4Ever & a Day : The Next Generation of R5

Wedding Bells and Baby Flips

Charlotte

I sat in the room at the chapel alone. It was times like this I wish my mother was still here. I had my step mom, if you could call her that. She was literally a few years older than me and a total bitch. My sister and I both hated her, but my dad didn't seem to care since neither one of us lived at home anymore. If you ask me, she was a gold digger, but I didn't want to think about her today. Nothing could ruin this day.

I put my hand on my stomach and felt the baby kick. Funny thing was she kicked for me all the time, but Riot had yet to feel her kick. Every time he put his hand on my stomach she would stop. He wanted to feel it so bad. I did hope he got the chance before the next three months was over.

I sighed. It was so hard to believe in three months I would be a mom. It again made me miss my mom. I wished she was still alive to be here for me and give me advice. I knew I had Raelyn and all Riot's aunts but it wasn't the same as having your own mom to go to when you needed her.

There was a knock on the door and I said come in. Raelyn came in the room and sat down next to me at the makeup mirror. She liked me and treated me like her daughter. She told me once she was glad Riot chose me instead of Audrey. I had to agree Audrey could be a lot to handle, but Fender seemed to love her and know how to deal with her in just the right way.

"I can't help but remember sitting here twenty years ago. We just eloped. I would have loved to have Riker's family there to share the moment and I'm glad you and Riot decided to share it with all of us," Raelyn said.

"I love all of you. Having such a big family has been great. It was always just me, my sister and my dad for years," I said.

"Speaking of your mom I'm sorry she couldn't be here for you. I know what that's like. Although I was a lot older than you when my mom died," Raelyn sympathized.

"I almost wasn't here for this day. I don't know if Riot told you that," Raelyn said.

"No, he didn't mention it," I said. I was curious about what she meant.

"I have cystic fibrosis and when Riot was thirteen I got really sick. I was on the respirator and needed a lung transplant. I was on the donor list but a donor was not coming fast enough. I could hear everything that was going on around me. I will never forget my children coming in to say goodbye, just as the pager went off saying I had a donor. I am here because of a woman in Ohio died. I never thought I would get to see this day and to see the birth of my first grandchild," Raelyn explained.

"I didn't know that. My mother had cancer. I was five when she died. There are only a few things I actually remember about her. My sister, who was eleven, used to tell me stories about her. They are all I have left of her," I told Raelyn.

"Okay enough sad things. Let's get you ready," Raelyn said getting up from the chair.

Riot

My hands shook so bad I couldn't tie my tie. I was nervous. In a little less than an hour I would have a wife. If someone had told me when I went to Juilliard I would find Charlotte I would have called them a liar. I certainly wasn't ready to find the love of my life so young, but I had. Charlotte was my soulmate. Then there was the fact that we would be parents soon. Who knew on my first sexual experience ever I'd get someone pregnant.

I heard the door open and my dad came in. I smiled at him in the mirror and he smiled back. He came over and stood in front of me. I was like four inches taller than him so he reached up and tied my tie for me.

"Thanks," I said.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

"A little," I confessed.

"Just a little?" he asked.

I sighed. "Okay maybe a lot."

"I wish I could tell you not to be nervous but it wouldn't do any good. I just can't believe you chose to get married on the same day your mom and I did twenty years ago," he said as he sat down on the small couch.

To be honest when we had chosen the date it was the only weekend we could both get away from school. I hadn't realized it was my parents' anniversary until my mom said something. Sharing a wedding anniversary with my parents sounded kind of lame, but I wanted to be married to Charlotte before the baby came.

Thirty minutes later I stood at the altar in front of the chapel. The wedding march started to play and I saw Charlotte walk in. The whole world stopped as she walked towards me on her dad's arm. She looked so beautiful in her dress. When she got to the altar and we started the ceremony I put my right hand on her stomach. We joined left hands and swore to be together forever. Which was something I knew I would take seriously.

As the minister pronounced us husband and wife the baby kicked my hand. "Oh my god! Did you feel that?"

"Yes Riot, I feel it a lot," Charlotte smiled at my excitement.

When the minster said you may kiss your bride I felt like a kid in a candy store. Not only was Charlotte now my wife our daughter was turning flips in Charlotte's stomach as I kissed her. It was the best day ever for me. I couldn't have asked for anything better.