Damaged Beyond Repair by Kashmira Kamat (KittyKash) (motivational novels txt) 📕

   "Calm down, Rowan. You're getting married, not executed." Dwight cracked, then added. "On second thought, I'd say it's close to life imprisonment."

    "I'm happy with life imprisonment if it's with Alana." I said.

    "One pussy for the rest of your goddamn life." Dwight teased me. "Are you sure?"

     "Positive."

     "Are you saying that because you knocked her up?"

     "I would have married her despite that." I said. "It's just that she found out the ring and she told me she was pregnant, I didn't understand why we needed to hold off the marriage. We were living together, it's only natural."

   "Yeah, the caveman that you are." Dwight snorted and I couldn't think of a better situation to punch my brother.

    After a few minutes of silence he asked. "What are you so worried about?"

    Why was he so good at mind reading?

I stared at my brother and saw the concern in his eyes. "I'm worried about what comes after this. It scares me so much, Dwight. I couldn't sleep this past week thinking about the future. I would never hurt Alana...."

    Dwight appeared confused.

   "I signed up for a six month program last month in the psychiatric facility. I didn't know Alana was pregnant then, and I can't tell her that now. I need to be with her during this time. Do you know how amazing it is to see each day as your child comes closer to the day he or she is born? I want to be with her."

    "So what are you going to do?"

     "Cancel the program and reschedule for later. Sofia will understand." 

     "I seriously had no idea that there would be a day when I'd say you make me proud." Dwight said. I smiled.

   I was busy giving my appearance a last touch when we heard a brief knock at the door. Rick Hayes peeked in. "Hope I'm not intruding."

       Dwight and I exchanged glances. "Of course not." I said.

       Rick and Dwight exchanged a handshake. "I would like to have a word with Rowan in private if it's alright." 

     "Be my guest." Dwight continued, "If you are here to punch him, you need to hold off until the wedding. It's not nice to look at a groom with a bloody face and missing teeth."

   Rick laughed. "I don't use my fists unless necessary."

   The door closed behind Dwight leaving the two of us to deal with each other.

   "Please have a seat." I told him.

    He took over the single couch facing me as I slid into the love seat.

   This was the most disturbing silence of my life. The kind where you would just want to walk away. I was never good at this.

   "I'm going to walk her down the aisle, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with this marriage. I'm agreeing to this because I want to see Alana happy and that also doesn't mean I have to like you."

   My jaw tightened. "I appreciate your honesty."

   Rick's eyes were narrowed at me. "You have a daughter too."

    "I do." I nodded. "Where are you going with this?"

    "What if she found a man like you? Would you be okay with it?"

     I was angry, but I knew what he was getting at.

     "No. I wouldn't."

     Rick smirked. "Then how do you expect me to be okay with you getting married with my daughter?"

    "Because I'm fucking selfish." I admitted.

     "That's what you are, Rowan Masters. A very selfish, manipulative sociopath who is just going to ruin my daughter's life." His jaw tightened. "If you were man enough, you would have never proposed to her and let her go..."

    "I can't do that." I said.

    "What do you mean?"

    That's when I realized Alana hadn't told her father the truth.

    "Alana is pregnant with my child."

     Rick's jaw remained slack. I continued. "Even if she wasn't, I would never let her go. I love her too much to even entertain that thought. I did try to end things between us for her, but it didn't work out. She needs me as much as I need her." I was almost in tears by then. "Please don't do this to us, Rick. I promise to keep her happy."

    He seemed to have recovered from whatever was going on. He stood up, patted my back and left the room without another word. Seemed like he was throwing down his weapons finally.

   Dwight came back into the room. "Looks like he did some serious damage. It's time. Are you ready?"

****

    Alana

      Life is too short for regrets, and I never regretted any decision of my life, whether good or bad because in the end, life is about making the choices, not always the right ones. I made mine, and here I was walking down the aisle in a white gown with my father beside me on our big day. The venue was the Carmel Lake Garden, an outside chapel decorated with flowers overlooking the beautiful lake. It was perfect.

    My smile became wider as I noticed my groom, standing tall, and proud, handsome in a black tailored tux, looking alluring and enticing, better than how I'd imagined him. His mocha eyes never left mine, but that didn't mean he wasn't checking me out. He mouthed 'Wow'.

   Gabe stood by Rowan as his best man, he winked at me. Nina seemed more excited to be the maid of honor then I was as a bride. There wasn't one second when I couldn't give my jaw some rest. Minnie was our little flower girl, she'd told us she wanted to be standing near her daddy while the vows were taken.

   I noticed my mother sitting in the front row, she smiled. I smiled back. The cold war could wait. Everyone else from Carmel was present, Rowan's ex-colleagues, ex-students and some of my old friends.

  My father shook hands with Rowan briefly, placed a kiss on my cheek and backed away. I took a deep breath, and glanced at Rowan. I had fresh tears in my eyes, joyous tears. This was actually happening. We'd made it happen.