“No take backs.Once you agree, it’s forever,” I tell her.
“No take backs,” she agrees.“I want you forever.”
According to the State of Texas, there must be a seventy-two hour waiting period once you file for your marriage license, so getting married the same day was not an option for us.Which I think worked out better because I wanted Raegan and Ivy there to stand beside me in the little hospital chapel, since I was going to be here for a while.
“Try this one,” Raegan shoves another white dress at me while Ivy helps me out of the last one they brought for me to try on.“This one will look better, I’m sure.”
“You mean better than the muumuu you picked out,” Ivy snips.“If this man would’ve given me more time, I’d have made you a wedding dress.”
“I don’t need anything fancy,” I say, trying to defuse the rising tension between my two friends.“It doesn’t even need to be white.I mean it’s not like we waited for the wedding night.”I point down where my baby boy is jumping on my bladder like a trampoline.
“You deserve the best and to have the most magical day ever,” Ivy states as she zips up the new dress that has some give in the belly region.“Oh, I think I like this one,” she comments.
“That’s only because you picked this one out,” Raegan huffs, rolling her eyes.
Ivy ignores her and continues, “Although, if your boobs get any bigger in the next few days, they’ll be up to you chin, and I’ll have to find some material to cover you up.”
“Knock, knock!”we hear from the doorway as Melissa comes in carrying a basket full of things.“How is our soon-to-be bride?”
“I feel great,” I answer.
I really do.I’ve been in the hospital for three days now and every day I feel stronger and more like myself again.All the scans are coming back good.The only worry is the preeclampsia.The labs found a little protein in my urine, and my blood pressure is slightly elevated, but it’s not in the concerned zone yet.If my numbers hold firm over the next two days, Melissa will allow me to go home and spend the next few weeks on bedrest with my men, and of course Martha will have a watchful eye over me.
Speaking of Martha.
She and Zane bounce into the room.They’ve come every day to see me, and I can’t get enough time with the little guy.At first he didn’t understand why my stomach was so big and asked a million questions about why I was gone so long.We told him that I was on a trip far away from here so that I could find the perfect little brother for him to have.Zane talks to my belly as much as his father does, and it melts my heart every time.
“Hiya brodder,” Zane greets me with a kiss to my stomach.
“Hey baby.”I kiss him on the top of his head.
“I no baby no more,” he tells me and points to where his brother is moving.“That’s baby and I’m big brodder.”Zane points his thumb at his chest.
“We were at the store picking up some snacks for the house, and he insisted to come to see you before he went home for a nap?—”
“I take nap with you,” Zane interrupts and starts to climb up on the hospital bed.
“You can nap with me,” I say when I see Martha about to tell him no.I’ve missed so much time with him that I want us to spend as much time together as possible.Kids need stability in their life.I want to be that constant with Debbie not coming around very often.
Ivy and Raegan help me out of the dress in the attached bathroom as Zane settles on the bed.When I come out, Melissa has a few plates out with small, square slices of cake on each one.
“What is this?”I ask as I sit on the edge of the bed.
“Cake tasting,” Ivy says.“Can’t have a wedding without a good cake.”
“I can’t eat all this.”I sweep my hand over the tray of several plates.
“That’s why we’re here to help,” Melissa informs me.
We start trying the samples and each one tastes so good, it’s hard to pick a favorite.After twenty minutes, we settle on three layers with each one being a different flavor.Zane got to pick his favorite then I picked mine and all the other girls decided on the other.
“I think that was the last thing we needed before the wedding,” Melissa says joyfully.“Can either of you think of anything else we need before her big day?”She looks over at Ivy and Raegan.
“I think everything is covered.”Raegan looks over her tablet where the wedding to-do list is.
Something reminds me that I’ve needed to ask Melissa but keep forgetting—pregnancy brain and all.
“Hey, Melissa, I know you said Rocky was off doing something, but will he be back in time for the wedding?”I ask and see her suck in a breath at the mention of his name.It’s been weird how everyone’s been avoiding talking about Rocky.“I just wanted?—”
