The family gathered for dinner in the church, everyone excited and exquisitely dressed for the night. Luella, Willow, Lilou and Wylder had planned this night meticulously when River told them of his plans. A table is set in the middle of the grand petite cathedral, high ceilings, candlelight and an intimacy afforded them away from the crowd at the Sinclair. It was Wylder’s idea that they dine there, privately as a family with Ava’s parents also in attendance; they’d arrived two days ago at their homestead for the season.
Table is laid with the very best from Martinique’s kitchen with a staff on hand to wait on them, bottles of champagne in high hats, flowers filled the space, and all chatted amongst each other. Sebastian fits right in with them, dressed dashingly in a dinner jacket sans tie as the other men are, the women dressed in evening wear. Just before the dessert service, Wylder and Oliver exchange a look she winks and nods at him and he slips a little box to River who promptly takes that as his cue.
Someone clinks their glass for attention and an excited hush falls on around the table.
‘Ava…’
‘Ye…yeah.’
River goes down on one knee before Ava.
‘Holy… mother.’
‘I’ve loved you for a long time, you are the most incredible woman I know, the most loving, most brilliant, most kind. A love like you have given me doesn’t come along twice in my lifetime and I never want to go another moment never knowing or loving you like I do. I always want to wake up knowing I get to kiss you just because I’m your man. Would you be my girl forever?’
‘Oh daddy…’ Wyn has tears in her eyes and Willow reaches out for her, whilst Sebastian does the same to Ralph who is sat on his other side at the dinner table. Both children look so happy.
‘Yes.’ That is the only thing she can say.
Applause breaks out around the table, happiness amidst happy tears as hugs are exchanged all round.
‘Did you all know?’ Ava asks.
‘Of course we did. Your boy planned this whole thing.’
‘Wow.’ Ava who is always in the know is shocked they all kept this from her ‘e tu Sebastian.’
‘I’m new to the family you can’t hold this against me.’
More laughter around the table.
‘Welcome to the family River.’ Ava’s mother and father give the couple a hug, squeezing tightly. It has been a tough old time for Ava following a divorce she never saw coming with her first husband AJ, raising her son, and simply trying to hold it all together. This is good, this is so good and so well deserved.
‘Thank you.’ She pulls Wylder up and gives her a hug, ‘thank you for allowing us use this beautiful place you have here, thank you for this heaven on earth. And if it isn’t too presumptuous, I would like to get married here.’
‘Really?’
‘Oh yay! Please say yes.’ Wyn bobs excitedly, ‘this would be so cool.’
‘Only if you allow me to gift it to you, the run of the place when you’re ready. The books aren’t open for next year yet, so you have first pick.’
‘A year from today?’ River suggests.’
‘Done.’
‘And you are all invited.’ Ava says, throwing her head back in laughter.
‘We can have the reception on the roof top.’ Wylder suggests eyes wide, with excitement at the thought.
‘Perfect segue way.’ Ava says to Luella who exchanges a look with Willow and Lilou.
‘Segue way to what?’ Wylder asks looking from one sister to the other.
‘What I thought was going on tonight.’ Ava takes a seat beside her fiancé.
The three sisters approach her. ‘Wylder, this is your dream, and we are so honoured you have had us along for the journey, but this was always your baby.’
Wylder looking from one to the other confused and curious.
‘This is our gift to you.’ Lilou holds out an envelope to Wylder.
‘What is this?’
‘Open it.’ Willow prompts and Wylder does she says.
‘What the… what!?’ she looks up at her sisters, those smiles resident on their faces. ‘What is this?’
‘Our gift to you.’
‘You can’t… you can’t do that.’
‘Yes we can. I’m a lawyer I know a thing or two about these things.’ Luella says.
‘Freckles, you did this, all of it and we are so proud of you. Absolutely. Please let us gift this to you.’
‘They’re giving me their stakes in the hotel.’ She says out loud.
‘That’s awesome.’ Sebastian says.
‘That’s really sweet of you.’ Wylder’s eyes well with tears. ‘Are you sure? You can’t do that.’
‘We can and we have.’ Lilou affirms.
Wylder hugs her sisters tightly and Luella lifts her off the floor.
