Authors: V.S. Tice
She squeezed the gel out and then slid a plastic wand over my skin. Her face became serious, lined in concentration. Collin held my hand tighter and leaned over to kiss my forehead.
“Everything will be fine,” he spoke just above a whisper. I nodded, still nervous.
“He’s right.” She turned her head and looked at me. “Everything looks good. I would say you are two months along.” Her hand reached up to the monitor and turned it.
Before us, in shades of gray and white, was a small blob. Focusing in closer, trying to decipher what everything was, I saw a fluttering movement.
“Is that—?”
“Oh no,” Victoria gasped. “You’re having a hamster.”
The room fell silent before we burst into laughter. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I gasped for breath. Collin’s loud laugh began to die down to a chuckle, and the technician was giggling quietly.
“I believe that’s a first for me,” she admitted.
“Me too.” I sighed in contentment.
“See this?” The nurse pointed to the spot where I had seen a flutter. “This is the heartbeat.”
“But it looks like Henrietta,” Victoria whined.
“Who is Henrietta?” Collin looked back and forth between Victoria and me.
“The classroom pet,” Victoria stated.
“Let me guess,” Collin chuckled, “Henrietta’s a hamster?”
“No, a guinea pig, but it still looks the same.” Victoria crossed her arms over her chest.
“The baby still has to grow.”
“You looked the same way, you know.” Collin knelt down to her height. Victoria’s eyes widened.
“I did?” It was almost a whisper. He nodded, kissed her cheek, and stood back up.
“Yep, and look how beautiful you turned out.” She smiled at that.
“It’s a girl, right?” Victoria changed the topic.
“It’s a bit too soon to tell.” The nurse removed the wand and began to wipe my stomach clean
Victoria huffed and scowled at the nurse. “I know it’s a girl,” she mumbled.
With the ultrasound complete we were shown to an exam room. The doctor discussed the scans with us, inquired how I was feeling, and told us the baby was due in early August. Soon we were on our way back to the house to get our things and drive to Whidbey Island for the wedding.
Ilene and her significant other joined Connor and Juliet at the house in Whidbey and worked together to prepare. There were about sixty guests confirmed to join us for the wedding and reception. Ilene was overseeing the catering from a local restaurant while Juliet was handling decorations. I only hoped Felicity would survive until I got there to help her out.
When we pulled up to the house, memories of my previous stay swept through me. It had been one heck of a stay, filled with a great deal of drama and emotion. Victoria, shoving the rear door open, broke me from my thoughts. She darted out of the car and into Connor’s arms. Carrying her, he walked over to the car.
“Hello, Sophia.” He gave me a one-armed hug and a kiss to my temple.
“How are you feeling?” I looked up to him from under his arm. He looked better than the last time I saw him.
“I’m feeling much stronger,” he smiled proudly, “strong enough to hold my princess.” Victoria beamed. “Do you need help?” Connor asked as Collin walked by with his arms full of luggage.
I slipped out from under Connor’s arm and walked to the rear of the car. Reaching in, I pulled out two bags.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Connor took the bags out of my hands.
“I’m helping.”
“You shouldn’t be carrying bags.” His eyes dropped to my stomach and then back to my face with a knowing expression. I could feel myself blushing.
“I can carry a bag.”
Victoria reached around me and grabbed one of her small bags. I reached in and pulled out another bag. Connor shook his head. I made it to the door of the house.
“Why are you carrying these?” Max’s boisterous voice carried across the room. He was out of his seat and taking the bags from me before I could take my next breath. Connor chuckled. I sighed and gave up.
“Get used to it.” Larissa put her arm around my shoulders. “The moment they even think a baby might be in there, you are considered disabled.” She laughed. “They mean well.” Larissa led me up the familiar stairs and down the long hallway. As I walked past Collin’s room, an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me inside. I could smell his cologne and nuzzled against his chest.
“Where do you think you are going?” His mouth pressed to the top of my head.
“I guess I was following the same path I used to take.” I tried to hold him tighter, but he pulled back and looked down at me with a half-grin.
“There is no way I’m suffering through that again.”
“Again?” I furrowed my brow, but his lips turned into a large grin.
“You have no idea.” With that, he kissed me and walked from the room. My mind was reeling. What could he have meant?
“I’m going to miss you.” Victoria’s pouting pulled me out of my own head.
“I’ll be right down here. It’s not too far.” I knelt before her and cupped her face. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She smiled and hugged me.
After settling in, Ilene and Juliet led me around the house. Juliet pointed out the candles, told me where the flowers would go, and told me how she envisioned the ceremony. Ilene discussed the menu as well as the set up for the ceremony and the reception. Felicity appeared from the office and began to go over some of the details. Collin, Victoria, and I had to go through the procession. Felicity planned for me to dress upstairs and come down the staircase. Chairs would be set up for the guests in the main entryway and sitting room. At the bottom of the stairs, Collin would take my arm from my father and walk us to the middle of the sitting room, where I would become Mrs. Collin Bishop.
