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Two
Lana Barrington
No matter what has happened No matter what you have done No matter what you will do I will always love you I swear it
—Defiance, C J Redwine
He turns towards ht and piercing, a hint of mystery about the corners of hisof our honeymoon, in the middle of the desert Blake hired an old-fashioned camel caravan because he wanted us to mimic the ancient journeys of the silk road
I stare at his beauty,it for the days ill be old, feeble and sitting on a saiting for our grandchildren to come around, and they will be many
‘I want another child,’ I tell him
He reaches for me, his eyes suddenly dark and unfathomable ‘Not yet, Lana We will have theirls, but for a little while let me have you and Sorab to myself I have never been so happy Just for a year I wish for nothing more than only the three of us Our little family’
I smile at hih ‘OK’
He pours tequila into two glasses Shakes salt on the sides of our fists It is strange drinking tequila in the desert I look up at the night sky Slowlike white-flaround, and there are sodown on us
‘Besides,’ he adds ‘I want you to be able to do everything you ever wanted to, go where you haven’t, see what you haven’t, and experience it all You will be pregnant when you’re twenty-three, and four, and five, for as many times as you desire’
‘I only want three,’ I protest with a laugh And then my voice becomes serious ‘But I want to adopt a couple, too’
He raises an enquiring eyebrow
‘I’ve alanted to change a child’s life,’ I explain ‘To take it away froive it everything I ah’
‘Thank you, ’ I lean forward and kiss hiers He moves so it is his ainstThis ti with our child, your ankles swell up, and I want to be there when his or her head shows, and you are screaodly hours and watch you feed theently ‘I’aze at the hawk-like noses of the caathered around another fire a few yards away, to listen to an old man with a narrow, deeply wrinkled face tell stories His voice is a hoarse whisper The long sleeves of his gray tunic rise in a sweeping dramatic movement to point at so for theht, and the circle oftheir heads out like lizards I turn toward Blake In the firelight he is watching e of the dance floor in your ruined dress, looking so lost and fragile, I felt like soht in the heart And yet you were race than any well-bred, stiff upper lip royalty’
I shake my head; the memory is fresh and hurtful ‘No, I wasn’t brave at all I wanted to run away I was so embarrassed I’ve never been so hu at ht our wedding was totally ruined’