by Cee, DW
“Honey, I want to show you something.” My wife led me to the cake table. “Aren’t these cute?”
Emily had petit fours made with our caricatures on each one of them.
“These are a tribute to our Paris trip and your proposal. I’m going to see what you taste like,” she said and popped one in her mouth. “Yum.” She smiled like a little child.
After much pleading Jane finally allowed us to sit and eat our meal. Jane brought us a large platter of everything the party had to offer and I fed my radiant bride. Toward the end of dinner, Nick got up to the mic and started our toast.
“Jake and Emily are the only married couple I know who were broken up longer than they were together. I think they technically dated less than three months. Due to my brother’s stupidity, Emily left him for Japan for four months, and they finally reunited with the help of Emily’s ex-boyfriend of all people.” Emily’s friends all laughed at this comment.
“Jake had a chance to reunite with Emily in New York in the middle of their separation, but due to his stupidity again, he went chasing after a ring my sister threw at him instead of chasing after her. They finally got back together in Kyoto and he proposed to her in Paris.”
Nick turned to my bride, “Emily, you’re the coolest sister anyone could ask for. I love you as though you’ve been a part of our family since the beginning.” He then turned to me. “Jake, you’ve been a role model to me since we were kids, and I wish you and Emily a lifetime of happiness.” Turning lastly to the crowd he said, “I’d like for you all to help me cheer my brother and sister, Dr. and Mrs. Jake Reid.” We both got up to hug Nick.
Next on the to-do list was the cake cutting, and Jane gave me a stern warning to be a gentleman and not smear any frosting on my bride. I didn’t know what would possess her to think I would do such a thing to my bride. I fed Emily her piece while being blinded by the photographers.
Emily grabbed a huge piece of cake and before I knew what was happening, she mashed it on my face to a throng of cheers.
“You want to play naughty?” My devilish tone must have scared her. She tried to run away, but not before I grabbed her and came down hard on her lips. Jane wasn’t happy with me ruining Emily’s makeup. Emily didn’t seem to mind, as she kept coming back for more kisses and cake.
The majority of the guests moved back into the other tent to dance, and we followed along. Once we got on the dance floor, we noticed no one else. Our lips didn’t part, our bodies moved as one.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?” I heard someone say but didn’t care to look up. Our embrace continued.
“Excuse me, may I cut in?” Whoever this was, I was irritated.
“Yes?” I asked.
Max wanted to dance with my wife and after a quick hesitation, I told him, “Briefly. I’ll be right back to claim my wife.”
“Honey?” my wife whispered, “can you bring Jane over here in a couple of minutes?”
I nodded my head OK and went to look for Jane.
“Hey, Jane. Emily’s looking for you.”
“I can’t believe you two are separated.”
“Let’s go. I want to get back to my wife.” I pulled her along.
We got to Emily and Max and I found Max a little too close to my wife. Emily looked up at me in delight. “Um, Jane?” Emily asked her new sister. “Do you mind changing partners with me? I’d like to be back in my husband’s arms.”
Jane and Max couldn’t help their huge grin as Emily leaned over and gave her ex-boyfriend a final hug and kiss. He would always have a teeny tiny piece of her heart, and I was OK with that.
“You are the most incredible woman in the entire world. Thank you for putting a smile on my sister’s face.”
“She’s our sister now.” Emily answered.
I didn’t let anyone else dance with my bride. I monopolized her the whole evening. When night fell upon us, all the chairs were set up on the lawn to watch the fireworks.
“Ladies and Gentleman,” the DJ announced, “please grab a seat and watch for a most special fireworks show. I’m told that the groom’s wedding present will happen sometime during this display.”
“What’s the present?” I kept asking while trying to kiss my bride.
“It’s coming up. You need to pay attention or you’ll miss it.”
I watched intently but saw nothing that resembled a present so I started playing with Emily’s neck. Emily pointed to the sky and called out, “Here it comes.”
I looked up and saw the letter I. Then came the shape of a heart. Then came the letter U. Then I saw a letter J explode, then an A, then a K, and lastly an E.
While they shot off more hearts, I contemplated what I just saw. I, heart, U, JAKE. That spelled, I love you Jake!
“How did you do that?” In awe, I stared at my wife. “That was the coolest present ever!”
Emily explained the difficulties she went through to get my present, and my family and I were amazed. With fireworks done, I tried to convince my bride to start our wedding night a bit sooner but she wouldn’t budge. I begged, pleaded, and implored but to no avail. Walking away, pretending to be sore, I hoped she would follow me, but instead she went and danced with every guest who came to the wedding. I too got abducted by my aunts and girl cousins and was separated from my wife for hours.
Finally, my wife conceded she was ready to leave. We said our thank yous to our family, and I rushed Emily into the car.
“Which negligee did you bring?” was the first question I asked when we got into the car. I couldn’t wait to see her in a negligee—or better yet, nothing at all.
“Oh my gosh! I forgot to pack the negligees. I only brought my flannel pajamas.” She started yawning. “I’m exhausted. I couldn’t sleep a wink last night. Aren’t you tired?”
