Chapter 21

The next few weeks go by without too many problems. Alex and I get set up with our obstetrician. Alex has never been more excited in the whole time that I knew him. He can’t wait until we get to learn what we’re having. Wedding planning is also coming along fast. We have a date set for two weeks from this Saturday.

We choose to have a small wedding with just our closest friends and family. My mother and Jacki have helped me a lot in getting all the things set up. Katie and Erica have helped me get my dress picked as well as the wedding party.

“Mae. Do you have any preference on your cake?” Max asks, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“In all honesty, not really. I’m just so ready to get all this over with. It’s kinda sad though. I always thought that if I had found someone worth marrying, I would be excited to plan my wedding. Now that I’m here, I don’t really care.” I start laughing.

My emotions have been all over the place. Being pregnant messes with you big time. I have been going through extreme mood swings lately. I’m surprised at how well Alex has been handling all this. Last night I had called him a bastard for not getting me any ice cream from the store. The problem was I had never even asked him for ice cream. I then proceeded to cry for being a “super bitch” to him.

Alex spent the next forty-five minutes calming me down and taking me out to get ice cream. He never once lost his temper and never got frustrated with me. I’m not sure who coached him on how to treat a pregnant lady, but they did a damn good job.

“Is it really that funny?” Max asks as I continue to laugh.

“Probably not. But with my hormones going bat shit crazy right now, it is the most hilarious thing on the planet.” I continue to laugh like a crazy person.

Rosetta manages to walk in during my episode and looks over at Max in silent question. He shrugs as I start to finally calm down. She sits herself down on a stool and looks at me in silent question.

“I found it hilarious that I didn’t really care that much about the details of my wedding. Which is weird.” I shrug as I say this.

“Considering everything that you’ve been through, I’m not surprised. The Tanner fiasco took a lot out of you. Alex has moved in like there is no tomorrow, so you have sorta been blindsided by all this. Not to mention the little person in you who is currently taking all your brain cells.” She chuckles as she says this.

“I think I will try what you do then. I will try and think up something to symbolize your love with Alex.” Max says, puffing out his chest. Max has grown a lot in his designs, so I am excited to see what he comes up with for our wedding.

I spend the rest of the day getting stuff ready for the diner. Rosetta has continued to stay busy not only here but at the diner as well. All this work is great, but it leaves me exhausted at the end of the day. I knew that pregnancy takes a lot out of you, but this has been rough. I’m ready for the point in time when I start feeling better. My phone rings and I see that it is the doctor’s office.

“Hello.”

“Hi, may I speak with Mae?” I hear a soft voice over the phone.

“This is she.”

“This is Gabby from your obstetrician office. We have an opening tomorrow at eleven if you would like to come in sooner and learn the sex of your baby. We head you on the list to get a sooner appointment if possible.”

“Yes, please. I will be there. Thank you.” I hang up the phone and immediately call Alex.

“Hey bab, everything okay?” He sounds worried.

“I’m great. We just got an opening to go in tomorrow at eleven for the sonogram for the sex. Can you make that?” I hear him suck in a Hugh breath.

“Yeah, I can. My meeting got canceled. This is awesome!” I chuckle at his excitement.

After we hang up, I get my stuff together and head out the door. I need to stop by and see my mother about a few things, and I want to spend some time with her. I tell everyone goodbye and head on my way, not knowing that I was being watched.

Alex

“Alex, there is a visitor here to see you.” I hear the temporary assistant call through the phone. I was lucky enough to find a guy who was not only capable but had no interest in me.

“Who is it? I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

“He says his name is Declan.”

“Send him in.”

This was a surprise. Declan and I had not spoken in weeks since the incident at Xavier’s wedding. Declan has always had a hard time admitting when he is wrong, and that night he was beyond wrong. He insulted my girl, and that would not stand with me. I sent word through Xavier that we could talk when he got his head out of his ass and apologized.

“Declan, this is a surprise, what can I do for you?” He looks at me, and I can see it in his eyes. There is guilt written all over his face.

“I came to grovel and apologize. I was way out of line, and I would like to make an apology to not only you but Mae as well. I’ve always had a blind spot when it comes to Tanner, and I let that cloud my judgment that night. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for not only that night but everything he put her through.”

Part of me wanted to watch him squirm longer, but I knew he was sincere in his apology. I know that Mae felt the same way. She had tried several times to get me to invite him over so we could make up, but I was stubborn. I wanted him to know that he had made me suffer. I get up and walk over to him.

“It’s all good, man.” I stuck my hand out for him to shake. He pulled me into a hug, and we both chuckled.

“I hear that congratulations are in order. Not only are you getting hitched, but you put a bun in the oven.” He laughs as he says this.

“I can’t deny any of that.” I laugh. “Mae has been the best thing to ever happen to me. I love more than I thought was ever possible. I think once you get to know her, you’ll like her too.” I say this trying to not come off as an ass.

“I’m sure I will. If you and Tanner both fell in love with her then I have no doubts that she is amazing. There is something that I need to tell you though.” He has an exasperated look on his face.

“Tanner has been following her around some. I don’t think he has done anything other than that. But you need to know that he hasn’t given up on the hopes that she will be his again. He is starting to notice the pregnancy, and I don’t think anyone has come right out and told him. Do you want me to do that?”

The look on Declan’s face says that he is worried about the situation. Tanner has never been a violent person before, but who knows what this situation has been doing to him. I want to believe that he would never hurt Mae, but I can’t risk it.

“Yeah, you can tell him, but make it clear to him that he needs to stay away from her. She’s already told him once, and I’ll say it again. He needs to stop following her and stay away. Her apartment was broken into, you know.” I huff out the last part, still upset that we have no answers.

“You don’t think it was Tanner do you?” Declan asks.

“Honestly, I haven’t got a clue who did it. They ruined practically everything Mae owned. I wouldn’t think that Tanner would do something like that, but he’s changed. Mae doesn’t seem to think it was him either.” I pace around the room. “I’m just worried about Mae and the baby.”

“I’ll talk to him. Maybe convince him that he needs to go on a vacation for a while and clear his head. Maybe getting away can put some perspective in his mind about what he needs to do.” Declan gives a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

He is just as worried as I am that Tanner may be involved in all of this. Mae hasn’t said anything lately about feeling like anything is off. I’m hoping that we are at the end of all this and can finally move on.

Chapter 22

Mae

After spending time with my mother I headed home. I still felt like someone was watching me, but I could never pinpoint where the person was. I walked through the door and did everything as I would normally do. I went to the bedroom where the blinds were drawn and carefully peaked out. I couldn’t see anyone out there standing or creeping around.

I must be paranoid, too many scary movies lately. I pulled out a frozen pizza and started to bake it for dinner. I have been craving these, and Alex always gives in because he likes them too. I sit in a recliner and start watching television.

I wake to hear the oven going off and then suddenly stopping. I walk into the kitchen to see a grinning Alex pulling the pizza out of the oven. He places it on the counter and walks over to me, and wraps his arms around me.

