Chapter 63
Tyler reached the driveway to the farm at exactly three o’clock. She had gotten slowed down coming back by a wreck and now she was late. She headed straight for the chapel rather than going to the house first.
Kevin had taken several shortcuts that had taken him around the wreck and the other traffic problems that Tyler had encountered. He got to the chapel before her, grabbed a tape off the console, and went into the chapel. He put the tape in the tape deck that AJ had left, placed a box and a note on the altar, and then went to wait for Tyler where she wouldn’t see him.
Tyler pulled up not long after Kevin. She was in such a hurry that she didn’t see his jeep parked behind the chapel. She slowed down as she entered and looked around to take it all in. In just four hours, it would be full of her family, the Doroughs, the Richardsons, and the Backstreet family and she would walk down this aisle to her best friend.
Placing her hand on her stomach, Tyler said softly, "Soon little one. We’ll be a family very soon."
Kevin felt like his heart would bust when he saw this. He was standing at the back of the chapel now watching her and having to fight hard not to go to her now and take her in his arms.
Tyler reached the altar and picked up the note.
‘Baby, this is your wedding present. Open the box and then turn on the
tape. ‘Boo’’
She did as the note asked. In the box was a gold necklace with a gold key. Then she turned on the music.
At the back of the chapel, Kevin began to sing. "Lay back baby just let it go/ Cause there’s something you should know/ I’ve been waiting, oh so long/ for this chance to come along/ my mind’s made up, my heart is for sure/ trust me to love you forever more/ and stay by your side for the rest of my life/ let’s do it right/ just you and I/ we’ll spend forever together/ we’re starting tonight/ and it’s true, when I say I do/ I want you all to myself/ don’t want anyone else but you/ Take my hand, don’t be afraid/ I won’t let nobody hurt you ever again/ and in time, we’ll touch the sky/ for I realize our dreams are starting to fly/ when you’re all that I am/ and you’re all that I need/ beside me forever you’re all that I see/ I can’t live without you/ I’m down on one knee/ let’s do it right/ just you and I / we’ll spend forever together/ we’re starting tonight / and it’s true/ when I say I do / I want you all to myself / Don’t want anyone else but you / my mind’s made up, my heart is for sure / trust me to love you forever more/ and stay by your side for the rest of my life." (words to ‘Let’s Do It Right’ by soulDecision)
The two had walked to each other in the middle of the chapel and were holding hands now as Kevin finished the song. He reached up and brushed her hair back. "I love you, baby."
"I love you too! That was so beautiful."
"It was the song I was working on for your birthday."
"How did you keep it a secret from me for so long?"
"It wasn’t easy. I can’t tell you how many times you almost saw what I was working on. I managed to finish it on the way to DC last week and one night, while you were sleeping, I slipped into the studio and did the music."
"I love it, Kevin. I wish you were singing it tonight."
Kevin laughed, "I am. I just wanted you to hear it first and
alone."
"THAT was the change you made and were talking to Tim about?"
"Yes. I had him change the bulletins and get them reprinted for me. I was praying you wouldn’t want to see them last night but Tim had that covered too."
"You sneak! I love you so much," said Tyler as she stood on her toes to kiss him. "I have a question though."
"What’s that, baby?"
"Why a key?"
"It’s the key to my heart that you stole eleven years ago today."
"Eleven years ago?"
"We met for the first time eleven years ago today and when you wanted to get married today, I thought you realized it."
"I hadn’t really thought about it. You mean to tell me that you remember when we met?"
"I also remember what you were wearing. You had on a pair of tight black leather pants and a leather jacket with a blank halter top underneath."
Tyler laughed, "I was in ‘Grease’. I had forgotten all about that. You were giving a tour and Howie was with me. You two had already met at a talent show or something."
"That’s right. Tyler, I fell in love with you that day and ever since then, my love has only grown more intense! I can’t stand being away from you and I will do anything to see you smile."
"I’m never going to make it through tonight without crying."
"As long as they’re tears of joy and not sadness, it’s okay. I don’t ever want to see you cry because I’ve hurt you or someone else has."
"How long can we be together right now?"
"I’d say we have an hour or so before we should be getting ready. We can’t stay here though."
"Why not?"
"This is the first place the girls will look if they think we’re together. They are DEAD set on us not seeing each other until you walk down that aisle. Come on. I know the perfect spot on the back of the farm where we can spend the time alone."
Kevin drove them to the spot he’d told Tyler about and they got out. Kevin grabbed a blanket and they spread it out under an oak tree. Kevin sat down leaning against the tree and Tyler lay down beside him putting her head in his lap. She took his hand in hers and wove her fingers with his as they sat together letting their hands rest on her stomach.
"How’s your knee?"
"Hurts like hell but I’ll be okay."
"You shouldn’t have been doing all that dancing last night," teased Tyler.
"It was worth it though," laughed Kevin. "Baby, when we leave here, I’m calling Billy and getting him to come out to the house with Carlos, ‘Bull’, and Tommy."
