Little Tastes of Red Mire

(7) Saving Nila: Symphony

This is it y'all. I want to thank you so much for reading, voting and commenting. Please let me know what you think. I'll be finishing up Convincing October and then starting book two of LToRM; Changing Wade.

Walker

It took me five years, three months and two days, but I was managing to do the one thing I'd wanted to do since I was a little boy.

Today I was marrying Nila. Surrounded by our combined family, dressed in the most expensive item I owned, I waited -- watching uneasily as the wedding march began. The road that led us here definitely wasn't an easy one. I watched our little girl skip down the aisle, tossing flowers in the face of anyone who cooed at her with a mischievous grin on her face, my little princess had even managed to stick her tongue out at her partner in crime then flash the most angelic smile in the direction of her grandparents. Laughter sounded through the small church as everyone rose from their seats, all waiting with baited breaths as the bride came into view.

A vision in a blush colored dress, Nila stood at the lip of the aisle accompanied by Uncle Donnie and Uncle Jack, the latter of which was trying to hold in tears, but failing miserably. My heart hammered mercilessly in my chest as the procession started and she moved at a maddeningly slow pace, the skirt of her dress dancing across the dark runner on the floor, with each step the neck plunging against her cinnamon skin. My mouth drew dry as I drank her in, the way her dark hair curled around her face, tendrils falling around the nape of her neck -- kissing the flesh in a way that made me jealous almost. My heart swelled once I met her eyes, seeing the adoration, the love shining back at me through those green depths. This was it, I was finally going to marry the woman of my dreams despite everything that should've pushed us apart.

Her hand touched mine as the one and only Dr. Susan Taylor asked who gave her hand in matrimony. Her dads spoke in unison, one sounding stronger than the other. Neither were ready to lose the little girl they'd spent so long trying to get back, but they knew she was in good hands. I would never hurt Nila. She meant everything to me.

Dr. Taylor spoke of lasting love, of perseverance, of hardheaded Montgomery men and the saints they tended to meet and marry, which caused a wave of laughter to fall over the people in pews. He brought tears to eyes as she spoke of inner strength and hope, of never forgetting, but always forgiving -- for bravery and working together. Few knew what she was hinting to, of what it meant to hear all of this. Nila and I knew. Our hands tightened around one another as Dr. Taylor continued on, asking if there was anyone with reason we shouldn't wed however we were certain of the path we were on. We had waited for three years to get here, to marry, because there was more healing that Nila had needed before we jumped into such a big commitment. Our first six months together after her admission had revolved around going back to North Carolina, pressing charges, the next eighteen months had been a solid continuance of trails and testimonies -- of five other women who'd come forward following Nila's accusation. Heath and Broady hadn't stood a chance once they'd started to come forward, the lawyer had said. The defense had attempted to claim all five women had entered into consensual sexual relationships with both boys -- however, the boyfriend of one girl had interrupted after arriving late to the party. No one had listened to the couple at first due to their history of having a third party in the relationship. To add to it, one girl was a minor, barely seventeen at the time of her assault. The final nails in the coffin had been the solid proof of attacks, three separate tests by OB/GYNs proving at least rough - if not forced - relations. Both men had been convicted and sentenced, allowing all women to wash their hands of the past and (hopefully) move forward.

"....Walker?" Blinking rapidly to dispell the last of those dark thoughts on this day of happiness. Time to kiss her? Noticing all of the expectant eyes on me I figured I was right on the nose and I pulled Nila to me, my lips meeting her surprised ones in a sweet, unhurried kiss. It took no time for her to melt into me, arms going around my neck as I savored her taste, exploring the depths of her mouth. Breathlessly we pulled back to another round of laughter and a loud "ew" from our daughter, who was perched happily in her Nana's lap in her pretty little dress.

"I guess that's a definite 'I Do', y'all. That's my boy." Dad drew lazily, winking at me as a hot blush crawled up my neck. Nila giggled lightly in my arms, smiling at me with a similar blush kissing the apples of her cheeks, desire thick in her green eyes. My stomach did flips, anticipation for the four nights of our honeymoon crawling to a forefront in my mind.

Nila

Light flashed across the sky followed by a loud crack of thunder, rattling the windows in the house at the storm rolled in with thick clouds. I watched uneasily as the storm built outside, gnawing my lip as I waited. I could hear Cammie playing with Sienna in the back bedroom, their barbies chattering happily over the hum of the radio in the background. My stomach churned uneasily as I watched through the window, eyes searching for the mass of black metal I'd been waiting on all day to arrive and park in our drive. Walker had been gone for a week on a trip with his brothers, leaving me alone with the girls. We'd spent plenty of nights apart but nothing this extended. In all honesty, I missed him fiercely and even though the girls kept me plenty busy, I couldn't wait until he was home again. Sienna's loud giggle echoed through the house and I couldn't fight a smile. Sienna was the daughter of another of Heath and Broady's victims, Ashley. After the trial had ended a few of us kept in contact in an effort to support one another, but one or two, like Ashley had fought against it. We were constant reminders of what happened. Sienna had been too. Six months after Walker and I had married we'd been getting ready for bed when we had received a phone call from a distraught Meagan, another of the girls. Ashley was gone, had taken her own life finding it too difficult to deal with her pain -- she hadn't wanted help, hadn't believed it would fix anything. A couple of us had attended the small funeral, giving our condolences to Ashley's younger sister Cadence and now, legal guardian of a three and a half year old little girl. Cadence, only nineteen, with no family to support her, had admitted tearfully that she'd been considering giving the little girl up for adoption to give her a better life than what she knew she could provide. After all, she was a broke college student sharing an apartment with four other girls. What could she give Sienna?

It had taken one look at Walker with tears in my eyes to get him to agree to adopting the little girl. It was a transition from one child to two, but we managed it well enough, and as a plus the girls were young and were taken with one another. Thick as thieves and trouble wrapped in cute pouts, bows and their daddy's pinky.

"When's daddy comin' home mommy?" The tiny voice startled me into turning around, I hadn't heard the girls approach. Identical brown eyes and similar facial features greeted me, along with tired pouts and ragged looking dolls, the girls were holding hands as they waited for me to respond. Where Cameron was dark headed, had my complexion and delicate cheeks that I assume came from somewhere down my biological parents' line, Sienna had blonde tresses, her mother's fair skin and a round face.

"He'll be home soon, baby." I responded, kneeling down to their levels to wrap my arms around my precious ones. Both heads buried in my neck simultaneously accompanied by little plastic bodies digging into my back. Their Johnson & Johnson soap scents soothed me. My heart swelled as I held my babies. I knew people didn't quite understand why we'd taken in Sienna, our need to keep not only one reminder, but two, of what had happened, but they didn't see what we did. The most beautiful results of a hideous act, pure unconditional love coming from a show of hatred.

"What, no hugs for me?" A masculine voice demanded, sending butterflies soaring through my stomach. Small bodies yanked from my embrace and flew - quite literally, I think - into the strong arms of my handsome husband. Giggles and endless stories filled the house as he carried them into the heart of our home, smiling and nodding at the appropriate time. It took some time, nearly twenty minutes before I was able to come between the two now hyped up girls and greet my husband properly.

"Miss me?" He teased, arching a blond brow at me.

"Not at all." I lied smoothly, stretching up to kiss him softly.