Honesty

I opened my mouth to speak only to have Eden wave her hand at me.

"You can hold off on your denials they simply don't wash with me and if you try that 'I'm just a guy who owns a horse sanctuary' shit on me again I will punch you so hard."

Eden put her coffee down, what she said next I had half expected, the only thing I was surprised at was her depth of knowledge.

"Everyone who knows you are fiercely loyal to you Gil, did you know that? I knew I was falling for you but I didn't want to end up with another dead beat husband. Yes I did say husband, Maria told us both to stop circling each other like to boxers in a ring and I simply don't have time to do that anymore as fun as it has been so far."

My Father once told me I would meet someone just like me, he even went on to say that she would even have my temperament and would keep me honest. I would laugh at him but he'd just grin and shrug his shoulders. Thinking back to that conversation now I realize this would be called one of those 'I told you so' moments. Eden was a long way from finished so I just let her continue.

"I know most everything about you Gil. Your life in the army is the only part I can't get to, you never tell anyone about it and to be honest you don't even look like you ever left, but I love my country so I'm going to say I don't think you did and that locked room you call a den makes me think you still have some connection with it so I plan to keep my mouth shut on that one. But your brokerage firm I do plan on talking about."

It was plain to see Eden had indeed done her homework it was also time to put a stop to this. I held up my hand and she stopped speaking, a small smile crossed her lips, just like the one that she had when she almost dared me to turn around after she had thrown her shirt at me to see if she was wearing a bra. This woman knew me better than most, I think in her head she knew how far she would get with her story before I cut her off and she had just been proved right.

We talked well into the evening, only stopping long enough to eat and then we went into the day room and continued the conversation as though dinner hadn't even occurred. In my heart I had found her, that woman sat across from me as she spilled her guts about her childhood, her hopes and fears, even the time she sat and cried when the doctor told her she was pregnant. It was then Eden knew she was going to have to hit me with it all at once and was terrified I would bolt.

The one aspect of our lives that was totally different was that Eden craved the fame and her singing talents already had a following that now free of her old manager could last for some time to come. As for me, I shunned any publicity I have been and always would be a private person. It was now we had to work towards a middle ground for two reasons. We loved each other enough to make it happen and the growing life within her.

By the time Eden had to return to her tour we had the workings of a plan for our lives. I got stuck into making it happen while Eden finished her tour. She hid her pregnancy well, mind you sitting on a stool or standing in front of a microphone with a guitar in front of you can hide most things I suppose. Her folks were not amused when she told them on the phone but her Mom's maternal instinct clicked in when we both turned up on the islands and were married there.

*******

Faith is our two year old bundle of fun and Maria's cousin did indeed come to visit and even stayed to become Faith's nanny. I had a studio built into one of the barns and a couple of guys and girls from her backing band come by from time to time but mostly Eden will use the studio to put ideas down and take the tape into the recording studio in Vegas to flesh it out.

Eden headlines in Vegas for three months of the year then takes a three month break, officially to record new songs and make plans for her tour, un-officially because we use that as our time either here at the ranch or we all go back home to her folks on the islands.

After that she will tour for three months, although she is under pressure from her manager to expand her concerts outside of the states she flatly refuses. Being away from us for as long as she is hurts her enough, going world wide is a dream she plans on keeping to herself. That's a compromise Eden made herself and I think if I pushed her on the subject she would call it, her gift to her family.

The three months over Christmas are ours and we get to decide what we are going to do with it. Our world revolves around Faith for now, Eden misses her terribly when she is away but knows a stable home life is what she is getting on the ranch. I say 'for now' because Eden is on her way back from Dr Hartman's office, with I suspect news that Faith is not going to be an only child for much longer.