“My darling, you don’t have to worry about that. We can hire a nanny to help you.”
“But I want to do it.”
“I want you to, but I also want you to enjoy our new son or daughter and you won’t if you don’t get any sleep.”
Wow, I hadn’t thought of that. He was so considerate. “How do you manage to think of everything?”
“It’s called the internet. I did a bit of research.”
“Glad you did, because I haven’t done any yet.” He was miles ahead of me.
“One other thing. We need to plan a wedding.”
“Oh. About that. I don’t really want one.”
His jaw dropped open. “But Molly, we have to have a wedding. With my family and business associates, it demands we have one.”
“Hugh, I can’t. My father can’t walk me down the aisle, and Mom can’t be there as she is, and I don’t have anyone else. So, no, a wedding with a reception is out.”
“Molly, please reconsider. It’s important for me.”
“Hugh, you have to see my side too.”
“Then we are at an impasse,” he said, his mouth pressing into a thin line.
Epilogue
Between Chloe and I, we got Molly to agree to a small wedding. I won her over by explaining how important it was for me to have photos of us on our wedding day that weren’t in front of a courthouse. I also added I didn’t want our kids to ever think it was a shotgun wedding.
She relented and we picked the place that accommodated what we wanted. She agreed to our special day including her and me. Our only guests would be Chloe and Ryan. Though I could tell she was getting in the spirit of things after shopping for a wedding dress.
“You’re going to love it,” she said that day.
I followed it up by telling her I’d be happy if she married me naked, except for the fact Ryan would be there as well as the officiator.
Chloe got her to pick wedding colors and asked what Molly thought were fictitious questions about what food she’d serve if we had a big reception to help her get more excited about our tiny wedding.
On the day of, Molly insisted we share a room to get dressed. She thought it was silly to surprise me. “I know you really want this, but it seems too expensive,” she said.
I kissed her cheek and said, “It will be worth it. You’ll have pictures to show your mother.”
That had been the wrong thing to say. My hormonal wife-to-be began to cry. “I’m sorry. I just wish she could be here.”
“I know.” I hugged her to me and kissed her temple. I had my tux on, but she still stood in sexy lingerie I had to ignore so I wouldn’t fuck her all over the room. “Let me get Chloe to help with your makeup.”
“What? You think I’m ugly now?”
She had no idea. “Hell, no. You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”
As I held her sobbing, I texted Chloe. When she came, I made excuses to leave.
Then I went into the room and marveled at all my preparations. Molly had to love it or I’d completely fucked this up.
Molly
“Oh, Chloe, it’s my wedding day and neither of my parents are here,” I cried, uncaring of the mess my makeup was becoming.
“I know, sweetie,” she said, patting my back.
“I just feel like leaving. I know Hugh wanted something bigger than a courthouse, but it’s killing me.”
She pulled back and looked at my face. “Do you want to leave?”
I nodded my head. “I do. But I can’t do that to him. He’s being so sweet when he wanted a big wedding so the world would know.”
“Some men,” Chloe teased. I giggled some. It was odd that a man wanted the big wedding. I could say it was a good sign of how much he loved me.
“Let’s get you into that dress and then fix your makeup,” Chloe urged.
We did just that and as I stood in front of the mirror, I didn’t feel the joy I should on my wedding day. I’d dreamed of the big wedding. The only reason I hadn’t wanted one was that it felt wrong without my parents.
There was a knock on the door. The fancy place we’d settled on had a wedding planner, which also seemed like a wasted expense. The woman popped her head in and announced it was time.
“Thank you for walking me down the aisle,” I said to Chloe on a choked sob after the woman left.
“Always.”
We walked out into the foyer in front of the grand double doors. Once we got into position, Chloe said, “Wait here a second. I need to grab you some tissues.”
I nodded and sniffed as I thought about walking down an aisle of empty rows. I had a feeling my makeup wouldn’t survive my vows as I couldn’t stop crying.