I’ll be home for Christmas
By: Galxia
Mark stared at the faded velvet box like he had so many years before. It was meant for someone who he hadn’t seen in six years. Someone who had been his light, someone who he had cherished, and someone he had stupidly thrown away, his daughter. The words still echoed in his mind.
“ If you get on that airplane then you are out of my life for forever.” Why had he said that? He remembered how she had turned her back and walked away. After that moment he had never seen her face to face again. It still hurt. He stood up and placed the long rectangular box under his small tree like he had every other year. It wasn’t really a present anymore, more of a decoration now. He looked around the room; even the decorations had seemingly lost their once familiar warmth. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday. She loved to hang the decorations and make their normally dull house come alive with color. He still had all of her pictures sitting around trying to fool himself into believing that she would come home. The phone rang bringing him back from his fading memories.
“ Yeah”
“ Hey little bro, we were wondering if you were actually going to be flying in this year?” Joseph, his older brother, the cheeriness in his voice seemed to grate on Mark. His family knew that he really had no reason to celebrate.
“ I’m not sure, I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“ You say that every year. When are you going to face the fact that she’s not coming home?” There was a long drawn out silence. What would he know about it? Joseph’s son Michael had joined Lauren in Europe and been riding a wave to superstardom ever since. Lauren had hit big over there as an actress/ singer and was seemingly enjoying her fame. She had helped Michael and his band get a record deal and started them out touring with her. After that things took off.
“ Mark, you still there?” He set the phone back down in the cradle and walked out of the door.
Lauren sat in her living room staring out the window. Her home shone like a beacon in the night. Cathy, Scott’s nanny walked out with three mugs of hot chocolate and set them down on the table.
“ Good Lord Cathy, we live in Tampa. It’s not exactly freezing.”
“ What are the Holidays without hot chocolate, and a roaring fire?” A voice from behind them made them turn.
“ Boring.” Lauren saw David standing in the foyer pulling off his coat.
“ Aren’t you supposed to be in Charlotte?”
“ I can’t come and see my beautiful girlfriend before she dashes off to Texas to see her family?”
“ No because you’re supposed to be working.”
“ Vince gave me a little extra time off.”
“ To what?”
“ Convince you to come on the show. He said that if you don’t want Taker to be there then he doesn’t have to be.” Lauren felt a pang of guilt. She lived about fifteen minutes from her father but had never gone by to see him. In many ways she was still angry with him. The day she had left for Europe she felt like he had stabbed her in the back. Flying back to Texas hadn’t been her idea. Her grandmother had asked her to come. For the past few years she had been flying to New York to see her Aunt. Lauren had tried for years to find her mother but always came up short.
“ David I already told Vince no.”
“ Why, it can’t be you’re camera shy.”
“ It’s because whether he’s there or not it’s still my fathers turf. I imagine not a lot of people will approve of my presence.”
“ What you think he’s gone around bad mouthing you to everyone? They’re all too scared or smart enough not to ask him about you. If they do he yells at them and then storms out.”
“ That’s comforting.”
“ You know that’s not what I meant. They talk about you when he’s not around. The ever-present missing daughter of the Deadman who went out into the big, scary world and made a name for herself, they’re actually very intrigued by you. Particularly since everyone that knew you have pretty much left. There’s actually very few people left in the company that remember you.”
“ Regardless of whether they remember me or not I’m still not going.”
“ Will you at least be my date for the Christmas Party? Dads dying to met you.”
“ I’ll have to find a sitter, it would be unfair to ask Cathy.”
“ No it isn’t. You forget that it’s my job to help you with Scott. Go on have fun I’ll watch him.” Scott came down the stairs and walked to his mother.
“ Momma there’s a monster under my bed. Will you come and scare it away?”
“ I thought I told you what to do if a monster came into the house.”
“ I tried! He’s still there.” Lauren pulled herself up and took her son’s hand. They climbed the stairs and went to his room. The sound of a motorcycle roaring by broke the silence.
“ He’s been doing that a lot lately.”
“ What?”
“ Riding, he must really be missing her.”
“ Has he seen her since the fight?”
“ Yeah but he doesn’t know who she is.”
“ How could he not recognize his own child?”
“ Laurens changed quite a bit since he last saw her.”
“ Does he know that he’s a grandfather?”
“ No, but he did drive her to the hospital when she was in labor. He didn’t stick around though.”
“ Why not?”
“ For starters she was in labor for thirty-seven hours. He had to go back to work.”