“Hey, Baby. You looked so comfortable I didn’t have the heart to wake you.” He kisses the top of my head.

“Thanks for helping. How was your day?” I ask as I grab us some plates.

“Good, but I had a surprise visitor.” I turn and face him raising my brow in question. “Declan came by and apologized. He feels like an ass for everything. He also told me something that has me worried.”

We sit down at the bar and start eating. I’m waiting patiently for whatever he has to say. He looks worried, and I don’t think I am going to like where this is going. I nudge his elbow, telling him to come out with it.

“Tanner has been following you. Not often, but following you nonetheless. Declan is going to talk with him and make sure to get him to understand why he can’t be doing that. Neither of us thinks he is the one who ransacked your apartment, but that is our opinion.” He takes my hand in his and rubs soothing circles on it.

“I did feel like I was being watched and followed today when I left work. I didn’t notice anyone, but I had a creepy feeling.” I tell him looking into his eyes.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would have met you and made sure that you are safe.” He raises his voice slightly.

“I thought I was being paranoid from watching too many horror movies.” Alex has never taken that kind of tone with me.

“Mae, anything could have happened to you! It’s not just you now, you need to think about the baby!” This time he all but yells.

My eyes immediately begin to tear up, and I feel them begin to drip out of my eyes. I know that my hormones are all over the place, but that was harsh. He has never yelled at me and to think that he is now when I am vulnerable. I slowly stand from the table and take my plate, and put it by the sink. I take a deep breath and release it. I turn back around to see Alex looking guilty.

“First, don’t you ever suggest that I don’t think about this baby with everything that I do. Second, I don’t care if I’m being the biggest bitch on the planet. Don’t you ever make me feel like that again, I am thinking clearly, and I am taking my safety seriously.”

“Baby, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I was so scared that I could lose you. I’m sorry.”

He walks up to me and gets on his knees in front of me. He puts his head on my stomach and whispers something to my stomach. He wraps his arms around my waist and holds don as if he is scared to let go. I can feel him shaking a little as he grips onto me.

“Alex. You need to understand why I’m upset. I know you’re sorry and I forgive you. But do you know why I got upset?” I ask in a steady voice.

“I yelled at you, and I made you feel less than perfect. And that isn’t true. You’re perfect to me, and I should never make you feel any less than that. I am so sorry. You are going to be an amazing mother, hell you already are. Don’t let me being a jerk make you think otherwise.”

He stands to his feet and takes both my hands in his. He lifts them to his lips. He looks me in the eyes, and I see the guilt is still there. This is the first time that we have argued about anything. For a first argument, I think that we have done a pretty good job of figuring things out fast.

“I love you, Alex. I know we will fight from time to time, but let’s always make up before we go to bed. I don’t want us to ever go to sleep with either of us mad at the other.” I feel another tear slip down my cheek.

“I promise. I love you so much, Mae.” He puts his hands on my cheeks and rubs away the tear.

He gently pulls me to him and kisses me. I can feel how desperately he wants me to feel his emotions, his guilt, sadness, and sorrow. I kiss him back with just as much emotion, knowing that he needs this. I know that this won’t be the last time that we ever argue, but I pray that they are far and few between.

*********

“I don’t want you going to the appointment without me. I’ll come by and pick you up, and we’ll go together.” Alex says as he drives me to work.

“Ok. That sounds like a good idea. I was going to suggest getting Max to take me and meet you there, but I forgot he has the day off.” I say smiling at him.

“How’d he manage that?” Alex chuckles.

“He is going to get a new phone and number today. An ex-fling has been calling him, constantly trying to get him to change his mind. Poor guy doesn’t learn.” I laugh a little.

“Always breaking hearts. Here we are. I love you, Mae. Please be safe and have a good day.” I lean over the console and give him a kiss.

“Love you more.”

I am in the kitchen pulling out a batch of cookies when the girl working the front comes back and tells me that there is a customer who would like to talk to me. This is a pretty normal thing lately so I clean myself up a little and head out with a smile on my face.

“Hi, I’m Mae. How may I help you?” I smile kindly at her in hopes that if she’s mad it will soften the blow.

“I just wanted to meet the woman who made this amazing cake that I just bought.” The woman has a massive smile on her face and I smile back at her. “I have been dying to meet you for a while now. You are lovely, aren’t you? Any man would be lucky to have a girl like you.” She chuckled as she said this.

“Thank you very much for the compliment. Is there anything that you would like or need help with today?” I smile at her again trying to be nice.

“Oh, no dear. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I’ll see you again soon.” She winks and turns to head out the door.

“That was hilarious. That’s the first time she has asked for you. She’s in here all the time.” The girl says.

I just shake my head and giggle. I look at the clock and see that it is almost time for Alex to come get me. I grab my stuff and change my clothes. I walk out to find Alex there waiting for me.

The office is pretty busy when we get there so we take a seat and wait to be called. Alex is noticeably excited and is constantly fidgeting. They finally call my name and we head back. I lay back and the tech squirts the gel on my stomach and we both stare at the screen.

Alex holds my hand tightly as the sound of the baby’s heartbeat fills the room. There are so many changes since the last time that we saw the baby. Tears are pouring down my cheeks as I watch with wonder. The tech moves all over my stomach taking pictures and measurements.

“Do you want to know the sex guys?”

“Yes!” we both answer at the same time. The tech bursts out laughing and so do we.

“Congratulations. It’s a boy.”

Alex kisses me with tears running down his cheeks. We are both so happy that everything is fine with our child. Neither of us really cared what we were having as long as the baby was healthy. I clean up and take the photos that we copied for us and we head out the door.

“Come on Mommy let’s get you home.”

Chapter 23

Alex

The last two days since we found out what we are having, Mae and I have been on top of the world. We’ve been trying to come up with a name for the little guy, and we have settled on choosing between three Hayden, Carson, and Brandon. This morning we narrowed it down to those three, and Mae couldn’t stop smiling.

I walk into the office earlier than usual, hoping to get a start on my work. Mae wants to go shopping later to look at some furniture for the baby. I’m trying to get off early to take her. Looking back on this time last year, I was working none stop with no end in sight. I was miserable but had no idea that I was.

I look up after a while and realize that it is past eight in the morning. The temp who was filling in for Mark should have been here by now. I get up and head out to where he should be and see the area empty.

“Hi, Helen. I was checking to see if anyone has heard from my temp assistant this morning. He isn’t here.” I’m not that upset, I’m concerned that the kid is alright.

“Oh yes, I was just about to call you. He’s sick today. They will have another temp arrive later today. I can get someone to fill in if you’re needing someone right this moment.” Helen is always doing everything that she can to make sure everyone in the company has all that they need.

“No, Helen, that will be fine. Have a good rest of your day.” I hang up with her and get started on all I want to do for the day, not paying any attention to the time.

I must’ve lost track of the time because I hear my office door open and close. I look at my watch and see that it’s one in the afternoon. I look up and find the temp Stephanie, whom I had interviewed with Mark, standing in my office naked. What is with women showing up to my office naked!

