"If not at a venue, then where? Hold that thought for a minute. Rebecca, are you okay? You don't seem like yourself at all."
"I'm fine. I'm probably just exhausted from work. That plus flying back and forth to Savannah twice a month is probably starting to catch up with me."
"I'm not going to say I told you so. However, I knew taking on that house was biting off more than you could chew,” I said.
"So basically you're not going to say 'I told you so'… you're just going to find another way to say 'I told you so.' Rebecca snapped back at me, so I decided to back down.
"Look, all I'm trying to say is that's a big undertaking. Have you considered hiring some extra help?"
"That's a good idea," Abby said.
"Believe it or not, the renovations are coming along very nicely. I'm forever grateful for Cole making a few calls and suggesting the company that I'm working with. The contractors are doing a phenomenal job, they've tried to help me cut cost without taking away from the quality, and overall I'm really pleased."
"That's wonderful." I kept listening as I ate.
"Sooo, how are things with Ethan?" Abby and I both wanted the scoop. As of late, Rebecca had become increasingly tight-lipped about their relationship.
"Things are good. I don't want to blow it out of proportion and make it sound like more than what it is, but so far, so good."
"Come on, Rebecca. Spill the darn tea already. Whenever we're together, you barely talk about Ethan. We've seen him maybe two or three times in the past six months,” Abby said.
"Yeah, and I know for a fact that whenever I stop by your place, you're never home. What's up with that?"
We sat and waited for a response.
"If you must know, everything is good, just as I told you. We've been dating exclusively for a couple of months now, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it, that's all,” she said.
I couldn't believe she'd been holding back.
"Um, hello! You didn't think that was worth mentioning? Do you know how happy mom would be to hear that her dream has finally coming to fruition?"
"That's exactly why I didn't want to say anything. I don't want mom to get all excited and start trying to walk me down the aisle before I'm ready. I can just hear her now. I don't have any guarantees of a future with Ethan like you do with Cole."
Again she snapped at me, but I tried to remain patient.
"I get it if you want to take your time with Ethan. But keeping it all to yourself and not bringing him around the family just seems silly if you ask me."
"Payton always has the answers to everything, doesn't she?" Rebecca murmured.
"What has gotten into you?" I could tell Abby's switch had been flipped.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. It's me. I probably should've passed on lunch today. I'm just not feeling like myself,” Rebecca said.
She put on her jacket and left a hundred dollar bill on the table.
"Here, lunch is on me. Maybe we can reschedule for another day. Payton, I'd really like to help you with wedding planning. I pulled a few ideas for you to look through in this folder."
Rebecca passed me the folder and proceeded to get up.
"I'm going to head home. I'll give you guys a call later on."
She pushed her chair in and made it about six feet away from the table before passing out on the floor.
"Rebecca!" I yelled.
We ran to her aid and stayed by her side while the staff cleared the area. Abby dialed 911. By the time the paramedics arrived and placed her on a gurney, she had regained total consciousness.
"What happened?" She tried to talk.
"You fell out in the middle of the restaurant and nearly scared me to death," I said.
She looked horrified. "I wonder what that was about?"
"Girl, you can't scare us like that." Abby held Rebecca's hand.
"I promise I wasn't trying to,” she said.
"I know. Listen, Payton will ride with you in the ambulance, and I'll follow behind you in the car. Everything will be alright."
"Thanks, Abby," Rebecca said.
We were at the hospital for hours. When my parents and Ethan arrived, Abby went home to be with the kids. I stuck around to hear the results from Rebecca's blood work.
"Ms. Matthews, can I come in?" The doctor knocked on the door.
"Sure, come on in, Doc. I hope you don't mind the extra company." She introduced us briefly and then waited to hear what the doctor had to say.
"Well, I stopped by to give you good news."
"Oh, that's a sigh of relief. I can handle good news." Rebecca's demeanor immediately shifted to a more relaxed state.
"Yes, congratulations are in order to you and the family,” the doctor said.
"What do you mean?" Rebecca propped herself up, looking clueless as the doctor spoke.
"According to my calendar, you're about eight weeks pregnant."
It's a wonder Rebecca didn't pass out in the bed right where she was lying.
"You have got to be kidding me,” she said.
"I don't kid about these things, Ms. Matthews." She continued to sit there, looking stunned by the news.
