Diane nodded. "And Dennis? What you think he think of us now?"

Kim blinked, shocked. Diane always said the unexpected. She thought about Dennis often. Mostly when she looked at her sons who grew each day, looking more and more like him. "I think Dennis knew how strong you and I were. That's why he never gave up on either of us. I think Dennis is up there smiling down on us."

"They give you all that money from his settlement?"

"They paid out his settlement, yes. Mathew's attorney, Heath, took over my case. The money is in a trust for the boys. Everything is as it should be."

Diane sniffed and smiled. They embraced again. There was such healing in that embrace. She had her mother back. She had her life back, and today she was going to complete that dream. Today was it.

The door opened. "Whew! Hey, sorry, I had to find some water in here. Simone rushed in. Diane and Kim separated to see her fiddling with a blue cardboard box to remove a silver tab filled with blue gel caplets. Simone took one, then tossed it back with some water from a paper cup. "Good Lord, I hope this works quick. I'm sneezing like a fool." Simone paused. "What's wrong with you two? Why does Ma look like she's been crying?"

"She's happy I'm getting married!" Kim exclaimed.

"About d.a.m.n time. You made that man wait almost two years," Diane laughed, going to the mirror to work on her mascara.

"He and I understand each other. We had to grow, to be ready. Today, we're ready," Kim smiled.

"I think it's sweet that you two will get married on the day he proposed. Perfectly sweet."

Diane rolled her eyes. "That's cause as soon as you and Cain could get the divorce papers in the mail, you were running down the aisle."

"Yes ma'am, and I'm still loving every minute of being Mrs. Cain Edward Gatlin." Simone waved her ring finger at her mama. Kim smiled at them both. She missed the bickering and the time when it was just the three of them. She would miss it even more now that she was several states away.

"Did she tell you that Alice had the nerve to contact her a week before the wedding?" Diane snipped.

"Alice?"

Simone rolled her eyes. "Never mind that."

"Wait, Keith's mother called you?"

"No, that witch actually flew in on her broomstick and knocked on the door." Diane put her hands to her hips. "Better be glad I wasn't there."

"What? Simone?"

"Keith had just been sentenced to six years for a.s.sault and the attempted murder charges. It was a weird day for everyone."

Kim nodded. "That's right. he cut a deal with the Feds to testify against Andrew Hollingsworth. The Federal charges were dropped against him and Cain, so it was over. Why would Alice come to see you?"

Simone sighed. "To apologize."

"Please, her pathetic a.s.s came to spy," Diane snorted. "How she know you and Cain bought Kimmy's house from her in the first place? Cause they spying, that's how! Told you to tell Charles."

"No!" both sisters said in unison.

"Ma, slow down on the cursing. We're in a church," Kim warned.

Diane shrugged.

"Simone? What did she want?" Kim pressed her sister.

"I told you, she wanted to apologize. It was really sad. She had to face the truth about her son. I swear I look at CJ and think the sun rises and sets on his smile. I can see why a mother could be blind to her child's problems."

"Blind? The woman was comatose!" Diane snapped. "I'm sorry, but she don't fool me. She created that monster."

Simone continued. "It was closure. Keith's gone and the Judge is sick. Alice has had a rough time of it. She wanted to let me know that she wished me happiness. I'm finally done with the Livingstons."

"Good. And you're right. It's over. Nothing but blue skies and runny noses from here," Kim winked.

"Okay! Now, we have to get you ready. Where is your something old?" Simone clapped her hands together.

Kim smiled. "Right here. Daddy gave it to me. It belonged to his mother." Kim showed them the thin marquis cut bracelet on her wrist.

Diane walked over and grabbed her arm. "It sure did. She let me wear it when I got knocked up with you and we had to get married. But she took it back. He still has it?"

"It's pretty," Simone smiled. "I love it. Now what about something borrowed?"

"I got it!" Diane hurried off to her purse. The girls watched her dig down in the bottom of it for something. Then she removed a copper token. "My sobriety coin. Six months sober. I know you've been clean for a year, but I thought maybe you could carry mine for good luck," she smiled.

"Oh, Mama, that's so sweet," Simone gushed.

Diane came over and grabbed her daughter's breast, sticking the coin down the front bodice. Kim frowned, but let it stay there. "Thank you, Mama." Kim heaved her breast up to make sure they sat prettily to the front of her dress. She forced back the surge of tears welling under her tightly shut lids. "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me."

Diane grinned. "Gonna get my year token next. It's 18kt gold."

"We'll be there when you do," Kim said. She kissed her again.

Diane blushed.

"Okay, so now we need something blue." Kim pulled up her dress and flashed them the garter belt on her leg. "Mathew bought it for me. He wants to take it off tonight." Kim blushed.

The Wilson women all shared a naughty smile, having had that experience before.

"Okay, then something new," Simone said.

"She got the garter. It's new. So is the dress," Diane said.

"Nope. I got something better."

They both looked to her, waiting. Diane crossed her arms. "What? What is it?"

Kim gave a full turn and stopped with her hands to her hips, posing. "What do you see?"

Diane and Simone gave each other a look. They stared at her dress, at her smiling face and at her auburn locks pinned up into a crown of curls at the top of her head. "Out with it, girl," Diane said.

"Matt-Matt is going to be a daddy."

"Oh my G.o.d!" Simone said.

"Huh?" Diane frowned.

"Yep, I'm pregnant. He doesn't know, so don't tell him." She warned them both.

"Congratulations, Kim." Simone rushed her.

