Chapter 10

Brittany looked around and found a candle lit trail. She followed it. She walked down the path until she came to a picnic table covered with rose petals and candles. Next to the table Jeremie was standing with a smile on his face. Brittany looked dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe that Jeremie had put this all together.
“Jeremie, what’s all this?”
“Oh just a little something special for the woman I love.”
“Jeremie, you shouldn’t have. I mean how did you have the time to do all of this? I thought you were working.”
“I was. I just asked for a little outside help was all.”
They sat down and had steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and homemade apple pie. After they ate, they sat and talked for awhile. Jeremie took Brittany for a walk through the woods. They came to this small little clearing where there was a gazebo. They sat down and looked up at the stars for awhile before anyone spoke.
When someone finally spoke, it was Jeremie. He said that he enjoyed all the time he had spent with her and wanted to spend even more with her.
“Jeremie, why did you go see Pastor Tim? He said you were wondering about my family.”
“Yeah I was. I never knew they both had died.”
“Yeah, I never really knew my dad. He died when I was little. He died while he was in the army. My mom died about four and half years ago.”
“Oh so soon. I’m really sorry, Babe.”
“Me too. You would’ve loved my Mom. She was just like me in so many ways. “
Jeremie chuckled. “well then I really would’ve loved her.” He walked over to the table in the gazebo. He opened the drawer and pulled out a black box.
“Jeremie…what’s that?” Brittany said with her voice catching.
“Brittany, I’m sure by now you know why we’re here, and the reason I went to see Pastor Tim about your dad. I wanted to ask him where your Dad was so that I could ask him to marry you. But when Pastor Tim said that he had died and so had your mom, he told me to contact your Uncle Kyle. I called him. Pastor Tim also said that I had his permission also. So to draw out a long story.” Jeremie got down on one knee in front of Brittany, “Will you marry me?”
“Jeremie,” Brittany said in a condescending tone. “I don’t know if I should say yes.” Brittany looked at Jeremie’s face and smiled. “I’m only kidding.  Of course I’ll marry you.” Jeremie placed the ring on her hand and gave her a huge hug.
“Why were you trying to scare me? I thought you were serious.”
“Of course not. I can’t wait to marry you.”
So now Jeremie and Brittany were to be married. Now as a custom of their church, they had to attend meetings with Pastor Tim to ensure they were really ready to be married. Two weeks into these meetings, Brittany got a phone call from Ms. Thompson regarding her book.
“Brittany, I just heard from Mr. Roberts.”
“What did he have to say?”
“He wanted me to let you know that the final copy of your book is done. He also wanted you to read over it and make sure that it is done the way you wanted it done.”
“Wow, that’s amazing. Thank you so much. I owe you so much.”
“Oh really it’s nothing. It was my pleasure. The only thing I ask is that you never wind up in jail again. Okay?”
“Yes, Ma’me. I don’t ever want to wind up there again.”
Brittany received the book in the mail and read it. The whole thing turned out exactly how she had imagined it. Jeremie read it and couldn’t believe it at all. He never knew all of the details of everything she went through.
After their sixteenth meeting with Pastor Tim, he agreed they were ready to get married. They agreed on a spring date. Pastor Tim even offered to do the ceremony. Jeremie and Brittany were married on March 25th. They had a tradition wedding at their home church. Brittany’s uncle gave her away. Everyone that they had ever known was there. Brittany’s grandparents even came. At the reception, Jeremie’s father said something that Brittany didn’t expect at all.
“We just wanted to tell Brittany that we are so proud of everything you’ve accomplished. You’ve come so far over the last five years and we just wanted to officially welcome you to our family.” And he put his arms around Brittany and held her tight. The type of hug she’s only ever dreamed about; the type of hug that only a daddy can give to his little girl.
This made Brittany tear up. She never really had someone to be like her dad, with her uncle living in California and her in Illinois, and now she had a man in her life who loved her as his own. She never needed to feel alone again. Now she had an older man to get all her advice from that was within arm’s reach whenever she needed it. Jeremie and Brittany went to Hawaii for their honeymoon. They spent all day on the beach and all night in the hotel restaurant. They also participated in the karaoke every night.
When they got back, they found out that the book was ready to be publish, but couldn’t be until she went and signed the papers. Brittany went down as soon as she could and signed the papers. A copy of her book had been sent to The New York Times, The Orlando Sentinel, and many other top magazines. Her book got the highest book reviews anyone had seen in twenty years. Ms. Betty, a world renowned talk show host, had received a copy of her book and wanted her to come to New York and talk about the book on the show. Brittany agreed but insisted that Jeremie come too.