I peek through my fingers first, not trusting her fully, but when I spot her pulling on a pair of shorts, I take my hand down completely. “I’m sorry, I should have rung the doorbell. I was just in my head.” I feel a lump growing in my throat and my eyes getting misty.
Ronnie opens her arms and steps toward me. “Oh, babe… What’s—”
“I NEED HELP!” Cecilia’s distant voice interrupts Ronnie’s question.
We look at each other, then rush off to where her voice comes from, which turns out to be the grand entrance. There we find an extremely shocked-looking petite brunette, a quietly crying pregnant blonde, and a bent over, hysterically sobbing pregnant redhead.
“Oh God! What is happening?! Is something wrong?” Ronnie goes to Morgan and holds her by the arms, looking her over as the quiet tears streak down her face.
I rush over to my bent over sister-in-law-to-be, placing my hand on her back as I rub soothingly up and down. “Emma, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
She finally straightens, taking a big gulp of air as she pushes her vibrant red hair out of her face. For a redhead, her hair is redder than ginger, but she confessed it’s due to all the expensive products she puts into it.
“It won’t fit,” she sobs again.
“What won’t fit?” I ask, but she just keeps crying, so I look over to Cecilia in question.
“It started in the car. We were coming for a surprise visit and talking about the wedding on the way over, and when I mentioned her dress, she started crying. Then Morgan started crying because Emma was crying, and I couldn’t get them to stop,” Cecilia rushes out with wide eyes.
“MY DRESS!” Emma cries out loudly just as Noah shows up behind us with worry in his eyes. “It’s not going to fit! I’m huge. Look at me, I’m fat!” She points to her stomach. “Look at how fat Morgan is!” She points at Morgan next, which only makes our friend cry more.
“Em, don’t say that!” Ronnie chastises her.
“No one is fat.” Cecilia lifts her hands, trying to appease them both. “You are both creating little lives in there, and not just one, but two each! It’s one of the most beautiful gifts life has given you.”
“BUT MY DRESS!!!” Emma sobs. “I’m getting married in eight days! There’s no way my dress is going to fit, and then I’m going to have to get married in a… A SHEET!” She weeps uncontrollably and then grabs my arms, forcing me to face her. “I don’t want to get married in a sheet!”
Okay, these pregnancy hormones are no joke.I slowly remove her claws from my arms and hold both her hands in mine. “Emma, listen to me,” I start off slowly. “Do you remember what the seamstress said after the dress fitting?”
She shakes her head. “No.”
I smile at her. “She told you that she would alter the back of the dress. Instead of it being a zipper, she would change it into a corset-style dress that laces up the back. Which means it will be adjusted to your belly size on the day of your wedding.”
When I see the hope shine in her eyes, I release one of her hands and wipe her tears. “Your dress is going to fit, and even if it didn’t and you had to wear a sheet, my brother would still marry you in a heartbeat.”
She nods, taking a deep breath as her cries slowly subside. “You’re right, he loves me.”
“He does,” I agree with her because it’s the truth. Greyson is head-over-heels in love with Emma, even if she can get a little crazy at times.
Suddenly, something flicks in her brain, and all her emotions change to something I can’t understand. “He’d be an idiot not to; I’m the mother of his children for crying out loud!” She takes her hand from mine and reaches into her back pocket for her phone, apparently. “I’m going to call him right now and tell him that.” She taps her screen, then puts it to her ear as she wanders off.
Noah blinks as he watches her leave, then scratches at his nape. His cropped brown hair still drips with water, so I’m guessing he was in the shower and rushed out when the crisis arrived.At least he’s dressed now.“Wow, Em is scary as hell pregnant.”
Cecilia giggles. “Greyson must really have the patience of a saint to deal with that.”
“I CAN HEAR YOU!”Emma shouts from somewhere.
Noah chuckles as he walks over to Morgan, who’s wiping her eyes. “I know I’m not Burkley, but do you want a hug to make you feel better?”
“Yes,” she whimpers as she tucks herself into his embrace. “Am I really fat?”
He pets her hair and kisses the top of her head, the same way Shane did to me.Is that how he sees me? As a friend? Because that’s what Morgan and Noah are; they’re friends and nothing more, yet he’s holding her the same way Shane did with me.
“Absolutely not, pretty mama. You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you, I needed that.” She sniffles against him. “God, I hate being so emotional all the time.”
“It’s almost over, Morg. Hang in there.” Ronnie pats her back and then comes back to me. “Now you, tell me what’s going on and why you were getting all emotional on me earlier too.”
