Lost Love by BillieK26
Ch 9
Before they could get Dani’s bag from the car at Eve’s she had run into the house.
"Nana, Mommy and Daddy are getting married."
"What, Dani?"
"Mommy and Daddy are getting married."
"Dani, didn’t we say that we were going to tell Nana as a family? Why didn’t you wait for us?" John asked from the living room door.
"I’m sorry Daddy, but I had to tell Nana," Dani said with a worried expression on her face.
John glanced at Evangeline and then to his mother. They all burst into laughter. Dani didn’t understand why they were laughing, but she started laughing too.
"Evangeline let me see the ring?" ask Eve.
Evangeline held her hand out to Eve. Eve looked at the ring and then at her son.
"You did good," Eve said to John with a smile.
"Thank you. I try," he said with a smile and pulled Evangeline into him.
Evangeline smiled at Eve as John kissed her temple. She then looked at Dani who was holding her Nana’s hand with her widest grin. While looking at Dani, Evangeline asked Eve, "Are you sure about her staying?"
"Absolutely. We’re going to have a great time, aren’t we Dani?" Eve asked the little girl.
"Oh, yes, Nana. Today, we are going to color and have a tea party and bake some cookies and…" Dani would have kept going if her mother hadn’t stopped her.
"Dani, don’t complete exhaust Nana."
"What does "xaust" mean?" Dani asked with a frown.
"Make her tired. You don’t have to do everything today," Evangeline said as she moved to the little girl and stooped to her level. "You’re going to be staying here with Nana for a few days."
"I know, but why can’t I stay with you and Daddy?"
"Remember, we talked this morning. After what happened to Johnny Boy, we want you to be safe."
"But I want you to be safe, Mommy," she wasn’t worried about her daddy. He could take care of himself.
"Mommy will be safe, Dani. I’ll make sure of it," John said as he moved to his two girls and placed a hand on each of their heads.
With that Dani smiled up at her father and wrapped her arm around his leg. She knew that her daddy wasn’t going to let anything happen to her mommy. But, she also knew her mommy was stubborn, because daddy had said so. That wasn’t always good, ‘cause sometimes mommy did stuff daddy didn’t like and he got mad. That was never good.
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After leaving Dani with Eve, John looked at Evangeline who was sitting in the passenger seat, but still wasn’t 100% there.
"Okay, are you going to the station with me? Or are you going home?"
"Actually, I need to go to the community center."
"No."
"John, I’m in the process of prepping for that Seminar. It needs to get finished."
"Well, you’ll have to work on it from home, because you are not going back to work at the center."
"John, I need to go by there to get someone else to work on the seminar for me. I realize that I can’t be there right now for a lot of reasons. I just don’t want the kids to suffer because there’s a psycho out there after me."
"Do you have any idea how amazing you are?" he said as he reached across the center console and ran his fingers through her hair.
She turned to him with a smile, "No, but feel free to tell me."
"I’d better not. I don’t want you to get the big head," he said chuckling at the expression on her face and then took her hand in his, "I’ll take you to the community center and then drive you home if you like."
"That will be fine. I can do some of the work for the seminar at the house and e-mail it to whoever will end up taking the project over."
"Do you have any idea who might end up working on the project?"
"I was thinking about it last night, when I realize that I wouldn’t be able to be at the center regularly. And I think that Natalie would be really good. She’s been working at the center since I started there and she appears to really have a heart for the kids. Oddly enough, she’s been really great to me since I got back and I think she’d be good at taking this on."
"I’m glad that the two of you are getting along. While you were gone, we probably played pool maybe once a month. I thought she might still have feelings for me, but she never mentioned it and I was still so hung up on you that I didn’t want to talk about it at all. Then of course Cris came back and they got back together. The rest as they say is history. I haven’t even seen her since you got back. I’ve been too busy with my two best girls," he said with a smile and a squeeze of her hand.
