Page 42 of The Vegas Rerun
"I’m not trying to impress your mom," I inform him.
"Oh? Who are you trying to impress, then?" he asks.
I shoot him a look, but he just smirks, clearly enjoying himself. I’m saved from having to come up with something clever to say back to him, because at that moment, the priestappears, and the ceremony begins. It starts with the normal church service which includes a sermon from the priest, several hymns sung by the congregation and a few prayers. Judging by the sound of rustling clothes, I’m not the only one with a numb ass by the time the actual christening begins.
“Welcome everyone to this joyous occasion as we celebrate the christening of Oscar Benson, son of Mitchell Benson and Hannah Redfern Benson. We gather here today to give thanks for this gift of new life and to publicly welcome Oscar into the Christian faith,” the priest says.
When he finishes speaking, he beckons and a pretty, dark haired woman in a white dress with black flowers on it stands up first. She’s holding a tiny baby dressed in white and wrapped in a blue blanket. I assume she is Hannah. With her is the man I assume to be her husband. He too is goodlooking, and it occurs to me that this whole family looks like they have just stepped out of the pages of a magazine. Another woman stands up. She’s almost identical to the mother of the baby except her hair is a little bit shorter. She must be the godmother. And finally, Joshua gets up and heads to the front of the church with the others. I had no idea he was going to be the baby’s godfather.
When everyone who needs to be at the front is there lined up beside the font, the priest does a Bible reading and then a couple of prayers to which we, the congregation, have to reply amen when he says it. Finally, it’s time for what I think of as the actual christening of the baby.
“Parents, Mitchell and Hannah, will you, with God’s help, guide Oscar in the Christian faith, pray for him, and support him in his life’s journey?” the priest says.
“We will,” Mitchell and Hannah reply simultaneously.
“Godparents, Joshua and Helen, will you, with God’s help, support Mitchell and Hannah on their journey to raise Oscarand to provide him with a good, Christian upbringing?” the priest says.
“We will,” Joshua and Helen say in unison, and I smile at the thought of Joshua being involved in this baby’s life, but then I remember my own baby, sitting at home with my mom because her father doesn’t know about her, and I feel a spike of resentment in my chest. I have to remind myself that it’s not like Joshua has rejected Autumn. He doesn’t know she even exists, let alone that she’s his.
Seeing his beaming pride as the ceremony goes on makes me want to tell him, but there’s a huge difference between being a godfather, which is mostly symbolic, and being an actual father which is one of the biggest responsibilities someone can have.
I’m pulled out of my thoughts and back into the moment by the indignant cries of baby Oscar as the priest, who is now holding him over the font, pours water over his forehead.
“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” he says.
There’s another prayer, and then the parents and godparents return to their seats. I smile at Joshua as he sits back down. He returns my smile.
“You did good,” I whisper.
“I only had to say two words,” he whispers back with a laugh.
“May God’s grace and peace be with Oscar and with all of us. Amen,” the priest says.
“Amen,” we all say back to him.
“Let us now go forth and live our lives in faith, hope and love,” the priest says and then he turns from the font and walks through a small door signaling that the service is concluded. I can’t say I’m sorry it’s over.
Now it’s time to head to the party and let my hair down and have a good time and not think about Joshua’s beaming prideup there at the font and let this influence my decision to keep Autumn a secret from him.
CHAPTER 29
MOLLY
After the christening,we head to the reception, where the real fun begins. It’s being held in a large room in a country club. The room is decorated in the same maroon and cream colors as the roses from the church and each table has a centerpiece made up of the flowers. The chairs are covered with cream covers as are the tables and with the maroon ribbons around the chairs and runners on the tables, the room is so fancy it looks more like a wedding reception than a christening party. There is even a huge maroon and cream balloon arch behind and over the buffet table.
Joshua sticks by my side, his presence warm and solid as we take seats at a vacant table. I’m glad he didn’t want me to sit with his parents and sister and her husband. As much as they seem like nice people, it would have been awkward for me, and he seemed to sense that. We make good use of the free bar, and we talk, and we laugh together, and when Joshua begins to flirt with me, I forget that I’m supposed to be acting as though I’m immune to his advances, and I flirt back. For the first time in a long time, I let myself enjoy the moment without overthinking it.
Several times when I happen to glance over to the family table, I see Fran looking over at us and smiling. She definitely seems to approve of me, and when I’m formally introduced to Mitchell and Hannah, they both seem welcoming and friendly too. I start to almost feel bad for deceiving them into thinking Joshua and I are dating.
One of the highlights of the day for me is when Hannah is chatting to Joshua and me at our table and she needs to use the ladies’ room, and she asks me if I wouldn’t mind holding Oscar for a moment. I relish that milky warmth in my arms, his sweet baby smell in my nostrils. He peers up at me out of perfect blue eyes and I chatter away to him in baby talk. He is the most adorable baby, and he seems to be content enough in my arms. When Hannah comes back, I don’t want to hand him back over, but I know I have to. Before Hannah can take him though, Joshua says it’s his turn and he takes baby Oscar.
Watching Joshua holding the baby and talking to him, I melt inside. Seeing him be so gentle and sweet with the baby turns my heart into mush. And when he moves the blanket aside slightly and baby Oscar grabs his finger and holds onto it, it is cuteness personified. I’m upset when Hannah has to take Oscar away, but her mom wants to see him before she has to leave.
The buffet opens and Joshua and I go and join the line for the food. I end up beside Joshua’s father who peers at me for a moment and then his eyes open wider.
“I know you,” he says. “You’re that secretary, the one who spilt the milk on me in the board meeting.”
“Guilty,” I say, blushing.
