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Corina took my hand in hers and squeezed it. “Hey, are you okay?”
Digging my teeth into my bottom lip, I nodded.
“I think I’m nervous. Excited. I don’t know. I feel a bit…off.”
“Off?” Maeabh asked as she held my veil over my head. She looked in the mirror as she settled it down on my hair.
“Yeah, I can’t explain it. I think it’s just nerves.”
Paxton took a seat on the bed, looking at me in the mirror.
“I think that’s normal. I mean, just dealing with the weird emotions of being pregnant, and then having a wedding on top of it. It’s got to be a strange mix of emotions.”
My eyes caught Waylynn’s, and although she wore a smile, I saw the sadness in her eyes. It must be hard for her to hear all this talk about pregnancy. I didn’t want to complain because I knew she’d trade places with me any day for the chance to carry a child.
I felt another jolt in my stomach and tensed.
“Braxton Hicks?” Paxton asked.
Shrugging, I replied, “I guess. I haven’t felt these pains before.”
“Is your stomach getting hard and tight?”
“Yes, and a weird pain. I’m sure it’s nothing. Just too much excitement the past week.”
Maebh leaned over and rested her chin on my shoulder as she gazed at me in the mirror.
“You look so beautiful. Trevor is going to pass out when he sees you,” she said.
Our eyes locked. “Are you excited about your wedding with Cord?”
Her face lit up. “Yes! It can’t get here fast enough.”
Waylynn walked over to the window. “Four more months, and we’ll all be in Ireland for the wedding. Crazy to think how far we’ve all come in just a few years.”
Turning, she leaned against the windowsill and smiled.
“Maebh, it’s going to be crazy at your wedding. You know this, right? Four babies! All of them under four months.”
Amelia burst into the room, completely out of breath.
“Waylynn Parker! How could you not tell us! How?”
A wide smile grew across Waylynn’s beautiful face. “Tell you what?”
“Jonathon just told Wade, who called and told me!”
Paxton looked between Waylynn and Amelia. “What are y’all talking about?”
Amelia laughed as she placed her hands on her stomach. The poor thing had practically grown overnight. She only had six weeks left until she had her son. She looked like she was ready to pop now.
“Are you going to tell them, or am I?” Amelia asked, brow arched.
Pushing off the windowsill, Waylynn waved her hand in the air. “Fine, I’ll tell them. Jonathon and I will become parents for the second time this summer. August to be exact.”
Gasps could be heard across the room.
“Oh my God!” Paxton screamed out.
“What! What?” Corina said, jumping around like mad.
Maebh joined Corina jumping around before she rushed over to Waylynn.
“You’re adopting again?”
Waylynn wiped her tears away and nodded. “Yes. It was a pretty stressful process this time, but we’ve known for a few weeks. The birth mother picked us out of about four couples. He’s due August 3.”
I made my way to Waylynn, joining the other girls to congratulate her.
“I’m so happy for you Waylynn! I don’t know how you were able to keep that a secret!” I said, giving her a hug.
She laughed. “Mom and Dad knew. We had to tell someone or I felt like I was going to burst! I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Do y’all have a name picked out?” Amelia asked.
“We have a couple, but I think once we see her, we’ll know.”
“Is it the same arrangement you have with Liberty?” Maebh asked.
Waylynn shook her head and looked sad for a brief moment. “No. The mother, I guess, hooked up with her best friend in a drunken night of passion. They’re both lawyers, well on their way to becoming partners in their own firms. She’s planning on taking a leave of absence when she starts to show. They both agreed that neither one of them were ready to be parents and decided on adoption. They interviewed four couples, and they both liked Jonathon and me. I think it was because of Liberty, to be honest with you. The mother said she felt a connection with me.”
The knock on the door had all of us jumping.
“Jesus, that scared the shit out of me!” Waylynn said, discreetly wiping away a tear.
“Ladies, it’s time!” my mother said, popping her head into the room. “Scarlett, your daddy is wanting to see you.”
I thought the nervous energy I had been feeling would come back, but when I saw my father and the smile on his face, I felt peace instead.
“Daddy,” I whispered as he walked into the room and the last person stepped out.
He made his way over to me and wiped at a tear that had escaped from his eye. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I replied as he kissed me on the cheek. He was tense and acted as if he had something he wanted to say to me.