Somehow this felt so right. Marrying Collin, raising Victoria as my daughter, being pregnant, even joining this family of snotty, blunt, socialite crazies—all of it was just right.
Allison arrived with her small pudgy belly, along with Will and the twins. She immediately went into bitch mode, pointing out how the décor and food were not up to standard for a Bishop wedding. I learned to ignore most of Allison’s comments. After our “moment” together, it was much easier to brush her off and carry on.
“You aren’t sleeping in the same room are you?” She looked between Collin and me.
“Why wouldn’t we?” Collin questioned.
“You aren’t supposed to see the bride before the wedding, that’s why.” Her snooty tone was in full force. The hormones hadn’t softened her at all.
“It’s just a superstitious tradition.” I shrugged. “We don’t have to follow—”
“Of course you do,” she gasped. “It’s part of the experience of a wedding.” She stood from the chair she was sitting in. “You will sleep with…wait…All of us,” she pointed to each woman in the room, “will sleep on the third floor. Sort of a girls’ night.”
“We don’t have to do that.” I sat up straight and looked at everyone.
“You didn’t get a bachelorette party or a shower,” Larissa added. “I’m in.”
“Me too.” Ilene waved her hand around.
Allison turned a bitchy brow at Juliet.
“Yes, of course,” she spoke with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.
“It’s settled.” Allison smiled proudly. “Collin,” she turned on her brother, “I will be down in the morning to make sure you are nowhere in sight when I bring Sophia down to Mom’s room to get ready.”
He raised his hands up in defeat and chuckled. “As you wish.”
Girls’ night turned out to be informative and fun. There was plenty to eat, and the conversation flowed freely without too much disagreement. Larissa convinced Amber to join us, which I was happy about.
When it got really late, everyone relaxed on a bed. Victoria curled up next to me and began to drift off to sleep when Larissa started talking about public relations.
“You used to be in PR?”
Larissa looked toward me and nodded with a proud smile. “I graduated top of my class and was Junior Vice President.” Her smile grew.
“Why did you quit?”
“Oh, you’ll soon see why,” she chuckled. “Between the social obligations of being a prominent doctor’s wife, Max’s schedule keeping us apart, and then Ryan was born,” she shook her head remembering it all, “it was just too much.”
“Have you thought of going back now?”
She shook her head. “Not with the boys so young and my social obligations.”
“I remember too clearly all of those events, fundraisers, and so forth,” Ilene added from the comfort of the daybed at the side of the room. “Being Mrs. Bishop, you will soon find out.”
“What do you mean?” An overwhelming feeling started to resurface.
“Everyone will want you in their social group—doctors’ wives, mothers of Victoria’s friends, people at the school, oh the list goes on.” She took note of my wrinkled forehead. “Sophia, you do realize that becoming the wife of Dr. Collin Bishop, leading pioneer in neurology,” her air quotes around the added title made my stomach turn, “is a much sought after position.”
“Position?” I blurted out, disgust thickening my question.
“Yes, many women have attempted to win Collin just for social stature alone. It’s pretty common in our circles.”
“Gold digging tramps are what they are,” Allison sneered and rolled her eyes.
“What about you?” Larissa teased. “You barely spoke to Jonathan until you discovered who his family was.”
“I was raised that way.” Allison scowled. The room fell silent for a moment, but Juliet quickly started talking about Allison’s pregnancy. The change in subject was quickly picked up, Allison’s comment forgotten.
“It’s a girl?” Larissa squealed after Allison’s admission.
“Mm-hmm,” she nodded.
“I’m so jealous.” Larissa smiled with a tilt to her head. “Max seems to only give me boys. Not that I would trade my little men for anything.”
“I’m sure you’ll get a girl next time.” Allison patted Larissa’s knee.
“Next time?” Ilene inquired with a raised brow.
Larissa blushed. “With all the fertility in the air, Max and I have been talking about having a third.”
“Oh, that would be so lovely,” Juliet cooed.
“It wouldn’t be until MJ has turned one, but we may start trying around then.”
My eyes moved to Ilene who was smiling warmly at Larissa. In that moment everything she said came back to the forefront of my mind.
Would my life be so assigned to Collin’s schedule I would have to put my life on hold? Collin seemed to believe I could still write and travel. And what about this “position” she referred to as his wife? Would it feel more like a job?
I fell asleep with overwhelming thoughts.
The next morning I woke and rushed to the toilet. I wasn’t sure if I should blame the restless sleep, my nervousness about the wedding, or the baby. The combination of all three was certain disaster. Rinsing out my mouth, I stepped back into the bedroom to a room of chaos and crazy women.