“Is the baby coming now?” she asks in excitement.
“No, not yet. We still have a few months.” I laugh. “I want to talk to you about a couple of things. First, I want to know if you’ll be my flower girl in the wedding?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” she jumps up and down squealing. She’s been so engrossed with the wedding, since Maddy and I started planning. Maddy, of course, is my maid of honor.
“Okay, calm down squirt, we need to talk about something else.” Jeremiah slips his arm around my waist giving me a comforting hug.
Angel knows Sylvia gave her up and isn’t her mother legally any longer. Jeremiah even sat down and told her how her mother was coming around the house. She was in tears for days afraid she was going to try and take her away. Jeremiah and I did end up getting a restraining order on her because she showed up again, that time I was there and she tried to attack me.
“Angel. I love you so much and no matter what you answer, it won’t change that. In my eyes, I’m your mother and I always will be. But, I’d like to make it official and adopt you. Is that okay with you?” I’m so nervous as I wait for her response. One that’s not coming as quickly as the one did when asked to be a flower girl.
“So you’d be my mommy forever, just like with the baby?”
“Yes,” Jeremiah answers for me.
“Can I start calling you mommy now or do I have to wait?’
“I’d love nothing more than for you to call me mommy.”
“Okay, mommy.”
In exactly one month from today, we will go before the judge. Jeremiah wanted us to be married before I adopted her.
“You’re not a whale, you’re pregnant,” my mother says from behind me as she places the veil on my head.
“Thank you,” I tell her, tears already blurring my vision.
“Are you ready?” my dad asks, tears in his eyes.
“I am. My back is killing me as bad as my feet,” I tell him.
While it’s nothing new especially with being nine months pregnant, my pain has been worse today. There’s several times today I had to stop to catch my breath.
“Let’s get this girl married,” Maddy shouts, sending everyone into laughter.
We head out of the dressing room to the front of the church. It still seems like a dream that I’m marrying Jeremiah Dawson. If you asked me seven years ago, I’d thought it was just wishful thinking.
“You look beautiful, Amberlee,” Ryan steps over, kissing me on the cheek before taking my mother’s arm in his to lead her into the church, then he’ll take his place beside Jeremiah as the best man. Jeremiah already escorted his mother in.
The music begins to play as Maddy and Angel move into position, then make their way down the aisle.
“You got a good man. I couldn’t have picked a better husband for you,” my father whispers as he hooks my arm through his.
Initially, I thought my parents would be disappointed in me when they found out I was pregnant out of wedlock, but they weren’t. They were happy for me and that I was going to make them grandparents again.
“I love you, Daddy.” The wedding march plays and we begin to slowly make our way down the aisle
In a matter of minutes, I’m about to be Mrs. Jeremiah Dawson.
Another pain decides to hit me, more intense than what I’ve been feeling. I let out a grunt.
“Are you okay?” my father asks and I just nod my head.
But I don’t think I am. I’m suddenly beginning to think I’m in labor. That I have been all morning.
“Are you sure? Do we need to go to the hospital?” my father questions.
“No.” But I do. “Not yet. I need to get married first.”
