“Probably because you’ve spent the last decade arguing. Now, clearly you’re not drinking so I don’t have to give you the same lecture that I’ll go through two dozen times this afternoon.” Reena glared at them. “Hand-fasting is an old and sacred custom that will link the two of you together for three hundred and sixty-six days. Although, that baby growing inside you is going to link you for a hell of a lot longer.” She gave Keren’s stomach a long stare.
“I think we’d have been linked even without Beanie,” Keren rubbed her stomach.
“Beanie?” Reena patted her belly. “Is that what you’re going to call her?”
Scott shook his head. “We don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy, and we didn’t want to keep saying ‘it’ or ‘them’.”
Reena gave them a knowing smile. “Make sure you think of girls’ names. Okay, do you have vows, or is this a spur of the moment thing?”
He shifted from foot to foot. He should’ve thought this through a bit more as having to come up with something meaningful that wouldn’t make Keren think he was taking the piss was going to be difficult.
“We haven’t got vows, Reena. Maybe we’ll both just come up with a few words.” Keren smiled at him, the glint in her eyes telling him that she’d definitely caught him out.
“I’ve got words.” There was no way he was letting her have this victory.
She raised her brows. “I know you have words, Scott, but are they deep and meaningful enough for the mother of your child?”
Reena grabbed both of them by one wrist. “Let’s stop the war and start the love. Come this way. Any particular colours for your cords?”
Scott looked at Keren and took a deep, hard swallow, the realisation that he was no longer his first priority hitting him hard. He was now third in his own line, the woman and their baby that she was growing coming way before anything else. “You choose.”
“What do the different coloured ribbons mean?” Keren asked Reena.
“White for purity, blue for fidelity and red for passion. They’re called cords rather than ribbons, but I won’t hang you for it. And we use one made of corn too. Old traditions and all that.” Reena picked up a cord. “Have the one with all three?”
“You think we’ll need all three?” Scott felt jittery, wondering whether he was good enough for all this.
“Scott, everyone needs all three. Being married or hand-fasted is hard. As is being parents, which you’ll soon find out when you’ve gone eight days straight with next to no sleep.” She shook her head. Reena had never been very sympathetic.
“Let’s take all three.” Keren’s tone was decisive. “And get this done. I’m getting hungry and that pasty stall smells good.”
Scott gave a nod and found himself following Reena to the wall as she guided him to one side and Keren to the other, telling them to hold hands through the gap.
He didn’t really hear her words, something to do with guidance and blessings, but then she led them to the archway that had been crafted from willow branches and decorated with flowers. Sorrell made a comment about how pretty it was, followed by a suggestion from Alex that Zack and she should make use of it, both of them mumbling excuses. Scott would’ve laughed, because he knew his brother was desperate to marry Sorrell – he’d confessed as much the last time they’d both had a few pints – but he thought she was still too raw from her wedding that hadn’t gone ahead last year.
“Do you want to do the vows first?” Reena said. He realised she’d asked twice.
“Yes.” Suddenly he knew what he needed to say.
Keren looked at him with over exaggerated surprise.
“Take hold of each other’s right hands, then Scott, start your vows. Bear in mind these are likely to be the best I’ll hear all day, so no pressure.” Reena gave him an amused grin.
He nodded, no longer feeling nervous. “Keren, I promise to love you longer than a year and a day. I promise to take care of you and our baby and to enjoy our life together, no matter what it will bring. I promise I will argue with you on a regular basis because making up is one of the best things ever and I’ll always be whatever you need me to be.”
Her eyes were shining. He grinned, knowing he could have bragging rights later at making her fill up.
She shook her head and wiped tears away with her free hand. “Scott Maynard, I promise to let you win the occasional argument and to let you sometimes think that you’re right. I promise to be the best mother I can be to our baby and any other babies that we have. I promise to love you as much as you can stand and I’ll let you love me back.”
He realised his own eyes were wet, but he didn’t bother wiping them. Reena was wrapping the cord around their hands, creating an infinity symbol, joining them together in an old rite, but they were already joined.
“I love you.” His words were clear, his eyes fixed on hers.
She smiled. “I love you too.”
Reena stepped back, giving them the chance to move closer together. He leaned in and kissed her, making it as hot as he could, given that they were in public and a small crowd had formed around them. Her belly pressed against him and he was sure he felt a small kick from Beanie, joining in. Her words about more babies echoed in his head. He knew that this parenting thing was not going to be easy, and they may well not be ready for another one when they’d had no sleep, no time together and tempers were short, but the fact she’d said it made him understand this wasn’t about just being together for the baby they were about to have.
She wanted him.
