Deep (Luna's Story Book 3) Read online

  At last it was time to get a shower and hair done and dressed while Beckett helped with all the other things. They were not supposed to see each other the day of the wedding, for some reason. Everyone seemed to have ignored the morning waking up together — that didn’t count.

  And this didn’t count — when Luna was in their bedroom gathering her things for a shower. There was a knock at the window and Beckett grinning through the screen. “Chickadee told me she would make me sit in a time-out if I came to see you, so since I could use a break I figured seeing you was a win-win.” His grin widened. “You getting naked for the shower, can I watch?”

  “Okay, first, if it’s bad luck to see the bride on the day of the wedding, one hundred percent it’s bad luck to see her naked. That probably brings earth shaking calamity, and we’ve literally had enough of those.”

  “True that, but not anymore, now it’s happiness from here on—”

  “Beckett! You’re going to jinx us. I love you. You happy? You healthy? Our baby perfect? Our neck of the woods in order? Yes. Let’s accept the perfect present of this day.”

  “God, I love you, can I come in, just for a few minutes? You’re about to be naked and—”

  “That’s the second thing, Beckett, I have just had a baby. I am still bloated, oozing, covered in stretch marks, purple lines, have you seen my thighs, because I haven’t, and I’m wondering if this might be it, my permanent shape from now on — if you go on and on about how sexy I am, I’ll think you’re not to be trusted.”

  Beckett clutched the windowsill and sighed dramatically. “Fine, send me away, but I might be so distracted by longing that I’ll forget my wedding vows.”

  Luna’s eyes grew wide. “Beckett, I am counting on you to be the cool civilized one that knows everything so I can forget what I’m saying and stutter and — promise me you remember your lines. Promise.”

  “I do. See, that’s all you have to say. Oops, I think I hear Chickadee, I better run.” He disappeared at a jog around the house leaving Luna giggling in their room. She tucked the sleeping baby, surrounded by pillows, in the wide middle of the bed, gathered her underwear and brushes and combs and lotions and oils and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

  _____________________

  Later she was standing in their room again, Sarah putting the finishing touches on her makeup, while Luna watched their reflection in a long mirror leaning on the wall.

  Dilly was buttoning the back of the wedding dress. Millie had done an excellent job, but in the past few days Luna’s breast size had gone down, and her belly had gotten a bit smaller. Dilly said, “Hold the flowers right here, so no one will notice.”

  Chickadee stood beaming beside her. “Dearest Luna, you are beautiful. The white looks stunning with your dark hair, just exquisite.”

  “I’ve never worn white before. I think I’m going to get it dirty.”

  Chickadee humphed. “Well, of course you’re going to get it dirty. On my wedding day I myself got a chocolate cake smear right on the ass, and not one person said anything, because I looked so spectacular it didn’t matter.”

  Dilly added, “That being said, learn from Chickadee’s mistakes and use a napkin when you eat dear, and it will be fine. And we aren’t worried about anyone else wearing this dress because no one else in the world would have your particular shape.” She and Chickadee giggled merrily.

  Then Chickadee fussed with the veil and the flowered headdress and became serious. “I want you to know dear Luna that I love you. You are the best thing that ever happened to the boy, and he knows it to his core. I always believed he deserved better than he was given, and here you are. You hold that head up. Ignore the hundred and twenty or so people who are—”

  Dilly said, “Closer to two hundred. We had to make the buffet potluck because so many people wanted to come.”

  Chickadee continued, “It doesn’t matter how many, ignore them. Aim for Beckett. His smile at the end of the aisle. That’s all you have to do and a few minutes later you’re officially a part of my family, and I can dote on you properly. Isn’t that right, Dilly?”

  Dilly sniffled and nodded. “I have a present for you.” She pulled a small jewelry box out from under the makeup kit. “This belonged to my grandmother, passed to me, and now you. It was true what I said in the beginning, that even if you and Beckett didn’t have a happily ever after, you would still have a home. I meant it, because you’ve so perfectly fit our family. I can’t think of anyone better suited to wear these.” She thrust the clamshell shaped silver box into Luna’s hands.

