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Chapter Forty-Five
Phoebe
Wilmington, NC
North Carolina Iris Festival
One Month Later
“So, you’re stalking me.”
“Do you want to hear this or not? I put two and two, a couple of threes, and a really drunk one together and called the festival coordinator for the names of past title holders.”
“And they just willingly gave you all my personal info?”
“I may have had to promise to headline next year’s festival.”
Julian made good on his promise from a darkened hallway the night we officially met. Lords of Lyre had been billed as the big headlining act for the 2016 North Carolina Iris Festival—a huge event held every year with street fairs, concerts, carnivals, and, of course, the Miss Iris Festival pageant.
After Iris and I received clearance from our doctors to fly, Julian locked himself in his office. When he emerged, hair standing on end, grinning like the village idiot, I knew he’d done something big.
Standing in the doorway of the Botanical Garden main house, I smiled, remembering the glimmer in his eye as he fondled the rings on my finger at the hospital.
“What’d you say if I asked you to marry me?”
“I’d say maybe you needed the CAT scan, not me. Julian. We are married.”
“Yeah, but that was for us. I distinctly remember promising you a ceremony in front of our family and friends.”
“What’re you up to, Bale?”
He grinned and dusted my lips with a potent kiss. “Pack something white.”
So, I did. And here I stood about to walk down the floral path of the Wilmington Botanical Gardens, holding a bouquet of blue irises in a white sundress. For a pop of color, and because I was far from the virginal bride, I placed one of the blue irises behind one ear. At least I knew Julian would get a good laugh.
The road back hadn’t been without its potholes. No one could go through the depths of hell I’d come through unscathed. Not only were there still unresolved postpartum issues to deal with, Julian and I had a foundation to rebuild, fractured by sorrow and trauma. Then there were the horrific nightmares that plagued me nightly, waking me in a cold sweat, unable to breathe from the phantom scarf still wrapped around my neck.
One thing was for sure, it’d be a long time before either of us would allow Iris back into her nursery to sleep.
On Eliza’s suggestion, Julian and I started seeing a therapist together to work through some major issues we seemed to find ourselves repeating. We weren’t perfect, but a work in progress with a mutual love that had made it through a lifetime of darkness.
Free from the monster that haunted me my entire life, I walked myself weightlessly down a path where there were no chairs, no decorations, and no fanfare. A simple gazebo spread out in front of me stood unassuming and flanked by my sister, brother-in-law, niece, Eliza, Ryker, Ty, Zane, Faith, and even Kristina.
As I approached, Chloe wiped her eyes. I stopped and kissed her cheek before ascending the steps and meeting my husband at the makeshift altar. He held out his hand, the other occupied by a wiggling Iris in a frilly pink dress.
We’d never been ones for tradition, so he pulled me in for a quick but devastating kiss as our daughter cooed between us. Grinning, he nodded to the minister.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Julian and Phoebe in holy matrimony…”
***
The last hour blurred with happiness and regret. After the ceremony, we kept it low key, picnicking on the lawn, talking and enjoying each other’s company. At some point, Zane and Faith argued, and she took off into the main house. Minutes later, Zane went after her. Half an hour later, they both came back outside, their faces mirroring each other’s sadness.
All I could do was hug her, holding on gently so as not to injure her still healing ribs. I should say things a best friend should say…yet the words wouldn’t come. I reassured her with a final squeeze and pulled back to look in her eyes. They held a deadly combination of fear and compassion. It was a combination I knew well within the confines of my own soul.
“Pheebs, I didn’t want to tell you before the wedding, but I’m leaving in a few minutes.”
“Where’re you going?”