“Stephanie, I think that you are in the wrong place. Please leave.” I make my voice as stern as I can.

“Oh, I know I’m in the right place. Your temp company sent me to fill in, and I thought you may need an afternoon snack.” Her voice is grating on my nerves as she slithers toward me.

“I’m pretty sure I’m good, thanks. Now please leave before I call security.” She hops onto my desk before I can do anything.

I quickly push my chair back and try to stand as she grabs my tie and pulls me as she lays back on the desk. I’m fighting to pull away as my door opens, and there stands Rosetta and Mae. I’m so fucked.

“Alex! How could you?” Mae yells, and I hear a giggle come from below me.

“I’ll just let you handle her. I’ll see you around, Alex.” And just as quickly as she showed up, she was gone.

My heart is in my throat as I stand and look at the two women who had entered my office. Rosetta looked like she was ready to burn me at the stake. I look at Mae and see hurt all over her face. She has to believe that I would never do anything like that to her. I love her so much that I can’t think straight. I would rather die than hurt her.

“Mae, it wasn’t what you think. I would never…” She raises her hand and silences me.

“Do you have any idea what I am thinking at the moment?” Her voice is low and shaking.

“Not exactly, I’m afraid that you think I was cheating,” I whisper. My eyes are tearing up at the thought that she may leave me. My head is down in shame even though I did nothing wrong.

I suddenly hear Mae laughing hysterically. I look up, and Rosetta is looking at Mae like she has lost her damn mind. Mae’s leaned over, bracing herself on her knees as she continues to laugh. At this point, I have no idea what is going on. She could have lost it completely, and this is her way of coping.

“Baby, I promise it wasn’t what it looked like. That psycho just showed up, and I have no idea what is going on.” I’m begging at this point. I will fall to my knees if I need to.

Mae looks up at me with tears in her eyes as she’s still laughing. I walk over and lead her to the sofa in my office so she can sit down and get herself together. She slowly starts to calm, and I feel like I’m going to jump out of my skin. I need to know that what she is thinking right now.

“Alex. I could tell by the disgusted and horrified look on your face that you weren’t cheating on me.” She smiles and takes my hand.

“What? Why were you laughing?” I was so confused.

“The look on your face was priceless. It reminded me of the story Xavier told me on that date.” She gets the giggles again as she said this.

“I was starting to think that you had lost your mind, Mae!” Rosetta says huffing.

“He looked so scared, and I thought he may even throw up. If he was really screwing around on me, he wouldn’t look that upset by the looks and touch of her. Who was she, by the way? I didn’t get a good look at her.”

“She was a temp filling in for the other temp filling in for Mark. Her name is Stephanie, and I have turned her down once already. When she was interviewed she was completely inappropriate. God, I feel like I lost twenty years off my life. The way you called my name, I just knew that I had lost you.” I lay my head on her shoulder.

She rubs her hand through my hair and chuckles. I don’t know what good thing I did to get her, but I’m thankful I did. Rosetta pats my back and stands up. She looks at us and smiles.

“I’ll head out now that everything is okay. Bye love birds.”

“What are you doing here so early?” I ask as she rubs my head.

“We sold out of everything, and I thought I would surprise you. Rosetta walked with me so I wouldn’t be alone. I’m glad I saved you from that woman.” She chuckles.

“Me too. I have no idea why women think it is acceptable to get naked in my office! Do I have some weird sign-up that I don’t know about?”

“You do. It says: Come in, take your clothes off. And then on the way out there is a sign that says: Y’all come back now, ya hear.”

I give her the WTF look, and she bursts into fits of laughter again. She is not bothered at all by what happened. It appears that she is extremely entertained by my predicament. Her laughter is infectious, and soon I join her in laughing. I look at her and she has never been more beautiful. She has a glow about her and it’s not just the baby. She looks truly happy and it radiates off her.

“I’m the luckiest man on earth,” I say and place my hands on her cheeks.

“Why’s that?” She asks as she stops laughing.

“You are the definition of beauty.”

“Did that girl slip you some drugs?” She laughs.

“You may not see it, or understand it, but you are the most beautiful woman on the planet. I dare anyone to change my mind. There is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with.”

I pull her into my arms and kiss her. My heart is so full, that I don’t know what to do. How can this all possibly be real? I’ve never understood how I could be so lucky and today just proved it more. I will spend the rest of my life showing this woman that she is worth the world. That no matter what happens, I will always love her and worship her. As she pulls back, there are little tears on her cheeks.

“No tears.” I kiss them away.

“I love you, Alex. Now take me shopping, and then let’s go home so you can just take me.”

Chapter 24

Mae

“Are you planning on staying at Erica’s after your bachelorette party?” Max asks as he finishes cleaning up.

Today is my last day at work before the wedding. Tomorrow night all our friends have planned parties for us. Mine, of course, will be without alcohol since I’m in a delicate condition. Max is joining the guys for Alex’s party, so he’s excited.

“I may. Alex is going to be staying with the guys, so I could stay at home if I wanted.” I haven’t decided what I want to do.

“If you stay at home let someone know. I don’t like the idea of you being by yourself with the possibility of someone stalking you.” Max says.

“Your as bad as Alex, Max. Don’t worry. It will take me being physically unable to move to keep me from marrying that man. I have never in my life been this happy. Alex is my everything, and once little man joins, my family will be complete.” I said grinning from ear to ear.

We finish cleaning, and I send Alex a text letting him know that Max is taking me home. I have still been having the feeling that I’m being watched. There are a few times that I would notice someone in with a hat and glasses. They would always be far enough away that I couldn’t tell if they were a male or female. Max has been concerned that Tanner is behind it. I just have a feeling that it wasn’t him.

“Do you want me to stay for a while until Alex gets home? I noticed you looking around like you were scared.” Max asks as we are standing on my doorstep.

“No, I think I’ll be fine. Besides you need to find a date for the wedding. Don’t think that I haven’t noticed the lack of females beating down the doors at the bakery.” I smirk at him, only to see that he isn’t smiling. “What’s up, hun?”

“I haven’t been going out. After that last girl and all her craziness, I’ve decided to wait and find someone that I think I could settle down with.”

I pull him into a hug and hold him tightly. I’ve been waiting for years for him to come to this understanding. I’ve wanted him to be happy, and I never thought that he was all that happy with what he was doing. I pull back and kiss his cheek, and smile.

“You’re an amazing man, and you deserve to find an amazing woman. She’s out there, be patient. As good-looking and kind as you are, there will be plenty of good women out there who will want to give you a chance.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t want just any woman anymore. I want my soulmate. I want what you and Alex have. As cheesy as it sounds I want it all.” He says.

After talking for a few minutes, Max leaves, and I head into the house. Tonight is the last night that Alex and I will have to get her before the wedding. We have a nice dinner planned followed by a movie night. Now that I’m further along, I’m feeling better and able to do more around the house. Morning sickness was awful, and I felt drained most of the time.

“Hey, Baby. You look like you’re feeling better today.” I feel him wrap his arms around me.

