Page 79 of Tastes Like Watermelon Moonshine
“Hi, everyone.” Austin greets the crowded stadium. They clap and shout hi back. I watch his shoulders move with a deep breath. “It’s truly an honor to be here. To have my first game as a Lariat. I wouldn't be here without God,” he points up toward heaven, “or the encouragement of my teammates from the Spurs. But my biggest support is this woman, right here. Mybiggest fan. My girlfriend, and the mother of my child. And now, hopefully,” he pauses, and his Adam's apple bobs.He really is going to do it.
Turning towards me, he lowers himself to one knee. Grace holds onto my leg and looks endearingly into his face, then smiles up at me. I squeeze my eyes shut. This has to be a dream. I’m tempted to pinch myself. Tears enter my eyes as I open them and smile down at him.
“Raegan Marie Carter, will you marry me?” The cheers and whistles from the crowd are deafening. Tears blur my vision as I gaze down at the simple engagement ring in Austin’s hand. I’ve known that I want to marry him from the moment he’d kissed me under the mistletoe in my parents' den. Well, maybe even before that.
I skim my fingers over his cheek. “Yes,” I whisper. No, a whisper isn’t enough. This is a major league stadium. This is Austin’s first game. I raise my arms and yell, “Yes!” as loud as I can.
Fireworks shoot out from behind the outfield wall as soon as Austin grabs Grace and stands up to wrap his arms around me. His lips smother mine long and hard as Grace grabs us both and tries to join in on the kissing. I sure hope someone has pictures of that. Stepping back, he slowly slips the ring onto my finger. I’m so glad I didn't wear much makeup. I raise my hand up and the ring glitters in the light. I’m going to be distracted forever now.
The rest of the game passes in a blur as my eyes bounce back and forth between the handsome second baseman and the glimmering ring on my left hand.
Chapter 38
Austin - The Present
“Me,too!Me,marryDaddy, too.” Grace tugs on the pant leg of my rented tuxedo as I stand in front of Raegan in our church. Her green eyes make me weak. Our wedding is unconventional, seeing as our daughter is right here with us, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It feels so right.
There were times that I wanted to rush forward to this day, just skip all the prep and the marriage counseling. But I know that time with Coach and Pastor Thompson was important. I want to be the best husband that I can be. Married life as a MLB player won’t be easy, especially not when I leave for spring training two weeks after our wedding, but if Raegan and I have learned anything recently; it’s that we can lean on God and our family, and through our trials we can grow.
Raegan smiles up at me, it’s one of those no teeth smiles, where her eyes do all the talking. They're talking to my heart. And now there are tears in them. I sure hope they’re happy tears.There’s even some doing their best to escape from my eyes. They started the minute Raegan appeared at the back of the sanctuary. Her dress is a lacey frilly thing, and her cowboy boots peeked out from under the long skirt with every step she took.
I don’t have words that can describe what it was like to see her. Instead of holding a bouquet of flowers she held Grace’s hand, who tried to drag her down the aisle. She was, no,isradiant. Her dress is elegant but simple, showing off how beautiful she is, but her heart is shining too. Her sweetness, the way she cares about others, always sees the best in them, goes out of her way for them.
We’re both nervous, but we’re ready. Ready to jump in with both feet.
Grace is wearing a white dress as well, a simple purple ribbon accents the waistline, and a small bouquet dangles from her wrist. She doesn’t understand what a wedding is, but she’s thrilled about doing something with both of us. And she’s in her frilly dress phase. Which I had no clue a one year old could be in, but if it’s got lace she wants it. And even more so if it’s pink.
I don’t want to let go of Raegan's hand, but I do so that I can pick up Grace. She sits on top of my arm, and I reach out and grab Raegan's hand again. Grace snuggles into my neck and pops her thumb into her mouth as she rests her head on my shoulder. Behind Raegan, Chrissy and Jaimie lift their hands to cover their giggles and awws. Grace is definitely stealing the show.
I take a quick glance out at the wedding guests. Mom and Dad are sitting together, and they’re holding hands. Carson and Coach are behind me as my groomsmen. We don’t have too many guests, we kept things small. And, if I had to guess, I’d assume that Ms. Rosa might have asked God to let her watch from up in heaven.
