Page 72 of The Hero
“That’s awesome!”
“I didn’t mean to spill the beans,” Carlise told June sheepishly.
“It’s okay. Honestly. And ... speaking of Bob Evans ... I could eat breakfast food all the time, since I always seem to be hungry lately.”
“I’m so happy for you guys,” April said.
“Chappy and I are still trying,” Carlise admitted with a worried look. “And while I love the attempts at baby making, I’m worried that it hasn’t happened yet.”
“It’s been what, two point three seconds since you guys got together?” April said dryly.
“I know,” Carlise said. “I’m just impatient. If we’re going to have the four kids we talked about, we need to get started on that. Although I’m not opposed to adopting. Or in vitro. Or fostering. I just want a family with Chappy so bad. He’ll be the best dad, and I can’t wait to make that happen for him.”
“It will,” June told her.
“What about you?” April asked, looking at Marlowe.
“What about mewhat?”
“Are you and Bob thinking about kids?”
Marlowe blushed and nodded. “Although my body is still out of whack after everything that happened.”
“I’m still shaking my head at the fact that all three of us found our men because we were forced to share a bed with them,” Carlise said with a chuckle.
“Right? You with the snowstorm at the cabin, me with the bed at the hotel, and Marlowe with a pit under the floor, of all things. Although none of us were forced to get married like she was,” June said.
“I’m not sureforcedis the right word,” Marlowe protested.
“What would you have done if you didn’t do what that lady wanted?” Carlise asked.
Marlowe shrugged. “Kendric would’ve figured something out.”
“I’m thinking none of the guys do anything they don’t want to do,” April said. “If Bob agreed to marry you, it was because hewantedto marry you.”
“That’s what Chappy said,” Marlowe admitted with a small smile.
“I know the circumstances weren’t romantic in the least,” Carlise said. “But I can’t help but feel all mushy inside thinking about how it all came about.”
“The ceremony was actually really ... nice,” Marlowe said a little lamely. “The guy who married us spoke in Thai, so I didn’t have a clue what he was saying, but when it came to our vows, he spoke English. I was shocked.”
“Really? That’s cool. So he did the whole ‘have and hold, love and cherish’ thing?” June asked, leaning forward on the couch, totally enthralled.
Marlowe nodded. “Yeah. Except it was a little different. More ... I don’t know ... meaningful?”
“Do you remember them? The vows, I mean?” Carlise asked.
“Yes.”
“Do you feel comfortable sharing? It’s okay if you don’t,” Carlise said.
Marlowe spoke without effort. The words burned into her brain as if she was standing in that woman’s living room all over again. “To have and hold from now to forever, for better and worse, for rich and poor, when sick and healthy, to love and protect, cherish and honor, respect and nurture, in this life and the next.”
All three women sighed.
“They’re Buddhist in Thailand, right?” April asked.
“A lot of people, yes. I’m not sure what religion the woman was whose house we were staying in, but she was definitely old fashioned, since she didn’t want us sleeping in that hole together.”
