Loving Cassie

One Boy, One Girl

Cassie

"Are you certain you want to do this, Cass?" Daddy asked, a glint of amusement in his hazel eyes. I was, however, not amused. I was close to breaking down in my beautiful, borrowed wedding gown. My hair, which had gone perfectly when we'd practiced it in March, wouldn't curl properly. I had lost my only tube of mascara and no one else in my bridal party could seem to find theirs. It was pouring down rain outside so we had to find a new place for our reception. And on top of that, my ring bearer had just walked in covered from head to toe in mud and he was grinning. 

"Walker David! Didn't Mama tell you to stay with Uncle Trey and Uncle Danny?" My bright blue eyed boy just beamed up at me and nodded, clapping his mud covered hands excitedly. 

"Unca Danny played with me!"  He squealed, pausing briefly in between his words. He'd gotten more vocal in the last year and I was pretty sure that was due to Ward. If Walker wanted something, he'd use the few signs we taught him, but mostly Ward had him tell us what he desired. It was rough at first, but Walker was prospering now. 

"Is Uncle Danny dirty, too?" I really hoped not because Danny was a groomsman. Nausea crept up on me as I awaited his response and I barely held it down as he nodded cheekily. I groaned, but wasn't sure if it was more about the unsettled stomach or the muddy men. I let Daddy handle Walker while I fished some ginger pills out of my make-shift purse. The door to my left sounded and I looked up into a very flushed looking Donnie's face as he tugged on the navy blue shirt on his chest. Behind him stood a beaming Texas and a giggling Emilie. The girls were dress in lace dresses in the same shade of blue as Donnie's shirt, holding bright yellow bouquets of flowers. I had no idea what those three were up to, but I figured it wasn't too bad if no one was screaming or crying. 

I took a minute to wander into the en-suite bathroom and fill up a plastic cup with water. When I finished taking the pills, I looked into the mirror. The woman staring back was flushed and glowing, with thick chocolate curls framing her face and berry colored lips. Her golden eyes were wide and sparkling, a hint of worry and excitement mingled together. For all purposes, she was the epitome of blushing bride. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly with my eyes closed, bracing my hands against the cool porcelain of the sink. 

"Cassie, baby, it's time." 

* * * * 

"-- promise you, Cassidy Breigh Malcolm, my undying love, and constant faithfulness. All I have or hope to have, I give to you, as my life partner. I promise you my help, my support, my love and my prayers. I promise to remain faithfully yours, until death separates us."  Ward finished, smiling so hard I thought his face would break. 

"Now," Uncle Irv began, smiling widely at us, "Cassie, repeat after me." 

"I, Cassidy Breigh Malcolm, promise you, Ward Beaumont Montgomery, my undying love, and constant faithfulness. All I have or hope to have, I give to you, as my life partner. I promise you my help, my support, my love and my prayers. I promise to remain faithfully yours, until death separates us. " We exchanged rings and Uncle Irv continued to speak, lit the unity candle, and bowed our heads for the prayer of blessing. 

"Ward and Cassidy, having shared your promise of love and faithfulness to each other in your vows and having sealed those promises with the giving and exchanging of a ring, I therefore, ministering in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, pronounce you husband and wife. Ward, you may now kiss your bride." Ward's wicked grin at the end held promise and his eyes shone promise, one I knew very well he'd follow through on. His lips met mine and the entire world around us ceased to exist. Our mouths tangled together for endless minutes until he pulled back for us to catch our breaths. I vaguely heard Uncle Irv introduce us, but to be honest, I was too caught up in the look in his silver eyes that sent shivers dancing down my spine.

*

It was the scent of pumpkin spice lattes that did it. 

"Cass, are you okay?" Texas called through the bathroom door for the second time. I could hear her speaking to Emilie and no doubt Donnie, but ignored them while I heaved once again, losing what was left of my breakfast. The acidic tang of vomit still danced in the back of my throat and burned my nose, but I was just glad that the unsettled bubble in  my stomach was gone. I'd gone through this routine a few dozen times by now and I knew exactly what it mean, but I was too scared to go get checked. 

What if I was wrong?

I was probably wrong.

I had been before, so many times. 

But, what if I wasn't? What if I was right and this meant what I thought it did? It had been two months since my last period and we hadn't exactly been the most careful, had we? I blushed scarlet as I remember a particularly heated night where we'd completely forgotten to take precaution. I flushed the toilet before I grabbed my emergency bag so I could brush the vile taste out of my mouth. 

What would Ward think? I wondered, taking a second to glance down at my flat belly. Of course he'd be excited, but we had two children under three at the moment. Would he want another so soon. 

Now it wasn't the nausea churning in my gut, it was the uncertainty. 

There was only one way to find out if there was even a real reason to worry.

I dug my phone out of my pocket, scrolled through my contacts and hit dial. 

"Hello, Doctor Martinez's office."