I take in Raegan's simple makeup, before locking onto her eyes. I hope she can’t feel the sweat on my palms. If she does, she doesn’t seem grossed out by it, or just isn’t showing it. Why are my palms sweating anyway? This isn’t a major league ball game. It’s just a ceremony, where I’m making a covenant with the woman that I love, committing my life, my body, and my soul to her for the rest of our lives. Okay, this is bigger than a game.
Do I have some fears? Sure. Fears that I won’t be enough. Fears that I might end up injured in a game, or on the way to or from a game, making me unable to provide for my family. But I have zero doubts. This is the right thing. This is the best thing for me. For Raegan. Raegan is the one for me. She’s it. Forever. I’m pledging my life to her in front of our friends and family.
“Austin?” Pastor Thompson leans toward me, and gently nudges my shoulder. I stare into Raegan's eyes for one second longer, before turning to Pastor Thompson. “Are you ready to read your vows?” He asks.
I nod and swallow. As much as I treasure holding my daughter, I have to hand her off for this part, and of course for the kiss, too. I look toward Chrissy, standing behind Raegan on the little platform of Clear Creek Baptist. “Can you hold Grace for this part?” Grace gives me a poochy lip, but I need both hands for my wife. I pull the paper with my vows from my pocket. With my other hand, I pull Raegan just a little closer and smile down into her eyes.
I clear my throat. “Raegan.” –No, no tears– “I wasn’t sure what to say, when you first said we should write our own vows. Should they be simple, or should they be eloquent? I finally settled on honest, simple, and heartfelt.” Raegan's eyes remain focused solely on me, and even though I haven’t dug into my feelings yet, there’s already a teardrop perched on the edge of her eyelashes. I reach up gently and wipe it away.
“When I moved to Clear Creek… I had a chip on my shoulder. I didn’t want to be here. And when I met you…” My face starts to heat up. “I didn’t intend to make any attachments, but there was an undeniable pull, and God had other plans. Thanks to you, and Carson, and Coach, I was able to let go and let God do it His way.” I drop her hand and cup her cheek. “And God’s plan was better. My plan was to leave here and never look back, but being here, with you, with our daughter, is better. It’s where I belong.” I swallow, willing my voice to remain steady. “I will love you forever. Whether we’re healthy or sick, if we’re rich or if we’re poor. With God as my witness I will be yours, faithful to you forever. I’m not perfect, but with God’s grace, I’ll lead you, and our family, spiritually, setting the example of a man who serves God.”
Based on the tears running down her cheeks, my honest and heartfelt vows were the right choice. Raegan wipes away some of the tears and sticks her wet hand back into mine.
Pastor Thompson turns to her, “Raegan, you may now say your vows.”
“I memorized mine, hopefully I can remember everything I wrote.” She giggles and sniffles. “Austin Jay Thomas, we both know that I don’t believe in love at first sight, but it was definitely attraction at first sight.” The smile lighting her face takes me back to that day in the gymnasium when my life changed.
“I wasn’t sure how God would work it out, or if He would even let me have you, since you didn’t know Him when we first met. There was even a time, after you came to know Him that I still wondered if He would let me have you.” She starts to tear up again, the big tears this time. I wish I could wipe them all away, and make sure she never has to cry ever again. “I wasn’t sure if I deserved anything good from God. Not my beautiful daughter, not you, not even the ability to breathe. But Ms. Rosa-”
Tears race down her cheeks and I grab the tissue in my pocket and gently dab them away.
“Thank you,” She whispers. Pulling herself back together with a deep breath she continues. “Ms. Rosa reminded me that I need to see myself, and you, through God’s eyes. Through Scripture. Free. Forgiven. Filled. Those are the three words she wanted me to remember. We are free, free from sin, because we’ve been forgiven by God, and He has filled us with His Spirit.”
I smile at her. Her words sink down into my heart. Reminding me that God orchestrated all of this. He’d used the good and the bad moments to draw us closer to Him. I owe every minute for the rest of my life, for the rest of this marriage, to God.
“Things didn’t go on the timeline I planned, but on God’s timeline. And I’m so glad that He put you on my timeline. I promise to be yours, only yours, for always and forever. Whether he gives us health or sickness, if we’re rich or if we’re poor. I will do my best to be your helpmeet, to obey you and let you lead”–she leans closer–“But that won’t be easy, I’m selfish, so God will have to do some work there.”
