That evening, Julian went to the square by himself to pick up the two children. The mont Dylan saw his mother wasn’t there, he imdiately asked, "Where’s my mom?"
His reply was calm. "She’s resting at ho."
"What’s wrong? Is she sick?"
Dylan was very worried. Julian cleared his throat. "No, just tired."
She had been so exhausted after what they’d done that afternoon that she’d fallen fast asleep. He couldn’t bear to wake her, so he’d simply co out to get the children himself.
Julian Donovan and Naomi Shaw flew to Maldivia for the wedding preparations. The day before the ceremony, they were at the airport to pick up Mrs. Somrs and her party. When Naomi Shaw saw Arnold erge pushing a luggage cart, she almost didn’t recognize him. He wore a pair of oversized sunglasses and an exquisitely tailored black suit over a white shirt. The boyish immaturity was gone from his face, replaced by a man’s cold severity. "Miss Naomi!"
If he hadn’t stood before her, taken off his sunglasses, and flashed that signature smile of his, she wouldn’t have recognized him at all.
"Arnold?"
She looked at him in pleasant surprise, sizing him up from head to toe. "Wow! You’ve gotten so handso, so manly!"
It wasn’t that she was like Willow Sumrs, who swooned over handso, mature n; it was just that Arnold’s transformation was too dramatic. But it made sense. After Julian Donovan handed The Shaw Dominion over to him, his tamorphosis was inevitable. She just hadn’t expected the change to be so drastic.
Julian Donovan, standing beside her, spoke up, displeased. "Could you please rember the groom is the one standing next to you?"
He could now fully sympathize with how Walter Jennings must have felt back when he heard Willow Sumrs gushing over how handso so young guy was.
Naomi Shaw was left speechless by his comnt. Arnold, however, just laughed and teased him. "Julian, are you getting jealous?"
Julian Donovan snorted coldly, ignored him, and walked over to greet Mrs. Somrs and the others.
"Auntie..."
Cheryl Nash broke free from Mrs. Somrs’s hand and rushed into her arms, hitting her with enough force to make her stumble. Naomi smiled, bent down, and picked her up. "There, there. Did you miss your Auntie?"
"Mhm, I missed you, and I missed Dylan, and Joy too..."
Cheryl Nash nodded in her arms, but her big eyes darted toward Dylan, who was standing nearby. Naomi Shaw smiled and put her down, and Cheryl imdiately ran over to Dylan.
The two children ran off to one side and started whispering to each other. Naomi didn’t know what the two of them could possibly have to talk about, but she thought to herself, ’Still, it’s nice that they get along so well. They’ve grown up together, so it would be wonderful if they could end up together soday.’
The group walked toward the cars, with Naomi Shaw and Arnold trailing behind. Seeing Arnold put his sunglasses back on, she couldn’t help but advise him, "Arnold, you shouldn’t always look so stern. You’ll scare the girls away!"
’The sunny, handso Arnold she rembered was so much better.’
Arnold laughed. "If I were smiling all the ti, how would the n under ever be afraid of ? How would they follow my orders?"
"That’s true!"
She nodded. ’Sigh... Why didn’t he choose a better major when we sent him to study abroad? Now I feel like I’m seeing a younger version of Julian, and I hate it. My heart aches for them. Living in an environnt like that, their hearts must be in a constant state of fear.’
"You have to be careful, okay?"
In the end, that was all she could say to Arnold.
The wedding was picturesque and romantic, held in such a beautiful place.
Above was an azure sky, and in the distance, a sapphire sea. Beside her was the man she loved, surrounded by family and friends offering their heartfelt blessings.
The two children were their adorable flower children. Under the blue sky, they embraced and kissed before their friends and family. Julian Donovan told her emotionally, "You taught what love is, and you taught *how* to love. You gave the warmth of a ho, and I will spend the rest of my life loving you well."
She sobbed, unable to speak.
There was no need for grand promises or vows, no need for elaborately contrived monts.
A wedding like this was more than enough.
After the wedding, the group stayed in Maldivia for a few more days before returning to Wincastle. Julian Donovan had wanted to go on a honeymoon, but with Cheryl and the other two children, it was impossible. They couldn’t very well take three kids on a honeymoon, could they? In the end, it was Jean Coleman who said, "You two have plenty of ti anyway. Why don’t you wait until your two children are on winter break? I can watch them for you. You can go on a trip during the New Year holiday. By then, Cheryl should be back with her mother."
The couple thought about it and agreed it was a good plan. So, for the ti being, they returned to Wincastle with the three children.
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