My face could not have looked happy. She turned away. I hoped she was kidding.
“So which negligee?” I asked again. “Is it that red one I picked out in London? It’s not that boring white one Gram picked out, is it?”
“I’ll give you two clues. Tonight’s outfit was not purchased in London but you’ve seen it before.”
Fantastic! I thought. “You kept that one from Paris? The one that was supposed to go to Sarah?” I had begged her to keep this skimpy teddy she had purchased as a gift for Sarah. She must have obliged.
My bride looked out the window and was in deep thought. Perhaps all this talk about tonight was making her nervous. I forgot at times that I needed to be sensitive to the fact that this would be her first time.
“Are you OK?” I asked, reaching over to hold her hand. “Am I making you nervous about tonight?”
“I’m fine—a bit scared but happy to be here with you.”
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to be afraid of. Although it was frustrating at times, I’m thrilled you have been with no one else. I consider it a real honor to be your first and only man.”
Even in the wee hours of the morning, there were many guests who congratulated us as Emily, still in her wedding dress, and I walked up to our honeymoon suite. Placing the Do Not Disturb sign on our door, I carried her over the threshold, and we began our life as Mr. and Mrs. Reid.
Chapter 22
Baby… x 2?
“Good Morning.” Emily shyly looked up from the covers as I was packing up our belongings.
“Good Morning, Mrs. Reid. How do you feel?”
“Happy. How do you feel?” She smiled a radiant smile.
“I feel like I’m walking on water. Is your body OK? Are you sore at all?”
My wife stretched herself this way and that way and answered, “I think I’m OK. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I thought since this was your first time…I wanted to make sure I didn’t hurt you in any way. Did…you…like it?” I asked awkwardly. I felt lame asking these questions but I didn’t know how better to say it. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
“Of course! What would make you think otherwise? I w
orried you might not have enjoyed yourself, with me being so inexperienced and all.”
“Emily, our first night together was nothing less than perfect. I don’t think I understood what it meant to make love to a woman till we made love. It was the most incredible feeling being with you.”
“I felt the same way. Last night or this morning—whatever time it was—was amazing. By the way, what time is it? I should get up, huh?”
“It’s around two. You don’t have to get up yet if you don’t want to. Our flight leaves at nine tonight so we have some time.”
“I should get up and get ready.” My wife stared at me.
“What?” I wondered out loud.
“Can you turn around?” Her cheeks flushed.
“What for?”
“I need to go in the shower but I’m naked. I don’t want you to see me.”
“Emi. I saw all there was to see last night. It’s all in my memory now. If you can’t get up on your own, I’ll come over and pick you up.” She yelped as I picked her off the bed and took her in the shower.
We got dressed and Emily dialed my parents at the house.
“Hi, Mom. Yes, we had a good night. Jake told me you were coming here to pick up our car and wedding attire and I was wondering if you, Dad, and Gram would like to join us for an early dinner. Our flight doesn’t leave till nine. OK. See you then.”
“Are they coming?”
“Yup. What shall we do till they get here? It will be about an hour and a half before they can get here.”
“Should we get a massage? We can call for an in-room massage.”
“That sounds great. After your attack in the shower, now I’m sore.”
I laughed at her accusation. She enjoyed it just as much as I did.
After a relaxing massage, we waited for my parents at the restaurant.
“I’m starving. I haven’t eaten at all today and you’ve put me through way too much exercise. I’m running on negative calories.” Emily’s stomach started growling.
“I didn’t hear any complaints from you early this morning or in the shower.”
She giggled and our lips locked until we heard a voice say, “Get a room.” That could only be the chief.
Emily got up and hugged everyone. She and Mom whispered a quick conversation, and I saw Mom hold Emily’s cheek in her hand and hug her like a little child. Emily went over and gave Dad a kiss as well.
“I assume all was good last night?” Only the chief would ask such a loaded question.
“It’s none of your business,” I answered back.
“Emily,” Aunt Babs joined in, “you know that Estelle and Sandy both had honeymoon babies. Watch out or you may carry that Reid tradition as well.”
“How fascinating,” Emily added. “My mom had a hard time conceiving me and a really rough pregnancy, so I don’t know if I’ll get pregnant that easily.”
“A bit premature to be talking about babies,” I said. “Although I don’t mind the making process.” I added grinning. “Where’s Gram?”
“She was too tired to come out. We all went to sleep sometime this morning. Everyone was just getting up as we left,” Mom explained.
“Why didn’t they go to their own house?”
“We asked one of the chefs to stay behind, and he made breakfast for everyone. While the cleanup crew took everything away, all your cousins were too tired to walk home. They crashed in the ballroom.”
“What does that mean to walk home? How can they walk all the way home?” With a baffled stare, Emily looked to me for an answer.
“Have I never told you that each of my uncles owns a home on our street?”
Emily shook her head no.
Dad added, “The house across the street from ours…”
Emily thought hard and answered, “The huge one?”
“Yes. That’s your Gram’s home. You know where Uncle Henry and Aunt Barbara live, and next to them is David’s house, in between Henry and our home is Billy’s home, and Roy has a house on the other side of our house.”