‘We are so damn proud of you babe.’
‘Aunty Wylder, can we play our song on the piano?’ Oliver asks as they make their way back into the hotel later than evening.
‘Of course, you still remember your keys?’
‘Uh huh.’ He nods and both take their seat on the bench behind the grand piano. Oliver leads the notes to My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone.
‘My Baby don’t care for shows,
My baby don’t care for clothes
My baby just cares for me…’
Ava’s mother, the soprano, picks up the song much to everyone’s amazement as Oliver and Wylder work the piano.
‘May I have this dance my darling?’ River asks Ava and she acquiesces. He spins her to the floor, and both begin to sway as her family serenade them.
In the melee, Wylder finds Sebastian, he winks she smiles, and there it is between them that feeling that settled beyond skin deep. Home.
True to his word, Wylder and the rest of the gang are guests of Sebastian’s at the return from summer break in Amsterdam. They flew in on his private jet on Saturday and are in the guest suite watching the race on Sunday. Oliver is in heaven and cannot stop going on about everything. Dexter came out to meet him and took him to the pit so he could watch the race, and he was even given his own radio to communicate with Sebastian.
‘Hello Mr Rose-Jones.’
‘Hey Ollie, you can call me Sebastian or Bash like my friends do.’
‘I will have to ask mummy if that’s okay.’
‘Alright buddy.’ There are laughs of endearment from the other engineers.
‘How am I doing so far?’
‘You’re doing good, but you came up one second short at the bend which was when he nearly overtook you. Watch your six, you keep cutting it early when you get to that bend.’
‘Impressive.’ Dexter says, impressed by the kid’s observations. ‘wanna run this show with me Oliver.’
‘Yes please.’
They make space for Oliver on the bench and together he and Dexter guide Sebastian to victory.
Watching Sebastian work the crowd of fans, the media… how they respond to him, gives Wylder deeper context into his words, when he promised to protect what they have. He was talking for himself too, she is his haven, after working the world, being so publicly available to the world, what they have is his soft landing, their own bliss away from the glare, the flashing lights and the needy fans.
‘He came back ready. Thank you.’ Dexter appears at Wylder’s side.
‘I didn’t do anything.’
Dexter laughs a little, disbelievingly, of course she did; his friend is sprung on her in a way he has never known Sebastian to be for any woman he’d dated in the past, this was much more than a casual thing. ‘He’s a good guy. No, he’s a great, great guy.’
‘I know that.’
‘And he’s in love with you.’
‘I’m in love with him too.’
A beat. Dex nods, as if deciding something in that moment. ‘I couldn’t part with my best friend to anyone less deserving of him. You’re good for him. I hope he is good for you too.’
‘He is.’
‘I’m glad you’re in with him.’
Wylder observes her champion on the screen the fans go wild for him, choruses of cheers erupt when he walks out onto the stage for the post trophy interview, and they hang onto every word.
‘Your boy really is something isn’t he?’ Lilou comes up on her rear.
‘He is.’
‘Are you okay?’
‘Yeah. I am.’ Certain of her feelings for him, of the fact that they love each other, she is very much okay.
‘This looks good on you.’ Lilou observes, watching the screen and her sister simultaneously, ‘you look good on each other.’
‘Thanks Lou.’ He feels good too.
Knowing she needed it, Lilou reaches out to hug her sister, Wylder, the wildest and the shyest, ever loving, ever kind. She deserves the world, and then some. ‘I love you sis.’
‘Thank you.’ Wylder rests her head on her shoulders, letting those feelings settle, catching the breath that was stolen away seeing him out there in the wider world.
Ava, River, and their children bid their fond farewells, as do her sisters. Sebastian and Wylder see them off to the private jet hanger where they will be taken home.
She is staying on a little longer, with the hotel now on its feet for the season, she is taking a holiday from running ragged and will be joining him on the road for a couple more races before heading back to close the season with the team.
‘Thank you for being here.’ Sebastian says later that night as they lay in bed tangled up in each other, post coital, blissful and happy.
‘I wouldn’t be anywhere else Fox.’
He touches her face, tracing her freckles, he leans forward and kisses her softly on her love bitten lips.
‘I love you.’