They got to the community center and John had already reverted to cop mode. He looked around to see if there was anything suspicious, before walking around the car and opening her door. He continued to watch until they got into the door of the center. When he walked in, he saw Shannon across the room talking to one of the youth, before she made her way to them. Evangeline watched Shannon’s approach with a smile. Shannon was like the little sister Evangeline had never had. As soon as Shannon was within a few feet, Evangeline held up her left hand ring side out. Shannon stopped in her tracks for a second and then shrieked before engulfing John and Evangeline in a group hug.
"You’re getting married!!!" She said excitedly, "When did this happen?"
"Last night, right before we got another threat at the house."
"What? Another one? Is everything alright?" Shannon asked with a look of concern on her face.
"We’re fine, Dani’s fine. However, she’s staying with Eve for a few days."
"She’ll love that. Aunt Eve is going to spoil her."
"Already done," John said.
"Well, what are you doing here?"
"I thought I would talk to Natalie about taking over the planning for the seminar. I’d have asked you, but I already know what your schedule is like counseling and I will not add another thing to your plate."
"How do you even know I’d agree to do it, if you did ask me?"
"Because I know you love me," Evangeline said with a smirk.
"Okay, you got me. Natalie was just here a few minutes ago. She may have gone into the director’s office to work on the financial report. She has really been great keeping the books since she started."
While Evangeline was away Natalie had gone back to school and finished a business degree. For a while, she’d worked for Buchanan Enterprises in the finance department. Now she volunteered at the community center and was a great help.
"Thanks, I go see if she’s there. Why don’t you get your cousin here a cup of coffee?"
"Sure," Shannon said walking off in the direction of the coffee machine.
"Angie, I’ll be here waiting for you."
"Thanks," she said and pecked him on the lips before making way to the director’s office.
Sure enough, Natalie was sitting behind the desk working on a report.
"Hey, Natalie."
"Hi, Evangeline. I was wondering if you’d be here today. Normally, you’re here much earlier."
"I know it. Actually, I’m not going to be coming in regularly anymore. Some personal things have come up."
"I just heard Shannon say something about you getting married."
"Yes," she smiled and looked down at her hand, "John asked me last night."
"That’s wonderful."
"Yes, it is. Our daughter is so excited."
"I’ll bet. I met her when she and John were at the park one afternoon. She’s beautiful."
"Thank you. I think so, but I’m probably biased," she said laughing with Natalie.
"Well, you’re her mother. If you can’t be biased, who can?"
"I agree, but like I said before I won’t be able to be around much and so I was wondering; I know that you’ve been volunteering here regularly in finance, but how would you like to take over the planning for the youth seminar?"
"Evangeline I’m touched that you would ask me and I can understand how planning a wedding could take up too much of your time."
"Well, it’s not really the wedding that’s taking up the time, but regardless I won’t be around. I’ve seen you with the youth and you have really good organizational skills. I think you’d be perfect for doing the job."
"Thank you. I’d love to finish the planning for it. Is there a lot left to do?"
"Actually there is. There are quite a few phone calls to make to finish confirming people. Michael and Marcie McBain are both planning to participate and talk about their careers. I have all the initial plans at the house. If you’d like I can bring them here or we can have lunch at the house one day this week. It’s up to you."
"It’ll probably be quieter at your place. Why don’t we do it there in a few days?"
"That’s fine. Just give me a call and we’ll set it up."
"Okay and Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thanks, Natalie. I really appreciate the sentiment."
Evangeline left the office and made her way back to John. He was sitting with a small group of the younger kids showing off his badge and telling cop tales. He saw her before she got to him and excused himself from his fan club, telling them that he’d come visit them again with new material.
"So, you picked up some groupies while I was working, huh?" She asked with a laugh.
"You are so funny, Evangeline," he said.
"No, seriously, it’s pretty cool of you to spend time with them. You are their hero."
"How do you figure?" he asked as they walked out onto the sidewalk and he started looking around for anything suspicious.
"They are in awe of you. The look on their faces spelled hero worship if I’ve ever seen it."
"What are you talking about?"
"It’s practically the same look your daughter and I have when we look at you. You’re definitely our hero," she said kissing him in the middle of the sidewalk.