“ I swear if I ever find the asshole that left her.”
“ It’s not your fault.”
“ Scott is still his son. If I were him I would have stuck around and offered to pay child support.”
“ Well come on, lets get you settled. Something tells me, Laurens gone on a monster hunt.”
Mark walked out of his front door and down the driveway to get his paper. A very familiar figure came jogging up the road. Lauren stopped just shy of him and gave him a smile.
“ Morning Shorty.”
“ Rough Night?”
“ Long one, where’s Cathy?”
“ Watching my son.”
“ How’s he doing?”
“ He likes to make me go on monster hunts.”
“ Sounds like you had a fun night.”
“ I’m going to have even more fun when I fly back to Texas to see my family.” Mark stepped a little closer to her.
“ You’re from Texas?”
“ I was born there, but I wasn’t raised there. My grandparents live outside of Houston.”
“ I thought you spent Christmas with your Aunt?”
“ My Grandmothers health isn’t what it should be and it’s been awhile since I’ve seen my fathers side of the family.”
“ Speaking of your father, you heard from him?”
“ Not in six years. I don’t think he wants anything to do me. What about your daughter?”
“ Still waiting, but I doubt she’ll come back. I fucked up big this go round.”
“ I bet you’ll see her sooner than you think.”
“ Nah, last I hear she was living overseas.”
“ Why did you throw her out?”
“ Because when she left all I could see was her mother walking out on me again. I would give anything to tell her how sorry I am, and try to be a family again.” Lauren wanted to tell him right there but her watch beeping stopped her.
“ Shit, I hate to cut this short but I’ve got to run. I’ll see you after the holidays.” He waved goodbye to her.
“ Sweet kid, her dad must be a real asshole.” He looked down and saw that she had dropped her keys. “ Hey…” He realized that he had known her for four years and never once had asked her, her name. He took off down the road after her . He finally caught her at the driveway when she began to feel around for her keys. He lowered them down in front of her face.
“ I believe you dropped these.”
“ Um thanks.” She turned and looked at him. “ You didn’t have to follow me all the way back here.”
“ Well seeing as you never told me your name it was a little difficult to call after you.”
“ Really I could have sworn I had.”
“ No, come to think of it you always dash off before I can ask.” He turned and looked around taking in all of her decorations. “ I think your house has more crap than mine.”
“ Really I never compared them.” He looked down and noticed her eye color for the first time, an amber brown. In the morning light he could have sworn they were gold. Lauren shifted uncomfortably. She still needed to go pack for her trip to New York.
“ Where are you rushing off to?”
“ I’m flying up to see my Aunt before I go off to Texas.”
“ Your son’s going up with you?”
“ She’s gotten better with her drinking. Plus my Uncles going to be there and I never get to see him.”
“ Alright I’ll let you get on your way. Have a safe trip and look me up when you get to Texas.”
“ Oh trust me I will.”
Scott tightly gripped his mothers hand as they walked into his great aunts Manhattan townhouse. Cathy was close behind her ready to pull Scott away at a moments notice. The Ravencrofts had never accepted Lauren’s father or his family as part of their own. Lauren’s Aunt Christine had, had a long withstanding battle with the Callaway’s over the custody of Lauren. Christine came close to doing jumping jacks when Lauren had left home. They stopped just short of two double doors. Scott leaned further into his mother as she opened the doors. All of them felt the chill that omitted from the room. Christine was sitting behind a large desk.
“ It’s about time you got here. For a moment I thought you were going to stand me up… again.”
“ Hello Auntie Christine, you remember Cathy?”
“ No, I can honestly say I don’t.”
” Oh, well then you certainly couldn’t have forgotten Scott.” She didn’t
even look up.
“ He’s my great nephew is he not?”
“ Yes, Scott say hello.” He shrank further away from the cold figure to Lauren she looked and seemed the same. Same black suit, long dark hair pulled away from her pail face, make up perfectly applied. Her face was virtually free of wrinkles. Lauren wasn’t surprised. Christine hardly left the business setting, and she hardly ever smiled. She looked to be in her late twenties when in actuality she was pushing forty-three. Christine was the eldest of the three Ravencroft children and the least amount of fun. She had never married, never had children. She only had one interest, the family business. The Ravencrofts owned one of the most successful investment firms in the U.S. and Europe. Lauren turned and brought Scott around with her.
“ Why don’t you show him the rest of the house?”
“ You’re sure?”
