The Right Bride

Chapter Forty-Six


CAMERON SAT AND watched Marti for an hour. She talked to all the children and everyone else who came up to her. The entire time, Sam stood beside her, holding onto her. No one seemed to notice he was holding her up. Cameron watched closely, noticing as time went on Sam took up more and more of her weight, until Elizabeth brought her a stool.

He wanted to get close to her, talk to her. The constant crowd around her kept him away and he didn’t think he’d ever get the chance. He had no idea what he’d say, but the one thing he knew for sure, she’d been right. He had no idea who she really is.

“Emma, would you like to show me your painting. I’d really like to see it up close.”

Emma jumped off Jack’s lap and came to him.

Shelly stood to go with them, but Tyler grabbed her shoulder and pushed her back into her seat.

“Hey.”

“Sit down. Let Emma have some time with her dad. This is her night,” Tyler said.

“I’m going to be Cameron’s wife tomorrow. I’ll be going to events like this with him in the future. I want to be by his side.”

“You want everyone to see you by his side. If I were you, I’d be worried about whether the wedding is actually going to happen. Marti has another surprise for Cameron tonight, and it just might change everything,” Jack warned.

Cameron studied the painting, amazed at how well she’d captured the moment in such detail. Emma looked so real in the painting he felt as if he could lean over and kiss her. The same was true of Marti. The table was set exactly as it had been that night. He remembered taking a picture for Marti and realized she’d wanted it to paint the painting.

Every painting had a brass plaque on the frame. They all said: MARTINA BY SOFIA FAIRCHILD.

Emma’s painting’s plaque read:

MARTINA AND EMMA

“PRINCESS PARTY”

ARTIST: MARTINA FAIRCHILD

OWNER: EMMA SHAW

He picked up Emma and turned to go over to see Marti, but she was gone. He looked around and found Sam, alone, heading back his way from the side doors.

“Mr. Shaw? Do you know who I am?”

Cameron turned to the older gentleman and remembered him. “You’re Anthony Fairchild. Marti’s uncle.”

“She asked me to give you this.” Anthony handed over an envelope Martina had entrusted to him.

“You must be Emma. I’ve heard a lot about you over the last few days. Martina loves you very much. You are an amazing little girl. I owe you a big thank you.”

“How come?” Emma asked, a soft smile on her pretty face.

“Until today, Martina has never shown anyone one of her paintings. She used to paint with my mother, but she never showed them to anyone. She’s as great as my mother ever was, and it shows. Thank you. Because of you, I finally got to see one of my niece’s masterpieces.

“You know, Cameron, she doesn’t do anything to draw attention to herself. She hides the Fairchild name as often as she can because she believes she should stand on her own merits. It used to make me angry. Now I see she brings honor to the Fairchild name because she doesn’t use it to get what she wants.

“My mother used to say she was unique. I thought it was just a grandmother doting on her granddaughter. I was wrong. Martina is one in infinity.

“You had her for a moment, but you lost her because you didn’t believe in her. I almost made the same mistake.

“Now, instead of looking at her and only seeing the Fairchild name, I see her for the woman she is. You saw her for the woman she is and that wasn’t enough for you. It’s not often a man gives up such a treasure. I’m sure it won’t be long before another man discovers what a prize she truly is.” He paused before adding, “Have a nice evening.

“Emma, it was a true pleasure to meet you. Marti was right. You are a princess. If that painting didn’t belong to you, I’d buy it, whatever the cost.”

Emma smiled hugely. “I’m going to hang it in my princess room.”

“Excellent idea. Marti told me she painted it for you. You’re a very lucky girl.”