Reality of Life (Perception Book 2)

by Shandi Boyes

  “Okay let’s get back to ceremony shall we” states the celebrant as she narrows her eyes at Jacob.

  “Who gives this woman to be wed?” questions the celebrant.

  “We do” declares my mom and dad proudly from the front row.

  My mom has on a lovely peach colored lace dress; my dad is wearing a black suit. Next to my dad is Noah’s dad Trevor. Noah had made contact with him a few weeks ago. It is a slow process for them both, but I am glad Noah had decided to invite him to our wedding.

  “Repeat after me Noah” advises the celebrant as she leans the microphone towards Noah’s mouth.

  “Actually I have my own vows I want to recite to Emily” he says proudly; this causes me to smile as I had also written my own vows.

  “Emily, I have known since the day you were leaning against your bedroom door in your football jersey, that one day you would be my wife. I promise that I will cherish and love you every single day of my life. Your face will never be marked with tears again, unless they are from your happiness radiating from deep within. You are my best friend, my lover and now you are my wife. I will cherish you and love you every single day of my life” Noah declares while staring directly into my eyes. I love that he had used a part of the lyrics from ‘Surrender Me’ in his vows.

  “I also have my own vows” I inform the celebrant as she moves the microphone towards me.

  “Noah, I loved you from the very first moment I met you, even though it took you a little longer to notice it than I would have liked” I declare, while the wedding guests chuckle around us. Noah’s face also breaks into a huge grin.

  “You are the beat to my rhythm, the step to my dance and you are the lyrics to my song. I promise that I will continue to help you heal, I will take care of you and I will stand by your side the rest of my life. I promise to love, honour and cherish you every single day of my life” I declare while staring into his intense dark eyes.

  “Now we will exchange the rings” advises the marriage celebrant as Jacob hands our two rings to her.

  I wait with abated breath for Jacob to crack a joke about forgetting the rings, or accidentally dropping them. But he surprises me when he just hands them straight to the celebrant, while his blue eyes are slightly glazed over.

  “Noah repeat after me” instructs the celebrant, just as a noise of a helicopter starts to circle in the distance.

  I watch as Noah’s gaze turns up towards the noise, his head shaking in disgust at the lengths the paparazzi will stoop to for an exclusive photo of our wedding. Noah had asked me if I would agree to an exclusive photo spread in a worldwide, well known, gossip magazine. To start with I was surprised that Noah wanted to sell our wedding photos, but when he explained that he wanted to donate the money they were offering to a suicide prevention campaign, I instantly agreed.

  “I Noah take Emily to be my wife. I promise you love, honor and respect, to be faithful to you and forsaking all others, until death do us part” Noah repeats after the celebrant, his seems to be swallowing harshly and his eyes have slightly opened in shock. As he gently places the ring on my finger, I notice that his hands are trembling.

  “I Emily take you Noah to be my husband. I promise you love, honor and respect, to be faithful to you and forsaking all others, until death do us part” I recite, as I place his platinum ring on his finger.

  “It is my pleasure in the State of Florida to announce Noah and Emily to be husband and wife. Noah, you may kiss your bride” smiles the celebrant as Noah smiles brightly.

  He moves towards me, his eyes never leaving mine as he slowly lowers his mouth down and gives me a slow and tortuously teasing kiss, while our family and friends around us wolf whistle and cheer.

  “I can’t wait to see what you are wearing under your dress” he whispers softly, that it was only audible to my ears.

  I had placed Noah on a two week no sex ban to make our wedding night more special. He thought it was hard on him, but I am finding my sexual appetite is tenfold now that I am pregnant. So I think it has been harder on me, and that fact he looks so incredibly handsome in his dark suit is making my pussy throb even more in anticipation.

  “Maybe in another five to six hours you may find out” I chuckle before turning towards Jenni to gather my bouquet from her.

  I hear Noah’s frustrated groan behind me when he realises we still have the whole reception to get through before he will find out about the strapless bustier and garter I am wearing under my dress. The garter even has little blue guitars all over it. When Jenni gave it to me this morning, she said it was perfect for something new and something blue.

  When I turn back to face Noah, he winks at me and smiles before he holds his hand out for me to grasp. We both walk down the aisle side by side, while our friends throw white rose petals at us. When I walk into the reception tent I gasp in surprise. It is truly beautiful. The white tent has burgundy material draped across the ceiling. The tables are covered with white table clothes with burgundy tables runners, and the plates are all gold in colour. On top of the table runners are large gold vases, filled with burgundy long steamed roses and white lilies. There are millions of tiny white fairy lights scattered through the whole room.

  “How did you know the colour of the girl’s dresses?” I questioned Noah.

  Nicole, Jenni and I had picked them out ourselves and I had sworn the girls to secrecy, but the colour of the burgundy in our reception tent matches the girl’s dresses nearly perfectly.

  “A little birdie told me” Noah cheekily grins while tapping his nose with his index finger.