“I am, so I thought I would do a few things around the house. When are you heading out tomorrow?” I ask as I turn in his arms, wrapping mine around his neck.

“About lunchtime tomorrow. You girls better not get too wild at that party.” He smirks at me, knowing that there will be no alcohol.

“Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. You make sure that to behave yourself. I know that a certain pair of brothers will most likely try and get you a stripper. I don’t mind just no touching.”

I know that most women would lose their shit if their men were watching a stripper. I believe that Alex is loyal and would never do anything to hurt me. Not to mention the fact that Chelsea and Erica are most likely planning the same for me.

“Same to you. I don’t trust Chelsea.” He says with this cute little jealous face.

“Never fear my cute little green-eyed man. You’re the only man for me.” I giggle, watching him make faces. “Now, let’s enjoy tonight since I won’t be able to see you for a while.”

Alex

Leaving Mae this morning sucked. I don’t understand why everyone is so set on tradition and that we can’t stay together tonight. I mean, what else is gonna happen? We’re already having a baby. I just want to lay with her wrapped in my arms.

“So we have an amazing night planned full of all sorts of debotury,” Declan says, wiggling his eyebrows. “Tanner and I have planned some special entertainment for the latter part of the evening.”

Max rolls his eyes at the mention of Tanner. Xavier, Todd, Eric, Sam, and Mark are all along for the ride as well. Xavier and Declan promised that Tanner will be on his best behavior, and so far, he has been. We started the night out by getting dinner at one of our favorite sports bars that have the best beer selection around.

“Does Mae know about that?” Todd asks.

Todd has always put up with my friends but has never really cared too much for them. Xavier by far is his favorite of them, but he really can’t stand Tanner. Eric thinks it’s funny and that Todd is just jealous of my bond with the guys.

“She does have a hint that some parts of the planning team may hire strippers. Funny enough, she knew which ones would do it.” I laugh as I say this.

“That girl always could see through my bullshit. Unless it directly affects her, she can usually see it.” Max laughs. I don’t think he meant that as a jab at Tanner, but it was a good one if he did.

Before long, the stories start flowing as we drink more and more beer. Most of us are feeling good and laughing more than we have in years. Max regales us with stories of Mae’s teenage years, while Declan does the same about me. People have been coming and going in the bar, and I look down to see we have been here for three hours.

“Damn, time is flying,” I say.

“Yeah, we need to head to Xavier’s for the rest of our night. Since someone doesn’t want to go to the club or anything.” Tanner says, giving me the stink eye.

We get to Xavier’s and are there for only a few minutes before there is a knock at the door. Tanner goes and answers it, and walks several guys with huge cases in. I’m starting to get confused until they start setting up gaming stations. They have televisions and first-generation X-Boxes.

“My friends, we’re going back in time to college. When Alex, Xavier, and I would spend hours playing Halo multiplayer.” Declan says with a smirk on his face. “Alex, we knew you could care less about a stripper. We wanted to respect your girl and do something that I think we can all enjoy.”

The next several hours are spent playing the game. We’re fortunate enough that all of us have played this at some point. We all slide right back into the habit of playing. Every man has his own station to play at, so we are living the dream right now.

Somewhere along the lines, someone delivers pizza and beer to help keep us fueled for the battle. Laughs, grumbles, and victory screams are all that can be heard from the room. I look around and think that this is the perfect bachelor party for me. There is no pressure to entertain each other, and there is no threat of any women trying to come on to us.

I’m thankful for the friends and family that I have. Mae and I are lucky to have these people in our lives. Just thinking that has me thinking about Mae. I can’t wait to see her tomorrow. Making her my wife is going to be the best day of my life. She has become my everything.

I know that we will only have a short time until our little man comes to join us. Mae is going to be an amazing mother, and I can’t wait to be a father. I’m hoping that we can have several more children. Mae doesn’t know that yet, but I think that life is too short for us to wait forever. Not to mention I’m not getting any older.

Even if we only have one, I think our lives will be happy. I will do whatever she wants because, at the end of the day, my life is being with her and making her happy.

Chapter 25

Mae

Over the last three hours, I have watched the ladies in my life act as they have never been out in public before. We went out to eat at my favorite Mexican restaurant because that is what I have been craving for days. I have to feed this child what he wants. Even though we are having a non-acholic party, these girls are acting crazy.

Everyone seems to get along well and really click. Chelsea has become a great friend, and she was having the time of her life telling crazy stories about Alex from high school. At this point, I am in tears laughing at all the stories that she is telling. People are staring in our direction, and it makes it all that much funnier.

“Katie, did you hear about what Mae walked into the other day in Alex’s office?” Chelsea says while trying to hold back her giggles.

“No, what happened?” Katie is eating this up.

Chelsea begins telling the story of Stephanie. Rosetta is sitting there with her head in her hands remembering every horrible moment. I can’t even look around the table as I hear all the laughing going on. Katie is having the time of her life, all at her brother’s expense. We wind the dinner up and head to Erica’s for the rest of the evening.

“Alright, ladies, so for the rest of the night, we are having a spa night and playing Ballbuster Pineta,” Erica says, followed by squeals of excitement.

After a few more goofy hours of girl time, I am starting to feel it. Although it is getting easier, pregnancy is wiping me out. I look around and see that the girls are still going strong except for Rosetta me. I catch her eye, and she nods in understanding.

“Ladies, I’m taking little mommy home to get her beauty sleep,” Rosetta announces.

With groans of disapproval and lots of hugs, Rosetta and I leave, heading for the house. We reach the house at eleven-thirty, and I head straight in. With the house to myself, I want to take a long soak in the tub and crash. I walk into my bedroom and immediately feel that I am not alone. The lamp by the side of the bed cuts on, and there sits a woman.

“I was wondering how long it was going to take you to get here.” She says, and I recognize the voice.

“You’re the woman from the shop. You came by to see what all the fuss was about.” I say shocked.

“Good girl. But, you’re forgetting that I am also the one that you saw Alex within his office.” As soon as the words left her mouth, I felt my heart sink.

“So, are you here for Alex then?” I’m at a loss trying to figure out what is going on.

“Oh, no honey. I don’t give two shits about Alex. I’m here for you and you alone.” She smiles a sickening smile.

“Okay. So what can I do for you?” I’m trying to stay calm on the outside, but inside I am a wreck.

“I want to tell you a little story, so take a seat on that sofa.” I do as she asks. “Good girl. So, where should I start? Oh, I know, I’ll start from the beginning. I came by your bakery one Saturday and wanted to get a little treat for myself. It was almost closing time, and as I tried to open the door, this gorgeous man was locking the door. He took pity on me and let me come inside.” Stephanie has a dreamy look on her face as she tells this. It seems that Max made an impression on her.

“He helped me get my treat, and we talked. He asked me out, and of course, I said yes. I mean, who could say no to that face. We went on several dates, and things were going great. The only issue was that he talked about his friend Mae all the time. Then came the moment when everything changed. I ask him to meet my parents.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, I realized who and what I was dealing with. This was Max’s crazy ex, who wouldn’t leave him alone. I was so worried about what she would do to him, I never thought that she would go after anyone else. What troubles me the most is why is she after me?

