“Yeah, I got you. Okay. Any thoughts on the venue?” he asks.
I blow out a breath. “No, I might go and look at some places with Mum tomorrow afternoon.” I feel the urge to tell him about the baby, but I hold my tongue. Ben needs to know first. I’m kind of annoyed with myself that I did the test with Abbie.
I wanted Ben to be the first to know.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m just freaking myself out over here.”
“It’s totally understandable, baby. He’ll be home soon, maybe even tomorrow.”
“He said he was probably just going to turn up and surprise me,” I whisper.
“And he will. You’ll hear a knock on the door and it will be him.”
I smile as the vision runs through my mind. “Okay, I’ll let you go.”
“Try and get some sleep, hey?”
“Thanks, babe. Love you.”
“I love you, too.” He hangs up.
“Congratulations, it’s a positive result.” The doctor smiles.
My stomach does a little flip and I smile. “Thank you.”
“We’ll run some blood tests now to read your hormone levels and confirm a due date.”
“Okay.”
“And I will give you a referral for an obstetrician. You’ll need to book in almost immediately because they’re booked out.”
“Do I go and see one now, or…?”
“No, you’ll make the appointment for when you’re around twelve weeks into the pregnancy, when there’s less chance you’ll miscarry.”
My stomach drops. Oh, don’t even say that out loud.
He buzzes the nurse and she comes in. “Yes, Doctor?”
“Can you take some bloods for Bridget, please?”
“Of course, Doctor.”
“Can you make Bridget an appointment for a week’s time, please, so we can run through these test results? I’ll do a scan on Bridget then, too, to check everything is going well.”
“Of course; this way, dear.” She smiles kindly.
“Thank you for your time.” I nod to my doctor. “See you next week.”
“And this room through here is where we have the dance floor.” The wedding planner smiles.
Mum and I are beaming as we follow her through the function centre. We have looked at three venues today and we looked at three yesterday.
“I think this one is my favourite,” Mum whispers.
“Mine, too,” I whisper back.
“Can you do the middle weekend in December?” I ask.
She looks through her diary. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one. We do have a booking, but they haven’t paid their second deposit, so I’m unsure what’s going on.” She looks up at me. “Can I call you this week as soon as I find out?”
“That would be great.”
I watch her write down her reminder to call me.
We all shake hands. “Thanks for your time.” I smile. “Hopefully that weekend comes up.”
Mum and I turn and walk out, and she links her arm through mine. “Coffee and cake time,” Mum says.
I laugh. “Did you only come with me for coffee and cake?”
“Of course, dear. Why else?”
“So, who is Ben having as his groomsmen?” Mum asks as she blows into her coffee cup. We are in Oscar’s and, as promised, are about to eat our weight in chocolate cake.
“He said he wanted Jed and Rick as groomsmen. The other boys will come to the wedding, though.”
“Okay. Well, you need to get these invitations done almost immediately because people will need notice to travel internationally.”
I nod. “Yeah, okay. I might buy them and then just get them printed when we find out about this venue.”
“What ones did you like again? Have I seen them?”
“Adrian sent me a link to a company that did one for a wedding he went to recently. He said it was amazing. Nice and simple. Understated.”
“In America?”
“Yes. I might just order them today so they get here in time and we get them printed locally.”
Mum smiles broadly as she watches me.
“What?” I ask.
“Look at you, all beautiful and grown up.” She rubs my forearm that’s resting on the table between us. “Organising your wedding to your dream man. You are just glowing, Didge.”
I smile and I just want to blurt the words I’m pregnant, but I stop myself.
This secret-keeping is hard.
I check my phone for the thousandth time today. I just wish he would call and tell me he’s all right.
Mum sips her coffee as she watches me. “Still no word?”
I shake my head. “No.” I pause. “It’s been eight days.”
“Well, the mission was in three from when he left, so I imagine he’ll be on his way home by now.”
I force a smile and nod. “Yeah, I was thinking that.”
Our cake arrives and the waitress puts the two giant pieces down in front of us.
I exhale deeply. “I’m going to need a bigger wedding dress at this rate.”
Mum smiles broadly. “Enjoy it. Cake fixes everything.”
I turn my eggs in the frying pan. I’ve just got home from the gym with Abbie. It’s 7:00 on Wednesday morning.
I’m thinking of picking up some casual work. It’s suddenly dawned on me I won’t be able to work in eight months, and I love working. I’m going to throw myself into something I love for the next couple of months.