And just to make matters worse, Gracie apparently just noticed her mother was gone. “Mommy?” She takes a few steps toward the entrance to the room. “MOMMY!?” she shouts louder above the wailing still occurring.
“No, Gracie. Princess, come back here. Mommy’s coming right back.” I try to gain her attention, turning my head as far back as I can to keep an eye on her, but she doesn’t stop and wanders out of the room.
“MOMMY!!!”
“NO! Gracie, no! Come here, baby! Gracie!” I shout after her, only making her little brothers cry even harder.
“This is a disaster,” Clay mutters with an expression I’ve never seen him wear. He’s starting to freak out too.
Okay, we’re clearly getting nowhere. Time for reinforcement.
“MARIANNE!!!”
Chapter twenty-eight
Aubrey
Princess Julian.
It took us exactly twenty-seven minutes to find Ronnie a wedding dress, as well as four bridesmaid dresses that all match. And since they were simple A-line dresses, I was easily able to fit into the dark blue spaghetti strap dress.
The only one of us I’m worried about the dress not fitting properly is Cecilia. She’s pretty short and has very large breasts. But the lady who helped us find everything said it shouldn’t be a problem since the material is stretchy and the straps are adjustable, and since it’s a scoop neckline, even if the straps are loosened, it shouldn’t give her too much cleavage. For the length, we’ll just have to wing it.
Ronnie’s gown is beyond magnificent. A beautiful lace A-line dress that ends midthigh, with a plunging sweetheart neckline and removable sleeves. Then there’s a detachable train thatsecures around her waist, with an open gap in the front, exposing her tanned legs, but still giving the long wedding dress look. And when she takes it off, as well as the sleeves, it leaves her in a white lace mini dress.
As we were searching through the racks for dresses in her size, not caring about the prices, Morgan suddenly gasped when her hands fell on it. We didn’t even have to see it on her, we just knew it was the one. But when she did try it on, we were all in tears by the way she visibly lit up. It was so her in every way.
It isn’t until we leave the bridal store and get back into Shane’s Rolls-Royce that something very important hits me, or maybe it’s because my daughter started kicking my insides like crazy. “Oh my God! We forgot the children!” I shriek, suddenly filled with panic.
“What!?” Morgan pulls out her phone too quickly in her moment of alarm, it clatters onto the dashboard, then falls to the floor. “Oh God, I’m a horrible mother! I left my babies and didn’t even realize it!”
She finally manages to grab her phone and quickly dials her husband, and by the time he picks up, she’s crying hysterically. I end up pulling the phone out of her hands and setting it on speaker since she seems to be having a hard time keeping it in place with how much her hands are shaking.
“Hey, babe.” Clay’s voice rings through the cab.
“Clay! We forgot the kids! We left our babies at Shane and Aubrey’s!” she yells out through her sobbing fit.
“Morgan, baby, calm down,” Clay says serenely.
“How c-can you tell me t-to calm d-down!? I left my ba-babies! Oh God, what if s-something happens to them, and I’m n-not there.” She cries into her hands, folding down toward her knees as Ronnie reaches between the seats to rub her back.
“Baby, I’m with them.”
Morgan’s head whips up, almost knocking Ronnie in the face with how quickly she moved. Her sobs quiet down as she stares at the phone in my hand. “What?”
“They’re here with me. I haven’t left the house. They’re safe,” he reassures her with a calming tone.
She lets out a huge breath and falls back against the seat. “Oh, thank God. I thought we were the worst parents in the world.” She lets out a wet laugh, wiping her tears and taking more deep breaths. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever panicked like that in my life.”
Clay chuckles through the phone as we all seem to relax a little. “Trinity and Theo are fine. I just fed them twenty minutes ago and they’re sleeping now.” He goes silent for a moment as we all wait for the ‘but’. “But… Ford and Em left their kids, so did Hayes and C.”
“You’ve been alone with all six kids!?” Morgan shouts appallingly.
“What, where’s Shane?” I turn back to look at Ronnie. “Did we assign him a task? I can’t remember.” I rub a hand over my belly, trying to settle my daughter as she seems to somersault in there.I think she’s getting hungry.
“Shane’s here… So is Julian,” Clay clarifies.
“Oh, good. At least you had help.” Morgan smiles, feeling better now.