“He sent me breakup flowers saying it’s not you, it’s me.” She chuckles darkly. “I think that the real reason is you, Mae.”

“What? Why?” I couldn’t help it, but my voice was angry.

“It was always Mae Mae Mae. He talked about you all the time. You walked home together all the time. You would hug and kiss him! He is in love with you. That’s why.” She screams.

“I only ever kissed his cheeks. We have been friends since we were children. I don’t see Max that way. He is like a brother to me!” I yell back.

I know that I should be agitating her, but her insinuations piss me off. I have never been a cheater,r and I’ll be damned if I’m seen as one. This girl has more than one screw loose.

“Lies! You want to have Max and Alex. I went to try and work for Alex in hopes that I could get him to leave you so that you would know what it feels like to lose the man you love. You’re just stringing Max along!”

Suddenly she hoops up from the bed and makes her way to me. I continue to back up with every step she takes, but she still quickly catches up with me. I hit a wall with my back, and she walks up to me and pulls out some zip ties from her pocket. My heart slams in my chest as I think of what she could be doing.

“Mae, I think that you missing your wedding will be for the best. Poor Alex deserves better than someone who is cheating on him with her “best friend”. Plus, if I can get you out of the way for a while, then Max will come back to me.” She smiles sweetly.

“What are you planning on doing to me?” I tried to hide the fear in my voice but there was no chance that I could.

“I’m just going to keep you hidden for a while. I’m not that cruel to kill you or that son of yours! What do you think I am, crazy?”

“Well, no shit!” I yell back.

Before I can realize what is going on, she slaps me across the face. My mouth gets me in more trouble than I can ever imagine. My face swings to the side, and there is an immediate throbbing in my cheek. I turn back around, and all I see is red.

I’m not usually a violent person, but I lost it. I pulled back my fist and punched her right in the throat. I was in protective mother mode. I would never let her get away with endangering my child. She stumbles back, trying to catch her breath.

As she stumbles, she raises her hands to hold her throat. I quickly grab the zip ties and push her to the bed so that she falls over. I zip up her hands and feet as fast as I can. I lay her on her side to try and help with her breathing.

“Try to calm your breathing. I’m calling 911.” I tell her as she still gasps for air.

As soon as I end the call with 911 the police are already there with an ambulance on its way. I’m answering every question the best that I can, but I am starting to feel the shock set in.

“Could I call my fiance? He has no idea what is happening, and I feel like this is too overwhelming.” I ask one of the police officers.

“Of course, I’ll call him, you drink this water and have a seat. You’re in no position to be up and stressing this much.”

The officer walks into the other room and makes the call. I lay on the sofa and try to calm myself. Around fifteen minutes later, the front door bursts open with all the guys running inside. Alex makes a beeline to the sofa, pulling me into his arms.

“Are you okay? Where are you hurt?” His voice is shaking, and he has tears in his eyes.

“I’m fine, just shook up. She slapped me once, and then I throat punched her.” I tell him.

“That’s my girl!” Todd yells, causing Alex to roll his eyes.

“Who attacked you?” Alex asks.

“Stephanie. Who is apparently Max’s stalker ex.” I say, looking at Max.

“Wait, wait. Stephanie is the guy from the other day at the office?” Max asks Alex and me.

The officer comes over, and I give my statement again, telling everything that happened. Alex and Max also give statements about everything that has happened with them as well. Looking at it all together now, it seems surreal that it was all happening, and none of us put two and two together.

“Mae, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I had no idea she was after you. She suddenly stopped bothering me, and I thought that she had finally understood that I wasn’t interested.” Max says, pulling me into a hug.

“It’s okay, Max. She thought I was sleeping with you and Alex. She is clearly insane.” I chuckle. “Alex, can we go stay at a hotel? I’m not feeling comfortable here.”

“Of course, Baby.”

So much for a relaxing night at home.

Chapter 26

Alex

The moment when your world feels like it is crashing down around you is not only terrifying but heartbreaking as well. When my phone rang that late, I knew that something horrible had happened. My thoughts immediately went to the woman I love who is carrying my son. The officer had assured me that she was alright, but until I could lay eyes on her, there was nothing anyone could say to calm me down.

I ran out the door as fast as possible, not paying attention to the yells, and then men following. I needed to see Mae. The ride there was nerve-wracking, and I could only focus on getting there fast. I walked into the doors of my home, knowing that it would never be the same there. No matter how much time passed, Mae would never completely feel safe in our home again.

Once I had her in my arms and knew she was safe, I finally calmed down. Listening to her story, I was in awe of how strong she was through the whole thing. Mae is extraordinary, and I don’t think she has a clue. Most people would be angry at Max for bringing a crazy person into their life, but she didn’t blame him at all.

Once everything was done, and we got to the hotel, both of us started to relax. Mae was soaking in the tub while I was trying to think of how to handle the wedding. The last thing I wanted to do was put Mae under any more stress. The best thing would be to ask what she wants. I head into the bathroom to do it.

“Baby, I know that you probably don’t want to worry about anything at the moment, but what do you want to do about the wedding?” I try and keep my voice calm as I ask.

“What do you mean, what do I want to do? I’m getting married tomorrow. Are you?” She arches her brow.

“I don’t want you overwhelmed or upset, so we can change……” She cuts me off.

“Alex, if you dare finish that sentence, I will cut your balls off and feed them to you!” She yells at me.

My eyes widen as I listen to her. She’s never raised her voice like that before. I can tell that her pregnancy hormones are getting to her. She huffs and takes a deep breath to calm herself down. She closes her eyes and breathes in and out slowly.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have threatened or yelled at you. I’m just tired and crumpy. I don’t want to change anything. I want to marry you, and I’m not letting that crazy witch ruin our day. Now get in here with me and help me relax.”

*********

We wake up to the door to the hotel room being banged on. I walk over and answer to find all the women here carrying bags of items and garment bags. I’m shocked at how much stuff they are carrying.

“Alright lover boy, time to hit the road. Todd is downstairs waiting on you.” Katie says.

“Can I at least get dressed and brush my teeth?” I huff out.

“Make it fast!” My mom yells.

These women will be the death of me today. I quickly get ready and walk over and kiss Mae on her forehead. She is currently sitting up in bed with a glass of orange juice. She smiles and I feel my heart melt.

“I’ll meet you at the end of the aisle.”

Mae

I watch Alex walk out the door and smile. He was so nervous last night about asking what we should do. I’ve always known that he loved me, but last night made sure to cement that in my heart.

“Mae, I know that you may not be ready to talk about last night so we are going to only have fun today,” Erica says with a smile.

My sister from another mister knows me better than I know myself. She can tell that I still need time to process and that I want to enjoy today. I nod, and we all start digging into the food that they brought along with them.