“ I want him to know he has an Aunt. But I don’t want her rubbing off on him.” Cathy gladly took Scott’s hand and lead him out of the room, happy to be getting him away from there. Lauren closed the double doors and walked over to the desk.
“ Did you have to bring them?”
“ My god can you be any colder? I’m not going to leave him at home.”
“ Why not? He’s entirely to dependent on you. It’s time that you started weaning him away from yourself.”
“ He’s four years old! And certainly not an animal.”
“ You can’t have him hanging off of you when over the firm.”
“ He’ll be grown by then because the only way I’ll get it is when you die. When is Christopher going to be here?”
“ He’s coming with Beth.”
“ Beth?”
“ Your mother, it’s high time she saw what you became.”
“ I don’t want her to see anything relating to me.”
“ She’s your mother.”
“ She lost that right when she left me.” Christine looked up for the first time. Her grey eyes were full of ice.
“ What was she supposed to do your father wouldn’t let her have an abortion.”
“ She could’ve stuck around.”
“ I would have darling except I couldn’t put up with your father.” The voice rang in Lauren’s ears. Christine looked past her niece and stood. She walked over to her younger sister and affectionately hugged her. Lauren turned and saw her mother’s arms wide open waiting for the same response from her daughter. Lauren’s gaze became as cold as her Aunts had been. She saw Christopher standing behind the two women waiting to see what Lauren would do. Lauren stepped forward and walked clear past them. She grabbed her coat from the butler and headed for the car. She saw Scott and Cathy sitting in the back waiting for her. Cathy had taken one look at Beth and instantly knew who she was. Lauren was silent as they rode to the hotel. Scott had wrapped his arms around his mother trying to get her to speak. Cathy could see nothing but rage burning in her eyes.
Lauren had checked them in and was currently speaking with the airlines trying to get tickets for the next flight to Tampa. Cathy heard a knock on the door. She half expected to see the Ravencrofts standing behind it, but instead she was met with one of the kindest looking faces she had ever seen.
“ I’m looking for Lauren Callaway. Is she here?”
“ May I ask who it is?”
“ Linda McMahon.” Lauren walked out and saw the woman who had basically become her adopted mother. Linda had helped Lauren get through some of the roughest times in her life.
“ Linda, you look wonderful.” She gave the woman a warm smile and moved forward to hug her.
“ You’re not looking to bad yourself. I came to speak with you about your father.”
“ What about him?”
“ Well I got a most peculiar phone call from him asking me if I had a recent picture of you.”
“ This can’t be good.” The two women sat down on the sofa to talk.
“ He called me and said that he could’ve sworn that his jogging partner had gold eyes. He’s commented that she reminded him of you.”
“ She better seeing as she’s me.”
“ I thought you were going to tell him the truth.”
“ I am, when we all get together for Christmas and that’s just because my grandmother is making me.”
“ I think it would be a good idea to tell him before you get to your grandmothers. David said that you were coming to the company Christmas party. I can set it up so you two can have some time alone.”
“ Actually I think I have a better idea.” Lauren picked up her cell phone and dialed her father’s number. It rang a few times before she got an answer.
“ Joseph for the last fucking time…”
“ Daddy?” Everything went silent on the other end. “ I have something I need to tell you.” He still remained silent. “ The woman that jogs by your house every morning, the one that you talk to, that’s me. The other woman is my nanny, she helps me to take care of my son, Scott. I wanted to you to know sooner, but I liked being able to talk with you.” She heard something shift in the background and then a dial tone. “ Well that went well.”
“ I imagine I’ll have a phone call from him when I get back.”
“ Looks like I won’t be able to go jogging by there anymore.”
“ Don’t let him get to you like that. As long as you don’t come onto his property you should be fine. Now I understand that you need a way to get to Tampa, and I happen to have a jet that’s on it’s way there for a show. Would you be interested?”
The four of them boarded the small plane and made their way back to Florida. For the next few days Lauren continued on as normal. She still jogged by her father’s house. One morning she could’ve sworn she saw someone peering out the window at her.
Mark hung up the phone cutting her off. He half considered calling her back. Six years worth of suffering and guilt had seemingly ended. Now he understood why he had felt so comfortable around her. He had told her secrets, truths, and reasons that he had never told anyone else. He set the phone in the cradle and left his home. He returned two days later in the early morning. He glanced at the clock and noticed that it was almost time for Lauren to jog by. But she was in New York or so he thought. Then as if it were clockwork she came by. He pressed his face to the glass. For a split second he thought she was going to stop, but she kept on going. He opened the door and walked down the driveway to get his paper. He stopped for a second considering running after her again. He shook his head deciding he needed a better time and place.