Everyone's reaction was priceless. Mom sat with her mouth wide open. So much till I thought her odds for catching a fly were extremely high. Dad kept repeatedly asking mom, "You alright, dear?." And then there was Ethan who finally broke his silence and started crying and hugging Rebecca.
"I'm going to be a father!"
"Unbelievable… Un… believable," Rebecca said. She was still in phase one of total shock.
"How did this happen?" Mom finally spoke out, but we all just looked at her. This was no time to get into life lessons about the birds and the bees.
Later that evening, we saw to it that Rebecca had everything she needed at home to be comfortable. Mom and I agreed to give Rebecca and Ethan some time together but not before mom shared a few parting words.
"My youngest is having a baby." She hugged Rebecca and nestled her close as only a mom could.
"If I know right, you're probably afraid, aren't you?"
"Yes. I knew that I haven't been feeling good, but I thought maybe it was the flu or a stomach bug of some sort. I don't know if I'm fit to be a mother,” she said.
I sat on the other side of the bed and listened as mom provided words of comfort to Rebecca.
"I felt the same exact way when I was pregnant with Abby. It was my first time, and I had no idea what I was doing. And do you know what my mother told me?"
"What?"
"She said, 'As long as you love her and take care of her needs, what could possibly go wrong?' And when I truly stopped to think about it, she was right. So I did just as mom advised. When Abby was born, your father and I took care of her needs and loved her unconditionally. Did we make mistakes along the way? Absolutely. We did with all of our children. But in the end, you all turned out just fine."
"All of us? I don't know, Mom. Rebecca is kind of special." I teased.
"Be quiet, Payton." She cracked a smile while wiping away her tears.
"Here's what I want to know. You know how much I adore Ethan. I've always wanted the two of you to become an item. Why wasn't I aware the two of you were together?"
Rebecca looked over at me, but I pretended to be looking up at the ceiling.
"There was no real reason other than I wanted to make sure this time was for real. I figured if I started bringing him to our weekly family dinners and to every event, then you all would assume we were on a serious path again. I needed to confirm what path we were on for myself first. "Imagine the embarrassment of being let down by the same guy twice?"
"Ohh, Rebecca. Honey, you have to let the past go. The past is exactly where it belongs. In the past! Did you see how excited that man was to learn he's about to be a father?"
"Yeah, after he stood frozen in a two-minute coma,” she said.
"I think you need to show him a little grace. We all were in a two-minute coma!"
"That's true," Rebecca said.
"Ethan has loved you since the moment he laid eyes on you. Even if that was back in high school, he certainly didn't take long to recapture your heart once he returned to Pelican Beach. If you ask me, there's a reason why the other guys you dated never worked out. The one who you were truly meant to be with had already been chosen for you a long time ago."
In true girl fashion, we huddled at Rebecca's bedside and cried, hugged, and laughed together. Our lives were proof that things didn't always go according to plan. However, some of the best-laid plans were made to be broken and even turned out better that way.
Also by Michele Gilcrest
A Pelican Beach Affair - Pelican Beach Series Book 3
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Ready to read Book 3 in the Pelican Beach series?
CLICK HERE for A Pelican Beach Affair: Book 3
In this third installment of the Pelican Beach series, Payton and Cole are back, and they're ready to commence their union. It sounds easy enough, but will life circumstances keep them apart?
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The theme of new beginnings continues as Rebecca and Ethan prepare to welcome their firstborn. However, these two have a lot more to figure out besides navigating parenthood. With the clock winding down before the baby's arrival, will they decide to make things official by getting married?
Lastly, we can't forget about Cole's mother, Alice. She spent many years looking after the family. She's been the perfect grandmother, and supportive when Cole needed her most. But it's been a long time since she's had someone to call her own. Will she continue her life's journey as a single woman? Or perhaps find herself in the middle of a love triangle?
The Matthews are back, and they're sure to take you on a journey. You might find yourself crying, laughing, or ready to give a character a piece of your mind. Either way, pull up a beach chair and get ready to be entangled in A Pelican Beach Affair.
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Also By Michele Gilcrest
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Pelican Beach Series
The Inn At Pelican Beach: Book 1
Sunsets At Pelican Beach: Book 2
A Pelican Beach Affair: Book 3
Christmas At Pelican Beach: Book 4
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Cortland Series
Second Time Around: Book 1
Tried and True : Book 2
Sunsets At Pelican Beach (Pelican Beach Book 2) Page 11