  Luna was surprised and teary-eyed. She fumbled with the clasp until the box flipped open — a beautiful necklace, three strands of pearls with a diamond clasp. Luna said, “Oh my. For me? I’ve never had jewelry before.”

  “Yes, you. It will be beautiful with your dress. Plus pearls come from the sea, so it’s fitting.” She settled the pearls around Luna’s neck, resting on her collarbone, and fastened the strands in the back. She and Chickadee in unison clapped their hands. “Perfect!”

  “Really?” Luna’s dress was formfitting white satin. The skirt sank to the floor and swished and floated with a bit of chiffon underneath. At the top there was a low plunge of cleavage, small button folds for breastfeeding access, and the capped sleeves that Millie insisted on.

  Chickadee and Dilly both said, “Really,” and then as if a spell was broken they both at the same time said, “So much to do.”

  Chickadee said, “I’ll go make sure all the guests are seated and that Beckett is in place.”

  Dilly said, “I’m going to spin the area and make sure everything is done. We’re leaving you with Sarah for a few minutes, and then I’ll come get you and the baby, okay?”

  They spun out of the room and away.

  Sarah said, “This is a wonderful family you have.”

  “I feel so lucky that I found them through Beckett, and he’s the greatest.”

  Sarah nodded. “You’re pretty awesome too.” She fluffed up the bottom of the skirt so that it floated perfectly. “I ought to go now to my seat. Dan and Rebecca and I are in the front row. Don’t be nervous. This is supposed to be fun, and when it gets scary, remember that Beckett is at the end of the aisle.”

  “Aunt Chickadee said that too.”

  Sarah smiled. “Great minds think alike.”

  “Speaking of great minds, did you make a baby yet?”

  Sarah sighed. “Dan has put his heart and soul to the project and is barely letting me do anything else. We’ll see. I should know by the end of the week.”

  Luna grinned. “Please tell us as soon as you know.”

  “Of course, and I’ll see you on the other side.” Sarah left to go join the audience.

  Luna stood in the middle of the room. She had wondered if her mind would be full of worries and logical impediments to a seafaring-girl marrying a land-based boy, but happily her mind was full of one thing — that first night they were together when he tied the pretend knot for her before they fell asleep.

  He had smiled at her that night, making the knot-tying unnecessary. The smile alone was enough for her to follow him anywhere, and then happily, luckily, gratefully, he was so much more. She giggled at the memory of him calling, Anna! And jumping from the boat. That had been a truly spectacular belly flop.

  A few minutes later Dilly ran back in, the music following her. “Ready?”

  Luna picked up her sweetly sleeping baby. “Ready.”

  Chapter 67

  The side lawn of the house had been mowed. The chairs stood in rows and were completely filled. People milled around the edges, standing without seats, a few people thick in places. So many. Many, many people. Luna in her whole entire life had counted her family and friends on her fingers and toes. Crowds were rare until she came on land.

  There had been islands and Outposts and port landings with crowds of people, but she had been a visitor, a passing-through person. Now she was a living-here person and these people
all had heard of her, were here to see her. They wanted to meet her and speak to her. It was terrifying actually.

  She gulped and followed Dilly out the door, across the porch, and down the steps to the grass. Dilly stopped and turned to adjust her veil and headdress. She told her one more time that she was beautiful. “Okay follow me to the beginning of the aisle and you’ll go down it by yourself.”

  Luna’s eyes went wide. “By myself?” There had been much discussion about the day but that part hadn’t completely sunk in. She repeated, “By myself,” passing the baby into Dilly’s arms.

  Dilly led Luna to the aisle and as Luna’s eyes scanned the crowd, faces turned toward her, people stood to get a better view, gaping and gawking. It made Luna a little dizzy truthfully, the sea of faces all watching her walk. Dilly kissed her on the cheek. “Eyes on Beckett.” She left for her seat.

