For His Little Girl

At last it came. Josie said, 'Mommy, look,' pointing to him, and Pippa turned her head, just a little. Slowly he sank down until he was on his knees beside the bed so that she could see him more easily.

'Didn't you know I'd come, my love?' he asked.

She managed a faint smile. 'I guess I did.' Her eyes closed again.

'Pippa,' he said urgently.

'She should rest now,' the doctor said.

He let himself be shepherded out with Josie, but once outside he drew the doctor aside, speaking very quietly.

'How much does it really mean that she came around?'

'It helps,' the doctor said after a pause, 'but it's not conclusive.'

'You're telling me that she could still die?'

'Yes, I am. It's good that she's regained consciousness, but some of the signs aren't as good as I'd hoped.'

'I want to see her again, now. Just for a moment.'

The doctor was about to make a formal protest, but something in Luke's eyes stopped him. 'Two minutes,' he said.

As he approached the bed again, he noticed how poor Pippa's color was, almost the color of death. She was slipping away from him.

'Pippa,' he said, 'listen. I've got something important to ask you.' He saw the question in her eyes. 'It's this- will you marry me?'

'Ask me again,' she whispered, 'when I'm out of here.'

'No, I mean now, today.'

'Oh, yes-of course-Josie-'

'No,' he said, becoming frantic with the need to make her understand. 'You think I'm just trying to get a legal claim on her, but I'm not. It's not about her, it's about us. We should have been married years ago, and now, if-' he could hardly say it '-if I lose you, I want the world to know you were my wife. Not just my girlfriend, or the mother of my child, but my wife. Please, darling, marry me now. It would mean so much to me.'

'Would it-really?'

'Everything in the world,' he whispered.

'But can it be managed?'

'Leave everything to me. In the meantime-' From his pocket he took the engagement ring. 'This is yours.' He slid it gently onto her finger, and had the pleasure of seeing a glow come into her eyes.

'I didn't really want to give it back,' she said.

'I'm going to fix everything. You-you be here when I get back, okay?'

'Okay. Luke-'

'Yes, darling?'

'Talk to Harry,' she murmured. 'He's studying law.'

Luck was with him in one way because Harry was right outside. But in another way it was against him, because Frank and Elly were there, too.

'If you think I'm going to allow this you're out of your mind,' Frank said harshly. 'I'm going to speak to the hospital authorities and have you thrown out. They won't let you pester a sick woman again-''

'Frank.' Elly put a gentle hand on his arm. 'It's no use. If this is what Pippa wants-how can we deny her, when it may be the last thing-''

Frank's shoulders shook. 'Do as you please,' he said hoarsely, and turned away.

Harry got to work on a special license, and because of the circumstances was able to get one within an hour. Then he went one better and produced an uncle who was a vicar.

Josie was sitting beside Pippa holding her hand when Luke returned.

'How is she?' he whispered.

'She keeps going to sleep and waking up again. Daddy, she says you're going to get married.'

'We are.'

Josie's face brightened. 'When?'

'Today, just as soon as it can be fixed.'

She beamed. 'Can I be a bridesmaid?'

'Honey, it's going to happen right here, not in a church.'

'But Mommy will still need a bridesmaid, because she's a bride.'

'I guess she will.'

Josie slipped out of the room, and Luke sat beside Pippa, taking her hand. Her eyes were closed. 'You're going to be my wife,' he said, 'as you should have been all these years. When you're better we'll do it again with all the trimmings. You'll have the best wedding dress you can find, but you'll never look more beautiful to me than you do this minute.'

She opened her eyes and smiled sleepily, but he couldn't tell how much she'd heard.

One by one they came in, the friends from the guest house. Harry's vicar uncle slipped in timidly as though hoping not to be noticed. Frank and Elly were there, too, but standing apart, looking unhappy.

'Where's Josie?' Elly asked.

'She vanished,' Luke said, looking around in dismay.

But Josie returned at that moment, bearing two small bouquets. 'There's a flower shop downstairs,' she explained. 'Here, Mommy.' She put the larger bouquet in her mother's hands as they lay weakly on the sheet.

'Thank you, darling.'

'Are we all ready?' the vicar asked. 'If it's all right with you, I prefer to use the old-fashioned service.'

'Fine,' Luke said. Then a horrible thought occurred to him. The old-fashioned service, which meant…

'Sir,' he said in a loud whisper to the vicar, 'about this service-she won't obey.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'Cut out obey,' Luke muttered urgently. 'She won't do it.'

'No, she flaming won't,' Pippa murmured.

'Sorry about that,' Luke said.

'No, no, I quite understand,' the vicar said. 'They none of them do these days.'

The sigh that accompanied these words told volumes about the little vicar's domestic life. Luke's eyes met Pippa's and, incredibly, a spark of amusement flashed between them. She was close to death, but even now she couldn't resist sharing a joke with him. Luke closed his eyes for a moment, and a shudder went through him. She was so alive, it simply wasn't possible for her to die. It wasn't possible because he couldn't bear it.

Then he felt the weak movement against his hand and, looking down, saw that Pippa had reached out to him. He twined his fingers in hers and felt the comfort she was offering.

The vicar cleared his throat. 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here…'

Luke didn't hear the next bit. He was watching Pippa's face, seeing her eyes fixed on him with a look of joyful wonder that smote him to the heart. In spite of everything, she loved him so much that this moment could make her happy.

The vicar inquired, 'Who gives this woman to be married to this man?'

There was an awkward silence, because nobody had thought of it. Some of them looked at Harry, and some at Jake, but before either could speak, a voice from the back said, 'I do.'

Every head turned to see Frank come forward, pale but determined. 'I do,' he said again, taking Pippa's hand and offering it to Luke.

Pippa's eyes shone. 'Thank you, Frank, dear.'

Luke inclined his head to Frank in gratitude, knowing what the gesture would mean to Pippa. Then he realized that the vicar was asking if he would have this woman to be his wedded wife. He felt as if he was in another world as he made the response and listened as Pippa made hers.

Then came the moment Luke had dreaded, because he wasn't sure he could get through it without breaking down.

'I, Luke, take thee, Philippa, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold…to love and to cherish, till death do us