LOVE ME ONE MORE TIME

Your Wedding

Alaia

I drove my car as I felt my heart being torn into pieces. Now and then, I would glance at the box on the passenger seat. I arrived home and grabbed my things. As I opened the door, my mother emerged from the kitchen.

"Ali, I thought you were coming this weekend." My mother approached to hug me and help with my things. "What's wrong?" she asked, scrutinizing my face with concern.

"Nick and I are over, Mom." She thinks we were just dating, not married. She met him accidentally a year ago when she visited me at college. I had no choice but to introduce them.

"Oh, honey, how? You two seemed so happy," she said, sitting down on one of the couches in our living room

"Can we talk after this?" I asked, still standing and frozen.

"Of course, my dear. I understand." She came over to help me carry my things. We went up to my room.

I threw myself on the bed and then I heard my mother close the door as she quietly left my room. It was at that moment that the dam broke and tears immediately came rushing out of my eyes. I allowed myself to feel everything I'd been holding in my chest.

***

It's been a week since the incident with Nick. I only had to go to the university to take one last exam and stayed only as long as necessary. The semester was almost over, and I was just waiting to receive my grades.

I found myself in my room, staring at the ceiling. Memories tried to corner me, but I pushed them to the back of my mind. I had to. I grimaced as I felt a small pain in my lower abdomen. I opened my eyes, startled. Then remembered that I should have gone to the doctor a few days ago.

I got up, looked for my purse, and went downstairs.

My mother was not home. She has worked as an accountant at a company for as long as I can remember. Her bosses have always treated her very well. They appreciate her, and for that reason, they pay for my college tuition. I just have to get good grades, and thanks to my mother's work and my father's support, we live comfortably. They are not together and have never been a couple. I don't know the details of their relationship, but he has never neglected me. He's a good father, even though I only see him one weekend a month. He's always present for special occasions. He gave me a car when I turned sixteen and keeps track of my studies, making sure I have everything I need. I have good parents, which makes me feel guilty for hiding my marriage to Nick. But I guess that's not relevant anymore. I was not married to him anymore, although the reason I was going to see the doctor right now was important, and I didn’t know how I was going to talk to them about it. I was afraid that I would disappoint them.

I inhaled and exhaled forcefully as I stopped the car in front of the hospital. I walked down the halls looking for Cedric, my friend, whom Nick hated. Their rivalry began in college. While Nick was Stanford's quarterback, Cedric was Berkeley's, so we couldn't see each other often. However, I didn't distance myself from Cedric. He has always been a good friend. I met him when I first started college. He was dating a girl I met in my first semester who was my friend until she had to move out of state. Their relationship ended, but Cedric and I remained friends.

"Ali," Cedric pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Hi," I say, kissing his cheek. He came to see me a week ago, and I told him what happened. His hatred for Nick only intensified, and as always, he offered his support when I told him about the positive pregnancy test.

"Sorry, I'm late. The practice has been taking up all my time." I know he's been very busy the last few years.

"It's okay, don't worry," I said, linking my arm with his.

"I already talked to my dad. He's waiting for you in his office," he explained. I nodded, swallowing a lump in my throat.

"Thank you," I said sincerely.

"Go on in." He pointed to the door, so I went in.

I greeted Mr. Van Holt, Cedric's father, who has known me for a long time. He asked me the usual questions, and I explained that I had taken a pregnancy test two weeks ago and that it came back positive.

"Get on the table," he said. He began to examine me and proceeded to perform an ultrasound. "Indeed, Alaia, you are six weeks pregnant." We looked at the screen. My heart beat fast as I saw the small spot on the screen. An unexplainable feeling invaded my chest at the same time that I felt fear. "They are twins. Here we can see both fetuses." He pointed to them, and my mouth dropped open. I was speechless.

"There are two?" I asked the moment I found my voice, still unable to believe what was happening.

"That's right." He smiled. I could tell that he was happy to deliver the news. "Both of them are fine. I'll give you the details of what you need to do from now on and the medications you need to take."

He got up and went to the chair behind his desk while I cleaned the gel off my stomach and adjusted my clothes. I was still in shock. This day was so different from a week ago. But no matter what, I have to be a mother and a father to my babies. I will do it for them. It's not their fault who their father is. I closed my eyes, remembering Nick and his words.

He won't know. They're mine, only mine. I left the office with that in mind. I thanked him and said goodbye to Mr. Van Holt. He walked me out where Cedric was waiting for us. He immediately went up to us the moment he saw us.

"Everything okay? Thanks, Dad. I'll see you at home." Cedric bid goodbye to his father and walked beside me as we left the hospital.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied. I was holding the ultrasound next to the pregnancy test and the vitamin prescription. He waited in silence for me to continue. "It's twins," I told him.

"Wow," he said, amused.

I smiled. "I know." He looked at me as he crossed his arms. I noticed something in his face. Something that tells me that something was going on.

"What's wrong?" I ask, puzzled.

"I guess it's best if you see for yourself," he said, taking my hand and leading me with him. We got into my car, and he was the one who was driving.

We drove in silence. I didn’t even recognize the streets where we were going anymore. All I knew was that the houses were getting bigger and more luxurious as we continued on our way.

Suddenly, we stopped in front of a huge mansion. I assumed we were at the back door of the house because of the structure that I was seeing. There was some movement, people were coming and going with objects. They were waiters dressed elegantly.

"Come on," he whispered and took some trays from the back of a catering van. He handed me one, and I followed him, still not understanding anything that was happening.

We walked around the house until we reached a large garden, which had been prepared for a wedding. Cedric hid us to the side so we wouldn't be seen, but we could see everything that was going on from there.

"What are we doing here?" I whispered and he pointed to the spot where the groom was waiting for the bride.

My hands started to shake as I saw who was waiting in front of the altar Cedric grabbed the tray before it fell and we attracted someone's attention. The groom turned as the woman, clad in a beautiful wedding dress, walked towards him. She was wearing a veil, so I couldn't see who it was.

I turned to look at Cedric.

"It's Barbara—Barbie," he explained with a complicated gesture. The images of her—the head cheerleader of the university football team—and Nick being "friends" came back to mind. According to Nick, they had known each other since they were kids. I never liked her, and she never liked me.

Nick smiled as he saw her while the remains of my broken heart broke into even smaller pieces, causing a sharp pain in my chest.

The beaming groom welcomed her, and the ceremony began. Feeling like I've seen enough, I turned around and moved quickly to get out of that house as soon as possible.

I got into my car, and Cedric got in when he managed to catch up with me. I didn't say anything. My mind just replayed the times they would run into each other at the university, where they would only greet each other politely and show anything more. They turned out to be excellent actors.

My feelings were churning, making it impossible for me to know which one was stronger. Cedric stopped in front of my house.

"Are you okay? I know it wasn't easy, but you needed to see it. Nick is trash, Ali."

"I know. I'll be fine. Thank you," I said and kissed him on the cheek. "You can take the car and send it later. I won't need it." Cedric nodded. I left him and walked to the house. I went straight to my room the moment I got in.

"Ali, honey," I heard my mother's voice but I was too weak and tired to even answer her so I just laid on my bed and closed my eyes. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep.

But then I was woken up when I felt my mother shaking me up. I creased my forehead as I yawned and forced myself to open my eyes.

"Yes, Mom?" I answered sleepily, looking at my phone. I was shocked to see that it was already past four in the afternoon.

"Mr. Killian Garnett is downstairs waiting for you." I felt like my whole body had just woken up. I quickly sat up on the bed. Garnett is Nick's last name…