LOGINThe reception is over, the decorations and the wedding are now a memory. The third tier of the wedding cake is in the freezer—Mr. Kincaid tells them."You two get out of her and go enjoy yourself! Get out of here now, before you miss your plane! Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon!” Hours later, they looked at each other, sipping from their glasses.Clearly, you can see that they're relieved and happy that everything went so well, even with the unexpected guest. It was a wonderful wedding.Melvin lifted his eyes across the table at Beth as he stood, glancing down at his lady, asking.“My beautiful wife, would you like to take a walk on the beach with me?” Before she could answer, he knelt, speaking in a soft tone.“Wait, let me help you take off your shoes. You won't need these.”Peering at her with those dreamy eyes while seductively gliding his hand up her calf, lifting her leg, as he glances at her intently.“I want you to be comfortable.”Melvin winked at her as he knelt bef
Wedding SongWhat once was a dream will now begin.Two hearts will now be one.We're going to write the book on happiness, pages that time cannot erase, starting here and now, from this time and place.Oh, what a beautiful day to take our vows onI pray that the things we say will last from now on.I do take you for mine.We are going to lock our lives together now.Unshakable, unbreakable, embraceStarting here and now from this time and place.An intimate crowd of only very close family members and friends was in attendance to witness this special event. The joining of Elizabeth Kincaid and Melvin Carter, to the naked eye, was a beautiful sight.Melvin made this an intimate and lovely occasion that everyone truly enjoyed. From the time he took the microphone and sang to us, he is now saying our vows to one another.Yes, it was time to say vows in front of everyone. It almost made the whole thing seem real. I wanted to make it real, and I didn't know why."To these two beautiful youn
The wedding was scheduled to start at 5 pm sharp. Beth wanted just enough daylight to enjoy the scenery, with nightfall at 5:45 pm, in time for a romantic reception.So the guest had all afternoon to go sightseeing, hang out, shop, or do whatever tickled their fancy. Beth really wanted everyone to enjoy themselves and feel like they were on a tropical island.As the day went by, both Beth and Melvin were kept very busy. But it didn't stop the two of them from wondering what the other was doing. They both attempted to call each other. But immediately put their phones away, as they thought. 'I'm going to keep her and him in suspense.'It really was amazing how they thought the same about so many things.Beth and Melvin even felt the same way about this special day. They really wanted it to be no worries and carefree. Like the days they spent together here in the Bahamas when they first met. During that time last year, Melvin spent many carefree evenings with Bet, walking along the beach
The morning light filtered through the kitchen window, painting golden rectangles on the worn pine floor. Beth shuffled across them in her slippers, coffee mug in hand, nerves fluttering beneath her skin like a flock of restless birds. She had barely slept, her head spinning with bouquets and color swatches and the vague, insistent pressure to make everyone happy. Today was the big planning day—the day the Kincaid women, plus Vanessa, would gather to sketch out the future of her wedding. Beth’s wedding. The thought still felt surreal.The Kincaid women, as Sharon liked to call them, arrived right on time, each bearing the unmistakable energy of a woman on a mission. Sharon, Beth’s mother, swept in first, her lips painted a determined shade of coral, arms loaded with bridal magazines from the early 2000s, and a notepad bristling with sticky notes. India followed, her steps light and hair pulled back in an effortless ponytail, carrying a folder labeled “Destination: Paradise.” Vanessa a
Beth’s apartment was shrouded in the soft, gray hush of a rainy Saturday. She sat curled on the couch, knees pressed to her chest, a mug of tea gone cold in her hands. Her eyes were raw, cheeks blotchy from the tears that had slipped out in hiccupping waves since sunrise. The weight of the morning pressed down on her shoulders: the realization that Melvin wouldn’t be a part of her baby’s life had finally landed with a thud she couldn’t ignore.“I want a man in my life, but I don’t need a man. It’s not meant for me to find a Good man. So I’ll go it alone.”Beth’s heartbreak had not come suddenly. It had built in layers, like the clouds that had rolled in that morning—first thin wisps of doubt, then a gathering storm of silence—days had stretched into weeks since she’d told Melvin about the baby. At first, she’d convinced herself he just needed time. But as the messages went unanswered and the calls rang into a void, Beth was forced to face the ache of his absence. She replayed the nig
The day moved on, sunlight filling the room, but Beth felt hollow. She didn’t know if Mel was gone for good, if he would come back, if she would ever see him again. But she knew, with a fierce certainty, that no matter what happened, she would find a way forward. For herself. For her baby. For the hope that one day, she would not wake up alone.Beth replayed their conversation in her head the entire day while staring at her phone screen, willing it to light up, to buzz, to give her some sign that Mel was thinking of her. Of them. Of the tiny life growing inside her. But like before, days passed, then weeks, and it stayed stubbornly silent except for the occasional work email or automated reminder. Each time she saw Mel’s name in her call log, her chest squeezed so tightly she thought she might suffocate.Like a recording on repeat, their words replayed the night she told him over and over, like a film she could not stop watching. The relief she’d felt when he pulled her close, the pro
Beth had always believed in the language of flowers. Growing up, her mother would tuck a daisy behind her ear on bright spring mornings or leave a sprig of lavender on her pillow after a hard day. Flowers, to Beth, meant comfort, thoughtfulness—love in full bloom. But when the flowers began arrivin
The first thing anyone noticed about Beth was her gentleness. She moved through rooms like a whisper—soft-spoken, mannerly, always ready with a kind word or a shy smile. Even as a child, she’d been the peacemaker, the one who offered her favorite doll to a crying friend or pressed a bandage onto a
Denver stood by the window of his office, the city skyline glittering in the late afternoon sun. The energy of ambition tingled in his veins, but he was restless. The company was thriving, but he wanted more—greater contracts, a sharper edge. Expansion, he thought, was the only way forward. He chec
Pacing the floor, India finally took a seat before she wore the carpet out under her feet. The city was silent at three in the morning, the world muted and washed out under the pale glow of streetlights. Denver’s cab rolled to a stop outside his house, the tires crunching softly on the driveway gr







