Chapter 27

One rose is enough for the dawn. -Edmond Jabes "Come on Katrina. Be reasonable" Dominic complained to his daughter as his wife, Alice chortled beside him. Who would have ever thought that the day would come when Katrina was crowned the matriarch of the great Maracheli family. Or that Dominic would resort to groveling at her feet just to get anything done within his own company. "I am not approving anything until I see and go through the proposal. " Katrina's voice said over the phone and her father grimaced in return, much to Alice's satisfaction. "Why is Ryan even allowing you to work from the hospital?" "Dad, do not drag my husband into this. Unlike..." Katrina posed as another contraction hit her and she had to grit her teeth in pain. "Unlike what?" "Unlike you he actually respects me." she gritted out between her pain and her stepmother furrowed her brows in concern. "Another one? " Katrina nodded her head and then realized that the woman could not possibly see her through the phone. "Yes. " "Another what? " Dominic asked her confusion. "Contraction dummy! Why do you think she is in the hospital?" "Oh," he said gazing at his wife's baby bump that was ever-increasing by the day. "How far between are they now? " "6 minutes." she gritted "That's fast. Are sure about working while in the hospital though? " "It keeps my mind off the pain so... " "Aren't you a stubborn one. Why not just get that epidural. It's not too late I am sure. " Katrina thought about it and almost shook her head in agreement. Should she? She wondered even as she looked at Ryan who was staring back at her with a worried look in his eyes. "I don't know." she whispered even as a tear made its way down her eyes and Ryan hurried to hang up the phone before her parents could hear her break down. "Thank you." she tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. "Hey, don't over exert yourself. Are you serious about work though?" at that she grinned. "Every once in a while he deserves to be pulled down a notch, plus I always have you." "Of course, you will always have your slave do all the work for you while you lounge away on that hi-tech bed. " "it's not hi-tech. It's a standard hospital bed. " "Yeah, with more gadgets than my standard bed at home. " At that, she giggled. "I don't think making me laugh can alleviate the pain. To think that Malisha had to go through all these and alone. " At that, his expression grew solemn. "How do you know?" he asked her. "Gina. She came back from Veterum the other day." "You are now on talking terms?" "She sought me out. Phoebe remained though. Apparently, she has her eyes set on Malisha's brother. " "Mishael?" his eyes grew wider. "You are acquainted with him? " "More acquintedwith his hands. He is some sort of General. Apparently those military positions are also hereditary." "All of them? " "Just the six high generals." "And if the General had only daughters?" "The General is a gender neutral word." "I see. What of the Phaedra?" "The Queen is a Domina or Regina, I am not sure which. Though for some reason, titles there seem to go according to the old language." "So Malisha is a Domina?" he nodded his head in agreement. "Must be cool, right." he added after some thought. Thinking back to his previous encounter with his high-born ex-girlfriend. "Apparently it was not easy. The social system in Veterum is quite hard. She is not angry at us though, but she cannot relate with us just yet." Katrina told him. "Gina? " she nodded. "I am glad to hear that." They remained in companionable silence for a while. Ryan working on Katrina's papers while she sat back, relaxing and enjoying the little relief that was offered in between her contractions. She had told him that laughter did not work, but it certainly did. His words too, for it was much easier to go through the pain if your mind was not focusing on every jab and prick and the back-breaking cramps. How did she manage it? Katrina wondered, her mind going back to Malisha and the pain she must have endured back then. She must have felt all alone with just her brother to support her. All alone in the labor ward carrying the fruits of Ryan's betrayal. But then again, it was not all his fault. She, Katrina was also to blame and hence the reason why she was now punishing herself. At least, by refusing an epidural, she could somehow try and understand the mental anguish that her former best friend had suffered through. It would not do anything to atone for her past sins, but it would do much in teaching her how to appreciate the gift that God was giving her through the birth of this baby. "Aargh!" Katrina suddenly cried out even as a nurse entered the room and began to take note of the time. "What is happening??" Ryan jumped up in a frenzied state, alarmed by the sudden cry that had just been emitted from his wife's lips. "Your wife is about to deliver." the nurse smiled as she showed him the time. "That one was four minutes apart from the last. " she added as she moved in to examine her. "She's having the baby? " the nurse nodded. "Now? " They had thought it would take longer. It should have taken longer, but his baby girl seemed to be too eager to enter the world that she could not await the arrival of her great grandmother. What was he to do now? He wondered even as he packed away the documents and rushed over to Katrina's side. He would have preferred to do it immediately but his wife would fray him alive for leaving such sensitive documents lying out in the open and true to his thoughts, that was the first question she asked him when he arrived at her side. "The papers? " the pale-faced Katrina groaned and he assured her that they were safe. "Rest easy. " he said wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on her brow. "it's going to