Chapter Twenty-Seven
AIDEN
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Hadley and I sat on the large deck that overlooked the mountain range of the Rocky Mountain National Park. She’d been unusually quiet since we’d arrived yesterday, and at first, I thought it was just because she’d been busy with Emma, getting ready for the wedding.
“Did you want to talk about anything, Hadley?” I asked her, as I leaned forward and rested my arms on my legs.
She smiled, but her eyes looked serious. My little girl seemed so much older in that moment. “I don’t know how to ask you something.”
My goodness, how was it my six-year-old daughter sounded sixteen? “Hadley, you can always ask me anything. Always.” Taking her hand in mine, I turned her to face me.
“I want to call Emma ‘mommy’. But I don’t want to hurt your feelings or make Mommy up in Heaven angry.”
Smiling, I gave her hand a light squeeze.
“When Emma first came into our lives, I was so worried you would forget your mother. Make you think I was trying to replace her with Emma. Then one day, Emma told me she had no intentions of trying to replace your mom, and she would do everything in her power—along with me, your grandparents, and our friends—to help keep your mother’s memory alive for you.
“Hadley, your mother will always be a part of your life, right here.” I pointed to her heart.
“And right here,” I added, as I motioned to my own chest. “Emma is also a part of our lives, and she loves you like you’re her very own little girl.
If you want to call her mommy, I know she’ll be so happy. ”
“And your feelings won’t be hurt?”
“No, baby. I want you to do what your heart tells you to do.”
She nodded, and a single tear slipped free. “Mommy in Heaven won’t be mad, will she?”
I pulled Hadley into my arms and held her close.
“I promise you; she won’t be mad. She’s looking down on you right now, and she is so happy that you have Emma in your life.
And Emma will always make sure your mommy in Heaven is a part of things.
Like on your birthday, when she taught you that special song to play in honor of your mommy? ”
Hadley nodded. “It was a special song just for her. And Emma put a picture of Mommy on the piano so when I play, I can see her.”
“And does that make you happy?” She nodded. “I’m sure it makes your mommy in Heaven happy too.”
“So, I can start calling Emma mommy now, or when you get married tomorrow?”
I nodded. “I’ll leave that up to you. You call her mommy whenever your heart tells you to start calling her mommy.”
A wide smile broke free. “It’s telling me to call her mommy now!”
Laughing, I said, “Well, I think she’s upstairs.”
Without another word, Hadley climbed out of my lap and raced into the house. She ran past my mother and up the steps.
“What’s going on?” Mom asked in confusion as I rushed by her.
“Can’t stop and explain!” I called out as I followed Hadley up the steps. She was standing in the doorway of the large room where our reception would be held. We’d decided to have a small wedding, family and friends only.
The strains of a piano filled the air as I came to a stop behind Hadley.
I knew the piece Emma was playing. It was one of Bach’s Cello Suites.
I’d heard the cellist we’d hired, Louise, practicing it earlier as Emma and my mother listened.
Louise was going to play it tomorrow when Emma and Hadley walked down the aisle.
“That’s so beautiful,” my mother whispered. “No wonder everyone in the orchestra loves her. She’s so talented.”
I nodded. “She is.”
Glancing down at Hadley, I felt my heart trip over itself. She was staring at Emma in awe. She’d told me so many times she wanted to be a piano player like Emma, and in the last few months, she’d excelled at her lessons. Of course, Emma was an amazing teacher.
Emma must have sensed us watching her because she looked up and stopped playing. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
“It was beautiful,” I said as I followed Hadley into the room. Suddenly, she took off running toward Emma. She had just enough time to slip off the bench and catch Hadley.
“I want to be just like you when I grow up, Mommy.”
Emma’s eyes met mine in a moment of pure shock. I smiled and nodded.
Holding onto our daughter a little tighter, she replied, “I love you so much, Hadley.”
My mother placed her hand on my arm and gave it a light squeeze. “I’ll leave the three of you alone.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I softly said before I made my way into the room.
Emma set Hadley down and then kneeled on the floor when Hadley tugged on her hand.