After we finish eating, we start getting ready. My dress hides my little bump well and fits my style perfectly. I saw it and fell in love on the spot. Chelsea is determined to do my makeup for the day, saying she wants to make me look like a princess. Erica and my mom are doing my hair, so all I have to do is sit and be pampered.

“So I got you this garter, and I think that Alex is going to enjoy it,” Katie says as she walks over carrying a small box.

I open it to find a red and black garter that has the words Ride that Balgona Pony in white letters. I start laughing to the point of tears, and everyone looks at me like I’m crazy. As I finally calm down, I pass it around. Everyone has a confused look on their face.

“The first time we were together, I said that to him. Did he tell you that?” I ask in between giggles.

“Yup, and he said that he knew that you were absolutely the one when you did.” She says laughing.

“Lord, Mae. Who knew you were so dirty.” My mother says.

Everyone is giggling now, and I feel like my sides will split open. Everyone gives me things to fulfill the old saying of something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. My heart is full of love as we all have fun getting ready.

I wanted to keep the ceremony simple since Alex and I both are people who would rather spend our time celebrating than putting on a show. We head to the venue, and everyone starts getting ready for the service. I’m standing with my dad waiting, and I feel a little nervous.

“Don’t worry Mae, everything will be just fine. You and Alex are made for each other. ” He pats my hand as he says this.

I know I shouldn’t be nervous, but I don’t want to fall on my face in front of a crowd. Lately, I’ve been super clumsy, and who knows what will happen with me trying to walk in this dress. The doors open, and the music starts for me to walk down the aisle.

My dad leads me down the aisle, and all I can see is Alex and his cheesy grin. He looks so happy, and it makes my smile break out into an equally cheesy smile. The walk doesn’t take long at all and I manage to make it there without breaking my neck. Dad hands me off to Alex, and the service starts. Everything is flowing smoothly, and now it is time for the vowels.

“Alex, the first time I saw you, I forgot all about what I was doing. You made me lose focus on the customers in front of me with that sweet smile of yours. You were so handsome and kind that my heart felt like it was going to stop at any moment. The first date we had was something that I will never forget. You made me believe that it was possible to find love. Even though I thought you were way out of my league, I still hoped that I would be able to win you over. You have given me something that no one else could ever do, confidence. You make me want to be myself and make me feel like that is a pretty cool person to be. I promise to love you forever and to make you never regret making out with me on the shelves of that store.” I hear laughter from Chelsea and Xavier.

“Mae, I had no thoughts of finding my soul mate when I walked into that bakery. I thought I was just helping Xavier pick a freaking cake finally.” People start laughing. “Then you walked in, and everything changed. There was something about you that drew me in and made me want to get to know every detail of who you are. That first date was the most fun I had ever had, and so the next day I had to see you. Now I have seen you every day since. Any girl that would say the things you have to me is perfect. I won’t repeat it due to children being present. I promise to make you happy for the rest of your life. To help you in everything and to give you a life that is better than you ever could have imagined. I love you, baby.”

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride Alex.”

Alex pulls me in and gives me the best kiss of my life. Everything he feels is in this kiss, and I feel my toes curls. When we pull apart we hear cheers and clapping. Our friends and family couldn’t be happier. This is the best day of my life.

Chapter 27

Mae

The reception hall was decorated by our mothers and it was lovely. We didn’t want anything to over the top, and they followed that idea. I look over and see the cake that Max has made. It’s a beautiful strawberry shortcake that is to die for. I have craved these through the who pregnancy, and he made it look so elegant.

Tears flood my eyes as I see all the hard work our friends and family put into this for us. Alex takes my hand and kisses it as he smiles. He knows my emotions are all over the place, and he has been awesome through all of it. Music is playing, and Alex leads me to the dance floor.

This is our first dance ever, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads over my face. He twirls me around the dance floor, and I feel like Cinderella at the ball. My prince came and saved me from my dull life.

“You look stunning today,” Alex whispers in my ear.

“You don’t look so bad yourself. The tux suits you.” I say as I lay my head on his shoulder.

We dance for a few more minutes and then sit down to eat. Speeches were made, and embarrassment was given, but we were having a blast. People are up dancing and enjoying themselves. Alex and I are dancing to a slow song when someone taps his shoulder. He turns, and there stands Tanner.

“I only want to talk to her, not cause trouble. I promise. I need closer just as much as she does.” Tanner says with a sincere look on his face.

Alex looks at me in question. I know that without a doubt if I said no, that would be the end of it. Alex would keep him away. But, I indeed need closure. I nod, and Alex steps away, giving Tanner the chance to change places.

“I know that you don’t want me to ruin your day, and I promise that I’m not here for that. I want to offer my congratulations and tell you that I am truly sorry for all I put you through. You never did anything to deserve being treated that way.” Tanner says while looking into my eyes.

“Thank you for saying that,” I say, not able to look into his eyes anymore.

“Mae, you were the one great thing to happen in my life, and I was too stupid to see it. I’m not going to try and tare you away from Alex, but know that if I could do it over, I would. You would have been worshiped, like the queen that you are.” My eyes snap up to his and see that there is an honesty there that I have never seen before.

“As weird as it sounds, thank you for being a jerk. Otherwise, I never would have met Alex the way that I did. I’m beyond happy, Tanner. I hope that someday you will find that type of happiness too.”

We finished the dance and went our separate ways. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I wasn’t as hurt as I once was by what he had done, but I felt like I learned some valuable things from it. Plus, it leads me to the amazing man who is now smiling at me, waiting to cut the cake.

He stands there grinning like an idiot, holding the knife to cut the cake. I walk over and join him, and we cut the cake and smile for pictures. When the time comes to eat it, we both have that evil glint in our eyes.

By the end, there is cake everywhere, and people are dying laughing. Alex has cake all over his face and in his hair. I have it all over my face, hair, and chest. Our mothers prepared and took us to get cleaned up. They knew that this would happen is all we heard for the next ten minutes.

The time came for the garter toss. The music turned to a sexy number as Alex danced around me. I, of course, am laughing until tears come out at his antics. He suddenly dives under my dress, and I feel his hands everywhere.

There is no shame in him whatsoever. He kisses up my legs and takes his time. He reaches the garter and pulls it down with his teeth. As he finally emerges from under my dress, I hear him gasp as he reads the garter.

He looks up at me with a blush that I never thought possible on him. My smile most likely looks like it could break my face at how big it is. He shakes his head and looks at his sister, who is laughing. He tosses it, and Declan catches it.

“What in the world does this mean?” He screams, and all the girls laugh.

Alex walks over and explains it to the guys, and I can see them all look over at me and then back at him. Eyebrows rise in confusion until the end. Most of them bust out laughing while others still look confused. When it came time to throw the bouquet I was laughing at all the single ladies trying their hardest to catch it. Erica was the lucky girl. Tom smiled at her lovingly, and I feel great joy in knowing she’s happy.

The party continues, and after a while, I feel tired. Alex wraps his arms around me, and I can feel that he is starting to slow down as well. The last twenty-four hours have taken a toll on us both. I look into his eyes silently telling him that I’m ready to go.

