Chapter 266: Best Day Ever
- RAYA -
Finally the day is here. I get to stand up for my sister and watch as she marries Luciano. I’ve never been more excited for a wedding other than my own, but this one—this one Rory and Gemma and Vanessa and I have been able to plan and get excited about for months.
"Are you about ready to head out, angel?" Dex peeks his head into the bathroom.
I can’t see him from this angle, but his voice is clear. Hopefully he doesn’t come all the way in, because I forgot to lock the door, and I don’t want him to catch me.
"Yep. Be right there."
"If Rory has to wait on you for a second, you know she’ll be calling."
That makes me laugh. She’s been so anxious about today only because the Riccas have invited hundreds more people than she would have liked, and even that number is down from the original list. If there were any question about whether Rory loves Luciano, the fact that she’s willing to stand up in front of that many people—celebrities and criminals alike—and be the center of attention is proof enough.
"I’m sure Luciano will distract her," I giggle in reply.
"Aren’t they supposed to stay apart before the wedding?"
"It’s Luciano, Dex. There is no way he’s going to leave Rory alone before the ceremony."
"Good point."
I don’t mention the dream that Rory told me she and Luciano had about their wedding day, but I’m curious as to whether or not that one will come true. When all of us girls were out shopping for wedding dresses, Rory found the exact same one she was wearing in her dream, and the search was over.
I didn’t know about the dream yet—not until that day. When the two of us were alone, she divulged all the details. She was still reeling from the shock of finding that same dress. It was eerily similar to how my dress just happened to be waiting in Costa Rica for me.
When I hear the soft click of the door that signals Dex is gone, I breathe a sigh of relief and open the slim white plastic package in my hands. If the test isn’t positive, I’m not going to tell him about it. I’m not sure what his exact reaction would be one way or the other, but there’s no use putting him through a roller coaster of emotions just to have there be no reason for it.
With the wedding being close and all the excitement surrounding it, I didn’t even realize my period was late. But if I’m counting right, it’s been at least two weeks.
Once I’m done following the directions, I set the test to the side. I still have to brush my teeth. Makeup and hair are getting done with Rory and the rest of the party, so I don’t have much else to do but put on a button-up shirt and run out the door with my dress and shoes.
Intensely focusing on my teeth in order to avoid looking at the little test window where the one or two lines are going to be showing up, I imagine what a positive result would mean for us. It would change everything. Three makes a family. It makes Dex and I responsible for a life for the rest of our lives. It changes the whole dynamic of our relationship, of our time.
Maybe we should have been more careful. Why was I so ready to jump straight into a family?
With those thoughts in mind, it’s only twenty seconds into brushing my teeth before I’m stealing a glance at the result, and then my jaw drops.
"Already?!"
Toothbrush still hanging out of my mouth, I grab the test. Two lines. Two very dark lines.
"Oh my god."
This is really happening. I’m really pregnant. Suddenly, my legs feel like spaghetti, and any thought of keeping this secret to myself for the time being flies out the window.
"Dex," I call, leaning against the counter when all the blood seems to rush away from my head and straight into the pit of my stomach.
My husband’s handsome, familiar face appears in the mirror’s reflection when he steps into the bathroom. "What’s up?" As soon as he notices my expression, he’s closing the distance between us. "What happened, Raya? What’s wrong?"
Had I thought this through, maybe I would have planned a cute way of telling him. But I didn’t really believe I was pregnant. There was obviously some serious denial going on that those two pink lines have instantly erased.
Without even words prepared, I lift up the test to show him. It takes a second for him to drag his eyes away from mine in order to look at it, but the second he realizes what it is, his jaw drops, too. It doesn’t stay like that for long, though. Pure stunned disbelief transforms into a brilliant smile.
"We’re pregnant?" He laughs. "Raya, oh my god... are you okay? How are you feeling?"
His hands are on my cheeks, in my hair, running down my arms and then resting on my abdomen while all of his attention turns to my physical state as he looks me over. Then he chuckles, taking the toothbrush from my mouth and dropping it in the sink before kissing me—toothpaste and all.
I’m lifted onto the counter as Dex keeps kissing me and keeps giggling while doing it. I’m not sure I’ve heard him actually giggle until now.