  Beckett.

  Beckett was waiting at the far end of the aisle, wearing a dark suit with a light shirt and looking so handsome. He grinned happily with a full dimple showing.

  She wished she could return it, but her shoe had caught on the back of her veil with a tug and the whole headdress slid off the back of her head to the ground. She turned to grab it before it hit the dirt, but missed, and there it was, dirty. Plus, the turn threw her a little off balance, and balance hadn’t been easy for a months and months. She was out of practice. Her arms careened to hold her up, but she wondered if she might fall down again, into her dress, or better yet, more grown up — pull the skirt up over her head and hide there until this storm blew over.

  “Luna,” Beckett waved his arms, “wait there, I’m coming for you!”

  She nodded her head gratefully.

  Then Beckett did this — he pantomimed diving into the middle aisle. Grinning, he stroked toward her as if he was swimming.

  Luna cocked her head to the side. “Whatcha doing Beckett?”

  “Swimming to you, of course.” He switched to the backstroke, then the breast stroke. He pretend to come up for a breath and a look-around, checking to see if he was off-course.

  Luna giggled.

  He stroked again, until he stopped in front of her, pretending to tread water. He held out his hand. “Can you swim?” He sounded a lot like that first night on the Outpost, can you dance? It made her knees kind of weak.

  She took his hand. “Have you met me? I’m half mermaid.”

  He side-stroked through the air up the aisle with Luna a step behind pretending to breaststroke.

  The entire audience was laughing by the time they made it to the front. Luna pulled beside Beckett, where she had been told to stand, and they held hands and waited for the ceremony to begin.

  The minister, an old family friend, had a smile on his face. His part of the ceremony was long. Later, everyone said it was beautiful. The words spun around Luna, words like heaven and earth and all the spaces between, filling her with happiness, though later she couldn’t recall any of them. Simply, Beckett and Luna, and then BeckettandLuna together, and finally the minister said, “I believe Luna has something she wants to say to Beckett.” He closed his book and waited expectantly.

  Luna and Beckett turned to each other holding hands. She stared up into his eyes.

  She had suddenly forgotten all that she wanted to say, so she improvised. “We made it.”

  Beckett said, “We did. We are.”

  She looked down at their clasped hands searching for the right words and looked back up into his eyes. “When I first met you I believed you were afraid of the world. But in mere days I knew you were the bravest person I have ever met.”

  Beckett chuckled, “I don’t know, I’ve had a mild sense of panic over you the whole time we’ve been together.”

  Luna shook her head. “Well, it doesn’t show. What shows is from that first night when you wanted to make me feel safe before I fell asleep. The day you leapt heroically from the boat to swim to me. When you battled the storm to rescue me—”

  Beckett interrupted, “I don’t think that’s how it exactly happened.”

  “It’s exactly how I remember it, and my memory is perfect. And that’s what I wanted to say, but it’s hard to find the words — meeting you on the Outpost was like finding my perfect other half. Like coming home. The Monarch Constellation is touching the Breeze Constellation, and it’s brought disruptions, but together we can navigate them and find our way home together. Because you’re my home. My everything.”

  Beckett nodded. “Thank you Luna.”

  The minister said, “Beckett would you like to say something now?”

  “I would.” He looked down at Luna. “Remember that first night we were together?”

  Luna giggled. “The night we made our baby?”

  Chickadee in the front row cackled so loudly that people all through the audience started laughing too and everyone had to wait for the audience to calm down. When order was restored Beckett joked, “What — we made a baby?”

  The audience laughed more, for longer. Luna gestured toward the baby in Dilly’s arms in the front row, and Beckett acted like he was only just now seeing it. He shook his head. “I mean, I’m happy, but I wish you would have told me.”

  The laughter finally died down. Chickadee was mopping her eyes with a handkerchief, sitting between Roscoe and Dilly, leaning between the two to say, “That girl, I do love her.”

