The Race For A New Life

Chapter 14

14

They pulled into the historic part of Savannah late afternoon. Rae’s eyes widened in awe and wonder. “Baby! Really?! You know that I love being here”, she said in excitement. Graham smirked as he pulled into the parking area for the bed and breakfast that they would be staying at. “Oh, I know, beautiful. I thought it would be a nice treat to come here and relax”, he replied. Rae turned to him and cupped his face with her hands. “You are amazing!”, she said before proceeding to kiss him. Graham gave her an ear-to-ear smile when she pulled back. “Come on, baby! Let’s go check in!”, he then said as he opened the driver side door.

The following morning, they took a tour of historic Savannah. Around Whitefield Square, they got off the bus to walk around. Graham grabbed Rae’s hand and held it throughout the square. Walking up to the white gazebo, Graham took out his camera. “Hey baby. Let me take some pictures of you here at the gazebo”, Graham said as he gestured towards said gazebo. Rae started to blush as he was taking pictures of her as she walked up onto the gazebo. “Babe! Stop! Come on! It’s hot and humid, I’m sweaty. So not attractive!”, she said as she tried to block his camera in many failed attempts. “But I love it! It’s all-natural beauty, baby!”, he said as he continued to snap pictures. Rae covered her face with her hands. “Come on, I’m going to love you no matter what you look like, Rae”, he then said lovingly. She parted her fingers of one hand to look at him before finally giving into the photo shoot and posed for him.

Graham then frowned at something behind her. “Hey, what’s that, Rae?”, he indicated with a nod. She turned around to look, but didn’t see anything strange. With a furrowed brow, Rae then turned back to look at Graham, only to find him on one knee. “Graham? What’s going on?”, she asked wide-eyed. He proceeded to grab her left hand, “Rae … for the longest time you have made me so happy. Sure, we grew up together. But I was too scared to show you, or tell you, my feelings. Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you so much! ...” Rae’s eyes started to team up with emotion as she lifted her other hand to her mouth in shock. “Rae… Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”, Graham then asked as he pulled out a box from his pocket. Opening it to show a blue fire opal surrounded by small diamonds. Rae immediately flung her arms around his neck and put her face in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Nodding vigorously, she muffles a ‘yes’. Pulling her out from his neck, he takes her hand again and puts on the ring with the biggest smile in his life. Rae immediately starts pecking him with kisses. Until he holds her in for a long-lasting kiss.

After a couple of minutes of sharing such an intimate moment together, Graham suggested that they go get lunch. Immediately Rae’s stomach growled in agreement. Hopping back onto a bus, they left Whitefield Square and waited until they had reached Reynolds Square to get off again. Graham then led Rae to The Olde Pink House for lunch. As Graham held the door open for her, Rae was completely surprised to see who was waiting for them on the other side.

“Congratulations!”, all three families said in unison. Rae’s jaw dropped at the sight of The Locke’s, The Travers and her own family waiting for them to arrive. Feeling tears start to gather in her eyes, Rae immediately tried to wipe them away. “You guys! I don’t even know what to say”, she said, getting caught up in the moment. “Oh, sweetie!”, Susan said as she hugged her daughter. “I’m fine”, she tried to reassure her mom. “I’m just so happy that you guys are here. I didn’t expect this”, Rae continued to say. “Well, that would ruin the surprise if you knew”, Darren suddenly said beside her. Lacy then swatted his chest. “Ow”, he groaned. “Be nice to your sister. Today is a big day for her”, Lacy hissed. “Thanks, Lace”, Rae said with a small smile. “Of course”, Lacy responded as she hugged Rae.

Once they all sat down, William winked at Rae as he handed Graham a camera. Graham then quickly looked over the photos that William took. Rae actually leaned over to see that it was both he rand Graham at the gazebo. She started to get teary eyed again at the photos and looked over at William to thank him. William easily waved it off like it wasn’t a big deal.

A couple weeks later, Graham and Rae were on a lunch date. Rae took a sip of her drink while Graham ruffles through his business bag. “Babe? Didn’t we agree on no business on dates?”, she asked. He nodded and proceeded to pull out some papers and brochures for the bag and placed them on the table. “Yes. Yes, we did… However, this is business that we need to discuss. This is one of the ideas that I had for us that needed to wait until now”, he said. She arched an eyebrow at him as he gave her a brochure. Looking it over, Rae’s eyes widened at the location: Maine. “There’s going to be a new office opening in Maine. And if I remember correctly, a certain someone wanted to live there”, Graham continued to say. Rae jerked her head up to look at him, “Are you serious?” Graham gave her a toothy smile, “I am, beautiful. I have already filed the paperwork and we are good to go.” Rae beamed at him with this news, especially knowing that her dreams were finally coming true. Of course, she had to wait until later to hug him for willing to move where she always wanted to live.

In the following eight months, a lot had happened. First, Matt was sentenced up to a total of sixty years because of his crimes. Then Grace and William had some amazing news. They were pregnant with twins. Grace and William quickly had a small ceremony with only family and friends. Graham and Rae were then wed before they moved up to Maine. Then finally after months of being pestered and whacked at, Darren proposed to Lacy.

A year and a half later, Rae is standing on the back porch of hers and Graham’s beach house in Maine. The wind passes over her in the late afternoon and she smiles at the embrace of it and the warm sun. Suddenly two muscular arms wrap around her. She glances over her shoulder to look at Graham. He moved his head to kiss her temple. “I love you, beautiful!”, he whispered in her ear. “I love you too, baby!”, she said. Graham moved his hands to be under hers on her swollen belly. “I also love you, little one”, Graham then murmured as he rubbed her belly. Immediately he got a kick in response. This caused both of them to smile. Letting out a deep sigh as she relaxed in Graham’s arm, Rae only had one thought. This… This is heaven.