Page 21 of A Taste of Grace
Being Married
After I dropped Grace off at her home, I relieved Mama of her caregiving duties and checked in on my girls. They slept like angels in their twin beds. I got ready for bed then texted Grace as I did every night.
Me:
Sleep well.
Within seconds, she responded.
Grace:
You too, honey. Please kiss my little girls for me.
Me:
I will. Sunday is our big day! *smiley kiss emoji*
I cheesed hard.
Grace started calling me terms of endearment last week. I didn’t correct or tease her about it. She also said “my” or “our” when she referred to Hannah and Esther. I enjoyed it greatly and couldn’t wait until we shared our growing devotion even more openly.
Sunday morning, Grace arrived at my house around 7:30 a.m. to fix the girls’ hair and get them ready for church.
We decided that our arrival with the girls at Haven of Hope and Blessings would be our first public appearance as a couple.
We knew that Grace would be the center of attention that day since we would announce our engagement and marriage plans.
She brought her dress over in a Macy’s garment bag and had her silk-pressed hair up in big pin curls. She kissed me on the cheek and entered the kitchen, where she placed her bag over an empty bar stool. Hannah and Esther ate a hearty breakfast of biscuits, eggs, and bananas.
“Good morning, girls.”
“Good morning, Mommy Grace.” Esther jumped from her chair and hugged Grace.
“Eat your breakfast, sweetheart.” Grace waved Esther back to her seat and smiled as she poured a glass of juice and took a big sip. “Are y’all almost ready for church?”
“Yes!” They wiggled their bodies and raised their hands.
“Daddy says today everybody is going to find out that you’re going to be our mommy.” Hannah smiled, revealing her missing teeth.
“That’s right, angel.” Grace nodded my way.
I moved behind her and held her waist as she set her glass on the table. Even dressed down and with her hair undone, Grace glowed.
“Are you and Mommy Grace going to be married?” Esther asked the question innocently after taking a big bite of her peeled banana.
I was confused by her question since every day and night we talked nonstop about Grace moving in with us after becoming my wife.
“Yes, sweetheart. I told you that.”
“No, Daddy. Esther is talking about mommies and daddies playing and kissing under the sheets. Being married.” Hannah’s serious face caught me off guard.
Grace coughed into her hand and shifted behind me, turning her back as she opened the refrigerator. I ignored her and focused on my daughters, who stared at me like I had stolen something.
“Who told you about mommies and daddies playing and kissing under sheets?”
“Maw Maw. That’s what they do on TV. Be married.”
“That’s cute.” Grace returned to the table and picked up her glass of juice.
“Really?” I jerked my head her way, not believing she was encouraging my babies as they talked about sex.
They were much too young to know about such things.
“Yes. They’re curious, Daddy.”
“In that case, girls, Mommy Grace and I are going to play and kiss every day…maybe multiple times a day when we’re married .”
“Did you say that out loud?” She mumbled through her teeth, her eyes wide.
“I sure did. They’re curious.” I mocked her previous answer.
“It’s too early in the morning to be so messy, Pastor C.”
“You started it.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes at me and sipped her juice.
“Are you going to play and kiss hard enough to give us a baby brother?” Esther raised her little shoulders and clapped several times, awaiting my answer with bated breath.
“I’ll let you answer that one, Mommy Grace. I’m calling my mother about all this.” I kissed her on the cheek and left her with Esther and Hannah as I moved toward my bedroom. “Welcome to the family.”
Grace changed in the guest room then got the girls ready.
They sat quietly in the living room watching cartoons as she finished dressing in the guest bedroom.
I knocked then entered, placing my cuff links in my shirt before I carried my suit coat into the room and laid it on the bed.
I closed the door behind us, mesmerized at how breathtaking Grace was in her white dress with patches of beautiful roses at the hem.
She placed a small hot pink fascinator on top of her full curls and examined herself in the floor-length mirror from multiple angles.
“You are an angel on earth.”
She blushed and then held her hands out to me.
“Thank you.”
I walked into her arms and hugged her before kissing her pillowy soft lips. She rubbed my beard as she spoke into my lips.
“We have to stop doing this, or I’m going to lift this dress and spread my legs open on that bed. We only have another week. In the words of the girls, I can’t wait to ‘be married.’”
Her reference to sex made me think about the moment I would plant my seeds in her with no restrictions.
“Same, love. Are you sure you want to have my kids?” I asked the question quietly, secretly hoping Grace wasn’t open to it only for the money.
If she really didn’t want kids, I would force myself to be okay with that too.
“Of course, Caleb. Any child I have with you will be my blood too. All of this…” she waved her hand around the room and between us, “…gives me hope they will be loved thoroughly by both of us no matter what, so the answer is yes.”
“That makes me happy.” I lowered my hand to Grace’s belly and held it there.
She placed her hands over mine as she held my gaze.
“Since I can’t touch you where I want to yet, I’m going to leave them right here and declare a blessing over you.” I knelt and spoke directly to Grace’s belly as she continued to hold my hands.
“Okay.”
“I declare that your body remains healthy and flourishes as we pursue this next part of our lives. Every cell, blood vessel, and organ operates as it was designed to work. This womb will remain disease-free and ready for the implantation of any children that God blesses us with. I rebuke any growths, tumors, fibroids, or pain that will prevent you from enjoying every phase of motherhood. Our babies will develop perfectly in you full-term with no complications. May what we create together be better than who we are separately. Hannah, Esther, and the children carrying our DNA will grow into the people the nation and world need.” I lifted my eyes toward Grace.
She peered down at me and smiled, her eyes moist.
“May they have their Mama’s care and fiery spirit for justice and education. In Jesus’ matchless name I pray. Amen.”
“Amen.” Grace wiped a tear from her eyes. “And may they embody the strength and strong character of their fine, sweet daddy.”
“Amen to that too.” I rose and kissed Grace’s lips again, pleased that we were on one accord.