“Are you kidding? How come I never saw any of them while living in our house?”
“That’s because only Henry and I still live in our original homes. David, Roy and Billy ended up finding homes elsewhere but they kept the homes on our street.” Dad finished telling our fun story.
“This Reid family saga gets better and better. How fun. So who lives in these homes now?” Emily wondered.
“No one lives there, though they’re kept up nicely. Those three homes and maybe even Gram’s house are up for sale to any family member who wants to buy them. Grandpa wanted his family close together so these homes will stay in the family.”
Emily had that twinkle in her eye as soon as I finished my statement. “Do you think we could afford to buy one of these homes if we sold both of our houses?”
“It’s possible…would you like to, Emi?” Knowing my bride, this idea thrilled her.
“That would be ideal if we could live near Mom and Dad. And as an added bonus, Uncle Henry and Aunt Barbara will be nearby as well.” I saw my aunt and uncle’s appreciative smile.
“Let’s mooch off Mom and Dad for a while then discuss it again when your tenant is about to move out. We have some time.”
“Jake, I got a call from the university and they accepted your application to teach.” This was fantastic news. My bride would be ecstatic when I explained to her what was happening.
“I applied for a teaching position at the med school after I found you in Japan,” I explained to Emily. “After being separated from you for so long, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with you when you got back home.”
My Emi looked thrilled. “How many days do you teach?”
“He’ll work Monday through Thursday at the hospital and teach on Fridays. We hired another doctor so Jake will be on call one night a week and he’ll work only one weekend a month.” Emily hugged the chief in response to his answer.
“We can have a normal marriage.” Emily declared. “Yay!”
Emily and I enjoyed our six-some dinner and Mom and Dad drove us to the airport. Dad and I took out our two carry-on suitcases and I marveled at how efficiently my wife packed.
“Oh no, Honey.” She shook her head. “I have another suitcase inside my suitcase for all the shopping we’re going to do.”
My parents laughed.
“What happened to my frugal girlfriend?”
“I became a Reid,” she announced with a teasing smile. “I’m only joking. I brought another suitcase for all the presents we need to bring back. It’s not for me. You’re such a spender; one of us has to be the thrifty one.”
I joined my parents in the guffaw.
Mom and Emily had another private conversation, Emily hugged both my parents, and we walked onto the plane.
“What do you and Mom keep talking about?” I asked once we were comfortably seated.
“Oh. Um…Mom came and talked to me right after we got engaged about our first night together and she tried to answer any questions I might have.”
I was sorry I asked. My cheeks got hot and I was embarrassed. “You mean Mom had a sex talk with you?” I whispered so no one in our cabin would hear.
“Well, kind of. Since I don’t have a mom, and knowing that I was a virgin, she thought I might need someone other than Sarah to talk to. It was really thoughtful of her. She’s treated me no differently than Jane. She almost feels like my mom. I’m sure with time, I will love her just as much as my own mother.”
I knew Mom would love Emily no less than she loved the three of us. If anything, Emily would receive even more attention than the three of us combined, and that would be fine with all of us.
“So Mom wanted to make sure I was OK after our first night.”
“Got it.”
Exhausted from the wedding and our post-wedding activities, Emily and I slept through much of the flight into our island.
/> Four days in a beautiful hut in the middle of the sea, and ten days exploring Japan, my bride and I were happy to be home.
“Emily! Jake!” Our family greeted us.
“How was the honeymoon?” Nick asked.
“It was marvelous.” My bride glowed. “We brought presents for everyone.”
It took Emily longer than expected to settle back into our time zone. She slept more than usual and her body couldn’t handle food like it used to. I was a bit concerned about her.
“Honey,” she called me from bed, “what am I going to do about school? I start in a couple of weeks and my body still feels unsettled from our trip. What do you think is wrong with me?”
“Tell me your symptoms, Emi. We’ve been back almost two weeks. It can’t still be jet lag.”
“My equilibrium is off, I feel vertigo when I get up too quickly, I feel queasy at the thought of all food except ice cream. And, all I want to do is sleep,” she complained.
“Maybe there’s an issue with your blood pressure. Or…you could be pregnant, but since we just got married, I doubt pregnancy symptoms would show up so quickly. Have you told Mom and Dad about what’s going on with you?”
“No, I didn’t want to worry them. Mom and Dad are busy getting Gram packed to go back to England. I wanted to go with them to England but I don’t think that’s going to be possible with the way I feel.”
“Emi,” I argued, “what about me? I can’t be alone in this big house. What will I do?”
“I’m here by myself all day when you’re working. It’s not too scary. You’ll get used to it.” She giggled. “Once Gram leaves I won’t see her again for a while. I thought I’d spend a little more time with her.”
“No, you can’t go.” I jumped into bed with her and we both knew Emily would have to catch up on sleep while I was at work tomorrow.
Another full day at the hospital came and went, and I was only too happy to drive home to see my wife. Beyond ideal, I’d walk into a home where my wife greeted me with enthusiasm—dinner on the table—and the rest of the night filled with all new kinds of fun.
“How was your day, Beautiful? What did you do?”