Anything but Minor - Kate Stewart Page 0,87

proudly the steady stream of guests and the horror on their faces as they ran in every direction to seek shelter from the lightning. Another shot was displayed of a pile of the muddied shoes of every guest at the wedding. Another showcased a perfectly captured ceramic bride and baseball clad groom on the floor of the barn, both buried in cake and debris. An eye brow raising shot of Andy and April was captured as they stood in front of the restroom, their posture intimate and hair mused up by more than the weather as they held hands—a story I still hadn’t managed to pry from either of them.

Each photo represented the chaos and the resilient vibe of the day. The feeling inside that barn was the exact opposite of the weather. There wasn’t a disappointed face in the group. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Rafe and I both paused at the last photo, hands clasped as we studied it. It was when we were announced man and wife and Rafe whispered “No end” to me. I smiled at him intimately just before the shutter was pressed and seconds before Rafe gave me the best kiss of my life. My wedding dress was caked in mud on the bottom and Rafe was clearly still dripping wet, but the looks on our faces could never be mistaken. It was the picture of a man and woman deeply in love and excited about their future. Rafe looked over to me, his hazel eyes filled with the same adoration reflected in the picture as the bar filled with another bout of laughter. And right before he gave me another kiss that could stop time, I couldn’t help but to think: freeze frame, cue Thompson Twins “If You Were Here” and fade to black.

Rafe: What are you doing?

Alice: Looking for a four leaf clover.

Rafe: ☺ Any luck?

Alice: No, but I think I’m close.

Rafe: I’m sure you’ll find it.

Alice: I better, I’m aging by the minute.

Rafe: I miss you.

Alice: Stop whining and get ready to pitch a perfect game.

Rafe: Someone misses me, too.

Alice: You got that from my text?

Rafe: Of course. Did you find it?

I opened the closet next to the front door of our expansive house and heard a loud squeal then quickly texted Rafe as our little girl waddled past me with a loud shriek as I lunged for her.

Alice: Found her!

“Clover,” I protested with a grin as she ran through the house in nothing but her diaper. She was very much like her father in that she loved to be naked. I chased after her and she shrieked as I gained on her, a Denver t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts in hand.

“Come on, baby girl, we have to get dressed. We’re going on the plane to see daddy!”

Clover stopped her feet, and though her looks and personality were more Rafe, I was sure it was the plane part that stopped her in her tracks. She looked up to me and raised her chubby arms so I could fit the shirt over her head. I looked into Rafe’s hazel eyes as I brushed through her dark brown hair and secured it into tiny pigtails.

My phone buzzed again, and I sighed in defeat when Clover again took off with only the improvement of a shirt and fixed hair.

Rafe: I just don’t understand why you didn’t want to come this time. We could have taken her to the zoo!

Alice: Whining again?

Rafe: Fine. I love you both. See you Sunday.

I smiled knowing he was disappointed and probably hurt for the time being, but it was a price I was willing to pay. He was in the playoffs, and I was sure he was close to earning his first championship. Every season he amazed me, and I’d attended every game I could, rain or shine. I wouldn’t miss this game for anything.

The perk of being a ballplayer’s wife and a pilot was his eight figure salary. I did his laundry for a few years and he bought me a small plane. I was now flying private charters for Denver’s wealthy while I attended Rafe’s ballgames anywhere in the country. Sound like a dream? It was.

Pretty sweet deal for a bonehead athlete and a nerdy pilot.

Another text came through. It was a picture of Dillon at his third grade graduation. He looked adorable and was smiling big. The text underneath read:

Kristina: Clover’s future husband?

Alice: We have about twenty years to plan.

Kristina: Miss you.

Alice: I’ll be