Joy In The Heart

Palmer was in tears, thankful that her makeup was waterproof, or else she would have to go back to her room and freshen up.

“I'm so proud of you,” Faith said after she approached Gunner, kissing him tenderly before he passed her the microphone. She gave a brief speech, but her tears didn't let her continue, to which Palmer chuckled and stood from her chair to hug her. 

She thanked her for being there for her unconditionally. 

They all spent the rest of the party chatting and eating when Daisy came outside with a crying Cheyenne in her arms, the little one feeling cranky and having enough of the party; wanting to be in her parents’ arms.

Cheyenne spotted them and stretched her little arms, her blue eyes full of tears.

“I think the little one is tired, so I brought her to momma,” she said, handing her to Faith. Cheyenne screamed in happiness before rubbing her eyes, yawning, and putting her head on her mother’s shoulder.

“I think we better get home. We’re also tired. We can come back early in the morning to help clean up,” Faith offered, but Daisy waved her hands dismissively, understanding they had things to do and that they would clean themselves.

“Well, then. I guess we better get home. It was an amazing party, and I am happy for you guys,” Gunner said, hugging Palmer and Christopher one more time. Faith did the same before they both headed towards his truck and drove back home.

~♡~♡~♡~

“She's asleep,” Gunner mentioned as he came out of the house with the baby monitor in his hand. He closed the screen door behind him, leaving the door open before he sat down next to Faith in their porch swing.

She sat there, with a blanket covering her small body as she drank a cup of hot chocolate she had prepared for herself. The steam of the creamy drink was just enough to wake her senses. Gunner raised his arm, wrapping it around her shoulder to offer her warmth.

“It was a beautiful wedding,” she said, leaning against his shoulder.

“Indeed, it was. They deserve happiness, and I'm glad we got to be part of that. Being apart was hell for them, and I’m happy they didn’t give up on their love.” Gunner replied, kissing her forehead. 

There was a silence between them, and Faith couldn't help but think about what would have happened if she had finished her degree.

“Are you okay, baby girl?" He asked, concerned, gently stroking her arm to let her know he was there to comfort her. 

“Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit tired. It was a long day helping Palmer get ready for the wedding. But it was also fun.”

“Why don't we go to bed? Tomorrow is another day, and I probably need to go to the clinic and check on a few stray dogs that were rescued.”

Faith looked at him, giving him a faint smile while kissing his lips. She stood up, dropped the blanket on the swing, and held her hand out for Gunner to grab. 

“Let's go get some rest indeed,” she replied. They both walked in, turning the lights off and locking the doors behind them. After checking on Cheyenne and making sure she was okay, they took a much-needed shower and went straight to sleep.

The next morning, Faith woke up at the crack of dawn, before the rooster sang and went to the bathroom to do her business. The thoughts of last night’s party made her smile, but sad at the same time. 

She wanted to be with Gunner for the rest of her life, and couldn’t wait until the day they would become husband and wife.

After making her way to the kitchen, she brewed coffee for Gunner before he went to work. While the coffee pot made the delicious drink, she looked out the window, the sun already rising, giving the fields an amazing sight to see. The morning rays gave life to the tall trees and dried the grass full of dew.

Every morning, she would wake up bright and early to jog around campus before her classes started, which reminded her of how active she had been all the time. But those days were gone. She had other priorities.

“Good morning, my caramel princess,” Gunner greeted her with a kiss on the neck, making her smile and turn around to face him. Faith wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his lips gently, making him moan in pleasure as he deepened it.

It was a pleasurable moment, one like no other and they loved it. 

He picked her up and placed her on the counter, kissing her jawline and neck once again, making her giggle. But their intimate moment was interrupted when Cheyenne's cries echoed through the monitor; Gunner groaned at the interruption while Faith smiled, pecking his lips. 

“Your coffee is ready. I'll go check on her,” she said, sauntering to their baby's room, tempting her man to followe her, but knowing he couldn't. 

Gunner served himself some of the delicious black coffee, pouring creamer and a few spoons of sugar before he sat down to read the newspaper that Pearl, their two-year-old white Great Dane, brought in. 

The pup sat down next to him, wagging her tail and expecting some affection from her owner. “Here, girl,” he said, rubbing her ears. Pearl was a rescue dog he brought home when she was a year old from the shelter where his clinic is. 

Abused by a previous owner, she was now a cheerful dog with her new family, and for Faith and Gunner, with all the stress they had had to deal with, she was a breath of fresh air in their lives. 

As he stood up to wash his mug after drinking his coffee, his two girls came out of the room. Cheyenne had a big smile on her face, stretching her arms towards him. “The little princess is awake. Say hi to Daddy before he leaves!” Faith said in a singsong, handing Gunner their bundle of joy.

“Hello, buttercup. Daddy is going to work, but before you know it, I'll be back.” He kissed her chubby cheeks while she cheerily said, “Da-Da”.

“Faith, I was thinking. Why don't we plan our wedding? I think it's time we did, so I want you to choose a date, and we can go from there. Talk to the pastor, too,” he said, surprising her.

“No more waiting?” She asked as the real reason for delaying the wedding was not only waiting for their friends, but also dealing with his father's passing and his mother's depression. 

Linda had recovered well, and now she spends her time helping the elderly at the retirement home. Gunner was proud of his mother. He knew she was a strong woman and that she would pull through.

“No more waiting. We need this, and we deserve it as well. I love you, Faith, and I don't want to wait anymore. I know my father wouldn't want us to either.”

With a soft smile on her face, she raised her hand to cup his cheek and kiss his lips. “I'm just proud of you for the man you have become, and I'm sure he would be proud as well.”

“Yeah, another thing. I want you to finish taking your courses so you can get a degree, and since you can't leave Cheyenne, you can look for ones online.”

She heard those words, and they made her happy. Two fantastic news in just one day had her screaming with joy on the inside. 

With one last kiss, he walked out of the house, getting in the truck before giving his family a last glance and driving off.