by Ava Walsh
“I like that idea,” Thomas nodded. He was sitting beside his girlfriend Missy in their parent’s house. “You’re not a flashy guy, Cole and I think you like it that way, Lauren.”
“I do,” she agreed and looked at her fiancé. “I don’t have anyone on my own side to attend as far as family goes, so I like small too. I just want Jane and Adam in the ceremony somehow since she’s like my sister.” She grinned at Thomas. “I’m sure that Cole wants you involved as well. And I do too.”
“She’s so cute, Cole. You snagged yourself a good one here,” Janice said, laughing and wiping her eyes. Lauren watched her and wondered what she thought of Kelsey before she died. Had she loved her? Lauren saw a picture of her during the move, and she admitted that the girl was pretty with her big brown eyes and soft honey-colored hair. She looked like a good person, and Lauren was sad that she had to die and that her family had suffered such a big loss.
There was no jealousy in Lauren’s heart anymore, just sadness.
The women were washing dishes in the kitchen later. Janice rinsed and handed the plates to Missy and Lauren. “You two make my boys so happy, and that’s great to see,” Janice told them.
Missy laughed and held up her hands. “Don’t look at me to get engaged yet!” She and Thomas were only just finishing school, leaving them plenty of time.
“Oh, I’m not. I’d never rush that,” Janice laughed and looked around the spotless kitchen. “Let’s make some coffee and relax, shall we?”
They’d opened Christmas presents and enjoyed dinner and dessert, and Lauren yawned, settling into Cole’s arms by the fire. When they arrived back home and went to bed, she kissed his neck.
“Did your family like Kelsey?” she asked him. They could talk freely about her, and he held her close, quiet for a moment.
“Yes, since there wasn’t much to dislike about her. She was a great girl, but I think Mama knew that I wasn’t all in, like I am with you. It was a different time, and we were so young when we started. I was still finding myself. I think it was you who brought me back to reality, since I didn’t know what I lost with Kelsey’s death, or what I didn’t lose, in all of the grief. It depends on how you look at it, but my folks know that I love you,” Cole explained. She snuggled closer to his warm skin.
“I know. I just thought about it tonight is all,” Lauren murmured. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for her father. It had been a hard first year without him, but everyone around her was silently helping her through it. She appreciated the effort without the overabundance of sympathy.
“Were you okay today?” Cole asked her. “I saw you look sad a few times.”
Lauren smiled and shrugged. “I missed Dad. I loved today, but it was different from what I used to do with him. Everything was so different, and I got caught up in the memories a few times. But I still had a great time,” Lauren told him. She felt his hand in her hair. “I think I’ll like our traditions just as much. I am so grateful to have you.”
“I’m lucky to have you, baby,” Cole told her, gently stroking Lauren’s bare skin.
They had the following day off. Lauren used the extra time to put away their gifts and pick up the house. She thought about their wedding and felt that Spring or early Fall might be nice. There was no need to start planning right this minute, but Lauren was admittedly excited. Midori and Blue followed her as she worked while she let Cole take a nap on his rare full day off. Lauren took a break to nibble on some of the cookies that Janice had baked for them and looked over the backyard, which was now covered in a soft blanket of snow.
She heard a soft knock at the door and padded over in her slippers to see Jane standing on the big porch, dressed in a thick sweater and leggings.
“Hey. What are you up to?” Lauren let her in and invited her into the kitchen for cookies. “I’d offer you coffee, but…” Lauren let her voice drift off and laughed as she looked at her friend’s belly. Jane was natural today with her hair just tucked behind her ears, but Lauren swore that she was already glowing. Jane looked beautiful.
“Adam’s sleeping and I figured I’d wander over. How was your night?” Jane asked.
“It was nice. His parents are so happy.” Lauren smiled and stirred her coffee. “I missed Dad, but I know he’s okay. Is that weird?”
“I don’t think he ever left you, not in spirit,” Jane told her. She broke apart a cinnamon cookie and slipped a piece into her mouth. She looked at Lauren. “You were close. He’d love the hell out of Cole.”
“He would. I think Dad had something to do with it, he somehow brought Cole and me together. Cole’s just the guy Dad would’ve picked for me.” She shrugged. “Who knows? I don’t think anyone can fully understand life.”
“I agree with that,” Jane said and she ate another piece of the cookie, scowling. “I hate feeling nauseous like this when I just want to eat whatever I feel like.”
“Is it bad?” Lauren asked, having been so delighted about the news that she didn’t consider the bad parts.
“Not awful, but different,” Jane said and looked thoughtfully at the snow outside. “I’d never complain, but it’s an odd feeling. I am going to write down everything I can to remember it in fifty years.” She giggled and shook her head.
They were still talking when Cole came out, dressed in sweats and a flannel. He poured himself some coffee and walked over to them. “Morning, baby.” Lauren smiled at him and he looked at her with soft eyes. “There’s some soup from your mom in the fridge for when you’re hungry. Just let me know, okay?”
Jane left with some cookies in a container and Lauren heated some soup up for Cole in the microwave. She joined him at the table and took a bite before she moved into her own seat.
