very lucky." She informs him giving me a gentle pat on the back. "I'm going to find Mike." She starts off.

Aiden and I are finally alone together after having hundreds of guests come and say their congrats.

"What was the look for?" He asks, taking my hands.

"Kendra was telling me how lucky I am to have found another good one, and I was thinking the same thing." I tell him honestly.

"Well, we had a lot of help." He says with a small smile, pushing my falling hair out from my face.

"Help?" I ask.

"Well, obviously Chris had his hands in this." He tells me, his lips finding my neck.

"Oh, yes, you're right." I say, with a breathless voice, he knows my weakest spots to kiss, I come undone when he kisses my neck.

"Lets get out of here."

"Lets." I mumble into his shoulder.

THREE YEARS LATER

"Babe!" I yell from the loft, the stomach a hard ball with a tiny baby inside. My contractions are coming more frequently and the nurse told us to come in once they've started coming frequently. I try walking down the stairs, but another hard, pulling contraction hits. "Aiden! I can't do it." I moan.

Aiden runs out of the bedroom with a suit case and a backpack against his back. He meets me on the first stair I couldn't make and lets me lean against him as he brings me and everything else down the stairs. "Go to the car, Rick is waiting." He tells me, out of breath.

"Ah!" I groan against another hard contraction. "Hurry!" I huff.

Rick speeds off to the hospital we're already enrolled with and we make it into the room with no time to spare, still sitting in the wheelchair Aiden wheeled me in, I give birth.

Once the nurses get me into the bed, they announce the baby.

"Congrats on your little boy, Mr. and Mrs. Memphis." She says in a cooing voice. "Dad, you want to cut the cord?" She asks, I turn to see a green looking Aiden. He shakes his head and I give a little laugh.

Next thing we know we're looking at the bundle in my arms, his big brown eyes looking at our shapes and probably the lights above.

"He's wonderful." I say, breathlessly. "So, in awe of you little man." I tell him running my fingers down his cheek.

"What should we name him?" Aiden says in a whisper right beside me, holding my arms that hold the baby.

I look at the little bundle again and again, going through the list of names we compiled in the earliest days of this pregnancy, but nothing fits him, he's exactly what I was expecting but not, he's amazing.

"I was thinking AJ Memphis." Aiden starts. "AJ stands for Aiden and Juniper, because he's both of us in one, precious, innocent bundle, and I think it suits him."

"Its perfect." I cry, kissing AJ and then looking up for Aiden to swoop and give me a kiss.

"Ok, my turn." He says taking AJ from me. I laugh and lay my head back against the soft pillow.

Its funny how a few years ago, things were falling apart around me, moving to a new city and new state, living in fear of driving. Refusing to meet another man other than Chris, and now I am probably the happiest I've ever been. I still miss Chris but I think Chris played a huge role in this life I have now, and I'm happy I didn't die that night like I'd wished.

"He sent you." I whisper closing my eyes letting me head weigh heavy against the pillow.

"What?" Aiden says.

I smile, "I said, he sent you." I look up at him, his eye glossy with the new love and with life.

"I know he did, and I owe him one." He says softly, placing a kiss to AJ's temple.

I giggle and let the sounds of the babies crying in the birthing ward, the sound of AJ's soft breaths and the sound of Aiden breathing beside me.