Page 26 of Thicker than Blood
P.s. Ask your lovely bride about the cream cheese and pickle chips she’s been craving…just like my Ruthie when she was pregnant with your father.
P.p.s. We don’t think she’s figured it out yet!
Oh, my fucking God!
I’m up on my feet and out the door by the time the paper has floated down to the top of the dresser. Gramps has been over the moon since he found out about the wedding. I think getting everything ready and being able to walk Maple down the aisle has done more for his recovery than any of the physical therapy they have him doing or the ‘rest’ we’ve forced him to take.
He got all misty when Maple asked him to be the one to walk her down the aisle. I can’t imagine him keeping this to himself for very long, which is probably why he left me the note. A way of putting me on the clock to tell her before he explodes with it and just drops it on her.
I go down the hall and have to fight my way through the women. My sweet girl couldn’t tell anyone no so she has five brides’ maids, all wives of the guys from the hockey team. They really took her under their wing and when on the very rare occasion I have to work late I have no worries she’ll be alone while we stay in the city. On the weekends we leave to go to the Manor and to Gramps and Maria who dote on my Maple.
I fight through the layers of frills and lace and… girlie shit to finally reach my lady. Thankfully Maple wanted to have the wedding at the Manor, outside, in the exact same spot we had our first picnic, all those weeks ago. She’s sitting in front of a mirrored vanity with Maria fixing her hair in an elaborate bun-thing that will look amazing because it’s on Maple. Maria takes one look at me and huffs.
“He just couldn’t hold his wad, could he? One more day, Caspian. That was all he had to wait. But no…”
She knows Gramps has told me.
“What… what’s going on, Casp? Is everything alright with Eddie?” Worry clouds Maple's eyes until I can’t stand it.
“Nothing is wrong with Gramps, baby. He’s tickled pink and getting dressed…but he, uh, left me one of his notes.”
Maria hustles the other girls out of the room and quietly closes the door behind her so we will have some privacy.
Where the hell do I even start?
“Can we talk, sweets?”
She turns horrified eyes to me, “Oh god! You’re leaving me at the altar?”
“What? Fuck no!”
She visibly relaxes at my words.
“Jesus, love. Why would you think I would ever leave you?”
“I don’t know.” She sounds like she is really trying to figure it out. “I… I’ve been a wreck the past couple of days. I start crying and think… it’s just I’m so tired and all I do is eat and I’ll become as big as a house if I don't stop, and you won’t find me attractive anymore and then you’ll start cheating with some slutty little secretary that doesn't eat all the time and you’ll ask me for a divorce and…and…”
“Good God, love. Stop. Stop. You can’t… you can’t worry like this. It’s not good for…” I barely catch myself.
“Good for what? My eating? I know. But I just can’t stop eating and worrying and…
“Baby, I’m obsessed with you. I watch you when we’re not together.”
She gives me a small sexy smile. “And I let you because it turns me on.”
I pull her into my arms, turn, and go to one of the sofas in the room then I sit with her in my lap. “That’s my sweet little girl. One of the many reasons I love you.”
My hand moves from her hips to her still-flat belly and the thought of our baby being inside her has me getting a little misty-eyed.
“Don’t ever worry about me loving you, Sweets. I will love you until the day I die. And then I’ll still love you after that.”
She brings her lips down on mine.
“You have to stop worrying so much, Sweets.” I start over again. “It isn’t good for the baby.”
She stares at me for a long time. Finally, she starts talking. “Come again.”
“I said, worrying isn’t good for the baby, love.”