Part 87 (1/2)
”I want to ask Mama to marry me. But first I need permission. What do you think Danny? Can I marry Mommy?”
”Yes!” Danny said.
”Denny, can I marry Mommy?” Mathew asked.
”No!” Denny said.
”No? Why not, Denny?”
Denny reached for the phone. Mathew had to move it from his hands. ”Denny, we talked about this. Can I please marry Mommy?”
Danny fell back laughing. He rolled off the bed and walked away. Denny made to follow. But Mathew got on his knees before him. ”If I promise to be the best step-daddy ever can I marry Mommy?” Denny, looked at the phone, and then at Mathew, he shrugged, knocked Mathew's hands away and ran after his brother disinterested.
Kim laughed. Wiping her tears. The video stopped.
”Wait there's more,” he said, taking the phone and retrieving the second clip. ”Here watch this.”
”Okay, boys, on the count of three. One...two... three...now!”
Her boys grinned in the camera, each with a lollipop, but neither said a thing.
”Now say it now.” Mathew encouraged.
”WE WANT TO GET MARRIED!” they said and then laughed.
”See, I got a yes, well a maybe, then a definite cheer. What do you think?”
”Very slick, Dr. Donnelly.” She smiled, replaying the clip one more time. ”And candy too? Smart, bribe my babies.”
”Hey I'm not above fighting for what I want. Anne's idea of the candy bribe worked.”
”I see.”
”Do you?” He took her hand. He kissed her knuckles and looked into her eyes. ”I want a life with you, Kim. I'll wait forever to get you down the aisle if I have to. But I can't wait forever to ask you. I want to be your husband, the father to those boys. I want it all. Now tell me what do you want?”
Kim heaved a heavy sigh. The stomach cramps eased as clarity moved in. She felt the truth, heavy on her heart, lift when she opened her mouth to say it aloud. ”I want the same thing. I want to marry you!” she jumped into his arms. He spun her around in the kitchen. The news was a relief to them both. Kim mostly. Who knew happiness could be found twice. It felt right.
Dinner was nice. Prepared by her hands, he expected nothing less. Mathew loved her cooking, but he was admittedly biased. She could have made him a cheese sandwich and he would have been satisfied. New love was like that. When a man falls and then surrenders, everything is extra sweet, extra s.e.xy, extra gratifying.
Together, they retired to the porch swing. They snuggled, waiting on sunset. Neither of them spoke. Silence was a perfect way to end the night. They were both content, silent, united.
Kim eventually lifted her head. She'd gathered her hair and pulled it back in a barrette. He could see the smoky brown and amber of her eyes with her bangs gone. He kissed her forehead before she lowered it to the inside of his arm, her cheek resting on his shoulder. The chain links to the swing squeaked as they swayed.
”Your sister came by,” she yawned.
”Yeah? Figured as much with Mom's china and all,” he said, rocking them with the heel of his boot ”She brought something for you.”
Kim withdrew. Mathew watched her curiously as she left his side and went back in the house. After a few minutes she returned. In her hands was a sealed doc.u.ment from the Medical Review Board. ”She said it came by courier. Thought it might be best that I give it to you. Not a good sign, huh? I mean if they ruled in your favor, your attorney would have called you, right?”
”He did call.” Mathew averted her gaze.
”What?”
He had called to tell him that they were to reappear and hear the ruling formally. Mathew declined. He was offered that option. He had found Kim again, and he knew it came at a price. He wouldn't let their reunion be marred by the ending of his medical career.
”Matt? You knew? What did they rule?” Kim asked ”I opted out of the hearing. Told them to mail me the decision. I was going to deal with it later.”
”No, Matt. Deal with it now.” She came to his side. ”This is your life. One that is important to you. Don't give up on it.”
”You don't understand.”
”I don't understand?” Kim asked.
He cut her a sly look. ”Okay, you do understand. It's hard. What can I say?”
”You can say, yes.”
”To what?” Mathew asked.
”To me opening it. To facing it together, and then moving on with me, wherever that may lead. Deal?”
”When you put it like that,” he chuckled, ”how could a man resist?”
”Ready?”
”Go for it,” Mathew said.
He lied. He wasn't ready. Kim had pegged him right. He was afraid and as nervous as he was the day he waited on the results of his admittance into medical school. His whole life as a doctor, from his first patient to his last, flashed before him. She peeled back the fold on the envelope. She removed two, no, three doc.u.ments. Her face showed no outward evidence of emotion. Yes, it was the most torturous moment of his life.
”Mathew?”
”What?”
”They fined you.”
”And?”
She grinned. ”And that's it. I think. Read it.”
He s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper. Quickly, he read though all the jargon to the final decision. It stated that he was to continue practicing. He was still a doctor. Kim touched the back of his head, stroking the hairs on his nape. ”See, baby, good things happen to those that deserve it. We deserve it.” Kim came in closer. He opened his arm to her and she fit nicely at his side. Mathew swayed, reading it aloud, every single word. She listened. His partner. His friend. And someday soon, his wife. And that's why he truly believed in sweet surrender.
Chapter Thirty-Nine.
A Fresh Start Simone / Cain ”You planning on getting out?”
Simone smiled. ”Guess I should, huh?”