“I talked to Daddy about calling you Mommy, and he told me to do it when my heart told me. When I saw you playing, my heart, right here, felt all weird. Like I was on a fast ride. I think it was telling me to tell you.”
Wiping away her tears, Emma cupped Hadley’s face in her hands. “You have made me the happiest person in the entire world. I’m so honored to be your mommy, Hadley. More than you’ll ever know.”
Hadley hugged Emma again, and when she looked up at me, we exchanged smiles.
If anyone told me that I’d be getting married again, I would have laughed in their face and called them crazy. Then Emma dropped into our lives, and I knew immediately that nothing would ever be the same.
“The sun’s about to set. Should we watch it?” I asked.
Hadley and Emma broke apart. Taking Emma’s hand in hers, Hadley rushed to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The house we’d rented for the week was the perfect place for our intimate wedding, with everyone able to stay either in the house itself or in the cottages sprinkled around the property.
It also wasn’t far from Estes Park, so no one had to endure a long drive.
“Just think,” Emma said as she looked at the sun slowly sinking behind the clouds. “Tomorrow, at this very moment, we’ll be married.” She turned to face me.
“And I cannot wait. These last five months have been torture.”
Emma laughed and winked. There had been countless nights of Emma sneaking to my bedroom after Hadley had fallen asleep, and a few times where we’d both failed to wake up in time for her to slip back over to her place.
Hadley had never stumbled upon Emma in my bed, but regardless, I was really looking forward to just having Emma with us all the time.
With a happy sigh, she read my mind. “When we get back, I’ll be all moved in.”
“And we’ll be a family!” Hadley practically shouted.
I rustled her hair and repeated her words. “And we’ll be a family.”
* * *
The day started out with utter chaos.
Everyone overslept because the power had gone out and not one person thought to put an alarm on their phone except for Tammy—who happened to be staying in one of the cabins and had no idea everyone else was still asleep.
Once Emma woke up and saw the time, everyone jumped into action.
There really wasn’t much I needed to do, or Dalton, who was standing up as my best man.
The girls, on the other hand, were heading to the spa to spend the day being pampered.
They were back to meet the hair and makeup people Tammy had arranged to arrive at five.
The wedding was to start at seven-thirty, with us finishing up the vows right before the sun was due to set.
When Hadley appeared in the doorway first, dressed in a mint green dress with her hair piled on top of her head and a huge smile on her face, my heart nearly burst with pride. Then Emma appeared. She’d opted to walk down the aisle by herself, even though my father had offered.
She wore a beautiful nude-colored dress that made her look like a princess.
It was covered in lace and sequins that caught the setting sunlight in the most stunning way.
Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail with a few strands of blonde hair framing her face.
She wore hardly any makeup, and her lips were tinted the faintest pink.
When she stopped in front of me, and I took her outstretched hand, my breath caught in my throat and I struggled to find my voice.
“You look…you look…breathtaking. Absolutely beautiful.”
Grinning, she moved her eyes up and down and said, “You look as handsome as ever.”
With a wink, I leaned in and whispered, “Just be sure you don’t call me Ryan when we say our vows.”
A sputter of laughter escaped her mouth, which caused Hadley to giggle.
“Daddy, she knows your name is Aiden, not Ryan!”
I gave Hadley’s shoulder a little squeeze, then the three of us turned to the pastor.
Shannon was quietly moving about, taking photos.
She’d given birth to her son, Mills, only three weeks earlier.
All the girls from my mother and Emma’s church group were here to watch me and Emma exchange our vows.
When I looked back out at the small collection of people, my gaze caught Rose’s.
She wiped a tear away as I mouthed thank you.
If it wasn’t for her, Emma would never have entered my life.
Emma and I had decided to say our own vows, and we both spoke what came to our hearts in that moment. With our family and close friends watching, and Hadley standing between us, we promised ourselves to one another. Forever.
Then, finally, came the moment I’d been dreaming about since I’d slipped the engagement ring on her finger.
“May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bishop.”
Emma and I held up our hands and laughed like two giddy kids. Just as we were about to take Hadley’s hand in ours, she looked up at us with the most innocent, earnest eyes I’d ever seen.
“Can you please make a baby sister for me now?”