David pulled Lauren down the hall towards the makeshift cafeteria that was housing the party. She had been down ever since she had come back early from New York. What made it worse was she wouldn’t tell him why. They walked into the noisy room and heard it get very quiet. A hundred pairs of eyes were on them. David pulled her closer. The only person that recognized her was Howard Finkel. He wandered up to them.
“ Lauren is that you?”
“ Yeah” She gave him a nervous smile. David helped her out a little.
“ Everybody this is my girlfriend Lauren, Lauren this is everybody.” She gave them all a small wave. She looked across the room and saw a dark figure walking out of the door on the other side. She pushed away from David and chased after him. Mark knew she would follow. He speed up when she heard him behind him, she began to call after him. This made him quicken his pace even further. She was running after him by now screaming for him to stop. He finally did when he reached to the parking lot. He heard her steps slow to a walk and then stop. After that all he could hear was her breathing. He turned and looked at her, not as a friend, or a neighbor, but as his only child.
“ Why are you here?” He watched her pull a box out of her purse and hold it out to him.
“ What’s that?”
“ Your Christmas gift. I came here to give it to you. I was going to give it to you when I came back early but it didn’t look like you were home.” She stepped a little bit closer. He reached out and took it from her. The party had followed them. He popped the lid of the box open and smiled. “ Grandma said you needed a new one, so when I was up in New York I picked one up for you.
“ Why didn’t you stay longer? I thought Christopher was actually going to be there this year.”
“ Someone else came.”
“ Really, who?”
“ Mom.” He looked up at her. That had always been a sore subject in their family.
“ How was she?”
“ I didn’t stick around to find out.”
“ Then I suppose you were supposed to be the wonderful surprise that your grandparents had planned for me that I had to like and couldn’t return.”
“ Yeah they begged me to come. If you don’t want me to go I won’t.”
“ The family will want to see you.”
“ Did you mean it?”
“ Mean what?”
“ When you said that you wanted to try and be a family. Did you mean it?” There was an urgency in her voice. Her eyes were demanding him to answer. He had wanted this for six years. Playing this scene out in his head. He would say his peace, she would forgive him and everything would be ok. But this wasn’t the scene he had envisioned. She had all the answers, and reasons she wanted. His mind was screaming to say yes, to end all of this. Wouldn’t that be a kick to his family? Show up arm in arm with Lauren, beating out their little surprise. He was positive that his mind would’ve beat him over the head for his next answer.
“ I’m not so sure anymore. You go away for two years come back and start stopping by, except that you neglect to tell me who you were.”
“ I thought you would figure it out.”
“ Darlin you thought wrong. How about you tell me the real reason you came.”
“ To give you your present was the real reason. David had to beg me to come.”
“ Then maybe you better think up a new one.”
“ What does that mean?” He stood there for a moment thinking. Her eyes were full of pain, and sadness. But there was something else, a glimmer of hope.
“ I’m not quite sure anymore. Just go on back to the party.” He turned his back to her and walked away. This time he heard footsteps, except they were going in the opposite direction. His hand tightened around the box. When got to the car he got in and once again pulled out the gift she had given him. He took off his old busted watch and put on the new one. The silver covering, numbers, and deep blue face reflected the light making it shine. As he put it on he saw an inscription on the underside. To a new hope.
David stopped her when he saw the confused look on her face.
“ Are you alright sweetie?”
“ I’m not sure, for a second I thought everything was going to be ok. I’m more worried about him.”
“ He’s a big boy, I’m sure he can take care of himself. Come on lets head back everyone really wants to talk to you.”
Mark drove all night heading towards Houston. Lauren eyes kept haunting him. More like Beth’s eyes. He pulled into his hotel in Houston. Once he figured out his parents little plan he had opted to stay at a hotel rather than at their house. In truth there really wasn’t room anyway. His four other brothers and their families were already there. He didn’t need to feel like a sardine shoved in a can. His mother had sounded disappointed but she wasn’t about to argue with him. He walked into the hotel lobby ready to get some sleep. The woman behind the desk gave him a warm smile.
“ Can I help you sir?”
“ Yes I need to check in.”
“ Name?”
“ Callaway.” He heard the familiar clicking of a keyboard.
“ You’re already checked in sir.”
“ Come again?”