  “Do you like it?” he questions as he wraps his arms gently around my waist.

  “I love it” I reply before spinning to face him “I love you”

  “I love you too beautiful” he declares before he drops down on his knees in front of me.

  “and I love you too” he confesses before kissing my belly gently.

  The rest of the night is spent celebrating with our family and friends. Jacob and Jenni both said heartfelt speeches as they toasted to us having a long and happy marriage. Noah and I danced our first dance as husband and wife to the acoustic version of ‘Surrender Me’ before my dad cut in to ask for a dance.

  As the hours ticked by, most of the guys from the band and Jacob are pretty well intoxicated, but Noah is stone cold sober. He refuses to drink one drop of alcohol as he believes the instant he drinks will be the day I will go into labour, and he wants to ensure that he is safe to drive. Noah never drives if he consumes even one single drop of alcohol.

  “Emily, baby” Jacob declares loudly as he grabs me in a tight hug. I watch as Noah looks over towards us before he shakes his head and laughs at Jacob’s attempt to stir him. I think Noah is finally catching on to Jacob’s antics. It’s only once Jacob plants a long sloppy peck on my lips that Noah strolls over towards us.

  “Fuck off Jacob” Noah states, but I can hear that he is half laughing.

  “There is still time Emily” slurs Jacob. He is obviously a lot more drunk that I had realised.

  “Congratulations Noah and Emily” states Dr Miller, or Rachel as we are supposed to call her.

  “Thank you” I reply while offering her a hug. This is the first time I have ever seen Rachel outside of her work, she looks beautiful in a light blue fitted dress. I noticed that Jacob attempted to stand up a little straighter when Rachel walked over towards us.

  “Hello Jacob” greets Rachel as she turns her gaze towards him.

  “Rachel” he greets, no longer slurring.

  I turn my gaze towards Noah who is watching the exchange between Rachel and Jacob, before he turns back towards me and shrugs his shoulders. I think Lola might have a little bit of competition, and I think she just noticed as she starts seductively prancing over towards Jacob, before leaping into his arms. Jacob seems surprised by Lola’s sudden suction to his lips, but when Rachel walks away from our small gathering, Jacob turns his full attention back to Lola.

  Chapter
40

  Noah

  Finally, all the guests are gone and I have my beautiful wife all to myself. I look over towards Emily and notice that she is watching me intently, while biting on her bottom lip. As I start strolling to our large king size wooden bed she is sitting on, she stretches her arm out straight, signalling for me to stop.

  “Stop right there” she whispers seductively. I immediately halt walking towards her and cock one of my eyebrows into the air. I haven’t touched Emily sexually in two weeks and I don’t think I can wait much longer to have her back within my arms.

  “Now strip” she requests, as her gaze slowly drifts over my tailored suit. “Slowly” she adds on, while licking her lips.

  Smiling brightly at Emily’s sexual tenacity, I slowly unbutton my suit jacket. Her lust filled eyes watch my every move. Once I remove my jacket I let it drop to the floor, before pulling my tucked in dress shirt out of my trousers. My gaze turns back to Emily, who is now fidgeting on the bed. I slowly start to undo my gold cufflinks, that have N & E engraved on them. I am purposely going painfully slow as Emily requested, but by the way she keeps fidgeting I know that she is now wishing she hadn’t requested for me to go so slow. By the time I have undone the second cufflink, Emily starts walking towards me.

  “You’re taking too long” she advises seductively, before she rips open my black dress shirt, sending little black buttons flying around the room.

  “Oops” she giggles, before grabbing me by the waist of my pants to pull me towards our bed.

  An hour later, Emily and I are lying in bed as she runs her finger gently over my tattoo.

  “Why did you look so frightened when they celebrant said ‘to death do us part’?” questioned Emily quietly.

  I hadn’t realised that she had noticed my reaction to that part of the vows. My subconscious dreams I had when I was in a coma still feel like reality to me. I know Emily is here in my arms, but I can’t help but feel like I had still lost her.

  I roll over onto my hip so I can look into Emily’s eyes. We are further apart than normal, as her heavily pregnant belly is keeping a gap between us. I place my hand down on her swollen stomach and not long later the baby does a big kick right against my hand, causing me to smile brightly.

  “Ouch” Emily giggles “He must have feet the size of his father’s” she continues, as she smiles brightly at me.

  I look up from her glowing naked belly to her beautiful dazzling eyes. “I thought I had lost you both” I inform her softly.

  Her eyebrows pull together in concern, but she waits for me to continue.

  “That three months I was in a coma were the worst three months of my life. My biggest fear felt like it had become a reality. I thought you had died and my life spiralled out of control” I choke.

  “Oh Noah” Emily breathes heavily “I was there everyday baby, I never left your side except the day you went into cardiac arrest” she says as her eyes start to fill with tears.