Everyone tells us their goodbyes and blows bubbles as we walk away. We are headed back to the hotel for the night. We have decided to put off a honeymoon until after the baby is born and a little older. All we care about is being together.

After everything that happened last night, we are going to need to find another house. As strong as I may think I am, I can’t forget what happened there. I don’t want to spend my life worried that someone may be around the corner waiting to hurt me.

“Where is my beautiful wife’s head right now?” I hear Alex whisper in my ear.

I had been sitting on the edge of the bed since we walked into the room. I guess that with everything going on today and last night, I hadn’t stopped and thought about what happens next. I was too concerned with making sure that she didn’t ruin the happiest day of my life that, I pushed everything off until now.

“I was realizing, now that the wedding is over, I’m going to have to process last night. I don’t want to go back to living in that house. I’m sorry I know that it was your house that you bought, but I don’t want to live in fear there.” I whisper, praying that he’ll understand and not think that I’m being ridiculous. He pulls my face up to look into his eyes.

“I already called a realtor this morning while you and the girls were getting ready. Monday morning, we are going house hunting. Being the tightwad that I was, I can buy a house Monday and be in there by Wednesday. This time we will get what we want, not just me. You can pick all the furniture and decorations and all that stuff.” He smiles and pecks my mouth.

“I suck at decorating.” I pout.

“Then we can get someone to do it for us.” I make a face. “Or someone to help you make it something we would like.” He chuckles.

“How do you always know how to make things perfect and safe for me?” I ask.

“Because I was made to love you, Baby! And right now, I’m going to help you get out of this insane dress. Which doesn’t look comfortable at all.” I giggle at the silly voice he is using. “Then I am going to seduce you and rock your world.”

I start giggling more, and I know that he is up to something funny by the way that he is acting. We love each other to the very bottom of our souls, but we still love to have fun with each other. I giggle some more at his antics of trying to get me out of my dress.

“Now, that I finally got you out of that thing, I have just what the doctor ordered. You’re tired and overwhelmed with all that has happened the last two days. I have the thing that you desperately need.” He says with a wicked grin.

“And just what is it that I need?” I ask with a smile on my face.

” A hot beef injection from yours truly.”

Chapter 28

Alex

The realtor is showing us the first house on the list that Mae and I set up. This was Mae’s favorite that we saw in the pictures, so I’m hoping that she likes it just as much in person. The neighborhood is one that she loves, and I like that it is just a few blocks from her job. I want to get us settled as soon as possible to try and keep as much stress off Mae as possible.

“All the appliances are going to be sold with the house as they have been custom-built into the cabinets. The appliances are less than a year old and still have warranties.” The realtor tells Mae as they walk around the kitchen.

Mae’s eyes are the brightest that I have seen in a while. She is excited, and I love watching her like this. As we tour the rest of the house, I have made up my mind that if she likes this house then we will take it.

We make our way up to the master bedroom, and the realtor says she will give us some time to ourselves. I walk around the room watching Mae’s every movement. She looks like she is floating on air.

“Well, Baby, what do you think?” I ask. She turns and faces me with a huge smile on her face.

“I love it. To be honest, I don’t think I want to look at the other houses.” She squeals.

“Then we’ll take it. I already made up my mind, and I love it too.”

I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her. At this moment I couldn’t be happier. I talk everything over with the realtor, and we set up an expedited closing so that Mae and I can get into the house next week. We make it back to the hotel, and my phone goes off. I take the call, and it is one of the detectives from the incident the night before the wedding.

The trial is going to start for Stephanie in a week’s time. They wanted to let us know when it is so that we will be ready to testify. This is something that I think we both desperately need. Getting closure from that experience will help us move forward.

“That was the detective letting us know when the trial will start,” I tell her softly.

“Wow, that’s faster than I thought. Are they wanting us to testify?” She asks in her normal voice.

I was expecting her to be a little upset at the thought of being in the same room with Stephanie again. But she is sitting here like nothing is wrong and it’s completely normal to be having this conversation. I can’t help but wonder if this is a good thing.

“You’re not upset by the thoughts of being around her again?”

“Of course I am.” She sighs and looks me in the eye. “The thing is I know that you’re there and there are going to be plenty of people there to keep her from getting near me. I know that I should be more upset by all of this, but I’m trying to stay calm for the baby.”

She looks at me and I can tell she is fighting to stay strong. I walk over to her and pull her into my arms. Holding her close and running my hand through her hair is my way of calming her.

“I don’t want to live my life in fear. I want our son to know that his mon is a badass who protected him from a crazy woman.” She chuckles. “I may need to get some therapy if I can’t work through this. I think the trial will help me get over it. Knowing she is n=in jail and can’t hurt you or Max will make it so much better.”

“Wait is that what you’re worried about? You are more concerned for me and Max than yourself?” I’m shocked at what I’m hearing.

“Of course I am. The last thing that I want is the love of my life or my best friend hurt by that psycho.” Her eyes are wide and angry.

“Baby, I love you.” I pull her to me and plant my lips on hers.

The day of the closing comes faster than we imagined. As soon as we close we head to the new house where movers were waiting to start unloading things for our old house. Mae wanted to keep a lot of the things that we had from before so we went through and kept what we wanted and sold the rest.

The old house is now on the market and we are ready to never have to deal with it again. This week Mae spent a lot of time looking at new furniture and things that she wanted to use in the new house. We have deliveries set up all week.

We have to go to court in the morning and Mae is getting a little nervous. She’s more scared of talking in front of a lot of people than she is seeing Stephanie. We have practiced several times on what questions may be asked and how to handle the stress. The DA is looking to have Stephanie committed to getting help with her mental issues.

Mae has been insisting that Stephanie needs help more than she needs to go to jail. Max has been constantly apologizing and Mae has told him if he does that one more time she was going to punch him in the “Man meat”. His pale face was answer enough to know that he wouldn’t be apologizing again.

“Alex, Xavier, and Chelsea are coming over to help us get some stuff unpacked.” She yells from across the house. ” Oh, and there may be more people coming.”

Just as she finishes, our front door opens and all of our finds come pouring into the house. As soon as I think it is finished, our families pile in. I look around and see they all have different kinds of take-out and are making themselves at home. Mae comes into the room and starts hugging everyone.

“Chelsea and Xavier sure did morph into a lot of people,” I say looking at my cute wife.

She smiles and walks over and gives me a peck on the cheek. before I know it boxes are being opened and furniture is being put into place. With the exception of the few pieces that Mae has ordered to come later in the week, our house is shaping up. Mae is running around answering questions on what goes where and I stand there in shock.

“Dude! A little help?” I hear Declan yell. I walk over to help him in mounting the television in the living room.

“Did she plan all this?” I ask him looking over at my wife.

“No, actually it was Chelsea and Erica. Mae just agreed to let us into the house.” He chuckles as he finishes. “We just want her to be as relaxed as possible before tomorrow. Everyone loves her man. Probably more than you.”

