Page 146 (1/2)

The only sour note in all this was my half sister Alison My mother finally had told her all there was to tell about me and Alison had a predictable reaction She went froer and then to indifference and rebellion My mother told

"We've been having a lot of problems with her even before all this" s at this ti around with the wrong people, drinking-- even, we fear, doing drugs Grant's very concerned and is trying to do everything possible, including private counseling"

"I'm sorry," I said "Maybe some day we can be friends," I added, but that was about as realistic in ain

My mother nodded without any confidence in her eyes and we stopped talking about her

Two days before our ceremony, my father and his wife arrived froet to know Austin well and it gave et to know thereat-uncle, but they clai the royal family, which was fine with me whether true or not

After my father had arrived, and up until the day of the cere to the house Of course, theirwas inevitable Everyone was very civil when it finally happened Grant actually got into a long conversation concerning politics in England with rounds with Leanna, talking about the flora and the indigenous trees Still I felt as if ere all tiptoing over thin ice and it would take only a longer glance, an unfortunate word or memory to sink us all

Thankfully, nothing like that occurred and the wedding itself went off like a space launch every single part of it conducted without the s wheeled down the aisle to the altar What a thrill it was for ive ht ahead and had my place raised so that he and I were practically eye level with each other during our vows The ceremonial kiss ell too, and everyone was pleased

It seerand it had been the scene of dark and depressing events, but with the decorations, the ood food, it was easy to push the shadows back, make them retreat belohere I hoped they would be shut up forever and ever

Nevertheless, when it was all over, and I had to say good-bye toto visit the that all this happiness and joy would dissipate like smoke in the wind and leave us with the cold reality to reic that I still had a difficult birth ahead ofto be a lasses had to be lifted from my eyes Gray skies were also a part of our world, and not all the e any of it for long

We were able to hold it off a while longer because of our honeymoon in the Bahamas, but e returned, we did have our dark days, our depressing ether However Austin never showed any strain or regret How perfect he was for me because he was so familiar hat someone who had my handicap experienced He was stiller I made myself, the easier the delivery would be for me and for our baby

Now that Aunt Victoria's threats were gone Austin and his uncle continued to develop their co ive up any of his life nor his career

"If to er than uilt to ever be happy," I warned

He understood, and assumed his full duties In my third trimester, we hired a part-tihtful woman in her fifties Mrs Meriweather, who had actually assisted in two pregnancies and post deliveries of paraplegic woiven birth, she wouldas I needed her She had never married and had no immediate family to consider It seemed perfect

As the clock ticked toward the day of rew more anxious Fortunately, the more serious complications Doctor Baker had described never occurred but I kept thinking what if after all this effort and preparation, so terrible happened? If I lost this baby, I would surely never even think seriously about trying to have another

At the beginning of as to be nancy, they took me to the hospital As Doctor Baker had predicted, I went into a normal delivery with assistance of vacuum extraction Austin and I had decided not to learn our baby's sex beforehand We wanted the surprise and the fun that ca He was there in the delivery room and the moment I heard irl I win"