She loved Cole when he just woke up. His hair was messy and his eyes sleepy and he looked at her with love in his eyes. Since he was up early for work most of the time, Lauren cherished days like this where she saw him in the early light of day.
They watched a movie on their big sectional and nibbled on popcorn before going to bed that night, loving their time together.
Chapter Fifteen
The new year brought an official announcement of pregnancy from Adam and Jane for all the world to hear. Jane was very healthy with her baby growing inside of her and it just so happened that the house beside Cole and Lauren went up for sale when Jane was four months along. It was one room bigger than Cole and Lauren’s if you included the loft. They put in an offer the day that they saw it and moved in a month after that.
Adam and Cole did the heavy lifting along with a few guys from the ranch. Adam was adamant that Jane not help with anything that was risky and she just rolled her eyes and unpacked light stuff in the kitchen. The floor plan was open with a great kitchen and living room. There was also a small room off the main part of the house that could be used as an office or a den.
Lauren jumped back and forth to help where she could. Cole was keeping a close eye on her and she complained to Jane about it a few times. What would he be like when she was the pregnant one?
They finished setting up, and Jane kicked everyone out to go to sleep while Adam gave them apologetic looks. Lauren and Cole walked home with their arms around each other, the earlier grumbling forgotten.
“When do you want to get married?” Cole asked her. She smiled and glanced at him.
“I was thinking Spring. Daddy’s birthday is April thirteenth, and I checked…it’s a Saturday. I’d love to honor him that way.”
“That sounds perfect. Have you and Jane already been planning?” Cole asked and Lauren giggled.
“There’s been chatter,” Lauren admitted and he kissed her on the sidewalk. “I was going to break it all down for you once we settled on a final date. If April is too soon, we can change it.”
“We will,” Cole promised her and he pulled her by the hand to their house. Their pets greeted them at the door, and they walked in to feed them after loving them up.
They went to bed, tired and
a little sore, falling asleep right away. Cole planned on helping the following day as well, and of course, Lauren would assist her friend with unpacking.
Jane was having a boy, and Adam couldn’t be more thrilled. He painted the room across the hall from theirs a soft blue first thing once they were settled in, knowing that Jane was planning on buying things now that she was certain what gender the baby was going to be. The baby shower was scheduled for a couple of months before the baby’s arrival, but before that, there was a wedding to plan.
Jane grumbled about being fat in the pictures, but everyone told her that she was crazy. She looked beautiful. They visited a few locations, deciding on an old house on the edge of town with amazing views of the hills as well as a pond. Cole and Lauren would say their vows at the edge of the water under a tree. The reception would be held in the room a few feet away, offering indoor and outdoor options for the guests, depending on the weather. Janice knew the owner from school, and they got a great deal on the venue, allowing them wiggle room for extras.
Lauren bought a dress that had soft cap sleeves and that flowed over her curves into a moderate train. It was simple and made of silk with no embellishment, but it made Jane cry when she saw her friend wearing it for the first time.
Jane went along with the theme of green and found a flattering sage green dress that draped over her growing belly. Missy was also in the ceremony and found something similar. Lauren wasn’t particular about them matching exactly.
As before, several people offered to help with cooking, and the couple also hired the same barbecue place to cater along with the bakery that had helped with Jane and Adam’s wedding.
It came together perfectly, and Lauren found the days passing all too quickly as they got closer to the day. She was an ever-changing combination of nervousness and excitement. Her friends kept her from feeling too much of one way or the other. Underneath it all, Lauren was happy.
Lauren stayed with Jane the night before the wedding and kept her best friend up talking until she couldn’t take it anymore. They had their hair and makeup done the following day with Janice and Missy.
There was no champagne for Jane and little for Lauren since she wanted to remember every detail about this day.
Chapter Sixteen
Lauren looked in the mirror and she felt her heart beating fast inside of her chest. Everything was in place, and she looked beautiful according to everyone who saw her. Lauren had her father’s wedding ring on a chain around her neck, and his blue bandana tucked carefully into her dress. Her hair was in a curly updo with the veil tucked in front of it and falling over her shoulders. She swallowed as Jane walked into the room and smiled at her.
“You’re stunning,” Jane told her and Lauren met her eyes. “The guys look great as well and everyone’s ready.”
“I’m getting married,” Lauren said softly. Jane nodded with tears in her eyes. Missy joined them and they hugged tightly before the girls left to walk down the aisle first.
Once the music started, she took a deep breath and walked down the aisle with a smile on her face. She might be alone but Daddy was with her today. Her eyes rested on Cole. He was watching her come to him, handsome and emotional. There were already tears in his eyes and she smiled to comfort him.
Lauren paused in front of him, and Jane took her bouquet of white roses and lilacs. Lauren met Cole before everyone they knew. Their ceremony was short and their vows brief, but everyone felt the emotions in their words. Lauren spoke tearfully and Cole choked when it was his turn. They kissed slowly, softly before pulling away to applause and cheering.