I punch his shoulder as he laughed at my face. The evening goes by in laughter and lots of empty boxes. The ladies have worked together to get a grocery order put in and delivered, all while setting the kitchen up and getting all the laundry washed and put away.

The guys and I have gotten all the furniture in place and have hung every picture and decoration in place. All of the food has been eaten and right now all the girls are upstairs setting up the nursery. I can hear the laughter all the way downstairs in the man-cave.

All the guys are sitting around watching an old game of football and enjoying a beer. I look around the room and see that my family has grown so much since I met Mae. We are beyond blessed to have these people in our lives and I don’t know what we would have done without all of them.

The night ends with everyone saying goodbye and letting us know that they all plan to be there tomorrow for the trial. They want to be there to support us when we need it. Mae is beyond happy to be settled into her dream home.

“Thank you for everything Alex,” Mae says as we settle into bed for the first time here.

“You don’t have to thank me for a thing. I would do anything for you. You’re my girl.” I kiss her forehead and she giggles.

“I know that dork. I just never want to take things for granted. I always want you to know how much I appreciate all that you do. Besides you do the same thing to me. It’s one of the things that I love about our relationship. We make sure to tell each other thank you.”

We fall asleep in peace and comfort in our new home. Hopefully, the trial will go fast and smoothly so that we can get on with our lives.

Chapter 29

Mae

We maker our way into the courtroom, and I feel my stomach turn. I’ve always hated speaking in front of large groups of people, and knowing that I will be spending the most time on the stand of all of the witnesses is making me panic.

The DA Liam and I have practiced multiple times, and he assures me that I will be just fine on the stand. Alex sits next to me and takes my hand in his and rubs circles along the top of my hand.

He has been amazing in helping me deal with all the feelings and fears that I have been having since the incident. Max sits on the other side of me and takes my other hand in his. I’ve had to finally threaten his man meat to get him to stop apologizing for something that wasn’t his fault.

“All rise. The honorable Judge Abigail Patterson is now entering the court.” The bailiff announces

An older, shorter woman enters the room and looks around the courtroom. She gives off an air of dignity, and I’m instantly put at ease with her here. I’ve never met this woman in my life but there is something about her that sets me at ease.

“You may all be seated. Ladies and gentlemen considering the type of crime that this case is dealing with, and the fact that the defendant is not cooperating, I have had a television set up for Stephanie to view the trial. She has put in a guilty plea which will also speed up the process. I would, however, like to speak with the three victims in private. I don’t want to drag this trial out, and since she did plead guilty, I see no reason to do so.”

Alex, Max, and I are lead back to the Judge’s chambers and sat down. The judge walks in, and she takes off her black robe and is left in an elegant dress that is fit for a board room.

“Mae, dear, I know that you are in a delicate condition, and the last thing I want for you to have to do is to sit through a lengthy trial for someone who did the crime. Stephanie may have some mental issues, but she was smart enough to listen to her lawyer.” He gives me a soft smile. “The reason I wanted all of you here is to talk about how you feel about sentencing.”

All three of us look back, and forth between each other. We have all talked about this multiple times and we all feel that the best thing for her is to be committed. I have a feeling that the judge is going to feel the same way.

“If I may speak freely, Your honor?” I say. She nods her head smiling.

“We all feel that the best thing for Stephanie is to get help. She is mentally unstable, and we feel that if she is committed and got the help she needs that may be in the future, she would be able to live a more stable life.” I let out a breath as I finish and feel like I have just run a marathon.

“I’m glad to hear that. The court is going to have Stephanie committed to a program for the criminally insane. This means that until the court feels she is mentally stable and has served time for her crimes she will not be released. Stephanie’s family also feels that this would be the best option for her.” The judge smiles and stands, showing us the way out.

“She wasn’t kidding about making this as short as possible,” Max says as we walk out of the courthouse.

“Well, when you plead guilty, and there is nothing but the evidence against you, I guess they can do this sort of thing,” Alex says.

“At least we don’t have to worry about it anymore. We can move on to bigger and better things like getting little Hayden here safe and sound.” I say, smiling at the two of them.

**********

Time has flown by, and we are a week away from the due date. To say that my pregnancy has been wonderful would be a lie. My hormones have been all over the place, and poor Alex doesn’t know if I’m going to jump his bones or scream at him.

He has taken it all in stride and has laughed and cried with me. I have been off for the last few days since the doctor felt that it would be best for me to relax before the delivery. The girls have been taking turns staying with me through the day to help keep me distracted.

I’ve been having Braxton hicks contractions for the last two days, and it is driving me crazy. Alex is working his last day today before he goes out on leave. Xavier has been awesome through all this and is allowing Alex to stay out with me while I recover. he told us that it would be paid back for while he is out with Chelsea in about six months.

They found out they were pregnant when Chelsea started getting sick every morning. Turns out they were pregnant with twins. Xavier is terrified that he will be a bad father, and Chelsea is nervous about how she is going to deal with two babies at once.

Declan and Max have both managed to find girls that they have stayed with for a few months now. Declan met his girlfriend Hayley at the baby supply store. She was working and helped the poor guy buy presents for Hayden. He said he fell in love instantly and hasn’t looked back since.

Max met his girlfriend Alice at a cake decorating class he was holding. She was one of his students, and they hit it off immediately. Rosetta hired her to take my place since I have decided to work only once in a while. I want to be there for everything that happens with my baby so Alex and I both agreed that it would be for the best.

“Erica this dip is fantastic. Where’d you get it?” I ask as I plop down on the couch. Erica was the lucky girl spending the day with me.

“I found it at the supermarket. I thought you might like it since it has your latest craving in it.” She chuckles.

We are sitting watching an 80′s movie marathon when all of a sudden I feel another contraction and then feel like I pee on myself. I look down and see water everywhere.

“Erica, I think it’s time.” She squeals, and we quickly clean me up, grab the bags, and head out the door.

I call Alex on the way, and we rush to the hospital. The contractions are coming fast and hard, and as soon as they get me into a room, they check me.

“Mae, it looks like you are already at an eight. Have you been having contractions?” My nurse asks.

“Yeah, I thought I was having Braxton hicks.”

“I hate to tell you this, but you are far too progressed to have an epidural.” She says looking, at me with nervousness.

“Well, shit,” I say as another wave of pain hits me.

Alex comes busting through the door and runs up to me, grabbing my hand. Things move very fast from here. I’m in so much pain that I’m focused solely on doing what the doctor tells me.

“You can do this, Baby,” Alex says.

“If you ever think of putting that thing near me again, I will hurt you!” I yell through the pain.

He only chuckles and smiles down at me. The man never gets angry. It pisses me off! Then again, I’m in the middle of having a baby with no pain meds! Before I know it, he’s here. My perfect little man is here.

Once everything is taken care of, and we are both clean, I get to nurse him for the first time. I never knew that you could love someone you have never met before this much. Alex has his arms wrapped around us both, and we sit there on the bed, one happy family.

I have no idea what the future holds, but as long as I have Alex by my side, I have nothing to worry about.

The End