Chapter Four
“Is that when you and Da got together?” Anne asked excitedly.
Shannon smiled. “Nope, sorry. We were just friends then.”
“But why?” Casey asked. “He had broken up with his girlfriend. What was the problem?”
Shannon shrugged. “I guess it just wasn’t the right time.”
“So when did you finally get together?” Kealea asked.
Shannon smiled at their impatience. “It was about a year later, actually.”
“That long?” Dakota asked, surprised.
“Yep.” Shannon put the four wristbands down and resumed her story. “It was at Asia’s christening. Brian and I had seen each other a few times before that, at Drew and Nick’s wedding, and various other times. We were both present at Asia’s birth, five months after the wedding.”
“Really?” several of the teenagers asked.
“Yeah. Drew was four months pregnant at her wedding.” Shannon answered. “So, I was invited to Asia’s christening and Drew and Nick asked me to be her godmother. Of course, I agreed immediately…”
“Let me hold her while you get dressed.” Shannon said to Drew, holding out her arms.
“Thanks.” Drew placed her young daughter, Asia, in Shannon’s arms.
“Hey sweetie.” Shannon stroked Asia’s soft head, then looked up at Drew. “So is everything all set?”
“Yeah.” Drew answered from her walk-in closet. “Or at least it should be. Nick and Bri are at the church looking after the last minute details.”
“That’s good.” Shannon answered. “I was afraid that all the responsibility for this was going to fall on your shoulders and Nick wasn’t going to do anything.”
Drew laughed. “So was I! But he’s been really good about it.” She slipped her blouse over her head. “So are you ready to be a godmother?”
Shannon smiled softly down at Asia. “Yeah. I think I’m ready. But…” she looked sharply at Drew. “I better not have to actually do anything more than spoil her rotten anytime soon. If anything happens to you, I’ll kill you.”
Drew laughed at her friend’s garbled sentence. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on it.”
“So who is Asia’s godfather?” Shannon asked a few minutes later as she got Asia ready to go to the church.
“You don’t know?” Drew looked at Shannon in surprise.
“No…” Shannon answered. “If I did, would I be asking?”
“I guess not, no.” Drew grinned. “Brian is Asia’s godfather.” She answered casually, watching Shannon’s face carefully for her reaction.
“Really? Cool.” Shannon smiled, then turned back to Asia. “There. We’re ready to roll.”
Soon, everyone was assembled at the church for the christening, and the pastor was starting. After a bit, the pastor asked the godparents to step forward. Brian and Shannon were sitting next to each other, so Brian stood, but waited for Shannon to precede him. She smiled widely at him as the two walked to where Drew, Nick, and Asia stood with the pastor.
After the ceremony, everyone gathered in the church basement to celebrate.
“You know what’s amazing?” Shannon said to Drew as they stood together. “Is that she didn’t even flinch when the water was on her face.”
“She’s her father’s daughter.” A voice said from behind Shannon, and they turned to see Brian standing there.
“As if there was any doubt.” Drew said scornfully.
“I didn’t mean it that way.” Brian assured her.
“I know.” She smiled. “Wanna hold your goddaughter?”
“Of course!” he said. “I was wondering when it was going to be my turn.” He held out his hands. Drew placed Asia gently in his arms.
“I’m gonna go get myself something to eat. I’ll be right back.” Drew announced.
“Take your time.” Brian answered.
He and Shannon stood in comfortable silence for a minute or two, playing with Asia. “You look very natural with her in your arms.” Shannon commented.
He looked up from Asia and smiled. “Thanks.” He gazed into her eyes for a long moment before speaking again. “So, how have you been?”
“Pretty good.” She answered. “And you?”
“Not bad… busy.” He started to say something else, but was interrupted by a cry from Asia.
Both of them looked down at the baby. “Here,” Shannon held out her hands and took Asia from him. She propped her up on her shoulder and began to sway.
“Speaking of being a natural…” Brian said in amusement when Asia’s cries stopped.
Shannon smiled. “I’ve had lots of experience.” She admitted. “For as long as anyone can remember, I’ve loved babies. One of my neighbors still likes to talk about how all the other girls on my block would be playing jump rope or skateboarding, and I would be carrying my doll.”
Brian chuckled. “Usually it’s the other way around, you know.”
“Not on my block.” She replied. “I was always the odd one out.”
“Sorry that I took so long.” Drew said, coming up to them. “I got sidetracked.”
“That’s okay.” Shannon answered. “But I think Asia is going to need to be fed soon.”
“Thanks Shannon.” Drew said, taking Asia from her. “I’ll see you two around, okay?”
