Page 76

He scolded me with a slight frown. “Why aren’t you sleeping, kitten? You’ve been tired lately. You need to rest when I’m home.”

“I appreciate it, but you forgot about the monitor. I was sleeping until I heard you singing to Elizabeth. I just got up to see if you needed anything, but I can tell you’re good.”

It was just an excuse. I knew Tyler didn’t need me. But I couldn’t resist watching him with his little girl. I hadn’t believed it was possible to love him any more than I already did until the moment I saw him help bring our baby into the world, and then I realized the love we shared couldn’t be measured.

Shortly after our engagement, Tyler had the starfish and the uncut diamond he’d given me framed in a shadowbox. It now hung in our bedroom, a visual reminder of all we had worked through; a symbol of the investment we had in us. Nor did I ever take off the necklace with the gold starfish pendent he’d given me on the day of our wedding. My fingers constantly found and played with it, reminding me of Tyler’s unselfishness and the strength his love gave me.

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice that Elizabeth had finished her bottle until she let out a loud burp. She rested her head contentedly on Tyler’s shoulder, her eyes already closing. He hummed a few more bars of the song before laying her back in her crib. She stirred slightly but settled again as Tyler turned on the mobile above her head. I’d been so excited when I found the baby decor; a different kind of shell hung from each arm of a starfish. When I brought it home to show Tyler, he smiled, knowing exactly why I picked it.

Tyler and I stood quietly, staring at our precious bundle as she slept. After a few minutes, we walked hand in hand back to our room. I was tired, but I was feeling such a contentment that I wondered out through the French doors of our bedroom onto the deck that overlooked the backyard and gazed up at the night sky.

So much had happened since that day Tyler proposed. I decided in the end I was happy with my job as a respiratory therapist. But I also missed the art. Tyler was the one who suggested that maybe I take my talent and volunteer at a battered women’s shelter. I could use my experiences to relate to the women who sought refuge and help there, as well as offer a medium to communicate their feelings, or just to find a release; art therapy if you will. I loved it. I felt like I was able to use my experience to do something positive and hopefully help other women. Once Elizabeth was born, I decided to stay at home with my precious girl. While she was napping, I would sometimes paint in a room that Tyler had converted into a studio for me. Two of my favorites scenes were framed and hanging in the nursery. One was of a mom and dad with their little girl collecting shells on the beach. On top of the little girl’s bucket lay a starfish. The other was of a man with a little girl hoisted high on his shoulders. Her face was beaming as she clung to the man’s head while he pointed out a shooting star in the midnight sky. The characters were, of course, our family. I had considered painting a mural on the wall of the nursery, but I wanted something that Elizabeth could always keep; reminders of how much we wanted her to be strong and happy.

My parents were frequent visitors to our house. My parents had driven up the same day I was released from the hospital after Mark’s attack. They had expected to find me an emotional wreck. Instead, they found me happily engaged. Tyler left us alone for awhile, and we all had an emotional conversation. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t comfortable, but my dad listened as I spilled what I had endured with Mark as well as what I had witnessed in the sandwich shop. Many tears, apologies, and hugs later, we were on the path to becoming the family we used to be, maybe just a bit wiser.

It hadn’t been so easy with John Cranston. He quietly divorced Natalie, who had been arrested and charged with several crimes, including accessory to assault, as well as lesser charges. She was still serving time in jail. We learned through her that Mark had somehow tracked down where I work. He had been watching me for a few days, and had witnessed my altercation with Natalie. Suspecting he might have an ally, he approached her. It was a work in progress, but Tyler and his dad were getting along better than they had in a long time. But the damage that had been done early in their relationship was still present, and I didn’t think they would ever be close. However, John was trying to be different with his granddaughter, and for that reason alone, he’d earned Tyler’s respect.

Strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me against a warm chest. I leaned my head back and held his arms. “Life’s good,” I whispered.

“Mmmhmm,” he murmured against my ear. “What are you doing out here?”

“Dreaming big,” I whispered. His lips moved down my neck. “So, you really believe there are more wishes for us in those stars?” I asked.

He rocked me in his arms. “There’s always room for starlight wishes, but I think we’ve discovered the real star to make our own wishes come true.”

“And what would that be, Doc?”

“True love.”

“I have to say, I think you’re right. Love is exactly what has made one more of those wishes come true.”

Suddenly I found myself being whirled around in my husband’s arms. Brown eyes wide, he broke into an enormous grin. “Do you mean . . . ?”

I nodded my head. “You told me to dream big. So I dreamed of a big family . . . with you.”

“When?” he demanded.

“In about seven months, according to Melissa,” I smiled, referring to my friend who was a nurse practitioner as well as a licensed midwife. “But maybe this time we should stick a little closer to home the last month,” I smiled.

“Have I told you today how much I love you?” He rubbed my nose with his.

I grinned back at him. “Nope. But given the day is only four hours old, I’ll give you a break.”

Our laughter was cut off as our lips met in a kiss. As I lost myself in his embrace, I knew he was right. With true love as a guide, my starlight wishes had found their way home.