"I love you," he says, pulling away with tears in his eyes. "I love you so much. I’m going to take care of you both. There’s nothing to worry about, okay? Everything is going to be perfect."
"We’re having a baby," I say with a soft bubble of laughter, still not quite able to comprehend it.
"We’re having a baby," he repeats, unable to stop smiling.
———————
"Raya!" Rory rushes to greet me at the spa door. "Help. Mom is here. I don’t know what to do with her."
"What do you mean?" I laugh nervously, looking around for Patricia.
All I can feel is the sunshine in my soul right now. And since getting the positive pregnancy test an hour ago, my boobs definitely feel more sore. Maybe it’s all in my head.
"She is trying to be all... mom-my with me. She’s trying to give me advice on how to wear my hair today. After I’ve already had a practice run with the stylist. Does that make sense to you? I just... I can’t do it with her today. I’m afraid I’m going to be not-so-nice."
"You’re afraid of being not-so-nice to Patricia?" I laugh. "Since when?"
"Since my wedding day when I don’t want to be in a bad mood," she scowls.
"Okay, okay. You’re right," I say quickly, realizing how serious she is. "Don’t worry. Everything is going to be perfect."
As matron of honor, this is my job. I’m going to keep Rory happy, keep our mother drinking champagne and hopefully chatting with Gemma while we get hair and makeup done, and I’m going to table the baby thoughts until tomorrow.
"Raya, champagne," Rory says, lifting a glass for me to take.
"Oh, thanks." I stare at it, watching the bubbles rise to the surface when it occurs to me that I shouldn’t be drinking. I don’t know much about pregnancy, but I know that.
"Thank you for all your help," Rory says, taking a sip of her champagne while the stylist gets started on her hair. "I know I’ve been a pain this week."
"No, you haven’t. If I had a big wedding like this, I would have been nervous, too."
"I’m definitely going to need more than champagne to get through it without having a panic attack with all of those people watching."
"No you won’t," I giggle. "Just concentrate on Luciano. That’s all you need to do. It’s just about you and him today."
"You’re right," she smiles, but then she quickly downs the rest of her champagne.
"Did you eat anything?" I chuckle. "You might want to take it slow."
"Yes, Gemma had so much ready for breakfast this morning. Hopefully I still fit into my dress."
"Which dress?" I smirk.
Not many people know that Rory bought two dresses, and I’m the only one other than Dex who knows why. After the dream she and Luci shared, Rory didn’t want to be unprepared and not have anything to walk down the aisle in.
I told her to just let Luciano know that she found the dress from their dream so he could prepare himself, but she wanted to keep it a secret. So, even Luci is going to be surprised. Maybe Rory actually wants the dream to come true...
"You have more than one dress?" The stylist asks, looking at Rory’s reflection.
"Yeah. It’s a long story. I’m just wearing the one, though."
"Mmmhmmm. We’ll see," I say with a wink. "She’s afraid the groom is going to destroy the first dress before the ceremony."
"Raya!" Rory glances around, but all the rest of our party is over in makeup.
The stylist stops what she’s doing and stares, eyes wide. "Why would he do that?"
"Because she looks so hot in it, and he’s kind of an impulsive guy."
"Oh my god. Raya! Drink your champagne, please."
"I’m okay for now." I set the glass to the side as naturally as possible.
"You’re not pregnant are you?" Rory snorts.
I’m so surprised by the comment, that I’m too slow in denying it.
"What?!" Rory exclaims. "Raya!"
"I’m... I just..."
She jumps out of the chair, disregarding the hair that’s unfinished and all over the place. "Oh my god! Congratulations!" She squeals and squeezes me.
"Shhh. I don’t want anyone to know yet. You never know what could happen."
"Don’t say that. It’s going to be fine," she says, rubbing my arm. "But I won’t tell anyone. I’m just glad that I know. Do you have names yet?"
"No," I sputter a laugh. "We just found out this morning."
"Oh my god, this is the best day ever."
"Yes it is." I smile and squeeze her back. "So sit down already. You still have one whole dress to go through before you get into the second one and get married."