be okay." "Grandmother..." "She's coming. " he assured her just as the doctor walked in with her team of nurses. Baby Sierra Dawn Thorpe entered the world on a Friday mid-morning. She had at least managed to wait for her great grandmother who arrived just in the nick of time and saved her father from being a liar. Katrina was relieved. Tired but relieved. As she gazed upon her baby's cute pink face and her husband's glowing one as he beheld his daughter for the very first time,  she could not help but say the words that had until then, had been taboo to her. "I love you. " she rasped out from a parched-up through. "Mmmh? " Ryan turned to her with a question in his eyes. Had he not heard her or was he playing dumb just to hear her repeat it? "I love you. " Slowly the question melted away from his eyes and was replaced by a smirk that told her everything. " I thought I heard that as well. " he grinned back. "You obstinate and... " "Lovable?" "Yes,  lovable husband of mine. This is where you tell me..." "I love you too?" "I am too exhausted for this." She suddenly complained even as she turned away to look away from him. "Sorry." He said as he handed over the bundle to the grandmother and knelt to comfort his wife. "Hey, I love you too. " he said as he turned her face to find that tears were now streaming down her flushed up cheeks. "I am sorry. " "It's not that. It's just that,  I am... I am happy. It was so hard, so painful but I am finally happy." she sniffed out her tears which he wiped away with a handkerchief. He knew what she was talking about. What she meant was not the labor nor the process of childbirth, but the series of events that had brought them to this point. To this moment there. "I am sorry," he whispered again. " I am sorry again. "Katrina, I know that my first proposal was a sham," he said as he twisted the ring that had somehow found its way back to his finger. Before this, he had been too scared to wear it,  worried about how Katrina would take it. But now, he was convinced that it was the right course of action to take and so he went on with his plan. "I have taken you through  hell in this marriage. I have been cruel and yet, you've been always good to me. You have given me a baby girl," he smiled. "you have given me another chance at being a father again. The truth is, I do not know how to begin to repay you. I don't even know if there is anything that is worth all the sweat and tears that you have shed because of me. I can only pledge the rest of my life to you. To love and to honor. To cherish you, forsaking all others,  I cleave myself to you. I know that I do not deserve it, but still, will you have me? Will you share the rest of your life with this undeserving idiot?" With these words, it seemed like the dams had finally broken and tears were now streaming down Katrina's cheeks uncontrollably even as the man she had loved all her life continued professing his love for her. All around them the nurses and the doctor looked on as well. However, the happiest of these spectators was indeed her grandmother. The woman who had brought her up and watched over her from the sidelines even as her love had continued to unfold. "If you wish we can have another wedding, bigger than the last one. This time I will even take you for a honeymoon, a long one," "And let my father take over my company? " she managed to say between her tears and her husband could only laugh. "You will always have your slave with you and you have that new policy, so I am sure it will be really hard for him." "Plus I am always here to protect your interests as your lawyer." Alice said from the doorway and Katrina cried out in delighted surprise. "Mum?  What are you doing here? " "It's not just me. I brought the whole clan as well." "The whole clan? " "First answer him and then rest up and then you will get to meet them. " Katrina nodded as she turned back to her once estranged husband. "I don't need another wedding," she told him. "but I may need that honey moon or baby moon. After all, like you have just pointed out, we never did have one." she added, blushing at the implications of what she had just said. "Are you sure? " She nodded. "I just need you here by my side and if you can remember your vows every single day of our lives. That alone is enough for me. " " I can do that." Ryan smiled as he rose to his feet and leaned over that he was hovering above her. "Am I allowed to kiss you now?" he whispered. "I have been dying to do this for months now. " At that Katrina blushed beautifully even as their lips merged and she received the very first kiss from her husband outside the simple peck that she had received on her wedding day. It was soft and beautiful, gentle and caring and in that simple meeting of lips, she felt all his feelings specially communicated to her that mere words could never have. The Elder Mrs. Maracheli smiled as tears grazed over her old but still sharp eyes. It was impossible but she could swear that the newborn baby in her arms had also smiled. The angel that had been sent to bring these two broken hearts back together. To bring back a smile to the lips of her gentle rose. The delicate fragrant flower that had been plucked up and forced to show up her thorns. She was back where she belonged. Among the lilies of the valley. And there she would send out new roots and bring up even more fragrant roses. And so his rose of Sharon, his lily among thorns comforted him with apples and stayed with flagons. His banner over her was love and his right hand did embrace her. For lo,  the winter was past,  the rain was over and the flowers did appear. The time of singing had come. Until the daybreak and the shadows flee away, the couple held on to each other as they spoke of even better tidings that were yet to come.