  “I know that now, but at the time it felt like I had lost everything. My whole fucking world was shattered” I reply into her tear filled eyes, as she gently places her hand on my cheek.

  “No tears remember; I had promised only tears of happiness mere hours ago. Are you trying to make me break my promise already?” I state jokingly, trying to make sure she doesn’t let her tears spill over.

  She quickly shakes her head, as she wipes under her eyes to make sure her tears don’t stream down her face.

  “It’s just means you will have to be patient with me Emily. I thought I had lost you, so I am going to spend the rest of my life loving you like I had” I advise.

  I will cherish every single moment I have with Emily, as I know how quickly the carpet can get swept out from underneath you. I still remember how much it fucking hurt thinking I had lost her, so I was going to spend every day making sure I create enough memories that will last a life time.

  “I love you, Mrs Taylor” I declare directly into Emily’s eyes.

  “I love you too…” Emily starts to reply, before her eyes go wide in shock and her face morphs into pain.

  “Emily are you okay?” I ask panicked.

  “Just give me a minute” she whispers softly, as she closes her eyes tight and her face grimaces in pain.

  I stay lying in bed, watching her cautiously as my heart races a million miles an hour. Then BOOM is dawns on me, the baby is coming.

  “Is it the baby?” I quickly ask, as I jump out of the bed to throw on some clothes, not waiting for her reply.

  “Yes” she giggles as she attempts to sit up in the bed. The size of her belly causing her to look like a turtle stuck on its back. I can’t help but smile as I quickly move over near the bed to help her to sit up.

  “Thank you, I think that was my very first contraction” she announces excitedly.

  I am glad she is excited, but I am crapping my fucking pants. I need to get her downstairs and into my truck as soon as possible. But she doesn’t appear to be getting herself dressed and I need her to hurry the hell up.

  “What do you want to wear?” I question, as I walk over towards our walk in closet, trying to move her along more quickly.

  “A nightie” Emily replies as she slowly stands and moves away from the bed.

  “A nightie?” I question, I didn’t realise she would want to wear a nightie to drive to the hospital in the middle of the night, but if that is what she wants, that is what I will get her.

  I quickly walk over to her section in our wardrobe, her clothes choices are sparse, as Emily is still cautious about spending too much money. My side is lined with every different colored pair of jeans you could imagine. Leather and suede jackets take up one whole wall. But Emily still only has small collections of vintage rock shirts, skinny jeans and a few dresses hanging sparingly in her section.

  The only charges I have seen on our joint credit card is for some purchases at a maternity clothing store. That was only because she can no longer fit into her skinny jeans and shirts. No matter how many times I tell Emily what is mine is hers, she will never spend a cent she hasn’t earned herself.

  She has still been studying the past few months as well, she still wanted her own career and I was happy for her to pursue that. Everyone has ambitions and goals, I just wish Emily didn’t choose a career that is filled with such nasty and ruthless people. Do you know what Emily wants to be when she grows up? A publicist! No, I am not kidding. She said after everything Delilah had put us through she wants to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to new, upcoming stars. She wants to represent her clients with integrity and honor. I think once she is fully qualified she will be inundated with people looking for a publicist like her. I just hope she doesn’t get too popular as I would love ‘Rise Up’ to remain her number one client.

  After Emily had told Cormack of her plans he thought she would be the perfect fit for the band, so he hired her as an intern at Destiny Records. She will complete her internship as part of her university studies and will work part time as the publicist for my band. It is the perfect solution, as once Emily has the baby we are embarking on our first concert tour a few months later. Now it means Emily and the baby will travel with us everywhere we go. Isn’t it fucking perfect? Everything I have ever wanted.

  I quickly grab one of Emily’s nighties out of her drawers and walk back towards her noticing that she is holding onto the wooden bed knob, her face taught in pain as she goes through another contraction.

  “Breathe like they taught you” I advise her gently, while rubbing her back the way the Lamaze instructor had taught me.

  I can see the panic on her face starts to lessen with each deep breath she takes. After a few more seconds her death grip on the bed knob loosens, before her gaze turns towards me.

  “They really hurt” she says panicked, before a small smile forms on her face.

  Emily knew she had to go through the pain to get the reward of a baby at the end. She had quoted that to me several times the past few wee
ks. I gently slip the white cotton nightie over her head, pulling her dark locks out from underneath the neckline.

  “Thank you Noah” she smiles, before she starts walking to our bed.

  “Where are you going?” I question her, confused as to why she isn’t walking towards the door. She is in labour and we need to go to the fucking hospital, like now!

  “I am going to try and get some sleep” she replies, as she pulls the covers down on the bed and slips inside the light blue sheets.

  “Sleep? We have to go to the hospital” I advise her panicked. She can sleep there, after she has had the baby.

  Emily giggles softly before she scoots across the bed, motioning for me to join her. I walk over to the edge of the bed with my eyebrows pulled together. There is no fucking chance in hell I am going to be able to sleep.