“Will you marry me?”, Greg asked Marie while down on one knee.
A Heavily pregnant Marie beamed a smile from ear to ear as she looked at him with doting eyes,”Of Course I will marry you!”, She said excitedly.
He stood up and brought her into a warm embrace and kissed her delicately on the lips.
They were in their own bubble as they walked back to the farmhouse to tell their families the happy news, not only were they having a baby but they had a wedding to plan as well.
They had met in secondary school and it was love at first sight with Greggs well chiseled face and the head of the football team and Marie with her long Brown hair always plaited for neatness and the head of the cheerleading team. They were inseparable and they had spent everyday together sharing their goals and dreams and they pushed each other to be better people. It was no surprise that they were crowned king and queen at their prom and they had given their virginity to each other on that night. They had never strayed and when only five weeks later, Marie started throwing up in the mornings, Greg had cycled over 4 miles everyday to hold her hair back. It was actually Her mother that had come home one day and threw a pregnancy test on the bed at the pair “Go pee on that”She had said.
She was concerned that her daughter was pregnant with good reason too as it turned out she was.
Marie and Greg had already decided to keep it with Greg taking extra shifts on a neighbouring farm and doing whatever he could to make money for his then girlfriend and baby that was on its way. The village was in awe of them and never spoke out of turn at the pair of sixteen year olds starting a family because they saw the love between them. It had glowed around them like people were just watching a love story on the telly and not real life. The village started to pull together and get the things that they needed and they were always encouraged to finish school with numerous amounts of childcare offered when the baby was born. Marie often thought she was in a dream, and was very lucky to have Greg by her side through all of this. So when she was 8months pregnant Greg had surprised her at her door with an impromptu picnic and she didn’t hesitate to go with him. They stayed in this field all day near a willow tree until the sun started to set, It made the sky glow oranges and reds and as Marie was mesmerized by the beauty of the sky that she hadn’t seen Greg get down on one knee.
Marie often thought she had to pinch herself with how happy she was that it wasn’t a dream but in fact real.
January 12th 2002 came and Marie had woken with severe backache, she could barely get out of bed “Mum”, she called.
She heard her mother roll out of bed and walk to her room. She opened the door and looked at Marie on the bed, “Frank, Marie is in Labour”, she yelled as she rushed to her daughter's side.
Marie was all panicked she hadn’t felt pain like this before and as soon as it eased off, it had started again,”FRANK!”,Her mother roared again.
Her father came into the room all bleary eyed and only in his boxers and vest he said,”What's the matter Margaret?”.
“Marie is in Labour, call Greg, We need to go to the hospital!”, She said.
The urgency in her voice made Frank more awake and alert and he sprung into action,”Oh Bleeding Heck,” he said as he rushed out of the room.
“Greg, It is time We will meet you at the hospital”, He said down the phone.
“Mum it hurts so much,”Marie wailed.
“Oh my darling it will, but don’t you worry Daddy has gone to get the truck, we will have you at the hospital in no time!”,she comforted.
Marie held her mother's hand and looked at her with panic in her eyes but the calmness and softness from her mother made her relax a little.
“Frank, come help me with Marie”, Margaret yelled again.
It was only a matter of hours later that Marie and Greg had welcomed their precious baby girl into the world and Marie was overwhelmed by the love she had felt for this little human being she and Greg had created. “You are amazing,” Greg said looking at Marie with love and tenderness in his eyes.
He kissed both Marie and the baby's head and laid on the bed with the pair draping one arm around Maries shoulders and the other against Marie to help cradle the baby.
Maria, full of emotion, said,”What shall we call her?.”
Greg thought for a while and said,”I like Paige, What do you think?.”
She looked down at the most beautiful baby she had ever seen and she spoke her name “Paige”, and smiled. “I love it Greg, I love you”, she said as her eyes filled with tears.
He wiped her tears away and said,”I love you for life” and kissed where her tears had fallen.
A couple of years later when both Marie and Greg had turned 18 it was nearly Paige's second birthday and they had decided to throw her a massive party to celebrate. Their love for each other felt as new as the day they had first met and now that Greg had moved in with Marie it hadn’t disappeared like it does in some couples.
They had already started planning their wedding with the help of the local villagers and even though this was Paige's second birthday it was also to thank them all for their help.
As the neighbours gathered into the farm and they saw bouncy castles set out across the garden, tables dressed with food. Party games on display and banners that said ‘Happy Birthday Paige’. As they walked further in they saw a display board that said Thank you’ in the middle of it, in great big font. Around it were personal notes from Marie and Greg thanking each neighbour for their love and support and on the table in front were little gift boxes as a present to give them.
The party was in full swing and everyone was laughing and chatting, that they were shocked when suddenly the music cut out.
“Hey Guys”, Greg said.
All around him he heard everyone asking the others to be quiet to let him speak.
“Marie, come up here”, he said looking into the crowd and saw her comforting Paige . She looked up at him with eyes full of love, a look that was only reserved for him and it warmed his heart immensely. He was patient and didn’t rush her but she picked Paige up and swung her so she saddled her hip like mothers do. He watched as she moved through the crowd elegantly but smiling at everyone she passed, the sun shone down on her and in his eyes she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had to make sure he wasn’t dreaming and he was so lucky to have her in his life, his heart beat faster and his stomach was doing somersaults even now a few years down the line he felt like this. He couldn’t wait to feel like this everyday of his life with her.
She climbed on to the stage where Greg stood and she smiled at him, their gorgeous daughter held her arms out to him with tears in her eyes and a redness from where she had already been crying. He kissed her tears away and said,”You okay bubbles?”.
She looked up at him and a smile beamed from ear to ear,”Yes… daddy”, she said.
He pulled her in close and turned to face the crowd, “We would like to thank you all for all your help over the years, the opportunities that you have given us and the helping look after Paige. Without you all I would not have passed my course in Engineering.which will open many doors for my family and I. My wife Marie would also like to thank you as she has successfully finished her access to nursing course!”, he said proudly.
The neighbours erupted with cheers and congratulations to the couple, they had watched these two build a life for themselves and they felt warmed that they had been part of their success.
As Greg came to the end of his speech he raised a glass and said “Thankyou to you all, Cheers and a huge Happy Birthday to our Paige!”.
Everyone raised their glasses and cheered in unison ‘Happy Birthday Paige’.
Paige looked at all the warm loving faces that had wished her happy birthday and she beamed a smile to them all.
The party went on late into the night with happy chatter about the wedding and what life held next for the happy couple and once they all left Greg sat down next to Marie and held her hand,”God I love you”, he said.
“Oh Yeah”, She teased.
He looked at her and he could see she was playing and it aroused him. “Paige is asleep”,Marie whispered and a dark look came over Gregs eyes.
A hunger within him was unleashed and he kissed Marie passionately on the lips. Their hunger entwined and wanting to devour each other as if they had never devoured each other before. They were intimate with each other throughout the night exploring each other's bodies making a mental image for each line and curve. The intensity and smell of each other was intoxicating and they stayed with each other until the sun rose and when they heard Paige pitter patter down the hallway they laughed at how beautiful life truly was.
“I will love you forever,” Marie said, touching his face and slipping off the couch and going to meet Paige as she came down the hallway.
Greg watched her go and looked at her lovingly and laid down on the couch and shut his eyes.