The reception was simple and fun with a band and loads of food for everyone to eat. Cole and Lauren danced, sipped champagne, laughed and talked with guests before they blushed through the toasts and the tears that came along with them. They left before anyone else, heading back to their house before they went on a road trip the following day.
They fell into bed naked after kissing all the way through the house. Cole whispered the word “wife” over and over. He worshiped her, making her feel every part of his love for her as she came from his fingers and mouth, crying out his name. They made love and everything was perfect. They fell asleep with their bags packed beside the bed.
Their honeymoon was a week and a half of visiting every place they could get to, including The Grand Canyon for a night. It was beautiful, and Lauren smiled on every photo that was taken of her. They explored the land by day and each other by night.
It wasn’t part of Lauren’s life plan to marry her first love, but she wouldn’t have it any other way now. She got to know him more and more every night that they spent together. She knew that their bodies were made for each other and couldn’t believe that she was a wife. Lauren had to say it several times a day to Cole, whispering when they were out in public just to watch him grab her and smile.
They returned home happy to see their bed and pets but also a bit sad that regular life was going to start again. Lauren did have the baby shower to look forward to the following weekend, and she couldn’t wait to give Jane all of the presents that she’d bought for the baby. It was actually a barbecue for everyone since Jane wasn’t the type to sit in a room with a bunch of women and pretend that she was having fun.
The party was being held at Adam’s mother’s house, and Lauren arrived a bit early to help set everything up and get the food ready. They were serving a lot of appetizers, and the guys were going to grill a variety of meat. There was light alcohol and a lot of soft drinks and teas that were piled in coolers full of ice. Lauren walked around to make sure that everything looked good. Jane walked in wearing a beautiful pink dress that curved over her belly with matching lipstick and a huge smile on her face.
Everyone started arriving: friends, family and people from the town, bringing tons of gifts and even more food. Lauren took a deep breath and thanked people over and over for the kind wishes on her wedding. It was casual and Lauren liked this atmosphere. She could just hang with Cole and watch Adam enjoy the party to celebrate the arrival of his son.
The only tradition that the couple stuck to was opening the massive pile of gifts and cutting the cake before they served it to everybody.
It was a fun day, and Cole and Lauren helped bring the gifts into the house later that evening. They put the gifts in the nursery and Jane told everyone how she couldn’t wait for it to be completed, even though they knew that the baby would be sleeping in their room for a few months while she nursed at all hours of the night.
Cole assured Jane that they’d work on the nursery this week since she was due in just over a month. Then he took Lauren home and into their room where he pulled her down onto the bed and kissed her senseless.
“When do you want a baby?” Cole asked her, looking into her eyes in the light of a lamp.
“Did today give you baby fever?” Lauren teased him and she pulled him down for another kiss.
“Yeah, a little bit. I just thought ahead to the future,” Cole replied in between kisses. They undressed slowly. He slipped inside of her and Lauren whimpered his name. “I want to see you with my baby inside of you, Lauren. I want all of that for the first time in my life,” he said.
Chapter Seventeen
Lauren came for him, wrapping herself around his body and dropping her head back. She was so comfortable with Cole, and she pulled him close while she smiled and shuddered. “God, I love you.”
“I love you,” Cole replied. He moved beside her and pulled her close. They looked outside at the moon hanging low over the mountains and listened to the dog snoring in the corner. The cat was snuggled beside Lauren. She scratched her head and pressed her lips against his skin.
They were tired from their day and the socialization, and they fell asleep within half an hour, which was good since Cole worked the following day and had to get up early.
Lauren started working early in the morning, already missing Cole. She made a pot of coffee and sat at the table, writing her latest articl
e and looking at the sun rising in the backyard.
Jane came over a couple hours later. She plopped down at the table and looked at her friend. “I feel like a beached whale.” Jane opened her laptop and sighed. “I don’t know how much longer I can write this way.”
“He’ll be out before you know it and you’ll ease into a schedule again,” Lauren told her, tapping at the keys. “You have room for a break since you’ve worked so hard the last year.”
“I guess. This part is just uncomfortable. I can’t wait to hold him, though,” Jane said and smiled. “We’re going to name him Brandon James. Do you like it?”
“I love it,” Lauren told her. She looked down at Jane’s belly and shook her head. “He said…I think…I must be crazy.”
“What do you mean?” Jane asked and Lauren rolled her eyes.
“Cole wants a baby now. He got all starry-eyed after the shower. We’ve only been married for a month.” Lauren stared at Jane, who was smiling at her.
“I started trying right away,” Jane reminded her. Lauren licked her lips.
“You knew each other longer. It’s different,” Lauren protested, thinking she was becoming more insane by the second.
“It’s love,” Jane told her and shrugged. “Take a breath and jump.”
They worked together through the day, with Jane napping a bit more than writing. Lauren fixed her snacks and made lunch for all of them when the guys got there. Adam took great care of Jane and Lauren watched thoughtfully.
That night, Cole and Lauren were making love when she looked into his eyes. “I have a surprise for you,” she said.
“What’s that?” Cole asked her. She leaned down and whispered in his ear. He grabbed her and moved inside of her with a big smile. “Really, Lauren? Are we going to make a baby?”