Diane frowned and shook her head. "A baby? Both of you got married and knocked up this time. What's that about?"

The girls laughed.

Diane's head turned when the door opened and Charles emerged. Their eyes met. Though she didn't look pleased, it was evident that Charles was. "Hi, Di. I was hoping I'd see you, baby," he said.

"Going downstairs. C'mon, Kitt," Diane said, trying to step around him. Charles blocked her effectively, stepping in her way. He was a tall man. Diane took a step back to maintain his stare. "I want to talk to you, baby. Now," he said firmly.

"Leave her alone, Daddy!" Simone said. She rescued Diane, grinning up at her father. Charles stared hard at his ex-wife. Simone pushed him out of the way and led her mother out of the room. Diane looked back at him, then away.

Kim watched the scene. When her father looked up at her, she saw angry disappointment in his frown. "You have to let her go, Daddy."

"I let you two convince me to give her that divorce, didn't I?" he snapped.

"Let her go."

"She's still my woman." Charles stopped. "It's complicated. She belongs to me. You kids need to stay out of it."

"No, you lost that privilege long ago. She drinks when she's with you because it hurts too much. She told me about Sheila, Karen, Darlene. You have other women. How could you bring her back into your life and hurt her that way? She acts tough, but she isn't."

"That's a lie. Those women don't mean a d.a.m.n thing. Your mother exaggerates everything. You know that."

"Daddy, stop. We let you back in our lives, but Mama has to be given a chance to live hers. Sober. Let her go. Let her get well. Okay?"

The hard scowl on Charles's face softened. He approached his daughter. Her head had to go back to look up at him. His large hands cupped Kim's face. "I guess it'll take time for me to not be so selfish when it comes to my girls. I'm not a good man, but I sure as h.e.l.l want to be. Now, who loves you, baby?"

"My daddy loves me," Kim smiled. She hugged him tight. It was hard, but Mathew taught her a few things in the past year. She'd learned to accept people for who they were, and weren't. She decided on her relationship with her parents. She wanted to be loved by them both.

Charles pulled back. "Got a surprise for you."

"The wedding is about to start. We need to go downstairs," Kim said, wiping at the mascara that had run under her eyes. "Oh shoot, my makeup!"

"Wedding won't start without us. Besides, this is a surprise you want. Trust me." Charles went back to the door. Mathew peeked inside, offering a white rose.

"NO!"

"I had to hide him in the hall to get him past your sister and mother," Charles chuckled.

"It's bad luck! Get him out of here!" Kim turned away from them both.

Mathew nodded a thanks to Charles, who left them alone. He walked over to her. Stopping behind her, he ran the white petals from her shoulder down her arm. "We've had our bad luck, Kim. Nothing can touch us now."

"But? I wanted you to see me when I came down the aisle. You ruined it," she said, refusing to turn around.

"I'm sorry, darlin'. Not good at waiting. Haven't seen you in two days. That's too long. Look at me, Kim. C'mon, sweetheart. Turn around."

Kim's head slowly turned to look at him from over her shoulder, but he took her by the waist and turned her into him. She threw her arms around his neck. "My family is making me crazy. Are you ready for the Wilsons?"

"I was born ready. Besides, your mama is warming up to me. She stopped calling me a redneck," he said scooping her up in his arms so she was on her toes.

Kim laughed. "She loves you, but not as much as I do. n.o.body loves you like I do."

"Mmm, I like it when you say it like that."

"We are going to do this. Finally do it, Matt. You and me, forever and always."

His kiss was soft and thoughtful. It sent tingles through her stomach. Giving herself freely to the pa.s.sion of the kiss, Kim's hands rubbed down his arms, then went back up to his neck. They shared a low, drugging kiss that had her panting between breaths. Finally he released her. But her lips were still warm and moist from the pa.s.sion. He kissed between her brow and she felt her legs go weak. "Are you ready?"

She nodded, breathless, unable to speak.

"Me too. Let's get this over with. I want my honeymoon."

Kim grinned. "Me too!"

"Where's CJ?" Cain asked for the fourth time.

Simone lifted her head from his chest. She was in his arms on the dance floor. The reception was at Mathew's family's place under a tent on land that stretched as far as the eye could see. There was even a lake on the property. The late afternoon breeze, large lights, lanterns, and a jazz band had set the mood. She was enjoying the moment in her husband's arms.

"He's with Mama. See." She turned in his arms so he could see Diane sitting in a chair talking to Mathew's sister with a sleeping CJ in her arms. On the dance floor, Anne was dancing with her father, who again couldn't take his eyes off his ex-wife.

"Oh, yeah. I lost sight of him."

Simone pinched his chin and turned his face so his eyes could drop down to hers. "He's fine, Daddy. Now pay attention to me."

Cain smiled. There was a dreamy intimacy in his smile. It warmed her nicely. "I think your idea is perfect. We should extend the vacation. I want to drive down to Florida."

Simone's left brow arched. "What about the office? You're just getting the architect-consulting firm off the ground. What will your partner think?"

"It's under control. What about your hair salon? Will they miss my beautiful, talented and oh so s.e.xy wife?" he asked.

"Aaah? I don't know?"

Cain's brows shot up and she smiled. "Of course they won't."

"Let's go for a walk."

"Huh? Really?"

He took her hand and led her through the maze of dancing couples. They were walking across the gra.s.s, hand in hand, before her objection formed, but she didn't complain at how her heels sunk into the earth. She just loved strolling at his side. "There's something I need to tell you. I should tell you."

Simone looked up at him curiously. "Something wrong?"