“Then what the hell was that!” He sits upright next to me, but keeps his hands in place. The rolling butterfly-like wave flutters again and he suddenly catches on. “Is that…” Another kick interrupts his words and he caresses my belly gently.
Lying back down beside me, he gazes lovingly into my eyes as our baby dances and swims beneath our entwined hands sitting atop my belly. “That’s the most amazing thing ever, Maddy.” He whispers seemingly fearful that if he speaks with as much joy as he’s feeling, he’ll scare the kicking away.
Lost in his amazement, his eyes regain their focused seriousness, and he gently brushes his knuckles over my cheek. “Marry me,” he whispers and my world spins off kilter for a moment.
He’s rendered me speechless. We haven’t spoken about this since Christmas when I thought he was proposing to me. Since we both agreed that it was just too soon, neither of us have felt the need to bring it up again. The bed moves as Reid rolls to his side. Grabbing his boxers from the floor, he slips them on as he walks over to the other side. He reaches into his nightstand drawer and pulls out a small black velvet box. Holy crap! He wasn’t kidding that he had this planned out already.
Walking back to my side, he grabs my robe from the hook on the back of the door. I pull it around my chest as he kneels on the floor before me.
Still unable to speak, the silence stretches, and Reid fills it with his rather spontaneous proposal.
“Please, marry me. Just because we haven’t talked about it, please don’t think that I haven’t thought about it non-stop. I have this whole big thing planned out. Flowers and candles and all that romance shit, but right here, feeling our baby move inside of you…you’re mine and you always will be, nothing will ever change that please don’t make me ask again…please just say yes.” He’s begging.
He cracks open the box and a familiar ring sparkling back at me takes my breath away. Holding the beautiful two-carat, platinum set round solitaire ring before me, he looks up into my eyes lovingly.
“Is that…?” I can’t even finish the words. Thick, heavy emotion clogs my throat and the tears start pouring down my cheeks.
“Yes, sweet Maddy. Your Aunt Maggie gave it to Momma years ago. I guess she knew that she wouldn’t always be around, but she wanted you to have your mother’s ring.” He swipes his thumb across my cheek, clearing some of the tears.
“I know we’re young and we haven’t been together long, but I love you and I want to be with you forever. Madeleine, please marry me. Please do me the honor of being my wife.” His last words are a hopeful whisper.
A lone tear trickles down my cheek and cleanses away any concerns I might have had. He’s right. Who’s to say how old you have to be to feel a love like this? There’s no requirement on how long you have to be together in order to make a marriage work. I know in my heart and soul that there will only be Reid. Seeing my mother’s ring shining back at me is almost like she’s smiling her approval down on me. So when the word “yes” escapes my lips, I feel nothing but absolute certainty that he is my forever.
The heavy wooden doors of the church are closed before me. I hear the organ playing beyond it, and even though he’s not here physically, I can feel my father’s presence beside me. He would have been so happy to walk me down the aisle today, but I know that he and my mother are smiling down on us. I’m sure that Becca and Shane are smiling at us too.
After she straightens the long train of my ivory wedding gown, Melanie stands in front of me. Her eyes are shimmering with tears of joy. She pulls me into a tight embrace. “I love you, Maddy. I’m so happy for you. You guys are just amazing and you deserve today more than anyone I know.” Mel makes one more adjustment on my veil and I get caught up in the memory of the day we found my dress.
Standing in front of a rack filled to the brim with some of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen, I am completely overwhelmed. How on Earth am I supposed to pick one of these? They all look the same.
“Melanie, this is ridiculous! I’m nine months pregnant and shopping for a wedding dress. I feel like there should be an MTV reality show following me around or something. Can’t we do this after the baby is born?” I huff and flop into the chair that the attendant has just brought out for me. My ankles are huge and the sweltering summer heat of mid-August is not helping at all.
As Cammie steps out from behind the rack of dresses, her arms weighed down by about ten of them, Lia hands me a bottle of water. “Okay, so Cammie is about the closest to you size wise, so she’ll give you the best idea of what they look like.” Lia decides for the group. I think the idea of wearing a wedding dress freaks out Lia. Needless to say, Cammie jumps at the opportunity. I’m pretty sure that Jack and Cammie will be the next to get married.
Cammie holds out the dresses she’s selected for me to look through. As Mel, Momma, Lia and Katie ohh and ahh over all of them, nothing stands out to me. ‘They’, whoever ‘they’ are say that when you see your dress, you’ll know it, but so far, I got nothing. “Maybe you’ll feel different when you see them on a person instead of just a hanger.” The attendant’s comment is meant to get me excited, but it’s not like I’ll be trying them on. I doubt they even make dresses big enough to fit over this ginormous belly of mine. I can’t even see my feet!
Not wanting to rain on everyone’s parade, because, yes, they’ve all been looking forward to this since Reid proposed, I put on a smile and let Cammie play Bridal Barbie for me.
Five dresses and two bathroom breaks later, Cammie steps out of the dressing room in the final dress. It’s cream colored and strapless. The bodice is covered in lace and dotted with sparkles everywhere, but not so many that it looks tacky. It’s a traditional A-line shape and the skirt is full, but not too poufy. I love it instantly. Classic is the best way to describe this dress. It’s stunning and beautiful, and it’s mine.
I feel Momma squeeze my shoulder as she comes to stand behind my chair. I reach up and place my hand above hers. “That’s it. That’s my dress.” I whisper so only she can hear, but as soon as she does, she squeals in delight.
Excitedly, Momma shrieks, “That’s it! She loves it!”
Clapping her hands frantically as she jumps up and down in front of me, Mel pulls me from my chair and squeezes me tightly, well as tightly as my belly can afford. Most hugs these days are awkward and to the side.
“Maddy, you are going to look beautiful!” Mel says as she gives me one last hug.
And then it happens. Time stands still as my small group of friends and family stand around me and the puddle of water that’s at my feet.
“Oh my God! Maddy did your…?” Katie can’t even finish her sentence; she’s so shocked. Hell, I’m pretty shocked myself.
“Oh shit! Well, it better be!” Lia adds sarcastically and Mel swats her on the arm. “Ouch! What? I’m just saying, either her water broke or she peed herself. Of the two choices, broken water sounds like the better option. I’m dying to meet this little nugget.” Even I can’t hold back the laughter at her reaction.
We’re all standing there frozen, me especially. I don’t know what to do. This has never happened to me before. Obviously. Just as I’m wracking my brain for what I need to do, Momma comes to my side and hands me my phone that she’s just pulled from my bag.
“You call Reid and take a seat. We’ll take care of putting the dress on hold, and then we’ll pull the car around. Meet us up front in five minutes.” I nod at her instructions. Her voice soothes my nerves, but my fingers still tremble as I dial Reid’s office number.
He picks up on the first ring, as usual. “Hey, baby. How’s dress shopping going?” His deep and loving voice relaxes me a little, but I’m nowhere near calm.