“Okay, see ya hon.” Shannon grinned, then turned to Brian after Drew had left. “So…”
“What do you say we get out of here?” Brian suggested.
Shannon looked around. “Do you think we’ll be missed?”
“Nah, everyone’s here to see Asia. Drew and Nick won’t even notice.” He answered.
She gave a small smile. “Okay then. Shall we go?”
Brian smiled back at her, and the two of them left the church. Walking down the street, they made idle chitchat. “Can I ask you a question?” Brian asked out of the blue.
“Of course.” Shannon answered, hiding her curiosity.
“What do you really think about this whole godparent-thing?”
She stopped and looked at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”
Brian took a deep breath. “I mean… doesn’t it scare you a little that if, God forbid, anything should happen to Drew and Nick, you have the whole responsibility of Asia’s well-being falling on your shoulders?”
“Well… I think what scares me the most would be that Drew and Nick would be gone. But I think I could be able to look after Asia. Although, I wouldn’t have the whole responsibility.” she answered, then smiled up at him. “I would have you to share it with – you are the godfather, after all.” She looked closely and saw something in his eyes. “And the same goes for you. You would always be able to share it with me.” She put her hand comfortingly on his arm.
Brian looked down at her hand on his arm, then up at her face. Without warning, he bent his head and kissed her, then pulled away quickly. Shannon stared at him in surprise. “I’ve wanted to do that since Galaxyland.” He admitted.
She looked up at him without speaking for a moment. “So why didn’t you?” when he shrugged, she continued. “Why now?”
Brian’s cheeks turned pink. “I finally got up the nerve because of the things you said. Thank you.” He reached up and touched her hair gently.
“I had no idea it would mean that much to you.” She admitted. “I did mean it though.”
He smiled tenderly. “That’s why it meant so much.”
Still not touching any more than the contact that was between Brian’s hand and Shannon’s hair, the pair stood silently in the street. Slowly Brian’s hand moved through her hair to cup the back of her head. Just as slowly, he began to move her closer to him. His other hand was clenched by his side, expecting her to pull away at any second.
Shannon had her bottom lip between her teeth as she let him bring her inexorably closer to him. When they were only inches apart, she raised her hand and placed it on his chest. He froze and looked at her questioningly. She gave him a tiny smile and moved her hand up slowly until it was resting at the back of his neck. Then she lifted her face up invitingly. He didn’t need any more encouragement. He lowered his lips to hers.
“That’s so romantic!” Anne gushed. The other girls agreed, nodding. Their brothers all exchanged skeptical looks, rolling their eyes.
Shannon laughed, and put her hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “Don’t roll your eyes like that. Just wait until you find someone special. You’ll change your mind.”
“Sure Mum.” He answered, unconvinced.
Anne, Kealea, Shay, and Dakota all reached over and hit him on the arm. Ignoring his protests, Dakota turned to Shannon. “How about another item?”
Shannon looked at her watch. Her eyebrows raised in surprise. “Actually guys, it’s a lot later than I thought.” They all groaned, and she smiled. “We can continue tomorrow, if you want.”
The teenagers all agreed, and got up to leave. Aileen and Jessica’s kids said goodbye to Shannon and left. Asia and Shay stuck around for a little longer to help the triplets prepare dinner then went home as well.
Later that night Shannon was lying in bed, talking to Brian on the phone. “You’ll never guess what happened today.” She said after hearing about how his day had gone.
“Probably not.” He chuckled. “Why don’t you tell me?”
“I was going to whether you wanted me to or not.” She teased him.
“I know,” he teased back. “I just thought that I’d give you permission first.” Shannon rolled her eyes and went on to tell him what had occurred that afternoon. “You’re kidding!” he exclaimed.
“No, I’m not.” She answered. “It was so weird, recounting all those memories.”
“What stuff did you tell them about?”
“About how you and I met, then about Asia’s christening.” She said softly, laying her hand on her stomach and rubbing circles.
“Yeah, I remember that day.” He answered.
“What do you remember?” she asked with a small smile.
“I remember that was the day I had been dreaming about for months.” Brian’s voice was low, his accent more prominent than usual. “I finally had you in my arms.”
“I love you, Brian Littrell.” Shannon said softly.
“And I love you, Shannon Littrell.” He answered. “I wish I was there to share all of this with you. I missed out on most of your pregnancy with the triplets, now I’m not there to help you with this one.”
“I wish you were here too Brian, but there’s not much we can do about it. Just as long as you’re here for the birth. That’s all that really matters.” She answered.
“I promise I will be there when you give birth to my child.” Brian vowed.