My Secret Santa's Secret Baby

I’d peeked out from the front hall, so I could see but no one could see me, in case Simon caught sight. Things were going so well and I didn’t want to risk any bad luck.

As I walked the aisle, a very flourish version of Fleur De Lis, coming from the organ, my gaze fell on the two empty seats that had been reserved for my parents. An old pain came rising up again. Like the Old Ones from the deep dark sea.

They would have been happy I was getting married. It had been reinforced time and again my only value was as someone’s wife. One of many things I no longer believed. I wasn’t sure if I really expected them to come, just hoped that I would. For Noelle’s sake as much as mine. Ironically, it was more than likely the fact I’d dared to have a baby out of wedlock that really put them off me. I would miss them in a way but was also relieved that it was over.

Simon stood on the stage under the portable flower arch, holding sweet baby Noelle, born that September, in a snuggle that matched his tuxedo. The name had been Inga’s idea and seemed to fit perfectly. I’d been writing like mad during my maternity leave, actually getting my novel done, Simon using his magic to get his bosses at Bat & Bell interested. His parents were great and lived close up on the west side, happy to take Noelle while we were at our day jobs. It had been a year since we’d met in that meeting room at Pigeon, though it felt longer, as well as shorter. Time could do funny things when your entire life started to change.

The organ stopped and I stepped up, comically long bridal train trailing behind me, to meet my undreamed of future as Skye Del Rey.THE END