  Beckett said, “So it’s safe to say you do remember that first night.”

  “I do.”

  Beckett grinned. “Now see that was a perfect, I do. It’s just not the right time.”

  He took her hands and enfolded them in his, pulling her a step closer, and looking so deeply into her eyes that the whole world fell away. Suddenly it was just the two of them, alone, like on the Outpost. He paused long, staring into her eyes.

  She felt a tremble to his hands. Her heart filled with so much love for him that she felt breathless, overcome.

  He smiled a half-smile and speaking only to her, said, “The sun was setting. You had just read me some Calvin and Hobbes comics. And you pretended to love what I cooked.” He let go of one of her hands and pushed a lock behind her ear, letting his fingers touch her cheek overly long.

  His voice was low and tremulous, the kind of voice that would break with emotion, but couldn’t because what it wanted to say was so important, had to be said. “You told me that if I watched the sunset and really concentrated, that at the moment the sun sank behind the horizon, there would be a flash of light, and in that flash would be the instructions for the whole wide world.”

  Luna pressed her cheek to his fingers. “I remember, and you didn’t see the flash, so—”

  “I lied.” He said it like an exhale.

  Luna raised her brow. “You lied?”

  “I did. I saw the flash, and I received the instructions. I just didn’t want you to know because they were all about you.”

  Luna was mesmerized and weak-kneed, barely able to gasp, “And they were?”

  Beckett strengthened his hold on her hands. “One, you love her. Two, she gives you hope. Three, don’t ever lose her.”

  “And you haven’t.”

  “I thought I did, but I found you, and I keep finding you, and I won’t ever stop.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “Thank you.”

  He placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her forward and spoke in her ear. “No, thank you. For it all, for everything — for saving my life.”

  That was it, she was crying. Her arms went up around his neck and she clung to his chest, his arms around.

  Beckett whispered, “Can we keep going?”

  She shook her head, crying into his jacket.

  The minister asked, “Do you, Luna Saturniidae, take Beckett Stanford to be your lawful husband?”

  She sniffled and her muffled voice came from inside his hug. “I do.”

  Beckett whispered into her ear, “Perfect.”

  The minister asked Beckett if he took Luna to be his wife an
d he answered, “I do.” Then Beckett pulled two rings from his pocket and fumbling, put one on Luna’s hand, and she put one on his.

  The minister said, “You may kiss the bride.”

  Beckett’s hand trembled as he lifted her chin, and met her lips in a kiss that tasted of salty tears, but was also deep as their feelings, and as fresh as their hope. Because marriage was for their future, their family, and meant that there would be a tomorrow and a tomorrow after that, and they would meet it together.

  Dan clapped loudly. “Bravo!” Shaking them from their private moment.

  Beckett and Luna turned to the audience, clasped hands, and stepped into the cheering crowd.

  _____________________

  The end*

  _____________________

  *Unless you’d like to know what they named the baby, then read on.

  * What They Named the Baby

  A bit later, Luna was sitting in a rocking chair on the edge of the lawn, nursing the baby, watching Beckett dance with Aunt Dilly in the middle of the grass, along with most of their friends and family and the surrounding community. The tempo was upbeat, so Luna had decided to sit this one out.

  But the next song began slowly and sounded familiar. Beckett came to her chair and put out his hand. “Would you two like to dance?”

  Luna took his hand and let him pull her and the baby to the dance floor. He wrapped her in an arm and began to sway, holding them both.

  “Is this the song from the Outpost?”

  “It is.” Beckett hummed in her ear. “I’d spin you, but there will be no baby dropping tonight.”

  They swayed and cuddled and hummed under a sky flung with stars.

  Finally Beckett said, “I want to talk to you about something. There’s a word I thought of, it means beginnings and possibilities, all the best things begin with it — like you, like the baby. It’s dawning on me that it would be a really great name.”

  “What is it?”