“ A woman came in earlier this evening and checked you in. But she left you one of the keys, the room is 613. Would you like me to call one of the bell clerks to get your bag?”
“ No I’ll be fine thank you.” He gave her a forced smile before heading for the elevator. The door to the room stood before him. He carefully slid the card into the lock and entered the room. He half expected to see Lauren, nothing could’ve prepared him for who was actually there, Beth. Had thought Lauren was kidding, but there she was, looking exactly the same as she had when they had met.
“ Mark, I was getting worried.”
“ What in the fuck are you doing here?”
“ I can’t see an old friend?”
“ Old friend? You left me standing at the alter with a baby in my arms! Makes me wonder if you wanted either one of us. But now that both of us have financial success you come knocking? Now I can see why Lauren walked out on you.”
“ Well if you know why she left then you can tell me where she is. I have a right to see my grandson.”
“ She won’t let you near him.”
“ She doesn’t have a choice.”
“ Then I won’t let you anywhere near them. You lost your right to call yourself a mother the day you left.”
“ And your such a model father Mark. Throwing your own child out of your life, refusing to let her back in…”
“ But at least he was there for me afterwards even if he didn’t know it was me.” Beth’s eyes widened and Mark turned to see Lauren standing in the doorway with her grandfather by her side.
“ Baby I was so worried!”
“ I bet you weren’t.”
“Marks right, you lost any right to her a long time ago.” She ignored Marks father, Patrick, and continued on her original path.
“ Where’s Scott?”
“ Somewhere else, I figured it wouldn’t be good for him to come and witness this.”
“ Well are you going to let me see him?” Her voice was getting more nervous.
“ Give me one good reason why I should.”
“ I’m your mother! I brought you into this world.”
“ And you left me the day they let you leave the hospital. Did you even want me… mother.” Her tone had grown very cold. “ Well mother, did you or did you not want me?” Mark had stayed very silent, he finally decided to break it.
“ I wanted you and I still do.” Beth looked at him.
“ Trying to pull your ass out of the fire Mark?”
“ No but if she’s willing to move ten minutes away from me, speak to me every morning, tell me secrets of her own, let me get closer to her son, and fly halfway across the damn country to give me a present then I’m not nearly as screwed as I thought.” Lauren noticed that he was wearing the watch that she had given him.
“ You like it?”
“ Yup, beats the old one that I had. That thing was about ready to fall apart. The guy that fixes it told me that it would be easier to take it out back and shoot it.”
“ Get real Mark sucking up won’t help.”
“ Mother I think you’re going to have to move your car.”
“ Why?”
“ Because you’re leaving.”
“ Excuse me?”
“ You heard me, I want you to get in your car and get as far from us as you can. If you truly wanted to be a family or see any of us then you wouldn’t have left, or you would’ve come back a long time ago. So go back to your cold heartless sister and tell her that I want nothing to do with any of you or your company.” Beth stood there in total silence looking at her daughter.
“ If you don’t take the firm then we will be forced to close it. It must stay in the family.”
“ You should’ve thought of that before you came here and started making demands. Besides you still have Christopher, he can still produce an heir.”
“ Lauren please…”
“ Goodnight Mother, goodnight dad.” Before either one could speak she spun on her heel and left with her Grandfather behind her.
“ What are you doing?”
“ Putting the ball in his court. I’ve chased after him long enough. If he’s as sorry as he as he’s said he is then he’ll come around.”
“ What if he’s not?”
“ Then dinners going to be interesting tomorrow night.”
Beth and Mark continued to look at each other stunned. Before she could talk him into letting her stay he pushed her out of the door and slammed it in her face. He had made the mistake of trusting once he wouldn’t do it again. He undressed and laid down on the bed trying to think of a way to get his daughter back. She was testing him now he just had to figure out how to pass.
“ Baby brother about time you got here!” Mark grimaced at being called that. Joseph never missed a chance to remind him that he was the youngest. “ Come on be social.”
“ Actually I was wondering where Lauren was.” Joseph got a nervous look on his face.
“ Laurens not here.”
“ Joseph, she came with dad to the hotel last night. I saw her, now where is she?”
“ I think she’s out on the deck, but I’m not positive.” Mark saw her coat on the back of a chair and picked it up. He walked to the door and saw her standing outside in the cold. Carefully opening the door he stepped out and wrapped the coat around her shoulders.
“ You shouldn’t be out here without your coat, you’ll catch a cold.”
