richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part…’
Her eyes filled as she said the words, tears flowing unchecked down her cheeks as Ivo followed her lead and reaffirmed the vow he’d made three years before.
‘From this day forward,’ he said again and tenderly, gently kissed her. ‘Until the end of time.’
Once Christmas-starting with a trip to the midnight service to thank whoever was watching over them for giving them all so much-was over, Ivo and Belle had a blissful month alone, while Manda and Daisy took off for foreign parts to explore the possibilities for their film.
They spent it planning their new home together, relaxed in each other’s company, discovering the simple pleasures of marriage for the first time. Cooking together, sleeping together, waking in each other’s arms. Neither of them in a hurry to be anywhere else.
It was tough being apart while they did the filming, yet exhilarating too. Belle’s new-found confidence had given her a harder edge that had the media clamouring for more; by the time she and Manda were helping Daisy through her delivery and she was welcoming her new nephew into the world, it had already garnered half a dozen nominations for an award.
On the night it won the first of them, Belle was panting through her own contractions, Ivo at her side, calm, quietly supportive, even when she completely lost it at one point, told him and anyone else who’d listen that she’d changed her mind about having a baby.
He was totally in control until the moment his baby daughter was delivered into his hands.
Then, tears streaming down his face, he was reduced to incoherent gratitude and joy as he laid their child in her arms.
‘So small, so helpless. Like a kitten,’ he said, when he was, at last, able to speak.
‘Maybe we should call her Minette.’
‘You’ve been working on your French.’ He smiled, kissed them both. ‘Welcome, Minette.’ Then, when the midwife made it clear that there were things she needed to do, ‘Manda is waiting for news. And Daisy.’
‘Will you call Claire and Simone too? I promised. They said no matter what time of day or night.’
‘No problem. I want to tell the whole world that I’m a father.’ He kissed her forehead and said, ‘Did I tell you today that I love you?’
‘With every piece of ice. Every damp cloth. When you massaged my back.’ She grinned up at him, ‘When you agreed with every word of the abuse I heaped on you.’
‘It was all true.’
‘Not all of it…’ She took his hand, kissed his palm where her nails had dug in, and then looked up, suddenly grave, ‘Most of all, my love, when you cried.’ Then, ‘Did I tell you?’
He looked down at his beloved wife, who was almost asleep.
‘I promise you that there isn’t a man on earth who feels more loved, more blessed, than I do at this moment,’ he said, but softly, so as not to disturb her.
Liz Fielding