"Why?"
"Joey’s in town and I don’t want to take any chances."
"You REALLY don’t think he’d stoop so low as to try something, do you? I mean, Joey’s desperate but I don’t think he’s that desperate."
"I’m not taking any chances of him ruining tonight for us. Have you heard from Inspector McCabe?"
Kevin and Tyler talked about what Tyler had heard that morning. They also talked about what would happen to Tiffany. Tyler made it clear that if at all possible, she wanted to adopt Tiffany. Kevin saw the determination in her eyes and agreed they would do what they could for her.
After over an hour had passed, both of them decided that they needed to get going. As they were walking back to the jeep, Tyler’s cell phone rang.
"Hello."
"Miss Dorough, this is Inspector McCabe."
"I’ve been waiting for your call."
"I hate doing this over the phone but there’s no good way to do this. We went to Mr. Randof’s house."
"It was too late, wasn’t it?"
"I’m afraid so. It was a murder/suicide. They had five children and Tiffany is the middle."
"Where are the other children?"
"Foster home but they have grandparents.Given the hour, we didn’t want to disturb them. Social services will be in touch with them today. I’ve told them about Tiffany and about the paper."
‘Thanks, Inspector."
"We need the letter."
"I’ll send it by Howie tomorrow."
"What are you and Kevin going to do about Tiffany?"
"I don’t know about the immediate future since we’re getting married tonight but Kevin and I want to honor her mother’s wishes."
"Good luck and congratulations on your wedding."
"Thank you."
Tyler hung up and as they drove back to the chapel, she told Kevin what Inspector McCabe had said. They agreed to wait to tell Tiffany about her parents after the wedding and that she should stay with them in Kentucky.
At the chapel, Kevin got out and walked with Tyler to the truck. She leaned against it and Kevin leaned against her holding her hands behind his back. They spent several minutes just kissing before Kevin pulled back.
"I don’t want to go, baby."
"Neither do I, Kevin. You don’t think I’m crazy for wanting to take Tiffany in, do you?"
"Yes, but so am I. Baby, you have an incredibly big heart and that’s part of what I love so much about you. Tiffany’s a bit older and the circumstances are a little different but both of you have lost your parents and you want to make it easier for her. What you do need to consider is the changes in her life that she’s going to go through in the next few months."
"I guess we should sit down and work out all the details."
"Yes, we should but now is for us. You’d better get going."
Tyler put her head on his chest and whined, "I don’t wanna leave you."
Kevin laughed softly, "You’ve been around Nick too long whining like that. Get going so the next two hours will pass quickly."
"I’ll see you in two hours, ‘Boo’," said Tyler as she looked up at him.
Kevin put his hand on the side of her face as he kissed her. Then he whispered, "I love you, baby."
Kevin helped Tyler into the truck and watched her drive away. Then he got into the jeep and headed back to the hotel. On his way, he called to make sure the carriage was ready for Tyler and then he called Billy.
Back at the house, Sonja, Lex, Kryss, and Fiona were waiting for Tyler when she got back. Kryss, being the more vocal of the four, spoke up, "Where the hell have you been?"
Tyler was in such a good mood that Kryss or the others didn’t faze her. She laughed and said, "You’ve been with Howie too long trying to be my mother like that. I went to have brunch with Howie and then out to the chapel. While I was there, I got the call from Inspector McCabe about Tiffany’s parents so I went to a spot at the back of the farm to think about Tiffany and what was going to happen with her."
Lex asked, "What’s going on?"
"Both of her parents are dead. I don’t want to go into it now but her mother left us custody of her."
"What are you going to do?" asked Sonja.
"Kevin and I are going to try and honor her wishes. When Billy gets here, just let him in."
Fiona asked, "Why’s Billy coming here?"
"Joey’s in town and Kevin doesn’t want to take any chances."
"When did you see Kevin?" asked Kryss trying to trick her.
"He called while I was at the chapel. I’m going to get something to eat before I go get ready."
Tyler left the four standing as she headed to the kitchen. They looked at each other and Lex said, "Oh, she saw him alright. I know that look."
"It doesn’t really matter anyway," said Sonja. "They saw each other after midnight anyway. Come on. We need to do the same and help Tyler get ready."
Before they went inside, Howie arrived looking extremely sexy in his tuxedo. Kryss went to him and greeted him with a hug and a kiss. "Hey, sweetie."
"Hey, yourself. Got a few minutes?"
"I guess so. We were just getting ready to go help Tyler get ready."
Sonja said, "We’ll go on ahead."
Lex, Fiona, and Sonja went on to find Tyler leaving Howie and Kryss on the porch. Howie looked out at the fields as he fumbled with something in his pocket.
Kryss asked, "Howie, what’s up?"
"I’ve been doing a lot of thinking this week about us, Kryss, and I really think it’s time to make a change in our relationship."
Cautiously, Kryss asked, "What kind of change?"