“ So I take it you made it through the gauntlet of hugs alright.”
“ Managed to avoid it. I think you and I need to sit down and talk about a few things. How about after we’re done here we go get a few drinks and talk?”
“ No.”
“ Why not?”
“ Because there’s nothing to talk about.”
“ Like hell.” She turned and looked at him.
“ Daddy I forgave you before I left for New York. When you told me you wanted us to be a family again I was ready to tell you who I was. But my flight got in the way. What you said hurt, but now I understand why you said it.” She saw her Grandfather motioning from them to come inside. “ Now lets forget all about this for now, and go inside and get something to eat before it’s all gone.”
Lauren began unstringing the lights from the bushes. That was the one thing she hated about Christmas, taking down all the decorations. To her it was depressing.
“ You know you can hire someone to do that.” She smiled before standing up and turning to see her father leaning against her mailbox.
“ Doesn’t make it any less depressing.”
“ There any reason you haven’t come jogging by lately?”
“ I’ve been busy.”
“ Really? Where did you go after Christmas?”
“ Charlotte, I spent New Years with David.”
“ Really?”
“ Yeah, and I’ll probably be spending many more holidays with them, and he’ll be spending some more holidays with us.”
“ Any particular reason?”
“ He asked me to marry him.” Lauren watched her fathers face fall and then lose all it’s color.
“ He what?”
“ He asked me to marry him.”
“ Like hell! Your to young to get married.”
“ Daddy no offense but you’re not getting a choice in this.”
“ Why not?”
“ Because your not paying for it, I am.”
“ How long have you two been seeing each other?”
“ Two years, and the only thing I want you to do is to give me away.” Mark stood there rubbing his neck and scowling at her.
“ Fine.”
“ Thank you daddy.”
Mark gave David a hard time from the day he found out to the wedding day.
“ I seriously think your father hates me.”
“ He doesn’t hate you, he’s just trying to make up for lost time. He always told me that he’d keep me locked away till I was forty.”
“ Fucked that one up didn’t you?”
“ You betcha, now get a goodnights sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” She gave him a light peck on the cheek before shutting the door. Lauren tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. All she could think about was Scott’s father. She knew what really happened to him, she had just never told anyone else. Even after his death she felt like he was going to come for her. Didn’t surprise her, the bastard had beaten her senseless and screwed around on her the entire time they were together. One night he hadn’t come home and that’s when she got the phone call that the girl he was currently with had shot him, and that he was dead. That was also the day that she had told him she was pregnant and he had left her. But her mother’s family also kept coming into her thoughts. They had been to quiet. Christine had tried to marry Lauren off to every available man that met with her approval. The one time Lauren had mentioned David to her Aunt she was told to break it off as soon as possible.
Lauren watched her father shift uncomfortably in his suit. She had to let a little laugh, but deep down she was all nerves. He had behaved himself yesterday, but today she had a feeling he would do everything in his power to be on his worst behavior. Her grandparents had regaled her with stories of the five boys and how much hell they had raised. Mark walked over and carefully took her arm making sure to not damage her dress.
“ You don’t have to do this darlin. We can still back out. Just give me the word and I’ll go get the car.”
“ I know I don’t have to, but I truly want to. So do me a favor and stop trying to give me cold feet. I’m already nervous enough.”
They walked down the aisle together, people making comments the whole way. When they got to the end her father held tightly onto her arm.
“ Who gives this woman?”
“ Myself, her uncles, and her grandparents do.”
“ Alright you may be seated.” Mark headed towards his seat with Lauren still firmly attached to his arm. “ Excuse me sir?”
“ Yeah”
“ We need the bride.”
“ No you don’t.”
“ Daddy you have to let go, there is no way you’re coming with me on the honeymoon.”
“ He can marry you from right here.” Lauren turned to the congregation and spoke.
“ Does anyone have a crowbar, or folding steel chair I could borrow?” Laurens grandfather stood up and pulled his son away. He pushed him towards the pew, and escorted his granddaughter to the alter.
“ Sorry won’t happen again.” He walked back over and smacked his son on the back of the head.
The preacher began and it took everything David and Lauren had not to laugh. He gave them both a very disapproving look.
“ Is there anyone here who thinks that these two should not be joined please speak now or forever hold your peace?” Mark began to stand but was pulled down by his mother.
“ You don’t have reason and you know it. Now behave yourself.”
The next year at Christmas Lauren and David gave their families one of the greatest gifts they could give, and little baby girl.
